Want To Know Why The Pub Dj Is Working For Less Money?

[Dukesy 0]

'Want to know why the pub DJ is working for less money....and why this is expected to decline even further?'

 

The debates come and go about the £40 to £50 a night DJs, but when you delve into the subject a little deeper, some interesting facts turn up that put a slightly different perspective on things....for instance whether you put a simple question to a landlord or manager of a pub "Why do you pay Pub DJs 'XX' amount?", the answer invariably seems different but with a common denominator - they always appreciate the DJs ability - but can not afford to increase the money!

 

I put the very same and one or two other subtle questions to an ex-regional brewery manager recently on behalf of the DJU expecting the same usual brief answer of sorts but I was given an explanation and 'enlightenment' to a perspective of 'our business' which I hope you find as interesting.

 

Example Case

I was given a Public House investment 'case example' where the particular brewery left no margin for live music or DJ entertainment.

 

The brewery looks upon a Pub as a thriving community focused business.

Statistics and changes in trends motivate particular investment opportunities.

Many considerations have to be taken onboard before they invest, say £230,000 on extensively refurbishing the interior and exterior of a pub.

Focusing on two key areas, distinguished by fixtures, fittings and layout, good quality bar food is served in an informal, relaxed environment - the important element for a great community / family pub.

Including modern kitchen facilities, patio and extensive garden area for the summer months and substantial staff/family accommodation, grounds include ample car parking facility's, etc, etc

The projected turnover of such a pub is realistically in the region of £500,000 per year.

 

So I asked if 'this type of pub venue' would benefit from featured entertainment?

 

Simple answer, not from his point of view, but the brewery would usually leave the end decision to the investor / landlord if they 'allowed for the investment'.

With reference to his position, he would have had the final word in the past!

 

Further, why should a brewery subsidise, for example, £10,000 per year from their profit margin towards entertainment / DJs earnings when they can improve greatly other aspects of the venue?

 

With the changes to the Licensing Act and meeting the statute requirements, health and safety, fire regulations, inspections, noise limitation, etc - all and a lot more play an important role in whether a Pub remains or is turned into an entertainment venue. It's not just about throwing money into a venture. Other logistics are taken into consideration and constantly evaluated.

 

For such a Pub with a projected turnover of £500,000 a year, the brewery would be looking for £100,000 Capital (minimum) investment given their £230,000 investment.

He said that any allocation of entertainment would have to come off the bottom line at the end of the day, for example, in explaining some of the requirements of contract with respect to a landlord, the rent is payable monthly in advance by direct debit with a deposit that is one quarter’s rent deposit. The annual rent requirements for his example would be in the region of around £65,000. Responsible for repairs, the Landlord insures building and recharges, fully repairing and insuring lease. Decoration is to be carried out by lessee at least every five years. There is no dilapidation or decorations fund. From the machine income, the lessee will receive 50% of net income after duty, VAT and rent.

Investment will include Security Deposit and legal fees, stamp duty and fixtures and fittings (including purchase of existing fixtures and fittings where applicable).

Typical Lease terms - 15 year nil premium lease, assignable after 3 years, full beer and machine tie lease.

 

Another (more basic) Managed House example was given which I had heard before but this was the first time that it has been explained in 'detail'.

 

For every £100 paid out net on entertainment, a further £350 - £400 should be taken over the bar in that venue to make it a profitable venture unless entertainment is allocated out of gross profit.

i.e. they have taken into account off the top line earnings and make it an entertainment venue.

 

Example:

Saturday night £1,000 takings - to pay a DJ £100 would require a further £350 - £400 in takings.

 

On £10,000 per week, should expect 65% profit on booze and 35% profit on food.

Thus, £8,000 on booze, £2,000 on food (Bar = 65% profit before bills, Food = 35%)

 

However, from £2,000 (35%) food, Money from food profit isn't put towards entertainment.

 

The Breakdown:

£8,000

Less £2,800 for beer and spirits - paid.

£5200 (net profit)

 

Less Staff wages Allocated (usually 15%) £780

£4,420

Less Landlord and landlady wages @ £600 per week

£3,820

Less Electric £100

£3,720

Less Gas £100

£3,620

Less Maintenance, repairs, call outs - £450 - miscellaneous bills - breakages, call outs

Less Gaming Licence £50

£3,120

Less Cleaning materials - £150

£2,970

Less Cleaner/s - £120

£2,850

Less Water rates - £100

£2,750

Less Higher rates business premises rates = £1250

£1,500

Sky - £170

£1,330

Other entertainment licences - £15 PEL PRS

£1,315

Telephone - business calls - £50

£1,265

VAT - £221

Rounded off, the bottom line figure = £1,043 - profit

 

Brewery should make over £50,000 profit per annum

Consequently, any entertainment allocation would come off the 'bottom line', adding that not all Pubs turn over £10,000 a week and that many run at a loss.

