Passion for the Music Elevates Lazy Dog’s Turntable Tendencies

Lazy Dog’s DJ set Friday at a packed Fais Do-Do ballroom (a space that should be used more often for electronic dance shows) was the type of performance that can be maddening to review.

From a skills standpoint, the duo (which features Ben Watt of Everything But the Girl and Jay Hannan) was mediocre at best. Several times during the set, which found Watt and Hannan alternating behind the turntables, the pair had the opportunity to go for the kill, but failed to capitalize.

With the crowd reveling in the pair’s house mix and dancing to the point of exhaustion, Watt or Hannan needed just one seamless rise to send the place into euphoria. However, they constantly slowed down the mix before their transitions, and Watt almost came to a complete stop on a couple of occasions--a cardinal sin in the DJ world, where momentum is crucial.

Even so, their set triumphed because it had heart. Watt and Hannan’s love for the music they were spinning--which ranged from an EBTG remix to disco to a strong Latin and Brazilian mix--was infectious. Watt, who exhorted the crowd with waving and yelling, proved an excellent showman.

Watching Watt and Hannan behind the turntables, an old line from American Bandstand kept coming to mind: “It’s got a good beat and you can dance to it.” That was enough for Lazy Dog on this night.