Weddings!

I've said it before and again now, I dig playing weddings. When I worked in artist management, the prevailing mentality in the music industry dictated that weddings are shameless, mercenary gigs. One artist I worked for, however, took a particular pride in these occasions. As the bandleader once told me, and I feel the same way: "Two people have decided to spend their life together, they've invited all their family and friends, this is the most important day of their life, and for the celebration they've decided to hire US to play, to provide the soundtrack for a memory that will stay with them forever? THAT is an honor, and we BETTER be at our best."

I played a wedding at the wonderful EM Fine Art gallery and event space. The bride and groom could not possibly have been better. Their personal dynamic was heartwarming. They both love music, as comfortably sure of what they did and didn't want to hear as they were of every other part of the wedding process. That said, they were 100% open to ideas and suggestions. As a result, our ongoing dialog between meeting and the Big Day was easy and effective every step of the way.

Short version of the musical direction:
Cocktails/Dinner - old soul, r&b, blues, and some funk, sprinkle in some more contemporary tunes near the end but make sure it's stuff that grooves and holds up with the older stuff.
After First Dance - play "Temperature" by Sean Paul, it will get everyone on the floor (it sure did), then focus on 80s and early 90s hip hop, work in some more modern stuff early and then cheesy 80s pop later as the drunkards take over the dance floor, maybe do an oldies set if there are older folks wanting to dance, no Saturday Night Fever type disco but maybe a song or two of mid-late 70s funk.

If this bride and groom don't make it in their day jobs, they could be DJs. Their instincts and preferences were absolutely perfect. This would be a FUN occasion and I'll enjoy playing good tunes all night.


THE PLAYLIST

PRE-CEREMONY:
Miles Davis – Kind of Blue (album)
Jagged Edge feat. Reverend Run – Let’s Get Married (groom's awesome idea)

PROCESSIONAL:
Israel Kamakawiwo’ole – Somewhere Over the Rainbow / What a Wonderful World

RECESSIONAL:
Frank Sinatra – Fly Me to the Moon

COCKTAILS / DINNER:
Sam & Dave – I Thank You
Van Morrison – The Way Young Lovers Do
Tony Bennett w/ Count Basie – Life is a Song
Al Green – Love & Happiness
Marvin Gaye – Can I Get a Witness
The Ronettes – Be My Baby
Raphael Saadiq w/ Joss Stone – Just One Kiss
Eddie Floyd – Knock On Wood
Sam Cooke – Shake
Stevie Wonder – Nothing’s Too Good For My Baby
Lyn Collins feat. The JB’s – Think (About It)
Rufus Thomas – Do the Funky Penguin
Aretha Franklin – Rock Steady
Dinah Washington – Is You Is Or Is You Ain’t My Baby
Bobby Womack – Lookin’ for a Love
Sly & the Family Stone – In Time
James Brown – Give It Up Or Turn It Loose
Jamiroquai – Virtual Insanity
Curtis Mayfield – Superfly
Gorillaz – Dare
Prince Paul – What You Got [stopped early after an unexpected F-bomb]
Beta Band – Round the Bend
T. Rex – Jeepster
Professor Longhair – Whole Lotta Lovin’
Johnny Cash – Get Rhythm
A Tribe Called Quest – Can I Kick It?
Jimmy & Joe Liggins – I Ain’t Drunk
Ray Charles – Let the Good Times Roll
Average White Band – Pick Up the Pieces
Adele – Rolling in the Deep
Jackson 5 – The Love You Save
Marvin Gaye – Ain’t No Mountain High Enough
Space – Female of the Species
David Bowie – Fame
The Budos Band – Monkey See, Monkey Do [guest request]

