So do you think it's right, or totally wrong?

X factor is on with the amazing jedward lol

Another thread about this? How can there possibly be anything new to say about the subject?

Well i didn't see these other threads, care to post some links?

I'd rather gouge my eyes out and stick red hot pokers in my ears than watch that load of tosh lol

dontstayin.com

Been done to death.

Enjoy your hobby. There are millions of people as good or better than you at it, and some of them are willing to do more than just play someone else's music to attempt to make a career out of it. Now do fuck off and close the door on the way out.

There's a massive difference between asking a DJ to help promote the night, and asking a DJ to operate a commercial venture in order to fund the night.

Any DJ worth their salt would absolutely be 100% committed to doing everything they can to get a night noticed Im sure, including selling tickets where possible, however being told that in order to play you must find 20 friends who are willing to stump up (as an example) £10 each (£200) in addition to spending a load of money behind the bar is kop out on the part of the promoter. That in my eyes is not a successful night, as it is not the night in itself that has been successful and attracted an up for it crowd, but a handful of DJs who've been successful is selling tickets and attracted their mates. The only success you can attribute to the promoter is they managed to get those DJs.

And lets not forget, the Baby Box at MoS is no longer coveted as the place to play, because the fact is that anyone can play there these days provided you can meet the ticket mandate, regardless of what you play or how well you play it.

And why do MoS whore-out the Baby Box ? Because they can. Why pay a promoter to fill the room, when you can get a promoter to pay you to fill out the room. Genius really.

That was a bit harsh buckers.

Hear Hear!!

Not directed at you in particular, just DJs in general constantly complaining about people not paying them for their hobby.

Everytime this argument comes up none of the DJs complaining ever come out and say 'I should get booked because I'm much better than all the millions of others'. Why? Because most aren't. And because anyone can DJ to standard acceptable to most punters.

People always says things like "if you're good enough, one day you'll make it"... however, in the real world clubs dont send out talent scouts to DJ's bedrooms or backrooms of Revolution or Yates's to pluck them from obscurity and turn them into X factor style superstars as if life was a Disney film. Just being good you're good, isnt enough.

Do people always say that? There's some very naive people out there if so. I think Danny Rampling has a business opportunity for such people. Guaranteed to succeed 100%, 1% of the time!

dontstayin.com

That the problem some folk find with the truth old chap.

I don't see many DJs complaining about not being paid. You're right, it is a hobbie, and all hobbies costs money. The complaints DJs make tend to be about being forced to sell tickets. This isnt the same as being paid. I and many other "hobby DJs" will gladly play for free Im sure, and sometimes incur costs (petrol, travel etc). But to have to find 20 mates to collectively give the promoter £200 in order to get a set is bollox. So fuck off yourself and close the door behind me. Ta.

Well played.


So the promoter should risk the capital on, inter alia, the hire fee, the headliners and the advertising costs but just book and maybe pay a nobody, why exactly?

Because thats the job of the promoter. Its all about risk and reward. Lets not forget that its not all doom and gloom for promoters. Many (good) promoters do very well out of putting on nights - with lots of hard work and effort of course. A good promoter knows his audience, and knows his DJs, whether they be big draw names, or local DJs and friends. A good promoter will know the market, the scene, trends, seasons etc, and manage his business accordingly.

On the flip side to this argument is the fact that this leads to people (failed DJs mainly) thinking "I could do that" and so out of nowhere we have an abundance of promoters; many of which just don't want to put in the effort and hard work, as well as capital, that is needed to make a night a success.

TLDR - but... I won't ever book anyone who brings this up again, its been done, to death, enough already! Don't like it, start your own night.

next year im going phone up some big club up and tell them i can fill there club if they let me play, i could easily fill a club with all my mates and fans from my home town.

wouldnt mind playing fabric next year lol

Probably the one London club that would say 'no' to that.

And DJs should haven't to take any risk why? And should still get the reward of being allowed to play why?

"Allowed to play" ?

Allowed ?

"Now you are allowed to play, You sold 25 tickets well done"

DJs should not have to take financial risks unless there is a financial reward at the end of it. It should not be about paying to play with a return on your investment being a set. A DJ is taking a risk in playing a set. It might turn out to be a shite set, not one turns up, and that DJ never gets booked again - thats is a risk in itself. But getting a DJ to flog tickets, thats not passing on risk to the DJ at all. Its just fucking lazy promotion. In fact its promotion-lite, or diet promotion.