DJ Rep/ Agent Advice

[twistedsound]

Hey guys, hope to hear your suggestion with a situation.

I’ve been back in the local area as a resident DJ for 1.5 years in a major club after years of absence from the scene (started DJ-ing 12 years ago), I was lucky to get the spot due to the main DJ/ friend/ mentor that has two decades of reputation. We started working together outside this club shortly, he wanted to become my agent for gigs. I verbally agreed, all worked out and successful for a year- reputation gained.

Until recently, the most popular bar (no designated dance floor) owner asked me directly to consider a potential residency for the second time. With respect and honoring our verbal agreement, I brought this up to him, wanting him to handle it as my agent (and get paid as one). He replied furiously with negativity of how i need to be more patient- being a fresh DJ, just focus on my current residency at the club (2 hour shift on the weekend, another 2- hour every other week day of the week, pay is below average due to so called residency-rule). Personally, i see no conflict/ competition between the club and the bar- mostly different crowd. pros for my reputation, experience and can't really see any cons.

Over a course of intense argument, stating the bar should go to him if they really wanted, then handed me the ultimate card saying the club boss wouldn’t be happy. However between the two requests from the bar and for 6 months, he got me a gig at a smaller but newly open bar until the bar decided not to have any DJ recently due to poor business and poor soundproof. I made him explain the reasoning between these two choices, came silence.

Need some advice here, feeling tied down- I was dissatisfied knowing he is not even trying to make something out of it. Another of my fellow DJ feels the same way, he hasn't been acting in our best interest.
your advise is much appreciated, thanks in advance.

[calgarc]

i would probably do the show if its a one off... you have to remember business is business, and its true as ever in the music industry. If you want to advance you have to advance....

hell I personally went as far as moving to a new city for it.

[bc6]

Personally a verbal agreement isnt worth the paper its written on and if wants to prove you had a verbal agreement in court tell him to go for it.