Oct

14

Music to get the party started: The Flashdance

Filed Under Music, Weddings | 8 Comments

This week started off by a Zoo-a-licious wedding shot by the talented Max Wanger, followed by a rockingly sweet wedding shot by Jesse and Whitney of Our Labor of Love, and for today…. Da da da da!!!! The Flashdance!

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The Flashdance is a musical menagerie of super talent, created by photographers Our Labor of Love, Max Wanger and a dj called The Human Jukebox.  Michael Antonia, the dj, and his best friend, Whitney, started off in the 90’s around Seattle throwing amazing parties to showcase Michael’s ridiculously awesome taste in music and turntable skills as well as their other talented friends in front of and behind the camera. The Flashdance has a client list starting like this: Nike, Puma, Apple and Levis, and having produced concerts for the likes of such talents as: Daft Punk, Massive Attack, Pearl Jam, Paul Oakenfold, Black Eyed Peas…. you can see that theirs is a talent recognized on a pretty large platform.

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Mixing such genres as country with gangsta rap, and jazz with house, his fresh taste in music is totally unique but still very inviting to people and groups of all ages. We had the pleasure of interviewing Michael, aka The Human Jukebox, and he gave us some insight into how and why he does what he does, as well as some tasty tidbits for the ears, so with out further ado…

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Lollipop: What do you think it is about music that allows it to have such a powerful mood altering and emotional effect?

The Human Jukebox: I think the thing about music, more than any other form of art, is that you experience it, and therefor, associate it, with every aspect of your life. Most people don’t remember who designed the chair they were sitting in when they graduated college, or the photograph hanging on the wall the first time they had sex, they remember the song that was playing, because it is inextricably connected to that event. This connection is most powerful when combined with something very emotional like a wedding for instance! I think weddings are the pinnacle of music appreciation. I can remember every song that was played at mine!

Lollipop: Do you feel a bit like a puppet master when you perform?

The Human Jukebox: I feel like, to a certain extent, that I am in control of the destiny of the party, if that’s what you mean, yes! If people are ready to dance and let loose I can feel that energy and respond in kind. When things are going well I can predict the crowd’s response and play with their emotions a little… It’s super fun when that happens… Most people think that things have to be a certain way in order for them to have fun, but give me a crowd of energetic people who are ready to have fun and I will definitely change their preconceived ideas of a good time! I see it all of the time, grandparents dancing to biggie smalls, and teenagers dancing to Elvis Presley… Play those same songs for the same people out of context and they will hate you, but build a collective consciousness by treating music with a cinematic sensibility (the right song for the right moment) and it is undeniable! Even if you aren’t fond of a particular song, if it is played at the right time, for the right amount of time, and followed by the right song it is infectious.

Lollipop: Please give us an experience of how you have transformed the mood of the crowd  at a wedding?

The Human Jukebox: This summer I played a wedding in La Jolla at a venue where the walls were huge sliding doors that opened out to a public space.  Toward the end of the night 7 or 8 workers from the party rental company showed up to pick up the chairs and tables that the couple had rented. They were a little early, and in a normal venue these guys would have waited outside until everyone had left, but they were kind of standing around in this public space just 20-30 feet away from the venue… After about 20 minutes they started nodding their heads, and even shuffling back and forth on their feet, another 10 minutes passed and they were dancing with each other (in their work clothes) in a little circle, another 10 minutes and they finally said f@*k it and came inside and started dancing with the guests! Then, and this is the good part, the caterers, bussers, and bartenders, stopped working and started dancing too!!! Nobody waved them in, or said it was ok, they didn’t have a choice.

It was a super hot night and the venue was about 20-30 yards from the ocean and when the party was finally over half of the guests took off all their clothes and jumped in the ocean, and the caterers & rental company guys started cleaning up soaking wet with sweat… I think that I drove everyone past their threshold that night and nobody was complaining about it.

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The Flashdance’s favorite love songs…

John Lennon – Oh Yoko

The Smiths – There Is a Light That Never Goes Out

Neil Young – Harvest Moon

Nina Simone – Wild is the Wind

Bob Dylan – If Not For You

The White Stripes – We Are Going To Be Friends

“I try to play all of these songs at every wedding because I think they are the best love songs ever made but if I am not at your wedding you should make sure your dj or ipod plays these songs. This is very important… Do not leave your wedding without hearing at least 3 of these songs.

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“I could go on for days about my favorite songs for the reception… I don’t have days to type so I will let this video do the talking… Here is a snippet of how I do it live… Watch the video HERE. “  – The Human Jukebox

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Well, as you can see, and we agree, music is such an integral part of memory making on your special day. Whether you want it slow and romantic, heritage filled or body pumping dance music to get your grandma shaking it on the dance floor, music has such mood altering magic to it that it’s definitely worth doing right.

Thank you again Michael, aka The Human Jukebox, for sharing with us today! We are huge fans and we hope all of you will be too after learning and listening. To hear even more cool mixes and other great tidbits check out their blog. Also the Gangsta Pop mixes on their about us page is NOT to be missed!

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