How to DJ a Party, by Luiza Sa of CSS

Loren Lankford — 2009-10-20T17:30:00+00:00

Filed under: Entertainment, Nightlife, How-to, Hot Girl Cool Job

If you think planning a playlist for your friend's housewarming is stressful, imagine what rocker Luiza Sa of CSS is going through right now. Tonight she DJs a free show at New York's Webster Hall that's headlined by Here We Go Magic (Brooklyn folkster Luke Temple's project), Titus Andronicus (hometown punks), Woods (psychedelic jam-stuff) and Beach Fossils (indie buzz band).

So how do you make any crowd happy with your track choices? We got the Brazilian electro-rocker's best advice.

Her latest favorite:
I try to keep things changing always. Last week I played the Smashing Pumpkins' "1979."

To clear a dance floor:
Sade, "Smooth Operator." But sometimes people love it and they will dance to anything. Maybe everyone is just drunk and half naked then there's no way to clear out but to turn it all off and push people out.To fill a dance floor:
Just play Madonna.

To wake people up:
Beyoncé, "Crazy in Love."

To chill people out:
A Tribe Called Quest, "Electric Relaxation."

When you want people to stop making out:
I don't see that many people making out here on the dance floors, and I wouldn't want to want to stop that ... in general. But maybe a Ratatat remix.

When you want people to start making out:
The Rolling Stones, "Under My Thumb."

To get people to sing along:
Shakira.

To bookend your set:
The songs you can't fit anywhere and that make people confused. Like start with Sepultura and finish with Elvis because it's always a nice touch to play Elvis.

Best all-purpose song:
There's no such a thing in my head but if there is it's always the latest Madonna hit, so Madonna's "Celebration."

Tell us: What are your DJing go-tos?

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Asylum

How to DJ a Party, by Luiza Sa of CSS