Just a Friendly Neighbourhood DJ Reminder…

STOP playing for jerk promoters that don’t give two $*#!s about you.

Hi, it’s me again.
Yeah I know, my articles have been almost non-existence this year. My head was focused so much in recording and editing videos for Disc Jockey News T.V. that it wasn’t until today, when I was about to go on a facebook rant that I decided this was far better as an article.

Why?

Because I am SICK AND TIRED of seeing good people get used, that’s why! I want to scream if from the mountains, “CHARGE YOUR WORTH!”

The other day I was chatting with this super rad, hard working human in the rave music. They were asking for advice on a situation they had found themselves in. A promoter they’d previously played for was doing some more than shady iiiish with an upcoming event. They didn’t know whether or to take on the event or avoid the headache. Was it really worth the drama? One of the questions I asked right off the hop was, “Is this a paid gig?” In which they told me they hadn’t even paid for the LAST event.

This is what BLOWS MY MIND…

There are hard working promoters, busting their butts, competing against people like this. The ones that aren’t paying their DJs, they are causing a mess of a situation meanwhile the promoter that ACTUALLY CARES is paying out of pocket; REGARDLESS OF ATTENDANCE.

Yes, that’s right.
You heard me.
Giving you cash, no matter what.

If we want to be the change that we want to see in our industry, it’s important to work with people on the same wavelength. Why? Because when we continue to support people that continue to USE artists, we ALL suffer. We are not only teaching them ‘this is okay…’ but we screw over the good people. The promoter, the artists, the club owner, go-go dancers, visual artists, designers etc. The only people that end up thriving are those that are literally screwing others out of their hard earned cash.

And yeah, I get it. Some people are sooo green, they just don’t ‘get it.’ And that’s okay. We can teach through what we allow. We can educate in kind ways. BUT… we need to STOP being desperate for ANY and all DJ GIGS. Start searching for the RIGHT events and people to work with. 

This article is clearly MY opinion. But the more artists I interview, industry people I work with, the MORE I see and hear about this standard and it’s importants. And while there are exceptions to the rules (Yeah, I know you’re already heading to the comments section to tell me…) definitely don’t be bending those rules for people who are making money off the backs of hard working artists. Don’t fall for the sob stories.

Playing a few gigs in the beginning of your career, great. Wanting to guarantee the quality of your work and offering a full refund and or  ‘try it out’ kind of thing, might work for you. Sometimes. In specific cases. I hear you!

It just hurts my heart to see exceptional artists get straight up USED. Spend their hard earned cash on new music, equipment, design work, and hours into practicing and branding, to walk away feeling exploited. This is NOT okay.

If you walk away with anything today, I encourage you to LEARN the difference between ‘means well’ and someone manipulating kind hearted humans. When you make the mistakes, learn the lesson. ALWAYS!

And guess what? Been there, done that myself, too!  You’re not stupid. You’re still learning and we will CONTINUE to learn a lot of hard lessons in this industry. It’s just easier when we aren’t making the same mistakes all the time.

Work for quality promoters, EXPERIENCE the difference and then go tell your friends!

Here are some awesome articles to help you on your journey of educating yourself:

5 QUESTIONS TO ASK YOURSELF WHEN

BEING OFFERED “EXPOSURE” PAYMENTS

7 REASONS YOU SHOULD NEVER DO A DJ GIG FOR FREE

DON’T GET SCREWED! – A DJS GUIDE IN DEALING WITH BAD PROMOTERS

HOW TO NEGOTIATE A WAGE – YOUR DJ FEE

3 REASONS ARTISTS NEED TO INVEST IN THEMSELVES FIRST

Here is all that video stuff I have been business with:

Have a question for the series? Tweet me @KilmaMusic

How To Throw An Event For Dummies

We’ve all been there. Throwing our first event, thinking we’ve got it down. The night of the event happens, the DJs are pissed at us and holy crap it’s because there is no gear to play on. Yet you thought all DJs provide their own gear and that the club would take care of sound and the event would pretty much promote itself. Even if it’s not your first rodeo you might want to follow this one because I’ve added a few pro-tips to help make your event more likely to success.

