Credit Crunch vs Arrogance of Big Names

[The_Laughing_Man]

I speak to a lot of promoters, as a lot of mates put on events all over the place.
And whenever we have banter about money the same subject comes up.

People have less money these days, as the credit crunch is starting to bite.
Some clubs are dropping their prices to reflect, as people have less disposable income, staying in is the new going out apparently.
Some bars are also dropping their prices.

Yet many DJ`s in the scene still wanna ride the high fees like it is still 1998.

What is this doing for the scene?

Well, the medium to small events now have a bigger struggle, as hotel prices and flight prices are a little harder to meet.
They struggle to keep numbers up and many are saying the wages that the big names charge are no longer reflecting their pull on the door.

Time to wake up and smell the coffee I say to the big lads.
Maybe take a little less charlie, and stop being such a diva, or the scene will crumble beneath you.

[The Overfiend]

I'll remember that next time I ask to cover my gas money to drive to a venue. Lolz

[The_Laughing_Man]

I'll remember that next time I ask to cover my gas money to drive to a venue. Lolz

Well,
your not a big name nor are asking for a ridiculous credit crunch defying fee though are you?
Getting your gas money should be the very least you should get.

[rhythmtech]

i agree. more artists need to base their wages on the club door prices and capacity rather than what they are used to getting when things were going great.

having said that its perfectly understandable when a big name turns down a low paying job in favour of waiting for a better paid one. afterall EVERYONE needs to put food on the table.

[The_Laughing_Man]

having said that its perfectly understandable when a big name turns down a low paying job in favour of waiting for a better paid one. afterall EVERYONE needs to put food on the table.

Of course, that isn`t the issue here though

[BloodStar]

yeah, this is pretty interesting topic.

I absolutly agree with you on this Steve,. As I told you on MSN, presonally i feel this will keep techno in dead circle. I mean, artists asking for silly prices, not reflecting situation on the market, promoters of clubnights, for let say 300-500 people with smaller budgets than huge rave parties will not gonna take risks and pay it. What is the way forward from this dead circle??

I am being pretty sceptic about it, at least in place where i live.

[lunatrick]

I'm not sure which names you are talking about (I could hazard an educated guess though!) but most of the artists we put on at the Holodeck have probably had their rate actually cut in the last decade....certainly it's not really gone up, and in at least one case I can think of we pay around half of what was first paid by a friend to a particular DJ in around '98. That may just reflect his pulling power or status though I suppose.

Certainly the big names - Clark, Cox, Vath, Picotto, Hawtin have probably had wider exposure to bigger audiences through Ibiza and so now probably command way bigger fees.....but we don't book those kind of dj's - too much of a risk in Cardiff and not really our crowd anyway...

Personally I think most 'name' techno DJ's normally charge around 5 - 800 quid for an average size venue which seems reasonable

[djfilthmonger]

In Waterford 3 promoters got together and have put on a succesion of djs each week. this is so successfully that they are on a part 2 with more good acts. house and techno. gigs are usually about 20 euros in Waterford.

[DannyBlack]

I was chatting to a couple of them Filthmonger. They are oozing money because of the recession sessions. They are losing lots. I agree with Steve, from what I can gather from a couple of the big DJz, the prices are still entirely unreasonable.

I'm actually nervous about the next Grenade, because it is finaced only by me and if I don't get the punters, my pocket is hit. Tough times really.

[djfilthmonger]

I was chatting to a couple of them Filthmonger. They are oozing money because of the recession sessions. They are losing lots. I agree with Steve, from what I can gather from a couple of the big DJz, the prices are still entirely unreasonable.

I'm actually nervous about the next Grenade, because it is finaced only by me and if I don't get the punters, my pocket is hit. Tough times really.

really . ah dose i taught it was going okay. yeah man hope grenade goes well for ya. its hard to get people in to these new nights especially with loads of stuff happening in Waterford at the moment. when is the next one actually Danny?

[DannyBlack]

Haven't sorted a date yet, my finances are pretty ****ed for the next month so more than likely looking at June.

[The_Laughing_Man]

I was chatting to a couple of them Filthmonger. They are oozing money because of the recession sessions. They are losing lots. I agree with Steve, from what I can gather from a couple of the big DJz, the prices are still entirely unreasonable.

This is the point.
More and more parties are operating at a loss, yet talking to agents and artists, the fees have remained mostly static, and silly demands such as 5 start hotels etc still get thrown about.
When the cost of the party outways the pull of the main acts certain things need to be re-addressed.

Now I`m keeping my feet well out of the promotion game, bar helping out some mates doing interesting things, so this really doesn`t effect me.
But it does effect a lot of people I know, and a lot of em are kinda on their last legs.
If we see these reasonable to mid sized events dissapear due to apathy and lack of money, what will this do to the scene?

All we will have left are the mostly souless megaraves, where you will tend to see the same names.

I`m not proposing DJ`s work for free, but I think more communication, and working WITH the promoters a little more is needed.
Obviously contracts etc are still required to protect ourselves and so on, but for those playing other peoples music, as a career, I think a little more forsight is needed to protect their jobs.

[DJPAUZE]

Well our techno scene crumbled here in Toronto a few years back. I don't think it had to do with money issues though, more politics and society.

Just curious, any examples you can give in terms of the issue you have brought forth Steve? What do you think is reasonable or unreasonable?

I haven't heard anything about outrageous prices from anyone I have been talking to abroad.

Most of the big names that draw in thousands (Tiesto, Cox, Deep Dish) have upped their fees as far as I know. I guess they know their names are making people a lot of money and want a bigger portion of the pie.

Would be nice if peeps could throw out some examples of loot being made these days from well travelled techno dj's...

[DannyBlack]

Not wanting to mention any names but a friend of mine enquired about a pretty big swedish techno name. The Price was €3000. Thats minus the 5 star hotel.

Silly really. When you can get MUCH better DJs without the exposure for a LOT less. It's just the name you pay for.

[The Overfiend]

I think these (ego-minded) dj's need to remember they are asking to command high prices to do something that could easily be done by an audience member.
All people are paying for is a name and an emotionless face bobbing their head behind tables. People demanding Five Star hotels and bottles of Whiskey and such really need to remember what in essence they are asking to be paid for.

[Loop]

Im throwning a wee do in London soon, small venue, fantastic vibe and system,reasonably large names coming in at around 1000- 1500 pounds, **** them all, its a total piss take, ive decided to put on some cool bubbling artists, take a risk and work to get a crowd. Wish me luck.

[Igneous]

I think its like anything when it comes down to money, especially with the big names.

At the end of the day, DJs are only worth the money people/promoters are willing to pay. If they are too much for what they bring to the club night then after a while, promoters will stop booking them. The DJ then probley will have to lower his/her fee to get gigs.

If the scene dies out then no money for any DJs so it sorts its self out in the end.

Money always ****s up dance music scenes but pros need to earn money like anyone else.

[SlavikSvensk]

I think its like anything when it comes down to money, especially with the big names.

At the end of the day, DJs are only worth the money people/promoters are willing to pay. If they are too much for what they bring to the club night then after a while, promoters will stop booking them. The DJ then probley will have to lower his/her fee to get gigs.

If the scene dies out then no money for any DJs so it sorts its self out in the end.

Money always ****s up dance music scenes but pros need to earn money like anyone else.

well put, and i agree.

but if they refuse to follow the market and cut their fees, they also **** the scene

[Darkmode]

well put, and i agree.

but if they refuse to follow the market and cut their fees, they also **** the scene

I agree I think greed has totally ****ed up the dance music scene in general

[TechMouse]

All the more reason to book some lesser known guys.