Titans will be Titans and sometimes they Clash

 It's no secret that there's a formula for success in the Hollywood big picture racket, there always has been. Unfortunate for us now is the formula relies less on story and more on effects than our recent past. With Avatar setting a benchmark a few short months ago for pictures showing in the third dimension, it's not hard to believe that Clash of the Titans falls short in this category. To say this movie is 2.5D is an understatement, to say I could have watched this movie after paying $3 extra without my glasses would be verging on sad truth.



Fortunately for me, I still believe in storyline being key, and when your modern movie is based on thousands of years old myth, how can you get that wrong? Clash of the Titans comes close. Sam Worthington has an innate knack for turning every character of his into an off-shoot of the means-well Terminator he first gained notoriety for, and his now trademark sometimes here/sometimes gone accent issues (A Greek demi-God with an Australian, occasionally American-inflected accent surrounded by British actors) doesn’t seem to help matters. Throw in the Indiana Jones-esque comic relief and we have enough to groan out loud about to remind one of the original screening of Behind the Green Door.

To the movies credit, it is a bona fide blockbuster, and cheese seems to be part of the package these days. I did enjoy myself once I took it out of Oscar contention in my mind and did hear a fair amount of applause after the movie finished.

All I can say is: If you are going to see this movie, save yourself the $3 you'll never get back and see it in 2D.

My old blog..gone

I DJ, I had a blog, that blog was taken down. That's it in a nutshell.  I'd leave this post at that but  hey, this is a blog, I should say how I feel.
Well, as you can imagine, I'm pretty frickin pissed! This is my fault though. I should have seen the warning signs ages ago when the DCMA first started causing me problems.  I had a year and a quarter to back up my links and secure myself in the act of not doing what I'm doing now (re-constructing my blog here )
I'm happy I'm able to put all the stuff back up again, this time as stream only but the act of doing it is just getting on my last ass.
On the good note, I get to weed out the crap mixes I made way back when I first started DJ'ing but why oh why isn't there an easier way to do this?!

you know you're old when...

The thought of me being 'old' echoed in my ears from the time I turned 25 and heard myself say 'these damn kids'.  True enough thoguh, I should have seen this coming at the age of 19 when I declared that R&B music just wasn't what it used to be in 1998 (and you know it's true).  Since then I've found myself classifying myself as 'An Old-Head" as Lauryn Hill coined it.  I can get down with the newer tunes, I can dance it up like a fool (yes, I dance like a fool) to the newer tunes but you best believe that to get me going, get me fanning myself from the hotness of the moment, you NEED to play old school.
To me however, old school is not the 80s, the true time of 'old school', no, it's the 90s.  Give me a tune from Total, SWV, Hi Five, Karyn White...chil, the purest of Old Schoolishfullness and I'm in it to win it from the be-gin to the finish.

At my house last night though this thought of being an 'old-head' was pushed to the forefront of my psyche as a friend of mine sat in my house and I played music..all of it old.  He's older than me so I didn't feel too bad but you best believe I felt like a grandpa in some ways.  I'm 31 now and already get depressed going to Zippers (retro on Sundays) and seeing people who like me are reliving their youth through music...OLD ASS MUSIC!  I love going because I like some of the songs from the 70s as well but every now and then I see some old man with his shirt off dancing to some wretched 70s throw back and think..this is going to be me in 20 years (with my shirt ON, thank you very much) and I can't help but leave and go home and comfort myself in a blanket.

Black don't crack but damn, I'm geting old.

Avatar

I'm glad to know, after a conversation with two friends, that I'm not the only one in the world who isn't head over heels in love with this damn movie!

Ok, it looks great, it's a new way of making movies but the story is pretty slacksadaiscal if you ask me.

Spoiler alert:

1) The main character starts off as a fuck up with nothing to lose, gets pulled into the bad guys clique to do something terrible, sets out to do it and falls in love...keeps on doing it then when things get really bad he repents and confesses.  They kick him to the curb, he then has to come around and save them to 'make it up'.
I've seen this so many times before!!!!  'At first I did it because it was my job..then I really started to like you.' Saved by the bell? come come now!

