Dealing with Talent Agents - an NYE event

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I received an email from the agent about what to expect. He is asking me to arrive at 5:30 so I can load in, and hook into the houses sound system. They will have a sound tech there to hook me in and set me up. They have a special guest event going on from 5:30 to 9, then will tear the room, and have me start as soon as it's ready which should be by 9:30/9:45. But they are asking that I am there at 5:30. In exchange for early arrival, they would give me a Free Buffet ticket so I can hang out and have dinner on them. This is at a Casino. Also, Apparently I will only have to bring my mixer, laptop, and microphone to hook into their system.

I am debating how to respond to that. Arrive 3 hours early, but get a free buffet. However, no additional pay.
 
DJ Ricky B said:
I received an email from the agent about what to expect. He is asking me to arrive at 5:30 so I can load in, and hook into the houses sound system. They will have a sound tech there to hook me in and set me up. They have a special guest event going on from 5:30 to 9, then will tear the room, and have me start as soon as it's ready which should be by 9:30/9:45. But they are asking that I am there at 5:30. In exchange for early arrival, they would give me a Free Buffet ticket so I can hang out and have dinner on them. This is at a Casino. Also, Apparently I will only have to bring my mixer, laptop, and microphone to hook into their system.

I am debating how to respond to that. Arrive 3 hours early, but get a free buffet. However, no additional pay.
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I would ask for two buffet ticket and a hotel room, take the wife with
 
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Not sure, but I would likely have arrived at least an hour early anyway. I don't currently charge clients for the time it takes me to set up before the event. 5:30 is extremely early though. Having the house sound system and a tech is a bonus... significantly reduces setup time. You can surely eat more than $50 worth of buffet with that much time[emoji2]!

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It's the same gig Rick.

Essentially, they have something going on in the room before I start. That event ends at 9 pm, but they need to turn the room over before I start so they can open the room up for the NYE Dance Party. They are asking that I arrive at 5:30, and get set up with the tech into their house system before the 6 - 9 pm event starts. They will give me a free buffet ticket to go eat while I am hanging out to start. I will start at 9:30ish and go until 1 am.

They didn't ask about the early arrival before I gave them the quote. I can certainly tell them no and show up later on.

The only thing I can look at this for is if I work with them, and they like me, it will likely turn into more work. However, I know the Casino doesn't pay well enough on regular weekends for me to go and DJ there. But maybe they would re book NYE for next year, and at a higher rate.
 
DJ Ricky B said:
It's the same gig Rick.

Essentially, they have something going on in the room before I start. That event ends at 9 pm, but they need to turn the room over before I start so they can open the room up for the NYE Dance Party. They are asking that I arrive at 5:30, and get set up with the tech into their house system before the 6 - 9 pm event starts. They will give me a free buffet ticket to go eat while I am hanging out to start. I will start at 9:30ish and go until 1 am.

They didn't ask about the early arrival before I gave them the quote. I can certainly tell them no and show up later on.

The only thing I can look at this for is if I work with them, and they like me, it will likely turn into more work. However, I know the Casino doesn't pay well enough on regular weekends for me to go and DJ there. But maybe they would re book NYE for next year, and at a higher rate.
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And maybe pigs will fly. I always hate it but it seems like it's always the clients you do the most favor for who screw you over the worst.
 
DJ Ricky B said:
You all need to ask your wife if it's okay to work? Do you ask them if it's okay to buy anything?
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Most of us don't "ask the wife if it's okay" to work.
My 29th anniversary is this Sunday. That is due to mutual respect.
I don't assume she'll be okay with me working on our anniversary...
and she doesn't assume that I will automatically book any job I am offered.
And yes, I do check with her before buying something (major).
She takes care of the finances.
I make the money...she spends it.
 
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The first guy you describe is not acting as a talent agent. He is just shopping around a gig to see who will do it for the least pay.

The second guy who advised you that it was too early in the year to commit to $500 on New Years Eve is acting like a talent agent. He is representing your interests rather than his own or the venue by encouraging you to hold out for more. A talent agents job is to represent the best interests of the talent.

A booking agent is simply a general contractor who signs on to manage a gig and then shops around for the lowest price subcontractors to fulfill the terms.
 
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Got an update:

The agent emailed me, and told me he was able to get the Casino to throw in another buffet ticket! Also, for the early set up and aggravation he got me another $100. However, no hotel room, BUT the additional $100 can go to a hotel room if I choose to stay in the area for a night.

So overall, not bad. More pay than the gig I had last year, and I get to eat a buffet with my wife before hand, and maybe get a hotel room for the night.
 
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DJ Ricky B said:
So overall, not bad. More pay than the gig I had last year, and I get to eat a buffet with my wife before hand, and maybe get a hotel room for the night.
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See, you CAN make some money AND make the wife happy, too!
And sometimes, keeping your wife happy is much more valuable!
 
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Ausumm said:
See, you CAN make some money AND make the wife happy, too!
And sometimes, keeping your wife happy is much more valuable!
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Instead of happy I work more on the level of keeping her from killing me ;)
 
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Jas said:
Just play the slots. If you win big they'll give you a free room!
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I never win anything on slots. I blew $40 at Horseshoe casino here in Baltimore about a month ago. I also lost another $70 on roulette. At the DJ Expo in AC I probably lost about $150 in the casinos there. That's why I rarely go to gamble at casinos. Since I turned 21 I've probably gone to Casinos about 25 times...Only once did I leave with more money than I brought in. But who knows...I might be lucky that day! Free Buffet and winning a bunch of money in casino on NYE then Deejaying...Would be a great feeling!
 
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