Vegas, Continued

Last week I came home from Las Vegas, and I decided that since I can't talk about what we actually DID there, I would talk about the clubs we went to. We went to four different hot spots, Ra, Risque, Jet, and Studio 54. Here's the skinny on the next two clubs, Risque and Jet.

Not What You Would Expect
Risque Nightclub at Paris

So we can't possibly think that EVERY club in Vegas is amazing, just because it happens to be in the biggest party city in the nation. Risque left me with a not-so-wonderful taste in my mouth, but I'm used to it with most of the clubs here in Scottsdale.

It's a Sunday night, not normal party night for most - but it was also a holiday weekend, which typically makes Sunday just as much a party as any other weekend night. Like usual, we plan for our arrival around midnight, thinking by then there will be a nice large lubricated crowd, all for the taking. It was a bad sign when outside the club there was no line at all.

Good thing it was my buddie's birthday, because I wouldn't have paid $20 for this experience. They let us in for free which was nice - I think they figured because of the slow night at least it would get some people in the door. I asked the bouncer, "how's the crowd tonight?" I expected an honest answer.
"It's a... good crowd." He says.
Dude I know what a good crowd is, and this ain't it. That is, unless Risque ALWAYS has this type of crowd, in which case I wonder why they even put up ropes for a line at the entrance.

The club is laid out all wrong. Not that I'm a superstar designer, but the flow of traffic is so messy, if the place ever did fill to capacity I am frightened what may happen. Upon entering, you see the single bar in front, but it is blocked off by a row of built-in tables. To the right is a long ugly ramp, most likely for handicap access, that heads to the upper portion and the dance floor. After buying a $6 beer at the bar, I wiggled my way to that now convenient row of tables to lean and listen to the music.

The clientel was middle class, not one high roller could be found - even the VIP was filled with 20 or so each table, so they could split the costs. That was filled with off-duty strippers (one actually could have been ON duty the way she was dressed...) and garage band type rock-star wannabes. I have no room to complain, however, I am a DJ wannabe... and I wasn't VIP either. The rest of the crowd looked bored and tired, like this was a fall back spot because all the great clubs burnt them out.

A few fresh faces walked in about 1am, along with a guest DJ that helped brighten the mood. Dancing was minimal the entire night, maybe this was due to the fact that the lights were not run by a dedicated light jockey and ran the same pattern all night long. Even during breaks the lights would be flying around, over, and over, and over again. I recommend to every single club out there that wants to make money while having people dance, take it from the big clubs, the dedicated light jockey is the way to go.

Even though most people don't actively notice the light show in a club, many will be effected by it in their subconsious. If the same pattern repeats over and over all night, it puts people in a trance, they get tired of it... not the effect that a poppin' club would want.

The DJ was mediocre. The resident there played all the right songs, but the mixing was ameture, in my opinion the guy is just a filler for the fact that there's probably no managers on the floor listening. If it were a Friday or Saturday, he would be fired. The guest DJ came in and he was good, but he played a lot of stuff that normally aren't heard in the clubs - a lot of underground hip hop and rap, plus some old school.

Overall, Risque gets a D-. They didn't fail because there was some good points, the motif of the club was classy and sexy, the seats and tables plush and upperclass. However, Risque would not be my first choice when heading to Vegas for a party weekend.

Where the high up gets down
Club Jet at the Mirage

We needed to redeem ourselves. From Sunday night's poor choice we needed something to set the tone for the rest of the week. Our last real day to party, we seeked out a guy on the street that was handing our VIP passes. We had a fourth and fifth person with us, so the five of us all got ready to be a part of the high classed lifestyle. Quick Vegas tip - find those VIP guys on the strip. They have passes to all the hottest clubs, usually out on the strip in the afternoon, and they work for tips. Give him or her a fiver and they'll load you up with all the passes you want. We got a bunch, Club Pure for Tuesdays, which wouldn't help this night: as well as Coyote Ugly, and a couple others. The ones we didn't get, were for Jet.

The only reason we knew about it, oddly enough was because of my parents. They happened to be staying at the Mirage that same weekend and mentioned the line for that place stretched out to the casino itself. Then we saw a sign, "Dance free on Mondays."

Dance free on Monday? Today is Monday! Little did we know, you only dance for free if you actually LIVE in Vegas, Monday is locals night at the Jet.

We went anyway. It was the best choice we made for the weekend. It was a Monday night in Vegas, and upon arriving at the Mirage I noticed that there was a line... far far away from the entrance of the club. In fact, the line I saw was the right one, it was a line - to get into the line for Jet. A line for a line? This is beginning to sound like Disneyland. It didn't go too long, however, we had made our way to the actual line within a half hour.

