Since when did DJ's become as important than bands?

[Uncle Liam]

Was bitching about this on my Facebook the other day.

Looked at the Coachella lineup- which is usually a somewhat reliable indicator of what's to come on the European festival season, and there's a ton of DJ's on there.

Last year it seemed Calvin Harris did every festival under the sun (I know he didn't and that's a gross exaggeration), the year before it was Guetta, this year it could be Ingrosso? Avicii?

It seems to have snuck up on me a little. When I started teaching, the sixth form would all rant and rave about the latest big thing, and they still rave about Arctic Monkeys (and Ed Sheeran.. urgh), but I don't hear any of them raving about any of these DJ's or EDM producers.

Anyone know why bands are seemingly unfashionable, or at least not as fashionable as they were, and why producers and DJ's all of a sudden are?

[fatyeti24]

i'd say it's not really all of a sudden but a gradual change, but for a pointer as to when things started to change (in the states at least as djs have had a bigger rep in europe for a while), i'd suggest Daft Punk's 2006/7 tour and accompanying stage show that opened the way for dance music to headline arenas at non-dance festivals.

of course there are examples of other acts doing this in the past, but i'd say that is where the current phenomenom got kick started.

[Uncle Liam]

But you've had what i would refer to as dance 'bands' playing for years. Chems, Daft Punk, Faithless, Orbital etc. They have their own back catalogue of songs to play accompanied by light show.

With Guetta, Harris etc what you get is a lot of their own songs, but mixed with their remixes of other people's songs. And for me that's the different.

With The Chems, it's a show based around their own music. With Guetta, it's anything but that.

[russycarps]

so long as that crap doesnt start polluting glastonbury it's fine.

The day a DJ plays other peoples records on the pyramid is the day to pack it all in.

[Uncle Liam]

Is a Calvin Harris headline slot at Glastonbury that unfeasible? Obviously not this year...

And I saw Harris at Sziget last Summer, and it was actually alright. I just remember seeing Calvin Harris performing live with a band in mid afternoon slots.

[5co77ie]

DJs have always been popular at festivals - they require minimal backline, quick to set up and easy to put in place before or after live acts with a big set up.

Why you actually need them theyre when you could just play their CD through the PA, and add crowd whoosh and cheering moises to ramp up the crowd and achieve much the same effect is something I've never fully grasped. Although these days the crowd expect frickin' lazers, lights, confetti cannons, cake throwing, and other delights to distract them - where as most acts (except Kiss and their ilk) would say it detracts from actually enjoying the performance, and want their music to be the centre of attention rather than the pretty stage effects. In Kiss' case the music is so shocking it's much better for the audience to be distracted by fire and smoke!

[russycarps]

Is a Calvin Harris headline slot at Glastonbury that unfeasible? Obviously not this year...

And I saw Harris at Sziget last Summer, and it was actually alright. I just remember seeing Calvin Harris performing live with a band in mid afternoon slots.

I dunno. But I suppose him playing someone elses records is no worse than dolly parton or beyonce miming to their own songs really.

Edited January 8, 2015 by russycarps

[fatyeti24]

But you've had what i would refer to as dance 'bands' playing for years. Chems, Daft Punk, Faithless, Orbital etc. They have their own back catalogue of songs to play accompanied by light show.

With Guetta, Harris etc what you get is a lot of their own songs, but mixed with their remixes of other people's songs. And for me that's the different.

With The Chems, it's a show based around their own music. With Guetta, it's anything but that.

i think that's just a merging between what used to be known as a live set and a dj set. these are things that are not necessarily seperate anymore.

and if you go back and have a look, live shows, with all the screens and lights and what have you have come on leaps and bounds in recent years. to put it bluntly, there's stuff to look at for a big crowd, not just some blokes silhouhetted over banks of machines. it's more of a show.

and of course, these things go in cycles. some kids with guitars will be back around soon.

[Uncle Liam]

DJs have always been popular at festivals - they require minimal backline, quick to set up and easy to put in place before or after live acts with a big set up.

Why you actually need them theyre when you could just play their CD through the PA, and add crowd whoosh and cheering moises to ramp up the crowd and achieve much the same effect is something I've never fully grasped. Although these days the crowd expect frickin' lazers, lights, confetti cannons, cake throwing, and other delights to distract them - where as most acts (except Kiss and their ilk) would say it detracts from actually enjoying the performance, and want their music to be the centre of attention rather than the pretty stage effects. In Kiss' case the music is so shocking it's much better for the audience to be distracted by fire and smoke!

I know DJ's have always been popular, but they've never been this popular in terms of taking a number of high profile slots. And again, i differentiate between someone like Skrillex who creates his own music and lightshow and someone like Harris and Guetta.

