Back on the dancefloor: How COVID-19 affected DJing — Point Blank Presents
The coronavirus pandemic had a devastating impact on the music industry. With clubs and venues closed, and many shutting for good, DJs and artists were left with little or no means to work, losing out on crucial income from gigs and shows.
Over the six months or so, as vaccinations have rolled out and the normality of life has somewhat begun to be restored, bookings have thankfully started to pick up once again and club culture is back on the rise.
To get the lowdown on what life really is like for artists post-lockdown, we caught up with three DJs to discuss how things have changed, and what the future holds for their artistry. In short, it’s sounding pretty positive — and it seems that now is a monumental time to start your career as a DJ, host or performer. Check out what they had to say below in Point Blank's mini-documentary: Back on the Dancefloor — How Covid Affected DJing.
More about the DJs:
Tailor Jae
The winner of Point Blank and Resident Advisor’s Young Producer Scholarship, Tailor Jae has since gone on to play alongside the likes of Kurupt FM, Spooky and more and guested on Rinse FM as well as Keep Hush UK with Conducta and the Kiwi Rekords crew. Most recently, after being selected as one of DJ Mag's artists to watch in 2021, Tailor Jae was nominated for DJ Mag’s Best of British Awards 2021 in the breakthrough DJ category.
Doug Dee
Born in Sao Paulo and based in London, Doug Dee is a resident DJ at Circa Embankment and Orange Nation. He’s performed at some of the biggest clubs in the UK and abroad, including Egg, Ministry of Sound, Matinée and Pacha. At the beginning of his career, Doug was the winner of Ku Bar’s DJ Quest and Boyz Magazine’s award for Best New DJ. In addition to being a Music Production graduate, Doug has recently joined the Recruitment Team at Point Blank Music School and is currently working on his first tech-house album. Follow Doug Dee on SoundCloud where he regularly uploads his excellent mixes.
Bailey
Co-founder of Soul In Motion LDN and a DJ for Metalheadz, Michael Bailey aka Bailey, is also part of the Point Blank team, lecturing for the DJing and Radio Broadcasting courses. The former BBC 1Xtra presenter remains a staple in the drum and bass scene with regular shows on Reprezent Radio and gigs at London’s Phonox, The Pickle Factory and more.
If you’re interested in starting your career as a DJ and getting your foot in the door of one of the most exciting industries to work in, Point Blank can help. They offer courses in Music Production & DJing, which you can study to degree level for either two or three years, as well as their newly relaunched Radio, Audio & Podcasting course. You can find out more about their courses by heading to their website or contacting a course advisor. You can also give them a call on 0207 729 4884. If you’re calling from outside of the UK, call +44 20 7729 4884, and if you’re in the USA call 323 282 7660.