Then we found out about the two OTHER lines that huddled around the entrance. Talk about a machine, this place had a line for normal people like myself, an "invited guests" line, and then an unmarked line. In talking to one of the bouncers, he told me that this is what they call the "vulture line." The vulture line is for all those that feel like they don't need to wait in a line, but would rather mob around the entrance and tip the bouncers $100 to get in. Best suggestion folks, stay in the General line - I saw people over there that looked like they had been in that line for an hour already and they were still standing there even after we got let in. The vulture line is most likely also for buy-at-the-door VIPs, still wanting to grab a reserved table. Also, if you are a man, and you have about 3 or 4 beautiful women, you may just make it in from the vulture line as well. Either way, if you get in a line - you'll get into the club.

I've never seen such line management before. Myst, here in Scottsdale has a line similar, but nothing as well-oiled as this one. Bouncers would seek out ladies to let go in front of all the guys, they would shine flashlights on shoes to make sure they met dress code. It was a machine, impressive before I even got into the place.

The price was impressive as well, $30. Wow. I've never payed $30 for a club before and for some reason the 5 of us graciously accepted. After finally waiting long enough, about an hour and fifteen minutes, we were welcomed by the door manager and stamped and allowed inside.

Jet features three different rooms. A House/Trance room which is bluish in color and trance-like in itself. It has a dazed feeling, somewhat brighter than the other rooms yet smokier, the lights were slow and weak. Not many danced in this room, it almost felt like the chillout room from many raves long ago. There was a Hip Hop room, that honored free washington apple shots during the night, a large bar with a sound proof window peering onto the dancing girls from the main room. All this very impressive.

The third and main room, for lack of a better phrase was fucking amazing. I wish I had a picture to describe it. The place was packed solid, only wiggle room in the already extra wide walkways between the dance floor and the dual bars on each side. The full bars were a bartender's wet dream, wide and open, plenty of floor and workspace, as well as 4 working computers, one for each bartender basically to use. It was a machine.

I can't forget to mention how visually gorgeous the club was. Besides the top quality decor and wall dressing, it was a techie-freak's dream club. 7 main rows of intelligent lighting, all programmed on seperate cooprative channels. Meaning they could work together, or all individually. That's not to mention the other intel's located throughout the rest of the main room. The dance floor also featured something I had never seen before. In between each of the rows of intels, were white squares that looked a lot like glossy ceiling tile. At first glance it adds a visual attractiveness when reflecting the lights, but that wasn't their only purpose. After gazing on the amazing light show, the blocks themselves lit up, in visual patterns that made me gasp. I felt like such a dork when I tapped my friend feverishly "Dude, look at that shit!!" Each block was lit with about 1 inch pixel squares, in multiple colors to create total images over top of the floor, why dance when I enjoyed just standing there in awe by the lights alone! I'm gonna have a ceiling like that in my house!

Not to also give props to the hired eye-candy. Beautiful women everywhere, dancers, cocktails, bartenders... that is not including the slew of hotties than get rushed infront of the line the whole night. The club's clientel was the best of the best. Just walking in there I felt like I needed an active credit line to drink. The VIP area was plush and filled with rich, middle-aged high rollers showing off to scandaly-clad sluts. The club was designer, no target or walmart here. But the music was perfect and the atmostphere made everyone, no matter what class, get down and boogie.

The music, the music, the music. Each room featured its own. In the main room, the resident DJ knocked the socks off of any DJ of the prior weekend. Smooth transitions, peak tracks, the best songs in the mix. When we arrived it was rock, old school rock that always gets a crowd like this jumping onto the dance floor. Then it was a brief peak hour house set, with Sandstorm as the feature song in that segment. Then it was off to the hip hop, the floor filler of the millennium, and the dance floor never emptied from that point on. The main room featured all the genres, even latin and reggaetone, and nobody wanted it to stop. Then, around 4am, a cool down hour. A COOL DOWN HOUR! When was the last time you were in a club that had a cool down hour? Sexy smooth, jazzy tunes and blue lighting made all the lovers come out, cool off, and finish the night just right. Favorites such as Marvin Gaye, and Luther all were played. It was a classic ending to a great set. My buddy had writing all over his hand to try to remember the mixes that were the best - next time I think we'll just bring a notepad.

Jet Nightclub at the Mirage gets an A+. For just opening in January, I think they started off this year with a bang. I can not wait to go back in March to this place, this time with three beautiful women on my arms!

