Good Gig, Bad Gig.

[Imagine]

Absolutely smoke free now

That's something I SERIOUSLY need to look at doing again but can't find the will to do it.
How have you done it Gary? Vaping? Cold Turkey? Patches?

[mattydj50]

There's a local band here called Dickie Heart and the Palpitations. Sounds like several of us ought to go and join them.

[Shakermaker Promotions]

That's something I SERIOUSLY need to look at doing again but can't find the will to do it.
How have you done it Gary? Vaping? Cold Turkey? Patches?

Started off with patches and nicotine tablets, then just tablets and now nothing.
I thought it would be difficult as I have 'given up' twice before (or attempted to), first time was for 3 months, second time was for 8 months.

The thing is, this time I've had a warning and I intend to stick at it. At this moment in time, I can't think of anything worse than having a cigarette and that's the mentality that's needed.

Go for it, you can do it. Good luck.

[mattydj50]

The thing is, this time I've had a warning and I intend to stick at it. At this moment in time, I can't think of anything worse than having a cigarette and that's the mentality that's needed.

Go for it, you can do it. Good luck.

I thoroughly confused the medics when I had my heart attack 4 years ago.

How many do you smoke a day - NONE (never ever had one in my life)

How much alcohol do you drink in a week - NONE (apart from the odd pint on holiday, I've been teetotal for around 16 years).

[Excalibur]

For my own good, he said modestly.

Friday was " interesting". Last minute booking, with the client texting ( yup, all done by text ) " I just need someone reliable". Hmm. The Heisenberg DJ at work again?

It's a pub I last drank in over forty years ago, and the client was the landlord's daughter. It was a surprise birthday party for him, and also a Hen party. The car park was a laugh a minute, the sign for it at the front is not to be trusted, unless you're driving a rickshaw. The back's not that much better, and unloading is guaranteed to block someone in. Access through the kitchen, and set up by the pool table. Yup, one of those.

Anyhoo, I got the gear in, micro rig with only one Maui 11, as space was tight. The bride to be in the hen party could give me a few years start, so no riotous behaviour there. I have to say that although there were only a few of them, they were on the floor all night long, and absolutely wonderful. The rest of the pub chipped in, and all in all, a good night was had by all.

So much so, that the client expressed a desire for me to work there monthly, or bimonthly. Taking into account the hassle of arranging things by text ( her battery was flat when I needed to make contact on the night ) the car park, the access, and the setup area, I don't foresee me moving heaven and earth to make that happen.

Fast forward to Saturday. Though the car park was small, I got a space adjacent to the function room doors, the room had an alcove just big enough for the same rig as the night before, but with two Mauis, and access was good. What a difference a day makes.

It was a 21st party, and I had a playlist ranging from Connie Francis to Dizzee Rascal, and the Arctic Monkeys, so obviously tightrope time until we hit the party section. Half an hour into background, while everyone introduced themselves, I had the obligatory request " can't you play some top 40 music " ? I did as requested,and soon found out that the playlist was surprisingly accurate. Sean Paul Temperature filled the floor, and it was busy from then on. I'd just got lined up for the big Killers/Arctic Monkeys tracks, when food was announced. Hot food, not even in the same room, so bye bye dancers.

Once they came back, it was like shooting fish in a barrel. One of those nights when every track you throw in yourself rams the floor, and the playlist is solid gold. All the requests worked, even the likes of Oops, Barbie, Spice Girls, and other classics. We packed the floor with everything from Ska, Indie, R&Bilge, and chart, it was one of those crowds who wanted a party. If only they were all like that, eh?

[Excalibur]

Number three in the DJ's Aaaaargh list. I'm booked in Hull for a 60th Birthday, so John (Twinspin ) and I arrive to do our stuff. We check that we are definitely booked to 1am with the venue staff, who assure us we are, but we'll finish before if numbers fall off. It's fifty yards from car park to stage, so not the world's easiest load in and out. Huge thanks go to John for his help with this, the lad's a star.

Well, long story short, they're a great crowd, and the evening's flying by. Last orders are called at 12.30am, and at 12.40am, a new member of staff comes up and asks " You do know you have to be out of here at 1am, don't you " ?

Err, no. Cue the sudden arrival of the last song, shouts of " one more, one more", and an old DJ galloping fifty yards for a trolley and cases. Grrrr.

