Lee Burridge Drops Some Truth on Guest List Etiquette

guest list etiquette

It’s Friday night. You are out partying with some of your friends and decide to hit up a club. A few hours before, you remember that the DJ “liked” your Instagram photo from four months ago. So you send them a DM – “Hey bro! I saw you are playing at the club tonight! Think you can get me and my seven friends on the Guest List for free entry? We love your music – you f***ing rule!” Sound all too familiar? We’re here to tell you you have been doing it all wrong.

If it does sound familiar, you are a perpetrator of some serious violations when it comes to proper Guest List etiquette. House and techno producer Lee Burridge apparently has had enough of this nonsense. In a long Facebook post, Burridge outlines some crucial tips on Guest List protocol. His hope is to spread the word about the hidden things a serial Guest List requester does not take into consideration when sending that message or DM.

While you can read the full post below, here are a few of the bullet points to consider:

1 Don’t beat around the bush with small talk – get to the point.

Opening up a message with “Hey, how’s it going?” or “What have you been up to?” is annoying. Unless you are a close friend or family member, they know what your are getting at. Simply open up with: “Hi. Would you be kind enough to put me on the guest list for your show tonight? Thanks.” Don’t waste time – you don’t know them, and it comes off as tedious and disingenuous.

2 Don’t tack on 10 extra people if your opening message was just for you to be added. Then – ACTUALLY SHOW UP.

Guest List space is limited. When you make the original request, make sure to include everyone involved. Typically not more than four total people. Then – BE THERE. It costs the club, promoters and DJs money if you don’t show up. “We didn’t make it, we actually caught another party” is a loser move. Managers check back when the night is over to see if you attended.

3 If you are gifted an add to one Guest List, don’t request every single time that DJ is in town. Also, don’t assume you will be added to every Guest List forever.

Be ready to support the venue, workers and DJ teams for their effort by paying your way most of the time. What you have to understand is everyone involved get 1000’s of these request for every show – don’t be a d*** if they do not respond every time. Asking over and over again is tacky and is likely to be ignored.

4 If they say “No,” don’t go asking other people at the club to get on the Guest List. Those people end up asking the DJ team again, and it pisses them off.

If you get the “No,” that means the list is full or they simply can’t accommodate it. Sack up, and buy the ticket if you want to be there. If you try to circumvent by asking others who work for the club, they notice.

5 After attending from a Guest List, SAY THANK YOU.

Simple gestures go a long way. Just because people hold a certain level of fame does not mean they are given everything in life. They have worked their asses off to provide you with a memorable “free” experience. Go out of your way to say thank you, and a card or a bottle of their favorite booze goes a long way.

Don’t be a punk with no manners. Follow these rules and you may find yourself with a higher Guest List success rate than a “flock-texting” approach.

Checkout Lee Burridge’s Guest List post below via Facebook.