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In this edition of the series MY FIRST GIG, American DJ George Jackson shares his story. You might know him als DJ G-Spot. These days he goes by the artist name Sweet Georgie. About his debut at 14 years old: "I was completely thrown off my game"
“My first gig was at a Mendel party in Chicago. Mendel High School was known for hosting parties early on, even though it was just a high school gymnasium. These events took place as early as the 1970s, but since I didn’t attend until 1986, they were house parties. I had heard about them and experienced a few. Boy, was it amazing!”
Ron Hardy
“I was still really young, about fourteen, when I got the chance to spin there. So, no surprise that I was super nervous. Yes, about playing, but mostly because I was the opening DJ for the late house pioneer Ron Hardy. The thought of it felt like I was about to meet God!”
Dressed to Impress
“The crowd was made up of high schoolers between fourteen and eighteen. Almost everyone was into the house scene. Even if some weren’t into the music, they tolerated it because there were so many beautiful people, all dressed up and ready to party.”
Pitfalls
“Of course, I had prepared my set down to the last detail. I had just under an hour, so I was extremely careful. Little did I know that I’d be completely thrown off my game during the gig. This was one of my first lessons in DJing: you have to be prepared for the unexpected and be ready for pitfalls.”
No Monitors
“As you can guess, that first gig had its ups and downs. First of all, I wasn’t familiar with the echo in that huge gym. I completely messed up a few tracks because of it, and man, was I pissed! You have to understand: we had no monitors. I spent the entire set trying to match up the echoes bouncing off the walls. I made quite a few noticeable mistakes, but thankfully, I got a lot of tips while spinning, which I’ve carried with me throughout my career.”
Neighborhood Support
“Did I have support from friends and family? Absolutely! All my 87th Street friends who had started DJing around the same time had my back, as did my Mendel classmates. And yes, I had a mentor back then. His name was David Dawson, and he introduced me to DJing when I was just twelve. He helped me in every way he could. We were both still kids, but he was a few years older than me. My mentor David wasn’t there at that first gig, but many of my friends were. Especially my school buddies and neighborhood crew.”
Not the Longest Transitions
“One crucial thing I learned from that first gig is that not every set will be perfect. Always keep that in mind. I learned that night that if you don’t have a monitor in a big space, you might want to rely on the LED lights on the mixer to help with transitions. Also, you don’t need to have the longest transitions ever. In such situations, your track selection becomes key. The crowd will love it if you play their favorite songs, and they won’t care if your transitions aren’t super clean or incredibly long.”
“After that gig, I played at a whole string of legendary events and venues in Chicago. Think: Ascot Hotel, Navy Pier, Bismarck Pavilion, Hummingbird, Gentle Persuasions, Sauers, Union Hall, Prop House, and many more. Then, I moved to Cleveland where I had residencies at Wish, Spy Bar, and Moda nightclub. Once I returned to Chicago, I took a new direction with my live streams on Cyberjamz and StudioOneLive, and my monthly residency at The Family Den in Chicago. I’ve been producing for a long time now, which has landed me gigs in Amsterdam and Reading in the UK. More travels are on the horizon, so stay tuned!”
This interview with G-Spot a.k.a. Sweet Georgie is originally published in March 2022 on This Is Our House.
Who is Sweet Georgie?
George Jackson a.k.a. DJ G-Spot / Sweet Georgie is defining the next level in turntable domination. Though based in Chicago, Sweet Georgie‘s dedication, style and business savvy is affecting the nation. His motto is “To Win Fans One Person At A Time”. With weekly appearances at the hottest nightclubs across the country, a weekly residency at Darrin’s Cocktail Lounge and making noise on the internet, Sweet Georgie is following through with his promise.
It’s the passion and dedication that actually sets Sweet Georgie aside from others. In fact, music has been a priority for Sweet Georgie as long as he can remember. Banging out house music and urban gigs, producing his famed mixtapes (now digital), working as a radio mixer and DJ at numerous stations, including Power 92 Chicago, WENZ Cleveland, WBLK Buffalo, WQQK Nashville and many more. Also playing alongside artists and DJ’s such as Diddy, Jay Z, Swizz Beatz, Lil Wayne, Bone Thugs & Harmony, Alicia Keys, Kid Capri, Bad Boy Bill, Terry Hunter, Ron Hardy, Lil Louis, Gene Hunt, Chip E and so many more.
These days, Sweet Georgie has been serving up strictly house and dance music to the masses from Hawaii to Chicago to Orlando and everywhere in between. Spinning for many corporate brands such as Coors, Foot Action, Boost Mobile and Universal, and has made numerous appearances on BET’s 106 & Park and Rap City.
Sweet Georgie has also been recognized for his excellent skills as a mixmaster. Winning a number of awards that only a few can speak of (Justo Mixtape Awards, Global Mixx, Cleveland Music Awards). Sweet Georgie has been able to hold his own, while residing in the heart of the Midwest, which is a feat not offered to many.
More Sweet Georgie?
More First Gigs? Check them all here!