[Excalibur]

Currently doing a gig for effectively a PTA. Venue was moved from a village hall to a " Party Barn ". I'm fifty yards from the bar, up a flight of stairs, with another room between. I'm using the house PA, in the dance area. The speakers face away from the bar, and they're asking me to turn it up so they can hear it in the bar.
Wayne, can I borrow those earplugs, please? If I hit those levels, mine will be bleeding. Grrr

[Imagine]

Currently doing a gig for effectively a PTA. Venue was moved from a village hall to a " Party Barn ". I'm fifty yards from the bar, up a flight of stairs, with another room between. I'm using the house PA, in the dance area. The speakers face away from the bar, and they're asking me to turn it up so they can hear it in the bar.
Wayne, can I borrow those earplugs, please? If I hit those levels, mine will be bleeding. Grrr

Not at the £3k they're costing!
Besides, I'm about to blow the froth off a couple or three cold ones - night off tonight and working Monday night instead

[Excalibur]

Well against logic and expectations, it wasn't a bad gig. From where I was, I couldn't actually see into the room next door! Every so often, half a dozen dancers would rush in to my den, dance for a couple of songs, request one, and clear off! As a guest, the venue was superb. As a DJ, it was a nightmare.

On Saturday afternoon, just before I left, I picked up a Christening on Sunday from NaD. That was in a splendid Community Centre, near Doncaster. Lovely venue, lovely staff, and lovely guests. Turned up nice and early, and got set up well ahead of guests arriving. A chat with the staff laid out the timings, and all was set fair.
There was only one fly in the ointment. The daylight. Large French windows, and Velux roof windows meant a lot of ambient light, and even my Crossfire XPs were losing the battle. Once they unwrapped the buffet, the venue staff ensure we could find it easily, by turning on a few thousand lumens of floodlights in the ceiling!

We started to get requests coming in, and were going well, until the little darlings started playing with the curtains over one set of doors. My laptop dimmed, and the Mauis gave a plaintive little squeak, and fell silent. In my panic, I hadn't noticed that all my kit had died, barring laptop and controller, struggling along on battery power.
One of the venue staff had spotted my plight, and told me of the cutout switches on all external doors/windows. And the reset button. I'd have preferred advance warning, but hey ho.

After that, the requests grew, we had a few mini sessions, the Northern Soul being particularly popular, and the rest of the function went very well.

[Nakatomi]

A nice bunch of absolutely phenomenal gigs of late.. One could easily get used to this...

A few Fridays ago I was filling my diary with a 90s night for a colleague. An 80 mile round trip & an excursion through the Tyne Tunnel were on the cards. As usual for this venue loadin was up a metal set of stairs (wide & not too steep, so not too bad), then off we went to delve into the finest the 1990s had to offer. It was an utter riot, hampered only by a group of idiots who wanted music that wasn't from the 1990s. The guy dressed as Britney Spears was er.. an utter...