1.

Brand it.

Pick a theme, genre, demographic. Know what you want to do so you can figure out how you’re going to market this event and to who.

PRO-TIP:
DO YOUR HOMEWORK. Look at other cities / countries with a simular theme and event style. See how they are marketing their work.

2. Secure a venue and date

I’d say do one before the other but it doesn’t always work out that way. Sometimes you’ve got to dig around and see what dates are available where, first.

PRO-TIP:
Check out what other events are happening around that date. Better off putting on an event that isn’t competing with another night on the same day, or the same type of event the following day at the same venue.

3. Secure your artist / DJ line up.

Know what DJs you want to book and start confirming them, what their requested fees are, or make offers NOW.

PRO-TIP:
Find out all equipment requirements during the conformation stage. This is also a great time to set up your set times.

4. Promote your event

You’ve got all the details set in stone, now it’s time to put out the word. Flyers, facebook event pages and or videos.

PRO-TIP:
Give yourself PLENTY of time to do this. Events that are marketed farther in advance have better chances of doing well. Especially when there is a push for ticket sales.

If you REALLY want to go above and beyond find a local space (facebook page or forum) that shares dates of events and ensure other promoters in your area are made aware of your upcoming show. Working together as a community is a great way to help everyone win. Understanding this might not always be possible, it’s at least nice to try and consider other events in your area.

Other great articles and vlogs:

• The Key to a Good Night and Festival Out
• 2018 Canadian Festival List & How To Set Yourself Apart In DJ Applications: According to Festival Promoters
• Pro Tips For DJs During The Off Season
• Building Better DJ Habits You Can Actually Stick To In The New Year
• 3 Questions to Ask Yourself Before Planning for the New Year
• Studio Gear Tips For Artist With A Small Budget
• 2018 Festival Application DJ Check List
• 5 Habits of The Happiest DJs

 

The Key to a Good Night and Festival Out

With a background in nursing and a recent switch to urban planning, Stacey Forrester is both fascinated and passionate about the role space plays in healthy outcomes. This comes into play in the night life and annual festivals. Working alongside Bass Coast for the past 6 years, while also starting the Good Night Out project with her feminist soulmate, Ashtyn Bevan almost 3 years ago, it’s clear she’s on a mission. Her motive to make the nightlife and festival a safe a space.  Make sure you check out their guide to safer spaces and how touring artists can get involved HERE!

Can you share a bit about your background in Harm reduction and how that plays a role in your current work?

“My educational background is in health care and I worked in harm reduction for almost a decade so with Bass Coast, it emerged as  a natural extension of my work passion, allowing it to  spill over into a community I care deeply about. Festival harm reduction allows me to explore my fascination with the built environment and health / well-being….what happens at festivals that results in people feeling connected, creative and safe to express themselves?  Is it the people? Is it the “container?” is it both….How can that translate to life outside of the festival? What  education can patrons receive here, that will help them to  keep themselves and each other safe at events the rest of the year?? These are all things I am constantly  trying to explore  in my approach.” – Stacey 

In your opinion how do art and music influence social norms?

“Great Question….

So …space (a be it festival,bar, family holiday dinner)   is never “neutral” and how it is decorated,(not just literally – but what we fill it with) influences how people feel – about themselves, about each other, about their community-  so at a festival if you have art and music  and performance that patrons are not just encouraged to be entertained by – but rather to co create, share, contribute to – I feel that has that a direct impact on people’s sense of connection – and people who live with a sense of connection are more likely to seek out supports, more likely to intervene when they see someone acting problematically in the group.

I have always said that one of the components of Bass Coast’s Harm Reduction is the art. The art grants allow people in the community to contribute to the experience of the weekend and it helps prevent sense of entitlement from becoming a norm. A dangerous norm at a mass gathering  is the entitlement to  be “ entertained” or to just be consuming the event passively.” – Stacey 

“Also art and music  and performance by diverse gender expressions, bodies, cultures helps prevent any one group from becoming a prop for the party, which is a great norm to have.

