Good Gig, Bad Gig.

[Nakatomi]

A fun filled weekend fuelled by sunshine for me. Friday saw me pootling along the A68 to Hexham Abbey to cover a gig for a friend (getting to be a Friday night theme, this!) as a walkin job. My brief was er.. brief & the only point of note was the much anticipated 1st dance had a false start. As in - I correctly judged the right time to start it (because the B&G had taken up their positions), pressed play & after 2 notes the bride shook her head, waved for me to stop & rushed off to get somebody or do something. Once back, I got them another rousing cheer & off we went. Woohoo!

From there it was tough going, with the sprawling venue & lovely weather providing other distractions. By 11.30pm there were only a handful of people left in the room & there could never have been any kind of 'big finish'. Que sera.

Ah the joys of walkin gigs.. I was packed down & in the lift in less than 5 minutes before heading over to see a friend at his gig at Slayley Hall. I'd seen pictures of his gig on FB messenger throughout the night & my curiosity was doing overtime. Once upstairs, when I opened the door a crack to take a peek before going in I was dumbfounded. A fancy dress gig, with some very interesting choices indeed. I ended up doing a guest spot so my mate could grab a comfort break & honestly, I've no idea how anybody gets away with using a VMS5 controller. I dunno if it was his config, or the mapping is broken but it was a struggle.

So then to Saturday - I had no previous contact with the couple bar a brief phone call yesterday morning, but it turned out to be my all-time favourite wedding EVER.

Tracklist follows:
The Source You Got The Love (Original Bootleg Mix) 113.6 19:11
Dua Lipa New Rules (Promo Only Intro Edit) 116 19:15
Justin Timberlake Can't Stop The Feeling! 113 19:19 R
Katy Perry f./Nicki Minaj Swish Swish (Promo Only Clean Edit) 120 19:22
Maggie Lindemann Pretty Girl (Cheat Codes X Cade Remix - Clean) 121 19:26
Rudimental f./Jess Glynne, Macklemore & Dan Caplen These Days (twoDB Remix - Extended) 124 19:29
Kungs & Cookin' On 3 Burners This Girl (Kungs vs Cookin' On 3 Burners) [Extended] 122 19:32
Galantis & Hook N Sling Love On Me (Extended Mix) 124 19:36
Enrique Iglesias Hero 152 19:38 FD
Cisco Kid The Roof Is on Fire 142 19:42 GR - there's a story associated with this I'm not going to share here. Enough said.
Kernkraft 400 Zombie Nation 140 19:44
Alice Deejay Better Off Alone 137 19:45
George Ezra Paradise 138 19:47
Portugal. The Man Feel It Still (Original) 158 19:51
Taylor Swift Shake It Off 80 19:54
Olly Murs Dance With Me Tonight 164 19:58
Wham! Wake Me Up Before You Go Go 81.3 20:01
Whitney Houston I Wanna Dance With Somebody (Who Loves Me) 118.8 20:05
OMI Cheerleader 118 20:09
Calvin Harris & Dua Lipa One Kiss (Promo Only Intro Edit) 124 20:12
Tom Zanetti f./Sadie Ama You Want Me (Original) 126 20:15
MK 17 (Original) 122 20:18
Jess Glynne Rather Be 121 20:21
Calvin Harris f./Pharrell Williams, Katy Perry & B Feels (Promo Only Intro Edit) 101 20:24
Paloma Faith 'Til I'm Done 120 20:28
Busted Crashed the Wedding 90 20:32 R
One Direction What Makes You Beautiful 125 20:35
Mark Ronson feat. Bruno Mars Uptown Funk 115 20:38
Wilkinson f./Matt Wills We Will Be (Original) 87 20:42 R
Rudimental Feel The Love ft. John Newman 90 20:46
Drake Nice For What (Clean) 93.5 20:50
Lil Dicky f./Chris Brown Freaky Friday (Clean Edit) 66.7 20:53
Kesha This Is Me (From The Greatest Showman) 96 20:56
DJ Khaled f./Rihanna & Bryson Tiller Wild Thoughts (Clean) 98 20:59
Anne-Marie 2002 96 21:02
David Guetta & Sia Flames 94 21:05 BUFFET TIME
Toto Africa 93 21:08
Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell Ain't No Mountain High Enough 129.1 21:13
Redbone Come And Get Your Love 107.2 21:15
Stevie Wonder Superstition 86.2 21:19
Lionel Richie All Night Long (All Night) 108.8 21:23
Electric Light Orchestra Mr. Blue Sky 88.3 21:27
Whitney Houston How Will I Know 118.7 21:31
Erasure A Little Respect 113.8 21:35
Eurythmics Sweet Dreams 126 21:38
Salt-N-Pepa Push It 127.6 21:41
Tiffany I Think We're Alone Now 130.8 21:43
Steps Tragedy 125 21:47
Pitbull Ft TJR Don't Stop The Party 127 21:50
Rihanna We Found Love (Album Version) [Feat. Calvin Harris] 128 21:53
David Guetta Feat. Chris Brown Yeah 3x 130 21:56
Gala Freed From Desire (full vocal) 129 21:59
Flo Rida feat. T-Pain Low 128 22:03
Pitbull Featuring Ne-Yo, Afrojack & Nayer Give Me Everything 129 22:05
Vengaboys We Like to Party! (The Vengabus) 136 22:09
Bellini Samba De Janeiro 133 22:12
JX There's Nothing I Won't Do 134.6 22:14
Silence (airscape Remix) [feat. Sarah Mclachlan] Delerium 136 22:18
Faithless Insomnia (Monster Mix) 126.9 22:21
Sandy B Make the World Go Round Deep Dish Vocal 12 Inch 122 22:23
Sash Encore Une Fois 133.8 22:30
Fragma Toca Me (Original Mix) 135.1 22:33
Coco I need a miracle (accapella) 66.4 22:34