Anyway here's the unabridged play history:
Star People George Michael 19:07
Remember Me The Blueboy 19:12
I Love You Always Forever Donna Lewis 19:16
Don't Look Any Further M People 19:19
Heartbreaker (Featuring Jay-Z) Mariah Carey 19:22
Would I Lie To You Charles & Eddie 19:27
I Wanna Sex You Up Color Me Badd 19:31
Bug a Boo Destiny's Child 19:34
Summertime Dj Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince 19:37
I Wanna Be The Only One Eternal & Bebe Winans 19:41
(You Drive Me) Crazy (The Stop remix!) Britney Spears 19:44
Joyride Roxette 19:47
Me Julie Ali G And Shaggy 19:51
No Scrubs TLC 19:54
...Baby One More Time Britney Spears 19:58
Bootie Call All Saints 20:02
In The Summertime Shaggy feat Rayvon 20:06
Killing Me Softly with His Song Fugees 20:09
Virtual Insanity Jamiroquai 20:13
Right Here SWV 20:17
Freedom Robbie Williams 20:20
I Want It That Way Backstreet Boys 20:24
Wonderwall Oasis 20:27
Bitch Meredith Brooks 20:31
The Fresh Prince Of Bel Air (Theme From Nbc's The Fresh) Will Smith 20:35
Step On Happy Mondays 20:37
The Riverboat Song Ocean Colour Scene 20:43
Praise You Fatboy Slim 20:48
Breakfast at Tiffany's Deep Blue Something 20:53
You Got the Love Source feat Candi Staton 20:57
Space Cowboy (Morales Classic Club Mix) Jamiroquai 20:59
Groove Is In The Heart Deee-Lite 21:03
Vogue Madonna 21:07
Who Do You Think You Are Spice Girls 21:11
Show Me Love (Extended Mix) Robin S 21:15
Gypsy Woman Crystal Waters 21:18 **Dancing Time!!**
Sing It Back Moloko 21:21
Can't Get Enough (vocal club edit) Soulsearcher 21:26
Finally (7in Choice Mix) Ce Ce Peniston 21:29
We Like to Party! (The Vengabus) Vengaboys 21:31 R
There's Nothing I Won't Do JX 21:34 R
Dreamer Livin Joy 21:38
Get Ready For This 2 Unlimited 21:41 R
Boom Boom Boom Vengaboys 21:43 R
Keep On Movin Five 21:47 R
Mr Vain Culture Beat 21:49 R
Disco 2000 (Motiv 8 Discoid mix) Pulp 21:54 R
Rhythm Is A Dancer Snap! 21:57 R
Freed From Desire (full vocal) Gala 21:59 R
Gettin Jiggy with it Will Smith 22:02 R
California Love 2 Pac feat. Dr. Dre 22:05 R
Return of the Mack Mark Morrison 22:08
Dub Be Good To Me Beats International 22:09 R
Got The Feelin' (12'' Extended) Five 22:14
Jump Kris Kross 22:18 R
Lets Talk About Sex Salt N Peppa 22:20
Wannabe Spice Girls 22:24 R
I've Got A Little Something For You Mn8 22:26 R
The One And Only Chesney Hawkes 22:29
Rocks Primal Scream 22:32 R
The Rhythm Of The Night Corona 22:36 R
Feel It Tamperer ft Maya 22:38
Set You Free N-Trance 22:41 R
Out Of Space The Prodigy 22:44
No Good (Start The Dance) The Prodigy 22:45 R
No Limit 2 Unlimited 22:47
Doctor Jones Aqua 22:50 R
Mr. Boombastic Shaggy 22:53
...Baby One More Time Britney Spears 22:56
Common People Pulp 22:59 R
Parklife Blur 23:03
Roll with it Oasis 23:06 R
Blue Eifell 65 23:10 R
Children Robert Miles 23:12 R
Children Of The Night Nakatomi 23:15 R
Forever Young (Single Mix) Interactive 23:18
Ramp! The Logical Song Scooter 23:21 R
You're Not Alone Olive 23:24 R
Ebeneezer Goode Shamen 23:27 R
New Emotion The Time Frequency 23:30 R
Barbie Girl Aqua 23:33 R
Tragedy Steps 23:36 R
Saturday Night Whigfield 23:39 R
Macarena Los Del Rio 23:42 R
Can't touch this Mc Hammer 23:46 R
Love Shack The B52s 23:48 R
5, 6, 7, 8 Steps 23:52
What Is Love Haddaway 23:56 R
Cotton Eye Joe Rednex 23:59 R
Tease Me Chaka Demus & Pliers 00:02
Mysterious Girl Peter Andre feat. Bubbler Ranx 00:04 R
Life Is A Flower Ace Of Base 00:08 R
Womanizer Britney Spears 00:11 R by ing morons (2008)
Livin' La Vida Loca Ricky Martin 00:15 R
I'll Be There For You The Rembrandts 00:19
Uptown Girl (Radio Edit) Westlife 00:22 NOT 1990s, IDIOT! R
Stop Spice Girls 00:25 R
I'm Too Sexy Right Said Fred 00:28
No Diggity Blackstreet feat. Dr. Dre 00:30 R
Regulate Warren G Feat. Nate Dogg 00:35
Baby I Got Your Money Old Dirty 00:38
(You Drive Me) Crazy (The Stop remix!) Britney Spears 00:39
We're Going to Ibiza Vengaboys 00:42
MMMBop Hanson 00:44
Bring It All Back S Club 7 00:47
Up & Down (Radio Edit) Vengaboys 00:50
Boom Boom Boom Outhere Brothers 00:50
The Sunshine After The Rain (Two Cowboys Club Edit) Berri 00:52
What's Up Dj Miko 00:54
Baby I Love Your Way Big Mountain 00:58 R

Loadout, I decided, was gonna be a whole lot easier, out the front & down the ramp to the carpark...

et voila!



