djngaingai

[djngaingai]

Dropping my newest mix! 

Give it a listen and let me know what you think~

(Recommended times for listening: driving to the beach, leaving a bbq, during fireworks)

Download it here: Link

[djngaingai]

We're going back this summer: Okinawa 2011!!

Just one of the many big announcements for the summer, hehe~

[djngaingai]

Tokyo Apache

“Let’s Go TO-KYO!”  [Part 05]  (This is a series of blog entries that will focus on my experiences with the Tokyo Apache during the 2010-2011 season) [Part 01 | Part 02 | Part 03 | Part 04]

The economic impact of the earthquake is going to be felt for years and arguably, the industry to be hit first and hit hardest was entertainment.  How can you justify throwing a party after an disaster like that?  Do your electricity needs outweigh those of the survivors?  Can you guarantee the safety of your audience if something happens again?

And the most important question: When is the right time to move on?

Based on sympathy (and guilt), what is the appropriate length of time to forgo entertainment out of respect to the victims?  A few days?  A few week?  A few months?  A season?

How about two years?

I was informed of the unfortunate news about 3 months after the earthquake: the Apache management had decided to cancel the rest of this season AND all of next season.

Ouch.

On one hand, I can understand that live sporting events are wasteful, noisy, and generally inappropriate when disaster victims are literally living in a rival team's stadium.  While on the other hand, it's efficient, fun, and a much needed piece of normalcy.  I am 100% sure that the resources needed to run an event for 1000+ people is much less than having 1000+ people sit at home and watch TV.

Either way, what's done is done and all I can do is face forward and hope that when the Apache come back, I can be a part of the rebuilding process.

I loved every moment of being a part of the Apache and it's heartbreaking when I think about all the unrealized potential our team had..

Shoutouts to Shaun and Sean, Steve, Vance, Yoko, Kristen, Nao (UA), The Tokyo Girls, and all the Apache staff.  I would love to continue what we started.

[djngaingai]

Tokyo Apache

“Let’s Go TO-KYO!”  [Part 04]  (This is a series of blog entries that will focus on my experiences with the Tokyo Apache during the 2010-2011 season) [Part 01 | Part 02 | Part 03]

Shoutout to Jeremy Tyler for getting drafted by the Charlotte Bobcats (then getting traded to the Warriors)!  Remember the Apache, bro!  It was actually his suggestion that made me choose Usher's "More" as this season's Apache theme song.

I developed a workflow and spent the days between games tweaking my setup, editing songs for the cheerleaders/players/management, and digging through my music collection to find different songs to accent different parts of the game (The reaction to Bon Jovi's "Livin' on a Prayer" during an overtime game was awesome- I still get chills thinking back on it).  I found myself really looking forward to the next game so I could show-off a more polished product.

We went on a 5-game win streak in my first 5 games so I like to think I had my own impact on the final score.  (I remember one visiting team actually complained that my music was too loud, so I turned it down.. for half a timeout, haha)  The team was playing a lot better, the crowd was really starting to get into it, and non-basketball fans started to recognize the team (this is HUGE in a country where basketball is regarded as a minor sport). Things were really building up and the stadium was filling up game by game.  

Along the way, I danced during a halftime show, met Konishiki, got semi-sponsored by Under Armour (thanks, Nao!), and learned a LOT about sports entertainment.

I started to get to know the players, cheerleaders, and the staff better and the pieces were settling in.  The entertainment team was really starting to jell (saku saku!).  We were all learning and growing together and it definitely felt like we were on the verge of something huge.

And we were..

We just didn't know it would come in the form of an earthquake...

[Check back tomorrow for the conclusion!]

[djngaingai]

Tokyo Apache

“Let’s Go TO-KYO!”  [Part 03]  (This is a series of blog entries that will focus on my experiences with the Tokyo Apache during the 2010-2011 season) [Part 01 | Part 02]

By the end of our first homestand, I started to get a feel for the games and time seemed to slow down a bit.  I also realized that the same fundamental DJ skills transferred over from the clubs: empathy, adaptation, foresight, and decisiveness. 

My core DJing philosophy was a familiar friend in a new venue.  (I don’t consider technical ability, song selection, or beat-matching as important because seriously- you’re not pro if you can’t do these in your sleep.)

The funny thing was, after a career spent building hype and tension, I also learned how to KILL hype.  Usually this is a huge no-no at events and gigs but as a basketball DJ, you don’t want people cheering for the other team when they make a last-second 3-pointer to bring a 2nd overtime.  Maybe I should add responsibility to the list too- they don’t call it home-court advantage for nothing.

