Xtreme Xpressions (Raleigh) threatens DJ Annalyze and demands deposit back. wtf?!

[Drew Latta]

This is pretty messed up, and if i lived in the area, i would definitely not want to support this type of behavior, and as a dj, i would want to be warned about potential shady promoters.

THE STORY FROM DJ SHORTEE

Okay, now I've been in this game for over 13 yrs & I've never heard a story like this happening to a dj....EVER.

Anna gets to Raleigh and promoter tells her to take cab to hotel and she would be reimbursed. $30 later anna checks into hotel. Promoter says soundcheck is at 6 but doesn't pick up anna until around 9pm. Anna goes to club to set up her mixer & serato. Promoter is fully aware that anna brings her own mixer & has agreed to provide an extra set of turntables as stated in her contract which promoter has signed. No sound tech at club when anna arrives for soundcheck. Anna see's allen & heath mixer & no set of extra decks. Anna calls me to pass the time while waiting for sound guy to arrive.

40 minutes later & still on the phone, sound guys arrives. I hear him tell anna that he would like to set her mixer up later in the night...right before she goes on so the other djs could use the allen & heath before her. I hear them agree to put on a CD right before she goes on so that they can plug in her gear on the fly.

We are still on phone & Anna leaves club at 10pm & is taken back to hotel to freshen up as her set is not until 2am-4am. I hear anna's ride ask her what time she wanted to be picked up and she said 12:30 or 1am at the latest. they agree and anna goes to her room. We chat for a bit more while anna gets ready and we hang up at 12:20am so anna can go downstairs to lobby to wait for promoter.

At 1:30am I get a text from anna saying the promoter forgot about her. She has been waiting in hotel lobby for over an hour and anna has called & texted the promoter numerous times but the promoter isn't answering her phone. Anna borrows someone elses phone to call and promoter answers on first ring. Promoter tells anna that the club owner is really upset & not to bother coming because he feels she's unprofessional. BARE IN MIND ITS STILL AT LEAST 20 MIN BEFORE HER SET & SHE WAS READY TO BE AT THE CLUB AT 1230AM! Promoter proceeds to scream at anna on the phone saying that anna only left one message. (Isn't one enuf?!?! Regardless, Anna called numerous times, left one voice mail & about 5 text messages. That is plenty....pick your DJ up for god's sake!?!?) She also said anna was unprofessional for not wanting to play on the club's mixer.

Anna goes back to room & texts me again asking me to call her. Promoter knocks on anna's door at 3am. Anna opens door and promoter forcefully comes into her room along with some big ass dude & bunch of other people waiting outside. They cornered her in her room & threatened her saying that the clubowner is going to PUT A BULLET IN HER HEAD IF SHE DOESN'T RETURN THE $350 DEPOSIT they had paid her when the booking was previously confirmed with her contract. Anna said she was gonna call 911 and they said the cops wont do anything to help her.

Anna is 5ft 1 inches & maybe 115lbs & this guy pushing her around was huge. They forced her to go to the atm and give them $350. Anna was so freaked out that she went strait to the airport once they left.

Now, I was on the phone with her for most of the night and I heard the agreements that were made. Anna fulfilled her obligations. It is standard for DJs to have rider's requiring certain pieces of equipment in their contract. Turntablist require special mixers to scratch with & like me, Anna brings most of her gear with her. The promoter agreed to these terms before hand. It's the promoter's responsibility to get the artist to & from the airport, hotel & club etc. not oly is it the promoter's fault she wasn't at the club at 1230 & there was still time for her to be picked up when they finally spoke on the phone at 130. This promoter was in breach of anna's contract, extremely unprofessional & most of all dangerous.

I've never heard of anything like this happening & I'm just happy that anna is okay. Beware of this club & promotions company...especially if you are a short female DJ ;o)

Peace,

s

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Here are some of the promoters myspace profiles.

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^^
from what i understand she was the main promoter that dealt with the promotion of this party.

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