Friday saw me covering for a friend at a local hotelery owned by a certain dragon off of the telly - to do my first ever soul/motown night since... 1989 :O !!!!

In preparation for the gig I drilled through my collection & shoved 6 hours worth of motowny/souly stuff into a virtual folder. 5 hours of the stuff should be a breeze yes? Erm.. nearly.

Loadin was a cinch though space was limited & I was wearing speakers as headphones yet again (ear protection was upped to 20dB attenuation). Customers started to file in at 7pm ready for their meal. I slapped a load of tunes into automix & went for a sly cig. Outside were a handful of talkative ladies who were under the impression there was going to be a singer on. Hmmm.,. a 2 course meal, disco and singer for FIFTEEN QUID?

Staff kept me appraised of timings & as showtime approached I started to up the pace of the music & the volume too. Having seen waiting staff clear the last of the tables off I went with my welcome jabber & suddenly found a frog in my throat. Oh dear. The next announcement was much clearer & requests came flooding in.

There were a couple I didn't have & also had never even heard of but the more obscure (to me) ones didn't get that good a reaction except You Know How To Love Me by Phyllis Hyman - I was properly stumped for something to play afterwards.

So 11pm rolled along & I looked at my virtual folder for sure fire winners I hadn't already played. Ummm. Uh-oh. Have I bitten off more than I can chew? Not quite. I kept pulling stonkers out of the bag.

Customers were absolutely lovely & astonished me with their praise. One older gent even said he'd been to loads of Soul & Motown nights & that was the 1st he'd ever seen where the DJ had stuck to the program & made it work. Really? This was basically my first ever! The other one I did back in 1989 was advertised as a Motown night but the patrons only wanted to hear chart music - much to the chagrin of the club committee & I never darkened the venue's doors again. Catching up with other customers outside after the gig they were very happy with my efforts, even commenting on the way I sequenced & mixed the tunes. I'll tell you no lies I had a lump in my throat at that. It comes to something when people your parents' age are so glowing in their praise. I was asked for my name so they could email the hotel to applaud me some more! I was asked for cards so many times it got frustrating - I was working for somebody else, who in turn was contracting for another company. D'oh!!

The list for that lot:

