You might think an 8-hour-long gig that starts at 8:30 am might be a drag, especially when you hear I was out of bed at 5:30 am in order to be there and set up on time, but you’d be wrong. Yesterday’s event practically flew by, both figuratively and literally (it was an auto race!), and I had a lot of fun.
I DJ’ed in one of the private clubs at the Formula 1 race. Yesterday was the first of three days of events happening at the Circuit of the Americas, as drivers, and fans, from around the world converged on Austin for a weekend of racing. The nature of the event gave me almost unlimited freedom regarding what to play, as there were guests of all ages, and from all backgrounds and walks of life, and this wasn’t a dance. I was there to provide a great soundtrack for a day of fun, and if the number of high fives, fist bumps, compliments, and business cards taken is any indication, I was successful.
While my DJ set ran from 8:30 to 4:30, I had some downtime, as I switched from music to live feed of the race announcers when there were races happening on the track. Not that it would have made a difference. Those cars are LOUD, and the Tower Club is positioned directly over the track, so no one would have heard my music anyway. On the plus side, from my DJ booth I had one of the best seats in the house to watch the races! Coupled with complimentary breakfast and lunch buffets and an on-site barista making coffee and espresso, I was set!
All told I probably played for 6 hours. Check out the variety of what I was able to play for my appreciative audience yesterday!
Update: here is a recap, and set list, for day three of the event.
Please Please Please – Sabrina Carpenter
Outstanding – The Gap Band
Superstition – Stevie Wonder
Put Your Hands Where My Eyes Can See – Busta Rhymes
Float On – Modest Mouse
I Turn My Camera On – Spoon
Connected – Stereo MC’s
Midnight City – M83
Fix Up Look Sharp – Dizzee Rascal
I Ain’t No Joke – Eric B. & Rakim
Rollin’ With Kid ‘N Play – Kid ‘N Play
The Safety Dance – Men Without Hats
Tequila Little Time – Jon Pardi
Lovin’ On Me – Jack Harlow
More Than a Woman – Bee Gees
Country Girl (Shake It for Me) – Luke Bryan
Walk This Way – Run-D.M.C.
Telegraph Your Love – The Pointer Sisters
D.M.S.R. – Prince
Let’s Dance – David Bowie
Kiss Me More [feat. SZA] – Doja Cat
ILY (I Love You Baby) [feat. Emilee] – Surf Mesa
Should I Stay or Should I Go – The Clash
Balinese – ZZ Top
More Than a Feeling – Boston
Can I Kick It? – A Tribe Called Quest
MIA [feat. Drake] – Bad Bunny
Zion I – Cymande
God Make Me Funky – Headhunters
Funky Drummer – James Brown
Sabotage – Beastie Boys
Savage – Megan Thee Stallion
Just a Friend – Biz Markie
Jailhouse Rock – Elvis Presley
A Bar Song (Tipsy) – Shaboozey
Fancy Like – Walker Hayes
Gangsta’s Paradise – Coolio
Wagon Wheel – Darius Rucker
As It Was – Harry Styles
Dancing With Myself – Billy Idol
Take On Me – a-ha
Blitzkrieg Bop – The Ramones
Get UR Freak On – Missy Elliott
Footloose – Kenny Loggins
Blinding Lights – The Weeknd
Mr. Blue Sky – Electric Light Orchestra
What I Like About You – The Romantics
Sugar, We’re Going Down – Fall Out Boy
Shake It Off – Taylor Swift
Paint it Black – The Rolling Stones
I Melt With You – Modern English
Dreaming – Blondie
I Eat Cannibals – Toto Coelo
Transmission – Joy Division
One Step Beyond – Madness
Cigarettes and Alcohol – Oasis
Laid – James
New Generation – Suede
