WAAA-WAAA. The clients want him to play certain songs. It's their money and their reception. Do what they want. Personally I hate it when those same 7 girls want to hear "dance" music so they can show off.
As he said, the majority were 70 and over.
You aren't being paid to audition for other gigs, you were hired to do THIS job.

He's stuck between a rock and a hard place...client wants one thing and then the audience wants another thing putting the pressure on the dj, band, OMB,etc,.....the crowd doesn't know what the client wants, and here lies the problem. Even if he does what he's hired to do the people will still expect a party atmosphere after dinner as always and start to challenge the DJ or Band with requests to play something to dance to and pump up the party somehow so they can have fun, which can get very annoying, and in turn you will have to keep telling them the client doesn't want that kind of music, etc, etc, and in turn have to blame the ho hum party on the client which also in turn will send the people over to the client to complain and find out what the heck is going on and why they can't dance! No one wins in this situation when your playing a cold strange crowd that doesn't know you,and a finicky client!......
OMG what a nightmare!!

Don't have this problem.

People hire us because they have heard us, and know what our repertoire is.

This guy lost me after the ridiculous meatloaf analogy.

Regards,

Jerryghr

SELL YOUSELF FIRST

Being a musician means you have to know how to play the instrument. Being an entertainer means you must go beyond just playing. And if you are dealing with people and money you should know a little about handle people.

First of all I agree with Jerry with that meatloaf thing.

Talking to the people who are booking me:
One is booking me as a steady, ala Don. The other is booking me for a party; wedding, anniversary, or whatever.
I sell them on the idea that I am a professional. I know how to make a party successful. I start with music that is not fast and build up an exciting end leaving people singing on their way out.

Dealing with the person who is paying for the band:

As you know my band has been very successful. Request or someone singing may hurt the excitement in the room, but if it is important to you we will do it.
The cocktail party should have one or two musicians. This will help people feel in a party mood before entering the main ballroom.

Musicians take 20 minutes of every hour. If we add continuous music they will play 55 minutes – resting only 5 minutes. My men walked out with 80% more dollars. I don’t remember ever taking 20 minutes off regardless of how booked the job. There were times when we played right through the hour.

OK, off my soap box --- bottom line; if you do not know how to handle people you WILL have problems. The man in the video did not sell himself as a pro. – He was more concerned about his feelings.

Nice using a video, you can say anything you want about the guy.
Thank you for reading, (smile)
(Nothing serious here) John C.

bruno123
bottom line; if you do not know how to handle people you WILL have problems. The man in the video did not sell himself as a pro. – He was more concerned about his (own) feelings.

And if you are dealing with people and money you should know a little about handle people

DonM
The clients want him to play certain songs. It's their money and their reception. Do what they want.....You aren't being paid to audition for other gigs, you were hired to do THIS job.

Last week I was in the supermarket ordering ham at the deli counter. The man was cutting the ham from the end of the ham roll. I told him I didn't want the "end" of the ham roll.....I wanted a fresh ham. He countered with "it's all the same ham. I don't need to open a fresh one." After a back and forth dialogue about why I should accept what HE wanted to give me, I told him in a voice loud enough to shatter the glass on the display case....."either give me what I want and what I'm paying for, or.....get me someone else here who will "give me what I want and what I'm paying for!" I never saw a man move so fast to take out a fresh ham.

Get the metaphor?

Mark

Lets all remember this DJ said it was an "Agent Gig" so he really doesn't know the client and there lies another problem...personally I felt bad for the DJ in question but thats part of the business only experience can determine how you have to handle it delicately to make all involved have a great time..
and guess what? the next gig will be a totally different scenario to handle...its a new world out there in the trenches...adapt or go home.

What we have here, son, is a serious lack of communication.

Gary

The client communicated exactly what he was paying the DJ to play.

The DJ didn't like the message, so he complained to the world.

This fellow is well known on YouTube DJ videos. It would not take much to figure out the venue, and party from the video. If I was the agent, this guy would go to the bottom of my referral list. He shot himself in the foot with this one.

Jerryghr

All kinds of problems to deal with in the trenches today for sure....

I feel sorry for people just starting out in the business today !!