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Thread: Good Gig, Bad Gig.

  1. #5001
    Dinosaur Excalibur's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Imagine View Post
    Like you're going to know how to handle that much technology for an evening Peter
    I believe this one has hade an ear trumpet fitted

    Quote Originally Posted by Benny Smyth View Post
    I'm back in the game!
    Hello Benny, and welcome to the Forum. Please pop across to the newbies section, and tell us something about yourself.




    Good to have you back, son, good to have you back.
    Excalibur. Older than the average DJ.

    www.excaliburmobiledisco.co.uk

  2. #5002
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    Wedding 5-8.30 Half five, nobody here yet. Why can't weddings run to time?

    5.55 Bride and Groom here now, guests stuck in traffic. Ah well.


    A fuller review, I played on until the ungodly hour of 8.45, when I was replaced by a Polish lady from Doncaster, singing songs by Swedish artists ( but no Abba). The QSC cabs she was using were ing loud, I can tell you. Beat the crap out of the one Maui I'd been managing easily enough with. She certainly got their attention!

    Hot buffet put out at 5pm, not touched till after 6pm. Landlady catered for the 5,000 by the looks of it. A lot of effort went into this ( balloon arches, banners etc ) and it was a shame it didn't run more to plan. Seemingly, I was well received, so a good job done. Back to Forest Pines today, BBQ and general fun day, with live act. In the easiest room, so good news there.
    Last edited by Excalibur; 08-06-2019 at 12:16 PM.
    Excalibur. Older than the average DJ.

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  3. #5003
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    Absolutely AWESOME gig....even if I do say so myself

    More to follow once I've had some sleeep..........

  4. #5004
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    ing noisy band. More to follow when I get home again today, cos I'm taking the Aged Parent out to see my nephew motorbike racing.
    Excalibur. Older than the average DJ.

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  5. #5005
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    Right - I'm awake(ish).

    So to last night. A new venue around 30 miles from my front door (although over an hour's drive down some very windy and narrow lanes into deepest darkest Suffolk).

    The bride and groom had booked me in 2017 (yup....just under 2 years ago), because of my 80s Roadshow (I really must make more fuss of that in the marketing because it seems to be the niche thing that customers are hunting for).

    Yes - my favourite sort of wedding, one with an 80s theme to it!

    So, beautiful pink barn with exposed beams....and a metric tonne of black boxes appropriately plonked at one end (actually, it looked quite good). Lots of comments as usual when I turned it on about how it brought back memories etc. etc.

    I'd not met the couple (they'd declined that part), so everything had been done by email....which led to a lot of confusion over timings (the timings I had at MY end had changed several times since the initial booking). Turned up at the scheduled time and waited.....and waited some more....and even more whilst they finished speeches and were eventually decamped to a marquee for coffee so the venue could turn the main barn round for the evening.

    First dance (my timing 7pm, Togger's timing 8pm) eventually kicked off at around 8:45, mainly due to a little fuss in getting an overlubricated guest off-site literally kicking and screaming (wasn't pretty to watch and sadly it's probably one of the things the guests will remember from what was otherwise a really nice day).


    The playlist? Not strict, but to be based around the 1980s. I didn't get too excited because we all know these kind of gigs never stick to the plan. BUT - I was well and truly rewarded with nothing but 80s music and a full dance floor for the entire duration, the only lull being when the evening BBQ was being served.

    And then the "downer". When i arrived I was told in no uncertain terms that music ends at 11:45 and guests out by midnight (this was another timing which kept changing in the emails and had eventually snuck to music ending at midnight). On the night though it's the venue's rules I have to stick to which when I let the last song of the night fade out suddenly turned me from hero of the night to the villain in a lot of the guests' eyes. Shouts for one more were politely declined but it was hard going convincing them.

    And no, the dummy ending wouldn't have worked here - they were all pointing at watches and insisting I still had 15 minutes to go

    All in all, a really good night apart from the ending. And something weird happened as well (or certainly for out this way....)

    * The photographer was really friendly and WE WORKED TOGETHER! She's even taken one of my cards and offered without prompting to send me some photos (that is SO rare over here that my jaw nearly hit the floor)
    * The venue were REALLY friendly, even to the point that a plate of BBQ fayre appeared on my deck-stand. The DM even took a pile of cards to hand out to brides because she wants to see me back there.
    * Even the afternoon pianist chap stood talking and wished me all the best for a good evening

    Slightly surreal

    Next week is another evening in a tent. I hope the weather's better than it was this weekend...

