Got asked to DJ...no time to prepare? what do I do?

[Gurnumsbug]

So basically I got asked to DJ yesterday for a party on Friday..
I have a mixer, my laptop, tons of tunes to playout...BUT...NO FOKING PA SYSTEM :O
What am I gonna do guys? My last resort would be to take my production monitors..but I'm so afraid of some drunk jackass pushing the speaker in, dropping beer on em..etc..etc..blah the list goes on... What do you guys think I should do? Or what could I do?

[legend4ry]

Don't do it?

If someone wants you to DJ they supply the sound; thats the rule unless you promote yourself as someone who brings a sound system.

I wouldn't even take my equipment unless I got cash-money insurance (i'm talking 500$ sitting in my pocket till I go home). Its more hassle than its worth sometimes.

[Gurnumsbug]

Don't do it?

If someone wants you to DJ they supply the sound; thats the rule unless you promote yourself as someone who brings a sound system.

I would just back out, but I figure any publicity is good publicity...
I used to have some good theatre speakers but I sold em not too long ago..now all I have are my monitors, and a guitar amp

[wub]

but I figure any publicity is good publicity...

Woah woah woah WOAH. Don't agree with this at all.



If you're asked to DJ, and for whatever reason it goes tits up, you will be remembered by the guy who booked you and all the people at the party as the DJ that sucked. They will tell their friends, and your tale shall pass into urban legend.

[Gurnumsbug]

and your tale shall pass into urban legend.

^this is why I wub you wub

No I agree, I mean it's just a little backyard party for my sisters friend's party..
It won't be anything massive, I just need a decent setup without taking my KRK's

[Electric_Head]

don`t bother with your own equipment
if they don`t even have equipment then you`re not getting exposure anyway.
Just a bunch of folks mooching

what guarantee do you have after your equipment blows?
I had this happen to me twice.
someone brought along a shitty mixer and plugged into my system, blowing my speakers.

if it`s just a backyard party then get a hifi, simple

[amphibian]

Don't do it?

If someone wants you to DJ they supply the sound; thats the rule unless you promote yourself as someone who brings a sound system.

I would just back out, but I figure any publicity is good publicity...
I used to have some good theatre speakers but I sold em not too long ago..now all I have are my monitors, and a guitar amp

Nope, I wouldn't bother. You're having to take too much risk on for no reward.

[sketchyderek]

Spinning parties is good and all, till you get a beer on your gear.

Reminds me... I need to get the pitch replaced on my baby tech12...

[wormcode]

That's happened to me before too. Used to do live electronic with a friend, and a couple of times we had to bring our own PA without knowing. Shit happens I guess, other people with equipment back out at the last minute etc...

Since flyers and all had been out for a while, we figured let's just use our own system, which wasn't anything amazing, but a couple of 12s and ok tweeters. One time it went great, another time the speakers got overloaded, or something weird happened because there was a couple of dips in the electrical or something and everything flickered, and horrible noises came out of the speakers, and 1 sub plopped straight out of the cabinet onto the floor like it just took a shit. Spent the next hour playing CDs in mono and trying to repair the sub. Wasn't cool.

Sorry, don't want to make it seem like they all end in disaster, but I wouldn't do that again myself...
As mentioned, if they don't have a system anyway, they aren't promoters or anything I'm guessing? Is it a house party? I dunno, doesn't sound worth it man, especially with just monitors. If you had some decent hifi or could find some to use then it might be worth a go. I would tell them to try to get something together, someone has to have some hifi setup to use (assuming it's a normal sized house party).

[RandoRando]

did they offer to pay you? ( if not, then yeah forget it)

last thing i would do is take expensive monitors especially to a party where (like you said) some drunk knock them over over something.

if they are paying you, i would say find a decent hifi system, a friend or relative has to have one, and just take your laptop with the headphone out to the hifi

[Gurnumsbug]

Honestly I don't know if pay is involved or not, just thought of doing something friendly for a friend
Anyway I think I got ahold of some speakers for the show lol I was told "they are loud" so I guess that will do
So if those don't work out then I'll be back here searching for some answers
On another note, anyone want a shout-out at the party?
Lemme know and I'll put you in the set-list

[RandoRando]

Honestly I don't know if pay is involved or not, just thought of doing something friendly for a friend
Anyway I think I got ahold of some speakers for the show lol I was told "they are loud" so I guess that will do
So if those don't work out then I'll be back here searching for some answers
On another note, anyone want a shout-out at the party?
Lemme know and I'll put you in the set-list

yeaa!!! the track in my sig is a free DL : ] you should take a video of the crowds reaction when you drop one us DSF'ers tracks so we can see peoples reactions to our tracks

[Gurnumsbug]

Honestly I don't know if pay is involved or not, just thought of doing something friendly for a friend
Anyway I think I got ahold of some speakers for the show lol I was told "they are loud" so I guess that will do
So if those don't work out then I'll be back here searching for some answers
On another note, anyone want a shout-out at the party?
Lemme know and I'll put you in the set-list

yeaa!!! the track in my sig is a free DL : ] you should take a video of the crowds reaction when you drop one us DSF'ers tracks so we can see peoples reactions to our tracks

Sweet man I'll def. play you out
That was the idea man
I'll post when all is finished

[Sparxy]

Its upto you really dude, i've taken my gear to friend's parties before. Sometimes I have asked for a cash deposit, sometimes if its a good friend i'll do it all for the party spirit!!!!

Depends on how much you trust the person's house and how likely it would be that someone might ruin your shit

[wizeguy]

definitely not worth risking your monitors!
done a couple parties before.... nothing good ever came from it in terms of publicity, was fun tho but i'd never risk taking my own stuff

[Dystinkt]

Ill give you my bootleg of i need a dollar if you want man, just finished it heres the link give it a listen and pm me or something if you want it

Soundcloud

if anyone else wants a 320 for djing purposes or radio play just pm on here or soundcloud

[FuzionDubstep]

They should be supplying you with equipment I would never DJ if I had to take my own mixers/speakers etc

its up to you though ..

[Electric_Head]

Ill give you my bootleg of i need a dollar if you want man, just finished it heres the link give it a listen and pm me or something if you want it

Soundcloud

if anyone else wants a 320 for djing purposes or radio play just pm on here or soundcloud

talk about shameless self promotion

[JFK]

horrible noises came out of the speakers, and 1 sub plopped straight out of the cabinet onto the floor like it just took a shit.

Sigged

[Teknicyde]

Look up 'rentals' in your local phone book, there WILL be someone renting systems, big ones, under the guise of 'bachelorette party supplies'...

Call that guy, because he probably has cdj's and a mixer he'd rent you too.

Typical house party strategy, I got my go-to wedding DJ, if they want to come babysit their rig, warn them in advance what youll be playing through it and that there will be a bunch of drunk kids around, last thing you want is some one getting pissy.

Usually, local wedding rental is the one for really cheap, big-enough-to-work system.