As a little girl… well a teenager, I was always wishing I could be a DJ. The cool thing was to be the person to choose which songs to play and make people smile or dance! Simple isn’t it? It was a dream and never did I think that London of all the places in the world would offer me a spot to DJ!
But it’s turning into a habit now
DJing in Cargo on Rivington Street, Shoreditch
I have played in Darbucka’s basement several times and for the first time in Passing Clouds in Dalston as well this year. It’s a mix of world music and pop and rock songs and if you wonder how much George Michael I get in there in my set list…. well not that many of his songs. Trying to be professional! Haha!
But I do play a lot of Greek songs, everytime, not the most popular and not only contemporary styles, but more the music from the 50s and 60s some real rembetika tunes (Greek blues music) and Greek classics that my grandmother would listen to in her time. Those songs have more value and power than most modern Greek music popping out.
I think the highlight of the DJing dream has been this year when I’ve started getting longer hours to play and also being invited to play at the Playtimebar in Angel and then a couple of times at the trendy Cargo in Shoreditch and the Monarch in Camden!
The amount of people who come to ask what song was that you played, and usually it is the West African or Greek tunes that seem popular, is unbelievable!
And it’s a wonderful feeling to play both the songs you really love and like and have inside your skin, but also the ones you’re scared off, and not sure if they’re gonna work?
So what’s your scary song? If you have one? Let me know, I might be able to dig it out and include it in one of my future DJ sets and don’t forget to tell me why it’s your scary song?
I’m DJing again at the Rich Mix for the French live music night, so expect lots of French tunes and especially French world music! Details for Friday 19 November and to book tickets http://www.richmix.org.uk/music-rockfort.htm
If you’re an early arrival you might be lucky to get your hands on some Greek nibbles as well.
Greekfoodlovers' Supper Club 