BPM 2017

[Imagine]

OK - it's a few months off yet....but I've just been given permission to attend from the boss ;)

I have a shopping list as well, not least of all a PA which hasn't yet been released, goes against all of my personal preferences but may well be lighter and more powerful than my Yammy 8/12 combo (and it's not the DB system). Having seen YouTube videos and reviews, I may be persuaded to buy a singing drainpipe system :o (the one I'm looking at ticks a LOT of boxes)

Who else is going this year bearing in mind it's moved to October, and what were the latest thoughts on drinking/sleeping/hangover arrangements?

[rth_discos]

I'm going - and snapped up a hotel room as quick as I could before prices headed north!

And am planning on attending the after-party too on the Sunday night.

[Excalibur]

Who else is going this year bearing in mind it's moved to October, and what were the latest thoughts on drinking/sleeping/hangover arrangements?

October!:mad: Sore point. Sorry lads and lasses, you'll have to manage without me this year. :cry:

[mattydj50]

I shall be there on the Monday as usual after spending the weekend in Bath at my mum's.

[Excalibur]

I shall be there on the Monday as usual after spending the weekend in the bath at my mum's.

Well I know cleanliness is next to Godliness, but really!:eek:

[Nakatomi]

I, along with a delegation of other north eastern DJs will be there for 2 days, starting on the Sunday & planning to return home Monday evening. Had an absolute whale of a time last year & this time promises to be even better.

[mattydj50]

Well I know cleanliness is next to Godliness, but really!:eek:

Ah, but I only go twice a year!

[SC Events]

As it's moved back to being October, I may be able to join you all.

As I do my last Wedding on 30th of this month and from then on will retired from the mobile DJ world, I won't bother with the show as there'll be nothing i'll need!

[Benny Smyth]

I'll be there, incredibly drunk. :beer1:

[Steven]

OK - it's a few months off yet....but I've just been given permission to attend from the boss ;)

I have a shopping list as well, not least of all a PA which hasn't yet been released, goes against all of my personal preferences but may well be lighter and more powerful than my Yammy 8/12 combo (and it's not the DB system). Having seen YouTube videos and reviews, I may be persuaded to buy a singing drainpipe system :o (the one I'm looking at ticks a LOT of boxes)

Who else is going this year bearing in mind it's moved to October, and what were the latest thoughts on drinking/sleeping/hangover arrangements?

The EV system?

[Nakatomi]

Our clan from the NE are staying next door to the venue. After missing out on the free shindig by going into town a decision was made to cut out hassle & stay near the action. Except this year apparently there's not gonna be an after party (at time of writing this). Well not a free drinkies one anyway. As far as we know. Hum.

[Imagine]

The EV system?

It was....and then they launched it last night and to be honest, I'm not impressed with the specs at that particular price point. For a couple of hundred more you can get the dB ES1203 or for just a little more you're in Blue Acoustic M2 territory.

[rth_discos]

or for just a little more you're in Blue Acoustic M2 territory.

And having heard the M2 - WOW!!

It really is in a field of its own.

[Imagine]

It is, and I know somebody that's got one.

Ugly little blighter though

Funny enough, Ken at Blue Acoustic had a used 4 box "Blue Rig" system for sale a couple of days ago for just £2.5k (he says it's very similar to the M2 in terms of performance). I missed out on that one and didn't fancy the drive to Llangollen to collect it.

[yourdj]

Our clan from the NE are staying next door to the venue. After missing out on the free shindig by going into town a decision was made to cut out hassle & stay near the action. Except this year apparently there's not gonna be an after party (at time of writing this). Well not a free drinkies one anyway. As far as we know. Hum.

We stayed in Birmingham last year as we wanted to go for some drinks, but found Birmingham not a very nice place at all. We will be staying at the Crown Plaza Right opposite, so nice and close to all the parties etc. I don't understand why people book crap hotels in the middle of nowhere for the sake of saving £30. :confused:

[Imagine]

Oh I don't know, Peter, Twinspin, Davesounds and me found a very nice little bar next to the Travel Lodge we were in last year. We even approached by a couple of "nice" young ladies before we'd even perched.

The big advantage was being able to buy real beer (you know, in a pint pot with bits floating in it) instead of the trendy Euro-fizz muck they were giving away at the Plaza.

The long walk through Brum to find Steve and Angela though with at least three of us being decrepit and unable to navigate with a smartphone.....that was the sort of thing they used to make a long running TV series about :muppet:

[Nakatomi]

Ha navigating around brum centre with Google maps on a phone? Been there. Got that t-shirt :rofl: never mind the money I saved on a room it cost me 40 quid in shoe leather.

We bumped into andy neen & Shaun so we all ended up going for a curry & ultimately wound up in wetherspoons. Which was about as much fun as a spoons can possibly be. This year will be more about bpm for me. Planning to see loads more seminars & do more networking.

It'll be great to catch up with people though

[Steven]

Gutted i can't make it!

A lesson to all, when trying for a baby, feign injury 9 months prior to BPM that renders you incapable of getting it on.

I will name this child Jazzy Jeff as a sign of my anger.

[mattydj50]

Nice hotel, the Crowne Plaza there.

One plus about being the resident DJ at a Holiday Inn is being able to get discount rates at IHG Group Hotels. Staying at the Crowne Plaza at Manchester Airport next Monday for £49.

[rth_discos]

I've managed to save the money on a room AND be on site near the complex :)

IBIS budget at Birmingham Airport is still at a bargain price: https://www.booking.com/searchresults.en-gb.html?aid=304142;label=gen173nr-1FCAEoggJCAlhYSDNiBW5vcmVmaFCIAQGYAS64AQbIAQzYAQHo AQH4AQySAgF5qAID;sid=2948dac4c7a2704128c85327d4382 7fd;checkin_monthday=22&checkin_year_month=2017-10&checkout_monthday=23&checkout_year_month=2017-10&class_interval=1&dest_id=-2589864&dest_type=city&do_availability_check=1&dtdisc=0&group_adults=1&group_children=0&highlighted_hotels=312106&hp_avform=1&inac=0&index_postcard=0&label_click=undef&no_rooms=1&offset=0&postcard=0&raw_dest_type=city&room1=A&sb_price_type=total&ss_all=0&ssb=empty&sshis=0&

[Excalibur]

We stayed in Birmingham last year as we wanted to go for some drinks, but found Birmingham not a very nice place at all. We will be staying at the Crown Plaza Right opposite, so nice and close to all the parties etc. I don't understand why people book crap hotels in the middle of nowhere for the sake of saving £30. :confused:
Perhaps because we booked at www.craphotelsmiddleofnowhere.com ? There are parts of Birmingham which are downright lovely, Toby, and not far from Broad Street. And no matter where you are, if the company is good, that's all that matters.


