I've got a bit of a finance hobby, so I do tend to analyze business models from time to time, recently this one struck my interest.

I've recently read on a local scene site, some people basically "joking" that they have never been paid to DJ. Honestly, I've been paid once, and that was for DJ'ing at an organized LAN party (that’s a computer event for the non-informed) and I didn't even ask or expect payment for that. These are people I see doing club things fairly regularly too so it brings up the question, what exactly is it that causes the phenomenon of the free DJ?

I don't really play out much, so it doesn't really pertain to me at the moment in terms of relevancy as it did when I was actively seeking to play out, I'm more of an internet presence DJ. However, I would, in the future, hope that if I were trying to play out regularly, that there would be some sort of incentive to compensate me for constantly being there and helping keep the floor packed, for the investment in the tracks I play, and the hardware we purchase. I think it's a bit idealistic to expect a hobby such as this to pay for itself, but not so much to expect it to at least "discount" your total expenditure.

The exception of course being "residency" type DJ jobs, but that is a different arrangement, you're actually more of an employee at that point and no longer a temporary musician/performer.

So I guess it leaves me with the questions.

How to you broach the topic of payment to (insert title here) and when? (promoter/organizer/club owner/agent)
What is realistic to expect?
My perception of the matter is, no matter how little you'll accept, someone else will accept less, and some owners/promoters figure the less they pay, the more money they make which puts DJ's in the most powerless spot when it comes to dictating the financial environment surrounding their craft.

Venue owners have their cut, justified by rental/utilities/staff/consumables, they're expected to charge and it's acceptable for them to do so.
Promoters have their cut, justified by doing the leg work to get flyers and online adwork in motion, as well as handling the bookings and having to pay the venue owners


My fuzzy area comes in to play here. because I'm actually ignorant of the logistics of how things like free club nights work.
these nights aren't run directly by the venue, they're run by promoters, so I don't realistically expect the promoters are doing this for free, even though they're not charging a cover, so I'm entirely unsure of where their income is generated. Maybe someone here can shed light on that for me.


Thoughts? opinions? insights? got a ton of personal experience in dealing with this aspect of the nightlife? I'd like to see what you have to say.

i think it depends on what you ask for doing a job...


but except for the big jocks, you don't need to think i'm a dj so i'm a big superstar and earn a lot of money



I like this discussion more in the general discussion so it's get a moooooooooove

i totally understand where ur coming from but dude, i think ur thinking too much about it. i usually dnt charge my friends at all, i love it so much i usually do it for free. i have however approached club owners and asked them what they do for music and pretty much offer to one up that and name my price & pretty much meet half way. for about 2-3 gigs in a week when didnt really have a primary source of income pay was n e where from 400-900.

as far as the whole mexican approach/perspective to landing cheap jobs, it really depends what type of club and music u wanna play or sellout to. some clubs respect djs and their talents others dnt give a f**k. theres s**tty djs who cant match a beat that make bank and insanely talented djs that get paid crap. its djing not enterprise business management lol. in the end its the djs approach and perspective.

theres a video on youtube i think on how to maximize ur profit & how to approach promoters & market urself if thats ur thing. otherwise, go with the flow.