Girls & Boys – Blur
Don’t Stop Believing – Journey
Livin’ On a Prayer – Bon Jovi
Everywhere – Fleetwood Mac
How Will I Know – Whitney Houston
Calling All Boys – The Flirts
Secret – Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark
Obsession – Animotion
Do It To The Crowd – Twin Hype
White Lines (Don’t Don’t Do It) – Grandmaster Flash & Melle Mel
Apache – Sugar Hill Gang
Ace In the Hole – George Strait
Two Pina Coladas – Garth Brooks
Lookin’ for Love – Johnny Lee
Ain’t Too Proud to Beg – The Temptations
It’s the Same Old Song – The Four Tops
The Magic Number – De La Soul
Supercuts (Yeah Boy) – Rodney O Joe Cooley
1999 – Prince
Love Story (Taylor’s Version) – Taylor Swift
Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! (A Man After Midnight) – ABBA
Electric Love – BØRNS
Louie, Louie – The Kingsmen
Playa Grande [feat. Bomba Estéreo] – Sofi Tukker
Circles – Post Malone
Brown Eyed Girl – Van Morrison
Bad Case of Loving You (Doctor, Doctor) – Robert Palmer
I Am the Best – 2NE1
Just Can’t Get Enough – Depeche Mode
You Spin Me ‘Round (Like a Record) – Dead Or Alive
Don’t Go – Yaz
Pursuit of Happiness [Steve Aoki Remix] – Kid Cudi
I Was Made For Lovin’ You – Kiss
Low [feat. T-Pain] – Flo Rida
I Gotta Feeling – The Black Eyed Peas
More, More, More – Andrea True Connection
(Are You Ready) Do the Bus Stop – The Fatback Band
Like Sugar – Chaka Khan
Careless Whisper [The Polish Ambassador Remix] – George Michael
Golden Years [The Reflex Stems Re Vision] – David Bowie
Another One Bites The Dust [La Royale Edit] – Queen
When U Wanna Come [LNTG Says Relax] – Frankie Goes to Hollywood
Hooked on a Feeling – Blue Swede
Long Train Runnin’ – The Doobie Brothers
Motownphilly – Boyz II Men
Poison – Bell Biv DeVoe
1, 2, 3, 4 – Coolio
The Creator – Pete Rock & C.L. Smooth
Treat ‘Em Right – Chubb Rock
Uptown Funk [feat. Bruno Mars] – Mark Ronson
Ice Ice Baby – Vanilla Ice
Miami Vice Theme – Jan Hammer
Bad – Michael Jackson
Amarillo By Morning – George Strait
It’s Five O’Clock Somewhere [feat. Jimmy Buffett] – Alan Jackson
Whiskey River – Willie Nelson
You Never Can Tell – Chuck Berry
The Shoop Shoop Song (It’s In His Kiss) – Betty Everett
I Want to Hold Your Hand – The Beatles
Stop! In the Name of Love – Diana Ross & The Supremes
I Want You Back – The Jackson Five
Cinderfella Dana Dane – Dana Dane
Bring the Beat Back – Steady B
No Sleep Till Brooklyn – Beastie Boys
Nobody Beats the Biz [feat. T.J. Swan] – Biz Markie
Droppin’ Science [feat. Craig G] – Marley Marl
Ms. New Booty [feat. Ying Yang Twinz] – Bubba Sparxxx
ATLiens – Outkast
Mo City Don – Z-ro
In the Air Tonight – Phil Collins
Africa – Toto
Tarzan Boy – Baltimora
Hey Ladies – Beastie Boys
The Message – Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five
Ain’t No Half-Steppin’ – Big Daddy Kane
The Show (Oh My God!– The Re-Mix) – Doug E. Fresh & The Get Fresh Crew
This Beat Kicks – T La Rock
Run’s House – Run-D.M.C.
Sweet Home Alabama – Lynyrd Skynyrd
Neon Moon – Brooks & Dunn
Fantasy – Mariah Carey
Best Friend [feat. NERVO, The Knocks & ALISA UENO] – Sofi Tukker
Levitating – Dua Lipa
Electric Feel – MGMT
Burning Down the House – Talking Heads
Tubthumping – Chumba Wumba
Jack and Diane – John Cougar Mellencamp
Paper Rings – Taylor Swift
Grease – Frankie Valli
Take a Chance on Me – ABBA
Werewolves of London – Warren Zevon
O-o-h Child – The Five Stairsteps
Chicken Fried – Zac Brown Band
Drinkin’ Problem – Midland
