Over the last 20 years I’ve created complications of rare and rocking vintage Christmas cuts for friends, as well as for Charles Phoenix’s Holiday slideshow and amazing retail stores such as Artel in Prague and Amoeba Music. This year I created three playlists of some of my favorites on Spotify for all to enjoy! Wassail!
Seasons Greetings, friends!
Anything new with you? Oh, everything? Me too! First off, I hope this finds you safe and well. 2020 brought lots of changes, including a big move for my family. We now live in beautiful and historic Door County, Wisconsin.
I spent the first part of the pandemic spinning online, including at the Quarantuned Music Festival, on Instagram Live, and on Facebook. It was a great way to connect with friends and share my collection while staying safe at home. Then we moved more than halfway across the country and I’m still digging boxes of records out of storage. I did find my Christmas records, just in time. I hope you’ll join me on Facebook Live next Saturday, Dec 19th and Thursday, Dec 24th (8pm CST/6PM PST), for two sets of rare, weird, and wonderful holiday tunes. Please visit here to watch. Warning: watch live if you want to see the full sets.
I’ve really missed DJing for you, and I hope you enjoy these sets! I’ve saved up some of my very best records to bring a little holiday cheer into a difficult year.
Ho ho ho,
DJ Wassail Watkins
Happy New Year! 2018 ended on a high note with a flurry of great gigs, and I’m looking forward to more in 2019. First of all, I have the coolest clients. It’s always a blast to create sets for their unique events.
I was honored to close out 2018 at the world-famous Magic Castle in Hollywood, spinning swinging tunes at their New Year’s Eve party. The theme was Casino Royale and I had great fun creating an all-vinyl set of 1960s soundtracks from classic spy films. Of course, I had to wear my gold 60s suit jacket and Sansabelt slacks while I played Goldfinger! The set was so well received, I’ve added it to my list of offerings. (Plus a new one called Rhythm & Burlesque. Check them both out here.)
Perhaps equally thrilling was being invited to create a soundtrack for Charles Phoenix’s annual Holiday Show. I provided a series of weird and wonderful Christmas tunes to open and close his famously fun retro slide show.
It’s become an annual holiday tradition to bring my collection of rare Christmas music to Amoeba Music in Hollywood. See photo below!
In November, I brought my dueling victrolas to the Topanga Vintage Market to entertain the holiday shoppers at their last show of the year. I love playing for other vintage enthusiasts, who always have great questions about my equipment and 78s, and lots of knowledge to share.
Thanks so much to everyone who invited me to their events. Here’s to more musical adventures in 2019!
Spinning a Casino Royale themed set at The Magic Castle on New Year’e Eve. Photo by Taylor Wong.
In December I DJ'ed two all vinyl and shellac Christmas sets from my collection of rare holiday LPs, 45s, and 78s at Amoeba Music in Hollywood. You can see some pictures below, including a visit from the great DJ Lance Rock!
