play lots of "all my real live niggas throw yo hands up"...that kinda stuff. and since no one is really going to be hanging around too long, you can pretty much play the same 20 minute set over and over again.

bring redbull since you'll be bored as fuck.

8 hours? i would suggest let every song play out fully (ie dont quick mix and let every verse play). There are tons of good 80s songs but playing them out will make it easier to keep playing good stuff the whole time. You dont have to worry about momentum or sick mixing skills as most people probably wont be listening too closely. mixing isnt even a must. after 8 hours i would probably just be fading from song to song

also, make a mix so you can take a break and eat/pee/smoke.

and a flask!

I've done a few of these types of gigs. They can, and usually do pay VERY well. I don't know what styles you play, but I stayed fairly jazzy and abstract becuase the clientele was primarily mature and diverse.

Advice: Be on time, be professional, watch your levels like a hawk, have plenty of material on hand, and plenty of business cards on hand also (you'll most likely be running into all kinds of prospective leads).

PS: I don't agree with AlexRage's comment about being able to play the same 20 minute set because A) you'll get bored, and B) while it's true the that clientele are in and out all day, the employees aren't. You have to remember that you are playing for them as well and they will probably be asked what they thought of you later by management (think future bookings here).

i second the make a mix part...and also bring a flask. and condoms. that's what dressing rooms are for.

but if you don't do all 3 at the same time you're done, son.

if you didn't catch by the first line....i was obviously joking.

and a joint

Thanks all!! I'm planning on being pretty bored, but hopefully I'll get some good leads out of it.

Ipod?

plug the Ipod for the store and use your headphones to mix stuff in cue to keep yourself entertained. that's a ton of 80's

"i second the make a mix part...and also bring a flask. and condoms. that's what dressing rooms are for"

Dont bring condoms to a mens clothing store

and a 8-Ball

Soulsonica is correct, dont rock the same songs and bring your A-Game. People WILL listen to you, I get people coming up to me all the time giving props and asking for a card.

Try to find out what the employees want to hear, make them happy and you will most likely get another gig there.

My thoughts exactly.

ahhhhhhh....80's =)

How did it go DJryantheHUGE?

excuse me mr. huge? did this happen to be in buffalo?

Hey all,

Played the gig yesterday at a place called "Marqsmen" - it went well! They had me right up on the window, so I got a ton of double takes as people passed by. It was a bit tedious at times, but I looked at it as getting paid to practice!

Also, since I was playing until the end of most songs, I heard bits of songs that I had completely forgotten about. All in all, it was a pretty good gig - thanks to everyone who offered advice!

yeah the worst part for me is people stopping in the window and staring over my shoulder at my compter screen I HATE IT!!! I want to pull my pants down and moon all of em and tell their asses to move along.

+10

last time i got tired of people looking over my shoulder i burned a cd, and imported it to say track 1, track 2, track 3...
made it less fun to watch because people didnt know what was next.

Is that in Bellevue Square? I'm at the Puma store in Bell-square this Saturday.

How much do those gigs pay?

...and what do you do when you need a break?

I still don't get this one... What the HELL is a "BREAK"?

Whenever I DJ parties, the shit usually starts at say 9:00pm, and ends at 2:00am. And I'm the only one spinning...

If I gotta take a whiz or some shit, I put on a long azz record...and have another one cued up.

WTF kinda breaks y'all taking or needing?

That's what I do.... I'm like a mutha effing fire drill... I got my stuff down to 2 minutes... Damn, I'm good!

Good question... WTF IS A BREAK???? I got my routine down to 2 minutes also. I just make sure there's 3 minutes left on the song, put it in internal mode, take my "break", then get back to work.

i made some tracks i call "bathroom breaks"...mashups that are designed for this purpose so I can bust them out without worrying about it (about 15 minutes long) I have about 3 for each genre I play regularly in diff. tempo ranges

Yep!

Have you done a store gig before? You doing video for puma?