Oh I don't know, Peter, Twinspin, Davesounds and me found a very nice little bar next to the Travel Lodge we were in last year. We even approached by a couple of "nice" young ladies before we'd even perched.
That was a nice bar, and the young ladies were very friendly, weren't they? :whistle: One of them seemed to like John quite a bit, didn't she? :)



The long walk through Brum to find Steve and Angela though with at least three of us being decrepit and unable to navigate with a smartphone.....that was the sort of thing they used to make a long running TV series about :muppet:


Ha navigating around brum centre with Google maps on a phone? Been there. Got that t-shirt :rofl: never mind the money I saved on a room it cost me 40 quid in shoe leather.


I shall miss the walking tours of Birmingham, especially as nowadays I'm supposed to walk lots. :(

[Imagine]

Perhaps because we booked at www.craphotelsmiddleofnowhere.com ? There are parts of Birmingham which are downright lovely, Toby, and not far from Broad Street. And no matter where you are, if the company is good, that's all that matters.


That was a nice bar, and the young ladies were very friendly, weren't they? :whistle: One of them seemed to like John quite a bit, didn't she? :)






I shall miss the walking tours of Birmingham, especially as nowadays I'm supposed to walk lots. :(

Finally got around to booking into Ye Olde Crown Plaza :)

Wasn't the cheapest of rooms, but includes brekkie and parking the chariot, so when you take those into account (I seem to remember parking was extortionate last year), it's suddenly not too bad :)

[Excalibur]

We will be staying at the Crown Plaza Right opposite.


Finally got around to booking into Ye Olde Crown Plaza :)


Next to Toby. How nice. :)

[Imagine]

Next to Toby. How nice. :)

It's a big hotel ;). He'll be in the executive suite....I'm near the bar :)

[soundmaster mobile disco]

I'm considering returning to bpm after a 3 year break due to the wedding season and my bookings bookings. Just before I book what hotels are you staying in?

[Imagine]

I'm considering returning to bpm after a 3 year break due to the wedding season and my bookings bookings. Just before I book what hotels are you staying in?

Toby and myself appear to be sharing the Crown Plaza

[yourdj]

Toby and myself appear to be sharing the Crown Plaza

I am wondering if there are an fish in that lake? A spot of night fishing would be fun. :)

I too will be in the bar, I just booked a room that sleeps 3, incase anyone else comes along with me. I will be looking at the penthouse though for next year as its pretty cheap and should house a quite few people. Would be cool to have a mini after party up there. I am imagining pretty woman room, but its probably just a large room with a lounge and big bathroom tbh. :)


Perhaps because we booked at www.craphotelsmiddleofnowhere.com ? There are parts of Birmingham which are downright lovely, Toby, and not far from Broad Street. And no matter where you are, if the company is good, that's all that matters.



I do agree that its the company that counts Peter and there are some wonderful bars, pubs, restaurants and some amazing architecture to looks at (especially the canals), so in that respect I am wrong. Most importantly its the birth place of heavy metal and the shopping centre is also amazing. :) . the people I have seen there just let it down. Tons of gangs and not very nice individuals judging by the last 3 times we have gone there and walked about at night. Reading (town centre) is like that too, even Mark Walsh commended on what a dump it is (people wise) in the seminar I did up there. Having said that, its probably just me as I am not a big city fan especially when its full of miserable gits. It's not just foreigners here for the work (after all I am married to one) but also a huge English population of dossers and general ner-do-wells. Southampton is no better. Huge generalisation and verging on a political comment, but its a shame that UK cities have gone/are going that way.

[Imagine]

there are some wonderful bars, pubs, restaurants and some amazing architecture to looks at

Ey-up - we missed the architecture Peter :o

All I remember is a bar, streets (lots and lots of streets), another bar with a bewhiskered Victorian fella drinking real beer, a quick dash to McDonalds before catching the train to the after party, lots of free Euro-fizz, an expensive taxi ride back and a kebab at 3am.

Nope....definitely didn't see any architecture.

[yourdj]

Ey-up - we missed the architecture Peter :o

All I remember is a bar, streets (lots and lots of streets), another bar with a bewhiskered Victorian fella drinking real beer, a quick dash to McDonalds before catching the train to the after party, lots of free Euro-fizz, an expensive taxi ride back and a kebab at 3am.

Nope....definitely didn't see any architecture.

;) LOL.

Birmingham is full of really pretty industrial buildings.
A lot of the big bars have some amazing ƒeatures as a lot of banks etc. have been converted. :)

Not to mention a lot of the modern stuff that has replaced the buildings that Hilter bombed, especially the bullring, its awesome.

18401

[Excalibur]

Ey-up - we missed the architecture Peter :o
Nope....definitely didn't see any architecture.


We saw everything else, including a whole lot of devastation! Hope they've rebuilt it by now. :)

Right, glossing over the annual walking tour, the Corabars last year believed they'd cracked it. They stayed at the Ibis Budget, Birmingham Central (https://www.accorhotels.com/gb/hotel-5678-ibis-budget-birmingham-centre/index.shtml) which they were very happy with.
It's allegedly well within walking distance from the station ( mind you, according to previous years, so is Coalville!! :eek: ) but best of all, it has a car park.

The cunning plan is arrive at hotel, get vehicle booked in, and walk to station. Just over a quid gets you to the NEC, for another brisk walk, and you've not only saved over a tenner per day in parking charges, but you can have a drinkypoos as well. :beer1:


Sadly, I'm looking unlikely to be able to avail myself of this, as I'm harvesting spuds in October. :(

[rth_discos]

Right, glossing over the annual walking tour, the Corabars last year believed they'd cracked it. They stayed at the Ibis Budget, Birmingham Central (https://www.accorhotels.com/gb/hotel-5678-ibis-budget-birmingham-centre/index.shtml) which they were very happy with.

I'm confused as to what the benefit is of staying in the centre of Birmingham, instead of at a hotel at the NEC?

[Excalibur]

I'm confused as to what the benefit is of staying in the centre of Birmingham, instead of at a hotel at the NEC?

A very good point. Once upon a time, one hotel would be the one chosen by the majority, and having gathered on a night, the massed ranks of the MDD would descend on central Brum, usually Reflex. This meant cheap taxis if the merry band could be held together.

Staying at the NEC was tried one year by many, but had drawbacks. Cost of taxis into Brum and back was high, unless you had a teetotal driver.

Last year saw much entertainment laid on at the NEC for the first time, including free drinks, so thus staying onsite held much appeal. It really depends on whether you want to spend your time at the NEC, or party until the early hours in Broad Street. And believe me, some MDD members have really partied hard in the early hours. :eek::eek:

The compromise plan of finding an hotel with a transit friendly car park near the train station means you save money on car park charges at the NEC ( which to be honest are exorbitant ) and can travel between the NEC and central Brum for pennies, and have a drink at any time.