There's one more club left, Studio 54, I'll save that for next time... until then, happy Fat Tuesday!

Vegas baby, Vegas

This past week I have been out of town, as well as away from an internet connection where I can write posts to my blog. But now I am back, home sweet home. I spent the last weekend and the greater part of this week in Las Vegas, NV, mainly for the Mobile Beat DJ Conference held at the Stardust Casino Hotel. My buddies and I decided, however, to come up the weekend prior to the show and have ourselves a party weekend.

So Friday after work the three of us headed to sin city.

Now, since the slogan goes: “Whatever happens in Vegas stays in Vegas,” no one will know what we actually did, those are just memories now.

The reason why I’m writing this is because in the 6 nights we stayed in Vegas, we went to 4 different night clubs: Ra, Risqué, Jet, and Studio 54. So since we can’t discuss what happened, I will tell you all about the ups and downs of each. Enjoy!

Dance your ass off
Ra Nightclub at the Luxor
As our first Vegas club destination, I didn’t really know what to expect. The clubs here in Arizona are all I really know, and from what I heard they can hardly be called nightclubs compared to the ones in Vegas. We stood in line at the Luxor for about 45 minutes, which is pretty standard for any of the top rated clubs. Without giving away all my thoughts right away, the experience was definitely worth the wait. A $20 cover charge got us into a great Saturday night party. The entrance features an Egyptian theme, with guard statues and marble flooring. Inside the club was more of an industrial rave theme, the walls silver metallic, with large projection TVs at the two ends. This club, like many of the major nightclubs is a DJ-featured club, where the DJ booth is front and center, and much higher than the rest of the club. The sound quality inside was exceptional, but only in certain places. The dancefloor had the best sound of the room, but just to the left or right of the floor, because of the speaker positioning, guests lost a lot of quality. The club boasts their enormous mount of bass, booming from 8 22 inch subwoofers. They were lifted off the ground, which I had never seen before – it did not seem to affect the quality of resonance, however. Overall, I give the sound quality a B+.

The demographics of the club varied, as Vegas itself did, but the common areas seemed to be flooded with middle-class workers, dressed well, as if this was a night of celebration from a tough work week. The VIP areas were flooded with no-named big spenders, many of different ethnic groups showing off their wealth.

The music, which is most important to me, was very broad in range. The DJ was knowledgeable in everything from hip hop to techno, including Latin and Reggeatone music. We walked in to a powerful house/techno set, which the mix in clashing genres didn’t seem to bother anyone. After a little breakdown, it was back to hip hop – which to me it looked as if the DJ had already covered much of, since his time he was digging deep in the crates, only playing an occasional powerhouse hit. A lot of old school, which is always great for our demographic. I give the DJ an overall rating of A-. I deducted a little for the fact that his mixing was shoddy, never a train wreck, but occasionally there was a drop of beat pattern that threw dancers off.

The ambience of the club was very impressive, smoke generators pumped out clouds of smoke at a constant rate, which some would consider a bad thing. I however, enjoyed the smoke feeling, it added to a more concert-like effect, as well as assisted in me looking better. There were plenty of TVs showing cool visual effects, as well as the occasional music video in the mix. It was a great light show, the vibe was dark and intense, and the drinks were exceptional. The overall rating for Ra Nightclub: A. It is a definite must attend for a fun late night visit, the club stayed open until 4am.

More clubs to come tomorrow - good to be home!!

This Week, Next Week

Running a radio show is A LOT harder than it sounds on your FM dial. I found that out last night when I produced my first live show on my internet station, DancePhoenix. It was overall a decent first show - I had done a couple before with my brother, but it was never advertised or anything so I don't count them. This one last night was the first ever live real show on the air, guests and all.

The show didn't even start out correctly. I got in about a half hour before it started, and I realized that I had no promo rolls for the station. So in 20 minutes I had to record a quick promo roll, edit it - and burn it to CD. About 10 minutes prior to going live, there was a problem.

Upon going live I realized that no one will be able to play the station because of code violations. I played a couple rolls right off the bat and they revoked my listing. This means, no one will be able to access my station. I had to reset to playlist, play my own station, then reset back to live mode. At that point I was listed, and people could access the station - 5 minutes late.

Then we kinda got off to a slow start, after welcoming everyone I went straight to music, playing some hot tracks to get people in the mood. My guest Jamie, was getting a little nervous so I let her have a few more minutes to relax some, the last thing I wanted was a guest freezing up on air.