  6. #5006

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    A strict 'no cheese' wedding for me last night.

    All went well & the 1st dance went without any hitches this time (a relief after thursday).. til the duty manager managed to stand on my main extension lead & pull the plug out during the floor ramming tune after the FD. Damnation!!! I hate those floor level sockets & despite taping the cable to the floor (I specifically left slack so this wouldn't happen!) he still managed to yank the plug out. Rrrr. When everything powered up again after a couple of seconds I made damn sure he got blamed on the mic. This is why I don't use the sockets directly behind where I stand in this venue..

    Anyway.. the NS went down well (120Hz low cut & MONO VDJ plugins were used throughout.. NS sounds fricking AWFUL to my ears) & I only had a mere handful of requests - all of which were danced to one way or the other. Bridal requests came mostly via messengers (I can't stand this).. and one scamp tried claiming the groom's favourite band is Slipknot (hahaha nice try bub, I know it's Blink182)..

    Part way through the night a woman came over, phone & charger in hand.. Nope sorry you ain't plugging anything in behind here pet.. So off she tootled to the next nearest power point.. and UNPLUGGED ALL MY UPLIGHTING!!!! She even yanked the tape I'd placed over the plug to deter this very act. She got both barrels & left the room.

    The rest of the night was uneventful, bar more requests for what was already on its way (ha!).

    After the end I went outside for a quick cig before dereigging & met a crowd of people appreciative that I hadn't played a 'typical' wedding DJ set. Loads of handshakes & then for the 2nd gig in a row on off-duty DJ announced himself & told me I'd been awesome. Which was nice. See also, 2nd gig in a row where somebody thanked me for not playing Neil Diamond Sweet Caroline "so BAD, so BAD, so BAD, SO BAD"

    So here's the history.. Where durations are short .. sometimes a bit of quick mixing never goes amiss.