Nowadays, we are becoming splinter groups, so it's whatever suits you best.

[yourdj]

I'm confused as to what the benefit is of staying in the centre of Birmingham, instead of at a hotel at the NEC?

Any excuse to dig up this old chestnut.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hw86xyGGMWE

[Excalibur]

I'm confused as to what the benefit is of staying in the centre of Birmingham, instead of at a hotel at the NEC?


Any excuse to dig up this old chestnut.



Well if you want it put simply, drinking until 4am in the Tap and Spile, if that's your bag. :beer1: :)

[Corabar Steve]

Probably won't be doing this year. Lots of issues to deal with here.

[Excalibur]

Probably won't be doing this year. Lots of issues to deal with here.

Didn't know you harvested potatoes too? :whistle::)

Second whimsy: does the plural of potato have an e in it? :confused: Are both correct.

Serious answer: No surprises there Steve, it was odds on. All the best to you both.

[rth_discos]

means you save money on car park charges at the NEC ( which to be honest are exorbitant )

For anyone interested, book a room at Crown Plaza, and get parking for £10 per 24 hour period - which I believe is much cheaper than other NEC based options?

[soundmaster mobile disco]

That's Alan and myself booked into the crown plaza for the Sunday night

[Benny Smyth]

Myself, Mrs. B and The Spud will be going on the Monday.
Will hopefully see you there!

[soundmaster mobile disco]

Your help is needed.Please vote for Alan

Not long to go now until BPM 2017! I have just heard that I have been successful in gaining a chance to compete in the DJ freestyle competition this year. I'd be great full if everyone could click on the link and give me a vote #BPM #BPMPro2017 #DJ #AlanNicol #FreeStyleDJ.

http://www.bpmpro.online/freestyle-dj-competition-voting/

Thanks

[Shaun]

Your help is needed.Please vote for Alan

Not long to go now until BPM 2017! I have just heard that I have been successful in gaining a chance to compete in the DJ freestyle competition this year. I'd be great full if everyone could click on the link and give me a vote #BPM #BPMPro2017 #DJ #AlanNicol #FreeStyleDJ.

http://www.bpmpro.online/freestyle-dj-competition-voting/

Thanks

Done! :beer1:

[soundmaster mobile disco]

Done! :beer1:


Thanks Shaun

- - - Updated - - -

Thanks to all who voted for Alan in the bpm freestyle dj competition.You will be pleased to hear that Alan has qualified for the finals.

Catch Alan this Sunday in the main arena at BPM 13:45 #DJ #BPMpro #Music #LiveSet :)

[yourdj]

Your help is needed.Please vote for Alan

Not long to go now until BPM 2017! I have just heard that I have been successful in gaining a chance to compete in the DJ freestyle competition this year. I'd be great full if everyone could click on the link and give me a vote #BPM #BPMPro2017 #DJ #AlanNicol #FreeStyleDJ.

http://www.bpmpro.online/freestyle-dj-competition-voting/

Thanks

Thats amazing, the best 12 mins of Youtube I have seen this year. Love the enthusiasm and passion, (assuming we are talking about the black guy on the high street that is?). I would love to be that cool, its not fair. There is a good ted talk on 'starting a movement' using tactics like this. One man dancing mental, a few people then join in and make it OK, then everyone joins in, while the bloke who started it goes to the bar for a beer.

anyway - I need to ditch the kids and take Mrs O out for a club night, been a tough year! :)

[Excalibur]

OK children, Uncle Peter has got a pass out from the spuds, so hopes to be in Brum around 8pm tonight. If you see a confused white haired Old Git wandering round Broad Street in the early hours, point him back in the direction of the Ibis, Colmore Street please. Ta. :)

( After first buying him a pint or two of Trusselthwaites Old Sock Rotter, of course ) :beer1::beer1:

[Imagine]

Give me a shout when you get there Uncle Peter

[Imagine]

Finally got here. Who’s where then?

[Excalibur]

Finally got here. Who’s where then?

I'm in The Humber Pilot. That's in the City Of Culture 2017

[Imagine]

You’re going to love the coffee making facilities here Peter. I’m expecting to be woken up in the morning with the cry of “ow much?!?!?” resonating through the building

[Imagine]

Peters face after paying £9.90 for two bottles of beer at Reflex whilst the DJ threw out Whitney and the Grease Megamix trumps the lack of a kettle in the room 😅

18427

[Nakatomi]

Well yet again the PA experience proved to be a head scratcher. Systems with bins sounded like the crossover was working fine but the bass was subsequently missing somehow. Apart from Bose & Yamaha kit that is. The new Peavey stuff... Well that's just a cruel joke isn't it with all those lovely blue LEDs. RCFs hd735 & bins should definitely have sounded better IMHO.

Overall this year has seemed much quieter both in terms of attendance and overall sound levels. While the latter might be applauded by some the reduced level of the Chauvet DJ arena seemed far too quiet. Those darned LEQ allowances....

Gave the ADJ after party a throw this time. Yay, free drinks! Ugh. I didn't get far into my second pint before calling it a night. The prospect of a cab to & back from town didn't appeal so I was neatly tucked up at the saintly hour of 11.30pm. Rock & roll.

Looking forward to catching some seminars today & seeing if I can buy a nice new usb cable for my controller.

[Imagine]

Agree there...nothing at BPM this year unless you want to buy it from DJ Kit

Did like the new QSC’s...especially when he connected the 8” tips to the cardioid sub

I did hear a rumour yesterday that there may be an announcement about future BPMs today...and it’s not good

As for beer...we started with Kebabs, moved to a pub that called last orders at 10:30, then several in a weatherspoons followed by Peter dragging me into Reflex and then the Tap and Spile. Finally back to the room sometime between 0230 & 0300

Breakfast now polished off and be back at the arena shortly

[Benny Smyth]

Anyone around?

[Imagine]

ADJ stand in 10 mins (2pm)

[Benny Smyth]

So here is my hotly anticipated review of BPM 2017. ;)

Hmmm...I think is the best way to sum it up.

Every year I go to BPM, I go for three reasons - the PA experience, the lightshow in the Chauvet Arena and to catch up with suppliers and other DJs. Last year, the PA experience was a letdown. This year, the PA experience continued that trend but I was really disappointed to see the lightshow in the Arena become a let down.

