N.C. Raves: Deejays make the beat
What is a rave? : Deejays make the beat (2 of 10)

 

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Related story: A guide to rave music  

 

Deejays work in shifts, mixing music from albums. They play "techno" or "electronica," electronically-created music that's heavy on rhythm and light on vocals. Here, Atlanta deejay Jen Mitchell ('DJ Little Jen') spins a set at a rave in Raleigh. MORE
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Copyright ©1998 Jim Webb. All rights reserved.


There's no applause after a particular deejay finishes and another one starts. On the other hand, deejays gain popularity in the same way musicians normally would, because the people who make the music are relatively obscure -- and usually not performing at raves themselves. There are local, regional, and national favorites, and recently the scene has seen the emergence of the (often self-proclaimed) "superstar DJ," commanding huge fees and drawing equally huge audiences. Mitchell, pictured above, lives in Atlanta but often travels to North Carolina and Florida to "spin." TOP