Originally Posted by
Shakermaker Promotions
I used to do the exact same thing. A lot of people that know me, know that I prefer the alternative side of music (whatever that may be these days?). A lot of them asked me over the years how I ended up doing weddings (for example), playing music that they considered 'rubbish' (each to their own and all that).
I would always tell them that it isn't about what I like personally, it is about what the customer wants.....simple as that (yet some still don't get it)....
I was doing a wedding fair at one of my residencies a couple of months before I moved away, and I was approached by a Bride to be and her Mum. It was the Mum that was asking all the questions. The Bride had a Goth/Rock look about her (which I like), and she was pretty quiet. I asked her what SHE was into and her face lit up when she started talking about the bands she liked. I could see she had a passion, and wondered why she was so quiet. Her Mum said "We don't want any of her kind of music in the evening as it will scare everybody off"..... I thought that was out of order, after all....it wasn't HER big day, was it.
The Bride to be had mentioned the likes of Disturbed, White Zombie and Transplants when she spoke of the music she liked, and I replied that I liked it too.....and again, her face lit up. I wasn't trying to be rude towards her Mum or anything (and she didn't take offence), but I said "Who says you can't have a bit of Down with the Sickness (Disturbed), on your wedding day.... "That would be so cool" she replied....."So, why not?" I said...
She then commented "I didn't think DJ's like you existed" (Well.....we DO!).
I don't think it is even that to be honest....I think it is about giving the customer what they want. I couldn't actually DJ at the wedding myself in the end due to a number of reasons, but Daryll covered it for me and apparently, it was a good night.
I had communicated with the Bride regularly in the lead up to the wedding, and I put the idea across of playing her choices towards the end of the evening. I think that's what eventually happened and she was happy.
There's no reason why any genre of music that the customer likes can't be catered for at some point at their function. They're the customer, they deserve it and they're paying for it.
I look back at this particular example (and there were others along the way too), and I think that if I had not said something, she may have ended up having to endure the usual suspects and not being impressed. She may well have had a good time, but I am confident that she had a much better time because some of her favourites were included. The Mum understood, but it would not have bothered me if I had DJ'd and the Mum had been sat there with a face like a slapped backside because the music wasn't her cup of tea. It was her daughter's wedding, not hers...