Do you believe a mobile DJ should be able to do any event?

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As many have said, I don't believe a DJ needs to be able to do any event. They just need to know what events they can or can't do and be straight with people. If the Dj is getting enough business to satisfy their needs and they are niche,, then great. If they are their own business, They also need to be able to market themselves to clients that are looking for that type of Dj.

But if you are not getting enough business as you'd like, , I'd suggest expanding your capabilities.

While I'm sure there are some events we couldn't do or wouldn't do, it is extremely rare that we get inquires we can't or won't handle
 
Two classic turn downs which come to mind are:
I got a call really late from a guy who said he needs a DJ for his fxcking wedding. He’s cursing like crazy. Now I’m no saint but I can tell you if he’s cursing like that before the wedding you can imagine what the wedding will be like. So when he stops talking I said “sorry I’m all booked”. He replies “but I haven’t given you the date yet”. And I go I’m sorry I’m booked up but there might be some other DJs available. Then he proceeds the curse me out. My wife could hear him yelling in the other room.


Another time I turned down a wedding reception for a family member. Now I’ve done weddings receptions for just about all of my family and friends. Although for this person, when they got in engaged I told my wife I wasn’t doing the the reception. No way as the person was a PITA on many levels. My wife thought I was joking. Sure enough I get the call to DJ the reception and tell them I am unavailable and so is everyone working with me.
 
Two classic turn downs which come to mind are:
I got a call really late from a guy who said he needs a DJ for his fxcking wedding. He’s cursing like crazy. Now I’m no saint but I can tell you if he’s cursing like that before the wedding you can imagine what the wedding will be like. So when he stops talking I said “sorry I’m all booked”. He replies “but I haven’t given you the date yet”. And I go I’m sorry I’m booked up but there might be some other DJs available. Then he proceeds the curse me out. My wife could hear him yelling in the other room.


Another time I turned down a wedding reception for a family member. Now I’ve done weddings receptions for just about all of my family and friends. Although for this person, when they got in engaged I told my wife I wasn’t doing the the reception. No way as the person was a PITA on many levels. My wife thought I was joking. Sure enough I get the call to DJ the reception and tell them I am unavailable and so is everyone working with me.


I turned down a client who I booked once. After the event, I said I told myself I wouldn't work with the lady again. ...(It was a planner) - Sure enough, about 3 months later she called me asking if I was available for a certain party client of her's. The answer was NO. ...The planner booked the DJs on behalf of her clients, and she was the biggest PITA. She expected the DJ to get out and be a dancer to motivate kids to be on the dance floor non stop. She was constantly on my back telling me to do stuff, and when kids left the dance floor she immediately came over to me telling me to do something entertaining. I was much younger then (About 10 years ago), and tolerated the micro management as much as I could. Today, I would have told her off, and to leave me alone the moment she started barking orders at me. Worst planner I ever worked with After working 1 gig with her, I never did another.

We also turned down a client after my brother worked with her. It was a cheap event to begin with, and she was a real hassle to work with. My brother wouldn't do another gig for her. She called us back to re book for the same gig...we were all booked up. It wasn't worth the $340 to book and deal with (She wanted to pay $275, and we came down $60 from $400 to help her out on the budget at the time. She wanted us to put all of the music on her list on CDs for her after the party. That did not happen, but she was persistent in trying to get us to do that for her, and FOR FREE. Her list she sent us was a 130 song handwrittin list. ...And it was a Fundraiser event for pregnant women who needed help. Should not have been an event where the client was sending us a ton of music to play. ....Most of the attendeees were young in their 20s, and she wanted a lot of off the wall 60s and 70s music to be played to satisfy herself (She was in her 60s) It was wierd. That was about 6 or 7 years ago.
 
What dangers are you talking about?
Outdoors, potential rain, drunken riders, less than optimal electical/power provisions, elevated work area...nothing specifically related to Steve Montambault's linked drunk driving advertisment from a local ambulance chaser.
 
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Aside from not being available, the only event I recall turning down was about 20+ years ago and they wanted the DJ to work in the nude....Not only was I not comfortable asking any of my people to dj nude (I managed a multi op at the time), but none of them upon hearing about it were disappointed to miss the chance. A few would have been interested in the event if they could have remained clothed, however. ;-)
 
Aside from not being available, the only event I recall turning down was about 20+ years ago and they wanted the DJ to work in the nude....Not only was I not comfortable asking any of my people to dj nude (I managed a multi op at the time), but none of them upon hearing about it were disappointed to miss the chance. A few would have been interested in the event if they could have remained clothed, however. ;-)
If it were me for 10 k I would have done it. They might have been shocked at what they saw. LOL.
 
Aside from not being available, the only event I recall turning down was about 20+ years ago and they wanted the DJ to work in the nude....Not only was I not comfortable asking any of my people to dj nude (I managed a multi op at the time), but none of them upon hearing about it were disappointed to miss the chance. A few would have been interested in the event if they could have remained clothed, however. ;-)
Did you send them to Canute?
 
Outdoors, potential rain, drunken riders, less than optimal electical/power provisions, elevated work area...nothing specifically related to Steve Montambault's linked drunk driving advertisment from a local ambulance chaser.
The second section was clearly about drunk float driving ..
 
The one gig that I decided to refuse....was for the daughter of very close friend.
Great girl, super friendly...but very religious.
(she met her fiancee at church)
She said she wanted me to play all christian rock songs.
Told her I didn't know the music well enough, and that I didn't want to ruin her reception.
Got off the phone and sat there trying to think of a way to explain it to her father...
when she called me back and told me she understood...
and asked if I would reconsider if I could just play "regular" songs.
I agreed.
For a Sunday afternoon, non-alcoholic party....it sure was a LOT of fun!
 
The second section was clearly about drunk float driving ..
No it wasn't/isn't. That's an almost non-existent occurrence...just hyperbole from a plaintiff pimp.

Injuries involving people & floats are almost universally due to the victims impaired condition or carelessness, NOT drunken float operators. It just isn't the case.
 
I had a guy say his number one priority in hiring a DJ was no radio edited songs. He wanted all raw songs with full swear words. I told him that I didn't think we were a good fit for him.
I have no problem with songs with swear words. Some people do, so I mostly play the edited songs. I'm not going out of my way to find the versions with swear words
 
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The one gig that I decided to refuse....was for the daughter of very close friend.
Great girl, super friendly...but very religious.
(she met her fiancee at church)
She said she wanted me to play all christian rock songs.
Told her I didn't know the music well enough, and that I didn't want to ruin her reception.
Got off the phone and sat there trying to think of a way to explain it to her father...
when she called me back and told me she understood...
and asked if I would reconsider if I could just play "regular" songs.
I agreed.
For a Sunday afternoon, non-alcoholic party....it sure was a LOT of fun!
Actually you didn't refuse to do the event. You stated your concerns and it was discussed. The decision she came up with is that you had the right idea and it worked.