6 Vital DJ Survival Tips

How to stay alive when you’re away from home.

How to stay alive when you’re away from home.


Being a DJ is more than just spinning records and asking groups of people if they’re “ready.” One of the many pitfalls of the DJ lifestyle is traveling. Superstar DJ and musician DJ Vice has advice that all up-and-coming spin-masters need to know before hopping around the country. Here are his rules for survival.

Protect Your Ears




Keep ear plugs with you at all times…not for the club but for your flights. The last thing you want to hear on a plane is a baby crying or a guy talking about how amazing his golf game is after you have been out all night. Don’t be embarrassed to throw a sleeping mask on as well.

Take a Caffeinated Nap  




Drink a RedBull before you take a disco nap (20 mins) before your night out. Caffeine takes 30-45 minutes to have an effect on your body so you will wake up ready to go and feeling like you were hibernating for a couple days.

Easy Access



Photo: Ling Xia / iStockPhoto | Licensed to Alpha Media Group 2012


I frequently visit cities for less then 24 hours so when I’m in hotel room I don’t have time to get comfortable. I always ask for two double beds and I use the bed I’m not sleeping in as a place to unpack and access my clothes without having to use the closet or drawers. This also prevents me from forgetting things when it’s time to check out.

Have Backup Bells  

Photo: Pere Sanz / iStockPhoto | Licensed to Alpha Media Group 2012


Set two alarms. I, like everyone else, hate to wake up after i’m knocked out, but also hate missing a flight or a meeting. Set your phone alarm and put it  across the room so that you will have to get out of bed to shut if off. Back that up with a hotel wake up call 2 minutes later so you have an annoying receptionist asking if you would like coffee or a newspaper sent to your room. By this time you’ll be awake and irritated but at least you’re not missing your flight!

Power Up




I don’t understand it. Hotels and airports never have enough outlets for us to charge all the devices we carry. So after unplugging an ATM machine at an airport to charge my phone, I decided to carry a mini-surge protector with dual usb chargers. This small Belkin device is a life saver

Carry Like a Man

Photo: iStockPhoto | Licensed to Alpha Media Group 2012


One way to never be shit out of luck while traveling is…DO NOT CHECK LUGGAGE!  I have managed to travel internationally for over 10 days with carry-on only. We’re guys; we can rough it. Just make sure you have travel size cologne at all times, and a travel size bottle of Febreze to get that strip club smell off your jeans.

Check out DJ Vice’s website and follow him on Twitter. Your ears will thank you.

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