That’s a difficult one without knowing your background or where you are now. Similar culture, size of the town and what you are prepared to do. I’m a DJ since +30 years and also book DJ and support new DJ’s. That’s how I recruit new talents 🙂 . I recommend them for gigs I know they can handle. They are usually standing on their own feet after some introductions.
When DJ’s calls me for gigs, and I don’t know them, there’s only one thing I require. That’s them playing an hour for me in my studio. Their choice of music, but I will test them with some odd request just to see how they handle whatever I ask them to play. This goes for almost everyone. I don’t care if they’ve been residents in the best club in X-city. Just makes me raise the bar and my expectations.
The ones who shows up usually get their first gig within a week or two. The other ones usually never show up at all. For me it’s simple: If you can’t play an hour for me, how are you gonna perform for a packed club? If I get a recording from someone, i need to know how that recording was made. If it’s not a live recording from a gig, it has to be performed as one. When you make a mix-tape, you need to decide for what purpose. If it is for promotional use, it has to be something you can actually do live. If it is made for listening primarily, you can use the intros/outros and make everything smooth and perfect.
I think you should find the people who actually know and book the DJ’s where you now live. Try to connect and get some new friends. Go to the clubs and ask around. Introduce yourself and a firm handshake will always be a good choice. After a while people will get to know who you are and sometimes it’s more effective to drop the ”I’m a DJ” during a normal conversation. I won’t take long before questions will follow… Ask the club owners who they turn to for DJ’s. That’s who you want to talk to, and by now he may have heard of you already. Good luck, and if your new country happens to be Sweden and the city is in the south… please give me a call 🙂 .
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