Inspired by another thread...

[Steve the DJ]

...I wondered, how much you did charge when you first started on the mobile circuit.

Price, year and a rough location is all that is required, no sniping at why or how please.

I'll start it off...

1992, £150 and Surrey.

Over to you. :)

[DeckstarDeluxe]

First gig was £40 in gloucester in early 2007.

[Vectis]

First proper 'out on my own' paid gig:

£50, 1981, Thelwall (posh bit of Warrington)


The sad thing is that today this should be £158, according to
http://www.thisismoney.co.uk/historic-inflation-calculator

Back then the gear cost a damn site more but I guess the other 'doing business' costs were a fair bit lower.
Sadly I only keep books for 10 years so can't check, but I know I have my first year's desk diary somewhere in the loft... could be an interesting mooch when I have 5 mins... :)

[Danno13]

£20 for a neighbours kids party, can't remember the exact year but about 1998-1999 as I remember using the "Millenium Party Album" a fair bit.

[SC Events]

£120 in 2008 for a 4 hour gig in Tamworth (Except Weddings)

[Shaun]

1988 - £65. The DJ business wasn't mine, I just helped out back then. My 'cut' from the fee was a tenner! Which it remained for the next year and half (despite me spending more than that on music each week)

First gig on my own with my own equipment was in late '89...for the princely sum of £85!

[Charlie Brown]

£50, someone's lounge, magic and puppet show, 2006 in Nottingham.

[Excalibur]

...I wondered, how much you did charge when you first started on the mobile circuit.

Price, year and a rough location is all that is required, no sniping at why or how please.

I'll start it off...

1992, £150 and Surrey.

Over to you. :)

Well this should skew the averages. ;) £3, Pocklington, 1974!!!!:eek: :eek:

[Steve the DJ]

Well this should skew the averages. ;) £3, Pocklington, 1974!!!!:eek: :eek:

Where the hell is Pocklington? :confused:


1988 - £65. The DJ business wasn't mine, I just helped out back then. My 'cut' from the fee was a tenner! Which it remained for the next year and half (despite me spending more than that on music each week)

First gig on my own with my own equipment was in late '89...for the princely sum of £85!

I forgot to add that there were two of us in those days so only 50% of the fee was mine, not that I ever saw it as we spent it on new kit. :D

My first gig on my own was early 2002/3 I think and about £250ish.

[Excalibur]

Where the hell is Pocklington? :confused:

Pocklington is the town ( tun) of Pocel's people ( ing).
Statement 64 on our school's punishment sheet.

A small market town in East Yorkshire, 13 miles from Eboracum, and 26 miles from King's town upon Hull.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pocklington

[mark@pegasus]

1990 21st birthday in Dorchester £60.00

[Corabar Steve]

Can't remember mobile. My first club gig was 120 for 3 hours walk in job 1994 in Wood Green

[Charlie Brown]

Can't remember mobile. My first club gig was 120 for 3 hours walk in job 1994 in Wood Green

I'm surprised!

When did you start the mobile business?

[Corabar Steve]

1997 properly. I've been DJing since 1990, mainly Rock nights in various pubs up until I started in the club. Although I did do the odd mobile gig (weddings, birthdays NYE etc) too

[djdave01]

first gig i did on my own was in a local community centre using borrowed gear, think it was a 40th birthday.

i was really nervous, made worse by the borrowed amp cutting out now & then. Think i got paid £50 around 20 years ago.

[Mo The Motown Man]

1964 the Cook's Ferry Inn Edmonton North London ,Sunday nights £10.00:eek:

[yourdj]

Only a few years ago for £100. It was an 18th.

I had a crown amp, Denon playout, tannoy pa, five acme lights so started as i meant to go on :)

Only problem was I had no experience as such. That went very well!
I made the next one (wedding) at £180 and stuck to that for one year.

Now I am a complete rip off :p

[Paul The Party Dj]

If I remember correctly my first Wedding paid £40 - but that was in 1977. I worked out as quite a good hourly rate because one of the Aunties glassed a Bridesmaid and we only played for about an hour then the Police came

Cheers, Paul ;o)

[TONYTIGER]

1958 Weymouth 22 shillings ;)

[Jiggles]

Errr I think it was about £30, in 2004 with some cobbled together stuff for a friend.

[ppentertainments]

First 'proper' gig was £120 3 1/2 years ago. 16th birthday party in a pub in Durham - done the birthday girls 18th and already provisionally booked for her 21st. Is still one of my most successful gigs (must not have improved much :D :D )

First 'any' gig was free - as were the first 20 or so, as I done it as a hobby.

[spin mobile disco]

£75 1990 first on my own gig.

[DeckstarDeluxe]

Its funny seeing these figures and you compare it to what some people still charge today after years of experience behind them.

[Jason]

My first paying gig as a mobile DJ was in early 2008, a small mid-week kids party. I think I charged £80 for 2hrs. 7-9pm.
I still do kids parties (normally day-time only), fairly easy money, and 2 in one day can be pretty lucrative if the set-up is quick. (and home for DVD+Wine :D )


I think there is a limit on what a mobile dj can earn, there will always be exceptions, but a 2 or 4 speaker system with lighting and music will hit a bit of a pricing limit once the DJ is experienced.
So - a good DJ with nice website+piccies and offering good service levels will struggle to get a good year-on-year increase.


I think this one reason many of us offer additional services (uplighting etc), so £350-£450 for a Wedding Disco and £200+ for uplighting, mic hire etc etc, and also why the more experienced DJ's start the multi-op route.

[SPDJ]

First club gig was Seymours bar in Southampton 21/7/2007 £45

First mobile gig (wedding) was at a golf club somewhere in hamble, October 2008 £140. Didn't have my own speakers or lights to they were hired from a local DJ shop.

[Shaun]

1958 Weymouth 22 shillings ;)

We have a winner!! :thumbsup:

[Megamix]

1958 Weymouth 22 shillings

Was that one guinea and a shilling tip? ;)

[Dynamic Entertainment]

1st Gig- 2000ish - £10 (roadieing with my ex-step-dad)

1st lone gig - 2002 - £60 (using his gear)

1st gig of my own - 2005 - £125

[wensleydale]

£65-£75 in 1992

[Solitaire Events Ltd]

I think my first 'proper' paying gig (rather than taking my gear to a friends house for a tenner) was for £25 in 1984.

[mikeee]

Oh, thinking cap :D

1970 - £5.00
1971 - £10.00 :D

1980 - Mobile £95.00 / Club £75.00

1987 - £180.00 first fee as a full timer (and I was cheap to get some more work in)

[TONYTIGER]

Was that one guinea and a shilling tip? ;)

The extra shilling was for the taxi to get my gear to the dance hall,one Leak amp two Goldring turntables and a pair of Tanoy speakers no lighting just the ballrooms massive mirror ball.

[Spirits High]

Mine was an 18th £150 in Belfast in 2006