Looking For Melbourne Club Gigs

[DjNikko]

Just throwing it out there, looking for promoters to talk to about getting myself running with a few club gigs, im confident with my djing and have played several parties but would like to move onto something bigger. I can bring plenty of friends with me to support and drag in the crowd. Any of you guys know of some promoters i can talk to? Thanks

[dapimp]

what kinda music?

[Cupe]

I'd add alot more information mang

[DjNikko]

What info you need?

Im playing Electro House at the moment as my major genre, I took a course mid 2009 with Dj's United which taught beatmatching, set structure and the majority of basic skills. I play at home daily where possible, i have my own cdj 800's and a djm 700 mixer meaning Im familiar with club systems.

[Skank]

this is what you need man at least 2 demos one commercial and one playing "your" style and its best to record live to get a feel for your experience

[DjNikko]

dude I have heaps of them handed plenty out etc though from what I've heard not a lot of clubs hire on the basis of your actual mixing skill and many just throw promo cd's away :S

[CBG]

K man. Melbourne is a hard scene to break into.

No promoter is going to be interested in you, firstly for your lack of experience and your lack of connections.

In Melbourne, especially, it's who you know.

My advice to you is that you try and get work at pubs that play dance at night times.

Go to clubs, meet the staff, meet the DJs, meet the engineers there. Become friends with them and try and get some work that way. But remember, by geting work somewhere, you're probably taking someone elses, so be careful.

This is why I have stayed away from the clubscene, its a popularity contest and some DJs have only the bare minimum skills and are only in it for drugs and a root.

When I start my radio show at the end of this month, I'd be happy to try and get you in for a guest mix or something and if you produce, even better,

Hope this helps.

[Skank]

i shoulda been more specific, you gotta sell your self eg myspace facebook soundcloud mixcloud so that with the demo you give out they can search your name and see you have a presence even if its one that you have made up do what you gotta do

but cbg is spot on i suggest going to where you wanna play and talk to the promoter they only speak one language and thats cash money, tell them you can 100% get x amount of people to come when you play and youll get the gig

[DjNikko]

yeh true, haha cbg its inteligence lol. should go meet some promoters, chat with them etc. been talking to some dj's on fb etc. but i spose the only real way to get in there is to talk to the promoters.

[Skank]

and post mixes on net

[JonnyB]

and eat lamb

[JonnyB]

When I start my radio show at the end of this month, I'd be happy to try and get you in for a guest mix or something and if you produce, even better,

Hope this helps.

this intruiges me.. please make a seperate thread about this like how to tune in etc etc etc...give us the low down yo

[Skank]

i second jonnyb's motion

[DjNikko]

mmm im all for it also you guys should check my mix in my sig section

[CBG]

When I start my radio show at the end of this month, I'd be happy to try and get you in for a guest mix or something and if you produce, even better,

Hope this helps.

this intruiges me.. please make a seperate thread about this like how to tune in etc etc etc...give us the low down yo

It will be on SYN FM, at the end of this month. I've basically got the confimation, just need to touch base once more and get the ball rolling

[CBG]

yeh true, haha cbg its inteligence lol. should go meet some promoters, chat with them etc. been talking to some dj's on fb etc. but i spose the only real way to get in there is to talk to the promoters.

ohh haha hey man. well what I said still is relevant.

I can try and think of some ppl to get work. But yeah, do what I said man. Helps so much more if your producing as well.

[DjNikko]

yeh, im actually still talking to a dj from circus atm, he's at a meeting tonight and at least gonna mention me so crossed fingers for now.

[dapimp]

CBG u got the thing happening at SYN FM?? congrats man!!

and also regarding DJs that do it for the root. i gotta kinda agree but i havent got rooted as a dj yet

[CBG]

It's not guaranteed yet man, but the initial email certainly looked that way . I'll have some sort of presenting role if it's not my role anyway. May just be later at night.

[dan_essential]

After reading a few posts here, I've come to the conclusion that this thread needs some realism. I can only speak in terms of the Trance scene down here.

Firstly, it's not all about who you know. If you love DJing, mixing CD's and giving the listener a good experience, many of the top promoters will give you a break, such as Future Entertainment and Hardware. I've given advice to DJ's interstate, and a month later, they are playing at Godskitchen. Fair enough I haven't played at a main Future event here in Melbourne (other than Creamfields and Defqon1 in Sydney), but it's difficult here with the amount of DJ's already established. After playing at every after party since 2009 for Future, it may not be too far away

Secondly, here in Melbourne, if you chop and choose who you play for, then you won't really find any stability (derrrr). As of the past 3 years, I'd say there are 5 trance promoters who have their own DJ's to put on; Liberate (white sands), Freefall, Majik, Sunset and Nexus. Some of these groups have the same DJ's playing every event, or some DJ's change groups, which can stifle many other upcomers (most notably, because they are good friends with each other and/or other motives). I've probably seen a good 10 upcomers not going anywhere passed an obscure late set in a side room with no one to play to; or even passed a few demos sent out). There’s a fierce (but yet silent) competition of DJ’s trying to get that exact break you’re looking for. So yes, be careful in what you say and who you say it to. Small upcoming promoters like Sunset and Nexus have their selection of DJ’s they put on every event, or on most events, giving a few upcomers the time of night. Whether these DJ’s impress (if anyone is there dancing) or whether these DJ’s draw their own crowd and rock the joint (playing rocking stuff early in the night is not advised), is up to the DJ. Bring 20 mates? Yeh the promoter will like you a little, but don’t rely on numbers. Rely on yourself and your passion.

