For Love or Money

**dlove** · 10-31-2018, 03:34 AM

Originally Posted by light-o-matic

If selling out was that easy, everyone would do it and be rich.

Maybe what would happen instead is that all your regular crowd, that normally comes to your events and brings their friends, would stop coming altogether, because.. when you mainstreamed it.. you lost what made it special. And then the mainstream people you attracted at first might stop coming too.. because even though you're producing events that appeal to that crowd, so are lots of other people, and those other people might be better at it than you.

I've seen that happen to a few clubnights - I think the trick to maintaining the real crowd is to give them value for money, alongside early experience of what/who's really brilliant on the scene. All too often, DJ's & promoters get greedy with the door fee, and charge a lot for nothing but residents/themselves.
A tenner or twelve quid for a residents' night is out of order in my opinion.

and ps; 'selling-out' to me is not about the DJ's fee per-se, it's about changing your style to get more money, or giving your [built on the underground] style to corporate/chain businesses in order to gain money. Pushing your style for years then eventually getting paid is not selling-out, it's 'making it'.

**Hygro** · 10-31-2018, 06:04 AM

Originally Posted by light-o-matic

If selling out was that easy, everyone would do it and be rich.

Maybe what would happen instead is that all your regular crowd, that normally comes to your events and brings their friends, would stop coming altogether, because.. when you mainstreamed it.. you lost what made it special. And then the mainstream people you attracted at first might stop coming too.. because even though you're producing events that appeal to that crowd, so are lots of other people, and those other people might be better at it than you.

Reinvesting subs and lasers and upgrading speakers and getting some out of towners can't really be called "mainstreaming" it tho, can it?

**dlove** · 10-31-2018, 07:18 AM

plus we've got Laws up here that stipulate that nightclubs must charge a minimum door fee - lounge bars function suites and pubs don't have to; so when you hear 'it's free because we love you' it doesn't mean 'those who charge a door fee don't love you'

**monkeystyle** · 10-31-2018, 12:25 PM

I have to say... doing jobs, where I don’t like the venues, I don’t like the music I’m playing... that’s really work... and not fun work. I think when you have DJ’ed for as long as I have, you can use your skills and knowledge for any style of music, and go rock a crowd in any style... BUT... it’s preparing all the music. Having to go through hours of modern EDM music to have enough to put together decent sets just isn’t for me. If someone just handed me the tunes to mix, then no problem... I find when I take an EDM gig for money... I always end up regretting when I have to sit and actually listen to the latest hits, download etc... I still do it though, because, damn, money! I need it for vinyl, nice mixers, effects units, dubplates and all that good stuff my own style of music just don’t really pay for the same :/

**monkeystyle** · 10-31-2018, 12:35 PM

Originally Posted by dlove

All too often, DJ's & promoters get greedy with the door fee, and charge a lot for nothing but residents/themselves.
A tenner or twelve quid for a residents' night is out of order in my opinion.

This! I absolutely agree, keep it free for the regular local line ups, charge when you put on guest Djs.

**Manu** · 10-31-2018, 01:03 PM

Vector in on top of that, the bar staff gets more and they don't have to buy the stock like a DJ buys the music. Some have offered to pay me in beer, but my car doesn't run on the stuff unfortunately...

**Dizzle** · 11-02-2018, 07:44 PM

meh, not enough poll options. i got into djing b/c of the passion. i made a living at it for a decade balancing both. those who can make money doing exactly what they want have my envy.

as for which i'd rather have...a fat paycheck w/ crickets or a serious party for free, it would depend how much money i had in my account.

it used to amuse me, as a club dj, when so called "real djs" would glare at me disapprovingly for playing some pop tracks the crowd wanted to hear. knowing if they got their chance to get up there and be "real" they would be tossed by the crowd and/or management in 1 night.

anyshmoo, too much to go into. djing doesn't have cookie cutter answers.

**dlove** · 11-07-2018, 02:32 AM

^^ I've been slated (to my 'face' but only online) that I'm stuck 'on the bottom rung of the ladder' because I chose to perfect my warm-up/residency thing instead of going for the 'top billing'. I had to laugh, as the person that said it hasn't been seen or heard of since.