Jamie was fun, it took her a little bit to open up to the audience, which it normally does, so that was no big deal - but because of that I had to play some more music after about 5 minutes of talking. After some more music, we got to talking. She had been in several relationships the past year, none of them working out. She was engaged to be married last Valentine's day, oddly enough the date they set was for today, February 15th 2006. So, a couple months later that ended - and only went down hill from there. Next was a guy she met at a bridal show, who was working there and they hit it off right away. That's about as far as we got. There is more - but we're gonna save it for another broadcast, maybe we can get her in the studio again.

Back to playing music, I got some love from the listeners, then it was time to start my mix. "Love for House" will actually be released some time by the end of the month, after I re-record it in better format and I edit/master it. I'm thinking the date set is February 26th. The mix I did on air was acceptable - by far not my best work - running 5 things at once kind of breaks my concentration.

I also think I'm getting cocky. I'm pretty good at this now, so I take less care when it comes to basic things like beat matching. My mixes fell apart a couple times during the mix on air - I was getting a little frustrated. So later on in the mix I felt it would be best to just move on with more show.

I made some announcements: First, more shows are coming. Since I am spending a lot per month on this radio station, I need to start taking advantage of it. I will also have a slight format change. I will be adding Trance to the mix, which is quite late, but with that the mix of music will be House, Techno, and Trance. For those of you who don't know the difference - it's OK - I didn't either before I got into this.

After that the show was over. A two hour show - the feedback on it was very nice. I'm my biggest critic, so when I think I suck, it's just that I'm a bit of a perfectionist when it comes to these things. Work, life, school, money - NOT a perfectionist. Deejaying? I better be perfect.

This week is flying by, already Wednesday and the weekend is approaching quickly. Tonight, I went out with my brother for a little while. It was a good time. We started at Sandbar - one of my new favorite spots. I've been going there a little more often these days. After that my bro and I got some nice cigars and we headed over to my old favorite spots, Jamaican Blue. I didn't have my laptop with me, which just goes to show you, I should bring that thing everywhere with me! I never know when I could be around a place where I can stop and set up shop. Instead we played some golden tee. We have a knack for being loud and rediculous during the golden tee game. He usually beats me, and last night was no exception. So after our cigars, coffee, and games, we took off to another one of my favorite places: Cook and Jack's.

There was no one there. It's a karaoke place by night, which is why we enjoy it so much. A lot of talented singers go there and sing and have a good time. But there was no one there. But, since we know the co-owner, all that meant is that we got a chance to do some live practice on the system! I sang about 7 songs last night, some new ones I wouldn't do in front of people cuz I'm not good at them yet. Wonderful Tonight, Ants Marching, This is how we do it, Too little Too late, Just the Way you Are, Human Nature, and Regulate. The last three I sang in front of people, I knew I wouldn't embarrass myself with those. Quickly after that I left, about an hour ago... now I'm here typing away.

I'm getting really excited. First of all I should win an award for the longest posts, but that's not what I'm excited about. I'm excited because this weekend I go to VEGAS!! Las Vegas, the sin city, everything that happens there - stays there. And it's gonna happen... oh yes, it will happen. Next week I will be in Vegas for a mobile DJ confrence/convention. But, my buddies and I decided to head up a little early to do some partying. After all - what's Vegas if you can't experience it full-on?

I'm going to be officially behind on all my bills again after this trip unless I strike it big on the slots or something - but that's doubtful. I can't even win at those games at the carnival! But regardless, I can't wait to go, when I come home I will tell you all about it, probably on one of my next live shows on DancePhoenix! That is, if I don't sell my computer for replacement money for my bills haha!!

I wanted to say thanks once more for those of you that tuned in, not that many people did, but thank you regardless. Check my website for more information on future shows, as well as the final release of my new demo!

Thank you thank you thank you thank you!

Happy Valentine's Day

Does anyone actually read this? I couldn't imagine anyone actually interested in this stuff!

Today is a special day folks, yours truely will be hosting a live, one time, special Valentine's Day event on the internet radio station - DancePhoenix. The link to the channel can be found on my sidebar. I took a lot of time last night finalizing all the technical details of the show, so tonight will run smoothly. Although I think I'm missing a microphone, so that will make it tough on my guests this evening!

The show tonight will go live at 8pm Arizona time, that's 10pm EST and 7pm PST. It's only on DancePhoenix and it's free, and fun so what more could you want on this date night? You don't even need a date!

***

Ok enough about that, I'm excited about that tonight and I hope you all will tune in to hear it... whoever you are...

