All the talk about Coronavirus in the news of late, especially as it's now rife in Europe, has got us thinking about the effect it will have on the DJ industry. You only have to walk around the supermarket to see the hysteria it's causing. Events are already being cancelled, and warnings have circulated regarding equipment shortages and longer lead times for deliveries.
Events
Warnings have been issued about cancelling more significant events, and this has rung true for Tomorrowland, being the first considerable event cancellation. It has been reported that major music stars like Stormzy and Mariah Carey have cancelled shows also. Cancelling of such things will not have been taken lightly and would have taken in to account several factors such as location, travelling, large crowds and potential spread rate.
For travelling DJs, this is a significant concern, and potentially a massive hit to their pocket. I’m sure many questions are spinning around their heads. Is it worth travelling? What will the turnout be like? Will I contract this disease? And ultimately, if I don’t go, I won’t get paid! Or maybe you aren’t bothered and just carrying on as usual.
Back home, we can’t ignore such things, especially with the warnings we have received about stock issues. The questions have also started to circulate, such as will clubbers turn out at weekend gigs or will people think twice about travelling to a venue. It has hit the scene pretty hard.
DJ Equipment
Behind the scenes, Coronavirus Covid-19 has produced all sorts of delays in manufacturing and shipping of goods. The majority of DJ equipment comes from China, and with the lockdown and low staff over there it has had a knock-on delay over here. Components between factories are proving challenging to get a hold of. This also stands true for production equipment.
Additionally, it has been reported that the shipping containers that bring the goods over to Europe and the UK are currently only 10% full. Soon, the shipping companies will decide that it just isn’t cost-effective to continue like that, and will make the decision to wait longer until a container has more onboard before setting sail. As a business, you can’t blame them.
We have been warned by brands and manufactures to expect delays of equipment, and believe this to be the same across the retail spectrum, not just the DJ industry. This, in turn, we fear, will mean there will be a shortage of equipment, including speakers, monitors, cables and headphones.
Here at The DJ Shop, we have safeguarded ourselves as best we can, by stocking up on as much as we can reasonably get our hands-on. Saying that, if there was a piece of equipment you had your eye on, then we would strongly suggest placing that order or pre-order as soon as possible to avoid disappointment.
The economy of the industry is quite a daunting prospect. Only time will tell how many cancellations or business closures, there will be if the Coronavirus continues to spread. It is a global issue, not just a UK one.
Prevention for DJs
The general advice is to wash your hands properly for 20 seconds when you arrive home and before you eat food, to minimise the spread of the virus. I would say this stands true when you arrive at your place of work also. Aside from personal hygiene and handwashing, there are some other things you can do to minimise the spread of the disease.
- Clean your equipment – at home or in the club. You can get some very fast and effective sprays to aid with disinfecting equipment with ease.
- Clean your headphones
- Clean any microphones
- Consider where your DJs have travelled recently. Have they been abroad or are they from abroad?
- Be wary of handling money and dare I say it, use of illegal drugs.
Coronavirus the bigger picture
We, as individuals, can only do what we feel is right. The advice is issued, and I think we have to be mindful of the people we come in to contact with, and be understanding of the decisions events and artists make; it certainly won’t have been an easy one. There is a lot of uncertainty and concern within the industry, from showrooms, shops, brands, manufactures, artists and DJs. Currently, we do not know where things are heading here in the UK; only time will tell.
Our advice to keep things moving is to ensure you have working equipment and any spares of essential items, and if you were considering in investing in some equipment, maybe consider placing an order sooner rather than later.
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