Now don't get me wrong - it was impressive, but it felt a bit like it was paint by numbers. This year, the lightshow seemed less about having the best show for the song selection (which this year, by the way, was crap) and more about ensuring that every feature of each fixture is demonstrated. I'll admit that I marked out when I realised that the FX Par 9s were very much the centrepiece of the show and seeing it come together was cool but...I dunno...in previous years I became lost in the show and enjoyed the experience and this year, I was fully aware that Chauvet were selling to me.

This year was my nephew's first experience of such a thing, and he really enjoyed himself. Was also great to see Peter, Wayne and Justin (plus a few others) this afternoon. I also had a chance to catch up with some other guys who I know, and from that perspective it was a pretty good day. Didn't see anything that jumped out at me, but then I wasn't looking for anything really - I'm happy with the current setup that I have. Did anyone else find it really easy to walk around the whole thing in about half hour?

And one other observation - I have never seen such a mass gathering of miserable sods in my life. Barely saw a smile amongst folk, with most donning the grumpy teenager look whilst staring at their phones. It certainly says something that the 15 year old I had with me looked more happy than most there!

[Imagine]

And one other observation - I have never seen such a mass gathering of miserable sods in my life.

That's no way to talk about Peter, Andy, Shaun, Dave, Matty and me when you stumbled into the ADJ area ;)

It was a big uninspiring letdown though if I'm honest (BPM, not meeting you). I really don't like the fact that DJKit apparently have exclusive rights for selling stuff at the show. What happened to Geerooz, Terralec (and I wanted a load of bags this year!), and all the others that normally sell a bit of gear at show prices?

The audio bit was atrocious to say the least. That said, the QSC room (especially those little 8" tops and the 12" cardioid sub) blew me away....they were awesome!

Lighting - it's as if the likes of ADJ and Chauvet were there because they felt they had to be. There's nothing really "new" to see. It's nice to see the stuff actually working instead of the ideal-world videos they put online.

For me, it was more of a weekend social, a good catch up, a good laugh, and the unforgettable image of young Peter's face when he was charge £9.90 for two bottles of beer :whistle:

[Excalibur]

Miserable, Benny? Too damn right I was after waving goodbye to a tenner for two small bottles of beer that cost £3.50 in Tesco. :mad:

It's a wonder I was that civil, I still haven't got over the shock!:eek:

Full report later.

[Nakatomi]

And one other observation - I have never seen such a mass gathering of miserable sods in my life. Barely saw a smile amongst folk, with most donning the grumpy teenager look whilst staring at their phones. It certainly says something that the 15 year old I had with me looked more happy than most there!

Was great to finally meet you Benny - I don't mind saying I really admire what you do.

Re your point about miserable sods - Jazzy Jeff was the headline act in the Chauvet arena yesterday. An arena mostly populated by what I can only describe as non-believers. I'm not mad about rap & hiphop but jees I know genius, awesome skill when I see & hear it.

Toby, was nice to meet you too. As for everybody else I'd hoped to bump into.. booo that our paths didn't cross.

[rth_discos]

Just got back from a great weekend.

I spent pretty much all of it in the ProMobile/NADJ Learning Zone, which was the reason I went to the show.

Was pleased to finally hear the FBT CS1000. To my ears, little difference to an Evox 8 - hits exactly the same limitations. The surprise star system for me was the FBT VN2000. Despite not being in the market for a system, it's got me seriously interested.


For me, it was more of a weekend social, a good catch up, a good laugh, and the unforgettable image of young Peter's face when he was charge £9.90 for two bottles of beer :whistle:

Did you miss out on the ADJ After Party in The World Bar? The Becks, Corona and Stella was free...

Add to that the free drinks from the FBT stand during the day, and I barely spent any money all weekend! :beer1::beer1::beer1:

Disappointed to hear the Yorkshireman fell for the Birmingham prices!

Probably best not to take him down to London :muppet: :daft:

[Imagine]

Did you miss out on the ADJ After Party in The World Bar?

Yes - quite deliberately.



The Becks, Corona and Stella was free...


And there's the reason....it's horrible Eurofizz stuff. I prefer something which puts hairs on your chest (and blinds you at the same time).

We were hitting the real ales last night (some sort of Ruby ale with heavy chocolate overtones....really nice drop of stuff). Most of the beer was actually a LOT cheaper than it is here at home. It was only Reflex that took the Mickey ;)

Plus - we had a really nice Turkish meal as well

[rth_discos]

And there's the reason....it's horrible Eurofizz stuff. I prefer something which puts hairs on your chest (and blinds you at the same time).


To be fair to the World Bar they seemed to have a good selection of real ales too (just not included in the ADJ tab). But it was rammed in there. And I doubt the prices would have been palatable!

[Nakatomi]

To be fair to the World Bar they seemed to have a good selection of real ales too (just not included in the ADJ tab). But it was rammed in there. And I doubt the prices would have been palatable!

Regardless of prices the service was pretty poor in there. I dunno what it is about bar staff south of where I live but they never seem to want to rush no matter how busy a place is. Wayne, eurofizz or not, I wasn't the only person thought there was summit the matter with the stuff on the ADJ tab. Costs for a pint were mostly around a fiver which considering you're in captive a crowd isn't too extortionate.

[Imagine]

Costs for a pint were mostly around a fiver which considering you're in captive a crowd isn't too extortionate.

You'll give Peter another heart attack if you keep talking like that!

To be fair, with the exception of the silly prices in Reflex (and the even sillier DJ), we were paying around £3 - £3.50 a pint last night (and over the number of pints we sank between us.....every little helps ;) ).

The DJ in Reflex? Firstly it's incredibly rare for me to see another DJ working (probably the case with a lot of us)....and you know how it is....you look at the setup, judge the mixing.....we're never off duty :(. I'm always up for a little education though

We couldn't fathom him out. We walked in to the Cha Cha Slide (kill me now!), but there was no logic to what he was playing and when - we honestly couldn't second guess the next track because it was all a bit random (although there was a definite vein of cheesiness going on)....and absolutely NO mixing skills whatsoever - literally let one track end then hit play on the next. The best bit.....the place was rammed with young things in their early 20's who were lapping it up!

There was also a DJ booth in Lloyds, well you have to look don't you. Seeing the number of Chauvet Intimidator 300 barrels on the ceiling I was expecting something better than a dusty relic of a Citronic desk! :o

Tap & Spile.....two par cans and I don't know what the speakers were - but my ears were bleeding when I left. How in the name of all that's Holy he managed to go from the likes of Wheatus into Luther Vandross and get away with it I'll never know :o

[yourdj]

To be fair to the World Bar they seemed to have a good selection of real ales too (just not included in the ADJ tab). But it was rammed in there. And I doubt the prices would have been palatable!