 

At the end of the day, the figures quoted are mere examples but the point being made here was why should there be an allocation of money to DJs off their profit?

 

Many positive points about DJs were agreed yet the overall stance and opinion finally offered was as expected, disheartening to say the least.

 

I suggested that the DJs of today were very sophisticated to that of 'yesteryear' but the immediate reply was that technology was now available which was affordable and available to the consumer too, after all, the consumer can entertain themselves at home, and the same / similar technology exists to supply music on demand for as little as £50 hire per week via the latest digital touch screen jukebox's which retail from around *£2,000.00+ in the UK plus incentives.

Other systems are available that use modern technology but it was said that not all venues were suitable for such machines.

 

Fair enough, these glorified coin touch-systems may take up less room than a DJ and meet many other requirements perhaps, but I stated that the 'human element' of service was missing and surely required?

DJs read the crowd and build a great night to encourage returning customers. They interact with the audience and regulars, focus on the customers by going out of their way to please, even providing mood or disco lighting, etc, etc.

 

In the past, the general concern (brewery) was someone (DJ) in a good position could always take away custom if the opportunity was presented attractive enough.....therefore a venue needs only someone who was competent in the role, or in other words, a superstar DJ need not apply; stability in business is still required - quickly adding not just in their industry, and DJs are not on their agenda of priorities.

DJs are considered a novelty thing of the past. In fact, they are now considered dinosaurs.

You can always find a DJ willing to work for £40 - £50 or even less no matter where you are! It's not a recognised trade and pretty much a hobby, isn't it?

 

Now, where have I heard that before?

Accepted that comments made were a mixture of presented fact and opinion, I may not agree entirely with what he said but at least I understand a little more than when I was back in the day, and appreciate that it isn't always these type of venues that DJs perform in for similar earnings.

 

*Example Touch Screen System

[BigBen 0]

Fascinating read that Dan. Excellent to see some figures too. So for a landlord, any landlord, to be inclined to take a DJ or band on he must be fairly confident that they will generate enough extra revenue for it to be worth his time and effort and also to cover any extra costs incurred through wear and tear (carpet or dance floor) or damage.

 

But there are ways around this - pay the act based on bar takings. A tad risky for the entertainment, admittedly, but when I was gigging in a band that is exactly how we got paid. Another method is for the pub to give the act some free food or drinks -on the night or for his friends/family at a later date.

 

I disagree about DJ's being considered dinosaur entertainment too. However, whilst there are DJ's who will turn up with old, dirty gear we will never be rid of this tag. Some of the gear guys on this forum take out rival a modern club environment...and we have thousands of people dancing every weekend. There's still a need for good DJ's.

[Kingy 0]

Interesting views.

 

I had a residency at a pub for 5 years, starting in 1993 and Sunday night was a particular sucess, we had 13 bar staff and 3 glass collectors and 4 door staff. Gear was all provided, I did two hours @ £45 per hour.

 

A new manager came along and decided that what I was doing was different to what he wanted. He catagorically decided that I was not to chat anymore and I was to play Trance music. I explained that it wouldn't work. He said that was what he had in mind musically and it WOULD work.

 

I left. That was 1998.

 

Three months later, there were 2 bar staff on duty and no glass collectors and 2 door men. There were no customers. He got it wrong.

 

That was the stage where I decided to pull out of pub work altogether and haven't done one since.

 

The pub needed personality from the DJ, not just music. I am not trying to say I was the Be all and end all of the pub, but people now still say how good those days were. If it wasn't for my efforts in keeping everything fresh many, many people wouldn't have kept going in, met and got married and loads of frienships were cemented there.

 

For any manager, area manager or whatever to describe DJs as a past novelty is IMHO pathetic. They are so focussed on making the larger profits from the sale of food than anything else. Some of the "DJs" I have seen in pubs are simply in the wrong places. They should be in clubs. That is obviously what they want to do and they try and force their musical choices onto a pub crowd, which can be totally different. I see pubs as a more mixed bag of musical tastes. I would have often followed "Living Joy - Dreamer" with something strange ( linked with some sort of comments) like " Neil Sedaka- Breaking up is hard to do" before playing (I don't know!!) "the Spin Doctors" or something.

