I'm cool with anything that has good rhythm, so I'm somewhat genre-agnostic. However, I've seen so many DJ friends play to the crowd most of the night, then play the last 15 (or so) minutes of the dirty stuff they personally like. Almost every time, the crowd gets down harder for the stuff that was thought to be too extreme for them. It could be that increased drunkeness plays a factor, but I think there's more to the vibe than what the cones push. 

 That's funny, I'm almost the exact opposite. I play whatever the fuck I want crowds be damned. I do try to match the vibe of the event, so for instance the event I'm playing is a house show, which is why I'm not doing drum and bass.

Like, im playing techno, but I tend to lean towards the darker, heavier kind of music, and I'm also playing at 1am, so that's what they're getting.  

 I do have other DJ friends that have a signature style, and they don't deviate. I admire each of those methods.  Getting to know each person's craft has always been fascinating to me.