dj advice?

so a homey on facebook hit me up asking about how to get booked. and my reply ended up looking like a cool blog post. his question was about trying to get booked. and so here is what i said. disclaimer: i am not booked as much as i would like. so i hope im not comin preachy or sideways. this is just what i think i have learned thus far and if it helps people out... werdemup. if someone got more input or a different way that gets them booked globally... HOOK ME UP DUNNY


ah the dj game. it's a difficult one. but not impossible! as with a lot of things, part of it is who you know. sounds kinda wack... but in all things, people book who they know. the good thing is that most people who book are really cool. some people think that this might imply ass kissing or other forms of wack politiking... but its not like that. if i had to structure a method for getting it booked, it might look like this:

a) find out what events are events you would like to play for. get to know people. talk to promoters. try working with the ones you get along with. give out mix cds. (demos should always be live and editing to a minimum. separating tracks is a must.

b) be honest, and figure out if you think you would be right for this type of party. sounds weird, but i see djs have hard times getting booked because they arent rocking the crowd. it's kinda a case of the wrong dj for the wrong crowd.

c) be patient. in the time that you arent getting booked, maybe start a website/blog. get people knowing your name. i put up free mixes on my blog: djbrigidope.blogspot.com
it kinda helps people booking if they hear of you in other ways than at the club. drinking + loud music = lousy memory.

if you start a blog, dont just talk about gigs. infact, try to talk about normal people stuff or stuff thats interesting to you.. rare records, favortie producers, what you cooked for dinner. people on the internet who seem like they are always selling something get annoying. giving people information and making yourself valuable to people means people are paying attention.

d) network with djs you know that you like spinning with/get along with and try getting on places. dont be pushy... this is where a demo mix works... because you can pick up some last min gigs and/or if a dj you know is booking for something, it helps them know that you are a dj they feel confident in to book.

when all else fails...

book yourself.

im serious. find a spot that will let you play. being the bay area you cant swing a freaking pair of headphones around without hitting another dj. but if you come across a place that fits your vibe... do it. vinroc always says "if you build it they will come" yeah he took that from a movie... but its kinda true. throwing parties are a whole nother beast. but feel free to holler if you got questions about that.


damn this is a pretty long message. heh. i think ill use it as a blog post. but yeah man, holler if you got more questions. i dont mind answering them if i know the answer.

peace.
-bj,