Good Gig, Bad Gig.

[alphawave]

Just done a surprise 50th Birthday night and all 80s.... I did make it clear from the start a whole 5 hour gig of 80s can be tricky and i didnt want to play all the good ones in the first hour so i had to be carefull in my selection.. It was a local gig in a pub so i set up around 12pm ready to start 7.30pm... I have to say it is nice just to turn up and all is set up working ready.. The birthday lady was due to arrive 7.30pm so i arrived 7.15pm in good time...As i walked in i heard "ahhhh here is Mr DJ"...... I was thinking it could be one of those nights.....
7.40pm the surprised lady arrived so i got things going,all 80s music but trying to hold back the best ones for later.. First couples hours where very good but i needed the lights off for more atmosphere and things got better!! Lots of drink going then around 10pm i started dropping tunes like Black Box,Yazz etc and they loved it alot... I was surprised just how good alot of this 80s music was...
I was due to finish at 12am so i was lining up the best of the best but........Time now was 11pm then i can only assume a bus turned up and took everyone leaving around 5 people and i am not joking.... So i carried on regardless but it was strange because the hoover came out and tables packed away with people left rushing around to clean up with all my lights going with laser.... At last the lights came on but i was still playing to a zero crowd... Then at 11.30pm i was told to stop and pack up...I explained i was told a 12am finish and i didnt know everyone was due to go 11pm... But rest assured i was told everyone had a great night and many business cards went out ... Back early was a bonus thou ;-)

[Shakermaker Promotions]

I was 10 miles down the road last night doing one of my 2 gigs a year for Waitrose in a different venue to the one I've played at for them for the last 5 years.
I'd been trying to arrange access and set up times all week with the venue but could not get an answer from them at all. I'd been supplied with their email address and telephone number but neither were monitored.... "Nobody's here during the daytime" said the guy in charge when I told him it had been difficult... "We must get an answer phone" he said... "But I've been saying that for 25 years!!" he added...

Oh well, I eventually managed to get hold of the lady that booked me and she passed on the message that I'd be at the venue for 6.30pm to set up and be ready for a 7.30pm start...."7.00pm would have been better for us" said the guy in charge...."We don't usually open until 7.30pm"...
Ok, sorry for any inconvenience mate but the kit doesn't set itself up (I thought to myself) and you aren't open during the day so..er...that's not very accommodating really is it?....Again, oh well.

Access was simple. As I arrived at the venue in the pouring rain I guessed at where I'd be able to get in because I'd never been there before and I stayed in the van and waited....and waited a little bit more...and then at just before 6.45pm a car turned up and it was the guy to let me in. "Mr DJ!??" he asked...."That'll be me" I replied and we went inside. I looked around the place and it was nice and open. A tad smaller than I expected but looked ok. A very small stage...well, could it be called a stage? They'd told me beforehand that there was stage but does 3 or 4 inches make it a stage? I couldn't use it anyway and had to set up in front of it because the uprights on my ultimax were too high. It wasn't a problem..... What was a problem initially was the big orange light I noticed when I was up on stage. I had an inclination as to what it was but hoped it wasn't what I thought it was. I looked around the venue and then.....pow! right in front of the 'stage' pointing down at it was a little microphone. The guy saw me looking up..."Ahhh, yes...you've noticed it". He then went on to explain what it did and why it was there and so on and so on.... It was now approaching 7.00pm and I'd hardly done anything as yet. It was good that he was giving me lots of information and when I explained that I knew what it was and that I wasn't its biggest fan he said....."Don't worry, we can bi-pass that anyway. Just plug in over there. If it gets too loud I will soon let you know!!"

Another venue bi-passing their sound limiter!! - Oh dear.....BUT I am glad we did because when I asked what the db level was out of interest he said he had no idea. I was all set up and playing some background music to an empty venue at 7.25pm when he came over and said "I think it is 85db".... No way....really?

So, I'd been booked from 7.30pm - Midnight. At 8.00pm, just like the last time I played for the same crowd, there were a handful of people there. I counted 11 in total at 8.30pm and although half of them were up dancing to anything I was playing because they were in the party mood, it did seem like it would or could be a long night. Everyone in there was in fancy dress. This happened last time and just like last time I asked if there was a theme or reason for the fancy dress and was told "No, we just like doing it" - Ok, fair enough. At 9.15pm around 30 others turned up and this lot were all in fancy dress too but the young 'too cool for school' crowd.... I say that because just like last time it seemed that they just wanted to hear current stuff and weren't interested in anything other than that.

