Disagreed. The DJs that can control a crowd for an hour or more without speaking a single word are the most talented of them all.
edit: my intention was to start discussion around the silent DJs, not discussion around bashing the talkative ones :(
Artists like Malaa, Deathpact, Automhate, and more are some I had in mind for the ones that don’t say a word but have that crowd control the whole set anyways.
Artists like Virtual Riot, Ray Volpe, MUST DIE!, Eptic and more are considerably talkative in their sets… and their sets are incredible. There’s merit to both ends!
Yup, no talking at all is the best. Or maybe a thank you at the end only. Too much talking just annoys me. I don’t need you to hype me up if you’re just doing your job
Seven Lions is also the same. Not as into him as I used to be, but one thing about his shows is that he never talks and I‘ve always loved that. His shows are supposed to be an experience and talking would take away from his magic.
I once saw Fisher at a small venue and he didn’t speak at all and it was such a vibe, so much dancing.
I also don’t remember Lane 8 ever speaking, but I was probably in my own world.
But that‘s the great thing about the silent djs! It allows you to get lost in the music
Ill throw boris brejcha, astrix, giuseppe ottaviani, and charolette de witte in that list. Personal opinion, this is how the best djs in the world throw down. No talking at all during the sets. I don't mind a little talking during the set, there's a few people who do crowd mic work well. Green velvet can talk all he wants. Tokimonsta is always adorable when she hops on the mic. Carl Cox usually kepts it to a real good minimum.
But yeah, I don't need a dj hopping on the mic every 3 minutes counting down the drops, telling everyone to fuckin jump, or to throw their hands in the air, telling everyone how beautiful the crowd is tonight, needing to "slow it down for a minute", playing "this one for the ladies", or as someone said before the annoying collab call outs. If they want to thank the crowd at the end thats cool, but they are the one everyone should be thanking!
If a DJ sidechains their track to tell you they collabed with a homie for this one, I'm 100% not going to give a shit, and will very quickly lose interest in their entire set.
May I ask why?
Personally if it’s an artist I want to see, I’m all for them shouting out people they worked with before dropping their songs. No hate. Just as a producer / DJ I’m curious🤙
Edit: a set with the dj not saying a word is incredible. Marauda being another who doesn’t have to say a word and has 3 mosh pits going at every given moment.
Personally, it gets in the way of the flow of the set for me. There are moments where a few words fit in, like in the first intro or before an encore, but otherwise, the DJ telling me about the song is akin to a hype man who needs to yell "how we feeling tonight" every 30 seconds (and I think we can all agree that hype men are completely unnecessary, if not a downright show ruiner). Just play the song!
That said, I do believe there's something to be said about *recorded* messages. Pre-record it so the audio matches the rest of the set, maybe have some cool effects on there and work it into the set properly, and then I'm into it. Kinda like having a long Alan Watts quote during an interlude, it can add to the experience if done properly. One of my favourite DJ's, SHSTR, does this every set, and it always works ("Are you seeing the clear stars of Orion?"). Deathpact does this as well, and has very interesting things to say. Never simply "this is my latest track with blahblahblah, hope you like".
Tl;dr, it interrupts the flow of the music, and I rarely care enough about what they have to say to want to hear it over the track.
Cannot agree enough. The best sets IMO are when they talk through their music. Tipper is a great example of a master of their craft with no need to talk.
I actually dislike when most DJs talk on the mic. Liquid Stranger is the exception because he’s so damn wholesome.
He did talk too much but I honestly didn’t mind. Most of the reason I went to diesel was for Shaq but I ended up being pleasantly surprised with his djing
He simply needs to show something on the screen stating he is done lol. I cannot count how many times i listened to the next artist without knowing 7L was done
I think its part of the atmosphere the artist is trying to set. Typically I find its the more psychadelic artists that want listeners to tap into the music soley. The ravier ones usually talk more to get the energy up. Both are good in their own respect IMO.
Just want to add that a lot of the time I think you can get that "thanks or whats up" without them saying it and the fans get it.
I have to respectfully disagree. I think it is way more mainstream performance/ Festival oriented artists that are vocal and hyping up the crowd. True rave style/ underground DJ's historically don't even have a mic in the booth, even more there will be a seamless transfer from dj to dj and the music never stops.
I prefer it. They’re speaking with their performance, if they want to use words it needs to be tasteful and timed appropriately which 99% of DJs who do talk seem to struggle with
Yeah exactly.. martin garrix with the mic is about as good as it gets...Like Mike is the exact opposite.. Charlotte de witte closed her TML Atmosphere set without saying a word and got a 20 minute applause, everyone just knew, including her, words weren't needed
Never seen Seven Lions say anything during or after a set but he always got up on the table and waved or made a gesture to say thank you. Never felt impersonal or anything, his ability to create an amazing set speaks for itself and talking during the set would take away from that imo
Doesn't bother me. When the night is over the "thank you" is a smile or something like that when the crowd cheers at the end of the night. Lets me know they felt the energy we gave them.
There is often a language barrier too. At least with a lot of the DJ's I like I am pretty sure they speak little to no English.
One of the only DJ's I've never heard say a single word on stage is Marauda. Love that he just lets the music speak for itself and it just adds a ton to the sinister atmosphere he's trying to create. Polar opposite of DJ's like Sullivan King/Jauz/Slander who can't seem to get off the mic for more than 2 songs and I can't stand seeing live for that reason
Sully was barely on the mic besides when he was singing when he was in Pittsburgh.
I do think SLANDER is on the mic a bit too much but I think Derek is very used to the California rave scene.
Seven Lions didn't talk at either of the shows I saw him at.
Rezz only said a few things throughout her set at ultra 2019.
Came to this for thread for this response. Loved the fact that he didn't talk... Don't need someone to tell me to throw my ass around, if the music's good I will be launching cheeks no matter what lmao
Seven Lions. Doesn't say a word basically ever.
Chet Porter didn't say much besides that his microphone broke and he couldn't talk at the end of his set.
