Sticky Situation

[Tom]

This has never happened to me and I dont expect to happen either (for reasons I wont say) but lets say that you are friends with another local DJ who asked if you were free to do one of his/her gigs as he/she was unable to do it.

So lets say you do the gig and it went very well, so well that the club, client, hotel ect asked you to be the new residency when the original contract runs out for example.

Lets also say that you could get a lot of work from this place.


Would you accept it and loose a friend or would you say no and move on???



I'm really just intrested in your views. :)

[Paul James Promotions]

I would probrably save the friendship, but that's just me.

[Shakermaker Promotions]

I suppose it depends on firstly, how much of a mate he is. If he is a 'DJ friend' as you say, does that mean that you only know him through DJing? (sorry, I know it was a hyperthetical question), Also, I would actually tell him that the venue have asked me to take over and see what he says. If he is a part timer (does it for extra cash) and you are a full time business and the contract is needed or welcomed, then I would say to him that I was going for it. At the end of the day, if they are going to get rid of him then what does it matter if it's you that replaces him.

If you felt bad about it then you could always pass some work his way (although not back at the same venue lol).

[Shaun]

I'd be inclined to pass on it. Loyalty is important to me, and in turn I'm a very loyal friend.

[Solitaire Events Ltd]

If it was someone elses venue and I got the job through them, then that's the way it would stay.

I have had several opportunities to take over from local collegues as they liked my DJs better than their own, but didn't take them.

On the other hand, I had one of my DJs quite a few years ago try and steal a venue from me. It's abit of a long story, but it ended with the Hotel staff supporting me and him out of business.

[Shakermaker Promotions]

Now, I don't want what I posted to make me look like Dr Evil or anything (cue the posting of a picture of Dr Evil lol)...What I posted was my initial thoughts but there have been some replies since mine that look at it from other angles so I want to make the following points:

If I knew the guy well and he was happy at the place and asked me to cover, I would STILL tell him what the venue have said but I would not take the venue from him. If it was a random phonecall from another DJ that I didn't really know asking me to cover them (and I get these sometimes), then I probably would take the venue.

[reemicks disco]

Think i would just say no thank you, if they would just drop the other dj just like that they could do the same to you, then you could be left with nothing, when your mate dj is doing all the gig's you could not cover, plus i would not mess on a mate.:)

[Penfold42]

Would say no and also tell the DJ...and if i was a 'mate'....maybe point out and give tips (constructive criticism) so he could keep hold of it........:)

[Excalibur]

This has never happened to me and I dont expect to happen either (for reasons I wont say) but lets say that you are friends with another local DJ who asked if you were free to do one of his/her gigs as he/she was unable to do it.

So lets say you do the gig and it went very well, so well that the club, client, hotel ect asked you to be the new residency when the original contract runs out for example.

Lets also say that you could get a lot of work from this place.


Would you accept it and loose a friend or would you say no and move on???



I'm really just intrested in your views. :)

Some interesting replies here, but may I put this forward. If your mate is likely to lose the contract whether you take it on or not, then would it not make sense to tell him what you know, and see if you taking the job over would allow you to pass other work to your mate? That's my view, but I wouldn't be inclined to take it without consultation.

I actually got a residency in a similar manner, I did a gig in a club, and was asked if I wanted to take it on permanently. I said no, cos a mate had it. I was then told that he wasn't going to keep it under any circumstances, so went ahead and agreed a deal.

[DJmissbehaving]

Friendship always comes first.....just my opinion

[DazzyD]

Been in this situation quite a few times (latest was just a few weeks ago). When I'm quiet, I do some subs work (karaoke mostly) for another company who've been passing work my way since I started 9 years ago. There's one pub in particular that keep asking for me when they phone in bookings. After the latest gig there, the landlady asked me if I had my own gear. I said I had my own business but they probably couldn't afford me (I charge more than the other guy I do the work for - these gigs are just a bit extra pocket money for me). They said they'd be prepared to pay but I turned them down, firstly because I'm very loyal and secondly, I'm not keen on karaoke residencies anyway (same people singing the same songs week in week out). It does my head in!

However, you could go down the route of Excalibur. If your mate is gonna lose the gig anyway, you could take it over and pass some other work his way. Then again, if he's bad enough to lose work, would you really want him risking your good reputation? It's a sticky one, alright!

[blitz]

turn it down, you don`t step on a mates toes, what goes around comes around as they say, i wouldn`t like it if the ball was on the other foot, let him know though that they are looking for a replacement, he might up his game a bit and keep the res

[Richard Veal]

Think i would be inclined to tell the mate that the venue has asked me to tender for the contract on renewal. And see what his comments are - If he takes offence and it risks the friendship then i would probably point out that a tender is not a guarantee that I would get it, or for that matter that he will be renewing his either.

If I was on the recieving end I can't say I would be too worried i'd look at it in the positive (i'm probably too expensive)