Good Gig, Bad Gig.

[DeckstarDeluxe]

I always finish at the agreed time which for NYE is 1 am. I may play one more if asked nicely and I can use that song to pack down lighting stuff so it's not really adding to my time.

People getting angry and upset you're not playing longer is a round about compliment when you think about it. If you're rubbish they'll be either long gone or glad you finished!


Not to turn it into a pricing thread but £350 for NYE with your own kit for that length of time is a bloody god damm steal for the client! If you're not enjoying that gig you can get that fee very easily elsewhere (I was double that at a regular repeat venue and enjoyed the gig too)

[Excalibur]

Not to turn it into a pricing thread but £350 for NYE with your own kit for that length of time is a bloody god damn steal for the client! If you're not enjoying that gig you can get that fee very easily elsewhere (I was double that at a regular repeat venue and enjoyed the gig too)

Oh no, INCOMING!

[rth_discos]

For some reason, that has really ed me off this year - they got a great deal, a great night, and left me feeling completely annoyed and like they'd taken advantage of my good will. So how many songs/how much longer after your scheduled end time is acceptable? I'm also considering telling them I won't be back ... what do others think?

Who was asking for the extra songs? The client, or the guests?

I regularly get guests wanting one more song.

I've always checked in advance with the venue the situation regarding "one more", and in 99% of the cases the venue makes it clear that the end time is the end time. This makes it much easier for me to stand my ground when asked for an additional song.

In most cases, the venue is paying staff to clear away the venue and close down - extra songs delay them being able to do this and therefore costs the venue more money. Some venues have even banned DJs who have continued playing beyond the scheduled end time, especially as some have noise restrictions to abide by.

[Excalibur]

Who was asking for the extra songs? The client, or the guests?

I regularly get guests wanting one more song.

I've always checked in advance with the venue the situation regarding "one more", and in 99% of the cases the venue makes it clear that the end time is the end time. This makes it much easier for me to stand my ground when asked for an additional song.

In most cases, the venue is paying staff to clear away the venue and close down - extra songs delay them being able to do this and therefore costs the venue more money. Some venues have even banned DJs who have continued playing beyond the scheduled end time, especially as some have noise restrictions to abide by.

Gavin wins any prize from the top shelf.

[Nakatomi]

I always check when it's a new venue & the policy is generally that the finishing time is the finishing time. Crowds baying for one more is as Neil said a bit of a compliment but there's often at least one person who wants to have a debate about your refusal to go on. I usually flatten that by asking them if they do free overtime in their job. "uh, well since you put it like that yeah".

If the venue's a stickler & you think there's going to be hollering for one more, maybe play your 'last song' early. Then if nobody asks you can always say "tell you what, since you've all been so lovely tonight why don't we have one more tune for the road eh?" & you still fill your contractual obligation to finish on the booked ending time.

A long time ago I used to fall into the trap of doing one more, then another, then another.. before we know it we're in 20 minutes unpaid overtime territory with very annoyed looking venue staff. Nope. Not going there again.

I was covering a gig for a friend on Saturday. I was due to be out on the drink the night before, but the draw of so much fun with a fully booked out function suite was too strong (so I took it despite knowing loading out would almost kill me). An 80s night, with 240 guests in a venue where everybody's usually totally up for it & there's rarely any trouble? Oh go on then!

The only snags with these hand-me-down gigs are a) the money isn't fantastic & b) the room is on the ground floor but the carpark is a full storey below that level

Loading in wasn't too bad & within 40 minutes I had my rig up & running. I met the events manager & was informed about timings.. guests arrive at 7pm, 2 courses of food roll out from 8 which should be all done within an hour 15. And yes - midnight finish means midnight! Yay. Let's go!

I played background, mixing a selection of hits from the 80s (duh), then just before 8 got on the mic to tell the guests the food was about to arrive - and let them know they could come & make requests & ask for shoutouts if they're celebrating anything - which I'd do after food time. Come 9.15 the dessert course was just about cleared away & I tempted a few dancers up with Prince's 1999. Then into Madonna's Into The Groove with a raft of birthday dedications & from there it was non-stop rammed floor til midnight. There were a couple of people who couldn't quite grasp that it'd been advertised as an 80s night so that's what I intended to do but they weren't idiots about it so I bent the rules for them (The Sweet's Teenage Rampage, Abba - Mamma Mia & Proud Mary ugh).

In stark contrast to the Christmas parties of last year, out of 238 guests not one was what I'd call rude to me. Was it a difference in geography? Time of year? I call that a big win anyway & it was the most fun I've had DJing in quite a while.

