As the end of another year approaches, many DJs are inevitably turning their attention to what can be one of their better earners of the year – New Year’s Eve. For some bizarre reason, an awful lot of people remain happy to pay inflated prices for everything from taxis to tickets just because the year will change when they’re out that night.

You won’t find DJs complaining about this, of course. They’re one of the prime beneficiaries of this system, using the fact people will pay more as an excuse to push up their own fees. Which brings me to the subject of Carl Craig and Stacey Pullen both appearing at Detroit’s very own TV Lounge on NYE this year.

The two men have decided to stay on their own patch. A source in Detroit said “Neither men wanted to be hundreds or thousands of miles from home, only to discover Covid has cancelled their gig. Cases across Michigan are rising again, but not as much as elsewhere in the States, so it made sense to stay local.”.

It would also make it easier for a certain Derrick May to play on the night, wouldn’t it? After all, both Craig and Pullen are May defenders – they won’t hear a bad word said about their friend. Earlier this year, May himself made an appearance at the TV Lounge – journalist Michael James got the exclusive footage showing him wearing jeans and smoking a large cigar.

But one thing less in doubt is a row over money. According to another source in Detroit with connections to TV Lounge, the two men aren’t happy with what’s on the table. He said “Carl and Stacey usually get paid a lot more than this for New Year’s Eve, Carl especially. They’d probably prefer to fly somewhere warmer than Detroit to welcome 2022 in, but the situation is what the situation is”.

TV Lounge haven’t replied to my email – sent back on Thursday, by the way – asking whether May is scheduled to make a visit on the night…