10 Things That Everybody's Doing On New Year's Day

Untagging photos, waking up in strange places - yup, that just about sums up New Year's Day.

1. Sleeping until 2 PM and waking up in a strange place next to your best friend

2. Figuring out how to get home from the strange place you woke up in

3. Brunching off your hangover

4. Trying to forget about all of the ridiculous things that transpired

5. iPhone pin dropping the last location you went before your one night stand

6. And then doing all of the necessary Google searches

7. Lamenting over the receipts you're finding

8. Untagging all of the Facebook photos from the night

9. Keeping the party going

10. And immediately breaking all your resolutions

 

Credit : BuzzFeed

DJ Tech : A DJ’s Guide To An Awesome New Year’s Eve Set

To wrap up the year, DJ Angelo from the UK to gives his tips and tricks on surviving and rocking a New Year’s Eve DJ set.

Another Year At Its Close

Before I settle into some much-needed downtime and studio geekery for the next few weeks, I’d like to take this opportunity to share some tips from my own experiences for those of you set to DJ this New Years Eve. It can be a very daunting prospect, particularly for inexperienced DJs so I hope some of this information helps you to shine on the night. If you’re a superstar DJ already, feel free to contribute some tips of your own in the comments below.
2011 may not have been the most “economically-inspiring” for any of us however, I’m confident that the party spirit has endured, as tradition calls once more for the masses to unify in celebrating THE biggest party event on the western calendar. A chance to seriously let loose and end the year on an ultimate high, so inevitably New Years Eve parties come with greater expectations than regular club nights, and can therefore demand more than usual from us DJs.

With Great Responsibility Comes Great DJing

A good DJ is always at the heart of the party and embraces the responsibility and challenge of ensuring his/her audience has the best time possible. This is no different for NYE however, the change in circumstances may completely throw you off your game if you’re unprepared. Here’s a few things to consider:

• People go to a lot of effort for NYE - apart from the obvious hype and anticipation that comes with NYE, committed party-goers are known to really push the boat out for this one-of-a-kind evening – whether it’s travelling great distances to party with friends, spending three or four times the regular club admission price, or perhaps investing their entire months wages in their outfit and bar tab. So understandably they will want to be guarenteed an unforgettable night in return.
  
• Your crowd will have chosen to spend their evening with you – particularly if you’re playing at a club, your audience’s decision to be on your dancefloor is pre-meditated which means they’ve opted not to spend their hard earned cash with one of your many competitors. With no shortage of options available to them , your crowd is likely to be more fickle than usual and may switch to another party unexpectedly.
• NYE can draw out an unfamiliar crowd - it’s one of the few nights of the year that people are willing to travel to another city (even country), or perhaps the only night of the year that they will go clubbing or visit your particular venue, so you may not being playing to a crowd that you’re used to playing to.
• People may party harder on NYE – beware that your crowd may get even more drunk and even more wild than they would on any other night of the year, and with extreme partying can come a whole host of issues – the likes of which you’ve never seen before!
• The peak of the night may be different to that of your regular night – you may be used to playing a set in a particularly order/format depending on when the club opens/closes, or when the club usually gets full etc however, NYE is a night on it’s own schedule with the peak usually sitting between 11pm and 1am.
• The club may open later than usual – which may influence how you pace your set or require you to stock up on more music to maintain energy levels and keep the party going the distance.