Too Good To Be Forgotten Chi-Lites 19:02
Stop To Love Luther Vandross 19:05
The Sweetest Taboo Sade 19:09
Just The Two Of Us Bill Withers 19:14
California Soul Marlena Shaw 19:18
Feel Like Making Love George Benson 19:20
Yah Mo B There James Ingram 19:25
Don't Look Any Further Dennis Edwards feat Seidah Garrett 19:29
Smooth Operator Sade 19:33
Never, Never Gonna Give You Up Barry White 19:37
Being With You Smokey Robinson 19:41
I'm Stone in Love with You The Stylistics 19:45
Summer Breeze Isley Brothers 19:48
I Second That Emotion Smokey Robinson & The Miracles 19:54
What Becomes Of The Brokenhearted Jimmy Ruffin 19:56
Let the Music Play Barry White 19:59
It's A Shame Detroit Spinners 20:03
I Say a Little Prayer Aretha Franklin 20:06
In The Midnight Hour Wilson Pickett 20:09
The Way You Do The Things You Do The Temptations 20:12
I Get the Sweetest Feeling Jackie Wilson 20:14
Up On The Roof Drifters 20:17
Got To Give It Up Marvin Gaye 20:20
I Never Loved A Man (The Way I Love You) Aretha Franklin 20:24
Come Into My Life Joyce Sims 20:27
Every 1's A Winner Hot Chocolate 20:30
My Girl The Temptations 20:34
Could It Be I'm Falling In Love Detroit Spinners 20:37
Turn Your Love Around George Benson 20:41
I'm Coming Out Diana Ross 20:44
A Night To Remember Shalamar 20:47
Give Me The Night George Benson 20:51
Somebody Else's Guy Jocelyn Brown 20:55
Signed, Sealed, Delivered (I'm Yours) Stevie Wonder 20:58
Soul Man Sam & Dave 21:01
Superstition Stevie Wonder 21:03 Meal over – it’s showtime!
Band Of Gold Freda Payne 21:07 R
Stop....in the Name of Love Diana Ross & The Supremes 21:10
Reach Out, I'll Be There Four Tops 21:13
Dancing in the Street Martha and The Vandellas 21:16
You Keep Me Hangin' On The Supremes 21:18
Respect Aretha Franklin 21:21
I Want You Back Jackson 5 21:23
Build me Up Buttercup Foundations 21:26
Where Did Our Love Go The Supremes 21:28
Saturday Night At The Movies Drifters 21:31
Heaven Must Have Sent You The Elgins 21:33
Sweet Talking Guy (Northern Soul) Chiffons 21:36
Out On The floor Dobie Gray 21:39 R
Do I love You [Indeed I do] Frank Wilson 21:41
Uptight [Everything's Alright] Stevie Wonder 21:44
Baby Love The Supremes 21:46 R
Needle In A Haystack Velvelettes 21:49 R
It Takes Two Marvin Gaye & Kim Weston 21:51
Jimmy Mack Martha & The Vandellas 21:54
Chain Reaction Diana Ross 21:57
Love Really Hurts Without You Billy Ocean 22:00
Abc The Jackson 5 22:03
Two Can Have a Party Tammi Terrell 22:06 R – wiped out the floor down to 2 lol
Red Light Spells Danger Billy Ocean 22:08
You Know How To Love Me Phyllis Hyman 22:12 R
Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough (2003 Edit) Michael Jackson 22:17
I Can't Help Myself Four Tops 22:20
Nowhere to Run Martha Reeves & The Vandellas 22:23
This Old Heart Of Mine (Is Weak For You) The Isley Brothers 22:26
Working my Way Back to You Detroit Spinners 22:29
It's The Same Old Song Four Tops 22:32
Move On Up Curtis Mayfield 22:35 Oops – total floor clearer
I Got You (I Feel Good) James Brown 22:39
Ain't No Mountain High Enough Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell 22:41
You're the First, the Last, My Everything Barry White 22:44
Your Love Keeps Lifting Me (Higher and Higher) Jackie Wilson 22:47
Sweet Soul Music Arthur Conley 22:50
Land Of 1000 Dances Wilson Pickett 22:52
Heatwave Martha Reeves & The Vandellas 22:54
Nine Times Out Of Ten Muriel Day 22:57 R
Tainted Love Gloria Jones 23:00
You Can't Hurry Love The Supremes 23:02
Think Aretha Franklin 23:05
Rescue Me Fontella Bass 23:08
You're More Than A Number In My Little Red Book Drifters 23:10
Love Train The O'Jays 23:13
'Til I'm Done Paloma Faith 23:16 R – As in rule bending
Never Too Much Luther Vandross 23:20
Going Back To My Roots Odyssey 23:23
Ain't No Stopping Us Now McFadden & Whitehead 23:27
Hold on I'm Coming Sam & Dave 23:30
Baby, Now That I've Found You Foundations 23:32
Proud Mary Tina Turner 23:35
River Deep - Mountain High The Supremes & Four Tops 23:40
Get Up I Feel Like Being A Sex Machine James Brown 23:43
Green Onions Booker T. & The MG's 23:46
Twisting The Night Away Sam Cooke 23:49
Young Hearts Run Free Candi Staton 23:51 R
Save The Last Dance For Me Drifters 23:55
Just My Imagination (Running Away With Me) The Temptations 23:57 R

Yes, some liberties were taken, but they were mostly requests

PS, some Motownish tracks sound absolutely AWFUL in their original form - I've yet to find a version of River Deep that doesn't sound like it's been recorded on an 8 track tape that got run over by a bulldozer & chucked in the sea. Does anyone have any tips for remastered versions of popular tunes that don't sound like cow excretions but are authentic?

Saturday saw me back at my resi after a brief holiday - the previous week I was in Spain, nervously staring at my phone at 5.30pm waiting for a message to tell me the DJ had arrived. Anyway, Saturday was yet another wedding with a very friendly, up for it crowd - oh and the first ever outing (for me) of The Cupid Shuffle. It's a family tradition of theirs apparently & it went down a storm.