I think we are heading into a new time in society where we can really explore  arts role as messenger and educator. Historically art is often positioned as a reaction to culture, but I am drawn art that sits at the nexus of  aesthetically pleasing and informative. Think of how HEINOUS literally all public health information is – drug and alcohol or safer sex pamphlets – like is there not a way to deliver this information that is also nice to look at? That is one aspect of Bass Coast’s harm reduction program that I enjoy – it doesn’t have to be cheesy. We have made it our own.

Last April I collected messages of support for sexual assault survivors from the public  and projected them down town on buildings, kind of Jenny Holzer inspired – I think that reflects my interest in where those things can intersect.” – Stacey 

Why do you feel it is important more festivals get involved in these types of projects?

“All mass gatherings need harm reduction in some capacity. There are many different ways to approach it, all of which can be worked into the “brand” of the event.  To not put plans and interventions in place to mitigate the harms that come from a bunch of people 19+ creating a small village to party in ( which may involve the consumption of drugs and / or alcohol in) is VERY dangerous.  If you are all about “community” it has to include offering supports for that community to access to help keep themselves safe.” – Stacey 

You also run a very important mission, Good Night Out. What motivated you to start it up?

“I do Good Night out with an amazing woman Ashtyn Bevan. I was already doing a different project around street harassment and Ashtyn reached out wanting to do something to talk about harassment on nights out. It came from a place of experience of having (too often) had someone being creepy ruin what was an amazing night out, and wanting less bad nights out, more amazing ones.

And here we are, nearly 3 years later running a street team in one of the most MACHO club districts ever and partnering with the Junos.  Its about wanting a shift in the nightlife economy to one where consent culture prevails, masculinity can deal with rejection, and where women / femmes / non-men are not just safe but fucking celebrated instead of made to feel objectified or unsafe.” – Stacey 

If someone were to use Good Night out, what would that look like?

“We work with anyone who has connections to shows, raves, concerts festivals – so whether one is a promoter, venue owner or patron, we offer workshops for all sectors .It covers what is happening, why this stuff happens (spoiler alert: patriarchy, heteronormativity and racism),what risks exist at your event and practical ways to address them.

That whole package sounds super like buzzkilly, but I promise it is delivered in a way that also acknowledges all the fun reasons about why people go out. It’s a fun workshop. ” – Stacey 

Where do you see your work going in the future?

I think that we are living in a watershed moment both in harm reduction (thanks to fentanyl) and sexual harassment / assault  (thanks to #metoo). I think I have found a niche in making both of  these topics “cool” and easy and waaaaay less daunting than they appear.  So hopefully I get to ride this out a bit and have this conversation a lot more with people who want to implement change at their event or in their community.

How can people get involved with the Good Night Out?

“Like us on Facebook to see what we are all about – Good Night Out Vancouver. If we speak to you and you want to be connected to volunteer opportunities shoot us a message from there.” – Stacey

How can festivals get in contact if they are interested in working with you and knowing more about what you offer?

Going through Good Night Out is best for that too – just shoot an email:
Vancouver@GoodNightOutCampaign.org. 

Make sure you check out their guide to safer spaces and how touring artists can get involved HERE!

Final words or question you think I should asked?
“No – thank you for this!” – Stacey 

Check out there website here: GoodNightOutCampaign.org

Other website Festival related articles here:
2018 CANADIAN FESTIVAL LIST & HOW TO SET YOURSELF APART IN DJ APPLICATIONS: ACCORDING TO FESTIVAL PROMOTERS

2018 FESTIVAL APPLICATION DJ CHECK LIST

WHAT DJS SHOULD HAVE LEARNED DURING FESTIVAL SEASON

DELIBERATE, COINCIDENCE OR LACK OF EFFORT FOR DIVERSITY AT FESTIVALS

HOW TO LAND DJ GIGS DURING FESTIVAL SEASON

 

Pro Tips For DJs During The Off Season

Right in the beginning of the year many DJs complain that there really aren’t enough DJ gigs coming in. It’s right after Christmas and New Years, Festival season is far away and the high time for weddings is months away. In this video I talk about some tricks and tips to preparing for the high season while you’ve got the down time now.

