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djnotapplicable
02-11-2012, 08:48 PM
People always have some pretty good horror stories to tell about gigs that went wrong or just never went at all. I though i would start a threat where people can share their stories. I don't have any that are TOO bad, but I'm drunk right now and want to share my latest (and worst) experience. HERE IT GOES!

Just yesterday I got totally screwed over. I had received an email several weeks ago from someone asking me to DJ at their bar this weekend. Obviously I accepted. I have been in contact with this guy for 2 weeks prior to the actual date where I was supposed to DJ. I had invited all my friends, made a facebook event, etc. I had a real good group coming out to this thing. Two nights before my gig, they guy gave me a number to call in order to ask the owners when I should come in and set up my stuff. When I called the owners gave me a serious attitude and told me that they "don't do DJs anymore" and that they told the guy to stop bringing in DJs. I then had to tell all my friends that I was bent over and screwed by some VERY unprofessional bar-owners and that they are going to have to make new plans for this Saturday night.... which made me feel like an a-hole. SUCKS BRO

windspeed36
02-11-2012, 09:42 PM
Elevator closed for maintenance - carry dual 18"s to the third story... bad times...

DutchApples
02-12-2012, 02:11 AM
I once asked a veteran friend of mine what the worst gig he had was. His response was the most truthful I've ever heard: "The worst gig is whenever you don't get paid." Luckily, I haven't had this happen to me when DJing yet, the rest are just annoyances!

DJMC
02-12-2012, 10:24 AM
I once asked a veteran friend of mine what the worst gig he had was. His response was the most truthful I've ever heard: "The worst gig is whenever you don't get paid." Luckily, I haven't had this happen to me when DJing yet, the rest are just annoyances!

good answer -- repped!

Ellissentials
02-12-2012, 10:44 AM
http://a8.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/298569_10150308792849518_565974517_7732405_3410250 07_n.jpg

(Pic above was the day it happened..couple hours before)

I was DJ'ing at my last HIN (Hot Import Nights) show a couple years ago, and we had TONS of equipment setup, under this really shitty pop up canopy thing. Long story short, a Tornado (I'm in New Hampshire....doesn't happen often...) came through just a few miles from us. Brought TONS of wind, dark clouds, hail, lightening and flooding. Now, mind you, there was a "main power connector" that we ran all our power too, on the tar just 30 feet from us...the water came so fast, roughly 3+ inches on the tar, and the clouds came in so fast, we hardly had time to tarp everything. It had rained the night before so we brought tarps just in case. I've never seen so much water, so fast and the lightening was so insane! We were holding down the canopy and just praying really. We had unplugged all the equipment and covered it, sure, but then we had to endure the entire brunt of the storm. The van we used to pack everything up was literally about a 1/2 mile away (This show was at a racetrack.)

Once the storm calmed down, we started running trips back n fourth to the van in semi rain. This was the worst setup/breakdown we had ever had to do .

Intek (from these forums) was there.. we did HIN for 6 years in a row together. That was the most intense thing that ever happened at a gig. Not a single piece of equipment got hurt during this :slayer:

DJMC
02-12-2012, 10:47 AM
Not a single piece of equipment got hurt during this :slayer:

Ah, the happy ending!

So glad I live in Cali....

Intek
02-12-2012, 12:10 PM
Once the storm calmed down, we started running trips back n fourth to the van in semi rain. This was the worst setup/breakdown we had ever had to do .

Intek (from these forums) was there.. we did HIN for 6 years in a row together. That was the most intense thing that ever happened at a gig. Not a single piece of equipment got hurt during this :slayer:

Not to mention the parking lot we were in was on grass and dirt. The rain literally flooded our main power line so we unplugged and went into survival mode to save everything. The setup & breakdown sucked for sure. Riding out the storm was an adventure but we still managed to be the loudest out of everybody lol.

Badger
02-12-2012, 12:13 PM
Way back in 1992, I was called for a wedding reception by the father of a bride. It was nearby, the price was right, and he seemed like a really nice guy.

I had been running my business for a little under three years, but I was still not the most experienced when it came to weddings. In this case, I made a big mistake. I got his name, and the first name of the bride and groom. I didn't get the last name of the groom. I got the contract out to the father of the bride, got the signed copy returned, and everything was good as far as that went.

My staff and I showed up and set up the equipment, and just before we started, the brother of the groom showed up - a kid that I knew from my high school. He told me, "I didn't know you were DJing at my brother's wedding."

That's when it hit me. His brother, the groom, was someone I barely knew on a personal level. He didn't know who I was... but I sure knew who he was. A few years earlier, he had shot and killed his girlfriend - somewhat of a friend of mine, and the daughter of some close family friends. He'd apparently gotten out of juvie, and on this day, I was forced to perform music at his wedding reception.

I thought about this the entire time, but I put on my "game face," kept it professional, and made it through the gig.

I had other horrible "nightmare" gigs during my mobile days... but this one sticks out as the weirdest coincidence and some of the most unpleasant circumstances ever on an emotional level.

:badger:

Djmike209
02-12-2012, 10:12 PM
I had one person skip out paying me. I was able to get a deposit from him. Said he would have the balance the night of the event. The whole night he would avoid me or say yeah I need to grab my check book. As I was packing up I asked him he said yeah I will be right back and never came.

I called him the next morning to make arrangement. He would make up excuses etc. I tried to take him to small claims but by the time I had him served he had moved and his number was changed. Seams like a work just so you dont have to pay the DJ.

Took it as a lesson learned. ALWAYS get the balance before setting up. Its in my contract now balance due 10 days prior. Has never happened since.

DYM
02-12-2012, 10:26 PM
I had one person skip out paying me. I was able to get a deposit from him. Said he would have the balance the night of the event. The whole night he would avoid me or say yeah I need to grab my check book. As I was packing up I asked him he said yeah I will be right back and never came.

I called him the next morning to make arrangement. He would make up excuses etc. I tried to take him to small claims but by the time I had him served he had moved and his number was changed. Seams like a work just so you dont have to pay the DJ.

Took it as a lesson learned. ALWAYS get the balance before setting up. Its in my contract now balance due 10 days prior. Has never happened since.

That seems pretty extreme :/

Djmike209
02-12-2012, 10:29 PM
Oh I have another: I posted it as a response on another tread but applies here too.

We used to do an event every year around the forth It drew big crowds.
The last year we did the event a new "promoter" took it over. He was more focused on Bands rather then DJ and he made it known.

We were hired to entertain the crowd which we did. He didnt like that we were taking the crowd away from his bands.

He came over to me a few times asking me to turn it down that no one could hear the band.... mind you, we were on the other side of the venue.. which was HUGE.
later he came over and told us to stop playing when HIS bands came on, so people would go watch them. I told him "Well if your band didnt suck then maybe people would watch them"
I dont think he liked that...

The last straw: Were were about 10 minutes for finishing up our last set and he walked over and told me to cut it. I told him I had 10 min left and I will stop when my contract said I could stop. He then reached over my board and pushed down the volume controls. I grabbed is arms and told him to never touch me or equipment. We were not asked to come back the next year.

The next year the event tanked and was cancelled the following year.

Moot
02-13-2012, 02:40 PM
Contributing.

My nightmare gig begins much like every over; a phone call, a time slot, a flyer, a guarantee of pay. After my 8hr drive to San Antonio with my partner and fellow producer, we arrive just on time for sound check (6pm), but there's no one at the club...A good 45min later the sound tech arrives, and so do the people they're renting the additional sound and lighting from (keep in mind that this is a mere two hours before this event starts). I overhear talks of so-and-so owing so-and-so's, and a whole lot of "I'm not setting this up until I get paid for last time."

I pretty much know I'm screwed at this point, but what's a guy to do? Regardless, I proceed to set up on the second stage, and I go on at about 2am. About 25min through my set, I get approached by the club owner, and he informs me that he received a call from the cops (we all know where this is going). He then proceeds to turn the volume on the house mixer almost all the way down, and the only thing that can be heard over my anger and embarrassment is the sound of club-goers shuffling squeaking to a halt. He leaves shortly afterwards, and I do the only reasonable thing I know to...Crank the volume back up, and pretend nothing happened. About 15min later, he comes running back. He's furious, and yells for me to turn the volume down. But, to his dismay, to immediately stopped the music completely, and began packing my equipment.

Now here's where the real fun begins! I go to the promoter to get paid and leave, but of course he gives me a spill about how I didn't bring enough people (I live 8hr away), they didn't make as much as they expected, and other various bullshit. He does a great job of avoiding me for the next hour or so, and so I post my partner at the front door while I guard the back door. There's no way his guy is leaving...Or so we thought. Somehow, this guy (he was pretty big too) managed to leave through some alternate entrance. Maybe he burrowed his way out, who knows. Regardless, he escaped without paying several people, and I was among those left empty-handed. This certainly wasn't my first rodeo, but he'd obviously bested me.

I just left. It was 5am before I got out of San Antonio, but there wasn't any rest to be had until I got home. I'd already spent approximately $80 in gas, so a hotel was out of the question. Naturally, I'll do what us Americans know best, and sue him (doubt he'll show to small-claims though). But it makes me wonder. Not only did he not pay us, but he disregarded our well-being in leaving us in a place very far from home with little money. What if we hadn't had money to get us home, and were relying on his payment to get us home? That would've been foolish, mind you, but even still.

DJ Boom Bap
02-13-2012, 02:45 PM
Gangster Parties..........guns + drugs + alcohol= Not fun

Schreiber
02-13-2012, 03:56 PM
Mine was this last Friday actually. Cops showed up. Twice. Luckily, it was two different sets of cops. First set told us the music had to be turned down. They said they didn't even get a noise complaint-just heard it from down the street driving by. I knocked the volume down obviously. Second cops did get a complaint & told us the same thing-tone it down more.

