Bar & Club Jukebox is better then the DJ.

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MIXMASTERMACHOM

DJ Extraordinaire
ODJT Supporter
Oct 16, 2011
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This story is the funniest thing i've ever heard since i've been a DJ. Manager of this bar calls me on Tuesday to see if i could come play there on Saturday night. I said i would be there. When i get there i heard what happened Friday night.

My friend who plays there regularly on Thursday and Friday nights had a gig to do this past Friday so he wasn't at the bar. The DJ who plays there Saturday couldn't play there on Friday himself. The manager said he would have liked to have had me but it was out of his hands. The other manager got this DJ to come in and play. When i get there i heard it was a big disaster!

They tell me that i've got to really shine last night because of how bad this other DJ was. He was so bad that they said 30 people just walked out of the bar pissed off. I was told what happened the DJ would play some music that thye people liked. They are out there dancing up a storm. And then in the middle of a song with the floor packed, he would just cut the song short to play some Calypso. They said he kept doing this.

The manager that called me said this DJ was so bad that he wanted to leave. I was laughing so hard i was almost in tears.

Someone came up to the DJ to give him a CD to play. They said he couldn't because he didn't have CD players. Obviously he didn't know how to play a CD off of his computer.

They said it got so bad and this is the first time i heard this that they stopped the DJ from playing and put on the Jukebox. That was hilarious! If that had happened to me(not that it would) i would have quit DJ for good. I would have retired that night and sold all of my equipment. That's the wildest thing i've ever heard of since i've been a DJ. I'll never forget that one. I had to tell that story. That's a classic!

Several people came and took my business card. I'll end it with that.
 
yeah yeah yeah but what I want to know is how much you took this bar gig for on a Saturday night. Since $250 to take pictures using someone elses equipment isn't enough for you, how much do you charge to haul your dj gear to the bar during primetime?

No pictures taken of your set up at the bar with your brand new camera?
 
The thread title sounded promising... But I'll be damned if it wasn't another rambleing post sheesh... What is the short version, cause I ain't reading it?
Short version lol:

A bar manager called Mix to play on Saturday night and told Mix the fill in for friday night was so bad they told that dj to stop playing and used the jukebox instead.
 
This story is the funniest thing i've ever heard since i've been a DJ.

The manager that called me said this DJ was so bad that he wanted to leave. I was laughing so hard i was almost in tears.

They said it got so bad and this is the first time i heard this that they stopped the DJ from playing and put on the Jukebox. That was hilarious!


I'm not sure what's so funny - you and the other DJ are both working at the same bar. In order for any venue to succeed - whether it's a bar, amusement park or a roller rink - everyone has to be on the same page and work together when things need improvement. When one guy sucks, the whole place sucks. It's not like the bar went from being a craphole to a goldmine between Friday night and Saturday night.

If I were the manager of this place I'd tell you both to go home. There's nothing hilarious about any of it.
 
I'm not sure what's so funny - you and the other DJ are both working at the same bar. In order for any venue to succeed - whether it's a bar, amusement park or a roller rink - everyone has to be on the same page and work together when things need improvement. When one guy sucks, the whole place sucks. It's not like the bar went from being a craphole to a goldmine between Friday night and Saturday night.

If I were the manager of this place I'd tell you both to go home. There's nothing hilarious about any of it.
I don't work there on a regular bases first of all. He just happened to like what i've done in the past while i have played there and decided to give me a call. I had the date open so why not go and make some gas money? That's really what it comes down to. I made $150.00 which is the normal going rate around here when it comes to a DJ playing in a bar. If it's a club and you're famous enough you can get paid more.

As for the thing about me doing a photography shoot and getting paid $250.00. I would never have answered the ad because i'm not a photographer. I have a very nice camera that friends of mine have seen. They keep telling me i can make money taking pictures. That's not the reason i bought the camera. I bought it so we can take pics and videos at private events we do when we can. I say when we can because in our contract i ask is it ok or not for us to do so. The client we're working for this coming Saturday said no. Nothing we can do about that. He made his decision. I actually bought that camera because we did a 25th wedding anniversary and were taking pics with my partners simple point and shoot digital camera. The pictures were horrible. Most were very blurry. The only pics that turned out ok were the ones of the couple and that's it. The rest were horrible and we couldn't use any of them for the website. Which is what i want to do with this camera. Now the other thing about the fact that they are willing to supply the tools to do the photo shoot/video shoot. Even if they are supplying the tools, don't you have to know how to use them? Just because you got a great camera to work with doesn't mean you know what to do. Same with DJing. Just because you have great gear doesn't mean you know what you'[re doing with it.

I may get into it down the line but i need to make sure i know what i'm doing first before i want to put myself out there that i can take pics and video for a client.

If they were willing to pay $500.00 to take some pics and video i still wouldn't answere the ad. I wouldn't do it because it's not about just being able to say i made $250.00 for shooting pics and video. I would want the client to be happy with the work i'm doing for them and would want it to be of professional quality and not me just taking pics and video with a nice camera.
 
You made it sound as if $250 wasn't enough for shooting pics with someone elses gear, not that you were not good enough for the job, big difference.

I am sure no one here disagrees that you are not the man for the job, at any price.
 
Read the post Shane. I said the manager who called me wanted me to come play on Friday but the other manager got someone else already. So that's why I didn't get it. He told me it was out of his control.
 
MixMasterMachoMachoMan! You are all over the place. You should purchase a jukebox and then rent it out to the local bars. Then you will make a little money and then you can stop whining about making no money, working for free and craig list dj's.
 