Whilst I can understand it from a logistical and technical view, (and I'm guessing it might be cheaper as well?) I don't understand it from a fans viewpoint. Personally, I love the atmosphere of the BIG gig, the headline act at a festival. I dont get it, nor do I sense other people get as excited for a DJ.

[5co77ie]

The day a DJ plays other peoples records on the pyramid is the day to pack it all in.

errrrrr.... Stereo MCs 1993 did a lot of remixes

and didn't De La Soul chuck on a few records at one point in 1990?

[russycarps]

errrrrr.... Stereo MCs 1993 did a lot of remixes

and didn't De La Soul chuck on a few records at one point in 1990?

I knew some smart arse would prove me wrong....

[fatyeti24]

I know DJ's have always been popular, but they've never been this popular in terms of taking a number of high profile slots. And again, i differentiate between someone like Skrillex who creates his own music and lightshow and someone like Harris and Guetta.

Whilst I can understand it from a logistical and technical view, (and I'm guessing it might be cheaper as well?) I don't understand it from a fans viewpoint. Personally, I love the atmosphere of the BIG gig, the headline act at a festival. I dont get it, nor do I sense other people get as excited for a DJ.

that's just tastes isn't it? i can't stand Harris or Guetta's music, but then i'm 36, it isn't really aimed at me. and while i enjoy a big gig, djs and dance music are more my bag, though i do prefer clubs to tents at festivals.

i loved the Chems show the other year, but there's not many dance acts that have lasted since my youth!

[Uncle Liam]

The thing is though, I fucking detest Kings of Leon. However, lots of people like them and they want to go along and sing along to Sex on Fire, Use Somebody and the other one and have a good time, and you know what? Fair play, have at it, just don't expect me to join in. And I can understand why hundreds of thousands of people break the internet to get tickets.

But I don't understand why people would want to see a DJ in a headline slot at a festival? In a tent after hours? Absolutely. Crack it in loud and play the hits. But in what might be described as a 'money' slot? And when DJ's start to take up a significant portion of the lineup, that's when it becomes even more baffling to me. Because, like Scottie says, in some respects you may as well just stick a CD on.

[fatyeti24]

The thing is though, I fucking detest Kings of Leon. However, lots of people like them and they want to go along and sing along to Sex on Fire, Use Somebody and the other one and have a good time, and you know what? Fair play, have at it, just don't expect me to join in. And I can understand why hundreds of thousands of people break the internet to get tickets.

But I don't understand why people would want to see a DJ in a headline slot at a festival? In a tent after hours? Absolutely. Crack it in loud and play the hits. But in what might be described as a 'money' slot? And when DJ's start to take up a significant portion of the lineup, that's when it becomes even more baffling to me. Because, like Scottie says, in some respects you may as well just stick a CD on.

again i'd argue that's just taste. you don't get it, many others do. is a dj who could just press play on his whole gig any worse than a band phoning in the same set they do at every festival?

are the people in the crowd wanting to sing along to sex on fire any different to those who want to dance to the latest calvin harris tune? surely to those kids, him taking up a significant proportion of the lineup is a good thing

this all seems a bit like the ancient 'traditional' vs 'electronic' arguements of yore. maybe you're just getting old? i know i am!

[Uncle Liam]

The thing is though, I love electronic music. Pet Shop Boys have always been one of my favourite bands (not exactly the same genre) but I love The Chems, Orbital, Faithless and Daft Punk (until the last album anyway). I've always loved electronic music, in many forms, be it stuff like Gary Numan, or New Order, or Kraftwerk, or Maps, or Ladyhawke. I absolutely cannot get enough of it.

And I hate a lot of 'traditional' music. I don't like Led Zeppelin at all, Foo Fighters bore me now, grown out of Oasis and The Stone Roses. I never liked The Beatles or The Rolling Stones, I think Pink Floyd are really pretentious, AC/DC ridiculous, can't stand U2 etc etc.

I just can't get excited about Calvin Harris playing an Avicii songs and a remix of When You Were Young by The Killers. I'd rather see The Killers play When You Were Young. Does that make me old? Haha.

[LondonTom]

again i'd argue that's just taste. you don't get it, many others do. is a dj who could just press play on his whole gig any worse than a band phoning in the same set they do at every festival?

Yes, even if they are phoning it in, they still to an extent are having to actually do something on stage. They still need to be very good at what they do, and it will quite be a "CD".

I don't mind "live" dance acts as such where they are mixing and stuff even if its a bit pre programed, it still has bit of feeling to it but Calvin Harris, David Guetta, Paris Hilton etc. just pressing play and jumping around? Nah! Don't get it at all, it could litrally be me or anyone else up there.