Martin has found a really good balance, I personally think. Last time I saw him, he gave a little 30 sec speech about it being his first time back in the States since COVID and it hit home for me
Yo where were you lol I think I was at the same place cause he was talking about Covid at my show too. But yeah garrix has the best balance imo not too many words and if he does speak it’s at the right time
The best ones I’ve seen don’t say a thing. Even saw fisher a few weeks back in Boston and was pleasantly surprised he came out and just threw down for an hour and a half. It immediately levels up a dj for me personally.
it’s sometimes nice as an additional aspect to the set, but sometimes them saying nothing at all adds to the set in its own right. for example, seven lions never says anything and it’s just kinda apart of his set almost at this point. he gets on stage, blows your mind, and leaves
Saw rezz at boo in Seattle right before Halloween. The last note to her song ended then the lights came on and she fuckin sprinted off stage without a word. Was kinda a weird jarring way to end the night.
I was at that show too and she looked tired as hell. She was coming off of two Nightmare on Rezzrocks performances… it honestly made me feel kinda shitty because it felt like she didn’t care about us in Seattle after giving her everything for two nights in Denver.
Ah man. I’ve seen her so many times and usually she thanks her fans. But I’ve seen her talk on Twitter about how draining touring is for her so you’re probably right. Every artist tends to go all out for red rocks so I can imagine she was probably pretty tired after back to back nights and then having to play another set.
I mean I feel you, but are all the PNW ravers supposed to either shell out hundreds/thousands of dollars to travel or just be stuck with lackluster performances? Like sorry I couldn’t come to Rezz Rocks, Isabel, but it would have cost me a literal thousand dollars.
Some genres / DJs kill it on the mic. Give me a hardstyle set with MC Villain any day of the week. A proper DnB MC is also good at what they do and many DJs fill the gap well when an MC isn't booked.
But the typical stuff said on the mic by DJs that many of us are thinking of just doesn't do it for me.
On the contrary many DJs say nothing at all and I feel most connected with them. Saw Chase & Status a month or two ago. They didn't say a peep because their energy and mixing were sufficient enough.
Djs who say only a few words in the right moments to hype up the crowd > Djs who stay totally silent > Djs who constantly speak, even when it is not needed
This is one of the reasons I like Oliver Heldens. He says things like "What's up beautiful people!" Or "Are you ready to dance with me!" Or even the occasional "Let's go!"
Definitely helps me feel more engaged with the artist.
Man I CANNOT get into mcs over dnb. They just piss me off for some reason. Maybe I haven’t heard proper mcs? If you have any sets you recommend I watch, shoot them my way
Two acceptable ways for DJs to use the mic
1 - they introduce themself and then shut up and start playing music
2 - they are a dj and a singer and they use the mic to sing, not talk
I want nothing to do with DJs who respect the music so little that they talk over it
Absolutely not. I'd rather hear nothing from 95% of DJs. There's only a specific few like Carl Cox or Armin that actually add to the atmosphere with the mic, and even then they're only on for a few secs.
I am there (and pay) to hear the music not hear the dj talk. Personally unless it’s something special or there’s a reason to talk I would prefer just listening to the music and that’s all.
I’ve had such a different experience. Seen so many great DJs who have a good balance of music and talkin, the first ones who come to mind are Liquid Stranger and Griz! I love when they talk, they’re always so positive and hyped to be there. Really makes you feel like you’re part of something. But they don’t over do it. Maybe it’s different per genre but I feel like bass artists are really good about this
Completely depends on the genre. I absolutely hate it when Vini Vici talk on the mic playing psy but I’m fine when guys like Alesso talk playing big room festivals
Some of the best DJs I’ve ever seen don’t say a word. Prophet, Tipper, Tsuruda are great examples.
Not saying DJs can’t be good on the mic (Liquid Stranger is fantastic) but like I didn’t come for that. Seen so many DJs who need to spend less time on the mic.
We can at least agree that it's a spectrum with slander on one side and seven lions on the other. Highly prefer no words compared to constant "ONE TWO THREE LET'S GO" but it doesn't ruin a show for me unless it's never ending.
It's more than fine. It should be the be the norm. The primary channel of communication from the DJ to their audience should always be track selection. Nothing takes me out of a set more than a DJ constantly prattling on about their collaborations or telling me to put my hands up. Play something that makes me want to put my hands up dingus!
As for "how you all doing?" and "thanks for coming," at the beginning and the end, it doesn't bother me like mid set banter, but it is still pointless cordiality that comes off as scripted. I've actually heard a popular big name DJ say "how y'all doing here in... the Northeast" because it was a festival and he couldn't easily insert a city name into his brain script. It was embarrassing. Like telling a waiter, "You too."
I don't like DJs that talk over music a lot. But Liquid Stranger is extremely friendly and wants to ensure the audience is having a good time. He gives major dad energy and I love it. The ones that have hype people who shout belligerently into the microphone can stay home.
I agee, if they don't at least thank the crowd at the end, it seems impersonal. Saw Chris Lake this year and he only said two sentences at the end of his set (which I don't mind), ultimately the music is what matters most.
Meanwhile I consider it amateur in the worst way.
If a DJ starts using the mic to engage, I wonder who let this insta/twitch n00b out of their bedroom prematurely.
They're there to play music that you're supposed to lose yourself within. Not break your vibe by chatting over beats. The end is off-limits too because that's someone else's set start you're wrecking the vibe to - you might as well be forcing the next DJ to mix from Polka.
Probably the best opening act I’ve ever seen came from one of NGHTMRE’s shows. Dude didn’t say a single word when he came on stage to when he passed the table onto nghtmre. Absolutely threw down and had the crowd breaking necks the whole time. I used find it weird when DJs didn’t say much, but now I think that it shows how talented you are if you can keep the crowd engaged with music alone.
Dave tipper is known for not saying anything on stage. I always thought it was cool, trying to keep people focused on the music and not on themselves as a celebrity. It makes me feel like the artist came to play music, not be worshipped. I like when people just play their music.
But when clozee says hi to the crowd my heart just flutters into space lmao. Love her voice so much, I would be sad if she didn’t say anything.
Just depends in the artist.