I'd played some current stuff earlier, gone into some 70's and 80's as requested, some party stuff (there were a lot of 'Pink Ladies' there from Grease so I played some Grease tunes and picked out songs for people dressed as certain characters etc), and when the crowd walked in I'd started playing stuff like Meghan Traynor, Olly Murs, Fleur East and Taylor Swift which had the majority up dancing. I was then approached by a tiny guy who said "Have you got anything newer bro?"

'Bro??' - "Excuse me!?...What are you after?" I asked...."The girls want some Bieber" he said...."No problem" I replied.
I played Bieber, Rihanna, Usher and Jason Derulo and it had them all up. It was then that one of the girls came over and asked for....wait for it.....Yep, he's back again for the second week running folks.....Fetty Wap! I chucked on Trap Queen and they went mad for it. I was getting thumbs up from all of them and I followed it with Krept & Konan and some other bits and bobs and they loved it. They were cheering as each new song came on. I looked over at the bar and the old lady serving had a proper grumpy look on her face. She came over towards the end and said "What is that? That's not music is it!!" - I told her that it was what they were into and it was my job to give them what they wanted.

The next time I looked at the clock it was just past 11.00pm and I noticed that some were starting to leave. The place was emptying out and at 11.15pm I was asked if I could finish up around 11.30pm so that's what I did. Round of applause as always and "See you in August" from the organiser. I was packed down and sitting on my sofa by 00.20am.

[Nakatomi]

I had a height issue last time I used my Ultimax Gary. I didn't have enough ceiling clearance to get the uprights in with the stand upright either. So, I tipped the stand over, slid the uprights in & then lifted the stand upright again. Sorted I'm still looking for telescopic upright poles though.. somebody must make such a thing you can buy on their own without having to hack a tripod to bits.

[Shakermaker Promotions]

I've done that myself a few times too but just couldn't do it last night. It wasn't a massive problem and I preferred being at ground level really (although there wasn't much difference in reality).

[Benny Smyth]

This week, I've mostly been dying from a cold. Or it might be small pox. To be honest, it could go either way at this point.

Wedding last night at a venue that I hadn't worked before, and it's certainly the furthest that I've travelled for a while. No matter, as I included the added monetary compensation for the distance in the quote, and it was for a couple who had attended a wedding that I did maybe 18 months ago which was a good night. Add to that the chance to maybe leave a mark at a new venue, count me in!

So I arrive to the venue to see that they're running about an hour late. No problem - we'll get as much done as we can do, so we can expedite the setup when we're able to access the room. After hauling ass trying to get everything up and running as quick as we can, we're all set up and I'm about to start running through the pre-flight checks when a chap from the venue comes over and makes a positive comment about the setup.

"Thank you. Hopefully it'll all work!"

Laugh, laugh, giggle, giggle. Oh how very funny that DJ is. Wait...what? The sound isn't actually working! You have got to be ing kidding me!

My Traktor is making crackling and popping noises. Oh, don't do this to me now! Reboot the laptop and tried a new USB lead...same again. Grab the spare Traktor Kontroller S4 from the van - hazzah! It's working! Phew! I don't like using my S4 MKI anymore, but the S4 MKII is not working so I will have to make do. Poowah!

Would have liked a chance to run through a few songs for background to give me a chance to relax after the sound issues, but only got to play half a song before we dove straight into the first dance. That went down well, followed by about an hour of pop stuff which worked really well. Then from about 9:30, it was very much peaks (rammed dancefloor) and troughs (three or four dancers) with the last half hour being a real struggle as the numbers dropped.

I didn't get a thank you at the end. Normally when this happens, I just brush it off but last night that irked me a little bit. I started fretting on the way home about why that could have been - I incorporated the clients' playlist and played most of the songs from it, people were dancing all night and it seemed like that everyone had a good time. Maybe they just wanted to get to bed as soon as possible.

And I'm still loving that conflicting look on people's faces when I play Justin Bieber's Sorry. They don't want to dance to it because it's Bieber, but it is such a good song that they do want to dance to it. Seeing people's stubborn heads fight with their forgiving hearts is something that I suspect I will never tire in seeing.

