Good Gig, Bad Gig.

[mattydj50]

I don't know what's coming other than I'll now be working very closely with the new wedding coordinator. They've never had one of them for years so things in general should get a lot better.

Don't you believe it. If they are anything like the one at my venue, you'll get even less help. On Friday night we were given First Dance details on arrival and the previous Saturday one of our request sheets was mysteriously produced on the night with a 43 song list appended.

Out of t he last 5 gigs there, 3 have been 7.00 entrance for 7.30 starts (my agreed set-uo time is one hour). I normally arrive around 5 - 5.30 for a 7pm start. Even the venue themselves can't turn the room round in half an hour.

The Wedding Co-Ordinator there doesn't work Fridays or Saturdays so is never around when the manure encounters the air conditioning.

[DazzyD]

I don't normally write up reviews but Saturday was a bit different - partly for the wrong reasons - so I thought I'd share!

We were booked to do a wedding for a lovely lass that has seen us several times before and we did her dad's 50th birthday party at Sunderland AFC Stadium of Light. So she knew what to expect. The venue was Crook Hall, not in the town of Crook at all but pretty much in the heart of Durham City. The venue has lovely grounds and we were told, if the weather was fine, we'd be playing outside. So far so good.

We got to the venue in good time and were approached by the duty manageress who told us to set up in the Old Hall. I explained that we were expecting to set up outside but she said "Oo, no. That doesn't happen. You're in the hall!". Fine, I thought. No chance of getting rained on after all! So we unloaded the gear in to the Old Hall at which point the manageress caught my roadie and said she'd made a mistake and that we were upstairs! In a rather small room. Fair enough. We're adaptable. We'll manage. Just as we were about to move the gear upstairs, she reappears and say "Ah, my misunderstanding! You are outside after all!". I said "If we have to move the gear all the way to the far side of the garden we'll struggle to be ready in time!". She said "But you're not due to start until 10pm". I said "No, we're booked from 6pm til 11pm with a 1hr 40 mins break for the band". She looked at her sheet and said "That's not what it says here!". She went away, came back and apologised once again as we were indeed due to start for 6pm. Then she said that 6pm is no chance as they weren't finished with the meal and formalities in the garden yet! We took the gear outside and built up the rig behind where the guests were enjoying the wedding. Then, when they'd finished, my roadie (and brother!) helped them move the tables so we could move in to place. We were set up and ready about 5 minutes behind time so not too bad!

We started playing the background music til about half 6 when the many-piece swing band arrived and wanted to set up in front of us and have their bit practise before their start time. That was fine. There were no guests around anyway so we turned the music off so they could get set up. When they were set up, they decided to start their set early because it looked like it was going to rain! To be fair, they were quite good playing swing and jazz versions of the classics and more well known stuff. Then, they had their break and we started playing. Four lights up on the output meter but the manageress still came out and asked us to turn it down as a neighbour (PITA is an apt description!) was complaining about the noise. She told the band they should keep it down during their second set with the wedding singer! We played a few songs and then it was time for the band's second set. Half way through that, the manageress came out and told us to move the disco inside and that we'd be finishing the music at 10.45pm as all the guests had to leave by 11pm! We did as asked, carrying the rig through the crowd dancing to the band, and were asked several times if we were packing up to leave! I had to explain that no, we were just moving inside. Once inside, we set up in double quick time. My roadie doesn't normally stay the entire night but, thankfully, he did this time and was a god send!

When the band finished, people were quite slow to find come in and find us but we eventually had the room rammed, everyone dancing (there are no seats in the Old Hall!) and everyone bouncing around having a damn good time! We finished slightly over the 10.45pm "must be finished" deadline and people were great with us. We got thanked for a good night and the amount of "selfies with the DJ" that occurred during the gig was unbelievable! That's never happened before!

So, despite the hiccups (the manageress was only a young lass and she did come to us at the end and apologise for the hassle of moving us - she also said we were the fastest disco ever to play there for breaking down at the end of the night ready to leave!) it was a really good night. One of the best weddings I've ever done. The happy couple were fantastic, the guests were great, and the band was really good. I'm just not to sure about the venue!

[Excalibur]

I don't know what's coming other than I'll now be working very closely with the new wedding coordinator. They've never had one of them for years so things in general should get a lot better.

Old Spots cleared and ready for take off.

Don't you believe it.

The Wedding Co-Ordinator there doesn't work Fridays or Saturdays so is never around when the manure encounters the air conditioning.

How convenient. The person who knows everything about everything isn't there. Brilliant.

One of the best weddings I've ever done. The happy couple were fantastic, the guests were great, and the band was really good. I'm just not to sure about the venue!

I'm absolutely sure. Bottoms and arm joints spring to mind. I've got this lovely picture in my head of you all set up playing merrily away, with all the guests in an entirely different part of the venue!!

[CRAZY K]

The venue has lovely grounds and we were told, if the weather was fine, we'd be playing outside. So far so good.

