Last wedding of the year last night and it was great.
1am finish but we were still rocking by that point.
Fantastic feedback from all involved.
A Rangers 9 in a row legend was there too. I don't like to fawn over famous faces at gigs so never went over for a chat but it was funny to see one of my childhood heroes singing his wee heart out and dad dancing to my tunes.
Wayne, the latter end of this year has not been good for you, sadly.Glad to hear the lad is alright, it's not nice having to worry about them so.
OK, my week. Well I haven't had an embargo placed on my social media activities, so details of my gigs are there for all to see.
Thursday:
Well this was just weird.Not so much a party, more of a talent contest and children's party!
I had to raid the equipment store to run five radio mics for one of the acts/skits in this event, as well as obtaining a Muppets Christmas album. Once we had got the meal, the acts, and the games over with, it was time for dancing. Inthis hotel, we're booked to 1am by default, and normally I finish Xmas gigs with Fairytale. I was coerced into playing it at 11pm, and I began to believe it was having a Pavlovian response on the staff, cos the house lights came on, and the clearing crew moved in!
Friday:
Ah, the joy of hotels, and Christmas gigs.Allegedly, we needed three rigs on Friday, except my planned stay in my favourite room had been interrupted by the client using their own DJ. Just two rigs then.
Well, it's a charity fundraiser, and the client isn't stumping up for a disco when they've got a free live act. Negotiations ensued, and once a dialogue was established between management and DJs, all was sorted. I did a freebie and got paid for it.Happy DJ, happy clients ( who were lovely, a Dog Sanctuary, who brought in the loveliest Huskies and GSDs imaginable as " Ambassadogs ") with a free disco as well as a free live act.
Less than forty people, so I cut the rig down a tad, and enjoyed the live act. This one was a midnight finish, and after an agonisingly slow start, the alcohol took effect, and I finished with a healthy dancefloor.
Saturday:
What can I say?
Initial music remit was " Piano House ", which appears merely to be all the 130bpm chart songs I played from Now albums in the 90s. This was amended to " Dance Classics " when I spoke to the organiser, so that's fine by me. We started the meal, and they got a bit bored, so would I run a Heads and Tails? Well of course, and this one had a twist. To precede each choice, I'd play thirty seconds of something uplifting. No probs, thinks I, and presses the appropriate button. A hundred and twenty seated guests leapt up and went mental for it! This sort of set the tone from here on.
Apart from the obligatory PITA or two, they had only one thing in mind. Dancing. I threw everything at them, Big dance classics, EDM, R&B, Rock, Trance, House, Chart, Xmas and remixes which took the place apart. At no time was I ever in control of the night, I was merely fielding the mainly superb requests, and trying to play them in some semblance of order. Just when I thought I'd got something planned, a request would come in, and throw it all off key. Mental, absolutely mental.
We were heading for the end, and obviously my standard trick of finishing on Fairytale wasn't going to cut it, especially as the organiser was asking which banger I was going to go out with? So, since I'd had the word that Wonderwall was required, I played Fairytale and Wonderwall, with the assembled multitude on the floor in one huge circle, arms entwined, singing their heads off.
Three songs to go, first one was a request for Ain't No stoppin' Us now, second was a classic, which I can't remember, and how do I finish on the biggest possible high?
Easy. Tell 'em they've been awesome, set all controls to eleven, and push play on Sandstorm. In all honesty, if management hadn'tthrown me out, I think I'd still have been there now, playing for them. I have never finished a gig feeling so drained, but in a happy way. Makes you realise why the big name DJs love doing this for the gigs they get.
Aren't Endorphins wonderful?
Last edited by Excalibur; 15-12-2019 at 10:19 AM.
And said gentleman was still high 45 minutes later when he came to see me. A very kind offer to help pack up was partially declined as I am quite particular about how I pack up ( thank you Peter, no offence) and, after the night he had just had, I thought he deserved a lie down!Originally Posted by Excalibur
Wayne, the latter end of this year has not been good for you, sadly.
