Bar & Club What would you do for a wed. Night bar gig?

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MIXMASTERMACHOM

DJ Extraordinaire
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Oct 16, 2011
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I was over my partners house and he was telling me about someone that was looking for him to do a bar gig on Wed. nights. He didn't have any more details then that. I asked him where it was at and he said he didn't know. He said he believed it was in Orange, NJ. He wasn't sure if he wanted to do the bar gig or not since it's on a Wed. night and he figured it would be tough to get people in a place during the middle of the week to hear him play.

I agree and I know that's a tough night because I was helping out a friend playing in this famous club on Wed. nights and it was tough to get people to come out on that night. I wasn't doing it because of the money. I was doing it for the exposure. Some nights I might have come home with $15.00 since the agreement was the owner gets the bar and we get the admission from the door. Some nights I didn't get anything at all. That was OK with me as I said I was just looking to keep my skills sharp and get more exposure.

So if he does take on this gig what would you do to look to get people to come in the place on such a night? For me I would say the owner for that night would need to advertise drink specials all night long. From this time to that. Also I mentioned he should think of a certain time frame too. I suggested maybe 6pm till midnight since it's on week day and most people who have to go0 to work the next day aren't going to stay out that long. What are your thoughts on this?
 
People don't even go to the mall on Wednesday nights. Tell the owner to install a TouchTunes jukebox and be done with it.


Regional I would suspect. Our little local bars are usually packed every night of the week. There's no door charge at these places, you get maybe a $100 or so from the owner, and stuff the tip jar, and maybe get another $300. Pretty much the same crowd every night. You get to know them, and what they want to hear.

And I love the peanut shells on the floor -- adds ambiance. :)
 
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I have had the same Wednesday night gig for 15 years, $300 x 52 nights a year it adds up

I'm with you tunes, I've had my Weds night karaoke gig for 5+ years now. The place is always packed and sometimes we beat weekend sales. They also pay me more than any other kj I know in my market.

Mix, You can make a gig work ANY night in the week in almost any market if you promote it correctly. Being able able to produce a product people tell their friends about and want to come back for every week is the key. It just ain't gonna happen by just showing up with a fancy sound system, a few lights, & 2 partners and a girlfriend.
 
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It just ain't gonna happen by just showing up with a fancy sound system, a few lights, & 2 partners and a girlfriend.

Audio One is correct. What you need is a fancy sound system, a few lights, 2 girlfriends and no partner.
 
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I'm with you tunes, I've had my Weds night karaoke gig for 5+ years now. The place is always packed and sometimes we beat weekend sales. They also pay me more than any other kj I know in my market.

Mix, You can make a gig work ANY night in the week in almost any market if you promote it correctly. Being able able to produce a product people tell their friends about and want to come back for every week is the key. It just ain't gonna happen by just showing up with a fancy sound system, a few lights, & 2 partners and a girlfriend.
It's not me doing this. They asked for him. I'm busy on Wed. nights and wouldn't make it there till after 9pm most Weds.
 
Short of him already having a following on Weds, meaning he's been playing somewhere else, he's going to need the bar to draw people in, and he keeps them there

In today's world, the bar should market the event through social media and perhaps conventional media, as well as throughout the bar. Your DJ partner should be marketing the event through all of his social media followers.

But if it's a dead bar, and they are expecting the DJ to change everything and draw a big crowd on his own, hiring someone with little to no following for any amount of money doesn't make a lot of sense.

As far as exposure goes, if you get to keep the money from the door, and some days you leave with $15, and some days nothing, I'm guessing there wasn't much exposure.
 
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Short of him already having a following on Weds, meaning he's been playing somewhere else, he's going to need the bar to draw people in, and he keeps them there

In today's world, the bar should market the event through social media and perhaps conventional media, as well as throughout the bar. Your DJ partner should be marketing the event through all of his social media followers.

But if it's a dead bar, and they are expecting the DJ to change everything and draw a big crowd on his own, hiring someone with little to no following for any amount of money doesn't make a lot of sense.

As far as exposure goes, if you get to keep the money from the door, and some days you leave with $15, and some days nothing, I'm guessing there wasn't much exposure.
There was enough that people still remember me from doing that club and that was a few years ago.
 
well let HIM think of an idea - then he has to work for his worth!!