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I dj in a night club on friday and saturday nights, sometimes i have a really fun night and other times i question myself on why i want to be in this oline of work.
last night is a good example! At the start of the night there were alot of older people in the club so i did a few of the old 70s classics and they went great because the place had a real party atmosphere, once the club started filling with a younger crowd i started going into top 40 music such as dance and rnb. everyone seemed happy, until after a little while i get this women come up to me (she was about 35) she asks me to play abba again, i kindly explained to her that i had already played it once and i would not be able to play it again, At this time i had my best friend up in the dj box with me, so she tried asking him for it so i said to her that he has no say in it and once again told her that i could not play it. just as she was about to walk of she said to me "no wonder this place is no good" this comment made me really angry, so i told her that she should go somewhere else if she does not like what i am playing! so she starts argueing with me and being really really rude, i said to her that if she keeps going i will have her kicked out and of course that did not stop her, she kept saying that i did not have the power to do that. by this stage i had enough so i jumped out of the dj box to go and get one of the bouncers. unfourtnly they were all busy dealing with a fight so i had to walk back in there without a bouncer, knowing that she would have great time being rude and saying that she was not going to get thrown out. this time she got right in my face and started calling me a liar and then out of no where took a swing at me, all i could do was walk away and wait for a security guard. i did not see her for the rest of the night so now she is going to think she can just walk all over me the next time she decides to go out and get drunk and make a fool of herself. Now i consider myself to be very patient up to a point but if someone is that rude i cant help but be a bit rude back. I dont know why people think they can treat us like that, i mean we dont go into there walk and abuse and threaten them do we. we have to try and keep alot of people happy and it is immpossible to keep every single person in the room 100% satisfied. It would be great to here some of your stories like this. could you also let me know what some of you would all do in this situation. thanks for taking the time to read this. wish me luck at work tonight  i hope she is not there |
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Mole! |
All you have to say is,
"Look, I don't come into McDonald's and tell you how to salt the fries & flip the burgers. Don't tell me how to DJ." Just know that you are not alone. It happens to all of us. Keep cool. I think you handled it fine. |
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DJX well done for standing your groud. I've come across this situation several times. It sounds like in your case it was a clash of older crowd vs young crowd. I've had the persistent idiot(s) come up and ask for the wrong/inapropriate music. I usually don't have time for these social outcasts so I try not to let them get to me, I usually just ignore them and concentrate on the majority crowd. Like I've said in previous posts it's hard to justify why you can't play certain music to someone, who is drunk, and has no social skills whatsoever.
You were right to go get a bouncer, unlucky for you there wasn't one. In that situation I would of got on the mic, stopped the music if necessary and announce "Security to the DJ box please". The times that I've done that, I found that the threat of being "bounced" out especially via announcement over the PA and the embarassment usually does the trick. Another thing I do to pre-empt a potential fracar is to grab a bouncer and point out the troublemakers, this works really well if the idiot in question sees you do this. Sometimes actions speak louder than words. The last thing bouncers want is it to be jumping on people all night and would rather stop arguments/fighting before they start. If the security at your venue is good, they'll track that person and normallly hang around you/them. There's no real answer to these situations suffice to say use the bouncers to your advantage, at any opportunity make management aware of what is going on at all times, good or bad. If the security at a venue is perceived to be tough by the patrons, you'll find your problems will diminish greatly and you can get back to concentrating on your job. It's a War out there! ROQ out. |
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My theory on the matter is: If the dance floor is packed and bumpin, on person's complaint about the song list isn't bad. Most people will leave the floor if they don't like the music.
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yeah I tried to got to the dj booth to talk to the dj about his software and his turntables and to get some feedback. The bouncer told me to get away. I mean it is really hard for a dj. I know to him I look like some idot. Who wanted to request a song.
But D-J-X i have to give you credit because I kno i could not hold my self back. I mean i really think the problem boils down to. They had to pay to get in the club. So they had to pay you too. So they figure they are your employee. But next time just put headphones on and go back to work and igonore her. Or get on the mic and say "who is really crunk in the bit" (edit it to your own flavor). Then they will know. |
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I think the answer here is to NEVER stoop to their level no matter how feral they become. A true professional will keep his cool in all situations - good or bad!
