Tending bar for 15 years, I saw, and heard many a good Disc Jockey CT at the club I worked. Becoming a good club or freelance Disc Jockey CT is not an easy task, but all the successful ones followed a few simple rules.
1. A good Disc Jockey CT is a professional.
Being a professional Disc Jockey CT means arriving at the job site early. They bring in all their gear, set it up, run sound checks, and are ready to put on a show when the club owner and patrons expect them to. I have seen so many come in just before show time, set up fast with no sound checks, and run a shoddy show. The number of times invited back – zero. A professional Disc Jockey CT is considered part of the staff, for that night anyway. You are providing the entertainment, which means having fun, and insuring the customers are having a good time. It does not mean that you get just as drunk as the customers do.
2. An excellent Disc Jockey CT knows his/her venue.
When someone is an excellent Disc Jockey CT, prior to showing up for the gig, they find out from the club owner what type of club it is, and the kind of music the regulars like to hear. Playing only hip-hop in a country western establishment or vice versa will have the regulars running for the door. That does not sit well with a club owner. If it is an off night, and you get an OK from the owner, you can mix in some of the music you like with regular club music. Pushing the limits is fine, but with it comes with risks. A professional Disc Jockey CT will decide if doing his/her own thing outweighs being hired for more work, or if finding some type of balance between art and commerce is more important.
3. The outstanding Disc Jockey CT is in tune with the customers.
Depending on what type of gig the Disc Jockey CT is hired for, playing music the customers want hear is job one. I have worked weddings where the band or disc jockey started the night playing music for young people, and the old folks practically flew out the door. This is not good.
A professional Disc Jockey CT will know the audience, and will work to keep as many of them in the establishment as long as possible; once again, it is comes back to money. At a wedding, start out with music that the older folks recognize and dance to, then as night goes on, pick up the speed; the older folks generally leave after the first or second sets anyway.
At the end of the night, when the owner says it is time to say good night, wrap up your set and say good night. The club owner may have a specific bar closing time, established by law, and is counting on you to help clear out the place. A professional Disc Jockey CT will stop playing when the club owner asks.
