dj-e-lectric
I have seen this trend developing over the last 4-5 years, but it seems to have significantly escalated over the last year or two.....the trend of which I speak is that the bar owners expect the Djs to ALSO be the promoters.
I can't tell you how many times when applying for a job the first question they ask is "how big is your following?"...not how good are you, what music do you play, what experience do you have but only "how many people can you bring me TONIGHT".
Personally I think this has a lot to do with why there are sooooooooooo many crappy Djs out there because they have a couple dozen friends and are willing to work for a $100 and a bar tab based on how many friends they bring in. This is why the play lists and rotations and such crappy music is played because they are no longer catering to hundreds of people to keep happy, just themselves, their girlfriend and 20 or so friends...if they loose the job they don't care because (A) they aren't being paid anything really anyway and (B) there is always some other cheap owner to let them basically hold their private parties for a few weekends.
It used to be that the business did the advertising and the marketing to generate the crowd for the Dj to walk in and play to. It was the Dj's job to play the best music for the demographic the owner was marketing to in order to maximize drink sales, keep the crowd happy and dancing and keep them COMING BACK. Good Djs grew the crowd and made owners a great return on their investment....now owners want the return, but don't want to make the investment.
Just wondering if this is just an Arizona and California thing or how many of you are expected to actively promote your shows and expected to "have a following" rather than just be a great Dj and play for the best interest of the long term success of the club.......oh the laughable thing is none of these so-called Djs ever have a following big enough to make any money so the club goes through a revolving door of Djs and then closes from lack of business after a year or less.
I can't tell you how many times when applying for a job the first question they ask is "how big is your following?"...not how good are you, what music do you play, what experience do you have but only "how many people can you bring me TONIGHT".
Personally I think this has a lot to do with why there are sooooooooooo many crappy Djs out there because they have a couple dozen friends and are willing to work for a $100 and a bar tab based on how many friends they bring in. This is why the play lists and rotations and such crappy music is played because they are no longer catering to hundreds of people to keep happy, just themselves, their girlfriend and 20 or so friends...if they loose the job they don't care because (A) they aren't being paid anything really anyway and (B) there is always some other cheap owner to let them basically hold their private parties for a few weekends.
It used to be that the business did the advertising and the marketing to generate the crowd for the Dj to walk in and play to. It was the Dj's job to play the best music for the demographic the owner was marketing to in order to maximize drink sales, keep the crowd happy and dancing and keep them COMING BACK. Good Djs grew the crowd and made owners a great return on their investment....now owners want the return, but don't want to make the investment.
Just wondering if this is just an Arizona and California thing or how many of you are expected to actively promote your shows and expected to "have a following" rather than just be a great Dj and play for the best interest of the long term success of the club.......oh the laughable thing is none of these so-called Djs ever have a following big enough to make any money so the club goes through a revolving door of Djs and then closes from lack of business after a year or less.
geposted Sat 10 Jan 09 @ 6:02 pm
Rob Kalmar
Ditto up here in Canada my friend. Everyone and their bother is a DJ now. Can't mix themselves out of a wet paper bag but they have lots of facebook friends. Or the club wants to pay you by the "head" I've come across as well.
I miss the old days, just go in spin great tunes make everyone happy and money and do it all again the next night.
Or they will spend an inordinate amount of cash on re-decorating the place, but not a penny on upgrading the crappy sound system. Look great, sound like crap is what they all seem to be into now. Don't even get me started on the equipment they put in the booth or even the size and design of booths in most places.
See now you opened a can of worms.
I might as well open my own club the way things are done now. Hey come to think of it i just might do that-lol
I miss the old days, just go in spin great tunes make everyone happy and money and do it all again the next night.
Or they will spend an inordinate amount of cash on re-decorating the place, but not a penny on upgrading the crappy sound system. Look great, sound like crap is what they all seem to be into now. Don't even get me started on the equipment they put in the booth or even the size and design of booths in most places.
See now you opened a can of worms.