FIRST DANCE:
Etta James – At Last

RECEPTION / DANCING:
Sean Paul – Temperature
Flo Rida – Low
House of Pain – Jump Around
Lady Gaga – Poker Face
Naughty By Nature – O.P.P.
Young MC – Bust a Move
Justin Timberlake – Sexyback
Tag Team – Whoomp! (there it is)
The Time – The Bird
Taio Cruz – Dynamite [guest request]
Rihanna – S&M
Deee-Lite – Groove Is In the Heart
Bell Biv Bevoe – Poison
C+C Music Factory – Gonna Make You Sweat (Everybody Dance Now)
Black Eyed Peas – Boom Boom Pow
Flo Rida – Right Round
Frankie Goes to Hollywood – Relax
Outkast – Players Ball [bride request via bridesmaid for early Outkast]
Run DMC – Mary, Mary
Marky Mark & the Funky Bunch – Good Vibrations
Cyndi Lauper – She Bop
Gnarls Barkley – Crazy
Kool & the Gang – Jungle Boogie
Prince – Let’s Go Crazy
2 unlimited – unlimited megajam
Talking Heads – Life During Wartime
Sly & the Family Stone – I Want to Take You Higher
Cannibal & the Headhunters – Land of 1,000 Dances
Jerry Lee Lewis – Great Balls of Fire
Sam the Sham & the Pharaohs – Wooly Bully
The Big Bopper – Chantilly Lace
Mitch Ryder & the Detroit Wheels – Devil with the Blue Dress On
Tommy James & the Shondells – Mony Mony
Stevie Wonder – Superstition
Sam & Dave – Soul Man
Madonna – Vogue
Madness – One Step Beyond
Sugar Hill Gang – Rappers Delight
Bill Withers – Use Me
George McCrae – Rock Your Baby
Beastie Boys – Get It Together
Michael Jackson – Bad
Tone Loc – Funky Cold Medina
Kool Moe Dee – Wild Wild West
Digital Underground – The Humpty Dance
The Budos Band – Ghost Walk
AC/DC – Back in Black
Bon Jovi – Livin’ on a Prayer
Journey – Don’t Stop Believin’
Neil Diamond – Sweet Caroline
Queen – Flash
Violent Femmes – Blister in the Sun
Dexy’s Midnight Runners – Come On Eileen
Salt n Pepa – Push It
3rd Bass – Pop Goes the Weasel
Will Smith – Getting’ Jiggy With It
Black Sheep – The Choice Is Yours
Frank Sinatra – Summer Wind

That is all. What a marvelous occasion. It just doesn't get any better than this couple and their guests. To anyone who was there and may be reading this: THANKS!

RCRG Championship

Rat City Rollergirls championship was yesterday at KeyArena. No time for commentary, just the playlist and photo from the Aerialistas awesome halftime show.

Warm-ups:
Ike Reilly Assassination – Last Time
Betty Davis – Nasty Gal
Sir Mix-a-Lot – My Hooptie
50 Cent – Candy Shop
Madonna – 4 Minutes
Basement Jaxx – She’s No Good
Justin Timberlake vs. Missy Elliott mash-up
Prince vs. Kelis mash-up

Doors:
Jamiroquai – Virtual Insanity
Carl Cox – Battery/Dammelo
Gorillaz – 19-2000 (soul child remix)
Raphael Saadiq – Radio
Lady Gaga vs. Journey mash-up – Just Stop Believing
Theme from Pirates of the Caribbean (Sara Problem request)
Ke$ha – Blow
Junior Senior – Move Your Feet
Kylie Minogue – Put Your Hands Up
Lil Mama – Lip Gloss
Scissor Sisters – I Don’t Feel Like Dancin’
Michael Franti & Spearhead – Say Hey (I Love You)
Nicki Minaj – Super Bass
Pink – Get This Party Started
Morphine – Honey White
Cee-Lo Green – Love Gun
Pitbull – Give Me Everything
The Pogues – If I Should Fall From Grace With God

