We talked to more mobiles about finally getting back into performing — or not.
Are you? What has your experience been like?
Angie Loudermilk Jordan An Amazing DJ Service, Columbus, Ohio USA
Feeling very fortunate over here. All of my April, May and June 2020 weddings canceled. Mainly due to venues closing up shop. July 2020 I was back to every weekend weddings through end of October 2020. Dancing was banned in November 2020. So far this year I have had 1 wedding a month. Dancing opened back up last month. Next weekend starts my every weekend till October 2021. May will be insane with 8 weddings by myself. Half of those are reschedules from 2020.
Neil Smith, Dandy DJ, Sonic Solutions, Tennessee
Uber driving, transporting people with disabilities, picked up 2 extra church services as a guitarist, still doing the odd DJ gig for people who aren’t afraid of their own shadow and started a new show reviewing toys and amusements. So yeah, I’ve been bored.
Todd Hill, Sonic Solutions, Naples Fl.
Thankfully I live in Florida and only missed out on a month of weekly gigs, and that was exactly one year ago. Feel very fortunate to have had the income for the last 11 months. Soooo happy my fellow DJs across the country are getting back to it.
Milk Majer, Chicago, Illinois
Nothing has been going on in the city outside of a corporate gig I did for Amazon last year during Black Friday / Cyber Monday. I’ve been going with weddings everywhere else since the end of last summer at about 40 gigs last year. Most gigs have been outdoor barn and backyard weddings. This year I have about 70 booked. COVID precautions have been in place and have been enforced stronger in indoor venues with the exception of Texas. Some precautions include smaller guest lists, offering a virtual hybrid option, sanitizing the mic, elegant COVID PPE stations masks, sanitizer etc. Dancing has happened at every event.
Vito Malo, New Zealand
We’re pretty lucky in New Zealand – no community transmission and we’ve been open for gigs since last year apart from a few small restricted hiccups that only lasted a week or so. We have no restrictions on numbers at all so our clubs and private functions are full steam ahead. We’re just at the end of our busiest wedding season and it’s felt like 2 seasons in 1.
Brian Howe, Colorado DJ Entertainment, Loveland, Colorado,
I’m back to doing Friday nights at a local spot. I manage 12 DJs and things are starting to book up nicely for private events starting in a few weeks. For me personally, Friday nights is not about the money (it’s a bar, there’s very little $$$), but more about getting back on track with music, interaction & conditioning (set up, tear down, spinning, etc) so that I’m top notch come “gig time” for private events, and in touch with the latest song trends.
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