Promoting in Northern New Jersey - TranceAddict Forums

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Posted by ejoffe on Feb-24-2011 22:26:

Promoting in Northern New Jersey

So I thought I'd start my TA forum adventure with a complicated and hopefully not futile exercise in making things happen/dreaming...

Where am I heading... TO NEW JERSEY (start fist pump now).

To preface this all I want to say I'm fairly new to the area!

I'm interested in being in partnership with professional (key word) promoters to start a weekly in Union County (Elizabeth/Rahway/Westfield/etc...) or Bergen County (Hackensack/Rutherford/Paramus/etc...)

What I dream could work:

TARGET: 21+ professionals...they aren't interested in mid-week NYC commutes and although they have money their not interested in NYC big room prices either.
MUSIC/SOUND LOGISTICS: House/Trance DJ's (no euro pop crap) - LOCAL LOCAL LOCAL! Need people with sound equipment expertise!
LOCATION: I'm thinking the industrial areas of Union/Bergen County could be prime spots. I have some bars in mind - but I'll save that for future communications. Obviously there's a lot involved with this part.
DOOR/MANAGEMENT LOGISTICS : Not sure where to start here - other than I know a bouncer - most of this I imagine is really part of the house and the price negotiated with said house.
PROMOTIONS: This is where I can actually help the most. I make websites for a living, I've done promotions in radio, I can get my graphic design skills on, etc...

So obviously there's a lot more to discuss and really this is just me putting out feelers/starting the conversation. Its definitely doable, but only with real dedicated people involved.

I hate to sound cliche, but I'm really looking for people who are serious, into our scene, and not into making a quick buck. This could take time to grow (like all good ventures)!

If weeklies like this are already going on without my knowledge in this area (and I have a feeling not) then all I can say is where are you promoting and how can I help!?

I need help TA! Lets make NJ fun again

Reply to this thread for starters or private message me

MODS: please move if this is not in the right area!

Posted by Excess on Feb-24-2011 22:52:

a few of us were throwing parties in teaneck under 'four to the floor events' - twice a month, even booked some bigger names. we've been on hiatus for a while though...

you seem enthusiastic, thats a plus. it's definitely do-able as we've tried and succeeded in throwing great trance/house-based parties. maybe it's time to get back in gear... i'm sure the others will see this post (rob, nick, jim feel free to chime in)

Posted by xpand3r on Feb-24-2011 23:18:

I don't have much time to help myself but I wouldn't mind going to events if they were held in Northern New Jersey area.. I live in Wayne and there is practically nothing to do here except bars.

Posted by Frequency Frank on Feb-25-2011 00:04:

Hope this goes well...good luck!

Posted by DJ_Rafnel on Feb-25-2011 00:45:

quote:
Originally posted by Frequency Frank
Hope this goes well...good luck!

+1

would be cool to see something started up in NJ

Welcome to the board

Posted by Scoops on Feb-25-2011 02:01:

I'm goin to avoid this topic for now

Posted by RoBDaWG on Feb-25-2011 02:52:

Lost cause...

Posted by Scoops on Feb-25-2011 02:58:

quote:
Originally posted by RoBDaWG
Lost cause...

basically....unless your name is BinoY or SergioT

Posted by TaurusNYY on Feb-25-2011 14:52:

I would def. support this- let us know your progress you never know who may be able to assist. I had checked out those 4 to the floor events and went 2 times to support them, in the end it was just way too trancey for me- my suggestions is bring more diversity and not just house/trance- we need some techno in jersey.- maybe you can look into that spot that they were throwing it in since they are already familiar with the scene. Its a great idea and Im sure will get a lot of support.

Posted by ejoffe on Feb-25-2011 16:23:

quote:
Originally posted by RoBDaWG
Lost cause...

How come?

If people get it done in rural sh*t hole towns (name your state) - how come we can't get something started (again) in one of the riches counties in the union?

Can those interested and have experience or at least have something to bring to the table PM me. This will die if I can't get help.

Posted by Scoops on Feb-25-2011 16:29:

quote:
Originally posted by ejoffe
How come?

If people get it done in rural sh*t hole towns (name your state) - how come we can't get something started (again) in one of the riches counties in the union?.

Because its all bout Who You Know in NJ and What You can bring to the table in both promoting and DJing...

as someone like myself who has been very invovled with the NJ Scene, I can that the market is not there like it used to be.