This year I view Valentine's Day differently than my past 4 years of singlehood. Don't get me wrong, I haven't been single for 5 years, I have had girlfriends - it just turns out that I haven't had any during this day. But other years I've been really negative about it, having this "fuck Vday" attitude like it's everyone else's fault. This year, I'm gonna change that. Why be mad? I'm enjoying the single life for right now - and when the right one comes around then hey, there's always next Valentine's day! We should celebrate being single! This should be a day to remember that love isn't just for your boyfriend or girlfriend, St. Valentine was all about love in general - loving one another, family, friends - not just spouses. So if your single, enjoy it! At least you didn't have to drop a bunch of cash on some flowers!

Cubs Fans

In my slow progression of converting this blog into a more information/entertainment source for readers, I want to talk a little about... music.

I thought about this post on the way over here to my favorite coffee house, how music has the ablity to change our lives. Most of the people of this world have a favorite song, no matter what genre, its their song and it's what makes them happy, or sad, or better. I talk to a lot of people about music, their thoughts... and how it effects them. I've gotten many different answers but one that I seem to get a lot is that there's one song, just one that has the best effect on them.

Mine is a Dave Matthews Band song - called "granny," and although it's never been in the studio, their live performances of this song are amazing. The song says all the right things to me, and every time - every single time - I hear that song, I sing it as loud as I can and play it on maximum volume.

Really almost all DMB songs catch me in some way, I guess you can say that I really don't have just one favorite song from them, because there's so many songs that I enjoy. They are my favorite band of all time.

But here I am, a house DJ.

I said in my interview biography on my website that I really just like anything with a beat. I've been saying it since I was a littlin' back in the day. Songs that get my foot tapping are always top of my list. So I guess you can say that house music was just the best fit for me. It has the MOST beat... if you will, above all the other genres of music. But my enjoyment doesn't end at house or Dave Matthews, I like hip hop, jazz, rock, MJ from the olden days... So now I want to change that quote, because it's not so much that I like music with a beat, it's more that I like music with a soul. A soul is hard to describe, really - everyone likes music with a soul to them. We all have music that is specific to our very being... which was my point.

Sitting with a good friend of mine, we were talking about music, and she mentioned to me that she doesn't really have a specific liking of any kind. She just enjoys music whenever, that no genre really gets her going.

I said that she was full of shit.

Later that evening, she talked about a song that she heard from Dave Matthews band - and it changed her life... That one song alone convinced her of a decision she had to make, and she did.

So I said, "wait a minute, just an hour ago you sat there and told me music doesn't effect you in anyway, but yet you are telling me about a song that changed your life?"

She told me to shut up.

But that's just it, nobody can deny that music is what keeps many of us alive each day. These artists, that sing these lyrics, written by other artists... it's a collaboration of feelings, and these feelings are transferred from the song, to the person listening.

Even a symphony can make magic for me personally. Booming horns and strings in a complicated arrangement just does something to me. This is why, some day in the future I hope to be DJing infront of a full orchestra.

So we know everyone has their genre, we know that there is a song that effects everyone, even a little bit, and it's different for all of them. So how as a DJ, do I play music to a mass of people and have everyone enjoy it?

The answer is still being researched.

But I have an idea, specifically related to house and electronic dance music (EDM). Hip Hop, and Rap music is the mainstream. When thinking about dancing, there is always a place for hip hop. They will in my opinion always be in the mainstream here in the US. All the stars, the big names, the big deals, surround the top 40. EDM will never be there. The great thing about this is we don't really care. We are the underground... or the music that is loved but never by the masses. EDM will never die, just like hip hop and rap will never die. All the genres will continue to evolve, each year new artists coming into the world adding their own feelings and personalilty to the mix.

I'm rambling. The point I'm trying to make is that house fans are like Chicago Cubs fans.

Cubs fans are a breed of fan that amazes people all over the world. No matter how good or bad the team is doing, there will always be a good supply of Cubs fans around to root for them. They are faithful even in the darkest of times, in hopes of one day seeing their team win the Series.

House music, and its fans are much in the same light. No matter how hidden house music is to the world, there will always be faithful fans to enjoy it. More than the average Joe can imagine, actually.

I think it's ironic that House music was born in Chicago, where all these die hard Cubs fans can be found. In Chicago, house music is still huge. And, not to be competitive, we can't say the same for hip hop, and disco in Chicago...

Sitting at my day job, I've talked about house a couple times - the reaction I normally get is: "House? What's that?"

I always try to explain it to them as well, in phrases they can understand. House is Disco, just, newer.

