Rob Kalmar
So today I found out after being told in the spring that I was going to be the resident DJ in a local club & expecting that have turned down some other offers. They are going to stick with the guy that has been there since they opened who has lost them business & the staff hates, but who am I to say right? I don't pay the bills, so if they want him back then they can have him back, but he also said that if he needs a night off they would call me!
I happen to DJ for the family at another bar & told the other brother that if he calls me to fill in he can expect a big F.U.!
Here is my facebook msg to my group that I am done with the bar scene:
Hi Gang,
Sorry to inform you, but it is with great sadness that I after 25+ years in the club scene, I have had enuff!
I am a tired worn out DJ, that try as I do can't compete with the 'Dollarama' DJ's that are out there today in the club scene.
I keep up to date with all the new genres of music & specialize in Music Videos & unfortunately I don't know the people I once knew in this scene. It has become 'Who you know' as opposed to how good you actually are & frankly am tired of going to bars to hear lousy DJ's.
This week was also the last time a club owner goes back on their word! I've had it with broken promises & blah blah bullshit! For 25+ years I have been loyal to all the clubs & owners I have worked for, going out of my way to make their clubs a success & yet seem to get screwed at every turn by them.
For as long as I've been on facebook I have posted numerous mixes & made them available for download for absolutely FREE to you! I have paid the site hosting fees out of my OWN pocket so you can enjoy the mixes I make, & download or listen to them ad-free, without waiting etc. etc.
The odd person or two has expressed their thanks for these & I do appreciate that very much! You have been my lifeblood that keeps me wanting to try to stay in this business that is very unforgiving & especially harsh on us older ones.
Having said that, even though I feel I can still out mix half the younger ones out there, I am going to concentrate my business on Weddings, Stag & Does, Private Functions, Schools, Karaoke & Music Trivia.
The bottom line is that while I truly have loved to DJ in the clubs I can also make triple the money doing other types of thing with much less hassle & bullshit.
My final years in the clubs will be spent at ENVY Lounge which I have commitments to & possibly some very limited special engagements.
Other than that I am going to concentrate on my business & producing music which the club scene has deprived me the time to do & my golf game!
Thanks for an amazing 25+ years of entertaining thousands of you!
Warmest regards,
DJ Robin Hamilton (Rob)
Yeah probalby sounds jaded, but I've had it, and am pissed off beyond belief that now that I have turned down two residencies that are now filled they tell me they are going to be loyal to the other guy, Good for him, but screw you bars! NEVER AGAIN!
I happen to DJ for the family at another bar & told the other brother that if he calls me to fill in he can expect a big F.U.!
Here is my facebook msg to my group that I am done with the bar scene:
Hi Gang,
Sorry to inform you, but it is with great sadness that I after 25+ years in the club scene, I have had enuff!
I am a tired worn out DJ, that try as I do can't compete with the 'Dollarama' DJ's that are out there today in the club scene.
I keep up to date with all the new genres of music & specialize in Music Videos & unfortunately I don't know the people I once knew in this scene. It has become 'Who you know' as opposed to how good you actually are & frankly am tired of going to bars to hear lousy DJ's.
This week was also the last time a club owner goes back on their word! I've had it with broken promises & blah blah bullshit! For 25+ years I have been loyal to all the clubs & owners I have worked for, going out of my way to make their clubs a success & yet seem to get screwed at every turn by them.
For as long as I've been on facebook I have posted numerous mixes & made them available for download for absolutely FREE to you! I have paid the site hosting fees out of my OWN pocket so you can enjoy the mixes I make, & download or listen to them ad-free, without waiting etc. etc.
The odd person or two has expressed their thanks for these & I do appreciate that very much! You have been my lifeblood that keeps me wanting to try to stay in this business that is very unforgiving & especially harsh on us older ones.
Having said that, even though I feel I can still out mix half the younger ones out there, I am going to concentrate my business on Weddings, Stag & Does, Private Functions, Schools, Karaoke & Music Trivia.
The bottom line is that while I truly have loved to DJ in the clubs I can also make triple the money doing other types of thing with much less hassle & bullshit.
My final years in the clubs will be spent at ENVY Lounge which I have commitments to & possibly some very limited special engagements.
Other than that I am going to concentrate on my business & producing music which the club scene has deprived me the time to do & my golf game!
Thanks for an amazing 25+ years of entertaining thousands of you!
Warmest regards,
DJ Robin Hamilton (Rob)
Yeah probalby sounds jaded, but I've had it, and am pissed off beyond belief that now that I have turned down two residencies that are now filled they tell me they are going to be loyal to the other guy, Good for him, but screw you bars! NEVER AGAIN!