Come midnight as Don't Stop Believin' faded out a chant for one more song came. It built until just about everybody was doing it. Oddly enough I'd already cued up Tight Fit - The Lion Sleeps Tonight & got the ok from a staff member to play it.

I really wouldn't say no to more gigs like this. If they paid a bit more money

[DeckstarDeluxe]

I really wouldn't say no to more gigs like this. If they paid a bit more money

You can have a fun DJ gig, or a well paid one. You can't have both that's just ridiculous

[Jim - Scotland's Party DJ]

I never play "one more", certainly not after the allotted end time except in very very rare circumstances. You're not the first person that's did a turn for the crowd and get absolutely no thanks back for it, it's actually wound up feeling worse for you than if you'd just refused and ended on time....

In general, the venue don't want it for licensing reasons, staff don't want it because they want to finish up and my couples have usually decided the last song weeks, months and in some cases years in advance. I can't just bang on something random tunes because the drunkest people in the room don't want to go home yet.

If the couple want a non run of the mill end song I will suggest a false ending - big token Loch Lomond / Proclaimers whatever as the 'last' song which just so happens to finish 5 minutes before the bar shuts then into whatever they actually want to finish with. Everyone's happy.

As for dealing with aggro.

1 or 2 before the end if I think it's going to be an issue I ask the venue staff to stick their lights up as soon as song X is done, my lights go off and both laptops (lights and music) shut over right away and I'll stand to the side of my booth / in front of it cheering and clapping for the happy couple. If they're really going for it, a quick: "blah blah blah I wish I could play on but that's me already run over my time, once again - a massive cheer for ......" clap clap clap clap, mic off, run to the bogs to get changed.

If you get the token arse that won't let it go when I'm trying to tear down I find "You want more tunes? do you have a phone on you mate? Cool, there's this app called Spotify, it's got millions of music on it and you just turn your speakers up and then you can listen to whatever you want for the rest of the night, it's brilliant." Delivering that jokingly tends to land better and get them to leave you alone quicker than wasting your time trying to demonstrate how 80% of your rig is already in bags and cases.

[Imagine]

Well that's January done and dusted. A kid's party on the first weekend back (a BIG tick in the win column) and a wedding last night. 2024 is starting to look a lot like 2023 at the moment with very little until May and then absolutely manic.

So last night - a wedding I'd been tentatively looking forward to. Nice couple hosting their reception in a family member's gastro pub (think coaching inn....I don't do ordinary boozers).

Loaded up the van with the white rig not sure of how much kit was actually going to fit into the venue (there aren't a lot of pictures online and it was too far to go and scout out). As a side-thought, I also hastily loaded in the Combi booth and Maui 5's. Guess which rig saw the action?

Those little Maui 5's did themselves proud in a room not actually much bigger than my lounge and a crowd of 50 very well lubricated guests. The pre-requests I'd been sent were predominantly for '80s choons, with a smattering of stuff either side of the decade. What's not to like? The first dance (Everywhere, Fleetwood Mac) had them singing on the sidelines so much that I called them on to join in earlier than I normally would, and from there it just didn't stop.

Calls for the Spanish uncle were ignored at 11:45 due to the fact a bus had arrived to take them all home (I like it when this happens). Packed up and out of the venue with nobody chatting in the doorway and getting in my way within 20 minutes of playing the last song of the night.

If all weddings turn out like this in 2024, I'm going to be a very happy bunny

[Excalibur]

Friday saw something I don't often do, a pre-teen ( twelve, I was told ) glow party, with added Karaoke! Eek! The pill was sugared by the fact that it was only ten minutes from home, I know the parents and the venue. ( A lovely shed built to house a boat. It seems to be more of a party venue now.)
I sort of had a playlist. The Mum who was booking me said they don't do Spotify, yet my request list arrived as eight pages of jpegs of a Spotify playlist. Grrr.
No sweat, just lots of printing and paper shuffling. The children were good as gold, exceedingly lively, and very appreciative of many tracks. Taylor Swift was no surprise, but most of the Mamma Mia soundtrack was a shock to me. Switched off at 9pm ( yes, 9pm ) and was home at 10.05. Magic.

Saturday:
40th birthday in Sheffield. Yup, that's an ULEZ charge straight away. Also, the venue was changed after booking was agreed ( but before contracts ) to one that looked less appealing. I checked it out with a local DJ, who informed me that it was fine, acceptable access, but the landlord could be a bit grumpy, and liked to leave quickly. Oh great, just what I need, extra karaoke gear to shift, and another one tapping his feet and asking when I'll be finished.

