playlists from the vera project
2002-2003
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April 3, 2003
Smoosh/Operation Makeout/Dub Narcotic Sound System

The Fairways: Darling, Don't You Think? (opening song)
The Magnetic Fields: I Don't Believe You
Wandering Lucy: Surly
Pram: Omnichord
Jesus & Mary Chain: You Trip Me Up
The Aislers Set: Mission Bells
Marine Girls: Don't Come Back
Stereolab: We're Not Adult Orientated
De La Soul: Potholes in My Lawn
The Raincoats: No One's Little Girl
Alternative TV: There Goes My Date with Doug

NOTES:
An abbreviated set - I only spun before Smoosh and Operation Makeout.  This is because Dub Narcotic canceled their performance (Calvin had a nasty accident with a letterpress, nearly severing a finger), so Chris came up and spun some tunes in his absence.  And let me tell you, Chris knows how to get the dance floor hopping more than I ever could!

March 8, 2003
The Haggard/Dominatrix/King Cobra/The Snacks

AC Marias: Just Talk (opening song)
Sonic Youth: Schizophrenia
The Adverts: New Day Dawning
The Microphones: Bass Drum Dream
Ut: Evangelist
Black Tambourine: Throw Aggi Off the Bridge
Dear Nora: When You Write a Bad Song
Henry's Dress: Can't Make It Move
Shop Assistants: All That Ever Mattered (7" version)
ESG: You're No Good
Aislers Set: Yeh Yeh (faded out early due to wobbling)
Buzzcocks: Something's Gone Wrong Again
Bow Wow Wow: C30 C60 C90 Go!
Shonen Knife: Burning Farm
Swell Maps: Read About Seymour
Peter Jefferies: Guided Tour of a Well-Known Street
Trixie's Big Red Motorbike: That's The End of That
Penetration: Don't Dictate (Race Against Time demo version)
Sebadoh: Magnet's Coil
Unrest: Malcolm X Park
Unrest: Can't Sit Still
The Rapture: House of Jealous Lovers
The Fall: Hey! Luciani
Young Marble Giants: Credit in the Straight World
X-Ray Spex: I Live Off You
Beat Happening/Screaming Trees: Sea Babies
Beat Happening/Screaming Trees: Tales of Brave Aphrodite

NOTES:
Did the entire DJ set on one turntable - the other one didn't have a needle.  It was kind of like playing records on my stereo...which is fine by me.

January 26, 2003
The Lovemakers/COCO/Headphone

My Dad Is Dead: Seven Years (opening song)
Strawberry Story: Close My Eyes
ATV: Action Time Vision
Incinerator: Lampshade
Medium Medium: Hungry So Angry
Le Mans: Un Rayo Se Sol
Joy Division: Isolation
Joy Division: Heart & Soul
Our Daughters Wedding: No One's Watching
ESG: ESG
Gang of Four: Anthrax
Aislers Set: Mission Bells
Miaow: When It All Comes Down
Shangri-Las: Heaven Only Knows
Air Miami: World Cup Fever
9353: Famous Last Words
Revolving Paint Dream: In The Afternoon
Jasmine Minks: Cut Me Deep
Public Image Ltd.: Swan Lake
Brian Eno: The True Wheel
OMD: Telegraph (closing song)

NOTES:
a) Another heavily-1980s set.  Honestly, I own recordings released after 1991!  It just so happens that my best LPs and singles come from an earlier age.
b) Two people told me they recognized "Famous Last Words," which was the surprise of the night.  I was certain that that it had fallen into total obscurity.
c) Speaking of obscurity, whatever happened to Boston three-piece Incinerator?  "Lampshade" was an amazing one-shot slice of blissful crash-pop, and I was delighted to rediscover it.  (Actually, they had an EP as well - I remember it wasn't nearly as good.)

January 23, 2003
Mirah/Black Cat Orchestra/Liarbird

Rocketship: Hey Hey Girl (opening song)
Slits: Earthbeat
Unrest: I Do Believe You Are Blushing
Pixies: Dancing the Manta Ray
Pooh Sticks: Teenage High
Go Team: Milquetoast Brigade
Cub: New York City
Neutral Milk Hotel: Up and Over We Go
Slant 6: 30/30 Vision
Poundsign: Michigan
Hot Pursuit: Basketball
Pipas: Wells Street
Pavement: Debris Slide
Mountain Goats: Itzcuintli-Totzli Days
Poly Styrene: Talk In Toytown
Au Pairs: Come Again
Biff Bang Pow!: There Must Be A Better Life
Talking Heads: The Girls Want to Be With The Girls
Pulp: Something Changed
Jesse Garon & The Desperados: Just For A While (If Ever)
The Clean: Anything Could Happen
Spizzenergi: Soldier Soldier
Slits: Man Next Door
Essential Logic: Aerosol Burns
Young Marble Giants: Final Day
Aislers Set: Mission Bells
Aislers Set: Campanas De Mision
Martin Denny: Coronation
Altered Images: Happy Birthday (closing song)

NOTES:
a) I wasn't completely happy with some of my music segues. 
b) The Neutral Milk Hotel song is from The Amazing Phantom Third Channel compilation 7", released on Seattle's own Cher Doll Records.  It was later re-recorded as "King of Carrot Flowers Part 3" for In The Aeroplane Over The Sea.

