Last Friday night, the legend DJ Shadow was asked to leave the decks at Mansion Nightclub, one of Miami’s largest venues for dance music and nightlife entertainment. This is the second case recently where a well respected DJ was cut short due to not being “commercial enough” or for lack of a better term, too “future sound”. House pinnacle Dennis Ferrer was also snubbed for not appealing to the crowd in which Mansion caters to.
While Mansion Nightclub might be one of the largest and most popular spots in the 305, I’m not sure if blatant acts of disrespect towards those who helped pave the way for what we have today is smart. Sure, any businesses priority is to satisfy the customer, but DJ Shadow’s set was not impromptu. Shadow was scheduled for the night and attendees came with the knowledge that he would be controlling the sound. The way you treat the artists’ is a major reflection on your brand as well as your position on electronic dance music. Those who continue to string out edm as nothing but a commodity may make money, however, burning bridges with some of the most revered in the industry may not bode well for booking and acquiring talent in the future.
Perhaps situations like this could be avoided with proper and diligent research done beforehand. DJ Shadow has held an identity for years. Mansion Nightclub dropped the ball in making that connection with their markets’ desire and in the end, Shadow paid an unnecessary price. Understand your market and bring in DJ’s accordingly.
Here is a track they considered “future sound”: