Some days I just want to stop DJing...

[Crushgroove]

Here's the low down on what's been going on lately. I've been trying to network and see about getting out to spin a few house nights or gigs, I just feel that the scene here in Houston kind of revolves around certain "cliques" now, I honestly DON'T have the time to try and get "in" with the "cool kids" and I don't want to seem like I'm trying to kiss peoples asses. lol I just want to spin out for fun. When I sit back and look at all my gear and the years I've been into Deejaying I wonder if maybe it's time to hang it all up.
The reason I get discouraged is mostly because the style of House most of the nights revolve around these parts are very downtempo, and to me... just straight up boring. So I probably wouldn't fit in those nights anyways! I spin mostly Jazzy, funky filtered grooving Chicago style stuff! Really upbeat feel good vibes you know.
I start to question myself... am I getting too old for this?? lol then I see my HEROS doing BIG things and they're all close to 50yrs old!!!
Should I just say screw it and start my own night? and try and throw my own parties??
Maybe this is just a rough patch???
I don't know...

any insight??
Thanks guys!

[Dix]

Id love to go back into a club like I played in the 80's & 90's. We played 50's - current rock & roll, classic rock, southern rock & pop. The problem is, there are no clubs that play that stuff now. Why? Cause there aint enough people who go out, who enjoy that music any more. Therefore a club cant support itself on those older genre's.
Same thing with your genre. Not enough people who go out, that enjoy it. Its older stuff. Older people our age don't go out 2 or 3 nights a week to support a club. Either play current stuff the youngsters like, or you don't get a slot.

In the end..... yep, we're getting too old to DJ clubs any more. FYI, I'll be 59 this year. I get off on 60's & 70's soft rock, pop, Motown & disco. My generation. There's no call for that any more in a club. Its me, you & Panotaker....

[monomer]

Why not try to start a community?

Sounds like you need to find the audience to play, and I'm sure many would like a community forum/group and monthly nights.

[Panotaker]

You guys are youngsters! I'm 61, and like Dix says, older people don't go out! They still listen to old music though. So what I do, is I make mixes to post on the internet. I don't make any money at it, but I got people all over the world who play my mixes, and that is good enough for me. I mainly mix music that was top 40 music back in the 70's and 80's, stuff that was played on the radio. There are millions of people that love that stuff, so I get lots of people worldwide that listen to my mixes. If you are a good arranger, and can put some mixes together, you might give that a shot, instead of just quitting. The only way I know to make money DJing at our age is to become a mobile DJ, but that is too much like work!

[Waterbeat]

You'd think Houston would be a big enough market to find support for what you'd like to play. Would it be possible to start a new night at one of the existing venues where you could play your style of House? Or perhaps a bar that has a club room and does bands or something on other nights? Might have to be a weeknight. There could be an audience for your music and someone just needs to give them a place to hear it. Maybe try some feelers like "if I played something like this, would you come?"

[steveryan]

I hear ya man. I'm getting older also, but really want to play again. I've been poking my head around in the different underground scenes here in town. Fortunately, there's a few DJ's that are my age (Mid 40's) and they don't seem to be slowing down. With that, just about everyone is playing the good stuff: no surface dwelling, kiddie pop-house bullshit. I've met a lot of people and I've been told that I will eventually be given opportunities to spin. It's about supporting the DJ's and the promoters and doing whatever you can to contribute. Nobody just shows up and gets a slot unless you put in the time, and that's exactly what I'm going to do while saving up cash for decks and a mixer. As for now, I listen to and buy a lot of music. The only practice I'm getting is on VDJ.

If too many of the people in your scene are "Clicky", then you need to look somewhere else.

Get in where you fit in.

[Not Applicable]

I spent years getting into the club/dj scene in MD/DC/VA. We moved to MA about 3 years ago and I obviously lost all my connects. I don't know what the scene is like here and I do not want to play out. I am almost 40 and breaking into the scene here would be a non starter I believe. I do an occasional mobile gig for some extra cash, but I mainly work on production, I have a few podcasts, make mixes, have a radio show and my dj site. In my life, that is all I need.

[Crushgroove]

Thanks for all the feedback guys, I appreciate it. Well I'll be 36 in June. So I'm not that old....yet. lol
I think I'll focus more on producing tracks rather than gigging out so much. I'm going to still push and see if I can get a monthly slowly going and just see where it goes from there.
Taking a few breaks from DJng has helped also.

[Nicadraus]

Just do what you love. Play what you love even if it takes for you to start your own nights. Eventually you will have your own followers as long as there is passion in what you do.

I would never play out just to get a spot or kiss someone else's ass and be forced to play for them and not enjoy my set.

[Dix]

Just do what you love. Play what you love even if it takes for you to start your own nights. Eventually you will have your own followers as long as there is passion in what you do.

I would never play out just to get a spot or kiss someone else's ass and be forced to play for them and not enjoy my set.

Excellent advice...

[bumpyjonas]

Id love to go back into a club like I played in the 80's & 90's. We played 50's - current rock & roll, classic rock, southern rock & pop. The problem is, there are no clubs that play that stuff now. Why? Cause there aint enough people who go out, who enjoy that music any more. Therefore a club cant support itself on those older genre's.
Same thing with your genre. Not enough people who go out, that enjoy it. Its older stuff. Older people our age don't go out 2 or 3 nights a week to support a club. Either play current stuff the youngsters like, or you don't get a slot.

In the end..... yep, we're getting too old to DJ clubs any more. FYI, I'll be 59 this year. I get off on 60's & 70's soft rock, pop, Motown & disco. My generation. There's no call for that any more in a club. Its me, you & Panotaker....

And me Dixie...

[PauleBrosef]

Id love to go back into a club like I played in the 80's & 90's. We played 50's - current rock & roll, classic rock, southern rock & pop. The problem is, there are no clubs that play that stuff now. Why? Cause there aint enough people who go out, who enjoy that music any more. Therefore a club cant support itself on those older genre's.
Same thing with your genre. Not enough people who go out, that enjoy it. Its older stuff. Older people our age don't go out 2 or 3 nights a week to support a club. Either play current stuff the youngsters like, or you don't get a slot.

In the end..... yep, we're getting too old to DJ clubs any more. FYI, I'll be 59 this year. I get off on 60's & 70's soft rock, pop, Motown & disco. My generation. There's no call for that any more in a club. Its me, you & Panotaker....

You haven't been to Germany yet. Go there, to Berlin or Hamburg, and be amazed at how the bar scene plays music from the 50's 60's 70's and 80's, with the bar packed with people partying. Don't forget to go to theme nights where they dress up like they're in the 60's and actually do 60's dances like the twist, the mashed potatoes etc... I'm not joking. My friend and I were on the dance floor in Berlin during theme night and we pretended we were surfing and people would come and say, "Hey man, I like your style dude." It was great. That was in 2008. Not THAT long ago. I went back several times, they still play out those tunes at the bars. Times do change though so it could be more of a gamble these days. However I would say, I was blown away that that was actually a thing there.

[jcen425]

What he said

[Crushgroove]

Well, I think I was in a bit of a funk... Went out to a monthly House night at a new warehouse spot in downtown, and I gotta say it did spark that flame again! Seeing my buddies who haven't mixed out in a bit also was awesome. I also been building sets again... so I'm not throwing the towel in, I can't. ;)