Good Gig, Bad Gig.

[Tom]

Had one last night in hastings. From what I heard, it was for a wine club.

Got there for 6 for a 7.30 start. Well I say 7.30, thats when the guests arrive and begin to have there meal.

IN the mean time, by roadie and me went in to the other half of the bar and decided to have a game of darts. Well, we are both so bad but who cares. We spent about an hour trying to get from 1 up to 50. Was a laugh mind you. lol.

Anyway...

Before we knew it, it was time to begin the disco. The time was now 10.30pm.

SO I started to play ots of christmas songs as they were all still sitting down and talking plus drinking lots of wine and beer. There was 35 people altogether.

As I was playing the music and trying to mix, I heard quite a nasty comment made about me just after 5 minutes of being there. The comment was "ohh look who we got, it's fat boy slim" . I'm sorry but this really did mee right off. They don't know me or know who I am so how can they make a comment like that .

Anyway. So after 20 minutes I started to play some easy 70's music then was requested for Love Shack. I was hoping for a non cheese night but I knew that was not on the cards. I did my little speach about requests and all. Got 8 requests but only had 6 of them. The ones I didnt have was one by cupid??? and Vogue by Madonna.

After those 6 songs the floor was dead and they started to drink more wine and talk. So I played some 80's to change the music.

Still nothing.

So on went Dancing Queen by Adba and the floor was rammed again. So I thought if this is works then I'll stick to it. I then kept most of them on the floor then.

There was one guy who had pink jeans with green socks on. . He loved It's raining Men when I stuck that on (was a request). lol.


At the end of the night I got a lot of thank you's and shook hands with quite a few people aswell.

Bit of an odd night really.

[Excalibur]

Had one last night in hastings. From what I heard, it was for a wine club.

After those 6 songs the floor was dead and they started to drink more wine and talk. So I played some 80's to change the music.

Still nothing.

There was one guy who had pink jeans with green socks on. . He loved It's raining Men when I stuck that on (was a request). lol.


At the end of the night I got a lot of thank you's and shook hands with quite a few people aswell.
Bit of an odd night really.

Tom, are you absolutely sure it was a WINE club? I'm not sure you should be working in such venues, and certainly not shaking anything belonging to a man in pink jeans! Last time I got chatted up was by a chap like that, the staff were in hysterics! I think my moustache may have given the wrong impression.

As I was playing the music and trying to mix, I heard quite a nasty comment made about me just after 5 minutes of being there. The comment was "ohh look who we got, it's fat boy slim" . I'm sorry but this really did mee right off. They don't know me or know who I am so how can they make a comment like that .

Tom, the man probably thought he was being funny. I once had a chap covering a gig for me who was doing his set mixing like a man possessed. Sadly, he was wasting his time, as all they wanted was party songs. He was happy to be paid early to go home, and the punters were happy when I took over. ( I'd just done a kids party elsewhere, you see)
It's horses for courses, just chalk it down to experience.

[Tom]

Tom, are you absolutely sure it was a WINE club? I'm not sure you should be working in such venues, and certainly not shaking anything belonging to a man in pink jeans! Last time I got chatted up was by a chap like that, the staff were in hysterics! I think my moustache may have given the wrong impression.

100% sure wine club. It was the first time they went to this pub. They really enjoyed the meal, not so much of the music but hey ho. I still got paid a very nice sum of money so i'm happy. lol

I didnt get to shake his hand. Never mind. lol.

You might want to shave that hair lip off and see what happens next time.

Tom, the man probably thought he was being funny. I once had a chap covering a gig for me who was doing his set mixing like a man possessed. Sadly, he was wasting his time, as all they wanted was party songs. He was happy to be paid early to go home, and the punters were happy when I took over. ( I'd just done a kids party elsewhere, you see)
It's horses for courses, just chalk it down to experience.

He made that comment as he did look at me as I looked at him just after he said it. No one laughed or even had a giggle at it. I think I will just blame the booze for that one. After all, some of them had a good drink before they got there anyway.

[JAMdisco]

I've found that after a big meal, people are a bit reluctant to dance till the meal has settled, can't blame them really, would you want to dance after stuffing your face with a 3 course meal, I know I wouldn't - not straight away.

They do tend to run over somewhat though, these sort of gigs, as they usually take ages to get everyone served all the courses, then there's the beer and wine to be had

I did one a couple of weeks ago, it was a junior football club (parents) xmas dinner dance. I got set up for 6:30 and they finished their meal around 10:30, almost running out of background music . Played til 12:45 (got paid extra as was paid til midnight )
Very happy crowd with loads of xmas song requests and cheesy 70's & 80's.