    Key: FD = 1st dance. BR = Bride request. FC = FLOOR CLEARED R = general request

    Shape Of You (Original) Ed Sheeran 19:06
    Walk Me Home P!nk 19:10
    Work (Freemasons Radio Edit) [Clean Version] Kelly Rowland 19:12
    Naughty Girl Beyonce 19:15
    Rock Your Body Justin Timberlake 19:18
    Feels (Promo Only Intro Edit) Calvin Harris f./Pharrell Williams, Katy Perry & B 19:21
    Beyonce Wedding Intro 19:23
    Marry You Instrumental Bruno Mars 19:24
    Toothpaste Kisses The Maccabees 19:25 FD
    Shut Up and Dance Walk The Moon 19:28
    Uptown Funk ft. Bruno Mars (CLX Remix) Mark Ronson 19:31
    I Wanna Dance With Somebody Whitney Houston 19:35 R
    Shotgun George Ezra 19:38
    Cake By The Ocean DNCE 19:41
    Move Your Feet Junior Senior 19:44
    Grace Kelly MIKA 19:49
    American Boy Estelle feat. Kanye West 19:51
    Blurred Lines (No Rap Version) [feat. Pharrell] [Radio] Robin Thicke 19:55
    Don't Cha Pussycat Dolls feat. Busta Rhymes 19:57
    Cheerleader OMI 19:59
    Can't Stop The Feeling! Justin Timberlake 20:02
    We Are Family Sister Sledge 20:05
    Car Wash Rose Royce 20:08
    Heaven Must be Missing an Angel Tavares 20:11
    You're the First, the Last, My Everything Barry White 20:13
    You're Ready Now Frankie Valli 20:17
    Uptight (Everything's Alright) Stevie Wonder 20:19
    Do I love You [Indeed I do] Frank Wilson 20:22
    Heaven Must Have Sent You The Elgins 20:24
    Feel The Need Detroit Emeralds 20:27
    Green Onions Booker T. & The MG's 20:30 BUFFET TIME
    Be Young, Be Foolish, Be Happy The Tams 20:33
    Ain't No Mountain High Enough Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell 20:35
    Build me Up Buttercup Foundations 20:37
    Sweet Talking Guy (Northern Soul) Chiffons 20:40
    The Snake Al Wilson 20:42
    Baby Love The Supremes 20:46
    Brown Eyed Girl Van Morrison 20:48
    9 to 5 Dolly Parton 20:51
    You Can't Hurry Love Phil Collins 20:54
    Shine Take That 20:56 R
    Rock DJ Robbie Williams 21:00
    What Makes You Beautiful One Direction 21:04 R
    Don't Stop Believin' Journey 21:07 Out of buffet
    You Gave Love A Bad Name Bon Jovi 21:11
    Sweet Child O' Mine EDIT Guns N' Roses 21:14
    Livin' On a Prayer Bon Jovi 21:18
    Proud Mary Tina Turner 21:22
    Footloose Kenny Loggins 21:25 “play some 80s. ANY 80s!”
    Happy (From Despicable Me 2) Pharrell Williams 21:27 R for bride’s mother
    Shake It Off Taylor Swift 21:30
    Everyday I Love You Less and Less Kaiser Chiefs 21:33
    Chelsea Dagger The Fratellis 21:36
    She Moves In Her Own Way The Kooks 21:40
    Valerie The Zutons 21:43
    That's Not My Name The Ting Tings 21:46
    Bad Guy Billie Eilish 21:49 R
    Are You Gonna Be My Girl Jet 21:52
    Mardy Bum Arctic Monkeys 21:55
    Take Me Out Franz Ferdinand 21:58
    Golden Touch Razorlight 22:01
    Goodbye Mr. A The Hoosiers 22:05
    Teenage Dirtbag Wheatus 22:08 "Can you play some more stuff for the older people?".. as I glance over to the floor & see B&G's parents both headbanging to this..
    All Star Smash Mouth 22:12
    Buck Rogers Feeder 22:15
    Stacy's Mom Fountains Of Wayne 22:18
    Not Nineteen Forever The Courteeners 22:21 BR FC
    Vampire Weekend A-punk 22:25
    Dreaming Of You The Coral 22:27
    Naive The Kooks 22:30
    Riptide Vance Joy 22:33 R
    Sheila Jamie T 22:36 BR
    Dancing Shoes Arctic Monkeys 22:38
    I Predict a Riot Kaiser Chiefs 22:40
    Shotgun George Ezra 22:44 BR FC (This was for a kid I think.. Kids seem to love this song. Probably because it's crap).
    In Too Deep Sum 41 22:47
    What's My Age Again? (album version) Blink 182 22:50
    Fat lip Sum41 22:53
    The Anthem Good Charlotte 22:56
    Basket Case Green Day 22:58
    All the Small Things Blink-182 23:01
    Jump Around House of Pain 23:04
    Be Faithful Fatman Scoop feat. The Crooklyn Clan 23:05
    In Da Club 50 Cent 23:07
    Ooh Wee Mark Ronson, Nate Dogg, Ghostface Killah, Trife, And Saigon 23:09
    Get Low (feat. Ying Yang Twins) Lil Jon & The Eastside Boyz 23:10
    Still D.R.E. Dr. Dre 23:14 Groom likes Dre, so figured.. but nah the crowd.. really didn't dig this at all.
    Love on Top Beyonce 23:15
    Return of the Mack Mark Morrison 23:19
    Regulate Warren G Feat. Nate Dogg 23:21
    Turtleneck and Chain The Lonely Island 23:24 BR FC
    The Rock Show Blink 182 23:26
    Take On Me A-Ha 23:30 “play some 80s. ANY 80s!”
    Wake Me Up Before You Go Go Wham! 23:33
    Happy Hour Housemartins 23:36
    Mr. Brightside The Killers 23:39
    Shake It Metro Station 23:42
    Can't Hold Us (Feat. Ray Dalton) Macklemore & Ryan Lewis 23:45
    Fluorescent Adolescent Arctic Monkeys 23:48
    Every Thug Needs A Lady (Album Version) Alkaline Trio 23:51 BR FC
    Ooh La The Kooks 23:54
    I Miss You Blink-182 23:58
    You're Ready Now Frankie Valli 00:02 "ONE MORE SONG!". So I went with this, the bride's all-time favourite.

    I'm still finding it slightly disconcerting that even after 5 years back in the game I'm STILL playing catchup with music from 2000 to 2010
    Last edited by Nakatomi; 09-06-2019 at 01:20 PM.

  7. #5007
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    Quote Originally Posted by Imagine View Post
    And then the "downer". On the night though it's the venue's rules I have to stick to which when I let the last song of the night fade out suddenly turned me from hero of the night to the villain in a lot of the guests' eyes. Shouts for one more were politely declined but it was hard going convincing them.