Back in 1973, the hidden "underground" New York homosexual world were all dancing to this new type of music. A fresh beat derived from R&B, and funk, disco music was all about the flash and the flair. Boathouse clubs and lofts were filled with this basic 4/4 beat that would be the building blocks for house and its derived genres. In 1978, disco was discovered by the rest of the US, and surged forward into the mainstream. Disco was everywhere, and was everything - the biggest stars and biggest names all bought into it - it was no longer underground. Soon movies like Saturday Night Fever and groups like the Bee Gees brought disco to the top 40, a vision of the future? Not really...

In 1982 - the year I was born - someone woke up and said "Disco Sucks."

It was a revolt, an outrage - the once cherished genre by a select few had grown so much that mutiny erupted, and Disco died. All the artists were out of business, no one cared anymore, shortly after, rock became the mainstream.

People still wanted to dance, however, so the cultural US turned to a new form of music, Afrika Bumbaata along with other artists rose up to creat hip hop, derived also from R&B and Funk. They began a new era of music that still reigns in the clubs today, and the Top 40 charts.

During this time, however, disco didn't really die... it went back to the underground where it started in the first place. Although, this time, it had a new face and name, Chicago.

Around 1983-84 underground clubs in Chicago began playing this strangely familiar style of music that didn't have a name. The club that played it most predominately was called "The Warehouse." Not long after the Warehouse began playing this type of music, songs began to appear in the local record stores that were ripped right from the dancefloors. For lack of a name, they just called it - "Warehouse Music." Likewise in New York, a similar type of music called "Garage" music also came from the woodwork. After gaining popularity in the underground, the two genres merged to form Warehouse/Garage or, for short, house music.

So one can easily say, just as hip hop and rap have been around forever in the mainstream, house music has been around just as long in the underground. This is why, we are so comfortable staying there. No commercialization, no drama, no problems. Just great music with die hard...

... Cubs Fans.

Feel the Love

Hi again, feelin' the love in this place? LOL!!

Speaking of feeling the love - I just wanted to let you all know that St. Valentine's Day is approaching, this coming Tuesday. That means, it's time to share the love!

So, in honor of the 5th year in a row I've been single for Valentine's day, I decided to throw down a new demo! Due to release Feb 13th, it'll be just in time for that special Valentine, or midnight booty call. It'll feature some sexy new house favorites, and some classic house standards. Also that very lovely Tuesday night, DancePhoenix will once again go LIVE in a 2 hour show dedicated to all you lovers out there. That's right, a live radio show with an exclusive mix that will ONLY be found on DancePhoenix. Then, if there's time - maybe I'll throw in my new demo over the radio as well, who knows... I can be crazy like that...

The new demo "Love for House" Will be found in the "Sights and Sounds" section of my website: www.djjphoenix.com.

JUST SO this doesn't sound like a huge ad, just wanted to say Thanks to a couple of friends that chill with me over the AIM almost every night while I'm working on a lot of this stuff. They know who they are. Also, wanted a throw out a plug for "The Blue Bar," otherwise known as Jamaican Blue Coffee House. They provide the best coffee in the Phoenix Metro Area, not to mention plenty of electrical outlets, and free internet access for all you "laptoppers" out there. It's a great place to chill and hang, and talk with friends, or a great place to get your work done over a hot cup of coffee. I've been there almost every night this and last week (except for gigs and such) and as you can see, the site is much improved!! So anyway, thanks everyone for reading, and Feel the LOVE!

OK so this did sound like a huge ad... whatever I'll entertain you with something else next time.

Lost, But Found

Well, I tried.

I tried to just move away and end it. I figured maybe if I just change my address she'll think it's deleted and she'll give up. I thought it would be over.

I was talking to one of my friends last night - just last night, practically minutes before she found the new address... she said, "She's gonna find it. I know I would if I wanted to, if it means that much to her she'll find it."

Thanks.

It's not because I'm hiding. OK - it's kinda about hiding but more on the instance that I just don't want to deal with her anymore. She creates so much drama, and then blames me for it. She wrote me emails, no joke they were 6+ pages long. Then her roomate chimes in, berrating me with personal attacks, telling me how I'm a liar and such. Then she says, "Serena was the best thing that ever happened to you..." Question, does this look like the best thing that ever happened to me? Would I be this upset and freaked out and annoyed among other negatives if Serena was the BEST thing that happened to me?

But go ahead. Read the blog - that's why it's here, right? I put my life on the internet for people to be entertained. That's what I do, I entertain. I'll even update the link on my newly updated website (which by the way, looks gorgeous, if I do say so myself). I just don't want to have to deal with this drama any more.

