Looking For Melbourne Club Gigs

[dan_essential]

Importance of networking and getting out to meet promoters? Please, don't extend this crap my way, or anyone elses. It is not paramount to put a nam to a face if you're wanting to take particular risks. Yes, what you're saying is go out, meet promoters, befriend them, get gigs and hope for the better? There may be a slight variation to that inference, but you understand the point. It is not hard to find the promoters that want to find the dj with awesome track selection and mixing technique, you just have to have good instinct and some social intelliegence. Where are all the smart thinking dj's on here?

It's actually harder down here to see the promoter who wants the 30+ glist punters week in week out than the opposite. What the idea of my advice was, is that taking risks is reccomended, but tis not for the faint hearted.

Your 99% expression was ill-founded and didn't really contribute to the discussion. No offence

[Cupe]

Where are all the smart thinking dj's on here?

That was a tough generalisation

[dan_essential]

Don't think too hard on it you might blow your other eye out. Then you won't be able to beat match

[ChevChelios]

I was under the impression that people beat matched with their ears, not their eyes

[eggssell]

what!!! don't you just match the two waveforms...

(just joshing. most ppl know i cant beatmatch... ha ha)

[ChevChelios]

LAWAL!!!

[Cupe]

Don't think too hard on it you might blow your other eye out. Then you won't be able to beat match

Did he just have a go at me then?

[ChevChelios]

I dont know, he seems to have a bit of an attitude problem imo.

[Cupe]

I don't mind if people get agro at each other and are discussing something (ie. not just calling each other a fag, plus it equals more posts for ADJF lol) but there's no need to start on the whole forum cause your dick's in a knot over someone arguing from the other side of your point of view.

keep it in the octagon boys

[Skank]

thats why i pulled away from the discussion you carnt argue with a super star

@chev, i had a stich after reading your post rep+

[CBG]

ditto

[JonnyB]

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 Disagree, Playing front of any crowd will be good for someones performance, its not something you have to put on your resume, and obviously a dj that wants to play clubs isnt going to take reading a crowd at a pub seriously, playing at a pub will boost the confidence of playing infront of any crowd, help to get over that first sence of stage fright. so when they do eventually break it into a club scene, they arnt scared shitless infront of a crowd.(weather its 5 people or 100

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 What about the promoter you mentioned in the paragraph before? (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. I Think this isnt neceserilly true(stfu about my spelling haha) Ive Played with 5 international dj's, as well at the biggest club in the southern hemisphere(home nightclub, which isnt really a boosting thing ebcause i hate the place) and with in the month ill of played with 13 internationals(after only djing for 14 months and in clubs for 7 months). and all this was thanks to networking, i made friends with a few dj's, then a few promotors, and its not all an 'act to get in the scene' i like the music scene and what its about and the people in it, and through this we got our first gig, quickly moved up, and weve just asked to be put on the clubs record label. Not sayng your way is wrong, just pointing out that your was ISNT the only way. Please note that im not trying to boast here, just pointing out that your way isnt the only way to become succesfull

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. I Think this will vary depending on what city/club you play at. The club i play at is a tight nit group, we all help to promote each otheres events etc etc. Ive never been to melbourne or had anything to do with the trance scene so cant say anything on that

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

Ok basically im agreeing with you and disagreeing with you.

Im Agreeing with the way you got your break, but im disagreeing in the way you shut down many other avenue's of people getting there breaks in the scene, just because certain ways havnt worked out for you, or people you know, dosent mean they wont work for other.s

There isnt an certain way to get your break, there isnt a step to step process and certain guidline you must follow, every dj makes his mark a diffrent way, depending on who you know, what genre your looking for, what city/country your in, weather you produce, how good you are, etc.

Dont ask people how to do it, go out and just do it, if the first way dosent work out for you , work out a diffrent way.

[JonnyB]

oh and Chris, whats up with that radio program you were doing? did it happen?

[CBG]

i have a meeting for it in about 2hrs actually.

things havent happened as smoothly as id hoped. but i reckon in a month it'll be going

[JonnyB]

hope so dude, goodluck with the meeting

[CBG]

cheers

[JonnyB]

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.

Im honestly not having a go at you here dude, but here you claim to only being able to speak in terms of the trance scene in melbourne, but yet your shutting down and correcting everyone regardless of what genre they come from(which you may or may not no shit about in which the scene from they come) It just seems to me your going through this thread with a attitude where you cant be wrong no matter what, even though you stated you can only speak in terms of the trancescene in melbourne, 1 genre in 1 city. Come on, Be Fair, listen to what others say. and dont shut them down because it may be wrong in the melbourne trance scene, not every scene is the same

i hope you keep posting around these forums, as you seem to be very well into the trance scene and im sure you can give people that are into trance some good info and help(as thats what this very forum is about), just try do it with out the 'im right and your wrong and thats how it is' attitude.

[CBG]

imo, the trance seen, in AUS in fact, is a lot different to your house/electro/commercial scene.

YOU CAN get work at lot of low patronage venues as a house DJ. You cannot as a trance DJ, its just not big enough. So a lot of his 'advice' did not apply. Hence why i just read it and then forgot it... lol

[djarmed]

Not long now and trance will be back...............i can feel it hahahaha..............fuck yeah!!

[CBG]

I'm knocking on the door of trance with my progressive stuff, but still, I DJ a lot of house and commercial. Prog ftw tho

[Skank]

i carnt see trance coming back any time soon i think techno minimal and tec house will push a little harder into the scene

[ChevChelios]

techno minimal

FTW!

[djarmed]

i carnt see trance coming back any time soon i think techno minimal and tec house will push a little harder into the scene

looks like im going to have to go overseas then

[Cupe]

or lead the trance guys in australia to a full comeback?

jesus it's not the aussie spirit to give in that easy!

[djarmed]

or lead the trance guys in australia to a full comeback?

jesus it's not the aussie spirit to give in that easy!

hahaha yeah thats what i really plan on doing, love my country too much to just pack up and leave.....

Just need to get some propoganda out in the country hahaha