[rob1963]

I heard quite a nasty comment made about me just after 5 minutes of being there. The comment was "ohh look who we got, it's fat boy slim"

Nasty comment?

If I was doing some mixing & someone described ME as being like Fat Boy Slim, I'd take it as a massive compliment!

[Vectis]

I did one a couple of weeks ago, it was a junior football club (parents) xmas dinner dance. I got set up for 6:30 and they finished their meal around 10:30, almost running out of background music . Played til 12:45

I can beat that.

Saturday's wedding.

Original plan:

Early Setup

19:00 Speeches
19:30 Background Music
20:30 First Dances then Cake
21:00 Band
21:30 Disco
22:30 Band
23:00 Disco
00:30 Finish

Actually happened?

19:15 Speeches (good start I thought)
20:00 Background Music
20:45 First Dances (going well so far...)
21:00 Cake then Fireworks outside on the lawn
21:30 Band
23:45 Disco
00:00 Bar manager kicking off about staff going home soon, need to turn room around for breakfast yada yada
00:12 Last song

Yep - played a grand total of 9 tunes all night (not counting background)!!

Turns out the band leader is the bride's dad and she's the apple of his eye so they went on and on (and on) playing all the songs she used to love from her childhood... except it only appealed to about a dozen of the audience and the dancefloor was pretty deserted it has to be said.

Of course it goes without saying that for the last 27 minutes it was rammed

Ah well...

[JAMdisco]

I can't understand why they have bands at weddings. In all my experience, they never really get the crowd going and they're always primadonnas (I know, I was once in a band lol). Never played at a wedding though and probably wouldn't.

[rob1963]

I can't understand why they have bands at weddings. In all my experience, they never really get the crowd going

How strange...because my experience is the complete opposite, and I play with bands a good few times each year.

The only problem punters seem to have with bands is they often think they're too loud (which I completely agree with), and the only problem I have is when they encroach into my set up area without any consideration.

[JAMdisco]

How strange...because my experience is the complete opposite, and I play with bands a good few times each year.

The only problem punters seem to have with bands is they often think they're too loud (which I completely agree with), and the only problem I have is when they encroach into my set up area without any consideration.

Yes, they often take up far too much room (like they think it's Wembly Stadium or something)!

Yes, often far too loud!

Usually a limited set consisting of maybe 2 or 3 genres at the most!

One good thing is - it gives me a bit of a break and I can relax for a while and watch the band

[Tom]

Wednesday night I had a corporate christmas party.

When I turned up the venue I had to find a way to get in. Went to front desk and show my paperwork so they knew who I was. The lady said she will get someone to open the back doors. All done and dusted.

Got in the hall, setup and gave the sound a blast as the hall was quite big. Played music, rather loud for about 5 minuts and everything went dead. I knew it was a sound limiter. Had a look around and found it. Little blighter up on the wall.

My roadie then found an dark orange piece of paper on a red wall with black writing saying what bands or dj's must do. I would of never of found that but hey.

The sound limiter was set to 75db. Music must be turned down at 11pm and off at 12 mid-night, no butts. Thats fine.

Had to get the deupty manager to reset the limiter. She said that I was the first DJ to trip the sound limiter before a gig. I laughed at it and said out loud to my roadie that, thats a good thing. At least I knew where I stand with my sound levels. After that Iwas watching that thing all night.

My roadie and I also had a 3 course meal which was very nice I must say. Best bit was dessert. . Pictures can be found in my corporate gig thread in the gallery.

Started off the night with 70-80's music to suit the age group. I then get a guest come up and say "can you play some dance/clubby tuneeeees".

I was "what?" This lady mst of been mid 40's and she wanted dance music??? I said no but I will what I can do. At this point I thought I would try some chart remix stuff, just to see what would happen. What would you know, people begin to start dancing. lol. Wow.

Played quite a few bimbo jones and jason nevins remixes as I think they do sound the best at the moment.

After that I went in to 90's dance which went down a storm. Lots of dancing and raving. Felt like I was doing an 18th. lol

At the end of the night I played some irish, by request, went down a storm again and finished on The Pogues - fairy tale of new york. Finished at 12.02 but the volume was right down so did not get told to turn off.

Good gig all in all.