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How to pick yourself up after pretty much the worst gig ever?
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How to pick yourself up after pretty much the worst gig ever?

Shay.Sekler 8:04 AM - 16 March, 2014
hey there,I just have to let off steam.
I played at a private event last Friday and it sucked so bad.
The planners didn't give me any tips on what kind of music to play,so the first hour I was just testing off some things.I got to know the crowd and understood what they wanted to hear and gave them exactly that.the planners (five people) were on my back for every song-this one was too hardcore for this crowd (they were mostly over their 40's),this song is old,we hate this song so much,why are you not playing hits?play some Rihanna,don't play stuff like Britney Spears and Rihanna-we don't like that kind of stuff!
I was frustrated.needles to say-I wasn't my regular 'happy dancing around' DJ that night.
When people started to leave,I started playing from a USB stick they gave me filled with old school Cuban tunes (Reggeton and stuff like that)-the planners asked for it and in situations like that I won't say no.
first Cuban song went fine.at the second one,one of the guests started screaming at me because 'She paid for a good DJ and not someone who plays Cuban music'.she was on and on about how she hates me and stuff-and I just blocked out and kept doing my thing.then-one of her friends (to whom she went over to complain about my 'not giving any F's' policy) throw a plastic cup at me.
the song that was playing ended,I took my equipment and went out.
It's the first time I get a reaction like that from people.I'm shocked.I don't know if I suck so bad or they were just drunken savages but it still really brought me down.
Did you ever had a nightmare of a gig?what happened? and most importantly-how did you pickyourself up from that and stayed positive?
Code:E 8:12 AM - 16 March, 2014
Dude doesnt sound liek your a bad DJ. Some gigs are just shit and some planners make it worse by not letting you do your job. which was to feel the crowd out.

But once I read you had anything thrown at you. I would have stopped the music mid track picked up my payment then leave.

Just put some time into your music library, go over your history. You are your own worst critic. You will find stuff and think that was a bad choice now with the advantage of hindsight.

Learn from any programming mistakes you think you made. Spend some time building some more create's of awesome tracks and just kill it at your next gig.

There's no other way I know of to shake a feeling like that... Thats also why I don't take any criticism well I'm DJ'ing from ANYONE, whether they are paying me or not. If it was really that bad they will remember it and can tell me after. Getting thrown out of the groove well playing can take a bad night to the worse night you ever played in a hurry.
Shay.Sekler 10:00 AM - 16 March, 2014
oh,I got paid for that night-and I'm gonna have so much fun spending that money :)
I just never thought a gig can go so wrong.
I mean,people were dancing-and still the planners and those two guest were on my face screaming about how bad I was...

I hope I'll never play to that kind of a crowd again. :/
Papa Midnight 2:06 PM - 16 March, 2014
Quote:
Dude doesnt sound liek your a bad DJ. Some gigs are just shit and some planners make it worse by not letting you do your job. which was to feel the crowd out.

But once I read you had anything thrown at you. I would have stopped the music mid track picked up my payment then leave.

This is why I collect payment in advance (terms of my contract). Control your guest or your crowd, not me.

Quote:
I mean,people were dancing-and still the planners and those two guest were on my face screaming about how bad I was...

You know the saying, I'm sure, "you can't make everyone happy all the time?" In cases like this, forget it. There are some people who just can't be happy at all.

As for people who start throwing things, that's cool: It's called "Simple Battery" (or "Criminal Battery", depending on your jurisdiction).
Papa Midnight 2:09 PM - 16 March, 2014
Also, a gig like that can be seriously demoralising. The longer it goes when you're in a rut, the worse it gets. I'd take myself home, and do some practice sets - and, by that, I wouldn't set out any music in advance (no playlist of any type), and I'd just go for it: what happens happens. I'd also record it and listen to it. I'm highly self-critical of my own mixes (I trash more than ever get played), but just the creativity factor alone helps.
phonze 3:16 PM - 16 March, 2014
Sorry to hear that. I had a bad one a couple of months ago. I thought it went great, they even wanted me to go on longer, but I refused because I wasn't sure if I was going to be compensated for it. Then I hear back a few days later they didn't like me at all. So I was constantly racking my brain over what went wrong. Eventually you just have to move on. I just home and practiced and put it out of my head.
pdidy 7:49 PM - 16 March, 2014
What is your history with these people ? Have you worked with them before ?
Who booked you ?
DJ_Gold 2:44 AM - 17 March, 2014
Quote:
hey there,I just have to let off steam.
I played at a private event last Friday and it sucked so bad.
The planners didn't give me any tips on what kind of music to play,so the first hour I was just testing off some things.I got to know the crowd and understood what they wanted to hear and gave them exactly that.the planners (five people) were on my back for every song-this one was too hardcore for this crowd (they were mostly over their 40's),this song is old,we hate this song so much,why are you not playing hits?play some Rihanna,don't play stuff like Britney Spears and Rihanna-we don't like that kind of stuff!
I was frustrated.needles to say-I wasn't my regular 'happy dancing around' DJ that night.
When people started to leave,I started playing from a USB stick they gave me filled with old school Cuban tunes (Reggeton and stuff like that)-the planners asked for it and in situations like that I won't say no.
first Cuban song went fine.at the second one,one of the guests started screaming at me because 'She paid for a good DJ and not someone who plays Cuban music'.she was on and on about how she hates me and stuff-and I just blocked out and kept doing my thing.then-one of her friends (to whom she went over to complain about my 'not giving any F's' policy) throw a plastic cup at me.
the song that was playing ended,I took my equipment and went out.
It's the first time I get a reaction like that from people.I'm shocked.I don't know if I suck so bad or they were just drunken savages but it still really brought me down.
Did you ever had a nightmare of a gig?what happened? and most importantly-how did you pickyourself up from that and stayed positive?


