Have club DJ's been turned into Management?
In an earlier era, the DJ was an "artist" who spun records and kept the light show going.
Sort of like a musical version of the old Burlesque show announcer who told bad jokes from the old movies of the 1930's and 1940's in clubs.
In more than one club I have noticed the following
management functions being run by DJ's.
Girls "punch in" for their shift at the DJ booth. Why duplicate records when one record putting "employees" on the stage rotation and time in is all in one place?
Calling girls to the stage and disciplining them when they don't show.
Running the merchandise cattle shows and sales.
When the manager is not available and gone, the DJ
can decide by what time punched in if someone can leave early.
The DJ booth is where the tip outs are done for early departure.
Seems like Dj's are doing a lot more than just spinning the records, and are doing management like things.
Any comments?
Re: Have club DJ's been turned into Management?
Two of the four Dj's at my club are managers. We have a general manager who is behind the scenes and one DJ manages the bouncers and wait staff and the other one manages the dancers.
I'm a firm believer that DJ's should DJ, I think they may have been handed to much to do. The dj/dance manager has recruited me to be his unofficial assistant. I help with auditions, do some hiring for him, be a kind of go between him and the other dancers. But the advantage of them being managers is that they can deal with a problem, if it does arise since they are constantly on the floor and not in the back office.
Re: Have club DJ's been turned into Management?
One of the DJs at my club is also a manager. Seems to work out just fine for us.
Re: Have club DJ's been turned into Management?
nothing that you said applies to my club. i've always had it seperate. manager and dj.
Re: Have club DJ's been turned into Management?
Everything you said applies to my club. It doesn't really bother me as long as the DJ is qualified. I can see why management would need some help. The manager can't always be in his office.
Re: Have club DJ's been turned into Management?
The first club I worked at the manager was the DJ during the day. The DJ at the club I work at now recently became one of the managers. I suppose he was doing a good job and the needed another manager, so why not hire somebody who you already know and trust.
I personally don't like the idea of a manager and DJ in one, but if its a small club it makes sense and can work.
Re: Have club DJ's been turned into Management?
Clubs like to use DJs to do management functions because they're too cheap to hire another manager to help with the duties. It's true one guy can't handle it all and be there for every situation - even the best of them can only do so much at once. The DJ has always called girls to stage - they're the ones with the mic. DJs have also always run the stage rotations - at least since the death of burlesque. It's just natural to let them do that since they are the ones running the music and mic - they know what girls dance to what and what they look like, so they easily know how to arrange them in a way that offers a good mix. And since DJs are often responsible for making sure there are no empty stages, it follows that they would 'discipline' girls who don't show or show late. It is also sensible in most clubs to have the girls check in/out with the DJ so he knows at all times who is available for stage and who is not.
It's easy for managers to assign some of their repetitive tasks to DJs who are stuck in a booth all night and can't be off dealing with other situations, or running around schmoozing or getting BJs in the office or whatever. This way the girls always have a place to go and not bother the manager with such 'trivial' things.
However, there are some things a DJ just should not be responsible for, like supervising/hiring/firing girls or staff and anything that goes along with that, acting as bouncer or dealing with customers/bar/house fees/registers/paperwork. The DJ has enough to be responsible for without adding that as well! Like managers, there's only so much the guy can do! I think clubs that do that are just too damn cheap to pay a proper manager's salary.