Reply to getting gigs

Hi everyone, I've been djing for a little more then a year now and i believe i am ready to start playing at gigs. I heard from other people that to get gigs you need to be a promoter for an event and in exchange you get gigs (what i heard). I was wondering, if this is the case then how do i start becoming a promoter? Who do i talk to?
Another question i have which might sound kinda stupid but i have to ask. Does dj gear really matter? Like, if you see a dj djing at a gig with anything less then cdj's or turntables then does it matter?
-Thank you