2) It hit a little close to home with European male colonialism for me, sorry but that's what it was.

3) My friend Brian put it perfectly when he said after the tree was blown up and their homes were destroyed and these people were broken, the movie should have faded to black and that should have been it.  We all strive for a happy ending when really, if this is to portray any part of history, there wouldn't be one.

4) Aliens on a planet billions of light years away have human emotions now?
Not only do they cry, get jealous, ride animals just like we do, live just like we do but they KISS like we do too? Chil, please! I've seen some actual humans who aren't good kissers, how is this girl from across the universe going to suck face with this fool like it wasn't her first time?


Anyway, I have to defend my life everytime I talk down this damn movie but it was good but not as good as people are making it out to be.  This movie to me is a film version of Lady Gaga, sorry, it's true.

2009 Remembered - from a DJ's point of view

I was thinking about this today when I was supposed to be at work doing things.

My fave gigs of last year

Feb 14 - West End Boys - Baby Huey

This was my first gig there and completely out of the blue since I actually didn't really know anyone there at the time.  Even cooler still was  DJ Kris Steeves who recommended me even though he'd never even heard me spin before (as far as I know)!!  The vibe was great and it was such a nice change of pace from the gig I played before at Crews..(a bad night for sure).

Feb 16th - Family Day Weekend at Crews

I always loved the holiday Sundays because I got to play downstairs in the Zone...which was rare.
I had a great time, the crowd was with me all night and I think I actually got my first ovation afterwards with a one song encore!  Tres amaze.

April 9th Easter Thursday - Crews

During the the two years I worked at Crews (1.5 really) Easter Thursdays (the day before Good Friday) were my fave upstairs mostly because they were busy as all else!  The year before was busier because I was the only dancefloor available that night, this time, Foofer turned it up downstairs and got it going.

April 11th - Crews (upstairs - My last gig there)

I knew it was my last for a while, everyone who worked there knew Crews was closing on the 13th but no one said anything.  I wanted this night to be good and it really was.  The customers didn't know what was going on but they gave me a great send off!

May 8th - Battle Pop - Madonna vs Kylie

Anyone who knows me knows I LOVE Madonna and this was my first time ever getting to play as much of her as I wanted.  This was also the last time I did Battle Pop with DJ Quinces.  The night was packed, the profits were good, the vibe was excellent!

May 17th - Victoria Day Sunday - Baby Huey

This was the first holiday Sunday on my then 'Sunday Bloody Sunday' night at Baby Huey.
I'd waited two months through some pretty depressing Sundays for this one and it didn't disappoint.  Friends came out and though it wasn't crazy packed, I sure as hell played a good set as far as I can remember!

June 12th  - Battle Pop - Blond Ambition

This was my first Battle Pop by myself and it took forever to get going. I was nervous for two hours that I'd fallen on my face but it picked up and the rest is history (to me).  It was the first Lady Gaga inspired party in the village and was hot as hell! 

June 27th - Pride Run

So, I'm thanking the Lord on this one...I got to play music at the pride run this year without being rained out!
I got there, they played my Baby Huey mix before and I rushed over to the post run hold out and ended up playing for what was my biggest crowd at the time, outside, in the sun..love!

June 27th - Pride at the Barn

I had just started my first floor gig at the Barn. The first week was horrendous, the second week picked up and as a result I was added to the There Goes the Neighborhood line up for Pride Saturday.
The night before (pride Friday) was a bit of a shit show for me, up and down on my floor while there was a line up to get upstairs.  I was actually advertised on this gig so when I was added last minute to Saturday I thought it would be a disaster..especially with Larry T booked upstairs.
Chil, let me tell you this turned out to be my fave gig of the fucking year!  It was packed from the roota to the toota and I ended up extending my play from 10 to 4:25..packed from left to right on the floor for all but 40 minutes of the night.  I also played about 3 encore songs, it was so much fun and will be remembered for a good while.

July 11th  Baby Huey - West End Boys - Beyonce night

This was a last minute gig, I was called in the morning for this one and couldn't say no.  That said, I was bumped from my Barn gig last minute that week as well so this ended up being perfect since I still got to play to someone and got paid!
The night was a good one, busy and the vibe again was on point with a busy Baby Huey.