I had two double pint glasses of Timothy Taylor in the world bar (really great ale), bloody great band playing too!!!
:beer1::beer1::beer1::beer1: Total price £0.00 did not know it was paid for by ADJ, thought it was on Marc Walshes tab. :)

I had a meal in the Skyline bar - booth seating, Sirloin steak and 4 long island ice teas. Lovely!! I thought it was pretty cheap for what you got, steak was only about £18 and really nice!! :p I wished i had gone to Iguana Latin bar after as i had lunch there today - 2-4-1 on cocktails and the guys pretty good!

People are so caught up on prices, it's one night a year in a premium location so worth having a nice time and paying for it. I am sure it wont break the bank paying for a £5 pint even for the 'you cannot get dat arand ere brigade'. Not sure I would be so happy paying that in a naff dump like Reflex though. Stayed in the hotel next door and did a bit of shopping today, so I will certainly do that again, the room was fabulous and it only cost me £95. :)

Dod not see much as i was Unexpectedly the unofficial photographer for next Promobile Magazine as Eddie has to get it to press by Wednesday. Show I thought was pretty good although i only really took photos and walked about, not really engaging with any kit hands on. The lights and sound part does not interest me as much, I prefer Plaza type events as its much more hi tech. One thing I did see was the white Evox, great move for RCF that, If I went for a new sound rig that would be the first choice.

I spent most the time in the education rooms as I was photographing a few of my friends, Gary Evans seminar I thought was very good. I will make an effort next year and try and catch the music production ones at the front. I will take off the Saturday and stay 2 nights in the Crown Plaza. I had 4 drinks tickets, used one and then had to go to one of the stands. Got back and the flippin bar had shut! Jazzy Jeff was great as usual although he did not play boom shake the room LOL. I heard a lot of old hiphop tracks I used to love (i.e. dilated peoples).

Rather rushed photos here: https://yourdj.smugmug.com/BPM-2017/

18428

[Imagine]

VERY nice photo that :)

BTW - BPM is officially dead (https://www.eventindustrynews.com/news/exhibitions/bpm-pro-shuts-doors-organisers-launch-four-new-market-focused-shows/) (and to be honest....it NEEDS to change). The range of gear this year went from the sublime (urgh....some of those "all in one party systems" on the Gemini stand, to the ridiculous (some of those speaker stacks would have required a fork-lift to shift in the audio demo area!).

Some of the gear in there is waaaaay beyond the scope of the average mobile DJ. I actually asked the Kvant guy how much that laser system was that was scanning over the top of the stands...and nearly passed out! (it was a LOT of zeros on the end of the price tag and isn't aimed at the mobile market by any stretch of the imagination !)

As pretty (but scaled back) as Le Maitre's stand was...how many of us can really get away with anything like those effects in a marquee without burning it to the ground? (I lost eyebrow hairs with some of those flame effects and I'm sure somebody near me soiled themselves with one of the bangs).....I'll say no more :P

So, it's the Genting Arena as usual next October chaps (and Angela!) for something called GIG. Next year however, I'm ignoring any suggestions of a hotel with the word "budget" in it's name purely and simply because I WANT A :Censored: KETTLE IN MY ROOM! I'd also like a toilet I don't have to reverse into (I'm not kidding). A Corby trouser press would be a nice touch too ;)

What would I like to see at the reborn event?


Sound and lighting aimed at the mobile market, possibly on "example" rigs (i.e. this is how it would look and sound in the real world and this is how to achieve it....it might just open the eyes of some in our industry ;) ).
A MUCH better PA experience. What were those domes in the corridor about? Last year was bad....but this year trumped it! Let's have a proper room with none of the "making all things equal" rubbish.....let the PA suppliers show us what their kit does when properly setup and show us how to do it!
More learning (I missed all of those because I was doing/watching other stuff at the same time)...I'd like to see several tents repeating the same content so tent 1 did "how to go full time" at two hourly intervals all weekend, tent 2 did "how to market" at two hourly intervals.....you get the drift. I don't know what it was like inside those tents, but they seem to have put them into the noisiest part of the building as well!
Bring back the coffee lounge in the middle....there was NOWHERE quiet to have a chat or network properly
More retailers offering show deals. I really DIDN'T like having only DJKit there selling stuff. I've now got to go and pay Terralec full price for some more gig bags :(



Just my own personal thoughts....

[rth_discos]

VERY nice photo that :)

BTW - BPM is officially dead (https://www.eventindustrynews.com/news/exhibitions/bpm-pro-shuts-doors-organisers-launch-four-new-market-focused-shows/) (and to be honest....it NEEDS to change). The range of gear this year went from the sublime (urgh....some of those "all in one party systems" on the Gemini stand, to the ridiculous (some of those speaker stacks would have required a fork-lift to shift in the audio demo area!).

Hurrah. Whilst it is of course nice to see some of the pro kit, it's just never going to be a mobile disco option.

And I found in many cases, that on some stands, the dealers were (naturally) more interested in talking to customers who were interested in the higher end, pro kit, than anything mobile DJ related.

It took me a number of visits to, and a lot of waiting around on the FBT stand to finally get to hear the CS1000, as they had their big line array system at the back going more than the smaller stuff.



Next year however, I'm ignoring any suggestions of a hotel with the word "budget" in it's name purely and simply because I WANT A :Censored: KETTLE IN MY ROOM! I'd also like a toilet I don't have to reverse into (I'm not kidding). A Corby trouser press would be a nice touch too ;)


I chose the Crowne Plaza on the NEC site. It was £103 a night, but came with the advantage of an on site car park that was only £10 for the night (from 11am on the Sat to 5pm on the Sun!). It came with kettle, trouser press, nice desk and chair, very comfy bed and a nice bathroom. It was certainly worth the money.

Included in the £103 was a three course meal in their rather nice restaurant, and breakfast.

I chose it because I realised that after paying around £50 for a budget hotel, by the time I'd added food and parking on top, I'd be paying the same, so might as well go for a nice room. And it was only a short walk away from the Genting Arena and the World Bar.



Bring back the coffee lounge in the middle....there was NOWHERE quiet to have a chat or network properly


I was chatting with Pete Hawkins (NADJ Chairman) and they're looking to make more of the Pro Mobile learning zone next year, including a coffee area and networking area outside. I do wonder how many people didn't even find that section... I came in the very top entrance (where the inflatable tent learning zones were) and it took me a while to even find the "next room" of displays - and then had to ask some people where the DJ learning zone was! It was pretty well hidden away, and I hadn't been given a map on arrival.

[yourdj]

Some of the gear in there is waaaaay beyond the scope of the average mobile DJ.

