OK, i gotta be totally honest. Latley I've been so fucking down about this whole dance music thing. I know that theres lots of you who have residencies playing what you love but, while I do hold some residencies, they're all playing almost all top 40 and hip hop with a smidge of not so well taken top 40 remixes.

That being said, I've had a few nice opprotunities to spin at some great parties playing house and what not. I've also opened for Ryan Elliot (Spectral Sound DJ) at a rad party in Detroit.

But damnit, I can't say I'm really going anywhere with any of this, so It's definitley been easy to ask, why do I persist on buying tracks and what have you?

Of course, I do still love the music, but im not looking for a "Do it for the music, do it for the love" type of answer. Fuck, I'm not even looking for success.

I just want those of you to know, especially you European folks, that you are damn lucky to have the chance to have even ONE club or even a shitty BAR in your area playing accepted dance music.

In my city? People literally throw alchohol if you play anything other than Satisfaction at ANY club here in Grand Rapids.

I'm a multi instrumentalist with a main focus in jazz, so it doesnt really bust my bubble in a whole musical sense, but when it comes to electronica,

How do those of you in these shitty non existent scenes keep some sort if inspiration and fire to do what you do!?!?




Sorry for being a bitch

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Plink Plonk
Originally posted by SuspicionVandit
????

if you are moving from Riverside to LA, get a gun
if you are moving from LA to riverside, keep the gun, but put on a Panic@the Disco shirt. If you ever get caught without your shirt, your gonna need that gun

you move to a place that does accept the music, or you keep it in the bedroom. fuck man, you've got bleu and DEMF at least.

I find trance or any electronic music is quite an acquired taste of music and even different types within other types is acquired! but once your hooked on this u will be willing to make the effort for this. so u shud start up your own night and create a following. even if just 10 ppl turn up, spin those decks, they will leave satisfied (hopefully) and tell at least 1 person each surely. next time u have 20...build a good following, get ur name out.
hope this relights your fire!

i feel you man

it sucks... it really does suck.... USA has no appreciation for the most part for EDM

u need to live somewhere like in LA, Miami, DC, or NYC to get any club at all that plays EDM..

Its a tough feeling, feeling rejected like that. I know how you feel from spinning Top40 so many times... and I got very little money and less respect for it.

Think of it this way...you could sell yourself out and play the Billboard list every night to a predictable wage, or you can keep some respect for yourself and play the music that you want to share with the people. Remember the difference between you and the mobile Top40 jock isn't just that he spent a bunch of money on business cards and a PA, but that you have an eclectic style of music that you are sharing with others. That mobile jock has a Promo Only subscription and eyes on the money (not saying this is necessarily bad, but the resulting "set" is doing what is necessary to get the guy paid, not what the guy wants to play). You may not have that pay check, but you do have your dignity.

Do you live near Detroit? Send some demos that way. Even if its not Detroit Techno, at least the people there are more receptive to at least some EDM.

Also try hosting your own event. Starting a promotion "crew" is as easy as setting up a logo with Photoshop and contacting some DJ buddies that want to play at your event (that's how my crew, Random Transitions has begun, and we already have some well-known locals helping us out!). Let people know that you are trying to start a scene and they will help you if they can. PS: The Basement Jaxx, among other groups, got noticed by throwing their own parties...

Is the club that you're working at treating you like crud? Are you not getting paid to do your work for the place? You may have to put your foot down and either make sure they pay you/treat you better or leave. I had to leave the residency I had at a local Top40 club because the owners didn't care about me. Instead of them trying to get the EDM people in the venue, or even letting them know that I was there, they told me to "not play your shit music".

I left for a new club, where the owners have been very receptive to the music, and are supportive of me. The people I am working with now have the mantra "If we bring you up, then you'll bring us up with you", which is true (they want you to bring a bunch of people in the door). Try to look for a place with that kind of attitude (or set up that place for yourself). Make sure that the club is promoting you, not saying "why aren't you bringing X people in the door?"

I guess you could say that my Top40 gigs have been me "paying my dues". Worse come to worst you have another place to add onto your resume, so that when you find the gig that you want, you can have an easier job of convincing the promoter to book you.

It sounds like from the third paragraph that you're getting burned out by all of this. Maybe take a week off. Stop shopping for records for a while and listen to the ones that you have now. Dig up those CDs from 5 years ago. Re-kindle your love for the music. Come back when you get the "urge" to share music with others again.

quote:

u need to live somewhere like in LA, Miami, DC, or NYC to get any club at all that plays EDM..

Not entirely true. There is a good scene here in NC. The trick is reaching those people. You have to promote your events like its the last one you'll ever do! Plus, the OP lives near Detroit...Birthplace of Techno? There's gotta be a decent scene there.