Mensajes Thu 26 Aug 10 @ 11:34 pm
Kroww
Gday mate, Im totally new to the VD forums, fresh out the oven and this was the first post I saw.
It was a bit sad to read about how fed up you are with it all mate.
I've been DJ'ing for some time now (about 12 years), I pinch myself every time i get paid to do something I would be doing anyway.
For me it's about the music and technology, and Im guessing it was for you too at some point.
The money part is just one big fat bonus.
I hope you keep your foot in the club scene Rob, sounds like you had some great times and my guess is there are more to be had.
And if you get offered the spot to "fill in" for the resident, I think you should do it mate.
Rise above all that stuff, get in there and do what you do.
Have some fun and get paid.
It was a bit sad to read about how fed up you are with it all mate.
I've been DJ'ing for some time now (about 12 years), I pinch myself every time i get paid to do something I would be doing anyway.
For me it's about the music and technology, and Im guessing it was for you too at some point.
The money part is just one big fat bonus.
I hope you keep your foot in the club scene Rob, sounds like you had some great times and my guess is there are more to be had.
And if you get offered the spot to "fill in" for the resident, I think you should do it mate.
Rise above all that stuff, get in there and do what you do.
Have some fun and get paid.
Mensajes Fri 27 Aug 10 @ 1:29 am
Rob Kalmar
I'm still committed to ENVY Lounge, ( a local club) which I love doing, so not totally retired yet lol
However, I have NOT taken a night off from DJ-ing for illlnes or any other reason in all the years I've worked at the clubs!
Unfortunately the same kind of commitment from the owners has not been reciprocal. (ENVY excluded from that list of course)
I am committed to my business which is DJ-ing weddings, events, schools etc. which & where I make substantially more $$$ than any bar has ever paid me, so that is where I am concentrating my efforts vis a vis the Bridal Shows etc.
& if I get called to fill in DJ for the club that screwed me over I will just have to spend the evening with my beautiful girlfriend I guess! (whom I happened to meet while DJ-ing my buddies stag & doe)
I think I just need an extended vacation from the clubs. Cheers mate!
However, I have NOT taken a night off from DJ-ing for illlnes or any other reason in all the years I've worked at the clubs!
Unfortunately the same kind of commitment from the owners has not been reciprocal. (ENVY excluded from that list of course)
I am committed to my business which is DJ-ing weddings, events, schools etc. which & where I make substantially more $$$ than any bar has ever paid me, so that is where I am concentrating my efforts vis a vis the Bridal Shows etc.
& if I get called to fill in DJ for the club that screwed me over I will just have to spend the evening with my beautiful girlfriend I guess! (whom I happened to meet while DJ-ing my buddies stag & doe)
I think I just need an extended vacation from the clubs. Cheers mate!
Mensajes Fri 27 Aug 10 @ 1:47 am
dj-e-lectric
Kroww wrote :
For me it's about the music and technology, and Im guessing it was for you too at some point.
The money part is just one big fat bonus.
The money part is just one big fat bonus.
While we all love what we do that statement is one of the main reasons salaries for Djs have come waaaaaaaaay down in the last 5-10 years. Djing for many of us has been a career (for myself it will be 30 years in december) and a career we have depended on to pay our bills. Loving what you do is fantastic, but it does not pay for the mortgage, two investment properties (it was three but I lost one to the bad economy and low wages), car payment, insurance (not only car and home but BUSINESS because as I said this is my career), equipment, media (because I use many legit services and pools I pay for), telephone, advertising and the big TAXES.
Trust me, the money is not a big fat bonus, it is a big HUGE necessity. When was the last time someone offered, or the labor board or unions were willing to let someone work on the assembly line at Ford for free because they loved cars!
Don't get me wrong I don't put all the blame on the lowball Djs, I put most of it on the greedy owners who are willing to take advantage of that love of music and NOT OFFER you competitive money to play.
Mensajes Mon 30 Aug 10 @ 6:35 am
spc5000
Dude, this is nothing new. It happened to me back in 94', new owners came into a bar I was resident at and decided their budget was 50% less than what I was being paid. Take it or leave bish....
Maybe next time before turning down other work, it would be good business sense to draw up a contract. Any business professional (bar owner) worth their salt would value a contract with DJ, you get a secure position, they get a fixed employee - it works both ways....
I think you shot yourself in the foot and gave them too many options.
Don't give up and next time, get a decision from an owner within 7 days and don't consider it valid until you have got a signature. If they fuck you around, walk away.
Maybe next time before turning down other work, it would be good business sense to draw up a contract. Any business professional (bar owner) worth their salt would value a contract with DJ, you get a secure position, they get a fixed employee - it works both ways....