1. Make Playlist for EVERY occasion.
Whether it’s an art show, store opening or headlining an event. Make sure you’ve got a variety of playlists ready to go.

2. Organize, pre-pack and plan.
Think of anything that can go wrong or that you might need and pack it. Maybe it’s a couple of back up usbs, headphones, ear plugs and a power bar. Add in a few converters and headphone adapters.

3. Update your equipment and test your equipment.
Ensure your cords are sending sound both left and right, link cables are in good working condition and any updates have not only been done, but you’ve tested.

Building Better DJ Habits You Can Actually Stick To In The New Year

It’s 3 days into the new year and you may already be feeling off track from your goals. In this video I am going to talk about the 6 ways you can build better habits, ones you can actually stick to. I’ll go into more detail in the video.

1. Focus on the baby steps
2. Make it easy
3. Remove distractions
4. Build your like minded tribe
5. Utilize your creative hours
6. Reward yourself

More fantastic content for DJs and Producers:

• 3 Questions to Ask Yourself Before Planning for the New Year
• Studio Gear Tips For Artist With A Small Budget
• 2018 Festival Application DJ Check List
• 5 Habits of The Happiest DJs
• 3 Red-flags For DJs That Means It Is Time To Lean Into Change
• 6 Ways to Gain Trust and Decode The Needs of Promoters
• 3 Common Mistakes To Avoid at DJ Gigs for both Beginners and Advance Artists
• How to STOP Missing Out On Paying DJ Gigs
• How to Become a More Confident DJ
• Video Tutorials on Beat Matching, Mixing and Eqing
• 3 Steps to Become the DJ You Want to Be
• How To Be A Happier DJ
• Why You Should Keep Doing The Thing People Are Making Fun of You For

 

3 Questions to Ask Yourself Before Planning for the New Year

Before planning for the new year, I like to reevaluate the previous year. I do this because it gets me to question just how efficient I am being with my time, money and energy. It’s not an easy task mind you, because it’s one where we must be TRULY honest with ourselves and it’s easy to make excuses. If however you can be direct in finding those answers, the benefits will far outweigh the slight discomfort. Moving forward you can really start to change the behaviours that are not working. I find it best to write these answers down starting with the question:

1. What did you set out to accomplish this year?

2. Why or why didn’t you achieve these goals?

3. How can you do differently moving forward?

 

More awesome ADVICE 4 DJS

• Studio Gear Tips For Artist With A Small Budget
• 2018 Festival Application DJ Check List
• 5 Habits of The Happiest DJs
• 3 Red-flags For DJs That Means It Is Time To Lean Into Change
• 6 Ways to Gain Trust and Decode The Needs of Promoters
• 3 Common Mistakes To Avoid at DJ Gigs for both Beginners and Advance Artists
• How to STOP Missing Out On Paying DJ Gigs

Studio Gear Tips For Artist With A Small Budget

Is a tight budget stopping you from building your producer studio? Here is the thing, you can have all the best studio gear in the world but it won’t make you the best producer. We have a simple solution for your tight budget, so you can focus your energy in sound design and getting into that creative mindset.

 

Studio gear on a budget:
Focusrite – https://www.focusrite.com
KRK – http://www.krksys.com/
M-Audio – http://www.m-audio.com/

More Great Articles:

• 2018 Festival Application DJ Check List
• 5 Habits of The Happiest DJs
• 3 Red-flags For DJs That Means It Is Time To Lean Into Change
• 6 Ways to Gain Trust and Decode The Needs of Promoters
• 3 Common Mistakes To Avoid at DJ Gigs for both Beginners and Advance Artists
• How to STOP Missing Out On Paying DJ Gigs
• How to Become a More Confident DJ
• Video Tutorials on Beat Matching, Mixing and Eqing
• 3 Steps to Become the DJ You Want to Be
• How To Be A Happier DJ

2018 Festival Application DJ Check List

The snow is on the ground (depending on where you live) and the last thing a lot of us even want to think about is leaving the house. Well I’ve got good news for those of you that are DJs and Producers. This is the perfect time to utilize my free festival check list for the 2018 festivals (Download Link Here.)

