I quit Djing after 8 years in the industry and it was the best thing I ever did truth be told. DJ's probably need their own business to thrive. It's basically the same thing learning skills and using those to earn money. It's all exciting.
I'm mostly a wedding and private party DJ and when I talk to people, they say they'd rather spend $10 on a bottle of vodka from the liquor store than $10 on one drink at the club. And the music - Spotify. Things are definitely changing. Great chat guys!
Great take on the access you can have on a slow night with manager and some staff on duty. Plus the benefit of patience while putting in work to be your best even when no one is watching. "Nightlife" is not dead, its just losing life and needs a revival with a new and improved method of community engagement. Keep it up guys!!
For me its simple. There aren't any bars/clubs that play music that appeal to me anymore. Gentrification ruined a lot. Events still happen but they never happen in the city centre. Theyre always underground. Its mainly house parties and family events i go to now. The reality is Black nightclubs in UK cities have have been consistently targeted by police, due to a misguided perceptions of the black community as being unruly criminals that bring crime and disorder. During the 90s and 00s i seen a massive decline in clubs/bars that play bashment (dancehall), hip-hop, rnb, etc. Id then see thse venues repurposed for more 'socially acceptable' (i.e. white & middle-class) businesses. What truly killed nightlife to me is again Gentrification. The craft beer movement also ruined a lot imo. Youd witness all these spots that once appealed to minorities and the working class in general repurposed into places that appeal to the gentrifiers (white middle class professionals, middle class leaving London for more 'affordable' housing). Charging a crazy amount for some IPA id probably never even heard of. So many craft beer spots, hipster burger places, pizza spots and cafes popped up replacing what once were venues/businesses with long histories and significant cultural importance in the community.
Expensive drinks with snobby people and asshole bouncers, women who are on guard for getting hit on, the same bullshit popular music, extremely late hours, it’s so loud you have to leave to talk to somebody. It works well for certain personalities and regulars and promoters. Outside of that it’s not that fun.
Nightlife is dead not because of high prices the cost 💲 and things being expensive because this young generation is glued to their phones that’s why not just clubs but that’s why people are not going out or to places anymore because of phones it’s now the stay home generation
What role have drugs played in the demise? In the 80's we always had plenty of access to ecstasy, coke, poppers, speed, quicksilver, and canned inhalants. I'm not seeing the same thing over the last couple of decades. Fewer drugs means more alcohol sales but it's a completely different vibe. Clubs in Houston would charge $5-$10 for a glass of water because that's what everybody wanted. Are today's clubbers not interested in drugs, or are they not as widely available? Ecstasy made you impervious to rejection which today's cell phone generation can't handle the idea of face to face rejection. That's why they'd rather swipe than deal with someone who is standing in front of them. Am I making sense or am I just too old and out of touch?
@@getdowndjgroup I'd watch that episode... Seems like you could have one on drugs, one on social media, and another on music. Today's music, like Taylor Swift, is all about how men did her wrong. Back then it was Whitney Houston talking about I Wanna Dance With Somebody. Lionel Richie and All Night Long. Yazoo with Don't Go. Madonna and Like A Virgin. FRANKIE SAY RELAX, DON'T DO IT WHEN YOU WANNA COME! You can't dance to most of today's music, and it's all electronic. Back in the day we had musicians like saxophone players. Sting played a bass and Jethro Tull featured a flute. AC DC's Long Road To The Top featured bagpipes. Freakin' BAGPIPES, dude...
There are tons of GREAT djs right now, but there are tons of absolutely terrible DJs as well. Barriers to enter the space are much easier with less expensive gear and technology. The DJ bookers are extremely important.