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Well everyone who's posted thus far, I wanna say thank you for not being total douche bags and hearing what I have to say.

I also must admit its quite comforting to know there are people in the same boat as me.

I'm TOTALLY aware that im more fortunate than some. I mean I could live in the middle of Nebraska or something, with absolutley NOTHING going on. I'm super proud to have had the privelage to play in detroit, and as sketchy as the damn place is, I have tons of respect for the place and love it when I do go there. That being said, I dont want to come off too pigheaded about where I live or anything.

As far as my personal story goes, I'm an 18 year old jock with about 2 years experience, and have been lucky enough to had a connection that landed me right in the middle of the most successful group of DJ's in my city. The head guy so to speak is one of the 100 Billboard DJ's, so he keeps us looking ahead at playing the "hottest" shit whether it be in top 40 or most popular dance ie. electro house and what have you.

Basically, the group I'm in runs EVERY single popular night in the city, and I've been fortunate enough to have had 3 residencies. One ironically which I'm at right now haha

Speaking of getting your name out, I'm totally aware of what should be done. One thing that we were all instructed to do was make a website, do the myspace flyers and all that crap, and it works, but the bottom line is

WE ARE PLAYING THE SAME TOP 40 CRAP SONGS TO THE SAME DRUNK ASS PEOPLE EVERY NIGHT JUST IN DIFFERENT PLACES

Sure! There are tons of people that come out! And the places we work are really nice and respectful, but to be honest, a person can only take so much. I probably hear over 15 hours of top 40 music A WEEK. And its been that way for over a year now. I'm AMAZED that some jocks I work with have done this 10+ years.

Yes, theres gobs of money, and being a college kid going to a community college living with parents is bank, but I too believe it or not have values and this is just shit after a while

Theres ONE night which is run by some DIY kinda guys and yeah like 15 people come out, and I make sure to be friendly and have played that night a few times, but its still a sad sad thing to behold because its the EXACT same club that we pack when we play top 40.

There was ONE night that was supposed to be a 'dance' night at the biggest club in town, and after 4 months, it turned into a top 40 night and has now been shutdown.

It's just that kind of shit that is frusturating and really really gets to a person. I guess the thing to do is really focus on what scene I do have in Detroit and hammer the shit out of that. But its 2 hours away and is harder than it seems. Luckily I totally dig the detroit sound of things and play more of that than anything, but at the same time, thats probably THE most hated thing of all here in Grand Rapids, even by my fellow DJ buddies.

All im saying, is if theres even a SCRAP of a scene where you live and can dance to some good music with a decent crowd, go every fucking night and love it more than your dog, girlfriend or your mom.

Period

___________________
Plink Plonk
Originally posted by SuspicionVandit
????

if you are moving from Riverside to LA, get a gun
if you are moving from LA to riverside, keep the gun, but put on a Panic@the Disco shirt. If you ever get caught without your shirt, your gonna need that gun

i guess it just depends on the situation really. i just so happen to be surrounded by a bunch of the greatest people with unmoveable love for EDM...essentially we've spent the past year or more trying to build up the scene in upstate new york from nothing with success. little by little we're throwing bigger and better parties and i have people approaching me all the time asking for the next trance party or asking specifically for edm at events. you just have to have the will and like someone already mentioned just start throwing your own events. the clubs around here are only interested in top 40 and crap music and personally its unacceptable for me to play garbage as i became a dj specifically for EDM. its cool if your into your own thing thats fine, but i think in your situation the best way would just be to start up your own thing and when you have a couple successful parties it will draw more attention to the music. that's the main thing, exposure because once people go to a sick night of house and trance and get a slice of that feeling you get a huge events like ultraspin/wmc/etc they will come back for more. I have converted so many people over the past 6 months into EDM-lovers and i feel like especially now in the US with such crap music EVERYWHERE people need an alternative...

just my 2cts.

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http://www.djandrewgarcia.com

Play at gay bars.... they like edm. most gay bars dont have a decent dj and you'll have no problem getting in. i've dj'd at many a gay bar ~ yeah its a little weird, but you get to play edm.

LMFAO!

quote:

Originally posted by discobiscuit Play at gay bars.... they like edm. most gay bars dont have a decent dj and you'll have no problem getting in. i've dj'd at many a gay bar ~ yeah its a little weird, but you get to play edm.

that is very very true!

quote:

Originally posted by discobiscuit Play at gay bars.... they like edm. most gay bars dont have a decent dj and you'll have no problem getting in. i've dj'd at many a gay bar ~ yeah its a little weird, but you get to play edm.

so true. They music played in gay/lesbian bars are horrible. EDM or not. Bleh