^^^ see what I did there? I still don't own a copy of Toca's Miracle! So whaddya do? Remake it, LIVE of course!!

Snap! Rhythm Is A Dancer 124.3 22:36
Love Inc You're A Superstar 135 22:40
Chosen Few Nobody's Business 22:44 R

Now then the above request kicked off something of a classic house set. Boy, did I ever have a tear in my eye playing that lot & seeing them not just go down well but take the roof right off!

David Morales presents The Face Needin' U (I Needed U) (2001 Anthem mix) 130.3 22:48
Pulse Featuring Antoinette Roberson The Lover That You Are (Soul Solution & Hex Hector Club Mix) 125.1 22:54
Alison Limerick Where Love Lives (Dancing Divas Remix) 127.9 22:58
Praise Cats Shined On Me 128 23:02
Tori Amos Professional Widow (Armand's Star Trunk Funkin' Mix - Radio Edit) 128 23:06
The Bucketheads The Bomb (These Sounds Fall Into My Mind) 125.9 23:07
The Original I Luv U Baby (Dancing Divas 1995 Remix) 126.9 23:10
Danny Tenaglia Music Is The Answer 124.9 23:14
Livin Joy Dreamer 127.4 23:18
K-Klass Let me Show You 125.2 23:21
JX Son Of A Gun 129.9 23:24
Robin S Show Me Love (Extended Mix) 120.2 23:26
Degrees Of Motion Do You Want It Right Now 116.1 23:31
Jamiroquai Space Cowboy (Morales Classic Club Mix) 118.8 23:35
Chase & Status f./Tom Grennan All Goes Wrong (Tough Love Remix) 126 23:39
The Prodigy Firestarter 141.5 23:39 GR
Wilkinson Afterglow 87 23:44 R
Sigma Nobody To Love 87.5 23:47
Fatboy Slim Rockerfella Skank 152.6 23:50
House of Pain Jump Around 106.9 23:54
R. Kelly Bump N Grind 65.1 23:57 LAST SONG!

It's one thing to see the roof come off at a gig but quite another to do it with music from your halcyon days mixed in with great recent tunes. A real joy.

[rth_discos]

I've been a bit slack with gig reports recently, apologies!

Yesterday was a marquee wedding in the "back garden" of a farmer. I had done the wedding of the sister a year ago, so was booked on the result of that event, although they didn't want a carbon copy wedding, so had to work to change the interaction I did during the day. The marquee was also in a different field to the previous wedding, so that alone helped it feel different.

With the recent weather, they were concerned it might be a wash out, but they needn't have... it was a beautiful day - perfect blue skies all day. Perfect weather for an outside wedding. Although for some reason, the disco end of the marquee was covered by a clear plastic, which led to a greenhouse effect during the day. I did get a little worried about the equipment getting hot, but all was fine.