[Shakermaker Promotions]

I know exactly what you are saying about the Bieber.
When 'Baby' came out it was requested loads, mainly at the 13th birthday gigs I did (that's the youngest age I will cater for).
Then you had a couple or more years where the mention of his name was met with a "Eeeuugghh, No"
Now it is just as you say it is....maybe it's those same 13 year old girls who have grown up a bit just like he has. Last night I played both 'Sorry' and 'What do you mean?' and both filled the floor.

On another note, you've reminded me that I need a back up USB lead just in case.... I have back up of everything else....except that. Cheers!

[surround sounds]

Dont normally write gig reports but her goes.

Friday at a venue called Shustoke Barns where i provide many service within the year. This time was Love Letters, Photo Booth and Mobile Disco.
Arrived as arranged at 4pm to set up booth upstairs and was finished and set up for 5.10.
We was told we would be able to set up Disco ( with a band) and love letters from 5.45 and start at 7pm but i knew this would never happen. The speeches taken forever and we got into the room by 7.20.
The band and myself agreed i would set up against the back wall and the band would set up in front. The band then noticed the sound limiter and asked if i knew about it. I said yes but i never had a problem with it. Anyway i set up love letters and disco by 7.55 and the band needed around another 15 mins to set up.

Photo Booth started on time at 8 but it was very slow starting but by 9.15 only 3 photos was taken.

1st dance should of been 8 but because of the band this was delayed till 8.30. I played 1st dance and another 3 songs until band was on till 9.30.
I returned upstairs to the booth where it was getting busy but it did not last long. In the 3 hours it was booked for we only taken 48 photos but not much we could do about this.

The band was doing really well and i went back on at 9.30 till 10.15 and they seem to want to dance to anything. The band returned till 11.10 and i was impressed with them to be honest althou they tripped the sound limiter right at the end. I returned for a 1am finish. The band packed up and asked for a business card as they wanted a dj for there own birthday party and they would be in contact with me shortly.

The night finished at 1 and there was still many people left. I packed up Disco and love letter by 1.30. The bride and groom came over and thanked us for our wonderful service. Good job done.

Saturday night was at another regular venue at Packington moor but it was completely different than the friday.
There was around 120 guest but around 30 kids and the venue had warned me that they was running around.

I started to set up at 6.30 and i was ready to go by 6.50. Guests was allowed back in at 7pm and i played background music till 7.30. The venue found kids finger marks in the wedding cake and got the chef to repair this. Kids was running around everywhere and at 8pm i noticed my one bose speaker had stopped working. I looked of my booth and found a small child was playing with it and turned it off. The father was 10 feet away and thought it was funny, to which i gave him a funny look. They bride and groom had their first dance and i got there friends and family to join them on the dancefloor until 9pm when the food was serviced.

I had a detailed play list to which i continued to play from 9.30ish but to be honest it was not working but its what the customer wanted. Guests started to leave and then i noticed a guy to my right. He said i have been a dj for 20 years and never heard so much rubbish in his life. I said why whats up and his reply was, you are playing the wronge music to which i showed him the playlist i was playing to. he then walked off and did not say another word.

I was glad when it finished at 11.30 althou there was still guests left. Hope i do not get another one like this but it happens from time to time

[Imagine]

I've been waiting for this one.

The first wedding gig of the year (yes....it's late this year), and what a complete blinder

When I say wedding.....it was actually just a normal party but with a few suits and a couple of fancy frocks. They'd been in a marquee until 10pm with a jazz band,apart from a bit during the early evening where some chap who's apparently been on The Voice did an acoustic guitar set.

The happy couple contacted me yesterday to see if I could lend them an amp, speaker and mic stand for this acoustic chap as the jazz band weren't being overly helpful. I agreed, but warned it might not work as my kit's really not meant for that sort of thing. Got a text late yesterday to say they'd found a solution, but thanks anyway.

I turn up at the allotted time to find one of those singing drainpipes sitting where I wanted to set up.....grrrrrrr. Eventually the hire company came and took it away (it takes how long to pack away one of those things into about 10 different bags?).

So...set up in good time, tested sound and light....all working OK. Mics.....oops (it turns out I'd trapped the cable for the power adapter in the playout case and fractured it. Never mind, I've got a spare)....all's good.