I commend you for not striking that female in the face for throwing that cup at you. It's in-part the party planner(all five of them) fault of not telling you in advance of the style of music they wanted. And if they hated songs that much they should of made a list for you.
Shay.Sekler 6:15 AM - 17 March, 2014
Quote:
What is your history with these people ? Have you worked with them before ?
Who booked you ?

It was an event for a holiday in Israel,for a bunch of friends in their late 40's.they got my number from one of those people daughter-she heard me play at another gig and recommended on me.


and thanks for the feedback everybody...sucks to see that even in one of the most positive and happy-driven jobs in the world-you still have to deal with this kind of BS.
DJ Val-BKNY11203 12:23 PM - 17 March, 2014
Man shake that shit off and keep it moving.
 6 1:41 PM - 17 March, 2014
Quote:
Man shake that shit off and keep it moving.


This

nm
RnBDJkb 7:50 PM - 17 March, 2014
commend you for not striking that female in the face for throwing that cup at you. It's in-part the party planner(all five of them) fault of not telling you in advance of the style of music they wanted. And if they hated songs that much they should of made a list for you.
+1
phonze 8:20 PM - 17 March, 2014
Often, when someone hands you a USB key and tells you to play those songs, it's a bad idea. It's never gone over well when I've done it, so I mostly just get a few of those songs out of the way early in the night. I've tried playing it near the end of the night before and got complaints, people hated the songs selected by the planners. So, maybe try it early in the night when people are just getting settled in.
DJ VEE 8:47 PM - 17 March, 2014
You gotta just let it go. By all means, let off some steam and bitch a little. It helps. Don't let it get you down. We've all had a bad gig here and there.
I had pretty much the same thing happen to me, (minus the cup throw, lol). What sucks is, the more frustrated you get, the worse it's going to go. You can't really concentrate on the music, like you're supposed to.
Then, when people bitch about the music, they crowd around you trying to tell you what to play, which lets you work less on your next selection even more. WTF!!!
Had a real bad one a while ago. No mater what I tried, somebody complained. It was a 50th birthday party. No matter wag genre I threw on, somebody bitched.
Then, to make it worse, some jack ass kept turning on the house lights (neon), because he couldn't see the people he was talking to. I had a full lighting truss set up and everything...
There was not enough food for everyone, so some went hungry. Then, they ran out if drinks, even soft drinks before midnight, so now people are crankier.
I had an uphill battle right from the start.
They would not give me e request list, no matter how many times I asked.
It was just terrible the whole night.
Use that night as a learning experience, you will be better and stronger for it.
You need the fuck ups as much as the great nights. If you are not making mistakes, you are not learning.
Papa Midnight 10:29 PM - 17 March, 2014
Quote:
when someone hands you a USB key [...] it's a bad idea


Let's get straight to the point here: Plugging a foreign flash device into your computer? Do you want malware, because this is how you get malware (I don't care what OS you run).
Shay.Sekler 4:45 AM - 18 March, 2014
Quote:


Let's get straight to the point here: Plugging a foreign flash device into your computer? Do you want malware, because this is how you get malware (I don't care what OS you run).


LOL automatically read this in my moms voice-couldn't stop laughing!
djdalite 4:56 AM - 18 March, 2014
charge more and this wont happen as much - contracts....also get a mic and get your balls and tell them you wont be treated like that...call them out - your not a puppet your service - u wouldnt call a house maid to clean your house and then shit on the floor and throw it at her like a monkey...would u?
Shay.Sekler 5:09 AM - 18 March, 2014
Quote:
charge more and this wont happen as much - contracts....also get a mic and get your balls and tell them you wont be treated like that...call them out - your not a puppet your service - u wouldnt call a house maid to clean your house and then shit on the floor and throw it at her like a monkey...would u?


