Good Gig, Bad Gig.

[Excalibur]

From your description Daryll, I'd cheerfully have swapped you. Mine was a curate's egg. Local Social Club, fairly small, with a few lights installed, so I don't need to take much. Set up on the pool table, so few lights, no stand, and ten minutes from home, well you can see why I don't chase bigger money further afield.

Got set up early as usual, last time I was there the staff reckoned the Powerbar made it too bright, so I took two moonflowers on a tripod, and used two ADJ Tri Leds behind me as uplighters. I was delighted with the effect,and will be doing it more often. The crowd was more mixed than I often see there, and tastes varied considerably. Every time I got into a nice groove with something that had been requested, I'd get a young 'un with the obligatory " take this boring old crap off, and putt something modern on. We'll all dance". Yes dear reader, you're already ahead of me. They didn't dance. On one notable occasion, when I had a fairly full dancefloor, this course of action cleared it totally, and by the sixth or seventh repeat of this pantomime, my patience was wearing thin. Very thin. One young lady who had been very vocal earlier on realised the error of her ways, when "something modern" had failed to move a single punter for the umpteenth time, said " Play Cotton eye Joe and Cha Cha slide then ".

I played many mini sets of three to five songs of a style, and nothing really set the place on fire. Overall, a slightly subdued crowd, perhaps all partied out. The good news was that as has been the case most years, we were the busiest venue in the village. ( Although to be fair, our main competition didn't have a disco. On Christmas Eve when they did, I reckon it was probably a score draw. )
Ah well, could have been worse, no fights, no drink spilled on the kit, and the setup worked well. Let's see what 2013 brings.

[djdave01]

I will be glad to see that pile of duck spawn relegated to the anal`s of history

Daryll

Have to agree, that song has to be my most hated one of the year, had to play it 3 times last night I suspect it'll be another Cha Cha Slide or YMCA, and we'll still be getting asked for it in 30 years time

My NYE gig had just 25 adults & 15 kids. Despite that, it was a decent night. Not many requests from the adults but the kids kept it going. Adults started joining in around 11pm.

12.10am, people started leaving, 12.30am, finished. Was home by 1.15

Happy New Year to you all

[alphawave]

Very productive night....Was playing at my local con club,so 2 minutes from home and know everyone there..
I knew it would be a busy one as everyone drinks round the pubs first then ends up there so i set up on the pool table so 2 speakers either side with lighting rig set up behind me and parked right outside to pretty much zero walking to and from!!
Got going at 11pm as i thought and kept it there as i was playing lots of 60s and 70s,jive bunny,beatles, spring to mind but had the youth asking for club stuff so i played some at 11.30pm but noticed a slight drop in numbers so back to classics it was,also i think people go for a top up or fag break... I know i played Gangnam,DJ Ozti ~ Hey baby then Summer of 69 before big ben chimes....And got the timing spot on...(Thanks mastermix).....
Then straight into party music,The Wurzels went down a storm! Then some Build me up butter cup style tunes as it was so hot in there i could see people getting to hot and slowing down....Ending at 1am i ended on Tina Turner ~ the best and Robbie Williams ~ Angels with everyone grouped up sang to......
So after a mad night and a thank you from the locals i de rigged and drove back,....Although i had to dodge the sick and tissues outside and some couples fallen out and lots of drunk shouting outside etc... I didn't touch a drop all night but was tipped off my local pub was still open so had a quick pint in there...and manly to cool down and get my head straight.... Hope everyone else had a good night....

[chrisj]

I can beat that Dave, I had 22 in the pub + the manager and his wife. No kids but the friendliest pub crowd I have ever known. 2 teens, no more than 6 more under 30, 1 request all night but with middle of the road 60's 70's 80's and touch of 90's plus some modern at was a great night and I was asked if I will do it again next year.
Fireworks just after midnight and buffet when they came in again until 1.15pm. Did 15 mins extra than on contract.

[Shakermaker Promotions]

Happy New Year everyone!

I had a very good NYE party although it was pretty stressful in the build up and I am wondering now how I actually managed to get through it.
I had a hire job on at my local because for the first time in 6 years I was DJing at one of my residencies.
The day before NYE I came down with that horrible sick bug thing and was in a right state. It was still there yesterday and I felt terrible. I was getting stressed and very anxious too which didn't help.
Set up the Sound & Light hire at the pub and tested it all with the DJ. All was perfect and rightly so because it was stuff that I use all the time.
I then went and set up for my gig and had a few hours left during the afternoon to try and dose myself up and try to feel better. It didn't work.

I didn't need to be at my gig until 8.30pm and the pub gig was starting at 8.00pm. At 8.05pm I got a call from the pub to say that there was no sound coming out?
I got to the pub as quick as I could and tried to sort out the problem. It was the amp. For some reason it just wasn't switching on? Tried different power leads etc but no joy so legged it back home and got another amp. All sorted just before 8.30pm and then straight to my gig.

Mine was a small-ish gathering of around 80 and it included the Manager and a small party of her friends too. I was sick again before I started and had to run out during one of the songs to visit the loos again. As I said, I was getting pretty anxious. It wasn't a nice feeling I can tell you.
Party wise I can't fault it. There were a number of people there that go every year and I got 4 x £10.00 tips from their table alone. I actually received £70.00 in tips last night which was nice and unexpected.