I WANT A :Censored: KETTLE IN MY ROOM! I'd also like a toilet I don't have to reverse into (I'm not kidding). A Corby trouser press would be a nice touch too ;)


Yep trouser press & you get a fridge/safe too! The shower and bath were phenomenal (new building), seriously i have stayed all over the place and that was the most powerful and fast to heat up systems I have ever seen. Sounds silly, but I love making the most of my room. I missed breakfast, I usually don't get up in time. might order it to the room in future.

I think their focus on mobile dj market went years back when they moved the date, they are more interested in bedroom DJs to fill up the space, serious pro audio guys, who spend the money and the club/producer guys, who make it look cool. My guess is they put the mobile part at the back to keep all the mobile DJ slobs from 'de-cooling' the show. ;) Mobile DJ's are few and far between (opposed to the bedroom, club, producer and pro market) and the market is largely full of operators with a very low spend potential (or people that already have all the kit they need), compared to a pro audio person or kit hire operator.


Hurrah. Whilst it is of course nice to see some of the pro kit, it's just never going to be a mobile disco option. And I found in many cases, that on some stands, the dealers were (naturally) more interested in talking to customers who were interested in the higher end, pro kit, than anything mobile DJ related.

they're looking to make more of the Pro Mobile learning zone next year, including a coffee area and networking area outside. I do wonder how many people didn't even find that section...

The show organisers need to impress the stall holders, so maximising the market potential and getting prospective high paying clients through the door is key to garantee the success of the show. I personally prefer to look at the more midrange stuff, like on the Next stand and see trends that will filter through in a few years, so I can potentially get there before it happens (with a little help from my friends on Alibaba ;) ). those lasers were very powerful for the size, I was having a good look at them whilst taking the photos from up high, as it was near me.

I think that hotel was one of the best rooms i have been for some time (for a corporate hotel that is). I did not know you can park in that car park, its right next to the show, why I walked flippin miles last year I don't know!! I had the space right next to the hotel too. The bar area was not the best IMO, could be a bit more snazzy. I wanted 5 mins while the one bar person was busy and went next door in the end. All I wanted was a coffee.

Having something other than a room is a good idea, they have tried the coffee networking thing before. jazzing it up a bit and making it a bit more cool would be a good option. I like the idea of a mobile DJ cocktail lounge, but that will never happen LOL.

[yourdj]

VERY nice photo that :)

Sorry missed that. Thanks. It was all rather rushed as Eddie only asked me at midday Monday. I had a small SD card too so shot in jpg (rather than RAW), which is not ideal for magazine quality images, but they came out reasonable with just a bit of clarity adjustments.

i like this one the best, captures the events mystique I think? i will spend more time in that area next year. :)

18429

[Excalibur]

Taking a gig in Hull on the afternoon of BPM Sunday wasn't an ideal start, but money is money.
So, 5.30pm, and we're off in the Hull to Brum endurance race. 150 miles in 150 minutes, and by the time I arrive at the 5* hotel we'd chosen, ( yeah, right. :D )I'm already cream crackered. Meet up with The Posse of Wayne, Dave and Mattysounds, Shaun and Andy. Dave was by now not a happy bunny, as none of the rooms had a life support system! ( Aka a Kettle ) :eek:

We set off on the Annual MDD Ramblers Tour of Brum, and actually find our destination. A nice relaxing curry in a plush restaurant is eschewed in favour of some Turkish blokes setting fire to some ( allegedly ) meat based products in a less than salubrious cafe. To be fair, it tasted bloody good, my chicken was perfect, and with drinks, mine was the most expensive meal at £6.

We then visited the pub with the earliest closing time in Birmingham, and the weakest beer. Dave and Matty headed for the hotel early, and four of us gave Reflex a swerve, as there was nobody in, and tried Lloyds, where we got some lovely 5% ale. Ahaun and Andy soon left, and despite what he alleges, Wayne insisted on dragging me round the late night establishments on Broad Street. Reflex was actually a joke, and the Tap and Spile was playing the right songs, but not necessarily in the right order, as Eric would say. Bed at 2.30am was not a good precursor to Monday.

Monday: Back across Brum to the Spoons for brekkie ( without cider ) and off to BPM in our little convoy. I was not in tip top form, and didn't see many faces I recognised, until we met Matthew ( Mattydj50) from Donny, and Benny with his entourage.
The QSC room was a revelation, and I could easily have been persuaded with a couple of grand for a rig, if I'd found that sum in my back pocket.
The LD stand was informative, and further fuelled my desire to acquire another stick rig, whether 11 or 28. We looked at some stands made out of scaffolding poles and perspex, and I was aghast to find that:
1) They seemed to cost a grand!
2) They didn't have a black cloth on them. :confused:

Since I was shattered after a hard weekend, and a late night, I headed off home, and missed the chaos on the A42 by a whisker, which Dave and Matty hadn't. After congratulating myself on this move, I then got snarled up in Ashby De La Zouch, and probably lost more time that way, as the world and his wife were trying the same thing! Got hoime safely and promptly fell asleep.

Thoughts:
Hotels. If you intend to visit Brum, find one there. If you don't, stay on site at BPM. Simples. Our cunning plan was based on info from other folk last year, and would have been excellent if we had followed the script. In all honesty, for our purposes, the Travelodge on Broad Street was ideal, and could easily be next year's base.

The show. Victim of its own success. Too many diverse types of stand in one place, and the learning seminar being in the noisiest bit didn't seem logical. Splitting it up will be the only logical move, and will be a great move. It seemed less crowded than other years, don't know if that's what others thought.

The weekend. Apart from the Beergate incident in Reflex ( which is now second to Trainergate ) we found food and entertainment of a very acceptable quality and cost everywhere in Brum, no problem. It's blindingly obvious to me now that arriving early Sunday morning ( or even better, Saturday night ) is the key to a successful visit. I had too much to fit into a short time, and it wore me out.

See you all at GIG next year then folks. The King is dead! Long live the King. :D

[Nakatomi]

Ah but the mobile dj learning hub was at the back of the arena this time - a very smart move indeed. Very useful. Very informative. I'm now really tempted to take myself along to the ProMobile conference.. But it's looking like an either or scenario for me. 'fancy' conference or fun away days... The former is more necessary...

[yourdj]

'fancy' conference or fun away days... The former is more necessary...

Its about 3-4 all day workshops in one, combined with the fact that a lot of the key figures in the industry are there, so you can also chat and get to know them as they all have a wealth of knowledge and are willing to share it for free (largely without egos)! Not many industries are like that. :)

For me though, its a couple of days away from the kids with some of my best friends and a lot of fun. :)
There are also some amazing ideas that you will pick up, but often its the same stuff repeated from other workshops/conversations.

