The Journey
There’s something truly special about being an adult night club D.J. We don’t have to sit in a room and talk to an invisible audience like radio jocks do. I give them tons of credit for that…I just couldn’t do it. We don’t have to deal with bad karaoke singers (rarely) or worrying about screwing up someone’s nuptials by accidentally playing the wedding song from the wife’s FIRST marriage. And since very few of us mix, it gives us the ability to interact with the girls, the staff and the guests. In most places you can smoke freely without having to take a break. We can eat at our “desk” anytime we want. Some get to drink. And most of the “sexual harassment” comes from the opposite side of the table. At the heart of things though, is the music. Gentleman’s clubs allow us to be every single radio station all in one show. And it’s the best job in the world.
“Have a good show” is something you hear a lot between PANDA D.J.s. Why? Because, for us, it’s all about the show, the journey, we get to take people on every night. When we’re really “on”, the energy in the room is nearly palpable. It’s a buzz that can’t be explained. And if you’ve had it once, you crave it every night. Because of this, our job is never finished. Most of the top guys are obsessive over finding the track that can make their night more complete. There’s always a new song out there just waiting to be found. Now that you’ve found it, you have to find the remix that makes it even better. Oh..and there’s always that “throw back” tune that will go perfect with what you just played and it can drive the room into a frenzy. Drop in a sing a long song, then shock `em with a slow build song like In The Air Tonight. Get the crowd to do some air drumming and there you have it. You’ll look out into a room of people fist pumping, VIP has a waiting line and it’s standing room only because people are on a list for the next available bottle area. No one wants to be anywhere else but where they are right now. And nothing feels better as a jock than knowing you had a hand in that.
When it comes down to it, it’s all about the variety. In some clubs such as mine, it’s not strange to hear classic rock, house music, freestyle, and 90’s pop all in the same hour. It’s a fine art to be able to jump between so many different music genres and create a party atmosphere. One that no one perfects. And that’s what makes it so challenging and fun. Tonight’s crowd isn’t yesterday’s crowd, even if it’s the same people. So tonight’s show can’t be the same. It’s got to be a different journey. Maybe tonight 90’s cheesy music will make them erupt. Or it just might be house remakes of old school tunes. Sometimes you get them right at the start of the shift, sometimes you only catch the room with an hour or two left in the night. But there’s nothing more satisfying than nailing it and giving that final “Good night everybody, we’ll see you soon!” like you’re Jim Morrison closing out the Whiskey Go Go. And right when the music goes silent, you hear there’s still people laughing and yelling, feeling just a little bit lost that it’s all over for the night. Honestly, the D.J. usually feels that, too. Thanks for reading.
Cheers,
D.J. Ron James
