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How to promote yourself?
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| Carona |
Here's the deal i'm somewhat stuck. I've got my demo out to two of the local promoters and have played a few gigs for both guys but since the trance scene in my city is rather grim, I haven't been able to break through and play that one set where a buzz is created afterwards. My name is slowy getting out there but until I actually play a solid live set in front of more then 20 people, it's going to be tough to get anything in town.
This sunday is going to be the 2nd night i've spun at the local club(which is the all electronic club in town) for a trance night and i'm pretty sure the turnout will pretty grim because it's a Sunday and it's just me and him, no big name local headliner to spin. This is really making me think where I should be concentrating my time and energy. I look at Vancouver which is a 30 km trip across the water and see the same old names playing at each party. Is it almost better to focus on trying to break through over in the bigger city?
So basically my question's are, what is my best option? Make a name for myself in my hometown where the scene is all but no existant or try for the bigger city promoters in hopes that they may want some fresh new blood?
And how should I go about promoting myself to the promoters out there that haven't heard my name and most likely, do not care who I am? I do have some connections over there so should I try and work on them to get me gigs? It seems like this is an industry like most others where it's "who you know" which sucks because I work hard at what I do.
Now I know I have to be patient and all but it's frustrating to see people get gigs not because they're one of the better dj's out there but because they are friends with the promoters. |
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| Briden |
I'm in the same boat dude. I've played a few parties, for 50 people or so, and it's been awesome, but getting gigs is so damn hard!
So, instead, i bring the party to the people instead of waiting for it to come. Bring your decks down to a local park and rip it up. Throw your own party. Play online, send to friends, burn CDs, and pass them out to friends for free. Even open up your own club if you want!
the gigs slowly start to come in. I'm playing a party tommorow night (just a house party) and one this weekend. Hell, i'm even DJing a wedding the same weekend! I look it as an opportunity to learn how to use CD decks (although i will have my techs and records of course as well). Also more importantly, an opportunity to learn "crowd control" the hardest DJ skill of all. who knows, maybe someone there sees me and books me for a big gig, you never know!
you in victoria? if so, pm me. |
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| FirstBorn |
Absolutely right - it's all about 'who you know'. However, until you get yourself out there and start talking to people, you won't know anyone.
I've found the best way to get gigs is to get out there and start networking. Go to as many club night and parties that represent your style of music and possible. (This shouldn't be an unpleasant thing to do - you love the music and you love going out, right? ;) ). Talk to as many people as you can - find who the promoters and DJ's are and have a chat with them. Don't rush in with "I'm a DJ and I'd love a gig...." but find out more about the clubs, the parties, the individuals involved, learn what they do at the moment and what they'd like to do in the future. Talk to your fellow clubbers as well: find out where they go, what they like, what they dislike, what scene they're into. Ask them who the 'names' are in that particular scene: a golden rule of networking is if a certain person can't help you, ask them if they know someone who can. Build up a list of names, then go out and find them. If *they* can't help you, ask who can. Repeat the process and repeat again.
Keep every phone number and email address you're given. Never throw any contact details away - you never know when they might come in useful!
Take some demo CD's with you when you go out. It can get expensive but you need to have stuff with you that backs up your credentials as a great new up-and-coming DJ so make the best demo you can and give it out liberally. You never know who might end listening to it, even if you only give CD's out to your fellow clubbers. I gave a demo CD to a random girl at a club, we became friends and she asked me to DJ at her birthday party where a couple of promoter friends of hers were also there. I got a gig as a result of this.
A lot of this advice might sound obvious but it really works. Two years ago, I didn't even realise there was a big trance scene in my area. I went to a one-off trance night at a local club that normally plays house, met some like-minded people who introduced me to a huge, growing underground trance scene and (eventually) I got booked to play at some of their parties. Had I not gone out and talked to people, I never would've known this scene existed.
