getting calls for last minute events

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Jas

Jas

DJ Extraordinaire
May 22, 2013
1,617
1,931
...That don't pay enough to motivate me!

I got a lead Friday for a gig tonight (DJ hired is sick). College student group wants music from 10pm-1:30am offering $375-400. I counteroffered 600, haven't heard back from anyone this morning.

Just got a text for a 4 hour wedding reception today (another cancelled DJ) paying $250 and turned it down flat.

I don't know about anyone else, but I'm not into doing last minute gigs for starters. And the pay offered is always low. If I were covering for someone I know, I would more likely take the job.
 
A 4 hour wedding reception for $250. It amazes me that there are DJs out there accepting such low pay in 2015. ...It amazes me further that any "DJ" would offer to do a 4 hour wedding reception for $250.

The college party prospect will find someone to do it for $400. Plenty of DJs will go and do a gig for $400....especially last minute and they want to make money.
 
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DJ Ricky B said:
A 4 hour wedding reception for $250. It amazes me that there are DJs out there accepting such low pay in 2015. ...It amazes me further that any "DJ" would offer to do a 4 hour wedding reception for $250.

The college party prospect will find someone to do it for $400. Plenty of DJs will go and do a gig for $400....especially last minute and they want to make money.
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Have you looked at craigslist, there are dozens of DJ's at that price point I know of 2 guys in my immediate area that will do weddings for $200, at the same time I have no problem keeping my schedule full at $1500 plus, you get what you pay for.
 
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Yeah,

There is a guy in my area, claims to be a DJ for 40 years. He is like 69 years old or so. He puts an ad out on Craigslist once in a blue moon. He will do local 4 hour wedding receptions for $299. They have to be local though...he doesn't travel more than 15 miles. He also has an ad in the local paper under entertainment "Wedding specialist - 4 hours starting at $250"

I just shake my head. I put out a pool party ad to get quotes from CL DJs a few weeks ago. I had two DJs offer to do a 5 hour pool party for $150.

The thing is, there will always be those guys out there.
 
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I got two requests off thumbtack this morning for aug 22 - a b'day party and a wedding..really? a week out (or less) and you've not got a DJ for your wedding?

I'm always torn on the last minute thing...take it at any price as $200 is better that sitting home and making squat. Or charging a premium - they should pay for their lack of planning!
 
IceBurghDJ said:
I'm always torn on the last minute thing...take it at any price as $200 is better that sitting home and making squat. Or charging a premium - they should pay for their lack of planning!
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an

Definitely depends on the financial situation. A person who works for min. wage, they can make in one night what they make in a week. Why not?

For me, I stay home and pop open an adult beverage and enjoy the family time. :)
 
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four or five cheapie gigs during the year adds up.
Almost every guy I know has some side gig to pay for their hobbies - a friend is a CFO of a small company and does acctg work for small biz clients to pay for his gun hobby. Another is an insurance adjuster for allstate and used to be a body man and does that on the side to pay for his golf trips and classic car hobby. Even women, one sold mary kay for years to pay for family vacations and to furnish the house. A friends mom did wedding cakes for years and years to pay for the camper and campground. Yeah, women are a tad more family oriented in their hobbies!
 
Got another inquiry this morning for a party on the 29th (6 days away) which I have booked. They had their DJ booked a year ago but he came down with something more than a cold apparently. Sounds like he's in the hospital with some serious condition. This lead was at least referred by someone, and I probably would have done it at a discounted rate if I weren't booked already because of the person that made the referral.

Doing discounted gigs may lead to more gigs, but last minute gigs could be a detriment. No time to gain rapport or maybe not even get a contract signed (will I get paid?). And if it's a wedding, the only plan you have is what someone can tell you in less than 24 hours. This is how DJs get bad reviews like "he didn't have our 1st dance song' etc.
 
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Just because they were lucky enough to find a DJ to do the job for $200...
doesn't mean they'll find a last minute replacement to do it for that much.
If they pay more, they'll probably get a better DJ...(better than the original guy)
and they'll learn that "you get what you pay for".
At least they'll be lucky enough to learn that valuable lesson BEFORE some low baller ruins their special day.
 
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I always love it when they bring out the "But he said he'd do it for $300!" line. I usually counter with "Ma'am, your $300 guy cancelled on you at the last minute. This is what cheap DJs do and I hear it on a regular basis. Now do you want another $300 guy, that may or may not show up or do you want a professional who will give you an incredible party?" The really sad part is that the light bulb only comes on about 25% of the time.
 
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Jas said:
Got another inquiry this morning for a party on the 29th (6 days away) which I have booked. They had their DJ booked a year ago but he came down with something more than a cold apparently. Sounds like he's in the hospital with some serious condition. This lead was at least referred by someone, and I probably would have done it at a discounted rate if I weren't booked already because of the person that made the referral.

Doing discounted gigs may lead to more gigs, but last minute gigs could be a detriment. No time to gain rapport or maybe not even get a contract signed (will I get paid?). And if it's a wedding, the only plan you have is what someone can tell you in less than 24 hours. This is how DJs get bad reviews like "he didn't have our 1st dance song' etc.
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Honestly what are the odds that you can't acquire a first dance song in 24 hours? Itunes, Amazon, and the others have pretty much everything and if worst came to worst there is always Youtube not that I promote doing it that way but I would until I could buy it

I've done alot of last minute gigs over the years some with less than a couple of hours notice and a good portion of them before the internet and never had a problem with music or getting paid. Maybe I've been lucky
 
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DJ Ricky B said:
A 4 hour wedding reception for $250. It amazes me that there are DJs out there accepting such low pay in 2015. ...It amazes me further that any "DJ" would offer to do a 4 hour wedding reception for $250.

The college party prospect will find someone to do it for $400. Plenty of DJs will go and do a gig for $400....especially last minute and they want to make money.
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Those DJS are likely just starting out or desperate for a gig and need the money.
 
Jeff Romard said:
Honestly what are the odds that you can't acquire a first dance song in 24 hours?
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OK, maybe that was a bad example. I'm still against doing weddings on a 24 hour notice, especially when it's for $250. Of course if the pay was outstanding I would drop everything to make it happen.
 
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I always look at it like this...Once the necessities are over there isn't a huge difference between most weddings. Any wedding I do I follow a general format musically and work with the crowd to fill in the blanks. So long as I have the necessary songs I can make it work on very little or no notice.

In my area it's not common for the DJ to be the MC generally it's a family member or friend but I've walked in to situations where a few minutes beforehand they asked me to do it. I have a format I follow I get the names I need and do it from there. Is it the best way? No for sure it's not but it can be done easily

You can have all the timelines and plans you want but the minute they go astray you have to wing it and experience allows that
 
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I meant to post this last week and went astray...

I had 2 last minute gigs in the last couple of weeks. I was playing for a regular client on the 298th of August and the bartender at the venue (who refers me alot) asked if I would do a backyard going away party for his Granddaughter 2 nights later. We never even talked price I was going to cut him a bit of a deal but he insisted on paying me full price for a Sunday night. I actually only played about 3 hours they had other stuff going on there too

The next day got a call for Friday the 4th for an ESL (Englisa as A Second Language) school that I have worked with before.It's about 200 young Chinese people they are AWESOME to work with. Again another full price gig with a $50 tip.

I'll take all the last minute gigs I can get lol
 
Jeff Romard said:
I was playing for a regular client on the 298th of August nd the bartender at the venue .....
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You have DAMN long months up there in NS ... :)
 
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