 

I am glad to be out of this market! Sounds like the plot is well and truely lost.

[brianmole 0]

Interesting read. Thanks for sharing it Dan.

 

So, who regularly goes to the pub to hear a DJ then? I tend to go very rarely, just for a drink with friends / colleagues. If I want to hear a DJ, I will go to a specialist night at a bar / club / venue.

[FrankieJ 0]

An interesting read thanks Dan.

 

So, who regularly goes to the pub to hear a DJ then? I tend to go very rarely, just for a drink with friends / colleagues. If I want to hear a DJ, I will go to a specialist night at a bar / club / venue

 

I agree.

[Kingy 0]

Interesting read. Thanks for sharing it Dan.

 

So, who regularly goes to the pub to hear a DJ then? I tend to go very rarely, just for a drink with friends / colleagues. If I want to hear a DJ, I will go to a specialist night at a bar / club / venue.

 

I think I agree Brian, but it depends on the sort of "DJ". From the few I have seen in pubs the only "entertainment" was to mix one track into another. Rather disapointing to me. If I go somewhere like a pub, I want to be entertained, not just have track after track played at me. Pubs are pubs, clubs are clubs. Both different to me.

 

I could be alone in that analagy. :hurt:

[digitaldistortion 0]

Unless I missed it, I couldn't see ANYTHING in the blurb that relates to the licensing costs for the landlord......that alone (based on current discussions about ripping to another format) could give him in excess of £2500 a year.........

 

And what about the hassle of doing so?

 

2250 for the machine

2500 licensing

 

4750 so far

 

Plus his time (and we all know that bar work is NOT a doddle, and bar management even less so!)

 

I would have thought that this alone was a pretty compelling argument for a good, well paid DJ......?

 

 

[Dukesy 0]

Unless I missed it, I couldn't see ANYTHING in the blurb that relates to the licensing costs for the landlord......that alone (based on current discussions about ripping to another format) could give him in excess of £2500 a year.........

 

And what about the hassle of doing so?

 

2250 for the machine

2500 licensing

 

4750 so far

 

Plus his time (and we all know that bar work is NOT a doddle, and bar management even less so!)

 

I would have thought that this alone was a pretty compelling argument for a good, well paid DJ......?

 

Nothing was discussed about managers or anyone in the Pub ripping music but you make a good point DD.

Other than existing required licences covered weekly, I presume any other 'licence requirements' for ripping would already be in use by the hire company as they also hire all music formats too, according to their website? :ads:

 

Interesting, when you look at that website link, did you read what they say about DJs?

Maybe there is 'some form of biased influence' on their part, reading in between the lines.

 

Food profit wise, it was suggested that this was relatively 'negligible' and merely an after-disperse 'bunce' incentive for the operator and not included in the example breakdown.

[Paul Smith 0]

I liked the Astronaut Jukebox - and only £445 to hire for a night :scared:

[C.S 0]

Agree with Kingy here, i think pub djs have to be personality djs or you might just as well have a jukebox.

[spinner 0]

 

 

So, who regularly goes to the pub to hear a DJ then? I tend to go very rarely, just for a drink with friends / colleagues. If I want to hear a DJ, I will go to a specialist night at a bar / club / venue.

 

 

 

Very good point.

 

In my yoof and a bit beyond, I lived in South East London and used to go regularly to The Apples & Pears pub just off the Old Kent Road. It was famous for miles around for the fact that it had an excellent sound system with DJs who played great music - Creedence Clearwater Revival were particular favourites at the time. This was the trend then and big pubs with the right sort of music were absolutely packed - often as much on a Monday as on a Friday or Saturday. Another one, in the same group and known for heavy rock - Black Sabbath, Deep Purple, Edgar Broughton, etc etc. - was the Old Kings Head in Blackfriars Road. You could get high from the aroma of all the spliffs being smoked in there!

 

Eventually and inevitably the fashion changed and a number of establishments either closed or metamorphosed into "cocktail bars" with different music more in the background than in yer face. And things have evolved greatly since then of course.

 

At the time of The Apples & Pears, opportunities to hear good music when out for a drink were limited compared to today when the choice is so much greater with so many bars etc. running specialist nights.

 

I knew some of the DJs there. Unsurprisingly the formula was the same then. Paying for a DJ meant that a given level of extra turnover had to be achieved.

 

[Norfolk DJ 0]

 

Pub dj's from experience tend to be a younger type, cutting their teeth a regular or fairly regular venue.