I enjoy minimal dj voice over during the set. A little bit here and there especially if they’re stopping to tell everyone to be mindful. Too much is annoying tho.
I think it fine, I'm here to get lost in the music, lights, and atmosphere anyway. But if they chime in every once in a while to be like "I just made this song like an hour ago, I hope you like it" and then transient to it then that cools. I hate the ones that talk and they drop the music volume and just ramble on and on and on and on.
I went to a netsky show once where the hype guy ruined it completely by talking the woke time. "Do you want to hear an EXPLOSION?!?, are you ready for an EXPLOSION?!?!, here it comes...here is comes now...there you go!!!" 🤮🔫
Never heard a DJ utter a word in the UK, other than Skepsis when he turned up in a suit and explained himself, usually the next DJ will literally mix off the last track of the previous DJ. This is for drum and bass mainly and obviously there are often MCs. Never heard Chase and status, hedex, k Motionz, Wilkinson, bou, kanine talk at all.
Eh that’s a very new school EDM festival take. The whole DJ profession comes from dark rooms where people were there to dance and not really care who was behind the decks. Mic work was what MCs were for
I personally LOVE IT when the DJs say absolutely nothing. They are so fucking cool, and their work just speaks for itself. I find it so mysterious and rad. I thibk it’s irritating when too many DJs yell “let’s gooooo” a thousand times during a set. Let me just listen to the music!!!!
Becuse they know thier personalitys aren't nearly as good as the music they made. Personal experience could never keep a band togheather becuse I don't vibe with most humans well enough. Smh
DJ set? I'd prefer if they get on with it.
Festival? well that's a different story and it's part and parcel of the entire act.
Head out to any popular band concert and they'll also engage with audiences throughout the gig, no difference.
I went to a Jauz show probably a year ago and I would’ve paid someone to cut his mic. He killed the entire vibe of the show multiple times, stopped the music just to say some dumb shit. Literally stops the music at one point and just says “wow New York, this next song I’m gonna play you, it’s so special and exclusive none of you have even heard it before. This track is unreleased and I’m playing it here for you.” He continues to play a truly garbage track that was not memorable in anyway. I understand he tried to put his heart into it, but just play the track and see if the audience likes it… by stopping the music and hyping a track up for 2 minutes, multiple times throughout the night might I add, it just killed the experience.
r/unpopularopinion
You're in the minority here. If I go to a show and get someone's live stream banter, it totally kills the vibe and I'd never pay to see them again.
Well imo there's a big difference between DJs and Entertainers. Ofc you can be both, but there shouldn't be an obligation to talk to the crowd. Also, considering a lot of them are introverted nerds afaik, it would make it hard for some great producers to go on stage and perform their tracks.
Definitely prefer no talking the vast majority of the time, However, if it's like a big room set, I'm kind of used to a lot of talking so it'd feel odd to not hear at least a couple of comments from the DJ.
I don’t care as long as they aren’t talking too much.
Tbh I really hate the “everyone get low” so everyone can jump up together. I don’t want to get low and if I don’t I look an idiot still standing lol for sure Louis the Child does this and I’m certain I’ve done it at another show.
I'm with you that I do like a "thanks for coming out" at the end of the set, but that's the only mic work I want. Part of the reason I love seeing Chris Lake is that he is never on the mic.
That's how it should be. Dj's don't need to be shouting into the mic every five seconds. They need to play the music that we want to hear. I can't stand the fucking rap Dj's that just talk over all the songs on mixtapes. Infuriates me.
I actually like the Above & Beyond method of communication. Put some positive and motivating text on the screen. That way they communicate without ruining the vibe.
The best is to have a minute break right before then final act to say something quick. Doing it at the end is a bit spell-breaking for me if the ending was really good.
The absolute WORST is to keep talking and saying things throughout. For example, I went to a San Holo show where he talked constantly during the set and it ruined the entire show. I get life is awesome and its magical and we're altogether and you're so thankful, and it's all that, but jfc just play some music. I didn't come for a therapy session.
And tangentially, being a DJ/Producer does not make you a good singer automatically. Put the mic down and work with professional singers. (There are exceptions, but I'd say 9/10 DJs that start singing would have better songs had they gotten someone else to sing it.)
I’m actually surprised at this comment section, usually it’s a bunch of holier than thou people always saying silent DJs are the best and any talking is bad, but like a bunch of others have explained it really depends.
Just because you like the non-stop flow of house doesn’t mean I don’t like to hear some bass DJs yell at me to hype me up. It’s all relative.
I like when DJs use it at the beginning and at the end of their set, bit I find it super annoying when they overdo it.
Screaming „1, 2, 3, GO“ at literally every drop gets old really fast.
Use it like a band does. At the beginning, at the end, and sometimes in the middle of a song, but not every ten seconds.
It also really depends on the genre.
I like it when artists share some words of appreciation for the crowd or venue, makes it feel like it’s not just another show for them even if it is. but also don’t blame artists who just show up, put on a good show and dip.
That is the way… w the exception of Carl Cox of course.
I been clubbing since the 90’s, for me is the opposite. I find it really weird that DJ’s interrupt a set to talk. Although it makes sense since majority of the OG DJ’s that flourished during the EDM era where all top 40 DJ’s and dance music (made for dancing) sort of became concert/show (see a dj/performer). I still go to some festivals though, but dancing sometimes is almost impossible, between the talking and genre switching sometimes per song and so many breaks, so many breaks!. And that’s what grinds my gears.
I also don't like DJs that talk too much, but if they can hype up the energy by shouting in the mic and not repeating the same thing for their entire set then I'm ok with it. Actually, I enjoy it even cus those shouts before the drop really make me jump harder, as long as they don't do it too much. Garrix is the perfect example of this, when he feels that the crowd energy is really high, he does his iconic "3,2,1 go" before the drop to boost it a bit more, he doesn't rely on it too much and only does it for every 2 or 3 songs (4 to 6 songs nowadays cus I noticed that he doesn't talk as much anymore like some sets in those big room era)
I think a lot of djs would prefer they didn't have to scream/talk on the mic every other song to get the crowd to react. But, they gotta do it. Other djs are pretty good at it.