On that note I will move on from that subject.

A busy couple weeks are up ahead. This week, I am finishing up the updates to my new website look. Just so all of you know, I do all my websites myself. Sometimes I use a little help like preset templates, but I make them look and feel all the same myself. www.djjphoenix.com is 100% done by me, I would do web design for a living - but it takes me two weeks to make a good website. Even then, I still find ways I can improve it and so technically it takes me months to create a nice website.

Anyway, so I'm doing some final updates to that, and then I'm also updating the MySpace profile as well as updating all my radio station info for DancePhoenix. I haven't changed the programming on DancePhoenix in... well it's been months - the same 60 songs just on loop. I've actually gotten several listeners but I want to enhance the station because I have a lot of space, and I'm paying $30 a month for it.

I'll be doing a new live show. That's right - it's been 6 months since the last airing of "The Sunday Drunx Show" on DancePhoenix, so now I'm working with a team of DJs and programmers to develop a new show that will sound awesome. After the World DJ Mix starts, we will be spending more time on this.

Speaking of the World DJ Mix. I have several mixes submitted so far and I spend every night at the coffee house in scottsdale listening to them. I've narrowed the first mix down to two or three mixes, but DJs still have the rest of this week to submit.

One more thing, for this blog - I keep saying it but for some reason I don't do it. I am making an effort not to get personal on this site. There is one specific person who contiues to be the exception to this rule, but I'm hoping in the very near future that it all will be over and I can get on with more important things.

That's all for now, I've run out of things to bitch about today. All the announcments are done so it's back to real life, of a DJ in Phoenix....

A Journey Around the World

Your pal JPhoenix is about embark on a very large scale project. Today, marks the (on time) release day of the WORLD DJ MIX IN '06. Advertising has begun, and we hope to have our first DJ to mix by Feb 10th. I'm really excited about this. Tell all your DJ friends about it, this is something I am putting many of my precious free hours aside to handle, each week adding another DJ to the list.

I can't wait to see this thing come together, wish me luck!

In other news,
In the mobile world, SKM plays a major role in the Phoenix Bridal Fashion Debut, twice a year. Other than our large and commanding booth presence, we also are lucky enough to do both a promo for our service and actually MC during the debut fashion show. Our promo consisted of gettting the guests (brides, grooms, and friends) pumped up before the show, by leading them in some of our interactive dances, as well as handing out some pretty hefty prizes. Then, for the actual fashion show, SKM is asked to MC, giving plugs and reading copy for all the companies featured in the show.

The debut was this past weekend. It was gruesome - 5,000 brides and friends all open for booking and its up to us to grab their business. We're really doing them a favor, if you think about it. I know it sounds pompous and egotisticall, but there is really not that many great DJ services out here in Phoenix. SKM I would say in my opinion is one of the best, and has been voted that way several times prior to me joining the ranks. There are others that are worth the brides' time, but generally when dealing with a DJ it's either a hit, or not even close.

SKM is a hit. We have the ability to produce any wedding reception the bride and groom dream up. If they want refined and reserved they got it, or, if they want a party... done. The way we get people up on the dance floor is almost fool-proof, I have never once in the year doing this seen an empty dancefloor when we're involved.

But enough about that. So last week I got a call from SKM, they wanted me to MC for the fashion show on Saturday. I was like "huh?! You want me to w-what?!!" I was a little nervous, I mean this wasn't just MCing for a wedding, this was Justin, being the face of SKM in front of 5,000 potential clients. A little daunting if you ask me. But, I took on the task, confident that I would be able to handle it and make SKM proud.

Little did I know that I wasn't getting a script until the morning of the show.

Saturday morning came and I was nervous. Like nervous as if I've never been on stage infront of 5,000 peole before (which I have). It didn't help, that my fellow DJ coworkers were giving me shit because my tux made me "look like a homeless guy who stole a tux." I needed coffee, and the biggest thing that happened was the clip on my tux pants had broken and now my pants were falling down. Then no one had a safety pin. I ran around the building holding my pants up with one hand begging for a safety pin, all the while I should be practicing the damn fashion show.

Once I found a safety pin, it took me about 20 minutes to get the thing on. And even then it didn't work very well.

So then here comes the show. Now as a prior actor, I know "the show must go on." So, even with no real prior readings and pants that could burst at any minute, I took the stage. Sure enough, the first interactive dance the safety pin popped.... and there I was on stage about to be handed the mic in one hand, feverishly trying to fix the pin with the other. I fixed it on time before I began talking... but I'm sure EVERYONE noticed. So the second dance roles by, we're finished our promo, now onto the fashion show.