He turned out to be perfectly pleasant, I followed the rules ( nice loud, prompt Last Orders, music off on time ) and packed up as quickly as the awkward stage ( access only by narrow stairs, quarter turn, with banisters. Why do venues do this) ? I'm getting ahead of myself here, the gig.
Birthday Boy was a big Eminem fan, there was talk of me dressing like him, but in the end I didn't do so, I hadn't anything suitable in the dressing up box.
With being on a high stage, only the organisers, younger ones, and karaoke singers made it up to see me, so my music requests were mainly R&Bilge, and similar even more obscure stuff. The Prime and Tidal coped admirably, and the only pre requests I had were for some Scooter, and old school rave. At 10pm we were supposed to have a Roly Poly strippogram, and I would be notified. Yes dear reader, it turned out to be a very comely Police Officer ten minutes earlier than planned, who sneaked in before I'd been told. She did her stuff ( with a room containing young children, I can't play explicit music, but she can get her chest out. )
With an 11pm finish, I had an hour to go, one last karaoke to do, and could I play some stuff for the Oldies at the back? I slotted in quite a few of those, including Hi Ho Silver Lining, which I'd forgotten is a footy song, Sheffield Wednesday. That went down really well, as Birthday boy is a huge fan, and the last four songs were for him, with the Hadrons let off the leash, lasers, strobes, the full monty.
We finished by singing Happy Birthday, and I started to pack up.

I'd got the monitor packed away early, and I was out in 40 minutes, which for me is pretty good. I'd cheated by not taking the big karaoke mixer, just using one cabled SM58 into the controller, and as I type this, I realise I could have sneaked another into the Prime, if I was desperate. Not ideal for a full karaoke night, but fine as an add on.
Now, what I hope is the best bit. As I said, I left the venue at 11.40pm, much of my journey was on the ring road, which at that time of night was running well. It was only as I got on The Parkway, outside the ULEZ, at 11.55pm, that I realised I'd be on the M1 at midnight, and I'd have cheated the second charge, as it's midnight to midnight. Yippee. Speaking of motorways, I don't know what was happening as I was going home Northwards, but I lost count of the blue light vehicles on the Southbound carriageway! Must have been something really big.

[Excalibur]

I have been remiss in recounting the tales of my travels and exploits, so here goes with a couple.
A colleague passed on a booking to me at a lovely little Social Club near Wakefield at the end of January. It was a 50th Birthday, no playlist, very few instructions, but a thoroughly enjoyable evening, with a very happy client at the end.

Saturday just gone was another matter entirely. Covering again at Forest Pines for Matthew Western, as striking rail workers and " forgetful " ( as in they'd forgotten to notify Matthew well in advance ) venue staff meant I was drafted in.
This seems to be an annual event, as Matthew was familiar with it from years past. It was a presentation night for a Law firm I think, two hundred people for a sit down meal, and band as well.

They deviated from Matthew's script in that I didn't need to provide mics for the presentation, as they'd done it elsewhere, and in the afternoon. Not only had I thrown the extra mics in the van, but the band offered a lovely Sennheiser as well! None were needed, so that was one less thing to do. The band were lovely folk, most of them looked around my vintage.
The other deviation was the stage. It was huge, and if it had been positioned further sideways, I might have been able to squeeze in on the floor, as Matthew had done apparently. I was honoured to be granted use of the end of the stage, and in many ways it was very good, as guests could easily nip up the splendid steps to ask for songs, as there was no way to do it from the front. In a spirit of reciprocal generosity, I managed to put one lighting column and one speaker on the floor to maximise space on the stage. It's a good job I did, as the five piece band needed a lot. The Gravity lighting stands can have extensions screwed on, so with one of them on the floor one, I could easily get it level with the stage one. A little bit of adjustment on tripods, and both HK speakers were roughly level, too.

So, meal first, and I played some varied stuff, and on announcing I would take requests, in they came straight away. Mainly very good ones, but one or two I had to work at a bit. All ages were there, so I had to cast my net wide. The band were doing mainly Soul and Disco classics, and very nice it was to listen to. The guests loved them, and packed the floor. As often happens, once they'd finished their first set, the floor emptied for a while, but refilled from time to time. After the band's second set finished at 11pm, we were away, and at the finish time of 1am, I still had a lot of folk on the floor, wanting more, and the venue staff were slow to get the lights up. It seemed that the bar was still serving as a residents bar, and most folk weren't leaving. Fortunately, my exit was in a different direction, and I loaded up in the pouring rain. It was still tipping it down when I got home, and I waded the last hundred yards, as the road was under water. It has subsided a lot now, but all round me there's water for miles.