When you lose it and retaliate in any way, verbally or physically you are instantly perceived as un-professional. You will lose respect not only from management and staff, but also your crowd, the ones who come back week after week to hear your good music. This is your majority customer, not some twit with a foul mouth and bad attitude. Earning respect from them (the majority crowd) is a lot harder than one person at any given moment during your performace. You will lose it in an instant the second you lower your guard and turn into one of them. Think about it, what's more valuable to you as an entertainer, making a fool of just one patron, or being a super cool DJ professional and keeping your crowd happy and keeping their respect? ROQ out. |
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I play at a weekly club where there is a certain format where the owner makes me play deep house for teh first hour so that people drink at the bar and rack up sales. I don't totally agree with him on this strategy but play there because it is the hottest spot in town. Anyways, as you can imagine, I have hot angry drunk girls coming up to me requesting the new bangers during this time just about every night.
Instead of antagonizing them by explaining I can't play it, I simply smile and nod and promise them it's coming. This works even better later in the night if the club is slammed. Just smile and nod and tell them it's coming. They'll leave happy and most of the time be too drunk or preoccupied to notice that the song isn't played. If they come back later complaining, I usually just say with a coy smile that I played it..didn't they hear it? It usually always works and keeps everyone happy. A little white lie to keep everything smooth is all good. Peace! |
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I totally agree about a white lie now and then...if I am playing a song a person doesn't like (you can't please everyone you know) I tell them hey it was requested...as you say most are to drunk to know..
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I understand I had somilar experience, but it is the same thing with mobile disc jockey, just depends who is there. Let me tell you a few few examples of situations I had before. I was deejaying for an Idian party (now I am not trying to put Indian people down), but everyone was nice and all, but the thing was there was this real jerk in the crowed and he thought he owned me. He went and told me that I wasn't playing good music, but everyone else like it. They requested the music and he kept complaining and yelling at me I told him please I will play what I was requested to play and what I think is good, as soon as I put on what he liked and then changed it to another song he would say what is this shit your playing and I can do a better job then you. And what kind of crap equipment do you have? And he was even making some stupid comments and being a clown on stage when they had their speaches. So you get one or a few idiots like that who want to run everything and only play what they want to hear. But I believe it's the same in both clubs and mobile dj. but you the dj has to judge for yourself. I know a lot of djs you just ignore the person who are being jerks and just say I already have my requests and tell them I am busy sorry, talk to the manager or somone in charge and if you're in charge then just ignore them and eventually they will get bored and go away or go to another club. But if it's for a wedding or something you have to know how to handle the situation. I mean if its your company you must have handled stuff like that around before. They are always people that are jerks and get drunk and think they can tell you what to play or how to run the show, but you have to know how to handle the situation, otherwise they will walk all over you. And try not to let some else handle it like bouncers, try to do it yourself. Just tell her you will play her song even if you don't or just ingore them. I usually ignore them and they tend to just get tired and leave you alone or go home. But if it's a lot of people you are getting upset then your music selection should be change, but by the way you were saying your situation I guess most of the older people went home and the younger crowed came in. So play just a few disco/oldies and majority play newer stuff. I mean if there is 200 younger people in the room and 30 of them are older you play some older music. I know for weddings a lot of younger kids or young adults like older music too. Like I know, when I play "The Twist by Chubby Checker" almost the whole room gets up and dances. |
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Just tell them that the owner set's the music rules and your sorry she's upset. Don't take the heat yourself or she'll chew your ass until she leaves.
As for getting a bouncer? I never leave the booth for this. I use a signal to the bouncers that is.... "Jimmy....soundcheck please" or "Cowboy....soundcheck please". Something that won't necessarily will draw attention to the sound booth. If you say "Can I have a bouncer to the booth" the people dancing and the ones at the bar are going to know something is up. If the lady is trying to make a scene...she'll get the attention she wants. Just quietly defuse her and send her on her way. If she said "no wonder this place is so bad" then ask her " why did you come then"? (If you want to take a jab at her) otherwise just smile and blow her off. You can't please everyone at the same time and some people just like to bitch when they drink. I hadn't played in a club since 1982 until last week. I filled in at a hip-hop club while their house DJ was at Mobile Beat. Nothing changed except the music. Same jerks! Scottie Mack Loveland, CO. |
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<Edit:>Sorry no advertising on these forums. You may mention your remix service as a reply to another members post, if and only if it directly pertains to the question asked. Please just do not post a blatand advertisement.</Edit>
This message has been edited. Last edited by: DJ Stevie Ray, |
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American DJ Group of Companies Home Page forums.americandj.com Forums The Lounge Mobile DJ's the downs of being a club dj
forums.americandj.com Forums The Lounge Mobile DJ's the downs of being a club djCopyright American DJ Los Angeles CA USA 2007