[Nakatomi]

Its about 3-4 all day workshops in one, combined with the fact that a lot of the key figures in the industry are there, so you can also chat and get to know them as they all have a wealth of knowledge and are willing to share it for free (largely without egos)! Not many industries are like that. :)

For me though, its a couple of days away from the kids with some of my best friends and a lot of fun. :)
There are also some amazing ideas that you will pick up, but often its the same stuff repeated from other workshops/conversations.

I've realised too that my attitude has changed a lot in the last few years. The first time I looked at the ProMobile conference, my thinking was something along the lines of "ooooo get you lot.. networking breakfast?!". Now, I'm hungry for improvements

[DJWilson]

"ooooo get you lot.. networking breakfast?!". Now, I'm hungry for improvements

Pun intended? :D

[yourdj]

"ooooo get you lot.. networking breakfast?!". Now, I'm hungry for improvements

There is that fear of it being cliquey, and I guess sit is for anyone not in a group of people that know each other well, or of a different kind of mind set (i.e. 'we know everything already' brigade), but its a very welcoming (albeit perhaps a little intimidating at first) group of people. I have lost count of the haters who have turned coat; joined in and never looked back.

I don't understand certain character traits in this industry and its the cocky chavvy idiots that let it down unfortunately. I was wearing a NADJ jumper in the after party and these two guys were shouting at me 'oh look another NADJ wxnker' which I thought was very rude. Why anyone would book a DJ with a personality like that for a wedding I have no idea? I know which side of the fence I want to sit thats for sure and its for being a decent person and investing in self improvement with the interest of making more money, but also providing a better service. Obviously you don't need to go for a conference for that, but I like it and I always come out with some fresh ideas. :)

[djdj]

Yesterday morning (Monday 23rd October) it was announced that after 11 successful shows this year’s BPM | PRO will be the last. In its place organisers Marked Events plan to launch four new shows focused on different areas of the entertainment technology industry. This will include GIG, The Professional Entertainer Show, which will replace BPM | PRO in the mobile DJ calendar as a must-attend event for seeing the latest gear, learning new ideas and networking with industry peers.

BPM started life as a DJ-focussed event back in 2007, but grew into a full-scale entertainment technology show, putting millions of pounds back into the industry and keeping visitors coming back year on year. Always developing with the markets of its exhibitors in mind, BPM | PRO has incorporated everything from high-end audio/lighting to award-nominated FX Stages.

But in light of countless industry factors and the current economic climate, organisers Marked Events now feel that the time is right to end on a high and refocus their efforts on four new shows, each aimed at differing sectors of the BPM | PRO audience.

Commenting on this new direction, Marked Events CEO Mark Walsh said, “BPM | PRO was successful, and has remained successful until the end, but I felt that our momentum was starting to drop. As we all know, times have changed; the way we market, the routes to market, and our sales channels have all gone through significant transformations over the last decade. I knew that if we continued along the same path it would be near impossible to maintain the high standards that our exhibitors and visitors have come to expect. Rather than trying to mould BPM | PRO into something it’s not, I wanted to re-group and re-focus our offerings.”

The result of this rethink comes in the form of four new shows, launching throughout 2018 and 2019, each focused on a different sector of BPM | PRO’s former market:

GIG - The Professional Entertainer Show – Genting Arena, NEC, Birmingham
An Event for DJs, Singers, Performers, Bands and More.
October 21st & 22nd 2018

WORSHIP Technology Show – Manchester
A Trade Show for Specifiers, Installers and Users of Sound, Lighting and Audio Visual Equipment in Places of Worship.
November 6th & 7th 2018

CLUB + BAR Technology Show – London
A Trade Show For Specifiers, Installers and Users of Sound and Lighting Equipment in Clubs and Bars.
Spring 2019

LIVE Production Show
A Trade Show for Specifiers, Installers and Users of Sound and Lighting Equipment for Stages, Tours and Festivals.
Launching Spring 2019

“This is a bold move, but one I firmly believe in,” explained Mark. “The shows will be affordable and highly focussed to the needs of the audience. By delivering a targeted visitor experience at a tangible cost we can build worthwhile events for the future.”

BPM | PRO has a been a big part of the mobile DJ industry for more than a decade, and it will be sorely missed and fondly remembered. But this move is a positive one, which will result in a new show – GIG – focused solely on the needs of gigging mobile DJs and performers. Pro Mobile will be heavily involved in the new show and we look forward to seeing you there!


www.visitbpm.co.uk

[Excalibur]

Thank you Dave for putting flesh on the bones of this revelation by The Old Git in post #68, and others previous to that. :p:D:D

[Nakatomi]

Yeah there's the fear of it being cliquey, plus the self doubts involved in getting in front of other DJs in a workshop... But I know if I don't do something I won't progress. I'm doing alright & get excellent reviews but I know there's still a way to go.

Funny you should say that about people's attitudes towards NADJ & any outfit out to get djs to improve their own lot Toby. I see it a lot & being on the committee of a local association it really frustrates me. What none of those people seem to realise is, nobody is saying anybody is guaranteed to succeed or that only one way is the right way to go - but hey look why not try this & see what happens? Open your mind! . But no. We get "you group of stupid djs trying to dictate how we do everything. :CENSORED1: YOU!". Fine if that's how they want it. Let them be stuck in their ways. I know I'm less strong in some areas & I'm keen to do something about it.

Things I've learned at the BPM seminars are always quite simple to implement. This stuff isn't exactly rocket science but it's not always immediately obvious.

[Imagine]

Yeah there's the fear of it being cliquey, plus the self doubts involved in getting in front of other DJs in a workshop... But I know if I don't do something I won't progress. I'm doing alright & get excellent reviews but I know there's still a way to go.

Funny you should say that about people's attitudes towards NADJ & any outfit out to get djs to improve their own lot Toby. I see it a lot & being on the committee of a local association it really frustrates me. What none of those people seem to realise is, nobody is saying anybody is guaranteed to succeed or that only one way is the right way to go - but hey look why not try this & see what happens? Open your mind! . But no. We get "you group of stupid djs trying to dictate how we do everything. :CENSORED1: YOU!". Fine if that's how they want it. Let them be stuck in their ways. I know I'm less strong in some areas & I'm keen to do something about it.

Things I've learned at the BPM seminars are always quite simple to implement. This stuff isn't exactly rocket science but it's not always immediately obvious.

I had the same fears as you initially. Having also wasted a lot of time and money a certain mentoring program (which didn't do me much good at all unless I was prepared to go the cheesy American route), I was reluctant for a LONG time to get involved in this sort of thing again myself.

That said, I went to Gavin's In Demand Recipe at the start of this year (I'll admit - very sceptically) and actually turned a big corner. I'm still working on implementing some of it (I've got one particular website which struggles for traffic so I'm concentrating on that at the moment)....and it's starting to yield results. As you say, a lot of it is obvious stuff that you just tend to forget/overlook.

