I'm So Tired And I Have A Question For All Of You

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nextgen1

nextgen1

Mac Daddy DJ
Sep 23, 2006
3,178
784
65
Waterford, CA.
www.tngdj.com
Ok right now we are heading towards our 8th wedding in 7 weeks and to be honest I'm beat yesterday was the end to a double header. And yes I can not complain business is good here. Working full time and DJing like this is taking its toll on my energy. Full time is not an option for me right now. How do you guys that have been doing this so long get your energy, and don't say cocaine lol. Also we are now getting invited into more high end venues but there restrictions are so severe that I have thought of either raising my price when we work there or not desiring to work there at all.

Saturday's wedding went fantastic the venue has and outdoor area for ceremony and and indoor area for reception. The venue manager said she would get us in 2 hour early. Now if you know me I'm a 3 hour guy if I can get it. But ok 2 hours should be not to much of and issue. The lady comes to the gate with 1 1/2 before ceremony and lets us in and say you should have no problem.
I had brought my wife and an assistant. But this place pushed us the very ends of my wits. I'm still setting up my main system the ceremony system was already in place and she is like could you please start some music in there we ill be seating the guests fairly soon.

If you have to she says you can always finish setting up after the ceremony. Well we finished and then got dressed and everything was fine and the night was wonderful. But my ass its laying on the ground after that one and our next one on Sunday which was just as nice but much more laid back at our favorite venue. Hell these guys would trust us with there keys lol. Part of our selling point to our couples is they look the way of our system looks with the LCD and Bose etc etc. I just need to be a little faster. Oh by the way the first venues load in was 100 feel and up a ramp what a pain in the ass. Probably one of the main reasons we keep getting referrals at this place is that the photographer really really likes us and won't recommend anyone else. Which is nice the venue on the other hand has a preferred DJ service.
 
nextgen1 said:
Ok right now we are heading towards our 8th wedding in 7 weeks and to be honest I'm beat yesterday was the end to a double header. And yes I can not complain business is good here. Working full time and DJing like this is taking its toll on my energy. Full time is not an option for me right now. How do you guys that have been doing this so long get your energy, and don't say cocaine lol. Also we are now getting invited into more high end venues but there restrictions are so severe that I have thought of either raising my price when we work there or not desiring to work there at all.

Saturday's wedding went fantastic the venue has and outdoor area for ceremony and and indoor area for reception. The venue manager said she would get us in 2 hour early. Now if you know me I'm a 3 hour guy if I can get it. But ok 2 hours should be not to much of and issue. The lady comes to the gate with 1 1/2 before ceremony and lets us in and say you should have no problem.
I had brought my wife and an assistant. But this place pushed us the very ends of my wits. I'm still setting up my main system the ceremony system was already in place and she is like could you please start some music in there we ill be seating the guests fairly soon.

If you have to she says you can always finish setting up after the ceremony. Well we finished and then got dressed and everything was fine and the night was wonderful. But my ass its laying on the ground after that one and our next one on Sunday which was just as nice but much more laid back at our favorite venue. Hell these guys would trust us with there keys lol. Part of our selling point to our couples is they look the way of our system looks with the LCD and Bose etc etc. I just need to be a little faster. Oh by the way the first venues load in was 100 feel and up a ramp what a pain in the ass. Probably one of the main reasons we keep getting referrals at this place is that the photographer really really likes us and won't recommend anyone else. Which is nice the venue on the other hand has a preferred DJ service.
Click to expand...

I always setup music first (You can then play a CD) then laptop, mics,video and monitors last.
 
If you are getting burnt out in a sense....and I know you love djing.....charge more my friend.


I know you like the "extra money".....but getting "burnt" out is a whole other story.

I have a brother who has always had at least two jobs for the last 15 years....and now he has a girl who is almost 12, a 8 year old, and a 10 month old. He finally is realizing, money isn't everything, and he is going to try cut back on his part time job, and lose a day.

He still would like to work it...but he just never gets time off to spend with his family between his jobs. BUT HE IS MONEY HUNGRY!

I cant exactly tell you what you should do...but a price adjustment might open your schedule a bit more...and not only that, you might be able to make more in the long run...if you get what I mean.

Its your call my friend....but a few options to think about.
 
Please explain Thunder. Do you mean you bring less and lighter stuff or do you mean you don't work there any more. This push from this venue as I told my wife made me hate it. Though once in all was great and they where fine to work with. I have dreaded this load in for months. This was the second time I have worked at this venue and I just received and email from a bride asking about pricing etc etc and yep same place. :sqerr:
 
DJMN said:
If you are getting burnt out in a sense....and I know you love djing.....charge more my friend.


I know you like the "extra money".....but getting "burnt" out is a whole other story.

I have a brother who has always had at least two jobs for the last 15 years....and now he has a girl who is almost 12, a 8 year old, and a 10 month old. He finally is realizing, money isn't everything, and he is going to try cut back on his part time job, and lose a day.

He still would like to work it...but he just never gets time off to spend with his family between his jobs. BUT HE IS MONEY HUNGRY!

I cant exactly tell you what you should do...but a price adjustment might open your schedule a bit more...and not only that, you might be able to make more in the long run...if you get what I mean.

Its your call my friend....but a few options to think about.
Click to expand...

