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Need an advice about booking.

20 durable postsStarted 2006-09-26Latest 2007-10-24
#33074Post 1 of 20

Hi! I'm new on the forum and I need an advice if anybody can be helpful.

The thing is that we have a specific situation in our country regarding a club scene. We are a small two million state and the problem is that everybody is connected between themselves, those who organize parties in clubs became djs (mostly bad of course), so they book themselves along with their asskissing dj buddies. So our clubbing more or less works on returning favors in a closed circle which is extremely hard to brake from the outside and at the end the consequences are:

  • the same djs in clubs again and again, people are bored, therefore's no quality
  • it isn't important if a dj, a club is going to book is good but whether he knows somebody and therefore is capable to book people which booked him

I could wright on these issues all day but that's not essential for my request on this forum. So what I'm asking here for, does anybody have an idea how to reach a level of consideration, when somebody will want to book me regardless on having a coffee with him every week. I know this man who was a producer of club programme, but unfortunately this club is closed forever. He booked me once a while and those were good parties and that's the reason why it's worth being persistant ' cause people love my music, that's for sure.

What crosses my mind are only two things:

  • to mix the best promo cd I can and then distribute it to every person who is in this business
  • to find two or three mates with similar problem and together with them rent some borehole with intention of making underground parties in it. (very hard doable)

I'll be very happy any of your suggestions or how is the situation in your country. Thank you and have a nice day!

#731268Post 2 of 20

Re: Need an advice about booking.

what sort of music do you play and what country are you in?

more details essae.

#732137Post 3 of 20

Re: Need an advice about booking.

there's quite a bit of that going around all over the world...the way to get booked through that is to become friends with those dj's...if you can't beat em, join em.

#735032Post 4 of 20

Re: Need an advice about booking.

There's a big difference about booking an artist or getting bookings.

You say you want to get more bookings then? You want to start playing more often because you feel, you have a better chance of playing better records than the rest?

#737908Post 5 of 20

Re: Need an advice about booking.

well they aparently haven't even been back since this post so aparently they are not that hung up on playing out.

#741101Post 6 of 20

Re: Need an advice about booking.

true..in any event, if you read this...the only 2 ways to get into "closed circles" like this (or at least try to) are..(and they kind of go hand in hand).

a) Get to know the people and be persistent, show you care and can be considered...even if takes a long time to actually get a gig. b) Hand out promo CD's showcasing your works...on a fairly continual basis. To them and to others. Get them circulating out there...

#743146Post 7 of 20

Re: Need an advice about booking.

Thank you very much for your help it means something.

Answer to DOPLA: I'm from Slovenia/EU and I play progressive.

#757187Post 8 of 20

Re: Need an advice about booking.

It is the same everywhere you go. Start your own parties and maybe a weekly in a smaller bar or something. If you are as good as you think you are you will build a small following which will consist of poeple that are friends with those promoters that are booking all their shitty friends.The promoters will start hearing great things about you and will probably come hear you spin sooner or later. Eventually you will get more bookings and even if you don't you will still be playing your own event.

#757314Post 9 of 20

Re: Need an advice about booking.

^^^ that's how Steve Lawler got his start. Throwing parties under a bridge in england.

#804922Post 10 of 20

Re: Need an advice about booking.

[quote=jeffrey collins;411297]^^^ that's how Steve Lawler got his start. Throwing parties under a bridge in england.[/quote]

He should return to that bridge again, [COLOR=red]to keep him under it for godsake![/COLOR]

#805074Post 11 of 20

Re: Need an advice about booking.

wow, someone has got a problem with him. Did he make you mad by changing from tribal to the sick ass shit he;s been playing.

Oh and to rectify the situation i was speaking of earlier...If you can't join em...BEAT EM! Get your ass into production and coast right on past those guys who just focus on getting those weekly's in their hometown and don't do anything else.

#805086Post 12 of 20

Re: Need an advice about booking.