Biggest surprise of the night for me was when a guy in his 70's who goes every year and has a number of functions at the hotel throughout the year came up and said "Gary, do you have that 'Gangster Style' song?". I knew he meant PSY so I put it on a bit later and he actually got up and attempted to do it with the rest of his group. It was hilarious.
Lots of dancing and I was booked until 01.00am. I did initially think when I first saw the guests that it may be a case of some leaving once Midnight had passed but I was wrong. All of the guests were staying overnight and I finished at 01.15am with everyone still there.

I've had about 1 hours kip because I've been up all night coughing. Collected the equipment from both gigs this morning and am now trying to get better as I am out again on Friday and Saturday. I also need to arrange to get this amp looked at.
Phew!

[theoloyla]

Get well soon Gary. I was on my own last night as Jan is still poorly. I only had about 40 people most of whom were elderly. 7pm start with background whilst they dined (6 courses) and started dancing at 9.30. Had them dancing all night. Mostly oldies and no "Gangnam". Most stayed until the end at 1am and I got two rounds of applause!

[Excalibur]

I didn't need to be at my gig until 8.30pm and the pub gig was starting at 8.00pm. At 8.05pm I got a call from the pub to say that there was no sound coming out?
I got to the pub as quick as I could and tried to sort out the problem. It was the amp. For some reason it just wasn't switching on? Tried different power leads etc but no joy so legged it back home and got another amp. All sorted just before 8.30pm and then straight to my gig.

Not the Crown?

Please tell me it wasn't the Crown.

Please.

[paul1404]

Wicked night on new years eve - Club was packed - stopped letting people in Dropped INSOMNIA vs OTTO KNOWS MILLIONS VOICES after 12 place went mad
Keeped the tunes banging till 3 am - mainly house drum n bass n urban

Best set Ive ever done

[Shakermaker Promotions]

Had a really good gig last night at a venue in Farnham. Funnily enough I have had 2 bookings there in the past that were double bookings so they were done by other people. It was the first time I had been there myself and it was very nice. The italian staff were some of the most helpful and complimentary I have met. They asked me for a cards and said they'd recommend me.
The gig was a 50th birthday for a lady who works for a company that I do around 4 gigs a year for. She booked me last March and we'd been in constant contact during the year as she was so excited. One of the things she said to me was that she was a 50 year old with the music taste of an 18 year old so she wanted it predominantly current with some scatterings of 80's and 90's in there.

Set up at around 6.30pm for a 7.30pm start and at 7.25pm there was nobody there! 100 guests invited and for a moment I wondered whether anyone was going to turn up.
At 7.30pm on the dot there was a rush of people and they went straight on to the (small) dance floor and it was like that all night. They danced to everything I played.
I'd contacted the venue in advance to arrange access and set up times and they'd informed me that they had lights installed if I wanted to use them. I took my own but didn't use them in the end.

Everything went very well. I felt comfortable as I recognised lots of people from previous parties I had for the ladies work parties.
Lots of requests kept coming in during the evening and I had everything apart from 'The Cupid Shuffle' or whatever it's called? I'm guessing I should know what it is but I have never heard of it and have never been asked for it either. I've checked it out this morning though.

The birthday 'girl' absolutely loved it and she texted me as I was on my way home to thank me and apologise for not saying goodbye (I didn't see her).
She texted me again this morning to say thanks again and to say she wanted to book me for one of her daughters 21st birthday party later on in the year. The lady from her work who books me for their work parties also gave me 3 dates too so it was a good night.

There was a 'downer' though and I kept my cool throughout.
Everything was going well, the dance floor was packed and it was about 10.30pm. There were lots of 18 - 25's there too and they were all cool and enjoying the night but one guy who was absolutely mullered ran straight on to the dance floor and started barging into people. He was falling over the place and in the end he came falling backwards at speed into my set up. I looked at him and shook my head and just said "Be careful" and he went off on one. He started shouting at me and was clenching his fists. He said something and I didn't hear him so I leant over to try and hear him and he swung for me which was a bit of a surprise. He didn't get me because I dodged him. I didn't think anyone saw it but the ladies husband had and he came over straight away. He asked if all was ok so I told him what had happened. It wasn't too much bother to me and to be honest, I was more worried about the birthday girl having her night spoilt by the idiot. I told her husband this and also said that if he came back in and continued, I would stop what I am doing until he was gone. The husband said he'd sort it and all was well until the guy came running in again and came straight up to me and was pointing his finger in my face and shouting obscenities.

As I said, I kept my cool even though I really wanted to lump him one. Most of the people saw this and he was 'escorted' out by a number of guests and not let back in. Nice guy eh!
The birthday girl was very apologetic and apologised again via text this morning. She said that he was 21 and a recovering alcoholic would you believe. That explains everything!
She also said that I wouldn't be bumping into him again as he was a friend of a friend.
Other than that, a really enjoyable evening.
Ho Hum!

[Jim - Scotland's Party DJ]

Shame that some idiot put a damper on a good gig mate.

He should have been thrown out the first time, the bar staff wouldn't be expected to put up with some idiot trying to punch them so why should you?