The Best Party in Town

I’ve played my fair share of NYE parties over the years. Some of which have been awesome, whilst others forgettable, but all of them have taught me new things. The biggest lesson of them all is to be prepared for anything. There’s certainly no secret formula and NYE gigs will always differ depending on who you are, where you are playing etc, but here are some of my tried-and-tested survival tips from my own experiences:

• Feel empowered – it may feel daunting but think of it as a privilege that YOU are responsible for making everyone have an awesome time on such an important night of the year. It’s a fantastic opportunity for you to shine as a DJ.
• It’s all about the crowd – NYE is a night when the crowd’s happiness is priority number 1. It’s not a time for you to be too clever with your track selection or mixing skills. Save that for another more appropriate time. People will expect to hear big tunes they know, and be prepared to repeat certain key tracks if you’re crowd changes throughout the night.
• People will be in a good mood – despite the high expectations, the majority of people will be in good spirits and will be actively looking to have fun and willing the night to be great. You should feed off this which will help you to mirror their mood.
• The dancefloor should be full – this is one night that you should have no problems getting people to dance. Your job will just be to keep them going all night and control the energy levels making sure that there are peaks and troughs in your mix. NYE might make you feel inclined to play a harder set than usual but be careful that you don’t tire out your crowd or peak the night too early. Keep them on their toes with genre changes and tempo changes which will help to keep the dancefloor refreshed, and everyone will regularly get to hear something they like
• Be open-minded – it’s one night of the year when your crowd will expect to hear classic party tracks from different eras and genres, and maybe a few guilty-pleasures thrown in (particularly if you have a diverse crowd). So depending on what your tolerance levels are(!), stepping out of your comfort zone and stocking up on some sing-along curveballs could do wonders for your set!
• Take the crowd on a journey – you are responsible for hooking into your crowd’s mood, getting them worked up into a frenzy in the lead up to midnight and then, taking them over the edge with an appropriate climax on the stroke of midnight. Think big tunes of 2011 and before during the build up and prepare a huge track either side of midnight to fully capture the peak-time part mayhem! Don’t forget the dramatic countdown leading up to midnight, and perhaps an announcement (either on the mic or a pre-made audio sample) every half an hour in the lead up to midnight to build hype, anticipation, and to keep your audience fully locked into your set .
• Have fun too – it can be easy for DJs to feel left out but some of the best NYE parties I’ve worked have been when I’ve let my hair down and been able to connect with the same vibe and energy that the crowd is feeling. I’m not saying that it’s completely necessary to drink alcohol (it helps!) but I would say that NYE is one night where you’re unofficially allowed to enjoy yourself at work a little more than usual and I’m sure you’d be forgiven for partying/drinking with the crowd. Crowd surfing might be pushing it though :)

Facebook Flooded with Record 750 Million Pics Over New Year's Weekend

Yesterday, Facebook announced that its users had uploaded a record number of photos over New Year's weekend. Now, the more optimistic among you might be thinking: "See, because New Year's is such a magical time! Even in days as uncertain as these, mankind has the spirit to rejoice at new beginnings! Everybody was posting what will become sweet remembrances of youthful days!" RIght. We think it's just because more people have smartphones, and were able to instantly upload pictures of their bros puking in the backyard.

VIDEO: New Years Day Fight on the Staten Island Ferry

Hypothetical situation: It's 5:30 A.M. on New Year's Day. You've been slamming gin and tonics for a solid 12-hours. You're hungry for a slice, sick of dancing, and have all the sex out of your system after a 2:30 A.M. romp in a Lower East Side bathroom stall (Bro or not Bro?). All you want to do is get the hell out of Manhattan and head home to that Shangri-La on the other side of the Upper Bay: Staten Island. But what happens on your return voyage back to the home borough of Wu-Tang and one-third of the characters on "The Jersey Shore?" A nasty brawl breaks out on the Staten Island Ferry. Aw shit.

According to YouTube user mechwarrior58, that's exactly what happened on the ferry's first cruise in 2011. The brave videographer claims he was "documenting New Yorkers returning from the partying" when "violence broke out as a lone man in a blue jacket attacked a man unprovoked, viciously attacking him without stopping until police rushed to restrain the man." He also notes it delayed the ferry's departure by a few minutes. The fight itself is relatively tame and extremely short, but it's worth watching until the very end to hear the victim insist on pressing charges to an NYPD officer. Watch some good, old fashion New Yawwwk fight porn after the jump.

