DJ Andrew Ryan
So, this is long,, and I apologize ...i want to run some thoughts past some DJs here. I find myself in a spot with one of my regular gigs. Been DJing for this particular place since 2016(when it opened) Always had a great time, played exactly what I was reading form the crowd and always had a good dance floor. Lately, the owner of this establishment has been micromanaging the DJs really bad. Example, I was playing some throwback party songs that everyone loves to dance to, like DMX, Usher,Luda, lil jon - Yeah, and the works, you know how it goes. Girl comes up, asks for another throwback all while the same time the owner comes up beside her and tells me Stop playing old music, play brand new hip hop. I responded, Really? I'm a party DJ, not a Brand New Hip Hop Music DJ only, because this crowd is really digging this set, to which he replies, Fuck them, play what I want to hear and walked about. I looked at the girls and she goes,, "really?" and Im like Im sorry so she states shes taking her friends to another club. Lately, I go here and have no idea what to play or what I can make work as I have no idea what will be said by the owner while all my other gigs allow the DJ to be a DJ as, that's our Job. Being a resident DJ at this place for a while now and I'm no longer feeling it. The crowd may be there in numbers, but not in quality. Lately, another DJ has joined us and hes on the microphone like every 2 to 5 mins saying things that is only 50% understandable and I feel like this place is pulling a "ooo shiny!" and they want me to do the same. The pressure I been feeling there lately has caused me to not perform as well as I once have and I'm trying to weigh my options to either pull out an go elsewhere. This weekend I was canceled as we had a music fest in town and it pretty much killed the nightlife crowd. So I text the one DJ who they also have there (Newer) to find out where he was, just to hang out. Found out he was at my spot AND the crowd was just fine. This is the ONLY place and ONLY time I have ever had these things happen as else where, my gigs are fine. There are times we have a very weird crowd, hard to read, not that responsive and the owner makes it a point lately to get the bartenders also involved in telling my I blew.. Like really??.. What would you guys do in this situation? If i was a bad DJ, Id loose my radio gig and prob all my other places but I feel confident that when left to be a DJ and allowed to perform as A DJ.. I perform just fine. One of my other gigs and along side a local Top 40 radio station in a nightclub and we kill it every night, much better vibe ..
Inviato Sun 21 Jul 19 @ 7:54 pm
xylume
A lot of new music samples classic Hip Hop tracks these days. DJ Khaled seems to be doing a lot of this and record pools have remixes to those old classics. I'd say try and play more new music and less re-current hits and a few key throwbacks as needed to see what happens. A lot of older people are starting to like new music now, but a lot of younger people are into older music. I'd try to play for the younger crowd that likes newer music even if they appear to like older music.
Play a ratio of 3 or 4 new songs to 1 or 2 re-currents and keep your playlists organized so you can find the top 100 new songs easily. Once your playlists have 100 of the newest songs, create another one with another top 100 new songs so you can stay away from too many older songs in a row. It might seem boring, but people really are harder to read these days than ever.
Play a ratio of 3 or 4 new songs to 1 or 2 re-currents and keep your playlists organized so you can find the top 100 new songs easily. Once your playlists have 100 of the newest songs, create another one with another top 100 new songs so you can stay away from too many older songs in a row. It might seem boring, but people really are harder to read these days than ever.
Inviato Mon 22 Jul 19 @ 3:28 am
Stephen Nawlins
How much do you Need that Job???
I wouldn't spend my nights there if I wouldn't have to.
As you said if you were a bad DJ you would have been fired at other places too.
I'm in my 20th year as DJ, always had Long time residencies and they always stopped from one day to the other because of Owners & Managers getting thru a bipolar Phase of their life.
This happens and for every door that Closes 2-3 others open again.
I wouldn't spend my nights there if I wouldn't have to.
As you said if you were a bad DJ you would have been fired at other places too.
I'm in my 20th year as DJ, always had Long time residencies and they always stopped from one day to the other because of Owners & Managers getting thru a bipolar Phase of their life.
This happens and for every door that Closes 2-3 others open again.
Inviato Mon 22 Jul 19 @ 11:18 am
burnyabad
Not exactly true. Dude, not to be rude but they want you to quit. Your new dj "friend" is also most likely talking serious shit about you to the bar owner/manager, typical new dj back stab behavior. You have lost this gig man.. I doubt you get asked back in there, but if they do, it is only because they could not get you replaced fast enough. You fell behind what the bar expected you to do, you let your ego get in the way, and there is probably a lot you are not telling us about your behavior in the bar.