 

Not all of them have decent kit, and possibly not the capabilty to cover larger gigs. eg I know some who use small amps. these are fine for a small pub room but not in a hall holding 500.

 

Their lights tend either to be in-house or modest types.

 

Music wise, they tend to play more up to date stuff, possibly lacking the depth of the mobile jock.

 

Pubs have always paid less, because simply mosty of themj don't charge an entrance fee like clubs do.

 

I won' t do clubs or pubs now, as it's imo they don't pay enough.

[McCardle 1]

cant say that i'm surprised. jobs are being subbed out abroad, pub djs are being replaced by little plastic boxes. its all about the money, dun-dun-dun-de-dun-dun

[Hugmaster 0]

Hi

 

I remember doing an 80s night in the very late 90s at a local pub when I lived in Birmingham.

 

the pub was packed week in week out.

 

I knew the regulars, they knew me, they'd even stop me in the street to ask if was going to be there next week etc.

 

A DJ, a good one at least, knows how to sequence his music so it creates the right tone, a bloody jukebox, whatever the format can't do that.

 

the world's gone mad.

 

Darren

[TonyB 0]

Hi

 

I remember doing an 80s night in the very late 90s at a local pub when I lived in Birmingham.

 

the pub was packed week in week out.

 

I knew the regulars, they knew me, they'd even stop me in the street to ask if was going to be there next week etc.

 

A DJ, a good one at least, knows how to sequence his music so it creates the right tone, a bloody jukebox, whatever the format can't do that.

 

the world's gone mad.

 

Darren

 

A Juke Box doesn't have any soul, it doesn't create a buzz, it can't react with the crowd, it will play tracks in any order and not follow through a genre, it will probably have a lot less tracks than the average DJ, will only be updated when someone can be bothered to do it, won't remember what is popular that got the crowd going from the previous weeks, can't talk, can't create an atmosphere, can't project a warming welcome to make people feel part of the event - has the possibility of driving people away -

 

I'll explain the last point a bit further! I love Dire Straights and have a few friends that do too. Once on a day trip to France we stayed overnight in Dover and had a night out in the town at a Pub called the Castle. As luck would have it, for us, there were loads of Dire Straits tracks on the Juke box. We filled it up with about a fiver and thoroughly enjoyed our beer and Dire Straits evening. Unfortunately it didn't go down with the other clientel who moved to other pubs making mutterings of :cense: Dire Straits - still we ended up with the pub mostly to ourselves smile icon

 

I'm sure that wouldn't of happened if they had a DJ there!

[djdannyfeelgood 0]

just thought i would add my tuppence worth to this, i found that yes, the land lord does have overheads , but the profit they make on the weekend helps cover the quiet nights, after all the fixed overheads are the same every week.

 

i have also worked on a commission basis as well, saying taking a minimum fixed fee for 8 till 12 on a week night and if a set amount to be taken over the bar was exceeded, then 10% wage on the gross takings. also regular bookings at a bar midweek. how is this achieved well it tends to be upselling the drinks promotions, , letting the punters know what is happening over the coming weeks. havent seen juke box that can do that yet.

 

the worst thing is that landlords will always try and get someone as cheap as they can, and then talk about profit margins to stop us getting a raise.

 

sure a lot guys start off working cheaply to get a foot in the door, but it is worse when the boss thinks the can better for less, and it always works out for the worse

[McCardle 1]

A Juke Box doesn't have any soul

 

neither does todays trend of binge drinkers and puke-up-on-the-street-brigade. the pub circuit has changed because the average pub patron and their attitude has changed, people rarely go out to enjoy themselves, they go out to drink as much as possible and make an ar$e of themselves. do you think that if the pub stopped selling booze and went entirely soft drinks only that those people would still turn up every week to listen to you?. one of the most successful pub chains around, most of which are packed to the rafters and making huge profits is also one that has no live music / deejay entertainment policy, still feel valued?. If there was a live football match on or a deejay which would be the first choice of the average pub goer?

[davemoody 0]

pub gigs are alright every now and then just to keep you on your toes I find.

 

Have to agree that pubs have changed nowadays and they are not bothered about a DJ and would rather just have piped through music. As for the Weatherspoons of this world they don't need us to get punters through the door, the cheep beer and big screens for crappy football do that.