    And no, the dummy ending wouldn't have worked here - they were all pointing at watches and insisting I still had 15 minutes to go
    You've been the best DJ they've ever seen for five hours, and thirty seconds later, you become public enemy number one. It's high on the list of pet hates for me, you've got a venue wanting you gone, pronto and there's a derig and long drive home facing you, and the guests are keen to keep going, cos they've got energy and loopy juice left.

    Quote Originally Posted by Nakatomi View Post
    A strict 'no cheese' wedding for me last night.

    Which was nice. See also, 2nd gig in a row where somebody thanked me for not playing Neil Diamond Sweet Caroline "so BAD, so BAD, so BAD, SO BAD"
    I'm Spartacus! Currently my default Last Song. And Justin, if you ever work in Lincoln and not play it, you'll be lynched!!!!!!!!!!!

    OK, my night.
    At Forest Pines Hotel, for Mr Western, MattyDJ50. Summer BBQ for a transport company, from mid afternoon to midnight. With " live act". For various reasons, I was a tad early, and having seen no signs of live performers, I opted to position myself as far away from the door as possible. Good move.

    Guests arrived an hour before I expected them, so off I went playing Summer songs. In a torrential downpour. Well, it passes for humour in the eyes of some grumpu old DJs. A couple of hours in, The Band turned up. Bear in mind, I didn't know whether to expect an acoustic duo, or Pink Floyd. Well it was no acoustic duo, five people, over a dozen par cans, handful of movers, three metres of scaffolding, keyboards, bass bins, twin 15" tops, cuddly toy*, etc, etc.

    They got all set up, had a sound check, and wandered off to come back later for their first set. THEY WERE LOUD! Last year, Matthew had sat with his headphones during their act. We had a quiz to mark, which took up some time, as they tend to do, and after that, one of the company chiefs asked for some " modern, and/or chart music". My, but there's some drivel in the charts currently. Fortunately, Promo Only supplies me with lots of this, so on went the least worst of it. and once the band had done their second set, I slowly began to get requests, which leaned towards pop and party.

    All in all, not the hardest gig I've ever done, nor the most rewarding.


    * Cuddly Toy. Animal, from the Muppets, sat near the drummer.
    Excalibur. Older than the average DJ.

    www.excaliburmobiledisco.co.uk

  8. #5008
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    Quote Originally Posted by Excalibur View Post
    You've been the best DJ they've ever seen for five hours, and thirty seconds later, you become public enemy number one. It's high on the list of pet hates for me, you've got a venue wanting you gone, pronto and there's a derig and long drive home facing you, and the guests are keen to keep going, cos they've got energy and loopy juice left.
    Ah - but all felt soooo much better on Sunday lunchtime by the time the bride had got up and sent me an email

    Hi Wayne
    Thank you so so much for last night, it was absolutely amazing and the music was perfect!! You did an amazing job and it was exactly how we wanted it to be. Don’t worry about the finish time, it was not a problem- other that I didn’t want it to ever stop!  Everyone was commenting on how good the disco was so again thank you!! I will definitely be recommending you 

  9. #5009

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    Quote Originally Posted by Imagine View Post
    * The photographer was really friendly and WE WORKED TOGETHER! She's even taken one of my cards and offered without prompting to send me some photos (that is SO rare over here that my jaw nearly hit the floor)
    Sorry, I know everyone likes to stretch the truth a little but I have to call a halt on blatant

    That has never happened
    That didn't happen
    That will never happen

    On a serious note - well done. It is great when you get a tog who will work with you instead of 'pushing their way to the front', makes for a much more successful outcome for all parties. I am actually quite fortunate at the moment to have lately been working with some great photographers - unfortunately the summer is here when all the 'wedding suppliers' crawl out the woodwork.
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  10. #5010
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    Quote Originally Posted by ppentertainments View Post
    Sorry, I know everyone likes to stretch the truth a little but I have to call a halt on blatant

    That has never happened
    That didn't happen
    That will never happen

    On a serious note - well done. It is great when you get a tog who will work with you instead of 'pushing their way to the front', makes for a much more successful outcome for all parties. I am actually quite fortunate at the moment to have lately been working with some great photographers - unfortunately the summer is here when all the 'wedding suppliers' crawl out the woodwork.
    We shall see what happens
    I've got to be honest, she was so easy and human to work with compared to most that I couldn't quite believe the conversation I was having with her.
    She was also honest about the lack of business she's getting this year as well (and there aren't many that will admit to being quiet).

    Twas a refreshing change and if she comes good on the pics (as a recent one did in exchange for website credits obviously), then all's good in my book

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