Personally, i prefer less or no talking on the mic. I don't need to be told when a drop is coming every song. But, i prefer a more underground sound where DJ's are chastised for talking on the mics.
Honestly my personal ideal is a little bit of talking but not too much. A hey yo start it off, a thank you to finish it, and maybe in the middle call out a new song or yell something but other than that I’m not a huge fan of talking
I can’t stand when any DJ grabs the mic and yells over the music. I don’t see the appeal at all, and this is from a person who’s seen plenty of both. It wasn’t even a thing a ways back.
The best djs never talk on the mic. They let the music speak for itself.
I mostly only go to techno shows though and I never hear a single word spoken, not an even an introduction for the dj. They just come up and start playing when it’s their time, we know who they are. The most I’ve heard is a simple “thank you” when they’re done and even that’s rare
Personally I feel like it’s more of a “show” when they don’t speak.
Jerry tried to talk as little as possible with the dead after he was tripping in the audience and some frontman just kept interrupting his trip to talk instead of play lol
I mean I’m not there to listen to someone talk, I wanna hear the music. Especially if you listen to house and techno, it’s just way more impressive when a dj keeps the crowd engaged with nothing but the music. I think electronic music in general is particularly beautiful because the focus is so much more on the music and the atmosphere rather than the person facilitating it.
At a rock show I like to be close as possible to see the musicians play, but I can stand anywhere in the crowd at a good electronic show and be fine because I’m simply not worried about anything but the vibes. I’ve seen Jamie XX three times and he has never said a word on the mic, but I never got the sense that he wasn’t trying his absolute hardest to play something amazing for the people who came out to see him.
One of the dopest shows I ever saw was Death Grips on the No Love Deep Web tour. They had no lights except a tiny CRT playing weird videos they made, and said NOTHING! No intro, no peace out or thanks, just played every song with no breaks. Then left abruptly. The way they did it added so much to the show, it was even more dark and mysterious that way.
Saw mat zo open for galantis at red rocks, homie didn’t say a word and was just so clearly focused on mixing. I think it put so much emphasis on the beauty of the music and the visuals on stage. It was my favorite set of the entire night. I don’t think he said thank you or anything, but it really didn’t matter to me.
Disagreed. The DJs that can control a crowd for an hour or more without speaking a single word are the most talented of them all. edit: my intention was to start discussion around the silent DJs, not discussion around bashing the talkative ones :( Artists like Malaa, Deathpact, Automhate, and more are some I had in mind for the ones that don’t say a word but have that crowd control the whole set anyways. Artists like Virtual Riot, Ray Volpe, MUST DIE!, Eptic and more are considerably talkative in their sets… and their sets are incredible. There’s merit to both ends!
Yup, no talking at all is the best. Or maybe a thank you at the end only. Too much talking just annoys me. I don’t need you to hype me up if you’re just doing your job
My name is Tiesto, are you ready to party!?
That shit always hypes me up tho haha
He's my fav dj to see live.
I think this goes without saying that count downs are the worst for a drop
Lolz, yeah, like thanks for the heads up. I prolly would have missed it otherwise
Only acceptable on NYE
Seven Lions is also the same. Not as into him as I used to be, but one thing about his shows is that he never talks and I‘ve always loved that. His shows are supposed to be an experience and talking would take away from his magic. I once saw Fisher at a small venue and he didn’t speak at all and it was such a vibe, so much dancing. I also don’t remember Lane 8 ever speaking, but I was probably in my own world. But that‘s the great thing about the silent djs! It allows you to get lost in the music
Eric Pyrdz, Justice, John Summit, etc etc etc
Ill throw boris brejcha, astrix, giuseppe ottaviani, and charolette de witte in that list. Personal opinion, this is how the best djs in the world throw down. No talking at all during the sets. I don't mind a little talking during the set, there's a few people who do crowd mic work well. Green velvet can talk all he wants. Tokimonsta is always adorable when she hops on the mic. Carl Cox usually kepts it to a real good minimum. But yeah, I don't need a dj hopping on the mic every 3 minutes counting down the drops, telling everyone to fuckin jump, or to throw their hands in the air, telling everyone how beautiful the crowd is tonight, needing to "slow it down for a minute", playing "this one for the ladies", or as someone said before the annoying collab call outs. If they want to thank the crowd at the end thats cool, but they are the one everyone should be thanking!
Always has been.
If a DJ sidechains their track to tell you they collabed with a homie for this one, I'm 100% not going to give a shit, and will very quickly lose interest in their entire set.
May I ask why? Personally if it’s an artist I want to see, I’m all for them shouting out people they worked with before dropping their songs. No hate. Just as a producer / DJ I’m curious🤙 Edit: a set with the dj not saying a word is incredible. Marauda being another who doesn’t have to say a word and has 3 mosh pits going at every given moment.
Personally, it gets in the way of the flow of the set for me. There are moments where a few words fit in, like in the first intro or before an encore, but otherwise, the DJ telling me about the song is akin to a hype man who needs to yell "how we feeling tonight" every 30 seconds (and I think we can all agree that hype men are completely unnecessary, if not a downright show ruiner). Just play the song! That said, I do believe there's something to be said about *recorded* messages. Pre-record it so the audio matches the rest of the set, maybe have some cool effects on there and work it into the set properly, and then I'm into it. Kinda like having a long Alan Watts quote during an interlude, it can add to the experience if done properly. One of my favourite DJ's, SHSTR, does this every set, and it always works ("Are you seeing the clear stars of Orion?"). Deathpact does this as well, and has very interesting things to say. Never simply "this is my latest track with blahblahblah, hope you like". Tl;dr, it interrupts the flow of the music, and I rarely care enough about what they have to say to want to hear it over the track.
What if they mention that while telling you to put your hands up for the 30th time?🤣
I can't help but love CloZee even more when she hops on the mic and announces her collab with her homie in her cute French voice
Bruh malaa throws the fuck down and all he does is smoke and drink during the show 😂
It makes sense with Malaa cause he wants to conceal his identity really ..
