Good Gig, Bad Gig.

[Excalibur]

Just to be sure, we are allowed to smack obnoxious little s who call me " pal" and " mate", want their songs next, because " they're going soon " aren't we? No? Well we really ought to be.

Local wedding in a town centre pub/hotel like a rabbit warren. Booked as 5pm to midnight, so arrived mid afternoon in heavy rain. Got wet. Note to self, next time take the weatherproof heavy coat, and not the lightweight one which isn't, despite its claims. Grr.

Venue has a tiny car park, which is used by shoppers. Due to its design, blocking people in is almost guaranteed. Lots of musical chairs with vehicles in the early part of the night. The car park does however allow good access to the " stage " ( does five inches count as a stage? ) It's in a bay window, and because of an overhead beam in the middle, you are best set up at the front.
Headroom is limited, yet funnily enough you've got acres of space behind you. Lighting was minimal, two Cheetahs, a gobo projector, and two equinox bars as uplighting. PA was yet again the 10" Altos. More than big enough.

Kicked off with background before 5pm as guests came in early, which meant 7 hours in prospect. Food was a buffet, which was well received, but was in another part of the warren. Until guests rearranged the tables my dancefloor held two people. The revised layout allowed double figures. We had some low key speeches, followed by the first dance, and then general apathy. Dancefloor was sporadic at best, with few requests ( apart from the obnoxious ) and further guests arrived as time went on. Some of these were mates of the groom, one of whom took pleasure in showing how long and loud he could shout some catchphrase. Then we had a spot of gymnastics, and a request from Mr Obnoxious for something modern.

I fibbed a bit. " Have you got anything modern "?
" No mate, despite the tablet connected to the internet, a subscription to a DJ download, and a digital playout I only play 70s " Well come on, I'm white haired, it's believable. Many do. He requested the song which struck fear into my heart. Baggy Trousers!! Oh yes, the way you lot are going, I'm really likely to play that. Fortunately, they moved on before I was asked again. Phew!!

The evening continued to be sporadic, and guests started to trickle away. By 10.30pm it was lonely, and the groom told me to pack up. Yippee. He was happy, and as I packed up, the bar manager shook my hand and thanked me for a great night. Nice. It was still ing down, and I was wet through as I drove home. Ah well.

[sweetie]

Haven't done on of these before. My last full wedding gig was in my top 5 ever, marquee in Co. Wexford (near where Saving private Ryan beach scenes were shot) and last night I was not too far away in Co. Waterford for a 9-2 wedding with the groom's dad and sibling playing a short set through my PA and a couple of mics which I rigorously tested yesterday morning.

Arrived at 8, access to room wasn't given till 9.30 and then had to setup as quickly as possible. In the interim between booking me last year and the wedding they had sourced a bose L1 so my Pa wasn't really needed. I provided the mics anyhow just in case and had a small issue with one of my RCF 712s that was solved easily. They lads played a great set and I finally got to begin around 11. Now they had played a lot of my early doors tunes so after kicking off with a couple of 60s bangers I started moving through the massive suggestions list with very little success. I even went to uptown funk within the first 30 mins, which shows how desperate I was, but the worst response I've ever gotten to that.

They were a lovely couple who had some really good but leftfield stuff on the list like moderat, alt j and animal collective but seeing as the bankers weren't working and I was getting request for beyonce and dexys I was holding them for later. Lo and behold, a bit of teenage kicks and mumford kicked things off again and I had a really busy hour of indie and rock until with ten minutes to go the bride requests moderat and I duly played it knowing I'd lose half the floor but got them back for the finale of LCD soundsystem All my friends, mixed into Maniac 2000 (they didnt want a slow circle type finish.)

Maniac was going to finish right on the button of 2am but the venues security guy turned on all the lights and wouldn't change it despite my request. I was a bit miffed so when the crowd asked for another one I was happy to the security off and throw on twist and shout as I was starting to de-rig. I was expecting him to ask me to stop but he didn't and wished me a safe journey home half an hour later so perhaps it's often done there. I was happy with how the night ended but they had to have been the hardest crowd I've had to read for a long time!

[DazzyD]

...a request from Mr Obnoxious for something modern.

I fibbed a bit. " Have you got anything modern "?
...He requested the song which struck fear into my heart. Baggy Trousers!!

..

Baggy Trousers? Modern? Has he been in a coma for the last 36 years??

[Excalibur]

Baggy Trousers? Modern? Has he been in a coma for the last 36 years??

Errr, no. Baggy trousers was the fall back request when I told him I didn't have any modern. Thus, he went for an older classic, which he felt sure I'd have.

[CRAZY K]

I fibbed a bit. " Have you got anything modern "?
" No mate, despite the tablet connected to the internet, a subscription to a DJ download, and a digital playout I only play 70s " Well come on, I'm white haired, it's believable. Many do. He requested the song which struck fear into my heart. Baggy Trousers!! Oh yes, the way you lot are going, I'm really likely to play that. Fortunately, they moved on before I was asked again. Phew!!

Ah well.

Well Peter if I can get away with --I only play 70s -----a whole new career as aWedding DJ will be open to me

Do you think there is a big market out there

[funkymook]

Well Peter if I can get away with --I only play 70s -----a whole new career as aWedding DJ will be open to me

Do you think there is a big market out there

Definitely not, for weddings you have to play lots of modern chart music

[Imagine]

Definitely not, for weddings you have to play lots of modern chart music

....well at least Drake's One Dance and Whip Nae Nae

I'm enjoying a well earned bank holiday weekend off with the family, drinking beer in the garden and unwinding

[ukpartydj]

Definitely not, for weddings you have to play lots of modern chart music

Often you just have to accept their modern playlist, but don't actually get around to playing it as nobody really wants it half the time! Unless it's the very few super popular ones.

[Benny Smyth]

Right then!

Final gig of August, and to be brutally honest, I slammed it.

Former Uni students during the naughties, so I knew exactly what they wanted. I kept the dancefloor full all night, thus beating the great weather outside and the rabbit warren like venue. Couldn't have asked for a better gig to end the month with.

[Excalibur]

Right then!

Final gig of August, and to be brutally honest, I slammed it.

I see you've finally got over your low self esteem issues then, Benny?

Former Uni students during the naughties, so I knew exactly what they wanted.

Crap?