I might as well open my own club the way things are done now. Hey come to think of it i just might do that-lol
geposted Sat 10 Jan 09 @ 6:23 pm
sirkitbreaker
i agree about the promoter. I dont think it is my rewsponcibility to bring the crowd to the club....but i do think it is the dj's job to make them come back week after week for the music...its a thin line
geposted Sat 10 Jan 09 @ 6:28 pm
Diamond G
This is an interesting topic.
It has happend to me here in San Antonio Texas a few times.
I initially had the same response that the guys who have chimed in have, but I saw it as (not to sound cliche) an Opportunity.
Just give the owner the choice to promote themselves or for you to promote. If the owner tells you to promote and bring in the crowd, then you ask him to pay you a percentage of the door (in addition to your negotiated base pay) and a contract for a specific time (to make it worth your promoting investment).
Promoting can be a bit challenging at first, but there are some ways to make it happen. Here in San Antonio, there are a few guys that will "Flyer (place your flyer on parked cars)" at all the happening clubs around town as many nights as you want (for a fee, of course). It can make it a good situation for you.
The truth is that this business is about adapting to the trends and making it work for you.
PS: I know that if some so-called DJ wants to work for next to nothing - it will be hard to beat, but in that case - a gig with that particular club will be short lived by any DJ who works there.
It has happend to me here in San Antonio Texas a few times.
I initially had the same response that the guys who have chimed in have, but I saw it as (not to sound cliche) an Opportunity.
Just give the owner the choice to promote themselves or for you to promote. If the owner tells you to promote and bring in the crowd, then you ask him to pay you a percentage of the door (in addition to your negotiated base pay) and a contract for a specific time (to make it worth your promoting investment).
Promoting can be a bit challenging at first, but there are some ways to make it happen. Here in San Antonio, there are a few guys that will "Flyer (place your flyer on parked cars)" at all the happening clubs around town as many nights as you want (for a fee, of course). It can make it a good situation for you.
The truth is that this business is about adapting to the trends and making it work for you.
PS: I know that if some so-called DJ wants to work for next to nothing - it will be hard to beat, but in that case - a gig with that particular club will be short lived by any DJ who works there.
geposted Sat 10 Jan 09 @ 7:02 pm
Farm yard Bob
I have had a few like that in the UK, but round here now you sign with a promoter, and he gets your work.
The last one i worked for was a shithead, would promote big acts who always "failed to show"
He would do this atleast once a month, usually just on pay day so he could draw a large crowd, then without anouncing it himself, would simoly tell the poor warm up DJ (usually me) that I now had to move rooms AND play all night to a crowd that came to see someone else.
so moral of the story is, promote yourself if you like, do it even if the club is, it shows willing....but don't under any circumstances sign for a tosser!
The last one i worked for was a shithead, would promote big acts who always "failed to show"
He would do this atleast once a month, usually just on pay day so he could draw a large crowd, then without anouncing it himself, would simoly tell the poor warm up DJ (usually me) that I now had to move rooms AND play all night to a crowd that came to see someone else.
so moral of the story is, promote yourself if you like, do it even if the club is, it shows willing....but don't under any circumstances sign for a tosser!
geposted Sat 10 Jan 09 @ 7:22 pm
djstaffy
im not a top class dj but i am always learning.ive done clubs lapdancing ect for promoters years ago and never again beside them being mean shitheads you can never reach them when you need to.now i work for myself have a couple of residency's where i do private parties and im happy.now i charge my price play what the punter wants and good nights had by all.(plus have a set of gear in each lol no work).maybe im just stubborn but i work for a company during the week but i am my own person and when it comes to my passion(djing) i like to have my choice.mate think this thread will never stop
geposted Sun 11 Jan 09 @ 2:51 am
dj-e-lectric
Diamond G wrote :
This is an interesting topic.
It has happend to me here in San Antonio Texas a few times.
Just give the owner the choice to promote themselves or for you to promote. If the owner tells you to promote and bring in the crowd, then you ask him to pay you a percentage of the door (in addition to your negotiated base pay) and a contract for a specific time (to make it worth your promoting investment).
