Many people on the outside looking in would probably say that since I am a DJ, my discussion on this topic is going to be very biased. Never mind the fact that I began playing the saxophone at the age of eight and I have written several music compositions. Never mind the fact that I spent eight years studying music at the Community School of Arts in Charlotte North Carolina. Never mind the fact that I have had the opportunity of opening for such notable musical acts as Michael McDonald, Denise Williams, Alex Bugnon, Darius Rucker and Brownstowne. Never mind the fact that while doing so, I received accolades and appreciation for my talent and professionalism directly from these artists and I was more than happy to reciprocate the acknowledgments.
I have also performed in front of audiences that consisted of Paul Tagliabue, David Rockefeller, Bob Johnson, Herb Wilkens and the list goes on and on and on.
Why am I stating all of this in a manner in which I seem to be begging for musicianship validation? Why am I saying this in a manner in which I seem to want you to gloat over my abilities? Because that is exactly what I am doing! I am patting myself on my own back and stating with a chip on my shoulder that I am not just a DJ, but a musician!
This a very indirect but direct way of setting up this discussion on "Band Vs DJ". The "gist" of my written verbiage begins with the entertainment value of a Band verses the entertainment value of a DJ. This immediately goes back to reason as to why I felt the need to beg for validation as a musician.
This must be done before I get into the meat of my dialogue.
In a nutshell, we are not looked at as true entertainers by all and we, meaning DJ's, are in fact deemed to be all the same!
THAT IS FAR FROM THE CASE!
I was told one time by a band leader that "anyone can do your job"(coming upon such preconceived notions is typical in what I experience day to day)! My first reaction was to go Bill Cosby on him and treat him like a Smothers Brother but I kept my emotional physicality in place.
Til' this day I am regretting my decision to remain calm.
By remaining calm I channeled my anger so that I did not raise my impatience as to refute his statement as I kept the negative energy within. Never good because it prohibits one from being productive. By holding back, I gave him temporary validation of his statement and we both brought down the integrity of my craft. That will never happen again. I should have drilled him on the facts of technics and ability to transition from song to song, genre to genre, key to key, etc., and asked him if he had ever held a piece of vinyl in his hand or talked shop with the likes of David Harrelson of MCA records. I should have asked him had he ever done a fashion show that was attended by more than 1,000 people or if he ever performed at a concert where there were 25,000 people in attendance. I should have drilled him on how he has disrespected not only my field, but the entertainment industry as a whole.
I let him off the hook.
Never again.
Never would I state to anyone, "anyone can do what you do". If that is not being disrespectful then, the definition of the word shouldn't exist.
When you see Flea of the Red Hot Chilli Peppers perform, you know that you have witnessed one of the greatest bassists to ever walk this planet. When you see Diana Krall perform, you have witnessed not only one of the greatest vocalists, but one of the baddest keyboardist ever to make you bop your head to Jazz. When you hear Quincy Jones, well, you get the picture.
Now, when you hear a local dance band, what have you witnessed?
Let me tell you what you have witnessed. You have watched and seen a group of individuals who have been at one point in their careers either judge individually or as a whole by others within the industry to not be good enough to either have their own recording deal or to tour with or be a headlining act. Or, you have just watched outstanding professionals who love being a local sensation and are considered the best at what they do by scores of local fans and professionals. You also may have just seen the worse excuse for covering one of your favorite songs by one of your favorite artists.
Nevertheless, what you have just witnessed are musicians as defined by Webster's Dictionary and by Society. Because of this, they demand, garner and get respect.
That is what this entire discussion is about. The Band Vs DJ is not about what is better for your event, or which one you should hire based on your likes and dislikes; it is simply about what do you as a consumer respect.
Bands and DJ's can do what you want for your event. ENTERTAIN! And talented professional's of both breed can have you saying, "see, we didn't need a DJ" or "see, we didn't need a band". With many events people have a vision due to past experience and the atmosphere they want to create. Keep this in mind, wether it is a Band or a DJ, you get what you pay for!
Recently I had the privilege of working with one of the baddest bands in Washington DC. Top notch musicians and just like myself, are listed as one of the best entertainment vendors for events in Washingtonian Magazine. The event that we did together was a Bar Mitzvah. This came about through one of my associates contacting me, after the band was hired, and asking me if I could be the DJ for the event. Since this is an associate and a respected acquaintance of mine, I was more than happy to do it as I always enjoy working with great professionals.
Everything flowed smoothly for the event as my associate, who was also the MC for the evening, had a great timeline in place. It outlined that the band and I would alternate thirty minute sets during the event. In my opinion this is a great idea. Bands do need breaks and DJ's are capable of masking their breaks with a proper music program in place. The client originally did not want a DJ. They just wanted the Band. In fact, my associate told me that he basically had to inform the client "that you have more than 100 kids coming and you expect them to listen to a cover band all night"?
Now unless the band is Usher, Hannah Montana, Lady GaGa, Beyonce, Taio Cruz, Jason Derulu, etc., my associate had a valid point.
Also, did he, the actual guest of honor, want a band for his Mitzvah? Probably not. However, with the crowd being a 50/50 ratio of adults to kids, and the clients being known for loving bands and feeling that DJ's are "not suitable" for a special event, we know why the band was hired. I was once told by a friend of mine, who is an event planner, that bands make a statement on behalf of the client's wallet and sense of style.
Once again, another insulting statement. This time, I asked them to elaborate because I wanted to make sure that I wasn't being too sensitive or over reacting. They said that when a client hires a band they are hiring musicians; people who are trained to perform live and to provide elegance to any event. I then asked, "is that it", they said, "well, yes, basically, DJ's are a guess because you need to know their style". You know what, I was still insulted.
As a professional DJ, I do what the client wants for my event and what is required of the event. I DO NOT JUST GO IN THERE AND PLAY RECORDS!
I AM NOT AN IPOD!
Now, I have digressed.
This Mitzvah was a huge celebration and the band and I were on the same level of performing. After the cocktail hour was over the doors opened up and the band began the evening based on the client's exact wishes. To be honest with you, if it wasn't for the dancers and our incredible MC, the kids would not have made their way to the dance floor during the first 10 minutes of the event. However, the timeline was well thought out and the dancers did their job well. After the band rocked a thirty minute set it was then my turn and I started them off with something popular, fast and upbeat. It was an instant hit and the dance floor was packed. This was the theme for the entire evening! With the band doing their thing and with me doing mine, they were getting the best of both world's.
Now, if my level of entertainment is on the same level of energy and excitement as the band's, and if we both are mentioned as top performers in a highly recognized publication, then why are we both not receiving the same in terms of respect, notoriety and compensation for our craft?
Stay tuned, I have so much more to discuss...............
