5 Count 'em 5

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Dan The Man

Dan The Man

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Jul 20, 2006
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Yesterday I went out for a little walk and passed the town hall which has a bulletin board. I counted 5 DJ ads, 5 in a town of about 2,500. When I was a DJin' back in the there were 3 that I knew of: Me, another bar jock, and one who did formal events we all knew each other and kept in touch.

I have to wonder why the 'explosion' of DJs. The town is at best a blue collar town in a county with one of, if not, the highest the highest unemployment rates in the state.

I cannot see there being much work in the area for 1 DJ much less 5. Is it just that these guys see it as easy side money? I don't know but that's what it appears to be to me.
 
Everybody with Limewire, et al an iPod and a cracked program thinks they're a DJ ;
 
I think it depends on who the people are. Maybe some of them come from another area and are not new to the business. Some could be a guy with a stereo system and he thinks it is easy money and maybe some are really serious about getting into it or back into it. A friend of mine has a son out west who used to dj, has been out of it for a while but is seriously considering going back to it. My city has way more than I ever thought it could hold, I know it's a city but still I could not imagine being a bride trying to pick one out now, too many choices.
 
Well, you guys have said it all, so "Yes" all around. When I started in 2004, there were only two DJ's in my market on Craigslist.

For my first couple of years while I was learning the ropes, Craigslist got me all my gigs.

But the number steadily grew until now in my market, any given day worth of listings shows 10 or so dj's.

Doesn't really matter since I've long since priced myself out of the Craigslist market anyway:)

It's insane. I think it's a combo of things.

1) There are a lot that see it as the easy extra money.
2) Digital music (legal or otherwise) makes getting a library potentially very inexpensive.
3) The emergence of Guitar Center brought previously "highly specialized" unseeable and untouchable dj equipment in front of anyone with mom's credit card.
 
Dan you already have your answer and I will quote it here!

I have to wonder why the 'explosion' of DJs. The town is at best a blue collar town in a county with one of, if not, the highest the highest unemployment rates in the state.
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People are out of work and are starting to look for anything that can bring in money in any form but tax free is better and you can believe that they will not be claiming any money received from DJing on any tax return.
 
Around here there has been a boom of cheap DJs. The average cost for a wedding is about $6-700 and all the new guys are advertising $400 for the whole day regardless of the hours. Quite a few of them seem legit with decent gear and lighting. Perhaps the economy is forcing some DJs we never see to put out more advertising and drop their prices just to keep working.

young...
 
You know it's funny I'd been kicking the idea of getting back into the performance side of the business around in the back of my head but when I seen those ads I stopped myself. I made my bones in the days before iTunes and Amazon paying $15-$20 for an album with maybe two playable songs on it. No way am I going to compete with people who are more than likely just doing it for side cash and whom maybe aren't even paying for their music.
 
DJ Dan said:
No way am I going to compete with people who are more than likely just doing it for side cash and whom maybe aren't even paying for their music.
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Like it or not that is what we have to compete against every day.... heck we even have to worry about the Rent-A-Center DJs you know who I'm talking about they go rent those big assed carpeted home stereo rentals.... that look like some crazy DJ setup and call themselves DJs.... steal their music from the internet and then charge laughable rates that no one in their right mind would even try to compete against.... yet we have too... but, we have the upper hand.... we know what we are doing. I think!
 
jokerswild said:
Like it or not that is what we have to compete against every day.... heck we even have to worry about the Rent-A-Center DJs you know who I'm talking about they go rent those big assed carpeted home stereo rentals.... that look like some crazy DJ setup and call themselves DJs.... steal their music from the internet and then charge laughable rates that no one in their right mind would even try to compete against.... yet we have too... but, we have the upper hand.... we know what we are doing. I think!
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I'm with you Rob. :) I'd like to think you know what you're doing too. :sqwink: My thing is knowing the business as I do, I cannot say it would be wise for me to invest in equipment, marketing, and the additional time to learn stuff I don't know; weddings, Quinces, etc.

I think it would just we a waste if I'm going to have to compete hard against $200 for a 4 hour wedding.
 
DJ Young said:
Around here there has been a boom of cheap DJs. The average cost for a wedding is about $6-700 and all the new guys are advertising $400 for the whole day regardless of the hours. Quite a few of them seem legit with decent gear and lighting. Perhaps the economy is forcing some DJs we never see to put out more advertising and drop their prices just to keep working.

young...
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The lowest I have heard here is $75.00 for a 5 hour event. No lights, no contract, cheap gear. This guy makes our local bottomfeeders look like a great deal :sqrolleyes:

I honestly think that this guy is making my job easier. We have really started selling on quality and contract. The average price here is $250/4hrs I have been selling $100-$200 higher than that per event
 
I can see the same thing happening all around the place

buy an ipod a set of speakers (or use thier own) buy a bigger amp
and bing bang boom they think they can dj!!

no thanks
 
The folks are right. A lot of people are out of work and see DJing as a way to make a few dollars. I mean... all ya gotta do is play music for people. How hard can it be? Hopefully when prosperity returns, they'll go back to their real jobs.

This area has been up to its neck in DJs since I moved here. Many are wildcatters, knocking doors and DJing for whatever a venue will pay them. And they'll fall over each other to get a $150.00 show. Everyone knows someone who is a DJ.
 
jokerswild said:
Like it or not that is what we have to compete against every day.... heck we even have to worry about the Rent-A-Center DJs you know who I'm talking about they go rent those big assed carpeted home stereo rentals.... that look like some crazy DJ setup and call themselves DJs.... steal their music from the internet and then charge laughable rates that no one in their right mind would even try to compete against.... yet we have too... but, we have the upper hand.... we know what we are doing. I think!
Click to expand...

No you don't have to compete against that. I don't consider any of the lowballers, or hobby DJs, or rent-a-DJs, or whatever you want to call them my competition. I am not losing gigs to them and if I do then that wasn't my target client. You choose your competition, you choose what league you want to play in.
 
True, one doesn't have to compete with the wildcatters. We got out of that market long ago.

The thing we find sad ~ these cheap people have taken all the bread and butter parties away. Your VFW and Legion dances, your backyard family gigs. Yeah, they never paid a lot to begin with... but they paid better than what the wildcatters are asking nowadays.
 
I need help, So i placed a "DJ's Wanted" add...

I've gotten 3 replies already from young 20 something guys wanting to know more.. 1 has gear, and the other 2 do not.
 
The state of the economy has something to do with it. Many people that have lost their FT jobs or need extra bucks, have heard that there's easy money to be made as a party DJ.

Today, it's easier than ever before to become a mobile DJ.
 
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