How I Build a Set for a Major Show — Opening for Morgan Page

Tomorrow night I'm opening for Morgan Page at Warehouse Live Midtown in Houston.

It's a classics night — 2005 to 2010 era. The music that defined a generation of electronic music fans.

And the same night my new single I Surrender drops on all streaming platforms.

Before all of that happens — I want to share exactly how I prepare for an opening set. Because most people have never seen what goes into it.

Step 1 — Pull Records From the Era

The moment I got confirmed for this show I started pulling music.

For a 2005 to 2010 classics night — that means going back to my own Adrenaline show on SiriusXM BPM and my Riddler's Revolution mixshow. The records I was playing on national radio before most people knew these artists names.

This is actually one of my favorite parts of preparation. Going back through those playlists is like reading a diary. Every record has a memory attached to it. A club. A crowd. A moment.

Step 2 — Eliminate What the Headliner Will Play

This is the step most people don't think about.

As an opener — your job is to complement the headliner. Not compete with him.

That means the first thing I do is mentally eliminate every record Morgan Page will likely play in his own set. His biggest records. His most recognizable moments. Those belong to him.

My job is to go deeper into the era. Find the records that set the table without stealing the main course.

If that means going even further back than 2005 to create contrast — I'll do that.

Step 3 — Organize in Rekordbox

Everything goes into Rekordbox — Pioneer's DJ software.

I build playlists organized by energy level. Not a strict setlist — I never play from a strict setlist. But a framework that gives me options depending on how the crowd is responding in real time.

Reading a crowd is one of the most underrated skills in DJing. You can have the perfect setlist on paper and walk into a room that needs something completely different. Flexibility is everything.

Step 4 — Transfer to USB

Everything transfers to USB drives before the show.

Always two copies. Never just one.

I've been DJing for 35 years and I've seen equipment fail at the worst possible moments. Two USB drives is not paranoia — it's professionalism.

Step 5 — Practice Transitions

I practice my transitions before the show.

Not because I don't trust my instincts — I do. But because knowing your music well enough to practice it means knowing it well enough to improvise when the moment calls for it.

Preparation is what makes spontaneity possible.

The Psychology of Opening

Here's what most people don't understand about being an opening act.

Your job is not to outshine the headliner.

Your job is to set the tone for the night. Build anticipation. Make the crowd feel something before the main event arrives.

It's one of the most psychologically complex slots in live entertainment. You're performing for a crowd that hasn't fully arrived yet — physically or emotionally. Your job is to bring them in. Warm them up. Make them ready for what's coming.

That requires a completely different mindset than headlining.

When you headline — you're the payoff.

When you open — you're the setup.

Both matter equally. But they require different approaches.

The Prayer

Before I leave the green room — I say a prayer.

I've been doing that my whole career.

Tomorrow night that prayer means a little more than usual.

Because the same night I open for Morgan Page — I Surrender drops on all streaming platforms. A song five years in the making. The most personal thing I've ever released.

The classics that built my career.

The new music that represents where I'm going.

All on the same night.

Tomorrow Night

August 7th. Warehouse Live Midtown. Houston.

If you're in Houston — come out. Doors at 9pm.

And wherever you are — stream I Surrender when it drops at midnight.

Link in bio. 🙏🏽

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

•