How did you get your first set in a bar/club?

biggest thing is approach any potential venue manager, or promotions group as a friend get to know them as people first, offer to help without expecting a time slot to play right away. If they know your face and know you around the venue, chances are when they need someone to fill in, or a new position opens up they will most likely pick the person they know more as a person.

I went to a bar with a friend of mine. We talked to the owner about hosting a party in his place, bring some 50 people with us (that’s 25 friends each, very feasable), and he was happy to do it, cause it’s 50 potential new customers.

The evening was excellent, owner happy. We went to the club of the owner’s friend afterwards, and after talking to the club owner, telling him I DJ’d for his partner in the bar, he told me to hand the bar owner a Cd with my mix for him to listen to it. So potentially I’ll be mixing in that club soon.

Just socialize and ask, the owners are happy to have new DJ’s who bring friends along, and if you’re good at what you do, it opens other doors. Good luck, hope you get a gig soon.

Talk to everybody. All they can do is turn you down… ask 20 bar owners you get one gig…

Many of the tips above are useful. However, the only real thing I did to get my first gig is socialize, with everyone, not just the owners.

Just a short anecdote:
One night I was chilling at home listening to some Rock, no mood to go out. My sister came to ask me if I wanted to go to Pacha with her and some friends of both. Against my own will, I decided to go and just go and chill to the club. There, just talking to random people and not really caring if they were ‘useful’ for my DJ carreer or not, I met a really cool guy and we chatted for a while. We added on Facebook and I saw he was an important party organizer in my country and he saw I was a DJ and there it was where he asked me if I wanted to play at a regular gig he organized every friday and was in need of a DJ. Obviously I accepted.

Be cool with everyone, go out to clubs even if it just to chill. Make people like you, make everybody you can like you (even if they arent club owners or organizers, they might end up being your friends and therefore potential fans and referalls), just have a good time and make new friends.

Hope I my anecdote was of any help 😀 Cya round!

Just actually got my first night club 3 days ago in Old City Philadelphia. I approached them and told them what I had to offer, and what I think is the biggest factor is by telling them what you can do for them. They had a college night every Thursday and needed a second DJ for there third floor. I told them I go to school in Philly and have the connections to bring and promote at campus in the area. He liked my mix and know a lot about the industry. He straight out told me people my age 21 with no experience don’t get shots like this to perform in a club that fills 1,200 people every Thursday. So don’t give up and the only advice I can give you that I have been given don’t go out looking to open up for huge artists because you need to learn how to build your own hype for an event and no someone else build it for you.

It’s all about who you know and I knew the right guy. Knowing the right person will get you anywhere in life

Friends parties probably to start with (going back almost 20 years!) but after that, made friends through the clubs I went to/record shops/mates etc but also have ‘cold called’ bars which can work. Basically integrate within the scene you wish to be a part of, makes a huge difference IMO.

Yea my story is the same, became a regular at the party I wanted to Dj and they hit me up to do a set on my birthday. They liked my stuff and I’ve been a member of their dj crew ever since. One other thing that really got me out in the scene was to compete in a dj competition at one of the biggest clubs in the city. I didn’t win, but the Dj judges liked my set, it put me on their radar and they approached me to work on projects with them where we are now bringing in international acts to headline our parties.

JJZwirzina, post: 31317, member: 4165 wrote: Just actually got my first night club 3 days ago in Old City Philadelphia.

I’ll be moving from Bangkok to NYC in July and my partner is from Philly so we’ll be heading down there on weekends and holidays. Where do you normally play? What genres of music do you normally play out? I’d be interested in starting some bass culture EDM nights in Philly once I relocate….