1. Latest DJ Mix

 

If you haven’t recorded one in the last 6 months or you simply don’t feel it’s a good example of what you would be playing at the upcoming festival, it’s time to update yours!

2. An up to date biography

 

Make sure your biography lets the promoters know exactly what you’ve been up to, your accomplishments over the years and how you kept busy during the summer months, maybe an upcoming winter residency and previous music releases.

3. Get your social media up to date and or signed up

 

Insure you are easy to find on social media, have your links updated and your profiles looking good. But “Why?” You ask? If you gain the booking, you’ll want somewhere to share the news. This will also showcase how active you are online as well! Are you engaging with your friends? Are you supporting other artists and promoters?

4. Have your up to date press-photos and logos ready to go!

 

Making the promotional process easier for the promoter is always a bonus. If your press-photos are ready to go it’s an easy way for the marketing team to showcase YOU on their press releases for the event.

5. Check list of festivals to apply for

 

Maybe you’ve apply for a festival already but in all the madness of applying, you’ve forgotten which one. Event planners are already bombarded by an intense amount of artist and volunteer applications. Make sure you’re only sending out one application per event. This is also how you can keep track of which applications are due, when. Some festivals have already closed the window for applying. So make sure you don’t miss out on anymore!

Bonus tips:

 

What sets you apart?
Think about that ‘it’ factor. How are you different from other artists? Are you a producer that can also offer a workshop at the festival? Maybe you’ve recently joined a great label or audio company that could also become a sponsor or co-producer running one of the festival stages. Think inside the box, then think outside. What are people not ALREADY offering.

Selectively follow, support and engage!
If you apply for everything it may seem like your chances of playing goes up, but when you select the festivals that you feel most suit your style and you really believe in what they are doing, you can take time to really follow, support and engage with their pages. Festivals are a space where we are trying to build up our community and support the acts and vendors that are trying to create these spaces. Let’s not just apply but show what that community looks like.

More awesome articles:

• 5 Habits of The Happiest DJs
• 3 Red-flags For DJs That Means It Is Time To Lean Into Change
• 6 Ways to Gain Trust and Decode The Needs of Promoters
• 3 Common Mistakes To Avoid at DJ Gigs for both Beginners and Advance Artists
• How to STOP Missing Out On Paying DJ Gigs
• How to Become a More Confident DJ
• Video Tutorials on Beat Matching, Mixing and Eqing
• 3 Steps to Become the DJ You Want to Be
• How To Be A Happier DJ
• Why You Should Keep Doing The Thing People Are Making Fun of You For
• The REAL Reason DJs Dislike Branding And How To Get Past The Marketing Myths

3 Red-flags For DJs That Means It Is Time To Lean Into Change

Do you feel like you’re making headway however something is off? You’re not quite sure if it’s time to make some changes in your career? Well let’s jump into the #3 things that tell you it’s time!

1. If you’re waiting to be happy

“As soon as I get that first big break, I’ll feel successful.”
“The moment I get my track released on that label, I’m be rolling in it.”
“When I finally get that world tour book, I’l be happy.”

2. When you feel like this is all you’ve got coming to you

What’s worse than waiting to be happy? Thinking this is as good as it gets. YUCK!

By the ways here is an article on the mindset that is holding you back. 

3. When you start feeling jealous about what other artists are doing

Hello! I know I’ve been guilty of this myself. It’s hard not getting you’re ego in the way. The first thing a lot of us want to do (especially when we are getting jealous) is to blame them, “They are kissing up!” or “They probably paid for plays, likes, reactions.”

STOP! time to REASsESS 

When I find yourself doing this, it’s a great time to investigate. That hard part is not letting your ego get in the way. It’s easy to want to shift the blame and think someone had it easier. But this is the time to REALLY dig deep. What is it that someone else is doing that is working for them? Why are other people happy, healthy, successful? What does that look like for me?