Thirdly, the big promoters here don’t care how many friends you bring, they are worried whether you can beat mix, have a taste of the right music for the event and whether you can actually be f**ked showing intiative. Don’t take CBG’s advice about playing at pub dance nights, that’s not going to take you anywhere (no disrespect CBG). I remember emailing the heads of Sensation to play at Sensation the first time it was out in Melbourne; expectedly, that did not go ahead. But a month later I received an email requesting me to play at Defqon1, which I accepted (no shit..lol). My next stint with that crew was playing at the Trance Energy afterparty (Durand, Patterson, Judge Jules, Tyas). If you show some initiative, the honchos might show some back. However, to break into the main events here is a slow process; somewhere like Brisbane, well, that’s a different story.

Any issues or anything you want clarified, post and I’ll get back to you when I’m on next. It’s a rocking scene here in Melbourne nonetheless, Trance or House/Electro, and in many cases, luck plays the largest part in getting a break.

Peace.

[CBG]

Whilst I understand where you are coming from. What I said about pubs was directed at someone who has never (very rarely) DJ'd live...

My comment about pub DJing was to Nikko who's never played at a club/pub, therefore any experience in this point of is career, is a good experience.

Reading a crowd is impossible to learn in a bedroom and also hard to learn at festivals because the crowds are more tolerant of the music. However, if you play a song that isnt widely liked at a pub/club, you can see groups of people STOP and walk away.

I dunno, i'm just trying to say that you have obviously achieved more that Nikko (and I), and my advice was directed towards a total novice in live DJing

[dan_essential]

CBG, I can understand that you were just giving your own opinion of things; however, getting any sort of experience is questionable. For starters, playing at pubs may assist in getting over some confidence issues (especially when it’s your first time), but it wouldn’t do you any good for the actual club scene if you do intend on breaking through. You can only play commercial house/electro in pubs, and for that matter, popularised disco shit. Requests for Elton John? Yeh ok dude, keep giving that advice to DJ’s and you will find you’re not doing anyone any favours. Pubs systems are mostly shit you’d find in cash converters, and/or a person’s longue room (generally, that is).

I remember my first gig was going to be at Viper Room, the notoriously violent trance night on a Friday night. Shutdown on the night, never to be opened again. How’d I get that gig that’s being known for its quality trance, yet interesting crowd for the past 8 years? Sent a fucking awesome demo to the promoter. He heard some good things from people and decided to put me on.

I found myself a bit unmotivated after that. But I said fuck it, I’ll try again. Promoted for Infinity (club night for over 1500 punters at QBH), then eventually got a gig by emailing the promoter. A week before my gig, the night ended up on prime time news for a killing. Respectfully, I didn’t have anything to say except feeling sad for the guy who passed away. That’s the dance scene here unfortunately.

But when one door closes, another opens. I really never emailed any promoter, except probably one (which didn’t give me the time of day). However, I did get a few requests to play and did so. Playing at their gigs here and there, rolling out demos etc. In a year, I’d supported over 10 international dj’s and played at the largest dance clubs in Melbourne. Some people say, “you like to suck arse” (not to my face), some people say I’m just a lucky cu*t. But I focused on my mixes, style, selection of music and respecting those who reciprocated; which i feel was my break. I never saw myself becoming friends with most of the promoters. I’m only really mates with one of the small promoters, out of many.

Another important factor to take into account in the scene here is the silence of things. Lots of DJ’s envy/hate each other, they put in the effort to like another DJ, just to increase his reputation among DJ’s and/or promoters, blah blah. Seriously, it’s a dog-eat-dog world, and if you’re going to take a firm step in the scene here, you have to understand that if you give out any secret (whether you’re looking to play at reputable events or shitdig 100 patron events), the recipient will capitalise in his/her advantage. If you’re looking to get gigs based on how friendly you can be, don’t say I didn’t warm you, because that shit won’t last.

Also, don’t think that by emailing every promoter in Melbourne is a good tactic, most won’t even listen to your demo. If you play at one event and you’ve been asked to play at another, on the same night as the one you started at, you have some serious fucking issues. Unless you’re capable of handling it and choosing, most DJ’s ask for advice and say, “What the fuck do I do?”. I’ve been in that situation once and once very recently. Best thing to do when that situation surfaces, is to choose based on costs/benefits. Yes a relationship with a promoter can last a while, but they are in it for the money, DJ’s come and go.

So choose for the better of yourself and your passion in DJing.

Honestly, I’d rather get an assignment done..lol

[Skank]

so from what i can understand is your saying dont practice out, just go straight for the high end gigs from the bedroom??? i dont know how the trance world works but that would equal career death for 99% of bedroom bangers

[dan_essential]

so from what i can understand is your saying dont practice out, just go straight for the high end gigs from the bedroom??? i dont know how the trance world works but that would equal career death for 99% of bedroom bangers

You understand wrong. If you understood correctly, you'd be under the impression that breaking into the trance scene is as fucked as menarche. Your statistics are absolute bullshit, don't include stats if you can't support it with evidence, it's fallacious and doesn't amount of nothing.

Respect the act that I'm expressing what most don't dare to write, due to upholding their so called 'reputations'. Skank, no, if I'd said go straigh to the high end gigs, I'd say it, and you would see it written quite clearly. The whole conclusion really is that being careful and taking calculated risks is a must.

[Skank]

i wrote 99% as an expression of how strongly i think it would be the end of young first time djs

I believe you have understated the importance of networking and getting out to meet promoters. It is paramount to put a name, face and personality behind the mix tape/ promo you push. and unfortunately it is harder to find the promoters that want to find the dj with awesome track selection and mixing technique that brings hes mate and girlfriend instead of the promoter who just want the guy whos gunna play what hes told too and bring 60+ people with him each gig