Inviato Mon 22 Jul 19 @ 2:27 pm
DJ Andrew Ryan
Wrong.. They do have my booked for August and asked for dates.. I'm just not feeling it there anymore especially for the latest moves
Inviato Mon 22 Jul 19 @ 4:19 pm
the SOUND INSURGENT
Naw I doubt it’s any of that, it’s a new generation and there’s a shit ton of music other then the “classics”.
Step up with the new stuff and switch up your style on the mic.
You’ve gotten comfortable and the bar is getting bored.
You gotta stay current or you get replaced, it’s as simple as that.
Step up with the new stuff and switch up your style on the mic.
You’ve gotten comfortable and the bar is getting bored.
You gotta stay current or you get replaced, it’s as simple as that.
Inviato Mon 22 Jul 19 @ 4:19 pm
burnyabad
^^^
Also, what genre of music do they want you to play? What area of the USA are you located and are you a late night bar or is it a typical 10pm - 2am bar. I would still look at the new dj as suspect unless you know him very well, new djs typically will say or do anything to take a gig.
Also, what genre of music do they want you to play? What area of the USA are you located and are you a late night bar or is it a typical 10pm - 2am bar. I would still look at the new dj as suspect unless you know him very well, new djs typically will say or do anything to take a gig.
Inviato Mon 22 Jul 19 @ 5:48 pm
DJ Andrew Ryan
The funny thing is.. And I joke not.. The other dj is playing the same songs and style.. I do play a lot of new music and I'm their only VJ who uses the venues large lcd video wall.. No one else is using it and this is what they want. All my other gigs are rolling just fine
Inviato Mon 22 Jul 19 @ 9:13 pm
burnyabad
DJ Andrew Ryan wrote :
The funny thing is.. And I joke not.. The other dj is playing the same songs and style.. I do play a lot of new music and I'm their only VJ who uses the venues large lcd video wall.. No one else is using it and this is what they want. All my other gigs are rolling just fine
I keep saying this, in the biz, young/new djs will say anything, do almost anything to grab someone's gig. I'd be careful with that dude.
Inviato Mon 22 Jul 19 @ 10:37 pm
wildcountryclub
i deal with the exact same micro-managing from someone who 1 - doesn't know the genre's country, hip-hop, current dance, current edm, trap, etc. 2 - doesn't know the customer's demographic mindsets except for his drinking buddies and the people he thinks are 'his type' 3 - NEVER watches the floor reaction to the music he thinks the customers want.
"play new music! we're tired of the same old stuff!" we are literally REQUIRED to play the same 2 songs every night at the same time and HIS boss says we 'must' play certain songs every night during the midnight non-country sets.
Wednesday - an entire hour of new songs all from the last 2 years. no one dancing and half the building left before the hour was up.
Thursday - starting around 10pm, a 45 minute block of all brand new songs, then switch to the non-country for a set - again all new songs from the last 6 months - and NO ONE dancing the entire time.
Friday - 30 minutes of all new stuff after playing crowd favorites - good solid danceable country music from the last 20 years - no problem keeping a wide ranging demographic spread moving on the floor...and during that 30 minutes only 2 couples danced and not even for the entire songs. as customers come up to complain I stop sending them to complain to the manager and instead direct them to HIS boss.
Saturday - same. but this time NO ONE dancing at all, parties leaving the club, and the regulars complaining left and right. as soon as I start playing the songs the CUSTOMERS wanted the floor kept moving til long after 2am.
and yes he's been trying to replace me for years now.
but I deliver consistent results and no one else in the area truly wants to work for him and be under the same kind of leash.
many of us have been there and done that. the choices are, quit and find someplace else, weather the storm and hope he pulls his head out of his rectum, or diplomatically and tactfully tell him where to go and how to get there and ask if he wants an empty club.
personally i like letting the customers tell him exactly that.
and they aren't diplomatic about it.
"play new music! we're tired of the same old stuff!" we are literally REQUIRED to play the same 2 songs every night at the same time and HIS boss says we 'must' play certain songs every night during the midnight non-country sets.
Wednesday - an entire hour of new songs all from the last 2 years. no one dancing and half the building left before the hour was up.
Thursday - starting around 10pm, a 45 minute block of all brand new songs, then switch to the non-country for a set - again all new songs from the last 6 months - and NO ONE dancing the entire time.
Friday - 30 minutes of all new stuff after playing crowd favorites - good solid danceable country music from the last 20 years - no problem keeping a wide ranging demographic spread moving on the floor...and during that 30 minutes only 2 couples danced and not even for the entire songs. as customers come up to complain I stop sending them to complain to the manager and instead direct them to HIS boss.
