The park event is a no go and I'm good.

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Here you go Mix the car show I did. This year as you can see from one of the photos was real wet from all the rain we have had. They moved the registration tent as you drive in
from the other side of the field which made the field smaller. I used 4 2way JBLs and was more than enough. And my grandson was my assistance
like your setup,! Thanks for sharing. Do you hot rod also!

Also did they make you play Lil 409. And Mustang sally! I almost refuse to play those songs,,, but they are standard car show songs!
 
Mix, Mixmaster, Mixarino, Mixy Baby, Sweetheart, Pal...

You cannot see the forest for the trees here. It is good that you have principals and stand by them. It is not so good that you are a bit inflexible, and perhaps short-sighted in missing opportunities. Also, as others have stated, you do not need a partner. You need a roadie/stage-hand. A set-up assistant is not a partner. Get $250 for a gig, pay someone $50 to help set-up and tear down (not necessarily required to stay for the entire event), and call it a day...

GJ
Let me tell what it was about. He called me in November about doing his wife's event on June 10th. He wanted her to see what I could do so he could get her on his side to have me do this BIG event in the park. His aim was for me to do it cutting my partner out of the deal.. I'm not tacky like that and I don't need money that bad.

For all those who say just do it for that price, send me a PM with your info and I will give it to him. Let anyone of you be in the running. I'm out of the race.

Steve this is not some small backyard event. This is in a park with a wide open space. He has a big stage rented for this event and he has tons of food for people to eat there. For him to rent the stage for a day cost $400. So he could easily afford to pay the extra $50. He doesn't want to and that's his choice. My choice is to do it or not. I choose not to do it. Like I said I didn't need the money that bad and this will be after the DJ Expo in AC which I probably will be broke. I've learned sometimes I have to play hard ball and mean what I say.

Of course I could do it but the way I see it I won't be gaining a thing and in the end getting paid that little amount of money for all that work I will wind up with very little money to show for it. Been there done that. Bottom line I won't be the DJ doing this event this year and I'm sticking to it.
 
Let me tell what it was about. He called me in November about doing his wife's event on June 10th. He wanted her to see what I could do so he could get her on his side to have me do this BIG event in the park. His aim was for me to do it cutting my partner out of the deal.. I'm not tacky like that and I don't need money that bad.

For all those who say just do it for that price, send me a PM with your info and I will give it to him. Let anyone of you be in the running. I'm out of the race.

Steve this is not some small backyard event. This is in a park with a wide open space. He has a big stage rented for this event and he has tons of food for people to eat there. For him to rent the stage for a day cost $400. So he could easily afford to pay the extra $50. He doesn't want to and that's his choice. My choice is to do it or not. I choose not to do it. Like I said I didn't need the money that bad and this will be after the DJ Expo in AC which I probably will be broke. I've learned sometimes I have to play hard ball and mean what I say.

Of course I could do it but the way I see it I won't be gaining a thing and in the end getting paid that little amount of money for all that work I will wind up with very little money to show for it. Been there done that. Bottom line I won't be the DJ doing this event this year and I'm sticking to it.
Mix your salesmanship is horrible, If I had wanted to do this gig and wanted to get $350 "not that I would be anywhere close to that price" I would have said You know for a gig like this I my normal rate is $995 I like you and want to help what do you think is fair? I'd bet he would have swallowed hard and offered somewhere around $500,
A big part of your problem is you always play in the same general group of people wh whether you want to believe it or not know very well that you perform free or almost free gigs all the time, so that's what the expect to pay. You are your own worst enemy
 
Just like RedHot....
I did an outdoor gig twice a year at a local motorcycle hillclimb.
I filled the area pictured below (and then some)
and played over top of regular announcements (from their PA) and motorcycles revving in the pits...
with two 15" JBL passive speakers and a 300-watt amp.

img553.jpg
 
Mix your salesmanship is horrible, If I had wanted to do this gig and wanted to get $350 "not that I would be anywhere close to that price" I would have said You know for a gig like this I my normal rate is $995 I like you and want to help what do you think is fair? I'd bet he would have swallowed hard and offered somewhere around $500,
A big part of your problem is you always play in the same general group of people wh whether you want to believe it or not know very well that you perform free or almost free gigs all the time, so that's what the expect to pay. You are your own worst enemy
I agree with one thing you said and that is I'm my own worest enemy. I totally disagree with him even coming close to paying $500. In case not going to happen. He uses the sympathy card to his advantage wanting every one to feel sorry that his son died.

My big problem is not listening to my real true friends who have seen me in action to stuff for such a low price. They kept telling me I'm worth much more than that and today I agree. That's why I'm starting here with making changes. I'm setting a president by not doing this gig. I won't miss that money or a beat. Bills will still get paid.
 
I agree with one thing you said and that is I'm my own worest enemy. I totally disagree with him even coming close to paying $500. In case not going to happen. He uses the sympathy card to his advantage wanting every one to feel sorry that his son died.

