djcity
Rude...
That was classic!
All of us that have been in the business for a long time can relate because we have all been there.
I think you handled it great! You ended up playing what they wanted to hear and in our business, it's the last impression that sticks with them, nor the first.
Beginning of the night.
Sober and critical people, wrong music...
End of the night.
Drunk happy people partying to the music they wanted.
Whoever does not understand, let them get some more experience under their belt. They will be in that situation and hopefully they can handle it.
If not...
F**k em and feed em beans.
Keep spinnin...
That was classic!
All of us that have been in the business for a long time can relate because we have all been there.
I think you handled it great! You ended up playing what they wanted to hear and in our business, it's the last impression that sticks with them, nor the first.
Beginning of the night.
Sober and critical people, wrong music...
End of the night.
Drunk happy people partying to the music they wanted.
Whoever does not understand, let them get some more experience under their belt. They will be in that situation and hopefully they can handle it.
If not...
F**k em and feed em beans.
Keep spinnin...
Posted Sat 09 Nov 13 @ 8:39 am
mini reaper
djcity wrote :
...
F**k em and feed em beans.
Keep spinnin...
F**k em and feed em beans.
Keep spinnin...
ahaha that made my day ..i WOULDVE STARTED MY NIGHT WITH THAT>>lool rude i know how u feel ..but hey u made the best out of it and rocked it ..so at the end ..u still managed to do what you do best..
Posted Sat 09 Nov 13 @ 12:16 pm
djsonance
"And dont be a dickhead!". Hahaha I love the way you ended the video.
Anyway, like everyone else said, shit happens. Dont beat yourself up over it. I think as deejays we have to learn to detach ourselves a little from gigs and sometimes clients. I remember a few years back I had a horrible gig, and I was really disappointed with myself over it. I took it personally and it affected my other gigs for the rest of the week. So now whenever I have a bad gig, I try my best to just shrug it off and put it in the bag of 'life's experiences'.
I totally feel you about wanting to accommodate your client's wishes especially if they hire you regularly, but at the same time you have to bear in mind that you are the professional and you know better than them. I don't think one comes off as arrogant when you say that. Its the truth... you have invested time and money in learning this craft, and more than that your experience in deejaying at various events and venues would inevitably have taught you some softer skills, allowing you to recognise what can be done and what cant. Sometimes you need to be firm with your clients about this. If I were in your position and faced with a last minute change of this magnitude, I will be honest with them and tell them I probably wont be able to accommodate their last minute changes. I will let them know that if I have the song I'll play it, but I cannot guarantee that I'll have all the new additions.
I also think you raised a very good topic for debate; who should we aim to please? In events like weddings, birthdays, quinceaneras and what-have-you's we often find that the preferences of the 'star' of the event (birthday boy/girl, or bride/groom) are often very different from that of the guests. I think as deejays we have a duty to try and accommodate everyone at the event. It is for this reason that I often try to advise my clients that I should be free to deviate from the list of songs they have provided for me. I usually tell them to provide me a list of 30 - 40 songs so that I can gauge what their preferences are, and work with that. In the event that they are adamant about providing me a long list of songs, I will accept it, and I will try my best to get every song on the list, just in case someone requests for it but I'll still let them know that I should be free to deviate from the list. This allows a bit of discretion for us to throw in some songs that will probably go well with some of their requests. I think we need that discretion for creativity.
Regards
DJ Santo
Anyway, like everyone else said, shit happens. Dont beat yourself up over it. I think as deejays we have to learn to detach ourselves a little from gigs and sometimes clients. I remember a few years back I had a horrible gig, and I was really disappointed with myself over it. I took it personally and it affected my other gigs for the rest of the week. So now whenever I have a bad gig, I try my best to just shrug it off and put it in the bag of 'life's experiences'.
I totally feel you about wanting to accommodate your client's wishes especially if they hire you regularly, but at the same time you have to bear in mind that you are the professional and you know better than them. I don't think one comes off as arrogant when you say that. Its the truth... you have invested time and money in learning this craft, and more than that your experience in deejaying at various events and venues would inevitably have taught you some softer skills, allowing you to recognise what can be done and what cant. Sometimes you need to be firm with your clients about this. If I were in your position and faced with a last minute change of this magnitude, I will be honest with them and tell them I probably wont be able to accommodate their last minute changes. I will let them know that if I have the song I'll play it, but I cannot guarantee that I'll have all the new additions.
I also think you raised a very good topic for debate; who should we aim to please? In events like weddings, birthdays, quinceaneras and what-have-you's we often find that the preferences of the 'star' of the event (birthday boy/girl, or bride/groom) are often very different from that of the guests. I think as deejays we have a duty to try and accommodate everyone at the event. It is for this reason that I often try to advise my clients that I should be free to deviate from the list of songs they have provided for me. I usually tell them to provide me a list of 30 - 40 songs so that I can gauge what their preferences are, and work with that. In the event that they are adamant about providing me a long list of songs, I will accept it, and I will try my best to get every song on the list, just in case someone requests for it but I'll still let them know that I should be free to deviate from the list. This allows a bit of discretion for us to throw in some songs that will probably go well with some of their requests. I think we need that discretion for creativity.
Regards
DJ Santo
Posted Sat 09 Nov 13 @ 6:56 pm
Rune (DJ-In-Norway)
+1 ...
Well said Santo ;)
Well said Santo ;)
Posted Mon 11 Nov 13 @ 9:14 am
jmavila02
Those Sinaloenses I tell you...they are a hard bunch to please. lol. Most people will take the music and shut up and just go with it. But when you are dealing with a Sinaloense, in your case it was alot of them, you are off for a rough night. I agree with you that groove shark is a lifesaver. I love that thing. Anyways, what would I have done different?
