John 00 Fleming on the importance of knowing DJ Gear

If you’re a DJ, you know that the most stressful part of a performance isn’t always the crowd. Rather, it’s the few chaotic moments before your set begins. It’s about how to start your set as a DJ. A real-life example from veteran DJ John 00 Fleming shows exactly how wrong things can go during a DJ set changeover. What was supposed to be a smooth transition turned into a nightmare.

At a show, the outgoing DJ ended his set early without warning. He left both USBs in the decks, FX and filters running, loops active, and walked off. No communication. No ending. Suddenly, Fleming was alone at the booth with flashing lights, tangled channels, and dead silence from the speakers. This is exactly how not to start a DJ set.

With no time to prepare, he had to reverse-engineer the setup live: unplug USBs, reset the mixer, switch off FX, and reload everything—all while the audience waited. He admits it took everything he’d learned over the years to stay calm and get back on track.Not every DJ would’ve been able to recover.

So what’s the takeaway?

Key DJ Performance Tips for Smooth Set Transitions:

1. Always know your gear – from CDJs to mixers, familiarity helps when things go wrong.
2. Respect DJ etiquette – warn the next DJ before your last track ends. Reset the booth – turn off FX, remove USBs, and leave the setup clean.
3. Stay calm under pressure – panic is your worst enemy. A messy transition can ruin a night but preparation can save it.

Whether you’re playing your first gig or your hundredth, how you handle the unexpected matters more than a flawless mix.Next time you’re on stage, be the DJ others want to follow. Because one day, you might be the one being used an example about how to start your DJ Set.

Based on the original post by John 00 Fleming.