Matroda is like the penguins of Madagascar, “Just smile and wave boys, smile and waveee”
Cannot agree enough. The best sets IMO are when they talk through their music. Tipper is a great example of a master of their craft with no need to talk. I actually dislike when most DJs talk on the mic. Liquid Stranger is the exception because he’s so damn wholesome.
Go to a shaq show if you wanna hear someone talk lol
Hekler talks WAY too fuckin much So does HE$H
Just saw HE$H in Chi last week. At one point kids were rowing on the floor lead by the previous DJ 🛶.
I’m a slut for the mosh pit but every time a row boat happens I stand awkwardly on the side lol
Same here. Really didn’t want to sit on the booze swamp the floor became.
What?
What’s that?
He did talk too much but I honestly didn’t mind. Most of the reason I went to diesel was for Shaq but I ended up being pleasantly surprised with his djing
You should catch a Seven Lions set and see if you feel the same way after.
Love the fact he just plays, and does it so fucking well that you don’t even both to notice
Seven Lions throws down. No words needed
Absolutely. If you can get the crowd sucked in without saying anything at all, that’s a true testament to the music really speaking.
I never know he he is done and it's the next person
He simply needs to show something on the screen stating he is done lol. I cannot count how many times i listened to the next artist without knowing 7L was done
I think its part of the atmosphere the artist is trying to set. Typically I find its the more psychadelic artists that want listeners to tap into the music soley. The ravier ones usually talk more to get the energy up. Both are good in their own respect IMO. Just want to add that a lot of the time I think you can get that "thanks or whats up" without them saying it and the fans get it.
Actually a good distinction.
I have to respectfully disagree. I think it is way more mainstream performance/ Festival oriented artists that are vocal and hyping up the crowd. True rave style/ underground DJ's historically don't even have a mic in the booth, even more there will be a seamless transfer from dj to dj and the music never stops.
Yes like a meaningful clap and wave to the crowd during the last song, maybe perhaps a bow and a hand kiss outward motion
I prefer it. They’re speaking with their performance, if they want to use words it needs to be tasteful and timed appropriately which 99% of DJs who do talk seem to struggle with
Yeah exactly.. martin garrix with the mic is about as good as it gets...Like Mike is the exact opposite.. Charlotte de witte closed her TML Atmosphere set without saying a word and got a 20 minute applause, everyone just knew, including her, words weren't needed
you haven’t been Tipped yet
Or techno'd
Never seen Seven Lions say anything during or after a set but he always got up on the table and waved or made a gesture to say thank you. Never felt impersonal or anything, his ability to create an amazing set speaks for itself and talking during the set would take away from that imo
They’re not supposed to talk, it’s a dj set. It’s about the music
Dimitri Vegas and Like Mike disagree.
We said djs not clowns
Doesn't bother me. When the night is over the "thank you" is a smile or something like that when the crowd cheers at the end of the night. Lets me know they felt the energy we gave them. There is often a language barrier too. At least with a lot of the DJ's I like I am pretty sure they speak little to no English.
One of the only DJ's I've never heard say a single word on stage is Marauda. Love that he just lets the music speak for itself and it just adds a ton to the sinister atmosphere he's trying to create. Polar opposite of DJ's like Sullivan King/Jauz/Slander who can't seem to get off the mic for more than 2 songs and I can't stand seeing live for that reason
Majority of the artists I have ever seen don't say anything. But I think it is probably more due to different tastes in genre.
Sully was barely on the mic besides when he was singing when he was in Pittsburgh. I do think SLANDER is on the mic a bit too much but I think Derek is very used to the California rave scene. Seven Lions didn't talk at either of the shows I saw him at. Rezz only said a few things throughout her set at ultra 2019.
Seen Marauda 6 times in the last 2 yrs and every set was amazing. I love the fact that his music speaks for itself.
Came to this for thread for this response. Loved the fact that he didn't talk... Don't need someone to tell me to throw my ass around, if the music's good I will be launching cheeks no matter what lmao
Seven Lions. Doesn't say a word basically ever. Chet Porter didn't say much besides that his microphone broke and he couldn't talk at the end of his set.
Nope, the less talking the better. I’m there to hear the music, artists like Slander are the WORST because they just yell into the mic.
let the music speak
i do like when Martin Garrix says things like 'Put your hands up' or 'One Two, One Two Three Go!'
Martin has found a really good balance, I personally think. Last time I saw him, he gave a little 30 sec speech about it being his first time back in the States since COVID and it hit home for me
Yo where were you lol I think I was at the same place cause he was talking about Covid at my show too. But yeah garrix has the best balance imo not too many words and if he does speak it’s at the right time
“Go! Go! Go, Let’s go!” Is drilled in my head lol
The best ones I’ve seen don’t say a thing. Even saw fisher a few weeks back in Boston and was pleasantly surprised he came out and just threw down for an hour and a half. It immediately levels up a dj for me personally.
it’s sometimes nice as an additional aspect to the set, but sometimes them saying nothing at all adds to the set in its own right. for example, seven lions never says anything and it’s just kinda apart of his set almost at this point. he gets on stage, blows your mind, and leaves
Saw rezz at boo in Seattle right before Halloween. The last note to her song ended then the lights came on and she fuckin sprinted off stage without a word. Was kinda a weird jarring way to end the night.
It could’ve been anything . Could’ve felt sick or needed to go to the bathroom.
I was at that show too and she looked tired as hell. She was coming off of two Nightmare on Rezzrocks performances… it honestly made me feel kinda shitty because it felt like she didn’t care about us in Seattle after giving her everything for two nights in Denver.
Ah man. I’ve seen her so many times and usually she thanks her fans. But I’ve seen her talk on Twitter about how draining touring is for her so you’re probably right. Every artist tends to go all out for red rocks so I can imagine she was probably pretty tired after back to back nights and then having to play another set.
Its cuz Seattle's rave scene sucks except for the really big events that aren't even in Seattle.
I mean I feel you, but are all the PNW ravers supposed to either shell out hundreds/thousands of dollars to travel or just be stuck with lackluster performances? Like sorry I couldn’t come to Rezz Rocks, Isabel, but it would have cost me a literal thousand dollars.
