The regulars know this. They stand in the same corner every week, they know which bartender pours fastest, and they can tell from the first kick drum whether the sound engineer is having a good night.
By the time the lights come up, the floor is sticky, the queue for the cloakroom is enormous and nobody wants to leave. That is how you know it worked.
Reading the Room
Every club night has a shape, and the best DJs know it before the doors open. The first hour is a promise, the middle is a negotiation with the room, and the last stretch is where everything anyone came for actually happens.
This made me dig out my old gear. Thanks for the push.
Saving this for the next time someone tells me it is just noise.
Finally someone said it.
Please do a follow-up. There is so much more to say about this.