My big problem is not listening to my real true friends who have seen me in action to stuff for such a low price. They kept telling me I'm worth much more than that and today I agree. That's why I'm starting here with making changes. I'm setting a president by not doing this gig. I won't miss that money or a beat. Bills will still get paid.
Maybe your "real" friends is where the problem is starting. And bills don't get paid if the money doesn't come in.
 
Mix...
When I first started reading this thread, I thought it was ridiculous that the client wasn't willing to fork over the extra money,
and was gonna try to find someone else to save himself a lousy 50-bucks!
At this point in the conversation, I'm thinking maybe YOU are the crazy one for NOT doing the job for the sake of 50-bucks.
Heck, you could even accept his offer with the agreement that NEXT year, the price is $300.
 
I forgot to mention one thing. Last year Kenny Bobien almost didn't perform because this guy was trying to do it for less money then was agreeded apon. Kenny told him he wasn't going on stage till he was paid all his money and Kenny is not cheap. His normal rate to sing a few songs is between $750-1k.
 
I forgot to mention one thing. Last year Kenny Bobien almost didn't perform because this guy was trying to do it for less money then was agreeded apon. Kenny told him he wasn't going on stage till he was paid all his money and Kenny is not cheap. His normal rate to sing a few songs is between $750-1k.
So the guy is a bit of a shyster but you thought it would be different this year?
 
So the guy is a bit of a shyster but you thought it would be different this year?
For me it's not just about this event. It's about me stop feeling sorry for people thinking I got to help them. It's about quoting a price and I do mean a serious price andmean it. Stop with these crackhead prices. Bob Carpenter was right that I should have been rasing my rates over time. Steve my friends aren't the problem. They are right. The service I provide is worth much more than I have been getting.
 
My big problem is not listening to my real true friends who have seen me in action to stuff for such a low price. They kept telling me I'm worth much more than that and today I agree. That's why I'm starting here with making changes. I'm setting a president by not doing this gig. I won't miss that money or a beat. Bills will still get paid.

Have any of these so called friends actually hired you for the "big bucks" every gig you get is for the friend of a friend or a cousin or a buddies, uncles, sisters, father in law theres always some connection that explains why you did the gig for cheap or free
 
What your real problem is, is thinking you are worth more money. If you were people wouldn't fight you on price and you would have more work. Your "Friends" are being nice to you so when they need a DJ you will give them the deal of a free or cheap DJ which you will do.
 
For me it's not just about this event. It's about me stop feeling sorry for people thinking I got to help them. It's about quoting a price and I do mean a serious price andmean it. Stop with these crackhead prices. Bob Carpenter was right that I should have been rasing my rates over time. Steve my friends aren't the problem. They are right. The service I provide is worth much more than I have been getting.
It might be worth more .. but you don't seem to be getting it. Maybe it's because you're not asking for it .. maybe it's because you're in an area that just won't pay it.

Before you can raise rates, you need to have a somewhat steady stream of events that you can prove what your worth .. not to your friends, but to a prospective client. Your friends telling you what you're worth isn't usually any more valuable than Mom saying "Adrian is the best DJ on the planet!".
 
Mix in your AREA whats the going price for events. If you are as good as you say you are you should be able to get that price. Mix I gotta say where you live ( your area ) I don't think you will get big prices
 
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What I just found out from a guy that helped out with cooking the food last year is the city sponsers this event. So he's looking to put as much money in his pocket as he can. That's why he wants to get away with paying as little as can so he can line his pockets.
 
Mix in your AREA whats the going price for events. If you are as good as you say you are you should be able to get that price. Mix I gotta say where you live ( your area ) I don't think you will get big prices
Actually you are incorrect... but that's because of the picture that Mix paints about the "area" and gigs he happens to get. Remember, NJ is a very small state... if you look within his very small town... then yes he won't get much more... however, literally within 20-30 minutes, exist some of the most wealthiest people in the COUNTRY and some of the states most expensive venues. I live 30 minutes south of Mix and drive 45-60min to each event so I can work with some of the best clientele... however he seems to want to work with clients within only a few square miles. Even the wedding that his friend did over the weekend, which is actually 15 minutes south of him, gets dj's from time to time that charge between $1000 and $1500 for a wedding. If he just expanded slightly and did more to appeal to these clients these posts would never exist.
 
Actually you are incorrect... but that's because of the picture that Mix paints about the "area" and gigs he happens to get. Remember, NJ is a very small state... if you look within his very small town... then yes he won't get much more... however, literally within 20-30 minutes, exist some of the most wealthiest people in the COUNTRY and some of the states most expensive venues. I live 30 minutes south of Mix and drive 45-60min to each event so I can work with some of the best clientele... however he seems to want to work with clients within only a few square miles. Even the wedding that his friend did over the weekend, which is actually 15 minutes south of him, gets dj's from time to time that charge between $1000 and $1500 for a wedding. If he just expanded slightly and did more to appeal to these clients these posts would never exist.


Yup. I'm driving down to Georgetown area of D.C. this Saturday for a 7 hour ceremony/cocktails/reception. LONG, LONG day for me, but the money is alright! This past Saturday I was up in Towson, MD...Only about a 25 minute drive from me. If I only did gigs within a few square miles of me, I would probably only book 2 or 3 gigs a year!
 
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