Saturday - same. but this time NO ONE dancing at all, parties leaving the club, and the regulars complaining left and right. as soon as I start playing the songs the CUSTOMERS wanted the floor kept moving til long after 2am.
and yes he's been trying to replace me for years now.
but I deliver consistent results and no one else in the area truly wants to work for him and be under the same kind of leash.
many of us have been there and done that. the choices are, quit and find someplace else, weather the storm and hope he pulls his head out of his rectum, or diplomatically and tactfully tell him where to go and how to get there and ask if he wants an empty club.
personally i like letting the customers tell him exactly that.
and they aren't diplomatic about it.
Inviato Tue 23 Jul 19 @ 2:29 am
freppa
I would search for other places to get a recidental place, and just turn down the old place.
The owner and the new dj (friend ?!) went behind your back and this is what they get..
Just quit when you get a better place to work for you.
Good luck searching better gigs :)
And dont take that shit from anyone !
The owner and the new dj (friend ?!) went behind your back and this is what they get..
Just quit when you get a better place to work for you.
Good luck searching better gigs :)
And dont take that shit from anyone !
Inviato Tue 23 Jul 19 @ 6:32 am
wildcountryclub
sometimes Freppa there are no other gigs. at least none that would pay the bills the same way.
I've been resident here at this club since '98. we've destroyed ALL of our competition and now our competition is us. the other clubs still standing are for different demographics and are not in direct competition and the rest are all small places that wouldn't come close to paying the bills.
the only other option is leaving the area and I won't do that to my kids. they've already had enough going on with their parents breaking up and they don't need long distance parenting or living long distances away from parents or siblings.
sometimes there are no cut-and-dried simple solutions, and throwing away 30 years of dj'ing and a 21 year residency is just not that easy. and club owners tend to gossip about past and present employees more than little old ladies in church.
I've been resident here at this club since '98. we've destroyed ALL of our competition and now our competition is us. the other clubs still standing are for different demographics and are not in direct competition and the rest are all small places that wouldn't come close to paying the bills.
the only other option is leaving the area and I won't do that to my kids. they've already had enough going on with their parents breaking up and they don't need long distance parenting or living long distances away from parents or siblings.
sometimes there are no cut-and-dried simple solutions, and throwing away 30 years of dj'ing and a 21 year residency is just not that easy. and club owners tend to gossip about past and present employees more than little old ladies in church.
Inviato Tue 23 Jul 19 @ 7:29 am
burnyabad
I am in a club setting almost exactly like yours. I do a late night till 6am club with little competition. I am in my 50's and most if not all of my customers are 30 and under. I have learned to mix up new and old songs. I have to keep up with the newest hip hop (Danceable) songs. I do this by editing the song myself and adding a dance beat, or using funkymix/x-mix/bpm supreme mixes to control the dance floor. I do have to run my own light show, videos, and food/drink advertising. Hang in there, hopefully you dont kill your bar or your reputation by playing new shit music like you did. Mix it up!
Inviato Tue 23 Jul 19 @ 3:04 pm
wildcountryclub
I've never worried about my reputation. I don't even advertise myself as a dj. only thing I promote is the club itself.
I've survived changes in ownership, management, the building burning down in '02, and the idiots they have thrown in the booth to supposedly work with me and take off the load... and only one of them has been able to stick it out and still works there and he is just as tired of his crap.
and believe me I do indeed let the customers know that the music is NOT my choice.
it's been so bad at times that customers will come up to the booth and look at the empty floor and say "he's been trying to play dj again?"
always more going on behind the scenes in a club than most customers know but I DON'T play bar politics and treat everyone the same.
part of why me and that idiot don't' get along probably. that and some of other reasons.
the one thing I do worry about is the longevity of the business. after this long it's home. and ya don't mess with someone's home.
I've survived changes in ownership, management, the building burning down in '02, and the idiots they have thrown in the booth to supposedly work with me and take off the load... and only one of them has been able to stick it out and still works there and he is just as tired of his crap.
and believe me I do indeed let the customers know that the music is NOT my choice.
it's been so bad at times that customers will come up to the booth and look at the empty floor and say "he's been trying to play dj again?"
always more going on behind the scenes in a club than most customers know but I DON'T play bar politics and treat everyone the same.
part of why me and that idiot don't' get along probably. that and some of other reasons.
the one thing I do worry about is the longevity of the business. after this long it's home. and ya don't mess with someone's home.
Inviato Tue 23 Jul 19 @ 3:34 pm