Price out of the equation, when is there an event that you will pass on?

[MIXMASTERMACHOM]

Just want have some fun here. So don't go to crazy with the criticism on anybody here. I wanted to keep price out of it because we argue enough on here about price and it usually ends up at a dead end. For me I can't stand when a client wants to give me this incredibly long list of songs they want played at their event. I say if they are going to book me, then they need to trust that I know what I'm doing. If they don't then rent a jukebox and program all the songs they want on there from their list.

2 any event that all they want the whole time is today's hip hop and r & b. That has nothing to do with weather or not I can cover such an event. I don't trust events like that with that kind of crowd. I like it when they want a nice mixture. Nothing wrong with it being mostly today's music just don't care for it to be totally all of today's music.

The third thing is the location where the event is to take place. Certain venues if they are having an event there I will pass. Some of it may be about the staff that works there. I don't care for a rude person while doing my job. I don't disrespect them and I don't want them to disrespect me. I don't like when some put me in the category of other DJs they have dealt with in the past. I'm not them. I'm me. That's it for now.

 

[Jeff Romard]

 

[tunes4046]

For enough money I'll do any event

 

[MIXMASTERMACHOM]

For enough money I'll do any event

Since the 2 of you insist on talking price and don't want to stay away from that topic, what is the minimum price you would do an event for? In other words how much will get you out the door?

 

[DJ Ricky B]

Since the 2 of you insist on talking price and don't want to stay away from that topic, what is the minimum price you would do an event for? In other words how much will get you out the door?

I have gone out to do a Tuesday night Karaoke church function at a small bar for $100 for 1.5 hours of karaoke. I posted about that...that was the very lowest I ever left my driveway to do a gig for. I also did a 3 hour wedding at a community center where the clients had Boston Market cater it at $13 a head. That was in August of 2007, and they were friends of my sister. We charged them $150 at the time. I didn't want to do it actually, but my sister talked me into it at the time. Other than the coreographed dance the couple did as their first dance, that wedding sucked. Their guests were not the dancing type by any means.

Recently, the cheapest was $337 for a 4 hour non profit fundraiser.

I don't care what music is being played or what the client is looking for as long as it's American music. I can play Miringue, Salsa, etc. for a quince, or a wedding where they want some hispanic music, but I am not knowledgeable when it comes to other foreign music. At that point I will tell them to give me the music they want me to play. I do have some bollywood music, but not really knowledgeable on that stuff. 97% of the time those types of clients find a hispanic DJ, or Indian DJ, or Iranian DJ etc. to service their event anyway. I prefer not to do those events anyhow. Other than that, I prefer locations under 90 miles away, but I'll drive further if the money is real nice and advantageous for me to do so.

 

[djtaso]

If its a private event... I'll do a last minute (less than 2 months out) event for 1500 or 1600 for me with nothing other than my sound system... payroll is $130-$200 depending on who I bring.

I do 4-5 teen events a year that bring in about 400-700 teens per event for around $1250 each and I bring out a bunch of extras to showcase and just do my thing (no formalities no stops, no outside control). Those events bring in around 10-15 Sweet 16's a year which all add on huge packages, so it's worth it. I look at it as similar to a bridal showcase... but for Sweet 16's... and where I am being paid to advertise.

 

[rhythmgj]

If it conflicts with my personal convictions and I can extricate without a lawsuit.

GJ

 

[tunes4046]

Since the 2 of you insist on talking price and don't want to stay away from that topic, what is the minimum price you would do an event for? In other words how much will get you out the door?

I'll work for free if I deem it worthy or advantageous for further business

 

[Scott Hanna]

I'm sure there is some event I won't do. Money certainly can cure a lot of ills, but if I deemed something dangerous, illegal, or highly questionable, I'd turn out down even if the money was right.

Usually though, the money makes these kind of requests go elsewhere

 

[Scott Hanna]

One of the strangest events I did was one that booked just a few days before the event. It was a Friday, private event at a bar/ restaurant. Fashion show. He really had nothing planned and didn't provide a lot of information from my questions. It seemed strange him doing this last minute, had a Russian accent, something seemed off. I assumed the quote would have him look elsewhere, but he accepted and paid right away with a credit card.

I got there, played some dinner music while the 60 or so guests, mostly middle aged couples invited from the owner, ate dinner, then played music as young models 18-21 seemed like, came out modeling micro bikinis like we were in South Beach. But it was winter in Cleveland.

Then people danced. I talked to a few of the models, they said they just answered a Craigslist ad a few days before. A few of them mentioned their boyfriends were outside in case something happened.

It just felt like a mob place. Very Russian. Russian neighborhood. But the guy said it was great, have me a nice tip. About a year later I happened to drive by the place, and it was gone.