Around 75% of the guests had attended last year's wedding, and many recognised me, so was an 'easy' wedding in terms of the audience. Plus I find farmers are very obedient. When you ask them to do something, they do it.

Caterers were also surprised that I had every one sat down in time for the food service which they said was unheard of with marquee weddings (understandable when you don't have someone in control of the timeline), but for me it's just 'standard' to get everyone seated on time and keep the timeline on track.

The first dance had been scheduled for between 8:30-9pm, as there was a pizza van serving from 8pm, plus, from experience, at this time of year it's way too light to do earlier.

Photographer was someone I went to school with, and a well respected destination photographer, of which this was the second wedding I've worked with him within a couple of months. He said the sunset looked amazing and thought it'd be great if the first dance could be outside. So I said let's do it! I can't wait to see the photos - it should be stunning - a circle of friends and family surrounding them with the sun setting over the hills in the distance.

And off the back of the first dance, they all headed inside to start dancing and kept going until the 12 midnight finish.

Really happy with how the event went and was nice to see the bride and groom from last year's wedding!

[Excalibur]

My but this game is peaks and troughs sometimes. Friday night was grim in many ways, and yesterday was the exact opposite. Wedding at a beautiful Boutique Bistro, not too far from home. I got there mid afternoon, and got all the gear set up in a little chair storage alcove, and was able to then draw the curtains over it. Magic. Groom had asked for a less frantic lightshow, so it was old school, with a batten over the bar, gobo projector and Cheetahs making up the numbers. Very tasteful and understated.

The evening do was scheduled for a 7.30 start, so I killed a bit of time on the free wifi at a local coffee emporium, run by clowns. I got back to the venue while speeches were going on, and was in playing music as they started the room turn round, which gave me a lot more room in my storage/performance area. As often happens, the little ones commandeer the floor, and we had a few songs for them. With the weather being so warm, and the brilliant patio area outside, guests were constantly changing. I had the bar in my bit, so they had to keep coming back in.
Special mention must go to the bar staff. They were fantastic, my glass was never empty, and they kept me informed of every event to announce. If only they were all like that.

The playlist is posted above, and while there were some left field ones I struggled to fit in easily, I got lots of traction with classic Disco, Northern Soul, and selected 80's. The floor was nicely busy all night, and the whole thing was possibly even more enjoyable than I'd hoped. There is a question which is perhaps understandable, given my advanced years. When you have a mixed/older audience, and you're ramming the floor with music from the previous millennium, why is it a good idea to play this week's chart and empty the dancefloor?

[rth_discos]

Playlist from last night (starting with First Dance):

Van Morrison - Into The Mystic
Earth, Wind & Fire - September
The Bee Gees - You Should Be Dancing
The Jacksons - Can You Feel It
Chaka Khan - I'm Every Woman
KC and the Sunshine band - That's the way i like it
Chic - Good Times
Diana Ross - I'm Coming Out
KC and the Sunshine Band - Get Down Tonight
Michael Jackson - Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough
David Bowie - Let's Dance
Wild Cherry - Play that funky music
The Pointer Sisters - Dare Me
Dolly Parton - 9 To 5
Beyonce - Single Ladies (Put A Ring On It)
Walk The Moon - Shut Up And Dance
Sia Feat. Sean Paul - Cheap Thrills
Sean Paul - Like Glue
Kungs & Cookin' On 3 Burners - This Girl
Craig David x Big Narstie - When The Bassline Drops
LMFAO - Sexy and I Know It
Haddaway - What Is Love
Robin S - Show Me Love
Livin' Joy - Dreamer
Deee-Lite - Groove Is In The Heart
Cameo - Candy
Mark Morrison - Return Of The Mack
Toploader - Dancing In The Moonlight
Groove Armada - Superstylin'
Reef - Place Your Hands
Arctic Monkeys - I Bet You Look Good On The Dancefloor
Tina Turner - Proud Mary (with Ike Turner)
Hall & Oates - You Make My Dreams
Stevie Wonder - Superstition
Diana Ross Feat. The Supremes - You Can't Hurry Love
Jacksons - Blame it on the Boogie
The Beatles - Twist and Shout
Soft Cell - Tainted Love
Erasure - A Little Respect
Michael Jackson - Billie Jean
Aretha Franklin - Respect
The Wurzels - The Combine Harvester (Brand New Key)
Wilson Pickett - Mustang Sally
Robin Thicke f. Pharrell & T.I. - Blurred Lines
Whitney Houston - I Wanna Dance With Somebody (Who Loves Me)
Mark Ronson Feat Amy Winehouse - Valerie
Van Morrison - Brown Eyed Girl
Proclaimers - I'm Gonna Be (500 Miles)
Bon Jovi - Livin On a Prayer
Donna Summer - Last Dance
Queen - Don't Stop me Now