Video : Beyonce & Jay-Z Forever Young NYE 2011 Cosmopolitan Hotel Las Vegas

Photos : Snooki Is Having A Ball

Snooki Is Having A Ball

snooki new year's ball drop

You ever see, This Is Spinal Tap where Derek gets trapped inside a cocoon..? I mean what could possibly go wrong. Besides, Snooki is perfectly comfortable around balls this size. But instead of standing inside of one, she’s usually rubbing ointment on one…

New Year’s Eve Events in NYC

RING in the New Year with style. Here is a sampling of the fashionable parties and cool scenes taking place in New York on Friday night.

Q-TIP AT ACE HOTEL

For much of 2010, Friday nights at the ACE HOTEL have belonged to Q-TIP, the legendary rapper who spins a laid-back mix of modern hip-hop and R & B. The party continues this Friday, with Q-Tip lording over the turntables at Liberty Hall downstairs, and THEOPHILUS LONDON and friends spinning in the lobby.

Ace Hotel, 20 West 29th Street; acehotel.com/nycnye; from 9 p.m. Tickets: from $50.

DFA RECORDS AT LE BAIN

Halloween was a hoot, so returning guests can expect many of the same fashion celebs and art-world kids when NOUVEAU YORK hosts a party at LE BAIN, the chlorinated lounge atop the Standard Hotel. DFA RECORDS is a host. Not fancy enough? Go next door to the Top of the Standard — a k a the BOOM BOOM ROOM — where MARIANNE FAITHFULL will perform before a black-tie crowd.

The Standard, NY, 44 West 13th Street; standardhotels.com; from 10 p.m. Tickets: for Le Bain, from $30; Top of the Standard, from $250.

FRIDAY FOR MISTER SATURDAY

Mum’s the word on the Danger party, the Brooklyn warehouse rave that was a victim of its own success. The party has been reimagined as an “immaculate and private” gathering. Everyone else is being steered toward MISTER SATURDAY NIGHT, the roaming dance party hosted by the D.J.’s JUSTIN CARTER and EAMON HARKIN. They’re keeping the location under wraps, except to say that it is a “multiroom event space” in Brooklyn not far from the subway.

Undisclosed Brooklyn location; mistersaturdaynight.com; from 9 p.m. Tickets: $50.

Marquee Goes West

Marquee just turned seven, an eternity in clubland. But if the New Year’s Eve party seems tamer this year, that’s because the real action is in Las Vegas, where the nightlife veterans behind this Chelsea club are opening a 60,000-square-foot outpost at the COSMOPOLITAN OF LAS VEGAS. Florence and the Machine plays tonight, followed by D.J. Erick Morillo on Friday (tickets: $300, at marqueelasvegas.com).

Marquee, 289 10th Avenue (27th Street); marqueeny.com; from 8:30 pm. Tickets: from $125.

‘DENIZENS’ at Dixon Place

Don’t forget to disco nap. Gay-circuit partygoers can hop from the Angel Orensanz Center (a Truman Capote-inspired BLACK AND WHITE BALL), to the Roseland Ballroom (EVOLVE with D.J. Victor Calderone) and then to Pacha (MATINEE, from noon to 8 p.m. on Saturday). A low-key alternative is being held at DIXON PLACE, where Earl Dax, John Cameron Mitchell, Mark Tusk and Penny Arcade are giving a party for “denizens of downtown.”

Dixon Place, 161A Chrystie Street (Delancey Street); dixonplace.org;

from 9 p.m. Tickets: $20.

Snooki Curls Up

Unless you’re Anderson Cooper or Kathy Griffin, the only place to be in Times Square is MTV, where WHITNEY CUMMINGS is hosting a live, 90-minute telecast with performances by Flo Rida and others. At midnight, Nicole Polizzi (a k a SNOOKI) will be lowered into Times Square in a ball to ring in 2011.

MTV, 1515 Broadway (Times Square); mtv.com; from 10:30 p.m. Invitation only. DENNY LEE