DJ application deadline: May 25, 2017 11:59:59 PM

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DJ and Performance Criteria

Introduction

Anyone who wishes to DJ or perform some kind of live music (during the evening dances) MUST fill out the application above. Applications will remain open until May 25, the day before the convention, but performers are encouraged to apply as early as possible. Performers who apply before April 26 will be given priority over last-minute applicants.

Applications will be submitted through a Google form asking:

  • Name/Alias: The name of the performer.
  • Badge Name: The name on their performers Furlandia badge (all performers must be registered in order to perform).
  • Contact Information: A valid email address along with other information that can be used to contact the performer.
  • Experience: All relevent DJ/Musical Performance Experience.
  • Genre(s): Genres intended to be performed.
  • Sample Mix: Link to a mix representative of the style of the performer.
  • Tag Team Request: Used if the performer wishes to perform a B2B set with another performer.
  • Available Time Slots: The time ranges the perfomer is available.
  • Gear/Needs: Any additional gear the performer feels they need or wish to bring.
  • Additional Information: Any additional information the performer wishes to communicate.

Selection Criteria:

Performers of all experience levels and walks of life are welcome to apply. You must be capable of playing or mixing danceable music contiuously for a full hour that is mostly free of technical mistakes and needless distractions. We will take efforts to reduce bias while selecting the performers that will provide the best experience to the attendees. As such the following selection criteria will be used.

  • Track Selection: Are the songs played/performed well? Do they stand out or sound generic? Do the songs chosen fit well together, do any genre changes feel appriopriate or out of place?
  • Flow: Does the mix tell a story? Do the transitions between songs fit smoothly together? Do any genre and tempo changes fit with the overall energy level of the mix or do they sound out of place?
  • Energy Level: Is the music slow and chill, fast and energetic, or somewhere in between? Does the performer vary the energy level throughout the Mix?
  • Danceability: Is the mix danceable throughout? Are there any dissonant transitions or songs that sound completely out of place? Is the energy level consistent throughout or does it build and evolve during the set?
  • Technical Competence: Does the performer demonstrate they have a firm grasp of the equipment they are using? Is the mix well recorded with no audible clipping and appriopriate use of equilizing during transitions? Are any advanced mixing techniques used? If so are they done well do they sound pleasing to the ear?

The judges will be instructed to disregard the following during the ranking process.

  • Minor mixing errors: Small technical mistakes will not detract from the overall ranking of the mix so long all the other selection criteria are well met.
  • Genres: Judges will be instructed to disregard their personal biases (positive or negative) towards the genres represented in a given mix.
  • Identities: Ranking on the identity / reputation of a performer is an obvious bias and so applicants and their mixes will be anonymized during the selection process.

Once applications close, an effort will be made to contact any performers who only partially completed their applications and give them a chance to send in the missing information. If they fail to respond with all the required information within one week, they will be removed from the applicant pool. Once all applications are ready, the sample mixes will be anonymized and handed off to judges (who will not be amoung the applicant pool) and ranked.

Any applicants who are known to have caused incidents or have a history of failing to perform (as requested) at other conventions/events will undergo further review. This is not an automatic disqualification but all other things being equal a applicant who has a history of professionalism will be selected over an applicant that does not.

Once all applications have been rated, the judges will convene and decide where each performer fits best into the night. If there are more applicants than time slots, the top ranked performers will be given slots with everyone else being put in a “backup” list. In the event a performer cannot make their scheduled performance, a replacement will be selected from the backup list.

The primary criteria that will be used for scheduling time slots will be:

  • competency
  • energy level
  • genre(s)
  • experience

Once a prelimary lineup has been decided upon, notification emails will be sent out to all applicants. They will have one week to reply confirming their acceptance of the offered time slot or they will forfeit their slot and it will be offered to the next applicant on the list. We hope to have the final dance schedule by April 30.