I've also started to mix with those that have been on these things and seen the results they're getting. And if they can get it....why can't I?

A lot of them are doing nothing different to me on the night (in fact compared to a lot of them, I probably go out with more gear for less money). I'm nearly where I planned to be when I first came back into this game 6 years ago....there's just a little polishing needed now and I'll be a very happy bunny.

Where I lack is the sales and marketing side of things. I'm not a salesman by trade and never have been, probably because I personally turn off when somebody tries to sell something to me - it's a subconscious thing....and THAT is probably my single biggest failing. Gavin gave me a big nudge up on that score earlier in the year, and hopefully the ProMobile conference will add to that.

And when you consider the entire conference of something like 10 workshops, accommodation and food is less than a night's work....what's to lose?

[Nakatomi]

I had the same fears as you initially. Having also wasted a lot of time and money a certain mentoring program (which didn't do me much good at all unless I was prepared to go the cheesy American route), I was reluctant for a LONG time to get involved in this sort of thing again myself.

That said, I went to Gavin's In Demand Recipe at the start of this year (I'll admit - very sceptically) and actually turned a big corner. I'm still working on implementing some of it (I've got one particular website which struggles for traffic so I'm concentrating on that at the moment)....and it's starting to yield results. As you say, a lot of it is obvious stuff that you just tend to forget/overlook.

I've also started to mix with those that have been on these things and seen the results they're getting. And if they can get it....why can't I?

A lot of them are doing nothing different to me on the night (in fact compared to a lot of them, I probably go out with more gear for less money). I'm nearly where I planned to be when I first came back into this game 6 years ago....there's just a little polishing needed now and I'll be a very happy bunny.

Where I lack is the sales and marketing side of things. I'm not a salesman by trade and never have been, probably because I personally turn off when somebody tries to sell something to me - it's a subconscious thing....and THAT is probably my single biggest failing. Gavin gave me a big nudge up on that score earlier in the year, and hopefully the ProMobile conference will add to that.

And when you consider the entire conference of something like 10 workshops, accommodation and food is less than a night's work....what's to lose?

I've already noticed one big thing you do differently to a lot of people on social media posts. It's onboard with me now, but I'm not changing what I currently do where I am for the time being. As for the mentoring guy - I know somebody who was on that scheme til recently & he's still having to fall back on a Friday night residency where they take a break for bingo & does a lot of walk-in gigs at what I wouldn't call an awful lot of money - living the dream or what? Though we have to remember too that it's up to individuals to act on mentoring & advice they get or nothing will ever change

Somebody at a local meeting said I was good at selling a while back. I asked whatever had given them that impression & they went quiet suddenly. Maybe it's true - I AM good at closing a deal, when a deal eventually arrives in my lap that is. The trick is getting them to come to you, as ever!

I've taken other steps to improve my confidence & skills - I'm a bit of a whizz with DMX & QLC+ and have given (very good, I'm told) presentations in front of other DJs. It's not really as scary as you first think but once you've learned that you can apply things to other areas too. I'm not saying I'm now ready to tackle an all day wedding with nothing but a mic & note cards to hide behind but it's a start

[Imagine]

I've already noticed one big thing you do differently to a lot of people on social media posts.

Just one small tool in the armoury ;)

It has varied results and it's not the be all and end all. One post can be seen by 20-30 people, and yet the one I did about the fundraiser and horse racing night a couple of weeks ago went to over 1000 (there's no logic). I'm expecting next Monday's to have the same reach ;)

[yourdj]

WORSHIP Technology Show – Manchester
A Trade Show for Specifiers, Installers and Users of Sound, Lighting and Audio Visual Equipment in Places of Worship.
November 6th & 7th 2018


WOW! bet the after party of this one will be a hoot. :beer1::beer1::beer1:



Things I've learned at the BPM seminars are always quite simple to implement. This stuff isn't exactly rocket science but it's not always immediately obvious.


I've also started to mix with those that have been on these things and seen the results they're getting. And if they can get it....why can't I?

Being one of the first people to go to these modern workshops (and also implement my own in 2009) I for one have come on leaps and bounds and I am possibly one of the top earning DJ's in my area? The people that present on Pormobile or at BPM are just normal and tend to be very positive, friendly & open people. Gary Evans for example is probably one of the nicest people I have ever known and it really showed in his seminar thing!! There is a close relationship between that and their £1000+ average event fees, which they continue to get on a regular basis. Not a big fan of the American presenting things and never have been, especially as i think we have carved our own sort of shared 'UK' working ethos now. I don't know the quote, but its something like 'successful people hang about with successful people'. :)

[Excalibur]

I wanted to write a long post to follow up what has been said.

And then I realised I'd need a day to explain it all in depth - maybe there's an idea... :lightbulb:

In essence, earning high fees is relatively easy in this industry (compared to other industries).

It doesn't take that much to stand above the rest of the industry, where the standard is quite frankly, pretty poor in many cases.

There are many good DJs, offering a great service, not charging the right fees, for fear of 'not getting it', based on what too many poor DJs constantly repeat about 'can't get that round 'ere'.

Create a good product, market it properly, and deliver what you promise - very simple, but that's all you need to do.

A few positive changes here and there can make a BIG difference.

It's amazing, and quite scary how poor many DJs are - something let's them down - be it their personality, how they dress, their email responses, or even their website.

Bring everything up to scratch, along with being able to entertain and deliver a solid performance, and you're on the right road.

Obviously the biggest change is actually ASKING for the money.

No one is going to offer to pay you more than you quote. So until you regularly ask for more money, you won't really know what you're worth.

Perversely, quoting too low can actually PUT OFF those who are looking for a premium service!

But if you want to ask for more money you need to present an image in line with the price you're asking!

And of course, then deliver it!



Right folks, we've been drifting off topic for ages here, so I'm going to cut and paste ( or move, mayhap ) Gavin's thoughts into a new thread, and although it's going to touch on price, I hope it will focus on learning. See you later.

[soundmaster mobile disco]

Sorry i didnt get the chance to meet some of you guys,I spent most of sunday with alan in the main chauvet arena,then had a walk round the show.Only person from here i did see was shaun atkinson flatliners and toby.
I have to admit i dont like the genting arena i think bpm was much better in the nec.
i spent most of monday around the pro mobile nadj learning zone as the seminars were really good

The after party on sunday evening was great.it was really nice chatting to fellow djs and some of the reps.

Big thanks to adj and pro mobile for the free drinks

After the party finished we went upstairs into the casino with paul third digital dj for some excellent food and drinks

So for the first time in ages both alan and me didn't make it into broad street,we just stayed at the crown plazza and the bar at the world resorts.