November 2, 2002
Casiotone for the Painfully Alone/Anna Oxygen/The Badger King/Panther/Bobby Burnside

Stereolab: Orgiastic (opening song)
Vaselines: Molly's Lips
Kelly Slusher: I Need You (7" version, The More Things Change Vol. 1 comp)
Yummy Fur: Policeman
Medium Medium: Hungry So Angry
One Star: The Jelly Is Set!
Some Velvet Sidewalk: Valley of the Clock
B-52s: Dirty Back Road
Fad Gadget: Make Room
The Magnetic Fields: Rats in the Garbage of the Western World
Pulsars: Silicon Teens
Silicon Teens: Let's Dance
Silicon Teens: TV Playtime
Cabaret Voltaire: Nag Nag Nag
The Rondelles: Six O'Clock
The Rondelles: Safety in Numbers
Monterey: Another You
Pipas: A Short Film About Sleeping
Pipas: Wells Street
Devo: The Day My Baby Gave Me a Surprise
Sally Skull: Raven
Delta 5: Mind Your Own Business
Soft Cell: Bedsitter
Motorcycle Boy: Big Rock Candy Mountain
The Fall: US '80s - '90s
Wire: The 15th
Holly & The Italians: Baby Gets It All
The Shaggs: It's Halloween
Gang of Four: At Home He's A Tourist
The Feelies: Original Love
Bow Wow Wow: C30 C60 C90 Go!
Blondie: Accidents Never Happen
Stereolab: Perversion
Lida Husik: Bozo
Human League: Things That Dreams Are Made Of
Echo & the Bunnymen: Pictures on My Wall
Field Mice: Coach Station Reunion
Soft Cell: Say Hello, Wave Goodbye (closing song)

NOTES:
a) I finally figured out how to properly cue records using the Vera Project's DJ setup.  The key, it turned out, was in the pre-fader toggle switch.
b) Knowing that most of tonight's performers would be using electronics (keyboard, prerecorded tapes, etc.), I decided to go shamelessly retro tonight, padding the set with generous portions of '80s new wave and synth-pop.  I think it went together with the live sets fairly well.  Still, the only songs people asked me about were by the Shaggs and Monterey, both of whom are somewhat outside that realm.

June 2, 2002
Mirah/COCO/The Blow/Calvin Johnson

before Calvin:
Flatmates: On My Mind
Monochrome Set: He's Frank
Modern Lovers: I Wanna Sleep In Your Arms
Some Velvet Sidewalk: Apple
Belle & Sebastian: Jonathan David (cut short as the CD player was skipping)
Delta 5: Now That You've Gone (cut short as the 7" was wobbly)
Toulouse: Checks and Credit
Mates of State: Leave Me At The Tree
Would-Be-Goods: Mystery Jones
Yummy Fur: Plastic Cowboy

before COCO (no break in between Calvin and The Blow)
The Pastels: Up For A Bit
ESG: Dance

before Mirah:
The Meters: Cissy Strut
Pylon: YoYo
Gloria Jones: Tainted Love
Stereolab: Fried Monkey Eggs (Vocal)

after Mirah:
Silver Jews: Old New York

NOTES:
a) When your set fails to move the crowd, "Tainted Love" will always perk things up. It's one of those songs everyone likes. Time has proven me right on this point. I remember one time as a college student (circa mid-80s) when I DJ'd a party. I was pretty much bombing until late in the evening, when I threw on one of the few dancy tracks I brought: Soft Cell's "Tainted Love." Suddenly the mood changed, and the night was almost saved.  Similarly, last night I didn't want to kill the mood after COCO got the audience dancing up a storm. So I played the Meters and Pylon, which seemed to work, but the original Gloria Jones version of "Tainted Love" is what really got people dancing again.
b) Conversely, the Silver Jews' lugubrious "Old New York" does not work at all as part of a live DJ set. Just trust me.

February 9, 2002
All Girl Summer Fun Band/Dub Narcotic Sound System/COCO

Versus: Cross The Street (opening song)
Langley Schools Music Project: Good Vibrations
Langley Schools Music Project: Mandy
The Ramones: 7-11
The Ramones: The KKK Took My Baby Away
Wire: Our Swimmer
Wire: Map Reference
Red Crayola: Born In Flames
Essential Logic: Quality Crayon Wax OK
Laura Watling: World Falls Into Place
Aislers Set: Hit The Snow
Fairways: KLM Line
Undertones: Whizz Kids
Rote Kapelle: Sunday
Shop Assistants: Here It Comes
Dolly Mixture: Everything and More
Penetration: Duty Free Technology
ESG: Moody
ESG: You're No Good
Jaynetts: Sally Go 'Round The Roses
Joy Division: Glass
Fugazi: Ex-Spectator

NOTES:
A very sloppy DJ set, mostly due to nerves and inexperience with the equipment.  I hadn't DJ'd in public in years - and not on the radio since 1999 - so I was kinda scared.  However, people seemed to like it.