So my musical friend Christian Fackrell (Burntsystems) took some quick video shots when I was DJing at Art-O-Matic in early June with the Doomlaut crew I coordinated. So, the video starts with me tripping on the wires as I set the last song (which happens to be a recording by Mr. Fackrell) and nearly falling, and then playing it off like no one saw, then jumping off the DJ stage to dance to the song I'd just set.

The name of the track is called 'Rock N Roll Crush', and he wrote it with me as his muse apparently.
The lyrics go ... "Steady Betty... rides in style... when she's known you awhile..." LOLZ.

So go to my FaceBook Page and look for the 2 videos he posted from that night. Mildly amusing. I promise.

http://www.facebook.com/BeatnikBetty

(or, if this direct link works, it should take you straight to the videos: http://www.facebook.com/beatnikbetty?ref=profile#/video/?of=1081601486)

So, some of the Doomlaut crew were supposed to get together today for a radio thing, but dan was a fail whale and signed up wrong.
We were all together, so what the hell, we went back to my apartment and plugged shit in and decided to make a silly doomlaut track.
We put a beat together, wrote some silly lyrics, and Alex and I sang.

Here's our silly mix we're going to do more with just for lolz:
http://dc-chemical.us/ajaythefork/ajaythefork.wav

Here's some photos - 2 of me - and the rest are more members of the Doomlaut crew from Emily's camera.
We're all waiting for our professional photographer contact to notify us when her pictures are uploaded as well.  

DJ Beatnik Betty:



1) Shamwow, Ajay, Rocio               --               2) Emily, Rocio


1) Emily, Synz           --        2) Robert Doomlaut, Legba

Tonight was my first experience in the role of a DJ to a crowd in public.
My training with friends who are professionals has been a most rewarding experience these last few weeks.

Doomlaut - the ironical DJ cult - has emerged.

Tonight there were 9 of us, in pre-coordinated matching outfits, complete with Doomlaut accessories.
And yes, that will continue into the future.
We had a photographer attend the event to get some group shots,
as well as live-action spin shots of everyone that we'll use for promotions and general archiving purposes.
When I get ahold of those shots, I will certainly share!

From what I heard and saw this evening, the crowd really enjoyed the downstairs vibe we created,
and what was typically just a bar-and-table area on that first level of the venue became a vibrant dance floor.
I wanted to do a good job and was unsure how my selection of tracks would go over in real life.

Here was my FIRST set-list of tunes, not exactly in the order I played them, but close, for whomever may be interested:

1. Strangers on a train // Lovage
2. Building steam with a grain of salt // DJ Shadow
3. Why don't you do right? // Peggy Lee
4. Not a Virgin // Poe
5. Girl // Suicide
6. Rake it in // Imogen Heap
7. Lolita // Suzanne Vega
8. Fever // Peggy Lee

I got excellent feedback about Doomlaut as a whole, as well as my set specifically.
I played for the ladies. The Womynz. My focus is to play female-oriented music,
and I achieved that this evening with the exception of a DJ Shadow track and Suicide track.

DJ Beatnik Betty in the hauz.

say it with me now:
DOOMLAUT!

i found out today that the company who just laid me off at the close of January has let 2 more people go yesterday. for a company of 15-20 employees, it sounds like things continue to get worse over there. oh well.

the heat pump in my apartment busted yesterday. last night was really cold, despite running a small space heater and bundling up in a cocoon of blankets. new parts were ordered by the landlord and hopefully its fixed by tomorrow. it is so very cold today as well, as i sit here shivering, trying to concentrate on a job inquiry.

an organization i love and respect has approved my application for a position, and i'm moving into the next phase where a strategy must be submitted. if it weren't so cold, i'd be be able to concentrate a little harder.

something i've hinted at here but haven't fully explained is that i've been training to be a DJ the last few weeks. its another trade/skill i wanted to learn and now i have an opportunity, so i've joined a newly-formed ironical DJ-cult, D00mlaut, with a mix of seasoned and amateur DJs, and our first gig is this Friday night at Bound nightclub. Its a fetish goth club, which isn't really my thing since i'm a prude, but its going to be most interesting for me because i can explore music that isn't ordinarily played in industrial or darkwave clubs. we are DJing the downstairs, which is more lounge-like, so more ambient and down-tempo options can be called upon. i'm really excited about the songs i've got lined up, and i'm really looking forward to eventually producing my own remixes.

ok, back to trying to focus...