It has happend to me here in San Antonio Texas a few times.
Just give the owner the choice to promote themselves or for you to promote. If the owner tells you to promote and bring in the crowd, then you ask him to pay you a percentage of the door (in addition to your negotiated base pay) and a contract for a specific time (to make it worth your promoting investment).
What club do you spin at? I was the lead Dj for Park Place from April 1997 thru October 1998, I did Sharkeez in Corpus from October 1998 thru New years 1999/2000 and was Music director and lead Dj for Polly Esther's January 2000 thru September 2002 in San Antonio and Austin.
I have and on occassion still do the promoting (usually we get the entire door and sometimes a percent of the bar) but owners used to split the advertising costs with you, but lately they want the Djs to provide ALL of the marketing (and in the Phoenix/Scottsdale market and in California just flyers don't work....played out for 10 years and nobody pays attention to them anymore and most of the municipalities require you to get a permit to distribute them).
I have often wondered why the Dj is expected to promote (and we are usually salary or fixed cost per night) while Bartenders and Servers who are tipped (i.e commission sales) employees are NEVER expected to help promote and they are the ones directly benefitting from our work!.....can you imagine how many people would quit their job at Wal-mart, The Gap, Borders Books, Jiffy Lube, .etc if they had to "promote" the business for the owners!!!!!!!!!
geposted Sun 11 Jan 09 @ 3:47 am
RipProductions
It happens ALOT in Chicago
geposted Sun 11 Jan 09 @ 4:39 am
Diamond G
dj-e-lectric wrote :
What club do you spin at? I was the lead Dj for Park Place from April 1997 thru October 1998, I did Sharkeez in Corpus from October 1998 thru New years 1999/2000 and was Music director and lead Dj for Polly Esther's January 2000 thru September 2002 in San Antonio and Austin.
What club do you spin at? I was the lead Dj for Park Place from April 1997 thru October 1998, I did Sharkeez in Corpus from October 1998 thru New years 1999/2000 and was Music director and lead Dj for Polly Esther's January 2000 thru September 2002 in San Antonio and Austin.
SAN ANTONIO:
Observatory and Spy Room @ 281-Bitters (was not Lead DJ) 1999 - 2000
Mad Dogs Riverwalk (Lead DJ) 2000 - 2004 (Looks like we worked right next door to each other during this time frame)
Took 6 mo's off
Planeta Bar-Rio (AKA Planeta Mexico [Lead DJ]) 2004 - 2007
Club Rio @ 281-Bitters (Main Rm DJ) 2007 - Present
dj-e-lectric: Where do you spin now? Are you still here in San Antonio?
Reference this topic:
The Flyer angle still works farily well here, but it really depends on the venue.
geposted Sun 11 Jan 09 @ 9:30 am
dj-e-lectric
Diamond G wrote :
dj-e-lectric: Where do you spin now? Are you still here in San Antonio?
Reference this topic:
The Flyer angle still works farily well here, but it really depends on the venue.
dj-e-lectric: Where do you spin now? Are you still here in San Antonio?
Reference this topic:
The Flyer angle still works farily well here, but it really depends on the venue.
I am in Phoenix mostly right now. I have a residency at Iguana Mack's over in Chandler and I do guest spots occassionally in Scottsdale, California & Vegas. I left San Antonio after Polly Esther's and did some stuff in Amarillo and 4 years in Denver before coming to Phoenix.
When I was in San Antonio I was known as Dj GTP, I did the radio mixshow on Magic every Saturday live from the Polly Esther's 80's room. I had to change my name in Denver cause it was confusing as there was a promotion company there called GTP (Global Trance Promotions) and people would show up to their events and be pissed I wasn't there and then their crowd would show up to my clubs and be pissed I wasn't playing all trance all night.
Around here flyers pretty much only work for 18 & over clubs and college stuff.....in Scottsdale the cops will actually write you tickets for passing them out on public streets unless you have a permit.
geposted Sun 11 Jan 09 @ 1:31 pm