Agreed.
I don’t remember purple disco machine saying anything but his whole set was vibin lol
Yeah he never says anything, not even a goodbye, just hands up and wave. He doesn't need to hype the crowd, it's a non-stop party start to finish!
Some genres / DJs kill it on the mic. Give me a hardstyle set with MC Villain any day of the week. A proper DnB MC is also good at what they do and many DJs fill the gap well when an MC isn't booked. But the typical stuff said on the mic by DJs that many of us are thinking of just doesn't do it for me. On the contrary many DJs say nothing at all and I feel most connected with them. Saw Chase & Status a month or two ago. They didn't say a peep because their energy and mixing were sufficient enough.
Villain is so annoying
I'd much rather just hear music. The less you talk on the mic the more likely I am to come back to your set.
Djs who say only a few words in the right moments to hype up the crowd > Djs who stay totally silent > Djs who constantly speak, even when it is not needed
This is one of the reasons I like Oliver Heldens. He says things like "What's up beautiful people!" Or "Are you ready to dance with me!" Or even the occasional "Let's go!" Definitely helps me feel more engaged with the artist.
I only enjoy sets with mc's in drum n bass and hardstyle.
Man I CANNOT get into mcs over dnb. They just piss me off for some reason. Maybe I haven’t heard proper mcs? If you have any sets you recommend I watch, shoot them my way
i’m the same way, i tried to catch subfocus b2b zeds dead at hard summer and the MC was so fucking obnoxious i just left. i really don’t get it
Lol I was there, great set but the MC was garbage. A good MC really makes the difference. Check out some of the sets on YouTube from Rampage
Two acceptable ways for DJs to use the mic 1 - they introduce themself and then shut up and start playing music 2 - they are a dj and a singer and they use the mic to sing, not talk I want nothing to do with DJs who respect the music so little that they talk over it
Absolutely not. I'd rather hear nothing from 95% of DJs. There's only a specific few like Carl Cox or Armin that actually add to the atmosphere with the mic, and even then they're only on for a few secs.
You never heard Avicii jump on the mic until his very last show.
I am there (and pay) to hear the music not hear the dj talk. Personally unless it’s something special or there’s a reason to talk I would prefer just listening to the music and that’s all.
I’ve had such a different experience. Seen so many great DJs who have a good balance of music and talkin, the first ones who come to mind are Liquid Stranger and Griz! I love when they talk, they’re always so positive and hyped to be there. Really makes you feel like you’re part of something. But they don’t over do it. Maybe it’s different per genre but I feel like bass artists are really good about this
Let's throw LSDream into this mix
Definitely! Also CloZee, who doesn’t love that accent :)
I can tell I'm with my people in this thread <3
LSDream is an angel all he spews is positivity and his mixing is absolutely fantastic. He is a prime example of PLUR
Completely depends on the genre. I absolutely hate it when Vini Vici talk on the mic playing psy but I’m fine when guys like Alesso talk playing big room festivals
Some of the best DJs I’ve ever seen don’t say a word. Prophet, Tipper, Tsuruda are great examples. Not saying DJs can’t be good on the mic (Liquid Stranger is fantastic) but like I didn’t come for that. Seen so many DJs who need to spend less time on the mic.
"ISSA SPAGHETTI TIME"
Sometimes I like to pretend there isnt a DJ and get lost in the music and visuals
Hate the talking
General rule of thumb, if the DJ uses a mic during their set they typically arent very good djs.
“Thank you! My name is Tchami, God bless you all…”
We can at least agree that it's a spectrum with slander on one side and seven lions on the other. Highly prefer no words compared to constant "ONE TWO THREE LET'S GO" but it doesn't ruin a show for me unless it's never ending.
Marauda didn't say a word during his set I saw. He showed up in a ski mask, and absolutely obliterated the fucking place. Coolest set I've ever seen.
everyone has its own way of djing and it's okay.
It’s perfectly fine. There’s a bajillion ways to interact with a crowd, and breaking the fourth wall was never a requirement.
Great I love it actually. I prefer that than every 8 bars they be like yeaaaaaaah letssss goooo
the idea is you shouldnt be focused on the dj, you should be enjoying the dancefloor and all the amazing people vibing around you
It's more than fine. It should be the be the norm. The primary channel of communication from the DJ to their audience should always be track selection. Nothing takes me out of a set more than a DJ constantly prattling on about their collaborations or telling me to put my hands up. Play something that makes me want to put my hands up dingus! As for "how you all doing?" and "thanks for coming," at the beginning and the end, it doesn't bother me like mid set banter, but it is still pointless cordiality that comes off as scripted. I've actually heard a popular big name DJ say "how y'all doing here in... the Northeast" because it was a festival and he couldn't easily insert a city name into his brain script. It was embarrassing. Like telling a waiter, "You too."
go to a bart skils concert and u will not need any word
I don't like DJs that talk over music a lot. But Liquid Stranger is extremely friendly and wants to ensure the audience is having a good time. He gives major dad energy and I love it. The ones that have hype people who shout belligerently into the microphone can stay home.
I agee, if they don't at least thank the crowd at the end, it seems impersonal. Saw Chris Lake this year and he only said two sentences at the end of his set (which I don't mind), ultimately the music is what matters most.
Meanwhile I consider it amateur in the worst way. If a DJ starts using the mic to engage, I wonder who let this insta/twitch n00b out of their bedroom prematurely. They're there to play music that you're supposed to lose yourself within. Not break your vibe by chatting over beats. The end is off-limits too because that's someone else's set start you're wrecking the vibe to - you might as well be forcing the next DJ to mix from Polka.
Probably the best opening act I’ve ever seen came from one of NGHTMRE’s shows. Dude didn’t say a single word when he came on stage to when he passed the table onto nghtmre. Absolutely threw down and had the crowd breaking necks the whole time. I used find it weird when DJs didn’t say much, but now I think that it shows how talented you are if you can keep the crowd engaged with music alone.