 

[B-Sharp]

Since the 2 of you insist on talking price and don't want to stay away from that topic

It's not that people can't stay away from the topic of price, but let's be honest: there are very few situations that can't be resolved by throwing money at them. You can't simply say "we're not going to talk about price, but give me an example of an event you'd pass on". The first examples that most of us could think of probably involved money - either a potential client that was simply asking for the moon and not understanding the cost of producing a moon, or an event at a venue with a terrible load-in ("I HATE that place! But if they recommended me and the price was right, I might take the gig").

So if price is truly out of the equation, when is there an event that I'll pass on? September 30th, October 24th, January 8th and May 26th.

 

[soundinmotiondj]

I don't take events where I don't know the music. This is different than not liking the music. There are two reasons.

First, I may not be able to get the music, or I may need to buy a LOT of music to cover the event. I passed on a wedding two years ago - both the B&G were recent immigrants and REALLY liked "international" music. They both loved bands that were local to where they were from - and that music was NOT available to me to buy & download.

Second, if I don't know the music, it is harder to do the music justice, harder to take requests (offer similar alternatives), harder to cover the genre, etc. I am certainly willing to take a deep dive into an artist, or genre, or theme....but if I don't have time for that, I'll pass on the event.

I also avoid events at "Wedding in a Box" locations that are obnoxious to outside vendors. I just don't need that anymore, for a lot of reasons. The more they want to upsell their DJ package, the harder they are going to make my life. I feel bad for clients who are locked into these venues with a deposit...but it's still not my circus, not my monkeys.

 

[ittigger]

I don't take events where I don't know the music. This is different than not liking the music. There are two reasons.

Agreed

First, I may not be able to get the music, or I may need to buy a LOT of music to cover the event. I passed on a wedding two years ago - both the B&G were recent immigrants and REALLY liked "international" music. They both loved bands that were local to where they were from - and that music was NOT available to me to buy & download.

What? Say it ain't so!

Second, if I don't know the music, it is harder to do the music justice, harder to take requests (offer similar alternatives), harder to cover the genre, etc. I am certainly willing to take a deep dive into an artist, or genre, or theme....but if I don't have time for that, I'll pass on the event.

You mean you won't just play request after request?

 

[DJ Bobcat]

I don't take a gig if they expect me to play RAP (which I call cRAP[emoji1]). I know it limits my opportunities these days, especially with the younger crowd, but most of them don't want a DJ as old as me anyway.[emoji1]
I figure, if I'm going to spend 6-8 hours of my day, I'm at least going to play music that doesn't make me cringe like fingernails scratching a blackboard.[emoji1] Fortunately, I don't DJ for a living. I do it because I like to. But I don't like to when cRAP is played![emoji1]


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[Fred Wright]

We avoided any venue where stairs were the only access. That's not a concern much anymore. The Americans with Disabilities Act pretty much rendered stairs-only venues obsolete.

Also, unsupervised youth parties were a no-no. Any business can be sued and underage drinking is a lawsuit waiting to happen.

 

[DJ Bobcat]

We avoided any venue where stairs were the only access. That's not a concern much anymore. The Americans with Disabilities Act pretty much rendered stairs-only venues obsolete...

You may be surprised by how many venues are still inaccessible. There are several places here that have steep, narrow staircases, with no elevator. I have a small system I can carry up stairs, but there are places my preferred large system can't go because I can't carry it up stairs by myself.



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[ittigger]

I don't take a gig if they expect me to play RAP (which I call cRAP).

Country Rap?

 

[djtaso]

Theres only one venue that I won't work in. Wedding factory who literally give 30 minutes to set up regardless of the size of the event. Other than that, just about every client I typically receive gets a quote... but because of my high starting price, I typically do not receive parties that are anything but Weddings or big Sweet 16's, so I don't get many of those "weird" inquiries or events I don't want to touch.

Funny thing is when I was cheaper, I'd get them all the time.

 

[Ausumm]

MUSIC:
I have only refused one gig because of music.
It was a friend's daughter, and she wanted the reception to be all Christian music.
Told her I wasn't the guy for her, and that she should consider the 100+ guests.
She talked with her dad, decided I was right, and called me back the next day to book it.
Problem is, the "conflict of musical tastes" doesn't usually rear it's ugly head until after the deal is made.

VENUE:
There is a local venue that has the WORST venue load-in imaginable.
I keep SAYING that I will never play there again, but each time the client pays me more money to play there.

MONEY:
As for price, it depends on the situation.
I am not opposed to lowering my financial expectations because I love working.
But I have to think about the details before I decide.

 

[Jeff Romard]

I'm sure there are variables that I would refuse an event, like Fred's unsupervised youth party, but I've never came across that many odd situations.

If I couldn't access the music or didn't have time to learn the music before the event I would likely turn it down. If I could access it I would gladly do the event I like learning new music. I would charge the client for the music and my time to download it if there was a lot of it but the
listening/learning would be free.

There are a couple of PITA load ins here I charge extra for but I don't refuse to work them

If it was morally objectionable or extremely dangerous I would probably take a pass but I haven't came across that yet