I think you shot yourself in the foot and gave them too many options.
Don't give up and next time, get a decision from an owner within 7 days and don't consider it valid until you have got a signature. If they fuck you around, walk away.
Mensajes Mon 30 Aug 10 @ 4:19 pm
steelwill
djrob, i think it is a good idea to go mobile. i've been mobile for the last 25 years. i spend my time rotating from diffrent events all the time, so every event is a challenge. it never gets boring, playing in new places you've never been. some places i go to they think i'm from out of space with the big screens ,the lights, the fog and the sound. my own creation my own look my own style. i only deal with these people once or twice a year. i'm booked every weekend at least 1 day. it's a lot of fun to not have to go to the same ole place every single time and same ole people. i think this is a step up. BE YOUR OWN BOSS!!
Mensajes Mon 30 Aug 10 @ 4:24 pm
splao
Well you came to the right place to vent. We are all brothers in the same boat and we got to support each other. I understand your frustration, just keep your head high and never give up. Understand that those business owners are looking out for themselves so you have to do the same. Take care and keep on trying, good things will eventually come true.
DJ-Kid moltenpros.com
DJ-Kid moltenpros.com
Mensajes Mon 30 Aug 10 @ 8:52 pm
sischo79
Rob, I agree with steelwill.
To be in the same place for a long time can be frustrating, look far..I know here in Italy many djs who work once or twice in the same place but then they work somewhere else.
The differerence in being an "employee" or "your own boss" is the insecurity in what you will get: you have to sell yourself each time but if you do your job in the best way, you will be satisfied as well as more remunerated too.
My opinion:
roll up your sleeves and start to work
To be in the same place for a long time can be frustrating, look far..I know here in Italy many djs who work once or twice in the same place but then they work somewhere else.
The differerence in being an "employee" or "your own boss" is the insecurity in what you will get: you have to sell yourself each time but if you do your job in the best way, you will be satisfied as well as more remunerated too.
My opinion:
roll up your sleeves and start to work
Mensajes Tue 31 Aug 10 @ 2:39 am
Charlie Wilson
To work in a small bar/small club is the worst place to be other than in a pub, although a bar is the same thing as a pub in the US and Canada, it's different in the UK, a pub is the smallest venue you will do and isn't usually a good venue for entertainment given the size/shape.
I honestly beleive that if your not a bigish name going from one club to the other each week then you should do mobiles, there a lot better in my experience and much better paid.
I've never earned bonus money, it's my wage. I've worked extreamly hard at it, more so than most because I left school without any qualifications so it was more important to me to be a sucsess because I relied on it. After a bad year last year getting caught up in the bar scene for a set of cowboy's I'm now doing really well again, I've tried hard this year to prove something to myself and the rest is now history but will never be forgotten.
I honestly beleive that if your not a bigish name going from one club to the other each week then you should do mobiles, there a lot better in my experience and much better paid.
I've never earned bonus money, it's my wage. I've worked extreamly hard at it, more so than most because I left school without any qualifications so it was more important to me to be a sucsess because I relied on it. After a bad year last year getting caught up in the bar scene for a set of cowboy's I'm now doing really well again, I've tried hard this year to prove something to myself and the rest is now history but will never be forgotten.
Mensajes Tue 31 Aug 10 @ 6:27 am
pixil
I can understand your frustration. Over the course of the last 15 years I've worked rooms that have had 150 people up to 3000 and had to deal with all of the drama. But the one thing that I have learned, is no matter the size of the room it's all about the owners and mgmt. I've had the luxury of working for some very cool and trusting people over that time frame. I've been all both ends of it from the dj to the booking and hiring and I can say one thing for sure. A lot of dj's aren't helping thier own cause. Four times already in the past 2 weeks since college has begun (and these are the ones I know of) dj's have rolled through the front doors offering to dj for free just to get into the club. Come on now, I love djing and look forward to every weekend but what happened to common courtesy. I pride myself on reading crowds, rotating dancefloors to the bar and maximizing $ for the bar and staff. So if and owner wants to let someone in for free more power to him. Just don't come looking for me when Mr free dj starting costing you alot more money than you paid me anyway.
Mensajes Tue 31 Aug 10 @ 4:35 pm
Charlie Wilson
Pro DJ's don't DJ for free, and there not cheap either!! I put my prices up this year
Mensajes Wed 01 Sep 10 @ 5:42 am
djs2h
Unfortunately, for about 99% of the people out there, a commitment aint a commitment if it aint in writing. It is really too bad that happened to you because it sounds like the community has lost out on a great DJ.
Mensajes Sun 05 Sep 10 @ 9:18 am