MixMasterMachoMachoMan! You are all over the place. You should purchase a jukebox and then rent it out to the local bars. Then you will make a little money and then you can stop whining about making no money, working for free and craig list dj's.
I know i can't win. I get a call to do a bar when i have nothing scheduled. I take the job and i'm looked down on for taking such a low paying gig using my equipment. If i said no to the gig then there are those who would say i was stupid for not taking the gig on a day when i don't have a booking for that date. To some at least you made some money. And others will say that's not good enough.

I did the gig and now i can fill my tank up with gas and pay to see the physical therapist and doctor i need to see this week. Of course for some that's no money because they have a ton of work lined up. We don't so sometimes i say you got to get in where you fit in at. Well we do have a graduation party this Saturday to do. That's good and just maybe some more work will come from it. Like i said to bad we're not allowed to take pictures and video of the people dancing having a good time. We can only take pictures of us and our equipment. I wish we could do so to have something nice to put on the website.

I beleive the client really was more worried about us posting stuff on youtube. I wouldn't do that. I would only add the stuff to our website and i have a link to my facebook business page. That's it. Just wish me great skill on Saturday. I don't say luck because when you've been doing this as long as we have it's not luck, it's skill.
 
Well great skill to you MixMasterMachoMachoMan! Dude just keep doing what your doing. Some money is better than no money. Just dont drag out the whole arsenal for chump change. Use the bar systems to save wear and tear on your back andgear.
 
Well great skill to you MixMasterMachoMachoMan! Dude just keep doing what your doing. Some money is better than no money. Just dont drag out the whole arsenal for chump change. Use the bar systems to save wear and tear on your back andgear.
I just carried the basic minimal. 2 tops, laptop, external HD, Denon 6000 in the case and corded mic. I just brought the subs the first time to hear how it would sound. That was my first experience using them.

I'll post something else later that taught me a lot today!
 
MixMasterMachoMachoMan! You are all over the place. You should purchase a jukebox and then rent it out to the local bars. Then you will make a little money and then you can stop whining about making no money, working for free and craig list dj's.

Ricky can help you with that - buying jukeboxes.

:)
 
Let me first start this off by saying you all have been right. Stop chasing after cheap potential clients. Go after clients who really respect what you do and willing to pay good money for your services. Thanks to all who talked me into buying the Canon T3i camera. That is a great camera and it takes super pictures! I just want to be able to do events that are very classy so i can take pictures and video to add to our website. Not just a simple crappy event like a backyard party.

Now with that said. I'm working in another school for a few weeks. The boss there is a DJ also. He found out i'm a DJ and we got to talking. I already knew he is a DJ. He told me he's been DJing for 25 years. Now here's the sad part. He mentioned a DJ that i know of. I don't know him personally. He said this DJ was messing things up for other DJ's. He said that DJ was going into bars playing for $50.00-$70.00 and he's on drugs.

After that he went on to say he DJ's and gets paid $300.00-$400.00. Obviously he's not getting paid that much in a bar. He's talking about doing private evnets. He said that with a badge of honor. Like he's way above this other DJ. I know i'm in the same boat as him and wanting to improve. It's a shame he's been DJing that long and all he can get paid to do private events is $300.00-$400.00. That's sad for both of us but at least i'm working on getting out of that rut.

He's thinking getting paid that kind of money to do private events is great. He doesn't have a clue that's he's hurting this business as much as this other DJ he put down. He doesn't see to have been DJing and that's all he can get is a major problem. Just remember i did include myself in that equation. I'm not just ragging on him. I'm kicking myself in the butt too.

At least this Saturday's graduation party is paying us $500.00. Not a lot compared to what some of you are able to get but at least it's a step in the right direction.
 
He said this DJ was messing things up for other DJ's. He said that DJ was going into bars playing for $50.00-$70.00 and he's on drugs.


Macho Man:

Some of us have worked bars for many years. I especially like TT bars, because I can walk out with $300-500 in cash for a few hours work (the gals tip you a percentage of their earnings).

As has been mentioned elsewhere, you cannot rely on the owner to pay you anything but a minimum. You have to hustle, work the crowd, and take care of the gals.
 
Macho Man:

Some of us have worked bars for many years. I especially like TT bars, because I can walk out with $300-500 in cash for a few hours work (the gals tip you a percentage of their earnings).

As has been mentioned elsewhere, you cannot rely on the owner to pay you anything but a minimum. You have to hustle, work the crowd, and take care of the gals.

Ricky Rockit! It's hard enough to get MixMasterMachoMachoMan to focus on the advice we give him here. Having him work at a shake shake spot will even throw him even further for a loop with jugs banging into his head nightly. MixMasterMachoMachoMan needs to join up with a multi op that can give him regular work to keep him busy.
 
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News flash: Nobody's hurting any business by making $300 to $400 per night.

Mix, it's funny hearing you complain about the DJ who's only charging $300 to $400 for a private event, when you post over and over about the people that you can't sell yourself to at $500, $600, or more. The only difference between you and the new boss is that he knows what his talent is worth and has found a way to get paid for it. I'm okay with that - he's not stealing business or clients away from any other DJ. On the other hand, you want to charge more but don't have much to offer aside from a new set of speakers and a new website with pictures from events that you didn't do.

How hard would it be to accept what you've got and actually enjoy the types of events that you're doing? You're the only person I know who buys a fancy camera in anticipation of being able to use it to take pictures at fancy events that you're not even booking, then complains about backyard parties. It just doesn't make sense.