League Intro.:
Black Eyed Peas – Boom Boom Pow

DLF vs. Sockit Wenches first half:
Faith No More – Epic
Dick Dale – Misirlou
Amazing Crowns – Do the Devil
Kool & the Gang – Jungle Boogie
Hot Chelle Rae – Tonight Tonight
Justin Timberlake – SexyBack
Jon Spencer Blues Explosion – Bellbottoms (for Drew Blood)
Beth Ditto – I Wrote the Book
Hot Chip – Hold On

Break:
Aerosmith – Big Ten Inch Record (Queen Mum request)
Ice Cube – Check Yo Self
Liquid Soul – Cabbage Roll

DLF vs. Sockit Wenches second half:
Run-DMC – Run’s House
The Ramones – Beat on the Brat (audience request)
Sponge – Go Speed Racer Go (for Penny Racer)
Lady Gaga – the Edge of Glory
The Big Pink – Dominos (for Domino Scarvy)
Imelda May – Johnny Got a Boom Boom
Destiny’s Child – Bootylicious (Foxy Throwdown request)
Reverend Horton Heat – Big Red Rocket of Love
Motorhead – We Are the Road Crew
LL Cool J – Mama Said Knock You Out
Mudhoney – Touch Me I’m Sick
Dropkick Murphys – I’m Shipping Up To Boston
AC/DC – Thunderstruck

MVP presentation:
Beastie Boys – Fight For Your Right

Halftime:

Poi Dog Pondering – Complicated (Berlin re-mix)
Prince – Chelsea Rogers
LMFAO – Party Rock Anthem
2pac – California Love

Grave Danger vs. Throttle Rockets first half:
INXS – Need You Tonight (static revenger mix edit)
Felix da Housecat – What She Wants
Rihanna – S&M
Sex Pistols – Problems
Rage Against the Machine – Kick Out the Jams
Frankie Goes To Hollywood – Relax
Survivor – Eye of the Tiger
Cyndi Lauper – She Bop
The Time – Jungle Love

50/50 raffle:
Spinal Tap – Gimme Some Money

Halftime:
Joseph Derulo – Don’t Wanna Go Home
Katy Perry – Last Friday Night

Grave Danger vs. Throttle Rockets second half:
2 Live Crew – Hoochie Mama (for Grave Danger)
Jennifer Lopez – On the Floor
Material Issue – Valerie Loves Me (for Valtron)
Lupe Fiasco – The Show Goes On
Social Distortion – Bad Luck
David Guetta – Sexy Bitch
Wolfmother – Woman
Blur – Song 2
House of Pain – Jump Around
Pearl Jam – Spin the Black Circle (for Eddie Shredder)
Guns N Roses – Welcome to the Jungle

Grave Danger victory lap:
Queen – We Are The Champions (partial)

Handshakes & MVP presentation:
The Gossip – Standing in the Way of Control

Exit:
Cee-Lo Green – F**k You

Jet City vs. the ATL

Tonight I had the pleasure of playing for the Jet City Rollergirls (Everett, WA). I've been to a couple of their bouts over the years, and some of my friends coach and skate in this league, but this was my first time playing for and working with them. What an experience! The event was held in the brand new, $20M, 2,250 capacity student fitness center at Everett Community College which just opened this year, and while it's a much smaller venue than the pro sports arena where I've played the last two seasons for the Seattle league, it's a very charming and endearing facility. The gals at Jet City really have their stuff together, which made for a rich experience. Everything is very well organized, everyone knows what everyone else is doing, communications are clear, everyone is very laid back, in control, without any visible stress, and the whole show runs smooth like a big stick of butter. I tip my hat and issue a heartfelt Thanks to Jet City, as this gig was incredibly easy and fun every step of the way. I'll play tunes for these lovely ladies and their awesome fans any time. Here's tonight's play list:

WARM-UPS
The Bar-Kays - Too Hot to Stop
Ice Cube - Check Yo Self
Scissor Sisters - I Don't Feel Like Dancin'
Poi Dog Pondering - Platetectonic
New Order - Bizarre Love Triangle
David Bowie - Cat People
Culture Club - Church of the Poison Mind
Morrissey - Suedehead (Sparks remix)
Caviar - On the D.L.
Soundgarden - Outshined

