Pioneer have come up with a simple but effective formula for their new DJing hardware, DJ+VJ = DVJ. At Sonar By Day on Friday 18th they showcased the latest technological attempt to provide an ever more complicated direction to DJing but on Saturday Sonar By Day the full thrust of Pioneer's latest gadget was felt by two hundred eager clubbers.
This new and exciting technology is set to create a new generation of superstar DJs. Gone are the days of bedazzlement by four-deck DJing, the Noughties are the age of integrating music and visuals. Although integrating these two is nothing new, the club dimension has been relatively slow to pick up on its potential. As part of the dancing populous, we now want all of our senses to be stimulated as proven by empty visual-free clubs across the country. Spanish jockey of the discs Pedro Blazquez introduced and initiated proceedings on the 19th with a half-hour set followed by Hextatic. Blazquez used electro-house and a combination of close-up video footage of the £2500 (each!) DVJ-X1 decks in action and computer graphics to sufficiently wowing effect. But Hextatic used funk, drum 'n' bass, rap, Nancy Sinatra and everything in between to demonstrate the full capacity of the Pioneer DVJ-X1. Their use of integrated film clips (including Boogie Nights and Sesame Street) and effects in time with the music easily surpassed demi-god Jeff Mills use of the same equipment later on in SonarClub - but Hextatic have had a couple of years extra practice. A new dance music era has begun: let's get ready to party.
