The Concert

I'm sharing this with you all because for once I want to document where I want to be 10 years from now... enjoy.

We've all had dreams. We all have goals and places we want to go and do and see. Its because of this that we are driven to wake up every day.

When you were in high school, your guidance counselor may have come into your class and made you take a survey. We all know this survey... it's the exam we all take so that they may find out a good place for us to go. The big question?

"Where do you see yourself in 10 years?"

The answer is normally canned, because as a society we all have somewhere around the same answer.

"Happy and Successful."

Well, yes, that...

But what's the real answer?

I see myself in lights. On signs. On bumper stickers. In 10 years I see myself in a supermarket and some random person comes up to me and says "hey aren't you that guy...."

Yeah, I'm that guy.

I've had a recurring dream, at nights... a daydream, too. It's the dream that drives me to continue to do this. I've had this dream before I even thought about becoming a DJ. Before I even thought that DJing was a place for me. My dream has always been there, now it just has depth.

It starts of simple... an in-person view of me driving through the streets of a city, in nothing fancy... just me, bopping to the beat of some tunes and watching the world pass by. But this day, this day is different than others. For this day, is the day of my concert.

There's been many others like it - but only mine would be... mine. If you know anything about me, everything I do is over the top.

I'm on my way to my apartment, to get ready - it's still morning. I clean up and I get dressed. Now a different, much nicer car comes to pick me up and take me to the venue.

When I arrive there - the crowd is already there, because my concert isn't just about me and what I play - no - my concert is more like a festival of music. It's everything I like, from Jazz to Trance, slowly progressing throughout the night. It would start with some local piano players in duets or a small jazz group. Something easy and light - something to enjoy as you begin to eat and drink and socialize. When it gets darker - ambient at sunset. St. Germain or something from Ibiza. It's sexy, it's potential energy ready to burst.

Then the DJs come out. The lights are on, but not all of them - the big show is saved for me.

The crowd is 100,000 people strong.

Then deep house, pumping up the crowd with some big names of that era, in a booth that sits lower than the actual stage or maybe off to either side.

The music however, never stops.

There's no set changes, no waiting - each group smashes right into the next. Each act is ready to start right after the last one finishes. Because I feel, people are there to enjoy music, not standing.

The DJs mix into each other - on DJ booths all over the property... because I always feel people shouldn't have to stare at the same backdrop all night.

When the crowd is good and prepped - it's time for my entrance.

When I start playing at my concert, I would take it slow - but my entrance would be spectacular. I wouldn't just walk in and start DJing - no - I couldn't go into my first concert like that. I would have been playing in clubs and venues for years by that point. This time it would be me... my entire world opened up to me. I would have to make a proper entrance.

The dream has changed a couple times. Sometimes I've entered from the top of the stage, being lowered down... sometimes I've just appeared, with lasers and flames and flashing lights everywhere... but none of them stuck until recently...

I decided that my entrance would be best of both worlds, I'm humble so just walking in would be how I like to roll, but this time - this time it would be to the lasers and flames and lights... to a massive DJ booth in front of me... then there'd be silence. Nothing, the crowd, the music, the lights... everything silent.

It would start with some ambiance - something for people to look at on the massive screens... a video - some piano, some slow beats. It would be recognizable. A song that everyone would say "ooohhh I love this one!"

It would be one of my many songs.

Then I would pick up the pace... driving the mix faster and harder as the night progresses. My act couldn't be just me, though. No, my act is different. My act has other artists included... singers would sing some of my songs live, some familiar sax or strings players from earlier would play leads to my songs live. There'd be dancers, drummers, other DJs would come and battle with me. There'd be acrobatics, there'd be stunts, there'd be magic.

I wouldn't stay in the same spot. I would start a track at one booth and run to another to mix something else in, then run to a third booth and mix something else in.

I'd have a camera on my main booth, from the top down, so everyone could see the eight turntables working at once as I built a song from scratch using custom vinyls. I would create a song with turntables as if they were an instrument themselves, my hands effortlessly working each record and pitch adjust as if they were part of my body.

Then it'd be music. Lights, color, and music. The mix heading to new heights as the entire crowd all bounces to one beat. The entire arena is lit like a dancefloor, because I feel that even though we wouldn't be in a club, it should feel that way. As the finale draws near, an enormous "J" in lights shines behind me, glimmering different designs getting brighter at the biggest change-overs. Flashing strobes as the mix goes forward another level.

I would want people to leave awe-struck, the only expression showing is that of sheer excitement, sheer joy. Behind the J in lights a curtain would open revealing a full orchestra... the next step. The orchestra would play along with my beats for 3 or 4 songs, behind them a scrim showing ambient video and digital images.

Then, on the finale, the peak track... the big finish. The scrim rises to reveal a full chorus behind the orchestra, and the three elements come together to create an awesome sound. The choir hits a high note as bright lights flash all over - all white. It is so bright you can't even see me anymore. The beat returns, and the track drives to the ending, powerful and pulsating. The crowd can't help but go crazy as they dance with their hands in the air. Then I put my hands in the air - as the final sequence rumbles... it is now nothing but strobes... the orchestra holding one note, the choir belting one last note as well... my beat is churning out to a close.... then a boom... a bang of fire and light, into complete darkness, all that is left is the "J," and me with a single spotlight with nothing but pure appreciation.

Then it is over. The show is over and I have done it. I have made it.

This is where I will begin. My life will begin at this point. Everything that happened before was just the lead in to this moment, where I am standing in front of a crowd of thousands, with the J behind me.

Where am I gonna be in 10 years? I'll be at the top, thank you.