 

As most of us are working every weekend, the next time you do get a saturday night off take a trip down to your nearest city centre, mines Lichfield. Never seen so many idiots in such a concentrated place. The average age was probably 17/18. Lads could hardly stand up, the girls might have well just put a flashing neon sign above their heads saying ' IM A SLAG COME AND :cense:

 

I initially thought I am getting old but then cast my mind back to when I was younger in the 80's and me and my mates never acted like the kids today. We used to get hammered but then just wanted a curry and a taxi home with no trouble. You only have to look at a drunken idiot in the towns nowadays and you get a mouthfull of abuse.

 

So for me I don't really care that pub gigs don't pay very well because we should just leave them to it. Leave the tarts and chavs to throw up in the bars and go for a better market and class of client

[UKHero 0]

pub gigs are alright every now and then just to keep you on your toes I find.

 

Have to agree that pubs have changed nowadays and they are not bothered about a DJ and would rather just have piped through music. As for the Weatherspoons of this world they don't need us to get punters through the door, the cheep beer and big screens for crappy football do that.

 

As most of us are working every weekend, the next time you do get a saturday night off take a trip down to your nearest city centre, mines Lichfield. Never seen so many idiots in such a concentrated place. The average age was probably 17/18. Lads could hardly stand up, the girls might have well just put a flashing neon sign above their heads saying ' IM A SLAG COME AND :cense:

 

I initially thought I am getting old but then cast my mind back to when I was younger in the 80's and me and my mates never acted like the kids today. We used to get hammered but then just wanted a curry and a taxi home with no trouble. You only have to look at a drunken idiot in the towns nowadays and you get a mouthfull of abuse.

 

So for me I don't really care that pub gigs don't pay very well because we should just leave them to it. Leave the tarts and chavs to throw up in the bars and go for a better market and class of client

 

As some one who DJed in the 80's I can agree with you Dave.. I did loads of Pub gigs in those days and loved every minute of them but through the 90's and into the 00's the atmosphere changed and it became a hostile place to work....

 

Nik

 

 

 

 

[shakermaker 0]

I personally think that it all depends on which pub you play at. I DJ at a number of pubs, sometimes midweek and some weekends. I have DJ'd in a lot of Yates's and Litten Tree type places which were more like meat markets and a particular genre of music but in the pubs that I do now, which are far more enjoyable, the atmosphere is totally different.

 

All 3 pubs that I DJ at now are all different in their own way and from me DJing at them, they have seen an increase in sales.

The first pub is a student orientated pub. Yes, it has a great jukebox and all that but the landlord really likes the interaction with the punters. He likes me using the mic a lot and playing the tunes that the student type crowd go for. £135.00 for 3 hours is pretty good for pub work when all you have to do is take your music and decks and sound (no lights).

The second pub is just a tad out of town and in a village. They don't have a jukebox yet they are busy enough. I do something there once a month and every time I am there, the place is packed. Once again, the landlord likes the way I interact with the crowd and play what they want to hear....again, no lights and £135.00 for 3 hours.

The final pub I do is the otherside of town. It's an older generations pub and although there is a jukebox, it's hardly ever used. The landlord knows what he wants to hear and his regulars are the same. It's a small set up again and the same money as above.

 

ALL of the above like the fact that I will go into their venues and play what their customers want to hear. ALL of them give me private functions too and know that the price will double when it's private work with a full set up. These aren't big venues either and a 'disco' once a month for them is a bit of an event. I go in there and do my thing and they love it and as I said, the sales have increased. I know this because I am actually told. The main pub (the student one) has me for xmas and new years eve aswell as halloween and a lot of other one offs and in May I will be doing one 2 nights a month on a thursday too.

 

Pub work may seem dodgy to others but I am quite happy with the ones I do at the moment.

[jamminroadshow 0]

The problem is Tesco type thing big pubs destroy the clubs and the little pubs so people have no choice but to go where is left. Most people will say that they want to be entertained but if weatherspoons will give you cheap booze then you will get tanked up then go to the little pubs but buy nothing hence they start to get rid of the DJ

[nigelwright7557 0]

I suppose the question is why do people go to a pub ?

 

Many just go for a quiet drink, so a disco would be an annoyance.

 

I have done pub discos and been told to turn it down so they can chat !

 

 

A disco is more sensible when combined with parties and events.

