9 Things To Update Before The End of Lockdown
The Lockdown isn’t over but it could be over sooner then we all anticipated.
Have you been keeping it tight, or did you take your foot right off the gas?
I’ll be the first to admit it’s been tough to keep a good balance over these last few months. When the JobKeeper payments came through it was a god send but it also lulls you into a false sense of security.
What is going to happen in the aftermath when the payments end and some fast movers have taken a lot of your old gigs.
So I decided to take some time out to give you 9 Things To Update Before The End of Lockdown.
MUSIC
3 months have gone by and Dance Monkey isn’t that big anymore.
If you cancelled your record pool subscriptions to save money maybe it’s time to dial them back up again and start searching for that good stuff.
Remember you don’t have to have money to get new music. Your friends in the industry are just as valuable as resources for new music. Grab someone willing to share and go and dive through their music collection.
Sometimes updating your music isn’t just about getting the latest track it’s about bring back what was old and making it new again.
SOCIAL MEDIA
This is strictly for those that haven’t been posting at all on their Artist account over lockdown. I’ve been so surprised there is actually way more of you then I expected.
Start getting your content back in order. Film some short videos of you practising, sorting music or just some throwbacks. Remind everyone that you’re alive and you’re ready to get back to work.
Going to an artists socials and seeing they haven’t posted anything in a long while is always such a downer as a booker / venue manager. We head to your socials to see number 1 what kind of person you are and 2 if you give a damn about the work we’re giving you.
EQUIPMENT
Time to get those USB’s fully stocked, untangle your headphone cables and check that your rekordbox has been updated.
As a DJ your equipment is your biggest ally. Make sure all of it is in working order before you show up to your first gig back and remember that headphone jack was playing up last time you performed.
On a complete side note I see so many DJs still performing without some form of ear protection. Yes it takes a bit to get used to, yes you can’t hear everything as clearly. You need to worry about what you’re doing to your ears right now though.
Life is long and your ears are your biggest asset. Protect them!
You can get super expensive personally fitted ones but if you’d prefer to keep it cheap and cheerful ones like these will do just fine.
CALENDAR
When everything kicks back into gear you’re going to want to say yes a lot. So much so that you might run the risk of double booking yourself or forgetting about other important life events.
Set aside some time and go through the next 3 months in your calendar. Fill in any friends bdays, weddings and anniversaries so you’re across it all ahead of time and can accept those gigs with confidence.
Double booking yourself is the worst for all involved and is a quick way to no more gigs with that client.
Also don’t forget if you had to reschedule anything from earlier in the year that it’s going ahead and you still have all the relevant details.
PRESS SHOTS
Fact. It’s always a good time to update your press shots.
Gives you bulk social media content and gives you something current to send to any new clients.
Press shots are requested on about 9/10 jobs I book for. Would you prefer a dodgy pic taken from your facebook profile or something nice high quality that you put a bit of effort into.
Your smartphone and a blank wall will work just fine if you want to keep the costs down.
MIXTAPE
A lot of people will have a good argument as to why they feel like you shouldn’t bother recording mixtapes. Yet right behind a press shot a mixtape is the second thing I’m always asked for.
The venue / client might not even listen to it but because the word mixtape has been so synonymous with DJs for so long they expect you to have one.
I think its a lot more then that though, it’s a great chance for you to put a solid 30-60 mins of music together. Try some new things you might not normally do in the club.
Right now it’s a great chance to knock the rust out and get back in the zone of performing.
To level up even further why not film it as well. Cut it up into smaller chunks, maybe where you’re doing a solid transition and you’ve got some more content for your socials.
Shows everyone your active and ready to get back to work.
ATTITUDE
For a business to make it through this last period of uncertainty they are going to need some very hard working empathetic crew to back them up.
They are going to need you dialled and ready to go. No business wants to add on annoying / unorganised DJ to their list of current worries.
This is your time to shine, if you come in firing you may just be locking yourself down for more permanent shifts.
GOALS
2020 is not over yet and neither are the opportunities to achieve those goals you set at the start of the year. In some cases your chances might have improved.
Consider the Pandemic a clean slate, it has basically wiped the board clean and forced a restart.
Example. Resident DJs that had a monopoly over one venue may pick up a gig quickly as things kick off and that now conflicts with this other venue. They now decide to part ways and there is an opportunity for new DJs to step in. (Note* This is a true story and has already happened.)
If you didn’t have anything concrete down then now is the time to write them down and get focused. It is very rare that opportunities like this come along in a lifetime and you need to seize the moment.
For those of you that had some already written down, open your book sit yourself down somewhere quiet and read over them allowing yourself time to remember why you wanted it and if it’s something you still want. The beauty of reflection especially after 6 months is it allows us time to look back on something after personal growth.
A goal that meant the world to you on Jan 1st might seem too small and ordinary now.
So check them over and get to work smashing them!
PHYSICAL HEALTH
I feel like besides a select few DJs out there this is a problem we all suffer from. Something about alcohol, late nights and loud music that doesn’t provide a good space for being healthy.
Now this might seem out of place amongst the rest of what I’ve mentioned above but if you have been on an extended break your ability to play a long ass set might have taken a hit. You don’t have to do much to get the blood pumping again. Even adding 2-3 x 30min walks to your week can get you back into the swing of things.
I’ve seen a lot of you already out partying with friends. That is also a pretty good way to get the blood pumping 😁.
CONCLUSION
It has been such a confusing time across the Pandemic. We have all had our ups and downs and moments of will our industry ever come back.
I think what it is going to take is a lot more of a combined effort from the industry and the government then I’m currently seeing.
As artists you need to be communicating and working with the venues and clients to get everything back up and running smoothly again. A lot is going to change and hopefully for the better.
Use what I’ve written above as a quick checklist to get your mindset back to where it needs to be. Focused on kicking some ass!
Good luck to everyone getting back out there be nice to yourselves and each other.