You have to factor alot of demographics into it as well.

Sure small partys may work here and there but if you want to go Long Term in NJ, you need to have a reputable name as the forefront backing your party who promoting it

Posted by ejoffe on Feb-25-2011 17:01:

quote:
Originally posted by Scoops
Because its all bout Who You Know in NJ and What You can bring to the table in both promoting and DJing...

as someone like myself who has been very invovled with the NJ Scene, I can that the market is not there like it used to be.

You have to factor alot of demographics into it as well.

Sure small partys may work here and there but if you want to go Long Term in NJ, you need to have a reputable name as the forefront backing your party who promoting it

Quite sad really - but perhaps we can start off small no? Build from there. I mean no disrespect honest, but it's not like we're in the heart of Vegas or Miami where I imagine it really is all about who you know. Perhaps I'm wrong and this is why nothing happens...

Posted by TaurusNYY on Feb-25-2011 17:08:

quote:
Originally posted by ejoffe
Quite sad really - but perhaps we can start off small no? Build from there. I mean no disrespect honest, but it's not like we're in the heart of Vegas or Miami where I imagine it really is all about who you know. Perhaps I'm wrong and this is why nothing happens...

Yeah i have to agree this isnt Ibiza where you cant get a small party started because your competing with promoters from all over the world, its just hackensack, or teaneck or whatever. Dont get discouraged- just step to the same place the 4 to the floor people threw there parties- seems simple enough - venue wise at least.

Posted by Scoops on Feb-25-2011 18:00:

Posted by hellosam on Feb-25-2011 18:11:

quote:
Originally posted by Scoops
Its all Politics in Jersey....

ex: Some big name DJs will only spin for certain promoters regardless of what the pay is

its like that ANYWHERE no just jersey. thats just plain how it works.

artists and their management get comfortable then make promises and then wont move. not to mention the contracts that we will not name between people we shall not mention (100s of them)

i think your idea of small parties is great. i know nothing about jersey but i know that on the right days people from nyc are willing to travel. Ive heard of lots of smaller things last summer that i never made but a lot of my friends did. i support you! just dont go into it jaded. start small and know that years may pass before you book even a B dj on a real contract

Posted by Armitage350 on Feb-25-2011 18:31:

Its a shame that so much politics and BS goes into stuff like this, but I guess it finds its way into everything eventually. I would love to see some stuff in NJ.

I don't mind going to NYC at all for sets, but its almost an hour drive one way for me and leaving a club at 4-5AM and having an hour drive (especially in conditions like last night) aren't always that fun. Not to mention finding street parking where I wont get ticketed or towed is never fun.

Posted by ejoffe on Feb-25-2011 20:54:

Wouldn't be interested in getting big names (way to many logistical concerns with that) - I'll leave that up to NYC promoters.

Would be interested in more of a "local spotlight" weekly (or bi-weekly). Something small to gauge the climate - and the wallet.

Still thinking on the best way to go about this - but I'm confident it can be done and done right.

Posted by James Gill on Feb-25-2011 21:26:

Hopefully Nick (playerlac) will comment on this thread, he knows better than anyone what it takes to throw a good party on your own in North Jersey.

When he started Electronic Evolution and me, Santos, and Rob got involved, it was definitely one of the most rewarding experiences I think we all got a chance to be a part of, but it was also probably one of the most frustrating. It was the same format that you have described here, and it was a common passion for this music and the drive to grow that got us all involved in the first place, but it was also a full-time job. Because every single party was such an uphill battle convincing New Jersyans to get involved (and because you can't rely on steady numbers from New York in New Jersey), it became very difficult to maintain a consistently good following, even though we brought in some of the best locals in the area like Zack Roth, Eco, Wayde Rafnel, and Dani Lehman & Keryn.

There were a lot of reasons it did not last and a lot of people worked very hard to keep it going as long as they could. On my end, I'll be flat-out honest, I started getting more shows in NYC and I really couldn't keep up with the work that was required of me so I told the guys I wouldn't be able to help as much as in the past. It sucked because the atmosphere we had created in those shows was so much fun, and everyone there was so into the music: it was a truly great energy.

I learned a lot from those parties and I still use a lot of what I learned being a part of that in the shows I do today: I'm not saying it can't be done, but understand it will require a lot of work and a lot of struggle, and it will take a lot of time, and even then nothing is guaranteed. Wish you the best of luck with it