I can't see myself talking over the mic saying 'hey-back off' or something like that,but I'll probably will be more assertive when people come up to me with annoying requests.
right now I'm not signing contracts with clients but I will start doing that and include a 'no DBags allowed' claw.(is it ok to have them sign that only one person from the planners can address me with request and stuff?or that in any case of violent behavior I can stop the party without them being able to do anything about it?

and about the house maid...well...you know...we all got our needs. (just kidding...)
pdidy 5:31 AM - 18 March, 2014
Quote:
Quote:
charge more and this wont happen as much - contracts....also get a mic and get your balls and tell them you wont be treated like that...call them out - your not a puppet your service - u wouldnt call a house maid to clean your house and then shit on the floor and throw it at her like a monkey...would u?


I can't see myself talking over the mic saying 'hey-back off' or something like that,but I'll probably will be more assertive when people come up to me with annoying requests.
right now I'm not signing contracts with clients but I will start doing that and include a 'no DBags allowed' claw.(is it ok to have them sign that only one person from the planners can address me with request and stuff?or that in any case of violent behavior I can stop the party without them being able to do anything about it?

and about the house maid...well...you know...we all got our needs. (just kidding...)

See now you're talking my language.....lol

It's YOUR contract so you can set the rules as you please......
I personally have a no request at the party clause in my contract, all request must be made in writing prior to event.......also the event can be ended at MY discretion due to dangerous or hostile activity at ANYTIME, paid in full no funds.
Shay.Sekler 6:54 AM - 18 March, 2014
I'll start doing that...I don't think I'll include the 'no request' thing,but I will demand a list of songs they like and songs that they don't want to hear at their event...
cheers!
phonze 1:45 PM - 18 March, 2014
Another thing, were people dancing and having a good time while these planners were complaining? Because it's often people complain even though the dance floor is packed. At that point, just point them to the dance floor and say "It's okay, people are having a good time. I got this." Lots of times they'll look stupid and just walk away.
sumoJr 2:08 PM - 18 March, 2014
Blame it on the henny
selectajay 2:39 PM - 18 March, 2014
Quote:
Man shake that shit off and keep it moving.


sorry to say this but the people who booked you seemed like B***& A***holes..
learn from your experience my G..im sure there was something you did good..probably next time just stick with the music that had them dancing:)
Shay.Sekler 4:25 PM - 18 March, 2014
Quote:
Another thing, were people dancing and having a good time while these planners were complaining? Because it's often people complain even though the dance floor is packed. At that point, just point them to the dance floor and say "It's okay, people are having a good time. I got this." Lots of times they'll look stupid and just walk away.


I'm too much of a noob to come up with something like this on the spot..LOL

and hopefully I won't have to deal with that kind of people again.
DJ VEE 7:37 PM - 18 March, 2014
Always get a signed contract. Period. That bad experience I mentioned earlier, was worse because I did not get a signed contract. All of a sudden, the guy was "confused" about the total we agreed upon. Friend of a friend kind of thing. You know the rest.
Remember, this is business. If you feel awkward about a contract, tell them you have a business partner you work with or something and this is one of your rules in order to keep things straight. You expect the same out if him, so you need a contract.
I don't have a request clause in mine. I do have a statement about it being my discretion reguarding how I am treated and that I will stop, pack up and leave if I am threatened, or treated rudely, etc during the event. Use discretion when enforcing that one, (I've never had to), keep in mind, you are dealing with drunk people and trying to get repeat buisness.
The cup thrown at me, I would probably start packing up.
I also have a clause that if my equipment is damaged due to direct cause of a patron, (spilled drink, fight, etc), the person who signed the contract is responsible for the replacement of the equipment .
Laz219 9:13 PM - 18 March, 2014
Quote:
Often, when someone hands you a USB key and tells you to play those songs, it's a bad idea. It's never gone over well when I've done it, so I mostly just get a few of those songs out of the way early in the night. I've tried playing it near the end of the night before and got complaints, people hated the songs selected by the planners. So, maybe try it early in the night when people are just getting settled in.


I'd second this, nearly every single 16-25yo birthday in recent memory- one of the planners has bought me an ipod/usb key.
Most of the time it's nothing but generic top 40 shit that I'd most likely have played anyway. But occasionally it'll either be obscure tracks (that only the 3-4 people that chose the song will react to) or novelty kind of stuff that again, doesn't have the effect they expected.
If I get handed one, usually I'll give it a quick scan at the beginning of the night- make a playlist of my copies of the tracks (not theirs, because invariably they are <128kbps and half the time have radio drops and things all over them.
The only thing I'd ever play is something that is part of a theme that actually serves a purpose to the night.

I've had some terrible gigs though, doing the private party thing where they don't give any information as to what they want before the night but then expect me to have every song from some niche genre that is the only thing they'll listen to.
The more you know before the start, the easier it'll be.