How many events have you booked this year less than 30 days from the event date?

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DJ Ricky B

DJ Extraordinaire
Mar 9, 2015
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This upcoming Saturday I have a 50th birthday party booked that was booked right after Labor Day weekend. So about 3 weeks notice on it. It's the only event this year that I booked under 30 days out. I had 9/9 booked about 45 days out. Everything else was booked many months in advance.

Generally speaking once I reach 30-40 days from an open date, I generally feel the date is going to go un booked, but I got one this year which is probably about the norm to get 1 booking under 30 days out each year.

I am still open on 10/28 right now. I have had 4 leads in the last 2 weeks for that date, and crickets from each lead, so I am expecting it to remain open. I will work the Day Job that day if I don't book that date.
 
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Booked Anniversary Dinner/Dance on 9/18/23 for Sat. 9/23/23. Completed and paid. Two-hour event for me but was necessary to setup by 6:00 pm for 8:00 - 10:00 pm play period.
 
30 days or less is extremely rare... ... 3 months or less is rare. The last time I had a booking 30 days or less was due to a spontaneous 40th bday party that was planned for a date in february. February is naturally slow so I happened to be available... however most other times of the year it would've been an event I wouldn't have been able to accommodate.

Reality is, because 2/3 of the events that I do are weddings, most of my events book 12+ months out. Currently 2/3 of 2024 is already booked and as a result, it is extremely hard for other types of events, which plan with less lead time, to book with me as I'm likely already booked by weddings.
 
I'd say about 60% of my gigs come to me within 30 days of the event. Since I do a wide variety of gigs I am usually filling in for someone or subcontracting a last minute gig from several other DJs. As mentioned above, bar gigs come in at the last minute and I've had some weddings where the DJ cancelled the day before. the wedding and I was asked to fill in. That has happened a couple of times this year and I wonder if the excuses given were true of if the other DJ found a better paying gig.
 
I'd say about 60% of my gigs come to me within 30 days of the event. Since I do a wide variety of gigs I am usually filling in for someone or subcontracting a last minute gig from several other DJs. As mentioned above, bar gigs come in at the last minute and I've had some weddings where the DJ cancelled the day before. the wedding and I was asked to fill in. That has happened a couple of times this year and I wonder if the excuses given were true of if the other DJ found a better paying gig.
We had a wedding that came in on Saturday for the next day Sunday. I never asked why the other DJ canceled on doing the wedding. For me it doesn't matter to me. My job is to show up if I agree to do the event, do the best job I can, get paid and keep it moving.
 
And find as much drama as possible to talk about
No sir. When it comes to doing an event at the last minute I don't get into why a DJ canceled on a client. That for me is between the two of them. My thing is for us to show up and do the event. I really don't care why the DJ canceled on the client at the last minute unless it's a personal friend of mine.
 
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No sir. When it comes to doing an event at the last minute I don't get into why a DJ canceled on a client. That for me is between the two of them. My thing is for us to show up and do the event. I really don't care why the DJ canceled on the client at the last minute unless it's a personal friend of mine.
Then can you explain why every event you post about has at least a little drama?
 
I don’t currently get as many events booking within 30 days as I used too. But I’m operating on a much lower level and only doing one event at a time. I find it’s the newer recurring clients bring me back with a return date a couple weeks after an event booking with in 30 days. Lately I’ve been running down to Maryland with return engagements, I just got back Thursday. Key dates are usually booked 6 to 9 months before depending on which group is doing the bookings.