Finally, if all the above doesn't work, take the plunge and put on your own night. Install yourself as resident, book some friends as DJ's and see who you get through the door. I know plenty of people who've done this and have landed gigs in fairly high places. I'm thinking of setting up my own night myself - but that's another story. ;)
Good luck! :D |
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| Keith Chambers |
I started doing my own parties with a buddy. Our first party pulled in 165 and the one last weekend had around 120. For Halloween we were approached to do a 500 person show so things are taking off. We use a site called http://www.nitroevents.com and we keep it updated with the lastest party info. We charge around $20 and it is open bar.
The parties are a blast and you make a little cash. But at the same time they are a ton of work and the upfront investment in equipment was around $10,000. Still, it's worth doing if you ask me.
Here are some pics from our party this last weekend:
The opening DJ Ed. Ed is the man.
My girlfriend would kill me if she knew I posted this one! :)
We had some breakers that were awesome show up!
Here I am on the decks with the argon laser. Gotta love the laser. :)
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| Boomer187 |
well if I was you I woudl try to work my connections in every town I could. You can't go too wrong with it. I mean you may get booked for ty gigs, but they are gigs.
get out the demo cds, you need to pump a lot of them out, a lot of people just take me and never listen, but it is worth it to get em out.
Also try to get some time slots online to broadcast. then advertise around town about it. Get people to listen to that, then they will know your style and book ya.
and also, if you wanna make it big......start producing. |
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| Nemesis44 |
You got to do the lot. Don't settle for promoting yourself in your home town. Go all city as it were.
Besides you will probably get a gig easier in your home town if you have some experience out of town.
Just go for as much experience as you can even if it does mean travel. You may start as a no name but people soon catch on, especially if you are doing something they like.
Just pay your dues and respect the time slot and you will get along. Be prepared to put in some solid work for a few years though.
Cheers
Nem |
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| DJ Charlie |
... its not always who you know from the industry that helps you getting your way... Its where you try to do it.
I know lots of promoters, and I still never had the chance to proove myself.
I once became a resident of a local club because my friends were the promoters... I was resident for 2 weeks. lol
The owner fired me because he thought I was too hardcore.
True, if the club is known for playing crappy and old hip hop and house. No matter what you play... its the owner who has the final word. He owns the club and his club has a specific image, and he wants to keep it that way because his business is working.
I also know very very well a club owner near my house. Same story...
He doesn't want to let me play because he knows I want to play something different. Why would he takes the risk to loose his customers if they already like the music that they play. |
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| DJ Joshua H |
Keith,
what mixer were you using in those pics? I can't tell what it is. |
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| Keith Chambers |
| It's the Rane 2016 MP + XP. |
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| Nemesis44 |
| quote: | Originally posted by DJ Charlie
... its not always who you know from the industry that helps you getting your way... Its where you try to do it.
I know lots of promoters, and I still never had the chance to proove myself.
I once became a resident of a local club because my friends were the promoters... I was resident for 2 weeks. lol
The owner fired me because he thought I was too hardcore.
True, if the club is known for playing crappy and old hip hop and house. No matter what you play... its the owner who has the final word. He owns the club and his club has a specific image, and he wants to keep it that way because his business is working.
I also know very very well a club owner near my house. Same story...
He doesn't want to let me play because he knows I want to play something different. Why would he takes the risk to loose his customers if they already like the music that they play. |
It's also worth mentioning that it's worth knowing promoters from your specific industry. Those don't sound like the sorts of clubs where you would get a good reception anyways. People go there because they like old hip pop and mainstream stuff etc. Chances are that the owners know their crowd better than you do.
Don't fret, your time will come. :) You just have to be persistent and you got to make yourself stand out.
Cheers
Nem |
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| Carona |
| Thanks for the advice everyone :) |
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| DJ Lucas |
| same problem here, man.....i got my first gig about 3 weeks ago, and I've been handing out demos somewhat often, but I realized that I need to hand out more, because people that don't know you, dont' care if you make it anywhere or not.....it is tough....but if you know you have talent and you keep trying, eventually your work will pay off....but a lot of trance-haters in my town as well :( |
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