Basic situation, I just want advice on how to approach...

I talked to a local bar/lounge owner here in San Diego and I managed to get a nice gig at a lounge/bar

I told him I'd be willing to do it complimentary this one time that way he has nothing to lose and he can see how I perform, he told me he would give me $150 so that I wouldn't go down there for nothing (I said awesome...)

So I spun that night with a bunch of friends that came as well, I brought about 20-25 people, everyone thought it was amazing... owner called me back two days later asking for more bookings and said that he loved it and that he would contact me for further details to discuss it later in the week etc.


NOW, I am wondering... how should I go about asking for pay? If he offered $150 off the bat, I'm thinking of telling him I charge 400-500 for the full setup which he saw on that night (I brought literally everything, Mackie PA speakers, CDJ's, laptop, table, pioneer 800-mixer etc.)

Do you think 400-500 from $150 that he offered is a huge jump?

Any tips or ideas would be greatly appreciated as to how I should WORD what I say to the owner, thanks a bunch

IMO, that's fair considering you're bringing EVERYTHING. Congrats btw.

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you're thinking about asking 400-500 bucks for 20-25 people... that's 20 bucks a head!!!!

getting 150 for 25 people is 6 bucks a head!!

i would stay at 150 until i started to draw more than 50 people and then negotiate a $ per person deal. it will motivate you and the owner to work towards one common goal.




there is a cover charge right?

How much would you pay your self if you had a bar and was going to hire somebody like you?
How much are you worth to him?
Think of a price that is fair for you and for the owner so that you stay in business in the long run.

Thanks for the suggestions.... the thing is I am going to tell him that I want to do these bookings Once or even every other month so that I can manage to get a crowd going, I dont want to be spinning at the place weekly with 4-5 friends you know?....

I would say for once a month to prep a nice tracklist and bringing a bunch of people with all my equipment, $400 would be a fair price no?

And there is no cover charge

Yeah I think that sounds fair.
As someone mentioned above, if you're providing all the equipment- i wouldn't hesitate to charge that much at all.

yea however he's got cdj-800's and an old pioneer mixer, he may just ass out and say "alrite just use my stuff and $300 it is"...

but bringing the speakers/stands. etc is the bitch and all hes got is some nice ceiling speakers which arent as exciting as my mackies obviously

so i'm still debating if i should even mention the equipment factor as he may refuse my offer to continue bringing it and just use his stuff

make sure you let us know how it goes...

How long did you play for?

If it was only two hours, I think upping it to $200 would be fair, but if it was five or six hours, I'd be asking for about $400.

There are two things to keep it mind:

1. If he's not a music nutter, he will think it crazy to spend $500 a night on a DJ, even one bringing their own gear.

2. If you ask, he can only say "no", but this may lower his opinion of you. Is it worth it?

If he complains about you upping the price, just remind him how many people you bought in, explain to him how much it would cost for him to hire all the comparative gear if you weren't bringing it in yourself, then finally, explain to him that the extra money is to cover any wear and tear on your gear, or any other damage that might occur in the foreseeable future.

Fuck, wish I could charge $400 a night.

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First up, for a lounge gig $150 is about 3 or 4 times what most DJs can expect to be paid.
Also think of it like this, let him make an offer, but I think to be honest that 150 is your limit already.
150 Dollars is about 75 pounds give or take, I know DJs who play alongside world renound names like PvD and the likes who get just a bit more than that per gig.

If you do get 3 to 400 dollars good luck to you, and I think I might move to San Diego to DJ.

Seriously though, with that kind of money exchanging hands you really have pressure to fill that place because if you don't and the bar makes a loss you will most likely get fired.

Don't get me wrong dude, I'm all for DJs being well paid but just know what's at stake and don't price yourself out of a job.
I do see that there is a difference with brining your own gear too and that will make a difference to the price, just stay alert and be aware that you can loose gear too or have it damaged.

What you might want to do is find out what I hire company charges for a similar set up and then undercut slightly.

Just avoid putting yourself in a situation where the guy can't make money from having your there because then you will be out of a job. Don't forget, the guy has overheads too, bar staff, premises and so on. It's sometimes worth a small sacrifice to get your foot in the door.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not one of those people who will flame you for wanting to make money out of what you do. We all gotta eat. But you do have to keep in mind that DJing is pretty tough in the beggining, middle and for most even the end assuming that they get past the first two stages.

You have an opportunity to create something, so nurture it and be prepared to compromise.

Cheers
Nem

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wow, awesome replies thanks a bunch for the advice to Nem and everyone else

I'll be sure to let you guys know how it all goes down

oh and I was mixing from 10pm-2am, and I will probably be doing this once a month at the place