im going to be playing a 1 off show in new york on the 20th, im going to be coming from canada.
last time i played new york we drove up with some other djs and one of the older more experienced djs had mentioned that he had some issues crossing a border with a serato box. since it was assumed that if you were coming into the states with a dvs system you would be working, and a working visa would be required.
i was wondering if anyone could back me up on this, it just dosent seem feasible for me to get a working visa in 10 days, nor does it seem necessary as i am not a full time touring dj?
as weird as it sounds, im also worried that airport security might think i have a bomb in my bag when they put it through an x ray machine lol
I went down to a small town in Idaho back in March with just my VCI and my laptop and they gave me a really rough time at the border, making claims about not being allowed to work without a permit, but they let me through. I was just going down to see a DJ friend of mine, though, and convinced them of that…
your laptop should be fine people take them all the time, and i’m sure people on here would be happy to help you sort out loan of a sound card/controller etc.
anyone in NYC want to lend me a traktor compatible soundcard for an evening?
i can get you on a guest list to the calvertron show buy you drinks or just settle up with cash if you want?
You are paranoid. One, they are probably not going to search your car unless they have a reason to, two I doubt any custom official would know what an audio 8 dj is for, and 3 as for airport security there are some many pieces of electronics that people travel with they are trained and are not dumb enough to assume a box with some circuits is a bomb. It looks nothing like a bomb. Bring your audio 8, you will be fine.
If they ask if youre working, say its for personal use.
I’ve carried external hard drives, x session pro, wah wah pedals and other assorted electronics on planes and across borders, not an issue. Consumer electronics are not bombs.
was pretty impressed by the fact that a TSA guy actually identified the wah one time just by looking at the schematic on the x ray machine,
I’ve crossed the border several times with my gear, np. Now, I DO have a green card, and I’m a canadian citizen. But I think as long as you don’t have any bulky gear, you should be fine.
Comming back from Bali I got searched HARDCORE. Emptied my bags, xrayed my empty bags, xrayed my shoes, xrayed my vci300, patted me down. Everything besides a cavity search !!
Damn…Soundcard needed and now a SL box too. Need someone to spin for you also? Plenty of DJ’s travel international weekly and don’t have problems, I’m sure you won’t either. Just say you’re hanging with a friend playing music at his birthday party.
Even if they search you how many customs officials know what DJ gear, especially an audio interface is? If they do I don’t see how that implies you are working, most people stick to the bedroom anyway and you could just be taking it with you to practice, I used to bring my gear everywhere.
Plenty of DJ’s travel international weekly and don’t have problems, I’m sure you won’t either. Just say you’re hanging with a friend playing music at his birthday party.