Contributed by Erin Routson

* Writer’s note – excuse my terrible iphone photos, i busted my real camera

When I lived in Atlanta (2 cities ago), I always went to see DJs. I don’t know how this started, or why it was, but it became a kind of weird “lifestyle choice” that I was making in my early 20s. Even today when I think about the amount of time I spent “going clubbing”, and the other things that led to (seeing everyone at American Apparel mid-day buying things they’d wear later, et cetera), it seems like a part of my life that didn’t even happen. Aside from that, though, when I think back, those shows were the most fun because everyone was at their most free. No one cared about anything in that space, aside from having fun.

In the years that have followed that strange time in my life, I’ve still managed to go see DJs. Now dubstep exists, though, and that makes me feel old. When I went to Music Hall of Williamsburg for Star Slinger the other night, I asked my roommate if we’d be the oldest people there. She thought that no, we wouldn’t be, but I think we probably were.

We got there during Shigeto’s set, dude from Michigan (midwest pride!) in a room full of dudes bobbing their heads. His combination of live percussion and Djing reminded me of Mo’ Wax, and at one point I am almost positive I heard the beat from Ginuwine’s “My Pony.” I might be wrong, I had had a few drinks. Either way, his set was super-chill and all the backpack dudes in the crowd were way into it, including a super fan in the front who somehow found a way to mosh to relaxed drums and beats. – (Myspace)

Shlohmo took the stage next, and I think we expected the same kind of vacation style floataway energy that permeates his release, “Bad Vibes.” Dude was not taking us in his suitcase, though. Instead, his set was full of Lil B, radio rap, and Aaliyah shout-outs. Rather than soothe everyone with “Places” or “It Was Whatever”, he just amped himself up as well as the crowd. Overall, a pretty good representation of what a 20something year old dude wants to do on a Friday night, even if sometimes he’d play a real banger and follow it up with something kinda snoozy. – (Last.fm)

Last up, obvs, was Star Slinger. Even when I think about it now, I can’t believe he did his whole set in a flannel shirt. Oof. He played a bunch of his classics, and my roommates and I got to do our house dance several times. It’s like riding a bicycle backwards with your arms. His ability to up everyone’s vibe and keep it going the whole time was awesome, and even in the crush of the front everyone just got loose. For his encore, he invited everyone up on stage, and while it gave me serious Girl Talk flashbacks, it was just as fun as I remember every club night being in Atlanta. – (Official)

Seeing DJs in a club changes how I feel about the music when I’m listening to it on my headphones on the train, or in my room. Those individual experiences are about the technicality of the music – the beats, how its mixed, what is sampled – but live, in a venue, the only thing that seems to matter is the energy that the DJ is able to bring. When I’m there, in person, I want to dance and I want to have fun. Those needs sound so base, but in that context it’s what matters.