:

Doesnt sound good to me.

Pleased to hear it all went well, however if we are asked to play OUTSIDE with MUSIC the first thing we INSIST ON is rain cover.

Sadly some inexperienced venue dont understand the H and S risks--they also dont have ANY IDEA about the weather.

We worked June in Birmingham on a big Rodeo Bull/Western event, because of countless problems historically I INSISTED the Music and Dancing was indoors.

Brainless who was the Manager insisted it wouldnt rain despite gathering dark clouds and production of a smart phone with rain forecast in an hour---the brainless answer--well it did this last night and it didnt rain--eh? doh

Sadly as my son didnt have a Contract which says --WE GET THE LAST CALL ON THE WEATHER--( it does now ) the client wanted all the Rodeo Games outside--my son agreed begrudgingly and of course IT RAINED LIKE HELL --blowing the electrics eventually, even with protective Marquees.

In the meantime the Venue Manager had off home.

Lucky for them I can tell you

Just a cautionary tale--its ok for Musicians to just walk inside--DJ with full kit or my Country Show--no chance.

[funkymook]

The Wedding Co-Ordinator there doesn't work Fridays or Saturdays so is never around when the manure encounters the air conditioning.

A lot of venue wedding co-ordinators are just sales people, that’s why I always find out who the duty manager is going to be on the day and copy them in on all emails confirming what’s been agreed and ask for their acknowledgement.

[Nakatomi]

Old Spots cleared and ready for take off.

Hey dont let one or two bad experiences get in the way of optimism Peter

With no gigs of my own on my books I either have to clutch at straws or grasp a rather imposing looking nettle.

I did have one keen lead though. Offered payment upfront in full in cash this week (for october) & the venue isn't in what I'd call a nice part of town. I decided my calendars hadnt properly synced & I suddenly was no longer available.

As for your gig Darren... One of the best ever & you only had to move the rig three times? My God... You must have halos you two!

[Shakermaker Promotions]

A lot of venue wedding co-ordinators are just sales people, that’s why I always find out who the duty manager is going to be on the day and copy them in on all emails confirming what’s been agreed and ask for their acknowledgement.

Exactly the same here mate!
There's no point dealing with someone who is just there in the midweek to sell the venue and doesn't really have any interest in the actual wedding because they are part of the "I only work Monday to Friday" bunch and once it hits 5.30pm on Friday or whatever their hours are, they're out the door and not to be seen again until Monday morning.

[Nakatomi]

Exactly the same here mate!
There's no point dealing with someone who is just there in the midweek to sell the venue and doesn't really have any interest in the actual wedding because they are part of the "I only work Monday to Friday" bunch and once it hits 5.30pm on Friday or whatever their hours are, they're out the door and not to be seen again until Monday morning.

The new one in my res has stuck around on weekends & we've already met briefly. Whether that's going to stay that way remains to be seen.

[DazzyD]

...
I'm absolutely sure. Bottoms and arm joints spring to mind. I've got this lovely picture in my head of you all set up playing merrily away, with all the guests in an entirely different part of the venue!!

I think the poor lass had a job sheet with very duff info on it! I'm not sure it was her fault. She was really apologetic and sweet to be fair. As for me playing to an empty room. That did happen for about the first two minutes before people realised where we were. It took about another five minutes to completely ram the Old Hall with guests totally up for a good time. They were even up dancing on the balcony that overlooks the hall! It really was good to see!

Doesnt sound good to me.

Pleased to hear it all went well, however if we are asked to play OUTSIDE with MUSIC the first thing we INSIST ON is rain cover.
...

We provided our own rain cover just in case. It's a pop-up gazebo-type structure that takes literally less than a minute to assemble. We were covered. My biggest issue was the flipping insects that seemed to enjoy whacking in to my face!

[Shakermaker Promotions]

The new one in my res has stuck around on weekends & we've already met briefly. Whether that's going to stay that way remains to be seen.

At my main hotel residency, the assistant manager had been doing the wedding co-ordinator role too for the last 6 or 7 years (since I've been there anyway).
He has always met the customers with me and we've worked together very well. He has also been there at the functions probably 9 times out of 10. The feedback he gets from the customers is 100% positive and being honest, he deserves it as he's very good at his job.

In November of last year a new girl started. They both do the role between them and he still continues to do the assistant manager role too.
She's a nice girl and we get on well but not once has she sat in on a meeting with me (even if it has been midweek) and she's strictly 8.00am - 4.30pm, Monday to Friday. Whenever I speak with customers about who they are dealing with they say the guys name rather than hers and that's even for current bookings.

As has been said already, this kind of person isn't really a co-ordinator as such and isn't hands on, they are just sales and in the office all the time, probably in reality they're selling to keep themselves in a job. I could go and become a wedding co-ordinator or planner just like that and be very good at it. Some have the passion and others it seems, really don't.