DJ Agencies

[Bowers90]

Hi all,

So in an effort to get more sets, i've spent the Christmas period doing-up my EPK and my website at every opportunity.

Although i've been DJing for about 2 years for my Students' Union, i'm preparing for that dreaded time when I leave uni and am left with my 1 "outside world" residency. I'm clawing at literally every opportunity to get some work as I don't want to stop doing what I love, and whilst googling something, I ended up on a few websites for DJ Agencies.

I had a look at a few, and whilst some of them seem to be complete tish, some of them also actually look like they might get me a bit more work - for £69 for 6 months though.

So I was wondering, what are your views on DJ Agencies? Are you with one? Which ones? Are they just money-grabbers? Is it better to just do it the old-fashioned way and do a CD-drop?

I've been accepted for http://www.uk-djs.net however they now want £69 for a 6-month period, but being the tight bloke I am, i'm hesitant to hand it over until i've heard some views from you guys

Also it would be great to hear about your experiences with club owners - do they hire from agencies or do they just "know people"?

Bowers

[V-Hoff]

Really nice question, I will be tunned to the answers

[ohmydaze]

I think alot of it depends on what sort of gigs you want to get. If your looking for more commercial stuff parties and discos then it might be worthwhile. But truthfully I wouldnt bother with an agency. Having been djing for around 14 years now I've never come across a promoter who would go to an agency like the one you linked. The sort of agency that might help is to find an agent in the style of music you play and check out their contacts etc. I've played a few different genres and one thing you will notice is the professional set ups who look after most of the top dj's within a specific style. You'll also find most of the big names within each genre will be with the same agency.

I'd be very wary of anyone who wants to take a set fee from you as its pretty much taking away any work they have to do. A decent agent with take a percentage cut and therefore they are then driven but how much money they can make from you. Which brings me to the next point unless you have a bit of a name then I personally think agencies are counter productive. Having run a record label to have to deal with up and coming no name dj's agents who will try and cut some deal often just made me not bother with them. I didnt have the time and patients to deal with an over fussy agent whose making stupid demands for an artist that wouldnt boost my labels profile.

My final point is the agent cut once again, for both you and your agent to make any decent money you'll probably need to charge that bit more than the other dj's at the same level as you and thus you start pricing yourself out of the market.

I think an agent is great if your up and coming within your genre and your starting to take a bit more of a business like approach to things. It can be useful having someone fighting for payments and gigs on your behalf (no one likes telling a promoter "I'm amazing" but its much easier if someone else does it for you!)

My bottom line advice is do the standard stuff of facebook pages etc, website. Create yourself a real identity and get a following in these instances then once things pick up I'd look towards working with someone (more a partnership than agent) who will help with your promotion, spamming, creative writing etc and let you concentrate on doing the mixing.

[ohmydaze]

Sorry to bore off one more time, but having checked that website a few of the genres I know well the "artists" really are utter no names. It does look like the kinda place that is taking the money and running I'm afraid.

What style do you play by the way?

[ohmydaze]

you got to worry about any agency that lists in its Do Not section "- Send the agency invites to view sites, pictures, or listen to DJ mixes"

[xtianw]

google dj anna kiss and ask her about agencies. shes got her own forum. i know she went through a couple until she was happy with what she found.

shes one of the best dj's on digitally imported radio and a complete class act of a girl. so be nice =p

im sure shed be really happy to help you find an agency in the uk that is super solid.

[Bowers90]

Cheers ohmydaze, some really good thoughts there.

I have to admit that I shared your thoughts initially upon being asked for the up-front money - because, like you said, they've done their work and so don't need to bother getting me any sets. Also, I don't really fancy throwing that much money about unless I have some damn good evidence that its going to be worth it. The only thing that was swaying me was that from an email they sent me, I could see that some of these "no-names" were actually being booked (and obviously i'm a no-name).

I mostly play Commercial Dance sets, but I have also been known to play house, garage, drum'n'bass, indie & cheese too (although Commercial Dance is the only genre I could make last for 5 hours or so). The main problem I encounter when trying to get bookings is that I live in Greater London - and so am often dwarfed by the big-name DJs in the clubs uptown (there aren't many nightclubs or music-bars round my way because of competition).

I would be much more inclined to work for an agency who took a percentage of my earnings - it would mean that in order to make any profit, they would have to work to get me sets, and being part of it would reassure me that the agency had standards lol

[V-Hoff]

google dj anna kiss and ask her about agencies. shes got her own forum. i know she went through a couple until she was happy with what she found.

shes one of the best dj's on digitally imported radio and a complete class act of a girl. so be nice =p

im sure shed be really happy to help you find an agency in the uk that is super solid.

I like the Anna's shows, I used to listen on my previous job, I can't buffer radios now on my present job
I'm so sad, and the worse is that I'm a DI Premium user.

I also like the Digitalist and Doplethora for Electrohouse...

For Psytrance I like 3.14 , Grandaddy, Redax Mental, The Wizard, Rastaliens, Impact, Glassball, and some others

[djchriswoods.co.uk]

if they want money upfront...avoid like the plague. back in my naive days, i used topjox for a year, and while yes i did get a few offers and some free music, it really wasnt worth it and their 'free advice etc....' was a total load of bollocks

[Quiggers]

avoid them, they'll send you out anywhere and everywhere, quite often to events that their favs have turned away, quite often they'll set a list of expectations, ie soundsystem size, number of lights,
no-smoke machine, always wear a shirt and tie (great craic at an 18th full of manchunian gangstas) and they expect a cut. best bet is to make friends with a few residents round your local area and offer to cover them if they want a night off or to go do a function.
if your friendly then they'll warm to you and know that a crowd will too. put a card up in the local dj store, often they have a notice board.