August 21st - Battle Pop - Britney

While she's not my fave artist, I'd be an ass if I didn't mention Britney Night. I'm thinking this is the most people I've DJ'd to, the biggest crowd at Battle Pop at least.  It was packed from 11 til 3am, a great ngiht that I would love all of my events to mimic, ha.

Oct 31 - Halloween at the Barn

I'd never worked Halloween before and I had my doubts about this, what with the streets being so busy.
About 20 minutes in and there was a line up long enough for people I NEVER talk to anymore to start calling me up to get in..(really?).  This went well all night and reaffirmed my love for a crowded dancefloor!

November 20th - Battle Pop - Boys Town

This one had disappointment written all over it for me.  It was my first Battle Pop with no girls featured, it was up against a last minute Lady Gaga party with all the stops pulled out and I was lucky enough to have a documentary being filmed about me that centred on this night.  I was hella worried but in the end, it was a step above decent which is about 18 steps up more than I assumed it would be...a great night!

November 28th - Gaga afterparty

While this was technically ruining my flex with my own Gaga party coming up in December that I had planned out since October, I went with it and I do believe this was the busiest the Barn had been on a Saturday since..I have no idea.  I think I heard about 950 people had come through the door by the time it was done.  A good time.

I may be on budget but I sho nuff know how to fudge-it

How bad must I be with money to want to spend $200 plus on an iphone so I can take advantage of the free budgeting applications?

Anyway, I spend too damn much money and even though I can't use the recession as a joke anymore, I have to start acting like I have no job right now.

In advance I apologize to everyone whose home I'll visit this year without a  bottle of wine, everyone whose birthday I'll show up to with a smile and wise words, everyone whose idea of a christmas present in 2010 consists of more than a few teabags (new at least) and as much free water as I can gather.

Money is the route of all evil they say but shit, you still need it to survive. I like my place too much and after I buy my iphone, my wii, my games, my speaker stand, rocketfish rear speaker wireless receiver, new wardrobe, trip to New York and the rest...well, it's cheap sailing!

Things never to do or say to THIS DJ

I have a few pet peeves when I DJ that I just have to put out there..in as nice a way as I possibly can

 please don't ask me:
1)  'why's it so dead?'

You walk in at 10pm when the doors open, even at midnight and the night just hasn't kicked off yet, don't ever ask the DJ why it's so dead...they don't know, they can't help it and you know, they're stuck there the entire night, don't remind them of it.

2)  'Why are you playing this right now/what the fuck are you playing?'

As a DJ, part of your job is to play to the crowd (sometimes you can do your own thing but really, a lot of your job has to do with making sure people have a good time).  If you're the only person in the club who wants to hear the Macarena, maybe you should understand it's a slack song and not everyone wants to hear that.  That said, just because the DJ doesn't play your song, why come at them with anger over what they are playing?  Especially when the crowd is having a good time?

Coat Check:
I've said it before, I'm not a coat check and I'm sure other DJs feel this way as well, I've seen them take a bunch of coats. Being nice is one thing but taking advantage of that is too much. I've had issues with this two years running now and I have to put my foot down!

My all time biggest pet peeve!
People who walk onto your dancefloor when it's not busy and try and sneak by you.  later in the night, your floor is busy and they come over pretending they didn't know you were DJ'ing....puh.

New Year..new Me

Everyone says it, everyone means it when they say it and everyone wants it to stick for longer than a few days.  New Years resolutions are old fodder by the time my birthday comes around usually (end of January anyone?).
I'm going to try my very hardest this year to make my life a little bit easier to live.  My resolution last year was to not feel obligated all the time to do things I didn't want to do, and let me tell you, I felt plenty obligation last year.  I can't do that anymore!

This year is a very general resolution, general yet very hard and intense.
Can I make myself happier by changing my way of thinking? bringing positivity into my own life by seeing the good in things?  Yes, I frickin can and yes I frickin will.

I need to figure out how but I absolutely have to find a way.  I blame this defect on me being single at 30 and a host of many other hermit and spinster making facts in my life.
Enough!