I pull out the script, and read through the first vendors featured. A couple words tripped but I made it. I cut the mic and ran back stage for the show to begin.

Then I thought - "hey, I'm back stage at a fashion show, they HAVE to have a good safety pin!" So I ran over to the tux ladies and I asked them for one, but they said that they didn't have one, BUT! They have suspenders!!

Oh thank heaven for suspenders. After putting them on, my pants being pulled up was like my spirits being pulled up. With my new found confidence I walked out onto the stage and nailed the rest of the show.

I was better. The first one was out of the way. My coworkers saw a new me after that and even with only a half hour at the booth in between shows, I still locked 4 brides scheduled for a meeting. Each show got better, as I got a feel for the words I was saying, and for the band that was backing up the models. I started playing off of them like David Letterman and I felt that way.

As the day went on, my third and last show I was getting kind of tired. Not to mention that a certain someone was sitting their, her eyes locked on her ex-friend, ex-boyfriend. I saw her during the day while I was pitching to a couple brides. I new Serena was going to be there, with her friends Nick and Nikki, who are getting married in May. I told them if they approached me that I would talk to them. They didn't. Ultimately, I didn't really feel like talking to any of them, they all hate me (or just really dislike me) and I know I wasn't going to get their business so I had more important things to care about. Serena's Blog mentions that I wasn't much of an adult because I ignored her, so be it. I had more important things to worry about.

As the third show began, they sat right on the end of a row by the stage. I was about 5 feet away from her. I had volunteers with me, who in my opinion didn't really care that my ex-girlfriend was there, so I made a point not to bring her up. Adrian and Juan talked to her, which is fine, they're not her ex-boyfriends. But, I'm the child cause I had more important things to do.

As the show went on, I could feel her eyes burning me. During the interatives promo she didn't dance, or get involved, she just stood there - staring. She stared at me the entire time I was on stage, keeping her eys locked on mine for any slim chance that I may look over there.

I didn't. In fact, as the show went on I almost forgot she was even there, except for the fact that she was like 2 feet away from the band I was playing off of. Plus I was tired. The words now began to jumble up and I felt as if I was slacking off a bit. I don't think anyone noticed.

Afterwards, I thought to myself for a second. And I remembered, I'm over her. I've been over her for months now and proved that notion this past month alone. And it's funny that I almost forgot that, like her presence alone made me have to remind myself of that. I'm confident again. I'm my own person with my own problems and my own friends. For all I know she's got her own shit going on. According to her blog she's doing rather well so I reminded myself that I'm just being rediculous. It's her, not me that causes these thoughts... her long emails and her occational text messages. I even emailed her a little last week. That was dumb.

She mentioned that she closed the door of me in her life. I say thank you. I think seeing her one more time was just that final reminder of my past. For her, it was one more notch in my belt of negative feelings that sealed her closure. I think that chapter is finally closed.

The rest of the show ended well. SKM did nicely during the two day period and I'm looking forward to the year ahead. In a couple weeks, we go to Vegas as a company and that will be a very fun trip. The new year is here. The bridal show marks a new height in my career, some great new exposure as well as a great experience. There's a new woman in my life, whom I will never talk about here on this blog, or any blog for that matter. I want to give people some respect by not bashing them over the internet. I think even good things should be saved for in person. Why share my feelings on this blog about someone when I can just email them, or call them, or talk to them? You're looking at a new Justin... well maybe not a new one, just - different one.

I'm also looking foward to *Finally* getting back in shape. My brother is taking me to the gym three times a week to kick my ass a little. Since I'm drilling in the reserves again I know a PT test will be approaching soon, so I think it'll be best if I'm prepared. Plus, I'm tired of hardly fitting into my nice Perry Ellis and Abercrombie Jeans. :)

I'm excited about Egle, who is one of my closest (and hottest) friends from the East Coast. She has confirmed her spring break trip here to Phoenix and she'll most likely be packing a couple of her friends along with her. The beginning of the week is here in PhX, then that wednesday we will head out to Sedona, the Grand Canyon (all that touristy shit), and then finally Vegas. That will be a lot of fun, and even more fun to see some of my old friends that I miss. She's not gonna want to leave. I think she's bringing friends so they can drag her back, lol!

I'm very excited about the world DJ mix. I've had ideas before, but you all know me, ideas are just something I do... it's action that's the big step.

Well, it's 1:00am now here at my favorite coffee place. It's time to pack up and leave, and get some rest for another day in the life of a DJ in Phoenix........