I'm thinking of adding and extra 100 dollars to my price when ever I work this venuie. I have to hire help and it would defer some of the cost.
 
nextgen1 said:
I'm thinking of adding and extra 100 dollars to my price when ever I work this venue. I have to hire help and it would defer some of the cost.
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I think you just answered your own question. :sqwink:
 
To address another issue... if I was THAT tired, I would turn down some events before it affects your health. You're not getting any younger, ya know. :sqwink:
 
The set up issue is a big one that you should address.
Around here, there are many, MANY venues that will give you only an hour to set up...while the previous events entertainment is simultaneously breaking down!
I have many times gotten the ceremony and cocktail systems set up and finished the main system during the cocktail hour (I almost always pre-program the cocktail hour, just in case this exact situation arises).
 
nextgen1 said:
Please explain Thunder. Do you mean you bring less and lighter stuff or do you mean you don't work there any more. This push from this venue as I told my wife made me hate it. Though once in all was great and they where fine to work with. I have dreaded this load in for months. This was the second time I have worked at this venue and I just received and email from a bride asking about pricing etc etc and yep same place. :sqerr:
Click to expand...

If I am restricted by the venue to a set amount of time before the gig starts I reduce what I bring in to setup! Where I would normally bring in two subs, two mains and assorted amps etc. I would reduce that to two powered speakers on sticks, If I was contracted to provide lights I would refund the light fees and not set those up either!
 
nextgen1 said:
I know we have a set number which is usually about 25 or 26 events per year we pretty much make that. I know any more than that and we are wearing our selves down. I guess what I need to do is step back and look at a way of making my setup quicker and easier and really the part that is killing me is the load ins and the load outs.
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#1 Charge more. You'll feel better when you get home
#2 (And this should perhaps be #1) Take care of your health! Workout, eat sensible and you'll find that your energy level will rise dramatically and in general you will just feel more alive and alert which in turn will make these load ins and load outs a lot easier :)
 
wait till you have done 5x years like that from show to job to show week after week after week!!
 
Dave -

1) Do you absolutely need all of that extra income.

2) If the answer is no, stop doing doubles. Stick to one even per week and give yourself 1 week off per month.

I did 30 some events in 2008; just about killed me; it wasn't worth it. At some point your health, sanity, marriage is going to suffer, as well as your performance....
 
I can sympathize with aggravating venues; short setup time, distance from vehicle/trailer, and yes, elevators and even ramps. I'm an "old fart" and when I'm pressed for time, knowing that it is going to be a PIA, I raise my price to compensate for that insane venue. I include and extra $$$ whenever I am bound to use an elevator. It's included in the grand total, not itemized.

I'm a single OP and last year I had an 8 week stretch where I had only 1 week off during that period...and I needed it. One of those weeks was a killer; Fri--Rehearsal, Sat--Reception (hour travel one-way), Sunday another Reception outdoors. It's hot and humid in NC during that time of year. Anyway, I wasn't sure I was going to make it through the Sunday Reception due to exhaustion. I'm learning that my health and mental state can be affected by long stretches of gig after gig. If I can recall, the break was almost at the midpoint of the 8 gigs...all were weddings!

I try to limit myself to about 24-25 events per year...unfortunately, some months are "killers" with 3 to 5 functions. However, I do take several 2-week vacations and several 3-day beach holidays...the wife has to have some fun and she really enjoys the beach...me too.

And, so far this year I've already written off one venue that I don't care to go back to because of the horrendus load-in problem. Shame on me for not visiting the venue BEFORE I agreed to the fee!
 
nextgen1 said:
I'm thinking of adding and extra 100 dollars to my price when ever I work this venuie. I have to hire help and it would defer some of the cost.
Click to expand...

There is your answer...simple isn't it?:sqwink:
 
TwinSpinDJ said:
I can sympathize with aggravating venues; short setup time, distance from vehicle/trailer, and yes, elevators and even ramps. I'm an "old fart" and when I'm pressed for time, knowing that it is going to be a PIA, I raise my price to compensate for that insane venue. I include and extra $$$ whenever I am bound to use an elevator. It's included in the grand total, not itemized.

I'm a single OP and last year I had an 8 week stretch where I had only 1 week off during that period...and I needed it. One of those weeks was a killer; Fri--Rehearsal, Sat--Reception (hour travel one-way), Sunday another Reception outdoors. It's hot and humid in NC during that time of year. Anyway, I wasn't sure I was going to make it through the Sunday Reception due to exhaustion. I'm learning that my health and mental state can be affected by long stretches of gig after gig. If I can recall, the break was almost at the midpoint of the 8 gigs...all were weddings!

I try to limit myself to about 24-25 events per year...unfortunately, some months are "killers" with 3 to 5 functions. However, I do take several 2-week vacations and several 3-day beach holidays...the wife has to have some fun and she really enjoys the beach...me too.

And, so far this year I've already written off one venue that I don't care to go back to because of the horrendus load-in problem. Shame on me for not visiting the venue BEFORE I agreed to the fee!
Click to expand...

How about three times a week, load in and load out,,,,, driving off about 3.00am in the morning? When money is coming in good I do not complain. :sqwink:
 
AHoustonDJ...did a 6-month stint at a Lounge 4-nights a week (Wed-Sat) from 9:00 pm - 2 pm. I had a few subs that were willing to take some of the load, but all-in-all, to me it just wasn't worth it. In fact, I made less money because I was unavailable for the major money maker...Weddings. Couldn't commit to a Wedding IF I couldn't be sure I would have a fill-in at the Lounge.
 
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