I'd have more respect for it, if it was the group of lighting/ "VJs" getting the credit cause essentially thats what you are paying for than anything else I guess.

[jonodillieono]

I know DJ's have always been popular, but they've never been this popular in terms of taking a number of high profile slots. And again, i differentiate between someone like Skrillex who creates his own music and lightshow and someone like Harris and Guetta.

Whilst I can understand it from a logistical and technical view, (and I'm guessing it might be cheaper as well?) I don't understand it from a fans viewpoint. Personally, I love the atmosphere of the BIG gig, the headline act at a festival. I dont get it, nor do I sense other people get as excited for a DJ.

When I seen Skrillex he was playing a lot of other peoples music too, that's just the way dj sets work.

I love the atmosphere of a big DJ with lots of lazers and shit

[fred quimby]

so long as that crap doesnt start polluting glastonbury it's fine.

The day a DJ plays other peoples records on the pyramid is the day to pack it all in.

i remember when John Peel did (between bands minds)

[fatyeti24]

Yes, even if they are phoning it in, they still to an extent are having to actually do something on stage. They still need to be very good at what they do, and it will quite be a "CD".

I don't mind "live" dance acts as such where they are mixing and stuff even if its a bit pre programed, it still has bit of feeling to it but Calvin Harris, David Guetta, Paris Hilton etc. just pressing play and jumping around? Nah! Don't get it at all, it could litrally be me or anyone else up there.

I'd have more respect for it, if it was the group of lighting/ "VJs" getting the credit cause essentially thats what you are paying for than anything else I guess.

i know where you're coming from, but stuff like the chemical brothers the other year was ace, and don't think they are doing much with that show as it happens. that's just the nature of those big shows where the visuals are tied so closely to to the sound, there's very little room for improvisation.

plus, the dark secret at the heart of many, many bands' live shows, electronic or not: loads of them get a bit of macbook assistance. what you're hearing isn't all that you're seeing.

personally it's not something that bothers me too much, but i know others feel differently.

[Uncle Liam]

When I seen Skrillex he was playing a lot of other peoples music too, that's just the way dj sets work.

I love the atmosphere of a big DJ with lots of lazers and shit

I was referring to Skrillex live.

[metallimuse]

In my mind I put it down to the overall change in festival demographics.

This is just my perception/opinion but festivals (or rather the big 4 majors) used to be attended by people who were big music fans and went for the band's/artist's playing.

Over the past 10 years I feel people now go for the event rather than what's booked which is defo the case with the 4 majors.Casual 'punters' go for the experience, it's a more mainstream crowd.

Big DJ's I feel appeal more to this crowd as I suspect they would more likely be found out clubbing than going to a sweaty gig in an academy somewhere.

Nothing against DJs though and I'm very happy to see them on line ups everywhere.

Edited January 8, 2015 by metallimuse

[WS_Jack_III]

Djs just playing mixes of other people's tracks for 2-3 hours is cheaper than a band playing for 1 hour and 45 mins, not to mention easier to set up and all the rest of it.

In terms of the crap electronic music (Guetta, Harris and a few others) cross overs with mainstream pop acts has brought in new audiences and companies got interested in the commercial possibilities, advertising money has got into the mix and that usually gives an industry a boom/exposure.

Oh and Russy, these guys are the biz.

[Wooderson]

The thing is though, I love electronic music. Pet Shop Boys have always been one of my favourite bands (not exactly the same genre) but I love The Chems, Orbital, Faithless and Daft Punk (until the last album anyway). I've always loved electronic music, in many forms, be it stuff like Gary Numan, or New Order, or Kraftwerk, or Maps, or Ladyhawke. I absolutely cannot get enough of it.

And I hate a lot of 'traditional' music. I don't like Led Zeppelin at all, Foo Fighters bore me now, grown out of Oasis and The Stone Roses. I never liked The Beatles or The Rolling Stones, I think Pink Floyd are really pretentious, AC/DC ridiculous, can't stand U2 etc etc.

I just can't get excited about Calvin Harris playing an Avicii songs and a remix of When You Were Young by The Killers. I'd rather see The Killers play When You Were Young. Does that make me old? Haha.

Youre one mixed up puppy Liam.

[viberunner]

Youre one mixed up puppy Liam.

Yeah but

And I hate a lot of 'traditional' music. I don't like Led Zeppelin at all, Foo Fighters bore me now, grown out of Oasis and The Stone Roses. I never liked The Beatles or The Rolling Stones,I think Pink Floyd are really pretentious, AC/DC ridiculous, can't stand U2 etc etc.

Liam makes some good points.

[Wooderson]

Im one of those weirdos that has a severe mistrust for anyone who actively/consciously dislikes The Beatles.

That said. He does make some great points on this thread, agreed.