Reacting to the crowd in real time — rather than following a pre-selected playlist — produces better dancefloor outcomes

Several DJs in this article describe a ‘sushi chef’ or reactive model of DJing: presenting one piece of music and letting the crowd’s response determine the next. This contrasts with the ‘pre-planned playlist’ approach, where the set order is fixed before going on. The reactive model requires knowing a larger catalog by feel, trusting instinct, and tolerating uncertainty. Kampire: ‘I’m the DJ equivalent of a sushi chef. I’ll present one piece of music and the way people react to that determines what the next one will be.’ Don’t DJ: ‘If I was to just run a preselected playlist, I always assume that boredom would be transmitted to the crowd and that would be the worst outcome for everyone.’ The risk of reactive DJing is requiring deep catalog knowledge; the reward is a set that fits the actual crowd.

Examples

Kampire plays ‘blends by ear or feel’ and ‘many I just stumble upon while on stage.’ Don’t DJ plays ‘by intuition’ and ‘takes risks in tempi, rhythms, dramaturgy’ rather than following a plan.

Assessment

What is the ‘sushi chef’ model of DJing? What skills does it require compared to a pre-planned playlist approach? When might a pre-planned approach be preferable?