DJ Elroy

When I was playing it was typically around $100-150 an evening, which could have been an hour or two or three depending on the show. I’d often agree to play for half that if it was a friends show, or if it was a guy that booked me regularly. I’ve also played for drinks & a guest list (more when I was first starting out, just to get my foot in the door).

I know the big name locals here can pull double that, but they could also pull a lot more heads into the door.

You will probably want to get them to sign a contract if you’re serious about getting paid. If it doesn’t matter to you either way and getting a chance to play is just as important as the money, a contract isn’t necessary. Just be warned, local DJs get burned all the time when it comes to getting paid (yes, even with a signed contract it’s sometimes hard to get any money, and it’s usually more expensive to enforce the contract than it’s worth in the end).

My suggestion: Write up a contract, maybe agree to do a show or two free at their club so you can create a buzz, then ask for money. They may fire you after your free shows (have a termination fee in the contract), but if you get a good response from the crowd chances are they’ll keep you on for a while.

Things you’ll need to consider when deciding how much to ask:

• What gear do you have to bring?
• How far do you have to drive?
• Do you have to pay for parking?
• Do you just show up and play or are you expected to be there before doors open til after closing time?
• How much do the other DJs in the area get paid?
• Are they paying per hour or per show? Is it a flat rate, a percent of the bar/door, or per head?
• Are you playing once a month? Once a week? Several times a week?
• Are you making any promises? (Like a guarantee for x-amount of people in the door each night)

And remember, if you ask for too much some new DJ might undercut you in a few months once you’ve got a decent club night built up. Or if it’s like you said and the club is usually packed anyway, they could probably get away with a “free” DJ anyway. Don’t price yourself out of the market!

So how did this gig go?

Thanks! Been using the avatar for a while now but I can’t take credit for the design. Actually it’s been so long I don’t remember who made it for me, but I love still love it!

And yes, raves used to be more than an event; they were an adventure. Spending all Friday afternoon picking out an outfit (yes, I was once a JNCO wearing, white glove dancing, pacifier chewing goofball. No, don’t ask for pics), making sure we had party favors, refreshments, etc, picking out a selection of mixtapes for the ride to and from the show, and getting in touch with friends and planning where and when to meet (this was before everybody had cell phones so we had to plan ahead). At the designated time we had to call for the “map-point” location, and we all met there for a little pre-party. Sometimes we just hung out and traded mixtapes in the parking lot, sometimes they actually had a local DJ there. Once we got the map to the venue we were off!

The venues were pretty cool too. Sometimes they were just empty warehouses, sometimes old roller rinks, a few times we went to an old fairgrounds after hours, or sometimes in the middle of fields, or maybe at racetracks, or in empty strip malls, or in parking garages. My first party was in an old junkyard that had been turned into an outdoor paintball arena. I think one of my most memorable shows was at Bishops Castle. We’d be partying til the sun came up, we’d grab a bite to eat, go home, sleep a few hours, then meet at a park or something for BBQ and to plan the show for the next evening and the cycle start over again…

But when the promoters started getting shut down, some tried to move the events to club settings. Sure it was more legit and legal, but a lot of the magic was lost. I feel sorry for the kids just coming into the scene today that didn’t get to experience that.

So maybe I’m jaded when it comes to clubbing nowadays. I’m not saying I’ll never go to another show, but will I ever be a weekly club fly again? No way. That period of my life is long past. But I know a lot of people in their 20s or 30s or older that do still enjoy going to clubs. They are generally cleaner, more organized, more centralized, and have built-in sound systems and gear.

You can only get so far if you don’t master both.

Music selection is important for the obvious reasons, and flow is more subtle.

I think it also depends on your crowd, the venue, and the time you play. Flow is a lot more important to an opening act than a headliner that can get away with playing all hits with little direction.