Advice please

[Dance Factory]

Chaps,

I had a phone call out of the blue last Friday to DJ at a rather nice bar in Dunfermline. Amazingly the bar is on its backside having no customers in at all I think we had 15 people in all night. Anyway I continued my set of funky house etc as requested and the staff really liked it and so did the few customers in there.

The bar has rang me today and said that they want to offer me the contract to work Fri,Sat there. The bar is on its arse because they have used the service of a local guy dave double decks at £80 a night and he has killed the venue. I am up for the challenge of getting it back on its feet and have discussed some marketing with the bar to raise awareness.

I am meeting with the manager tonight at 8pm to discuss contracts and rates etc.

This is where I require some advice if you dont mind. The gig is 8.30pm to 12.00 with the opportunity of some mid week stuff as well and all the gear is on site its a case of walk in with the CD's & Vinyl. As a result of this potential contract I shall have to get another DJ to work my rig on my current commitments so its not plain sailing but is it ever.

My Questions:

1. Should I do a contract with them if so any ideas of what style as the usual mobile one does not really suffice.

2. Any suggestions on price per night

3. Advise me of any potential pit falls

Thanks for any advice you can provide

[CRAZY K]

Cant help on prices but heres some good advice.

Dont get sucked into the --you get paid once IN A WHILE--syndrome.

In the 70s I covered a local Night Club with other DJs.

Eventually the owners did a runner with everything including the breweries equipment--stripped the place out---that includes your kit as well!

Dont get left being owed a ton of money!

CRAZY K

[Danno13]

Probably best to get a contract, mabye offer them a contract for the first 4 weeks to start with, as well as an introductory price per night.

Then once you've proved yourself and hopefully got the place busier again you can ask for more money and a longer contract.

[Corabar Entertainment]

The way we usually deal with similar situations is to have an 'indefinite' contract, but determinable upon x weeks notice by either party.

You can just adapt your usual contract terms & conditions to fit this situation, as many of the terms will be the same.

As for price, can't help you there as we don't know your area, but I can say that pubs are often around half the price of a private event, and that a long-term residency normally attracts a 'block-booking' discount - although all of that is pretty obvious and so of no help whatsoever really!

And yes (as Crazy K mentioned) - make sure that you are paid at the end of each night - pubs to run pretty 'hand to mouth', so if they run up a debt, it is very difficult for them to catch up!

[Wolfie]

The way we usually deal with similar situations is to have an 'indefinite' contract, but determinable upon x weeks notice by either party.

You can just adapt your usual contract terms & conditions to fit this situation, as many of the terms will be the same.

As for price, can't help you there as we don't know your area, but I can say that pubs are often around half the price of a private event, and that a long-term residency normally attracts a 'block-booking' discount - although all of that is pretty obvious and so of no help whatsoever really!

And yes (as Crazy K mentioned) - make sure that you are paid at the end of each night - pubs to run pretty 'hand to mouth', so if they run up a debt, it is very difficult for them to catch up!

What i always say is give the place 10 weeks, if after 10 weeks there is an improvement then they have been successfull, if not then you are wasting your time & their time. Try suggesting a minimum contract of 10 weeks. Reason is I've seen places take you on for a month, once a few people start filtering in it's a case of you are out of the door & then some idiot goes in again as he charges less... sure enough a few months later they get on the phone begging you to go back.

be wary as well, i've done gigs in places that a past DJ has killed off, i did one & the landlord was a bit of a rogue.. we'd have a quiet night & he'd try to pay me a lower fee, with the old "here's £40... i've not made a lot tonight so i can't afford to pay you"... if this happens stand your ground. You don't hire a builder & he gives you a price for the job only for him to be told "i've not got much money here's a tenner" once he's done the job. Sometimes you don't mind working for less to help someone out & i'm always willing to do this if there is a good chance that when the place gets busier your rates go up, but it's a bit of a **** when you expect a fee & then they try to rip you off.

[Dance Factory]

Thanks for that wolfie I am trying to put a contract together as I am reading your replies. The bar in question is owned by a football Club Dunfermline FC they want me to invoice on 28 days basis, I am starting to feel a little uncomfortable with it all. I really dont want this to jeopardise my currrent work, however if it pays off it could work really well.

[Wolfie]

Thanks for that wolfie I am trying to put a contract together as I am reading your replies. The bar in question is owned by a football Club Dunfermline FC they want me to invoice on 28 days basis, I am starting to feel a little uncomfortable with it all. I really dont want this to jeopardise my currrent work, however if it pays off it could work really well.

just a point & you may think i am stating the bleeding obvious,

clarify who is paying... be it the club, the bar, the committee etc etc

[CRAZY K]

And if the Club go bust you lose big time--

I GO WITH ANGELA--GET PAID EVERY BOOKING

CRAZY K

[joburgo]

And if the Club go bust you lose big time--

I GO WITH ANGELA--GET PAID EVERY BOOKING

CRAZY K

ditto

[BeerFunk]

Can't see Dunfermline FC going bust somehow, they're still in the SPL!