I charged $200 for an 8-hour set.

to me it sounded like he was working 8 hours. If i do a wedding/company party/whatever... typically there is food. if i start dj-ing in the morning and keep playing until past dinner time, i will be way hungry and have to piss for sure.

i was curious if they give him a little time to run to a food court or something

Now THAT'S what I'm talkin' about. Sounds like the "DJ CODE OF ETHICS" has changed too.

I'm there to do a job, hell most times the joint is 5 hours or so, and I don't really see myself taking a "break" of some sort, simply because I like to keep the energy and flow up, for each and every song if possible.

I'm not saying if you've DJ'ing an ALL DAY EVENT, that you shouldn't have some type of person to keep an eye on shit while you take a dump, but c'mon man....A BREAK? Like you're working an 8 hour job or something?

Maybe I'm missing something.

Ok, bathroom break mashups. I've heard it all...

Do you playa!

LMAO! @ a FOOD COURT. Man, "BACK IN THE DAY", we used to have our FRIENDS go and get us some shit from Wendy's or whatever...

I ain't mad at the "Bathroom Break" mix tho....

I HAVE put on a LONG AZZ JAZZ CD to cover my azz while I made an emergency run somewhere....but that was for emergencies, (ie...batteries, blank tapes/cd's,)....

but not really for food....

bring some non greasy snacks and a few waters. nothing is worse than having greasy food over your dj gear.

didnt he say it was 8 hours? if you want to stare at your mixer and computer screen the whole time thats up to you, but with 8 hours, i'd find something to throw on in internal mode that lasts me long enough to relax for a bit. move my legs around at least. thats too long for me to be stuck in back of a table.

Yeah, I was there from 11-7, and I took a 30 minute break for lunch, and a couple of 10 minute breaks.

While I was on break, I just told the manager to turn on her store music, and that worked just fine.

I made sure to stretch a lot, since standing that long can be a pain, and drink lots of water and red bull.

Overall it was a positive experience, I basically got paid to practice and play some songs I never get to use.

Ok, maybe I love mixing or something, but I don't remember having to take a break during an all day set. I ALWAYS stay behind the tables, if not to keep mixing, but to keep an eye on my shit or levels, if someone ELSE is mixing.

I don't have Serato yet, so I haven't experienced the "Screen Stare" as some of y'all seem to describe.

If I've DJ'ed a long azz event, there seems to have always been something to keep me focused at the tables.

There was a time where, again, I opened up the club at 9:00pm, and was used to DJ'ing until 1:30 - 2:00am...then that went to 3:30am....There was a slight adjustment as far as shifting the climax of the club, but nothing unmangeable....Just more tired at the end.

I guess that comes from practice of DJ'ing by yourself.

Ok, I guess in a store, I could see you getting away with the 30 minute lunch break w/ a CD...

But how about the 10 minute breaks? Not saying you couldn't take, or didn't deserve them....

Again, I guess I have to think of a store setting vs. a CLUB going full blast, and you wanting a quick "break"...

anyone notice he charged 200 bucks for 8 hours besides me?

yeah but whatever...to each his own. Stores arent going to pay big money for a DJ like a club.

^^ I noticed that too

DJ Ryan - You had to bring all your own gear I'm assuming??

I DJed a 6 hour event for free...but they bartered an $800 sponsorship for my time, so technically it was an $800 gig. For that many hours you gotta charge more.

I am doing a 2 hour party next week for more than that.

That's really the differece - since there's no dance floor to worry about, taking a break is easy.

What is a good hourly rate to charge a store?

$100 pair of shoes per hour?

Look both ways before crossing the street.

When I worked at dillards for MAC makeup... I charged them 250 for 3 hours... the next time what I did was charge them 350 but in credit to shop at the store..... I know you just did a shoe store but you never know.... you could do half and half.... pay me a few hundred and throw in 2 pairs of shoes or something....

so what do you play for them?

80's mostly... but i got away with playing some electro, house, some breaks etc.... They asked for no rap music...