If you're good at what you do and you're in the game for the love of the music, people will take notice and you'll get where you want to be.

#846947Post 13 of 20

Re: Need an advice about booking.

[quote=nebra;380607]Hi! I'm new on the forum and I need an advice if anybody can be helpful.

The thing is that we have a specific situation in our country regarding a club scene. We are a small two million state and the problem is that everybody is connected between themselves, those who organize parties in clubs became djs (mostly bad of course), so they book themselves along with their asskissing dj buddies. So our clubbing more or less works on returning favors in a closed circle which is extremely hard to brake from the outside and at the end the consequences are:

  • the same djs in clubs again and again, people are bored, therefore's no quality
  • it isn't important if a dj, a club is going to book is good but whether he knows somebody and therefore is capable to book people which booked him

I could wright on these issues all day but that's not essential for my request on this forum. So what I'm asking here for, does anybody have an idea how to reach a level of consideration, when somebody will want to book me regardless on having a coffee with him every week. I know this man who was a producer of club programme, but unfortunately this club is closed forever. He booked me once a while and those were good parties and that's the reason why it's worth being persistant ' cause people love my music, that's for sure.

What crosses my mind are only two things:

  • to mix the best promo cd I can and then distribute it to every person who is in this business
  • to find two or three mates with similar problem and together with them rent some borehole with intention of making underground parties in it. (very hard doable)

I'll be very happy any of your suggestions or how is the situation in your country. Thank you and have a nice day![/quote]

Same way here in Arizona (USA) I refuse to kiss ass so only the most respectable local promoters will book me. I have been getting alot more bookings since some of my tracks are getting signed though.

#847223Post 14 of 20

Re: Need an advice about booking.

[quote=victorgonzales;476903]Same way here in Arizona (USA) I refuse to kiss ass so only the most respectable local promoters will book me. [/quote]

It's all a game mate, it's called politics as well. If you know how to play the game and network with the right people even the worst of DJs can get a gig.

it seems the only reason you're getting more bookings is because you have some tracks signed. Good for you mate! I preach that to anyone trying to get into the scene.

Network and start producing. Succeed at these two and theirs no reason you shouldn't get booked.

#870632Post 15 of 20

Re: Need an advice about booking.

[quote=victorgonzales;476903]Same way here in Arizona (USA) I refuse to kiss ass so only the most respectable local promoters will book me. I have been getting alot more bookings since some of my tracks are getting signed though.[/quote]

That will help you out WAY more than kissing ass with promoters. Once they see your tracks up on Beatport and other sites. They just come running to kiss your ass. It's totally tru for a couple of my friends from [url]www.myspace.com/portamentorecords[/url] they began that label with people laughing at them, but now whos having the last laugh. They've got it to where they could spin at any club in columbus...if they wanted to.

#918930Post 16 of 20

Re: Need an advice about booking.

Shave your balls

#921574Post 17 of 20

Re: Need an advice about booking.

hahahah its the same history in all world dont worry, the only thing that u need is talent and [B]consistent work! [/B]

#926773Post 18 of 20

Re: Need an advice about booking.

[quote=alexfish333;528975]Shave your balls[/quote]

great promotional piece...works well on flyers too

#928693Post 19 of 20

Re: Need an advice about booking.

Best advice I can give: approach those people you say are getting sick of the guys who mix day in, day out with a CD of your own mixes. I guarantee if you give it a few months and be a persistent prick about it (in a nice way), one of two things will happen:

  1. the people you gave the CD's to will catch on that you're doing something different and will start asking you to play for their own parties, or...

  2. the promoter for this group you're talking about will pull his head out of his ass when he realizes people are listening to something else other than the drivel he's constantly pushing in their faces, and approach you.

#929430Post 20 of 20

Re: Need an advice about booking.

that's a pretty good idea. It helps to slowly building your crowds too. Because they always have a reminder of how good you are. I still have people that play my feb 06 mix around town. they tell me about it when they see me out.

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