[Jim - Scotland's Party DJ]

Argh - the one time a first dance has completed poo'd the bed it was Into The Mystic (thank God for parallel back ups!)

Had a really good one on Saturday night. Barn wedding playing alongside a saxophonist for a lot of the evening plus the groom was a total indie lad so I got to drop loads of 90s classics.

Hey Jude for the end of the night instead of Loch Lomond for a nice change and lots of lovely comments from guests and feedback already received from the bride so all good.

[Excalibur]

Wedding on Friday at a local golf club. I set up in the morning, so had a relaxed start to the night. Well I would have done, were it not for the young lady who asked if I could make it a lot louder, when I was twenty minutes into a five hour gig!
The crowd were all ages, but predominantly older.
Sadly, almost all requests came from the younger ones, including my drunken friend, especially for nineties dance. Not a style of music with the widest appeal, sadly. Every time I was getting somewhere with mainstream music, requests came in for something which reduced the floor to single figures.

By the end, it was a struggle, especially since my "shadow" was at my side permanently it seemed, but virtually incoherent, and needing support. The groom shook my hand and thanked me, so not too bad.

Currently waiting for the FFN ( Legslappers) to hand over to me for the last two and a half hours. This one's the best crowd and venue we get, and I've got more kit out than normal. Subs and tops, when I could manage with a pair of fifteens only, and a lot of light, two battens, two crossfire and hadrons.

[ppentertainments]

I don't want to sound stuck up or anything, but 99% of my work is in nice(ish) hotels, marquees etc.

The past year. has seen me get quite a few bookings in Rugby/Golf clubs and even in Workingmens Clubs

This evenings wedding was in a Rugby Club and I have realised why I market to Hotel and Marquee weddings

From the moment I pulled up and saw the kids bouncy castle in the car park, to the end of the night where I had to finish 10 minutes early (without warning) as the manager wanted everyone off site by midnight, to him trying to hurry me up to pack away. He couldn't understand why I didn't want to leave it till the morning and have another 80 mile round trip Strange thing is my 20 minute packup took 35 minutes - no idea why

Anyway, was actually a good night but there is definitely a difference in weddings depending on the venue I think lol.

[Excalibur]

but there is definitely a difference in weddings depending on the venue I think lol.

I don't. My but I've seen some shocking behaviour from well heeled types, and in high class venues.

My gig? Well, the Demon Drink struck again.
An FFN gig which is really the highlight of the year. A great community centre, an audience who are dancing on the tables from the first song, and always pay for me to play an extra hour. I've got a large rig in, a hundred folk dancing in front of me to everything I play, it doesn't get any better than that.

Until some decides to stick one on somebody ten minutes from the end, and sporadic fisticuffs break out, with one innocent lady laid out on the floor. Really takes the shine off a night.

[Jim - Scotland's Party DJ]

Very nice reception only (married 5 weeks ago in a small ceremony) at the Glasgow University Union last night.

Bit of a different run of things as there was no first dance and the guests hadn't been drinking for 8 straight hours by time I'd started but I built things up and it was a good yin.

My heart sunk about an hour in when a young lady bounced over and asked if I had a twin and had I went to X high school.

Turns out she remembered me even though I was years above her - my brother and I (who are twins) played in a band back at school so people still remember us, terrible as the band was

Usually someone I know being in the audience is a sure fire way for a mediocre night but it was great and at the end of it the bride came up and said my pal thinks she went to school with you and said you're amazing.

So yeah, acquaintances hoodoo lifted apparently.

[Nakatomi]

Turned out that a recent bride who gave me a 5* review is great mates with a lady friend of mine who used to come to the clubs I worked. It's a small world after all! Best of all this revelation came about on my farcebook business page.