JET CITY B-52s (All-Star B-Team) vs. RAT CITY RAIN OF TERROR (Seattle All-Star B-Team)
FIRST HALF
Cee-Lo Green - Forget You
Kiss - Detroit Rock City
Southern Culture on the Skids - Shotgun (for Love Trouble)
Sex Pistols - Problems (for Sarah Problem)
The White Stripes - My Doorbell
A Tribe Called Quest - Scenario
Prince - Chelsea Rogers
The Dandy Warhols - Bohemian Like You
Billy Preston - Will It Go Round In Circles
Jamiroquai - Virtual Insanity

Intermission
Louis Jordan - Choo Choo Ch'Boogie
Liquid Soul - Sure Fire One
Modest Mouse - Satin in a Coffin

JET CITY B-52s vs. RAT CITY RAIN OF TERROR
SECOND HALF
Lady Gaga - Poker Face
The Girls - Decoy
B-52s - Private Idaho (for Jet City)
Veruca Salt - Seether
Pearl Jam - Not For You (for Eddie Shredder)
Sleater-Kinney - The Fox
Meat Puppets - Backwater
Del Fuegos - I Always Call Her Back
Sponge - Go Speed Racer Go (for Penny Racer)
Robert Gordon - Red Hot

HALFTIME
Fatboy Slim - Praise You
Moby - Honey
The Kills - Sour Cherry
Peaches - Trick Or Treat
Smashing Pumpkins - Cherub Rock

JET CITY BOMBERS (All-Stars) vs. ATLANTA ROLLERGIRLS (All-Stars)
FIRST HALF
AC/DC - Thunderstruck
INXS - Need You Tonight (Static Revenger Mix)
Balkan Beat Box - War Again
Urge Overkill - Positive Bleeding
Ms. Led - These Things We Say
Cyndi Lauper - She Bop
The Soviettes - Roller Girls
The Muffs - Don't Pick On Me
Jon Spencer Blues Explosion - Bellbottoms
Heavy Trash - Crazy Pritty Baby
Elvis Costello - (What's So Funny 'Bout) Peace, Love & Understanding
Mudhoney - Touch Me I'm Sick
Buddy Holly - Rave On

Intermission
Flo Rida - Right Round
Justin Timberlake - Sexyback
Morris Day & the Time - Jungle Love

JET CITY BOMBERS vs. ATLANTA ROLLERGIRLS
SECOND HALF
Ludacris - Welcome to Atlanta (for the ATL)
The Gossip - Standing in the Way of Control
The Rolling Stones - Bitch
Talking Heads - Life During Wartime
Reverend Horton Heat - It's Martini Time
Imelda May - Johnny Got a Boom Boom (for Kay Boom)
Soul Asylum - Somebody to Shove
The Gits - Spear & Magic Helmet
Blondie - One Way Or Another
The Pretenders - Precious (for Precious N Metal)
Dropkick Murphys - Shipping Up to Boston
Blur - Song 2
Harvey Danger - Flagpole Sitta

EXIT MUSIC
Lady Gaga medley

Dog-Walking Tunes

Went for a delightful walk with the dog tonight. It's a cool night with that passive Seattle rain I liken to the spot-free rinse at the car wash. Threw on a hoodie, grabbed the iPod Shuffle I haven't used in months and have entirely forgotten which tunes are on it, and as Champ and I strolled around the dimly-lit mist of Capitol Hill, this was our soundtrack:

Eddy Grant - "Electric Avenue"
Hothouse Flowers - "Don't Go"
Cheap Trick - "If You Want My Love"
Devo - "Girl U Want"
Hall & Oates - "You Make My Dreams"
Deee-Lite - "Groove is in the Heart"
David Lee Roth - "Just a Gigolo / I Ain't Got Nobody"
Helio Sequence - "Harmonica Song"

Maybe I'm dating myself, as six of these eight songs were released in the 80s, one in the 90s and one in this century, but I still say that's a fine soundtrack for an evening dog walk. I'm not sure what else is on this Shuffle, but I'll keep using it for dog walks until I keep hearing the same stuff too often.