No question, I made a ton of mistakes (never play the uncensored version of Enrique’s “Tonight I’m Loving You”.. in front of the company president.. on children’s day) but this was, by far, the most satisfying gig I had done in a VERY long time.

[Check back tomorrow for the next part...]

[djngaingai]

Tokyo Apache

"Let's Go TO-KYO!"  [Part 02]  (This is a series of blog entries that will focus on my experiences with the Tokyo Apache during the 2010-2011 season) [Part 01]

Turns out, they actually hired this old guy to come in, sit down, and push play on some pre-made mixes during the games.  Yea.  So slight blow to my ego aside, I kept up my relations with the staff and patiently waited for the situation to implode.

After a couple of weeks, my predictions came true and the old guy got himself fired leaving the door wide open for an true DJ to come through.  So after a short delay, I finally got my turn and signed on with the Tokyo Apache- making me the first (real) DJ signed to a Japanese pro sports team.  Awesome~

Now, I’ve been spinning at clubs and events for almost a decade now so I’m pretty comfortable behind the decks but I have to be honest- I had NO IDEA what to do as a live in-game basketball DJ. 

They told me I was in charge of “crowd pump”, playing songs during the downtime,  and playing songs for the cheerleaders.  Easy enough, right?  Yea, once you learn to watch the players, watch the referees, cue up a song, feel the atmosphere, cue up a back-up song, listen to 2 sets of headphones, cue up a second back-up song, interact with the crowd, listen to the announcer, communicate with the director, and dance AT THE SAME TIME.

Live events are awesome and I learn best when it's on the fly.  There are so many things to keep track of that all my senses were completely occupied throughout the entire game.  My first couple of games completely flew by and the 4th quarter buzzer sounded before I could catch a breath.  It's the perfect job for an impulsive multi-tasker.  Why didn't I ever think of applying for this type of job before?!

[Check back tomorrow for Part 03!]

[djngaingai]

Tokyo Apache

"Let's Go TO-KYO!"  [Part 01]  (This is a series of blog entries that will focus on my experiences with the Tokyo Apache during the 2010-2011 season)

In January, I was presented with, no doubt, the most unique (and unforeseeable) DJing opportunity of my career.  It was the chance to be the first DJ ever signed to a Japanese pro sports team..  to be the official DJ for the Tokyo Apache.

Let me just put this out there: I am a HUGE basketball fan.  It’s really the only sport I follow.  Coming from NY, I grew up going to Knicks and Nets games (even Liberty games!) and I used to have a massive collection of basketball cards (I wonder if they’re worth anything now…) so the chance to be a contributing member of a pro basketball [entertainment] team just blew my mind.

I HAD to get this job.

Only, I didn’t…

[Check back for the continuation tomorrow!]

[djngaingai]

while looking for inspiration for my new dj logo, i stumbled upon this clever picture..  really funny and highly creative.  though, as a vinyl collector, part of me sheds a tear over the dead records, haha.  oh well, such is art~

[djngaingai]

the relaunch~

okay, so a while back (probably around a year ago) the server for my old website and blog crashed for an unknown reason.  somehow the database also got corrupted and i had no time, and more importantly- no motivation, to re-program the site.  in the meantime, i put up a super-basic html frontpage and just left it at that.  the only updates were for my upcoming gigs and events.

needless to say, that got really bland and i did miss writing and blogging.  a few people recently turned me on to tumblr and after a bit of research, i was convinced that this was going to be the future of my website.  if anyone remembers, my old site was integrated with wordpress (version 1.5, haha).  while i do love the features and the ideas behind wordpress, it was lacking in some functionality- especially since i wanted to access the site from various pc's & devices.

this is easy-mode now.. i don't have to manually write links or do any coding anymore (well, almost, hehe).  so that frees me up from having to wait until i go home at night to sit and update from one designated pc.  which, as my lifestyle has changed over the years, is the biggest benefit of switching to this current setup.  this is a pretty long-winded (and technical) explanation but just wanted to get the word out: ngaingai.com is back~

[djngaingai]

Face forward- cut from a live set in early 2011 (tokyo)

[djngaingai]

you get 38

had a really interesting conversation today..

so the average human life expectancy is around 80 years old.  about 27 of those years are spent sleeping, 10 years eating, and 5 years going to the bathroom.  in total, thats 42 years spent doing basic human necessities.  that means 80-42=38

38.

that's how many years we have to do what we will with our lives.  much less if we add in commute times, kissing, and other variables but that's besides the point.

now the question is.. do you think that's long or short?

[djngaingai]

cut this from a live set in tokyo sometime circa 2009

[djngaingai]

next gig!