DJWhiteChoco
02-13-2012, 04:53 PM
Playing on Construction Pilars.... in a smoky ghetto bar

DJWhiteChoco
02-13-2012, 05:04 PM
I used to do under 21 events, the place we used to rent out to do our events we a pretty cool place. After about 2 years of doing these events on a weekly basis, the house next to it got sold to a douche bag. His complaints became more irriatant pretty soon he was calling the cops to complain about the noise level. After a few weeks of jabbing his ass to whine and to make himself look like a fool the cops decided to give me a disturbing the peace ticket which eventually got dropped! Dont piss off a bunch of teenagers who love to party!
He eventually sold his house and moved.... we dont do dances anymore.
Some people always wanna ruin something positive.

YoungSoundz
02-14-2012, 11:21 AM
The new years eve party I did was my first "nightmare gig" I have only been djing for a year and a half and this couldn't have been any worse. The night started off great around 7 and it was a good time good people and drinks flowing, everything was goin really well the whole night and around 11:30 I had a song request, told the woman roughly aged between 30-35 that I would search my library. The party continued and the ball dropped and I had a full dance floor at this bar in a hotel, a classy place in summit nj, this woman came back at 12:15 and asked if I could play it and unfortunately I didn't have it and I hate telling people I don't have the song but what happened after shocked me completely. She had went to her table and got a glass of water came back an threw it all overt gear, my ns7 and MacBook. Due to this the party ended at 12:30 and afte everyone left I was supposed to go till 1:30-2 but she ruined the party the manager came out and said shut it down.

In the end she caused me about 2700 dollars in damage and after a month of fighting with her father keep in mind she's in her 30's I was paid for everything, had my MacBook fixed and got a new NS7 so it ultimately was ok but one of the horrors I encountered.

Lazerick
02-14-2012, 12:29 PM
The Last time I ever played Hip Hop:
I was asked to play the VIP room for a Ludacris album release party, the rules:
1. Play what ever you want.
2. Do not play any Ludacris (WTF) because we want the Headliner to play it (ok cool)

The Problem:
1. The pitch on both TT's did not work. I fought thru it.
2. The Headliner wanted to play on turntables and the only TT's in the club were in VIP with me, so they took them (it was the clubs eguip)
3. So I'm chillin in VIP with Ludacris then 45 minutes later they bring out some TT's that were in an office in the club.
4. I start playing again and all of a sudden the mixer produced this really loud screeching buzz into the headphones, it died. I'm done for the evening.
5. The headliner did not have any ludacris and ask me if i had any, me: yes I have all of his stuff right here on vinyl, headliner: can i borrow it, me: no. the promoter let him borrow them, me: pay me now plus $300 to allow your headliner to borrow my vinyl, the promoter:fuck that, me ok, I start packing my shit, go to collect the rest of my pay and, the promoter: here is the extra $300, me cool I will walk them to the DJ booth, I stayed in the booth until the headliner was done, collected my wax and I was out. I never did a hip hop set again.

djnotapplicable
02-14-2012, 12:41 PM
haha, man I feel like I had no right to post this thread. Everyone's stories are so much worse than mine. VERY entertaining though lol
Sounds like you all handled yourselves like professionals though

Schreiber
02-14-2012, 01:39 PM
In the end she caused me about 2700 dollars in damage and after a month of fighting with her father keep in mind she's in her 30's I was paid for everything, had my MacBook fixed and got a new NS7 so it ultimately was ok but one of the horrors I encountered.

Helllll no. I would've taken that piece of trash to court. No reason to deal with the father-he's probably the reason she ended up as someone who would do something so childish at the age of 30. $2700 of damage is NOT something I would have let go without a fight in the legal system.

YoungSoundz
02-14-2012, 04:54 PM
Helllll no. I would've taken that piece of trash to court. No reason to deal with the father-he's probably the reason she ended up as someone who would do something so childish at the age of 30. $2700 of damage is NOT something I would have let go without a fight in the legal system.

The police were going to make an arrest on the girl due to the value it became a serious felony or something and then 2 days later he cut me a check for the amount

Divercity
02-14-2012, 04:58 PM
In the end she caused me about 2700 dollars in damage and after a month of fighting with her father keep in mind she's in her 30's I was paid for everything, had my MacBook fixed and got a new NS7 so it ultimately was ok but one of the horrors I encountered.


People like this do not deserve to live in a western world with opportunity and security. Seriously, Who the hell is even like that? I would happily send a person like that to Somalia for a few months.

Schreiber
02-14-2012, 05:15 PM
Oh my. Just re-read your post. I saw "I paid for everything" not "I was paid for everything". That changes a lot, haha.

Quentin Legend
02-15-2012, 01:05 PM
After reading the replies in this thread, I'll rather not post because in comparison my worst gig was paradise.

djnotapplicable
02-15-2012, 02:11 PM
After reading the replies in this thread, I'll rather not post because in comparison my worst gig was paradise.

Haha, I feel the same way!