Galway DJ work

frankspencer

Hi there just moved to Galway to start my new job and I also DJ aswell.
I have been DJin for over 6 years with over 400 gigs to my name. Mainly being working clubs/ disocbar's etc. Where in Galway would one go to get such work?

Seaneh

CV's/Demo's into all the ent's managers and GM's in town? Galway can be hard break into, you kinda have to know a lad who knows a lad at times it seems.

frankspencer

I know a few guys personally well...having got them gigs in other places...my work most of the time took me around the country but now since I am based in Galway full time I would like to just doing some club/bar gigs not really into the mobile scene anywhere for a number of reasons.What are the main pubs that have djs most nights of the week?

Seaneh

frankspencer wrote: »

I know a few guys personally well...having got them gigs in other places...my work most of the time took me around the country but now since I am based in Galway full time I would like to just doing some club/bar gigs not really into the mobile scene anywhere for a number of reasons.What are the main pubs that have djs most nights of the week?

Ah right, I get what you were asking now!

The Skeff, The Front Door, The Quays, The Kings Head, Buskers, Kelly's, Fibbers?, Coyotes, The College Bar in NUIG, The Library (kings valley hotel, GMIT student union bar), I'm sure I've missed one or two!

Retireddj

Interesting way of trying to drum up DJ work Frank considering 1 year 3 months ago you posted that you give DJ lessons in Galway as you are based in Galway & Ballinasloe !! Ah well respect for the innovation
You probably know all this already as you are "based in Galway & Ballinasloe" but as a blow-in to County Galway,before I gave up the Djing, I found that to get into any of the night clubs or disco bars in the city was very much a closed shop.Unfortunately it is either who you know or how cheap you will gig for! Although there is still a few good Djs playing in some of the city's clubs, there seems to be a lot more yellow pack Djs out there willing to work for sub €100 prices & ya know the old saying "ya get what ya pay for ! ". A lot of my DJ friends who have been in the business for years, have in recent times,left the business because they are simply just not willing to sell themselves short because someone with a laptop & a hard drive full of YouTube derived music has become a "Club Dj" overnight. I always thought I'd lose a gig because someone better then me came in - nope, someone 1/3 the price came in, instead & the greedy club owner rubbed his hands with his savings. Maybe someday
someone from the music rights organisation raid these type of clubs & fine them for allowing pirated music be peddled out to their paying customers.I invested thousands over the years on music & equipment & its all irrelevant now because I can just go on to Ebay & with a few clicks,build up a similar collection for a few hundred euro.Galway City in the 90's had such a great reputation for good night clubs with highly respected & excellent Djs who also frequently played in Dublin clubs, it's not anywhere like that now.
And as for the "it's who you know" comment I made earlier, I've noticed some of the same names playing in not just one, but two,and even three of the different main clubs across the city & it's not that they are **** hot.I know of an Eastern European Dj who resides in Galway, produces his own music,which sells on Beatport yet never got a decent opportunity in Galway City, yet plays in big venues in his home country.I know another guy who is very good,with years of experience, has a really impressive DJ CV, lives & works relativley close to Galway City,& has tried unsuccessfully to break into the City clubs & Pubs over the years & not even does'nt get a trial but does'nt even get as much as an email reply back from these clubs operators.
There's my little rant, so Frank, the way the industry has gone & what you can get away with, I suggest you invest as little as possible into your equipment & into your music, in fact do'nt spend anything on music, then drop your price to rock bottom, then some more & see how many venues come looking for you !
Apparently if you are from Tuam or have any links to Tuam, you'll get work in the Bentley.Good Luck with it.
I would'nt want to be starting out as a Dj nowadays, not until they regulate the industry i.e. have a nationwide panel of Djs who are IMRO compliant,Revenue compliant,Public Liability compliant, who are signed up members of a national DJ organisation (like in the UK & US), who follow a professional code of conduct including a minimum guidline of equipment quality used, then make it law (with massive fines) if a venue allows a non-affiliated Dj perform on their premises (including a fine to the non-affiliated DJ). Actually something like this should be applied to bands & probably the entire entertainment industry also.It would revolutionise the industry,raise badly needed cash for the government & I believe be a positive thing for the general public who pay to be entertained in one way or another. It will get rid of the chancers that are playing for a skip of free pints or for beer money.

frankspencer

I said in my previous post I had "moved to Galway" I am working in day job from Galway city,Ballinasloe is my hometown.
I am just enquiring on what avenue to take is all.Most of my money is coming from weddings but I would like something to fall back on which is why I am interested in some discobar work.

As you said Galway is a closed shop and the standard of DJ goes from one extreme to the next,I know some very talented and capable DJs there and seen some appalling DJs in other places. In relation to money I am in the same boat as a lot of your friends refusing to do gigs for next to nothing. I was in contact with one well known DJ a while ago who I knew personally well said I am above the standard of the mobile/bar DJs and don't waste my time doing work at there pay.

I am not a specialist dance music DJ just into commerical stuff with few bootlegs mashups etc.
In your piece about being from Tuam I understand what you mean but I suspose thats how it rolls in Galway.

Also your piece about Ireland having no offical DJ governing body is true. Was at the BPM show in Birmingham three years ago. Met up with some of our uk counterparts and all I will say is we have some dedicated and capable djs in Ireland with the proper knowledge and expertise but overall we are in the dark ages.