 

 

[DJJEG 0]

I have a residency in a pub & i work directly for the owner not a company or pub chain, beforehand he had a young dj who just played drum & bass for £40 per night (bar take was around £700 per night)

This young lad was sacked due to the fact he was drunk most nights, this is when one of the barstaff suggested me

I went to the venue to check it out, there was no lighting & the cd players were on their last legs so i told the owner i wanted £100 per night (yes £100) i would buy & install new lighting & new cd players/mixer ect on one condition, i was able to go & do my mobile whenever i wanted as long as i sorted out a reserve dj

Since then the venue has been full to capacity by 10pm & the bar take can be up to £3000

I insult the regulars & they love to insult me back, i enjoy it, i look forward to it & i get more offers for work than any advertising has ever done for me

Due to that little bit of effort & trust on my part i now have keys to the venue i help myself to my wages from the till & can buy any peice of equipment i want, i plan the themed nights & i can do various drink promotions

So in reality i only work about 3-4 nights a month at my residency!!!!!!!! But its worth it

Speculate to accumilate

 

[Dukesy 0]

This is a great example of someone's success story and represents possibilities if, as exampled, the circumstances are the same elsewhere.

 

 

Of course, how any pub owner runs their business is exactly that - their own business, and they must think of DJJEG in a really trusting way to let him choose and buy disco equipment for the pub, to even letting him help himself to the till and hold keys to the venue - all with only a 'little effort' on his part, as he put it!

So as long as the trust between the pub owner and the DJ remains (example) and no-one else dips the till of course, I'm sure this working relationship will continue to flourish as indicated.

[Jearley 0]

Interesting views.

 

I had a residency at a pub for 5 years, starting in 1993 and Sunday night was a particular sucess, we had 13 bar staff and 3 glass collectors and 4 door staff. Gear was all provided, I did two hours @ £45 per hour.

 

A new manager came along and decided that what I was doing was different to what he wanted. He catagorically decided that I was not to chat anymore and I was to play Trance music. I explained that it wouldn't work. He said that was what he had in mind musically and it WOULD work.

 

I left. That was 1998.

 

Three months later, there were 2 bar staff on duty and no glass collectors and 2 door men. There were no customers. He got it wrong.

 

That was the stage where I decided to pull out of pub work altogether and haven't done one since.

 

The pub needed personality from the DJ, not just music. I am not trying to say I was the Be all and end all of the pub, but people now still say how good those days were. If it wasn't for my efforts in keeping everything fresh many, many people wouldn't have kept going in, met and got married and loads of frienships were cemented there.

 

For any manager, area manager or whatever to describe DJs as a past novelty is IMHO pathetic. They are so focussed on making the larger profits from the sale of food than anything else. Some of the "DJs" I have seen in pubs are simply in the wrong places. They should be in clubs. That is obviously what they want to do and they try and force their musical choices onto a pub crowd, which can be totally different. I see pubs as a more mixed bag of musical tastes. I would have often followed "Living Joy - Dreamer" with something strange ( linked with some sort of comments) like " Neil Sedaka- Breaking up is hard to do" before playing (I don't know!!) "the Spin Doctors" or something.

 

I am glad to be out of this market! Sounds like the plot is well and truely lost.

 

Its a shame, I started at 16 as a pub dj.around 1980....my dad was the landlord.........i copied others to start with but really enjoyed learning about the Job of being a DJ. I had a wide knowledge of music before me even at 16 something that seems to be lacking today. How many times have you played something 20 years old and some erk says that he thought it was original from some dreadful rap artist.

I moved near reading at 19 and quickly built up a good rep regular nights 4 times a week this of course helped with the wedding bookings so while yes a pub DJ doesnt get as much money it can be a more enjoyable experiance. I think more like a radio DJ of sorts. As dancing isnt the main objective, engaging and creating a great atmosphere. I finally gave up in 93 I just got too old at that point i hated most of the techno , rap stuff sorry guys!!!!!! but still do , but 2000 happened friend of mine wanted me to work in his hotel i didnt want to do it but the money was great and i had missed it so i got my CDs..... as i convinced myself i would never carry a LP box again!!!!!!! it took off bought new gear....i turn down 18ths 21st and i make it clear i am pure cheese 50s through to now but the stuff people can dance to mostly play 80s, and disco motown......and the party ones b52s bluesbrothers etc......and the bookings come in. Yes i get the snotty 16/22 year olds asking for the hoosers but i can handle that (im prison officer in my other life).

Anyway......... Pub work great to get regular experiance, great if you want to play those tracks that you cant when the crowd is expected to dance..........themed nights.........o and to the younger guys.... you have to use your mike..........that sounded so old........im turning into my father.......

Anyway im 44 this year and retiring to CYPRUS....... taking my gear and for a hobby i will be gigging

it will prob be the fun pubs and bars...........but it sounds good to me!!!!!!!