Talking about a tight squeeze.

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MIXMASTERMACHOM

MIXMASTERMACHOM

DJ Extraordinaire
ODJT Supporter
Oct 16, 2011
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first let me say I didn't know what the title for this should be. I volunteered last Friday to do an event at this hospital in Newark. A guy I know asked if I would volunteer to do the gig. I said yes. Not a problem. It was for 3 hours from 4-7pm.

It was for people who were HIV positive. I had a good time and even won a prize from one of the raffles. They were free. I didn't have to play very much. Maybe at the most 45 minutes if that.

Anyway they had 2 comedians there and a guy that did a couple of poems. My best friends wife's cousin was one of the comedians. He's been doing this for 5 years. I asked the guy that got me to do the gig how did he know him. He said they belong to the same church.

His name is Victor. We exchanged business cards and last week he called me to ask if I would help him out with a spoken word he's doing in this small cafe inside of Kean university. It's going to be on Friday March 4th from 6-9pm. I got him to text me the address. I checked the place out last night. It was closed but I got to look through the windows. He wasn't kidding. This place is really small. So small that I don't know how I'm going to setup any equipment in this place. This place is so small that my guess is if you get 30 people in the place the fire marshal will be there to shut it down.

He's looking to do this every week. I don't see how it's going to work with a place that small. I'm going to do my best that night and see what happens. This place is so small that I might be able to only use 1 speaker. Definitely no room for speaker stands. This place is having karaoke this Saturday. I plan to show up to introduce myself to the staff and see what I can do for that night. I'm curious to see the DJs setup doing karaoke in this place. This place is even smaller then where I did my God sons surprise 30th birthday celebration and that room is small as a shoe box.
 
It's amazing that a spoke word event could pay enough to net you the $400 minimum you want to go out for an event .. must be a fancy place.

Maybe you rent him your smallest speaker and tripod and a mic and call it good.
 
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steve149 said:
It's amazing that a spoke word event could pay enough to net you the $400 minimum you want to go out for an event .. must be a fancy place.

Maybe you rent him your smallest speaker and tripod and a mic and call it good.
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Maybe he can rent out his partner who can LOUDLY repeat everything to the audience.
 
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No it will be me. Just this maybe the smallest place I've ever played at. That's how small it is. A friend of mine is starting his own after work thing in a spot. He was playing in one place and now he talked them into this other place. I love him but I won't go there because I don't like the place. Just wish us the best with this. I'll let you know how it turned out.
 
MIXMASTERMACHOM said:
No it will be me. Just this maybe the smallest place I've ever played at. That's how small it is. A friend of mine is starting his own after work thing in a spot. He was playing in one place and now he talked them into this other place. I love him but I won't go there because I don't like the place. Just wish us the best with this. I'll let you know how it turned out.
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What ??? question for you mix what is this spoken word gig going to pay you
 
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I thought you had a minimum to go do a gig? Do you expect to corner the spoken word events in the area or do you somehow correlate these with more DJ business?
 
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steve149 said:
I thought you had a minimum to go do a gig? Do you expect to corner the spoken word events in the area or do you somehow correlate these with more DJ business?
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This is not a private event. There's a difference between the two. This is a cafe. They don't normally pay much.
 
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MIXMASTERMACHOM said:
This is not a private event. There's a difference between the two. This is a cafe. They don't normally pay much.
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A gig is a gig ... I'm not saying that I think these types will pay well .. just you were adamant that you weren't going after low paying gigs any more in previous posts.

Might I point you to:

MIXMASTERMACHOM said:
The venue matter to me and especially doing it for that cheap a price. For me when it comes to doing events I like to know where the event is to take place. For me certain places I won't mess with. Let another DJ do that gig.
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The gig is basically a rental. You go in, set it up, turn on your new compressor/limiter so you won't get feedback, and take it out at the end of the night. I may do it for $100 myself if it was close I had nothing going on that night. I could enjoy a good comedy show and be paid to be there, If it was an ongoing thing I would likely rent the guy some gear from week to week for that money but I have extra laying around it wouldn't be my main system

Mix no one really cares what you charge for a gig but the point is 48 hours ago you were belittling anyone who charges low dollars yet you will jump at this offer from your brother-in law's mother's cousin's third cousin's twice removed's hairdresser's son
 
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Jeff Romard said:
The gig is basically a rental. You go in, set it up, turn on your new compressor/limiter so you won't get feedback, and take it out at the end of the night. I may do it for $100 myself if it was close I had nothing going on that night. I could enjoy a good comedy show and be paid to be there, If it was an ongoing thing I would likely rent the guy some gear from week to week for that money but I have extra laying around it wouldn't be my main system

Mix no one really cares what you charge for a gig but the point is 48 hours ago you were belittling anyone who charges low dollars yet you will jump at this offer from your brother-in law's mother's cousin's third cousin's twice removed's hairdresser's son
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Stop putting words in my mouth. I don't put other DJs down for what they charge. If I don't know you and never saw you in action, how can I tell how good or bad you are? I hate those that judge someone based on the price they charge. Some assume that the DJ charging 1k or more must be a really great DJ and those who charge $500 or less can't be that good. I'll say this till I retire. Those that consistently get paid 1k or more get to do so because of 2 things. 1 they know how to sell themselves at that price point and 2 they consistently do a good job for the clients they work for.
 
Dramaspokenwordmama You complain about low ball Craigslist DJs all the time. Repeat after all of us. I have no idea what I am talking about and will take anything that I think will make me money.

I know you think setting up a little sound system for a Spoken word event is going to somehow get you gigs but it isn't.
 
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