Working in a blue-collar suburb of Boston, DJ Dre Lacey has one bit of advice for fellow DJs: “Show your worth.”
And like a certain quarterback for the area, Tom Brady, Lacey knows to show his worth with the tunes he plays.
“A ‘good’ DJ is a vital part of any club,” says Lacey. “We’re like the quarterback. We have the ball every play, and it’s our job to spread the ball around and score.
“If we aren’t on our game, the vibe of the room suffers.”
ED Magazine spoke with Lacey to find out how this DJ zips it around evenly, ensuring team success for the club.
And don’t miss Dre’s personalized Spotify playlist, courtesy of Bob Chiappardi and StripJointsMusic.com!
ED: When and where did you start working as an adult club DJ? What brought you into the industry initially, and what made you decide to stay once you got there?
LACEY: Doc’s Primetime in San Antonio. My roomie was a DJ and I started hanging out with him at his club when I returned from Japan in 1995. He hooked me up with a gig while I was dating a dancer.
ED: Where are you working as a DJ currently? How would you describe the area in which you work and the clientele?
LACEY: I work at The Club in Tyngsboro, Mass. It’s a small blue-collar area outside of Boston. 25-55 age range. Surprisingly diverse clientele.
ED: What role do you feel you’ve played in the success of clubs where you’ve worked, and what role do you believe a DJ plays in the overall success of a gentlemen’s club?
LACEY: I’m engaging and keep the room engaged. I always make the customers feel special and part of the show which makes them more willing to spend. A “good” DJ is a vital part of any club because they are like the quarterback. We have the ball every play, and it’s our job to spread the ball around and score. If we aren’t on our game, the vibe of the room suffers.
ED: How hard is it, as a DJ, to play music to a diverse crowd of customers—as well as the entertainers—and keep everyone happy? What’s your strategy when it comes to this juggling act?
LACEY: The format, if there is one, always takes priority. The room is my main focus within the format. If what the dancers want fits into that, I have no problem playing it. We have no format, and laidback ownership which makes it a little more difficult to talk dancers out of picking bad songs, but easier for me to work without feeling restricted. The dancers and I usually compromise pretty well.
ED: If you could change one thing about the strip club industry, what would it be? mat, if there is one, always takes priority. The room is my main focus within the format. If what the dancers want fits into that, I have no problem playing it. We have no format, and laidback ownership which makes it a little more difficult to talk dancers out of picking bad songs, but easier for me to work without feeling restricted. The dancers and I usually compromise pretty well.
LACEY: DJ pay rate since all of the lawsuits have changed the tipping protocol.
ED: What is your favorite music to play on a busy Saturday night at the club? Conversely, when you’re not in the club, what music do you prefer to listen to?
LACEY: Old-school hip-hop or ’90s rock on a busy Saturday night. Metal or jazz when I’m not in the booth.
ED: If you could see any concert or lineup of artists, living or deceased, who would it be and why?
LACEY: A band made up of Steve Harris, Chris Adler, Ronnie James Dio, Randy Rhodes, and James Hetfield would be amazing! A lineup this good would create amazing music.
Here’s more about Dre!
Where do you originally hail from: Rohnert Park, California
Current Club: The Club, Tyngsboro, Massachusetts
Years employed at the club: 2-plus
Years in the industry: 24
Favorite recording artist: Metallica
Industry hero: Hugh Hefner
Favorite feature entertainer: Tera Heart (still my favorite)
Favorite DJ or industry pro: Jeremy Sweigert
Favorite part of your work night: Receptive crowd and happy dancers
Pet working peeve: Dancers on their phones on the floor
Advice for fellow club DJs: Don’t butt heads with management. Do your job. Show your worth.
So what tunes does Dre like to get down to? Don’t miss his personalized Spotify playlist right here!