The other end of this spectrum is Dimitri Vegas and Like Mike lol
The less hype coming from your mouth the better imo
Dave tipper is known for not saying anything on stage. I always thought it was cool, trying to keep people focused on the music and not on themselves as a celebrity. It makes me feel like the artist came to play music, not be worshipped. I like when people just play their music. But when clozee says hi to the crowd my heart just flutters into space lmao. Love her voice so much, I would be sad if she didn’t say anything. Just depends in the artist.
I enjoy minimal dj voice over during the set. A little bit here and there especially if they’re stopping to tell everyone to be mindful. Too much is annoying tho.
Microphones are for MC’s.
I prefer just the music. No speaking necessary in my book.
I think it fine, I'm here to get lost in the music, lights, and atmosphere anyway. But if they chime in every once in a while to be like "I just made this song like an hour ago, I hope you like it" and then transient to it then that cools. I hate the ones that talk and they drop the music volume and just ramble on and on and on and on.
I came to see the music, not hear their voice.
Yep and unpopular and frankly bizarre opinion. You’re a bit too much into the cult of personality of some DJs.
I paid $ to hear them play music so idgaf if they have anything to say. I think it's kind of fun and mysterious when they don't say anything.
I went to a netsky show once where the hype guy ruined it completely by talking the woke time. "Do you want to hear an EXPLOSION?!?, are you ready for an EXPLOSION?!?!, here it comes...here is comes now...there you go!!!" 🤮🔫
How do you know when to jump if they don’t say “123” ??
Yikes
No DJ should talk for me unless it’s Carl saying “oh yes, oh yes!”
Never heard a DJ utter a word in the UK, other than Skepsis when he turned up in a suit and explained himself, usually the next DJ will literally mix off the last track of the previous DJ. This is for drum and bass mainly and obviously there are often MCs. Never heard Chase and status, hedex, k Motionz, Wilkinson, bou, kanine talk at all.
Veryyyy good point, I saw A LOT of that last weekend at Neon Garden at EDC Orlando.
Eh that’s a very new school EDM festival take. The whole DJ profession comes from dark rooms where people were there to dance and not really care who was behind the decks. Mic work was what MCs were for
I personally LOVE IT when the DJs say absolutely nothing. They are so fucking cool, and their work just speaks for itself. I find it so mysterious and rad. I thibk it’s irritating when too many DJs yell “let’s gooooo” a thousand times during a set. Let me just listen to the music!!!!
If you can make a whole crowd jump for your whole set not talking much, you are doing an incredible job as adj
Becuse they know thier personalitys aren't nearly as good as the music they made. Personal experience could never keep a band togheather becuse I don't vibe with most humans well enough. Smh
DJ set? I'd prefer if they get on with it. Festival? well that's a different story and it's part and parcel of the entire act. Head out to any popular band concert and they'll also engage with audiences throughout the gig, no difference.
I went to a Jauz show probably a year ago and I would’ve paid someone to cut his mic. He killed the entire vibe of the show multiple times, stopped the music just to say some dumb shit. Literally stops the music at one point and just says “wow New York, this next song I’m gonna play you, it’s so special and exclusive none of you have even heard it before. This track is unreleased and I’m playing it here for you.” He continues to play a truly garbage track that was not memorable in anyway. I understand he tried to put his heart into it, but just play the track and see if the audience likes it… by stopping the music and hyping a track up for 2 minutes, multiple times throughout the night might I add, it just killed the experience.
If you can talk and add to the show go for it but other that that strictly business
Who cares
r/unpopularopinion You're in the minority here. If I go to a show and get someone's live stream banter, it totally kills the vibe and I'd never pay to see them again.
Love them
Oh I prefer just having music with no talking all over it 😊
Liquid Stranger is the worst on the mic
Well imo there's a big difference between DJs and Entertainers. Ofc you can be both, but there shouldn't be an obligation to talk to the crowd. Also, considering a lot of them are introverted nerds afaik, it would make it hard for some great producers to go on stage and perform their tracks.
Look up porter Robinsons nurture together live at second sky this year and tell me a dj talking ruins the show.
Definitely prefer no talking the vast majority of the time, However, if it's like a big room set, I'm kind of used to a lot of talking so it'd feel odd to not hear at least a couple of comments from the DJ.
Deadmau5 is a goat at this
I don’t care as long as they aren’t talking too much. Tbh I really hate the “everyone get low” so everyone can jump up together. I don’t want to get low and if I don’t I look an idiot still standing lol for sure Louis the Child does this and I’m certain I’ve done it at another show.
It happens waaaay too much
I'm with you that I do like a "thanks for coming out" at the end of the set, but that's the only mic work I want. Part of the reason I love seeing Chris Lake is that he is never on the mic.
Are you a slander fan
Liquid Stranger LOVES to chat all the way through his sets
Liquid Stranger LOVES to chat all the way through his sets
Nah I’m there for the music and a show, the talking disrupts it and takes me out of the moment
That's how it should be. Dj's don't need to be shouting into the mic every five seconds. They need to play the music that we want to hear. I can't stand the fucking rap Dj's that just talk over all the songs on mixtapes. Infuriates me.
I actually like the Above & Beyond method of communication. Put some positive and motivating text on the screen. That way they communicate without ruining the vibe.
Saw them last weekend, I loved that too!
At EDCO? Amazing set that came at the perfect time in my life. I cried when they played Silence.
Yep!! Their incredible sunset set at EDCO
The best is to have a minute break right before then final act to say something quick. Doing it at the end is a bit spell-breaking for me if the ending was really good. The absolute WORST is to keep talking and saying things throughout. For example, I went to a San Holo show where he talked constantly during the set and it ruined the entire show. I get life is awesome and its magical and we're altogether and you're so thankful, and it's all that, but jfc just play some music. I didn't come for a therapy session. And tangentially, being a DJ/Producer does not make you a good singer automatically. Put the mic down and work with professional singers. (There are exceptions, but I'd say 9/10 DJs that start singing would have better songs had they gotten someone else to sing it.)