1.) Breath, relax. (you were going into panic mode because you thought you were not good enough for them because of your skin color. You should know better than anyone, since you have been doing this for so long, that part of dealing with a bad gig is remaining calm, I know it's hard but you just need to regroup and own it.
2.) Well you did everything else correctly.
I have been doing this for no more than 2 years. 1 year and 6 months to be exact. I have had my share of screw ups since I started off not knowing shit and with a limited library. When I first started I thought it would be a piece of cake getting people to dance and I was absolutely wrong. You need to immerse yourself in the entire music. I have been discovering songs little by little and I have been improving as I do. In my short life as a mobile dj I have already secured a High School, done several weddings, and many other gigs. I am very proud of myself but I also understand that there is always room to learn and it really never stops. I don't bust my head too much over it though and I just enjoy the process of discovery.
Thanks for the video. Yet another chapter of learning.
1.) Breath, relax. (you were going into panic mode because you thought you were not good enough for them because of your skin color. You should know better than anyone, since you have been doing this for so long, that part of dealing with a bad gig is remaining calm, I know it's hard but you just need to regroup and own it.
2.) Well you did everything else correctly.
I have been doing this for no more than 2 years. 1 year and 6 months to be exact. I have had my share of screw ups since I started off not knowing shit and with a limited library. When I first started I thought it would be a piece of cake getting people to dance and I was absolutely wrong. You need to immerse yourself in the entire music. I have been discovering songs little by little and I have been improving as I do. In my short life as a mobile dj I have already secured a High School, done several weddings, and many other gigs. I am very proud of myself but I also understand that there is always room to learn and it really never stops. I don't bust my head too much over it though and I just enjoy the process of discovery.
Thanks for the video. Yet another chapter of learning.
Posted Tue 31 Dec 13 @ 12:45 am
Music2Party
Hi man I feel your pain? As an old ex pro musician that decided to start a music video performing disco business in 2008 after tennis elbow in my right arm meant the end of my time drumming literately! As a pro like yourself I would not change a pre produced show myself? Would they ask for a menu change on the day, or the room decorations or the time line agreed with the caters for serving food? I think not? Since the birth of digital music and the smart phone why does everybody think they are djs and can pick the right playlist for entertainment at a wedding/party etc? I myself fell into this trap of trying to please at an xmas party gig this year! I wasn't as lucky as you as I wasn't even given a clue what to play! Just being told by this lady if you played more dance-able songs there would be more people on the dance floor? What would you like played I replied and was told I don't know you are meant to be the dj? In my case I am not as I have never claimed to be a dj, I am an entertainer and have far to much respect for djs to claim to be one. I must have failed this lady as I ended up with a mention on the hotels TA page! The hotel also received another 9 complaints about the old resident dj? This has worried them even though the total guest count was 138 so I must have done something right? To close my point is we are now finding it so much harder these days and no matter who you are you will never please all the people all of the time! Fact is sometimes the ones you do please will tell you and make you feel good? The ones you didn't will not complain so you will never know? Happy New Year to you all and just keep playing the tunes and entertaining as all djs love to do? As we all know that is why we do it, cause for the setup, showtime and breakdown fee we charge it can't be for the money? John UK
Posted Tue 31 Dec 13 @ 10:54 am
yk23
You tried your best and it sounds like you pulled it off. Good Job!
-DJ Kavika
-DJ Kavika
Posted Tue 31 Dec 13 @ 5:58 pm
DHoude
Hey Rude, So by watching the vid and skipping the posts, it just sounds like you did your thing as right as the situation would allow. Clients waste my time all the time. They have sent me on one adventure and then change tons.. It gets old and I feel your pain. I too have had shows that I "successfully finished" and what I mean is, I played everything I could during my contracted times, the best I could and followed the changes to the best of my ability.
Personally, like you I also want to please everybody. But what is in the contract is gold and what will stand in a court of law. Should a client have an issue, that is the only way to prevent yourself from loosing money. I would have all the same questions as you did.
My view point: like I did at my shows, I think you are taking it too personally. Which shows you have pride in what you do. Do the best you can to adapt and stand strong at the end. If a client has an issue at the end, make your stand point known that you did what you could, but it is not the job you are contracted for. Stay firm on it, that is what let's them know if they take you to court you have the contract and did the best you could to adapt.
You may loose a client, but you have respect and probably will not have to deal with that grief again. If they do come back, you have the upper hand of knowing what to expect and quote.
(Saying with a smile) Just relax have a beer and cash your check! There will be plenty of new opportunity in the new year. General public is not fun to deal with. Especially with cultural differences and language barriers.
Personally, like you I also want to please everybody. But what is in the contract is gold and what will stand in a court of law. Should a client have an issue, that is the only way to prevent yourself from loosing money. I would have all the same questions as you did.
My view point: like I did at my shows, I think you are taking it too personally. Which shows you have pride in what you do. Do the best you can to adapt and stand strong at the end. If a client has an issue at the end, make your stand point known that you did what you could, but it is not the job you are contracted for. Stay firm on it, that is what let's them know if they take you to court you have the contract and did the best you could to adapt.
You may loose a client, but you have respect and probably will not have to deal with that grief again. If they do come back, you have the upper hand of knowing what to expect and quote.
(Saying with a smile) Just relax have a beer and cash your check! There will be plenty of new opportunity in the new year. General public is not fun to deal with. Especially with cultural differences and language barriers.
Posted Tue 31 Dec 13 @ 6:45 pm
Feliciano21
I'm pretty sure the people that booked you will realise that you did your best and that they should have left well enough alone. At some point you just have to be DJ No Request and play on playa.
You did exactly what a professional would do.
You did exactly what a professional would do.
Posted Tue 31 Dec 13 @ 8:26 pm