Here are 3 articles and videos that dive deeper on each topic:

How To Be A Happier DJ
Why You Need to Dream Bigger
What to do When You’re Not Getting What You Deserve

6 Ways to Gain Trust and Decode The Needs of Promoters

Not every potential client is looking for the same skill set or experience when booking a disc jockey. It’s important not only to ask the right questions but decode the needs of these business owners so you avoid wasting time and focus on what will help your clients. So how can we gain trust while figuring out their needs?

1. Leave your ego at the door

Our ego LOVES to get in the way. You know the feeling, That need to correct people. Not only does this put most people into a fight of flight mode when it goes against their belief system, it makes us less likable. Yuck! And if that’s our first impression, well… you get the picture. While we all want to show our confidence in the business, check yourself before you wreck your chances.

2. Ensure Your Potential Client Is Heard

Are you in a business meeting and thinking about what to say next? Stop! Listen to your client. Hear what they are saying and think about what you’d like to know MORE about. If you want to gain trust they need to KNOW your invest and fully understand their needs. You can’t do this if you’re trying to finish their sentences or heaven forbid ‘correct’ them.

3. Ask Questions Regarding What You’ve Seen & Heard

Dive into a comment they made. Maybe a potential client is talking about how they’d like to gain more notice of their new club. Keep it light but positive. “I took a look at the reviews online and it clear people really love coming here. Can you tell me what you’ve found has and hasn’t worked this far?” Or, “Why do you think you may be struggling to bring in more clients?” Instead of guessing, ask what their thoughts are, first. Maybe they are a new business and they haven’t considered hiring someone to market their brand? If the client it open to consider additional options to benefit the business, instead of promising them the world by booking you (which likely wouldn’t help in the long run) the questions open up the conversation about possible solutions.

4. Offer New Information In The Form of Questions

We did this a bit in number three however this is where you may be thinking about how this will effect your own live DJ Gig, for example sound. If you straight out tell a client that the quality of their sound is awful, after they just spent all that money on their new system, chances are there will be push back. However if you ask, “Have you thought about hiring someone to run sound for your establishment?”  If they’ve never thought about hiring someone to run this, here if your opportunity to sneak in the benefits of having an engineer to keep things running smoothly throughout the night. Or maybe they are thinking about doing top 40 bar music in a swanky lounge. Ask them if they’ve considered house music and what sort of mature, higher paying clientele that may bring in.

5. Avoid wasting energy on things they don’t need

Some events don’t want nor need your help bringing in a clientele. This might sound odd at first, but if your doing an opening for a store, or maybe you’re a mobile dj doing a wedding, getting the word out about the event might not only be unprofessional but may clash with the marketing teams ideas. Maybe they’ve got an in house designer and that saved you time coming up with a new logo for the event you’ve got coming up.

6. Focus On Setting Yourself Apart While Adding To Your Clients Experience

We can’t do it all. I mean, we can but we just end up being, ‘okay’ at a bunch of things, instead of REALLY GREAT at one or two things that set us apart. To be a great DJ is to know what you can and can’t do so that you can delegate the rest. Maybe you are not the best at marketing a business, but you know a few great businesses that are. Maybe setting up sound is something you can do, but it time consuming and takes away from your performance. Hire or suggest a business hires someone. If you’re up front about what you can do but also give they client references, you’re giving them options they may have not considered so you can focus on the end goal. Putting on a fantastic DJ set.

Note: If you are just faking it through these interactions, people will see right through it. Practice this in your everyday life, with people you care about and you’ll soon see how your relationships can change. In turn it can make these business relationships and meetings go much smoother. So practice, practice, practice!

Speaking of promoters, you may want to avoid these nightmare ones or at least know HOW to deal with them.

More awesome Advice:

• 3 Common Mistakes To Avoid at DJ Gigs for both Beginners and Advance Artists
• How to STOP Missing Out On Paying DJ Gigs
• How to Become a More Confident DJ
• Video Tutorials on Beat Matching, Mixing and Eqing
• 3 Steps to Become the DJ You Want to Be
• How To Be A Happier DJ
• Why You Should Keep Doing The Thing People Are Making Fun of You For