I was rolling once again tonight with the DSR12/DXR8 combo......I'm still blown away by them. They're the cabs that just keep on giving

10pm (start time), the guests start filtering in from the marquee outside and are handed a shot of something or other....this could (and did) get messy. Lots of spilt booze on the stone floor of the very nice stately house I was in. But....it was one of those nights where no matter what I played....the floor was rammed!

1am rolls around quicker than expected and I quickly nip outside for a crafty vape whilst the MSD's cool down.....storm Katy has arrived....brilliant. So, very wet and windy load out, a drive home that has resulted in me needing a change of underpants (my God that was scary), and the kit's literally been launched into my storage container for the night (I'll sort it out when the weather's a little less damp).

Finally home at nearly 3am and drinking a well earned beer, looking back over the video footage.

If only all parties could be that good

[Benny Smyth]

Now it is just as you say it is....maybe it's those same 13 year old girls who have grown up a bit just like he has. Last night I played both 'Sorry' and 'What do you mean?' and both filled the floor.

Not just that age range. 30 year olds plus (who were at least mid-twenties when Baby came out - myself included) that were always 'anti-Beliebers' since day one are now starting to come around. Purpose is a good album and while many will make the argument that the album is only good because of the army of producers behind it (people like Skrillex, Diplo, Josh Abraham and about a thousand others), at the end of the day it's Bieber's name on the cover so he will get most of the credit.

Hi, I'm Benny. I'm 30 years old and Purpose has made me a Belieber.

And I love a bit of Tay Tay too.

Finally home at nearly 3am and drinking a well earned beer, looking back over the video footage.

Well done that man. First of the year of many great parties!

[CRAZY K]

Dont normally write gig reports but her goes.

Friday at a venue called Shustoke Barns where i provide many service within the year. This time was Love Letters, Photo Booth and Mobile Disco.
Arrived as arranged at 4pm to set up booth upstairs and was finished and set up for 5.10.
We was told we would be able to set up Disco ( with a band) and love letters from 5.45 and start at 7pm but i knew this would never happen. The speeches taken forever and we got into the room by 7.20.
The band and myself agreed i would set up against the back wall and the band would set up in front. The band then noticed the sound limiter and asked if i knew about it. I said yes but i never had a problem with it. Anyway i set up love letters and disco by 7.55 and the band needed around another 15 mins to set up.

Photo Booth started on time at 8 but it was very slow starting but by 9.15 only 3 photos was taken.

1st dance should of been 8 but because of the band this was delayed till 8.30. I played 1st dance and another 3 songs until band was on till 9.30.
I returned upstairs to the booth where it was getting busy but it did not last long. In the 3 hours it was booked for we only taken 48 photos but not much we could do about this.

The band was doing really well and i went back on at 9.30 till 10.15 and they seem to want to dance to anything. The band returned till 11.10 and i was impressed with them to be honest althou they tripped the sound limiter right at the end. I returned for a 1am finish. The band packed up and asked for a business card as they wanted a dj for there own birthday party and they would be in contact with me shortly.

The night finished at 1 and there was still many people left. I packed up Disco and love letter by 1.30. The bride and groom came over and thanked us for our wonderful service. Good job done.

Saturday night was at another regular venue at Packington moor but it was completely different than the friday.
There was around 120 guest but around 30 kids and the venue had warned me that they was running around.

I started to set up at 6.30 and i was ready to go by 6.50. Guests was allowed back in at 7pm and i played background music till 7.30. The venue found kids finger marks in the wedding cake and got the chef to repair this. Kids was running around everywhere and at 8pm i noticed my one bose speaker had stopped working. I looked of my booth and found a small child was playing with it and turned it off. The father was 10 feet away and thought it was funny, to which i gave him a funny look. They bride and groom had their first dance and i got there friends and family to join them on the dancefloor until 9pm when the food was serviced.

I had a detailed play list to which i continued to play from 9.30ish but to be honest it was not working but its what the customer wanted. Guests started to leave and then i noticed a guy to my right. He said i have been a dj for 20 years and never heard so much rubbish in his life. I said why whats up and his reply was, you are playing the wronge music to which i showed him the playlist i was playing to. he then walked off and did not say another word.

I was glad when it finished at 11.30 althou there was still guests left. Hope i do not get another one like this but it happens from time to time

Nice pictures, be careful you dont use it for promotion on Weddings, just in case they think they get the chandelier with candles, rope lights round the columns and of course the tables chairs and tablecoths with candles on top.

j