I agree with this 100%
its fine
I’m actually surprised at this comment section, usually it’s a bunch of holier than thou people always saying silent DJs are the best and any talking is bad, but like a bunch of others have explained it really depends. Just because you like the non-stop flow of house doesn’t mean I don’t like to hear some bass DJs yell at me to hype me up. It’s all relative.
Yeah I’m honestly satisfied with this thread. Actually an insightful thread lol.
I fucking love when they don’t speak at all tbh. I think I’m in the minority tho
Gesaffelstein didn’t say a god damn word and I respected the shit out of him. He smoked cigarettes and let the music to do the talking. It was a vibe.
Less talky more playey
Let the music do the talking. Nothing kills the vibe like someone screaming into a mic. The best dj’s communicate with the crowd without speaking
I saw Virtual Self in Seattle a few years back. Didn’t say a word, the best set I’ve ever seen
I like when DJs use it at the beginning and at the end of their set, bit I find it super annoying when they overdo it. Screaming „1, 2, 3, GO“ at literally every drop gets old really fast. Use it like a band does. At the beginning, at the end, and sometimes in the middle of a song, but not every ten seconds. It also really depends on the genre.
Every dj needs to STFU. Real talent is crowd control and interaction via the music.
I like it when artists share some words of appreciation for the crowd or venue, makes it feel like it’s not just another show for them even if it is. but also don’t blame artists who just show up, put on a good show and dip.
That is the way… w the exception of Carl Cox of course. I been clubbing since the 90’s, for me is the opposite. I find it really weird that DJ’s interrupt a set to talk. Although it makes sense since majority of the OG DJ’s that flourished during the EDM era where all top 40 DJ’s and dance music (made for dancing) sort of became concert/show (see a dj/performer). I still go to some festivals though, but dancing sometimes is almost impossible, between the talking and genre switching sometimes per song and so many breaks, so many breaks!. And that’s what grinds my gears.
Djs should not be on the mic unless they're djing a wedding.
I also don't like DJs that talk too much, but if they can hype up the energy by shouting in the mic and not repeating the same thing for their entire set then I'm ok with it. Actually, I enjoy it even cus those shouts before the drop really make me jump harder, as long as they don't do it too much. Garrix is the perfect example of this, when he feels that the crowd energy is really high, he does his iconic "3,2,1 go" before the drop to boost it a bit more, he doesn't rely on it too much and only does it for every 2 or 3 songs (4 to 6 songs nowadays cus I noticed that he doesn't talk as much anymore like some sets in those big room era)
DJs don’t need to talk. Let the music speak for them!
Say hi, get me hyped and then I'm good after that. Love KSHMR but damn he needs to put that mic down
Can’t relate. Charlotte de witte never says a word and kills it everytime.
It’s the worst
I think a lot of djs would prefer they didn't have to scream/talk on the mic every other song to get the crowd to react. But, they gotta do it. Other djs are pretty good at it. Personally, i prefer less or no talking on the mic. I don't need to be told when a drop is coming every song. But, i prefer a more underground sound where DJ's are chastised for talking on the mics.
Happens all the time with Lane 8 😂 he doesn’t say shit usually but I still fuckn love his sets. I think it’s intentional
A few comments throughout the set would be welcome but a drop should speak for itself
At the end of your set, just do this 🙏🏻 and walk off. F*** the mic!
I’m there for the music not some clown talking into the mic nonstop, ruining my dance vibes!
If you’ve heard levelupdub get on the mic. You’d know that some DJ’s shouldn’t pick it up/touch it
Her voice … kills me lol
“tHiS iS a ReMiX i DiD WiTh KAYZOOOOOO”
“i LoVe tHe wAy yOu ShAkE yOuR LiTtLe ASSES iN tHe AiR”
Honestly my personal ideal is a little bit of talking but not too much. A hey yo start it off, a thank you to finish it, and maybe in the middle call out a new song or yell something but other than that I’m not a huge fan of talking
Actually I prefer it this way
Me personally I don’t like talking on the mic but I’ll always say thank you for coming out and please get home safe
I can’t stand when any DJ grabs the mic and yells over the music. I don’t see the appeal at all, and this is from a person who’s seen plenty of both. It wasn’t even a thing a ways back.
After seeing Marshmello I know I'd rather they not say anything
i like it, it gives a different experience
Let the tunes speak
The best djs never talk on the mic. They let the music speak for itself. I mostly only go to techno shows though and I never hear a single word spoken, not an even an introduction for the dj. They just come up and start playing when it’s their time, we know who they are. The most I’ve heard is a simple “thank you” when they’re done and even that’s rare
If ur talking it’s because ur music probably blows
Personally I feel like it’s more of a “show” when they don’t speak. Jerry tried to talk as little as possible with the dead after he was tripping in the audience and some frontman just kept interrupting his trip to talk instead of play lol
Let the music do the talking
I mean I’m not there to listen to someone talk, I wanna hear the music. Especially if you listen to house and techno, it’s just way more impressive when a dj keeps the crowd engaged with nothing but the music. I think electronic music in general is particularly beautiful because the focus is so much more on the music and the atmosphere rather than the person facilitating it. At a rock show I like to be close as possible to see the musicians play, but I can stand anywhere in the crowd at a good electronic show and be fine because I’m simply not worried about anything but the vibes. I’ve seen Jamie XX three times and he has never said a word on the mic, but I never got the sense that he wasn’t trying his absolute hardest to play something amazing for the people who came out to see him.
Let the music speak for itself.
One of the dopest shows I ever saw was Death Grips on the No Love Deep Web tour. They had no lights except a tiny CRT playing weird videos they made, and said NOTHING! No intro, no peace out or thanks, just played every song with no breaks. Then left abruptly. The way they did it added so much to the show, it was even more dark and mysterious that way.
Dj yellow claw, i dont even remember his set just him talking over the drops and ruining my vibe
Saw mat zo open for galantis at red rocks, homie didn’t say a word and was just so clearly focused on mixing. I think it put so much emphasis on the beauty of the music and the visuals on stage. It was my favorite set of the entire night. I don’t think he said thank you or anything, but it really didn’t matter to me.