New Year's Eve 2010

I've played each of the five installments of Highway 99 Blues Club's "Hayride To Hell" New Year's Eve bashes.

[disclosure: I am the venue's Music Director, I book the talent for the event and my brother owns the venue - which means, to an extent, as that one chick sang, "It's my party and I'll play if I want to"]

The format for this annual extravaganza includes 3-4 artists of Americana music with an emphasis on rockabilly, some live burlesque and cabaret dancers, and I play records on stage from the time doors open until the live entertainment begins (2 hours) and during all the in-betweens (a handful of 10-20 minute pieces) as we quickly turn the stage over between bands and dancers. The idea and result: continuous live on-stage entertainment from 6pm til 2am.

The concept is, while so many clubs charge an extraordinary price for what usually amounts to an ordinary show (haven't we all at some point paid $50-70 for a ticket to see a show we can otherwise see for $15-25 on any other date?), at Highway 99 Blues Club we simply reverse the trend and charge an ordinary price ($15 this year) for an extraordinary bill of entertainment (4 live music artists + 2 world-class burlesque performers and some hack spinning records).

This year's line-up:
Music
Tumbledown: insurgent alt.punk.country led by MxPx frontman Mike Herrera. Holy CRAP, this band is GOOD.
Ruby Dee & the Snakehandlers - Austin-based honkeytonk juggernaut, imagine Loretta Lynn fronts a band with Springsteen on lead guitar and Bruce, aka Jorge Harada, gets to hog all the solos.
The Black Crabs - one of Seattle's few tried and true (best? I'll make that case) traditional rockabilly bands.
MARK PICKEREL - a very special solo performance by an artist whose pedigree includes being a founding member of Screaming Trees, an early member of Nirvana, and whose credits include work with Neko Case and Mark Lanegan.

Burlesque & Cabaret
The Shanghai Pearl performed solo, and also with the bands. Most notably, she danced while Tumbledown played Link Wray's "Rumble" after midnight.
Fuchsia Foxx killed with her arty belly dancing and holiday-themed cabaret.

MY PART
I had a blast playing an all-vinyl set. From memory, here's a list - way out of order - of the tunes on which I most enjoyed dropping the needle:

Terry Evans & Bobby King - Let Love Begin
Wanda Jackson - Thunder on the Mountain
Jerry Lee Lewis - It'll Be Me
Sam Cooke - Having a Party
J. Geils Band - I Do, Looking For a Love
Roy Orbison - Problem Child
Little Richard - Lucille
Chuck Berry - Roll Over Beethoven, Rock & Roll Music
Treat Her Right - I Think She Likes Me
Imelda May - Johnny Got a Boom Boom
James Brown - Escape-Ism Pt. 1
The Lonnie Donegan Skiffle Group - John Henry
Bob Dylan - Most Like You Go Your Way (Mark Ronson remix)
Joan Jett & the Blackhearts - I Hate Myself For Loving You
Beastie Boys - Intergalactic
The Ramones - The KKK Took My Baby Away
Bruce Springsteen - Ramrod
Otis Redding - Down in the Valley
ZZ Top - Tube Snake Boogie
The Clash - Police & Thieves
Aerosmith - Big Ten Inch Record
Elvis Presley - I Want You, I Need You, I Love You
The Black Keys - Tighten Up
Funkadelic - One Nation Under a Groove
Dion - The Wanderer
X - Burning House of Love
The Godfathers - Birth, School, Work, Death
The Blasters - Hollywood Bed
Devo - Fresh
Hank Williams - I Won't Be Home No More
The Kinks - Beautiful Delilah
Blood, Sweat, & Tears - Spinning Wheel
Link Wray - Good Good Lovin'
Johnny "Guitar" Watson - Ain't That a Bitch
The Modern Lovers - Roadrunner
Ram Jam - Black Betty [Ben Liebrand remix]
Wilson Picket- Everybody Needs Somebody to Love
The Animals - Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood
Jimmy Smith - Hoochie Coochie Man

Link text here

Christmas Tunes!

Yeah, yeah, Christmas was a few days ago... I have a holiday music fetish. Below, a track listing for the 10th edition of my annual xmas mix, and a link to a piece I contributed to the cool Seattle-based pop culture blog Monkey Goggles. Happy Holidays!

I Like Xmas Music, and So Do You (Oh Yes, You Do)

A DJ SODA POP CHRISTMAS 2010
Monte & Marsha Brown / Cajun Christmas
Casey MacGill's Blue 4 Trio / Egg Nog
Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings / Ain't No Chimneys in the Projects
The Puppini Sisters / Let It Snow
Louis Prima / What Will Santa Claus Say When He Finds Everybody Swinging?
Huey "Piano" Smith / Doing the Santa Claus
Rufus Thomas / I'll Be Your Santa Baby
The Marcels / Merry Twist-Mas
Blind Boys of Alabama w/ Tom Waits / Go Tell It on the Mountaun
Benny Martin / Santa Claus is From the South
Little Jimmie Dickens / Barefooted Little Cowboy
Eddie Hazelwood / Blue Shadows on a White Christmas Tree
Loretta Lynn / To Heck With Oid Santa Claus
The Wailers / Christmas Spirit
Untamed Youth / Santa's Gonna Shut 'Em Down
Detroit Junior / Christmas Day
Debbie Dabney / I Want to Spend Christmas with Elvis (Heartbreak Noel)
Foghat / All I Want For Christmas Is You
NRBQ / Christmas Wish
Pink Martini / Congratulations (A Happy New Year Song)

What Time Is It?

Boy, I haven't posted in four months. That's a long time here in Blogville. Since we last met, I've played some weddings, most notably one for an esteemed roller derby alum from the team my lovely wife skated for; the Seattle Seahawkers booster club Halloween party; an 80s theme party fundraiser for the Leukemia Foundation. Some song highlights from memory:

Sockit Wench Alum Wedding:
"Admiral and Commander" from Battlestar Galactica - first dance
"Untouched" by the Veronicas - garter toss
"Let's Do It" by Joan Jett & Paul Westerberg - recessional

Seahawkers Halloween Party:
"Bo Meets the Monster" by Bo Diddley
"Trick Or Treat" by Otis Redding
"Transylvania Terror Train" by Captain Clegg And The Night Creatures

My Own Wedding DJs
Is there no better testimonial for a DJ than from another DJ? My lovely wife and I eloped Memorial Day in Vegas. Then we threw a circus-themed party for family and friends, complete with lollipops, Cracker Jacks, a popcorn machine, Dante's Inferno Dogs, live entertainment by The Aerialistas, The Shanghai Pearl and others. Our DJs were awesome. DJ Chairman Moe played circus-themed music early and set the tone. Maude Elletee played the ensuing dance party and brilliantly wove in our requests for such things as the J. Geils Band, Elvis, and Sam & Dave.

Rat City at KeyArena 2011
Yes, we've banged the gavel, the brutal contract negotiations have concluded in a happy manner which resembles something more pleasant than a piranha attack (very brutal: "so, you wanna be our DJ again next season?" - "uh, long as you guys are still separatin' the red M&Ms from the snack bowl per my hospitality rider, uh, YEAH!"

Getcha Rat City Rollergirls Event Info Right Here - Tickets On Sale December 16

Now, some wedding photos courtesy of the magnificently awesome Lilly Warner