OK, my week. Well I haven't had an embargo placed on my social media activities, so details of my gigs are there for all to see.
Thursday:
Well this was just weird.
Friday:
Ah, the joy of hotels, and Christmas gigs.
Well, it's a charity fundraiser, and the client isn't stumping up for a disco when they've got a free live act. Negotiations ensued, and once a dialogue was established between management and DJs, all was sorted. I did a freebie and got paid for it.
Less than forty people, so I cut the rig down a tad, and enjoyed the live act. This one was a midnight finish, and after an agonisingly slow start, the alcohol took effect, and I finished with a healthy dancefloor.
Saturday:
What can I say?
Initial music remit was " Piano House ", which appears merely to be all the 130bpm chart songs I played from Now albums in the 90s. This was amended to " Dance Classics " when I spoke to the organiser, so that's fine by me. We started the meal, and they got a bit bored, so would I run a Heads and Tails? Well of course, and this one had a twist. To precede each choice, I'd play thirty seconds of something uplifting. No probs, thinks I, and presses the appropriate button. A hundred and twenty seated guests leapt up and went mental for it! This sort of set the tone from here on.
Apart from the obligatory PITA or two, they had only one thing in mind. Dancing. I threw everything at them, Big dance classics, EDM, R&B, Rock, Trance, House, Chart, Xmas and remixes which took the place apart. At no time was I ever in control of the night, I was merely fielding the mainly superb requests, and trying to play them in some semblance of order. Just when I thought I'd got something planned, a request would come in, and throw it all off key. Mental, absolutely mental.
We were heading for the end, and obviously my standard trick of finishing on Fairytale wasn't going to cut it, especially as the organiser was asking which banger I was going to go out with? So, since I'd had the word that Wonderwall was required, I played Fairytale and Wonderwall, with the assembled multitude on the floor in one huge circle, arms entwined, singing their heads off.
Three songs to go, first one was a request for Ain't No stoppin' Us now, second was a classic, which I can't remember, and how do I finish on the biggest possible high?
Easy. Tell 'em they've been awesome, set all controls to eleven, and push play on Sandstorm. In all honesty, if management hadn'tthrown me out, I think I'd still have been there now, playing for them. I have never finished a gig feeling so drained, but in a happy way. Makes you realise why the big name DJs love doing this for the gigs they get.
Aren't Endorphins wonderful?
More of the same next weekend I hope (though without the "cancellations")!!
Nailed it!
It's been a good party season for me.
OK - most of them have been kids/family jobs (all a LOT of fun), but last night....a regular corporate client with a big budget (my favourite type).
The venue, the crypt underneath the chapel of one of Cambridge's famous colleges (Clare College, right next door to the mighty Kings College Chapel....you can see it out of the window!)
It's a strange venue that I've worked in on many occasions. It involves parking on double yellows down a really quiet back-street that nobody ever goes down (because it's so narrow that it's hairy getting a van down there!), unloading down a set of 600 year old worn stone steps into what can only be described as a Priest Hole, and onto a stage which is 2 inches higher than the dance floor (why!?!?!?)
The view from the booth is fantastic. Ancient vaulted ceilings that leave you wondering how they support the massive weight above them (and yes, the Evolves DO shake mortar from the joints!). Talking of the Evolves....literally 5mm of air separates them from said brickwork....it's tight!
So, armed with my newly acquired Swarm FX Washes and a brace of Wash FX2's on uprights attached to my fairly recent acquisition of an Equinox Compact booth (I like this little booth....a LOT), it's time to go to work.
Getting into the venue takes time. You can't carry a lot down the stairs at a time....it's not physically possible so it's around 20 trips up and down with a bag at a time (two if they're small). Then a 5 mile drive around Cambridge (the one way system/bus cameras see to that) to park literally half a mile away from the kit in one of the college's other sites (can't complain....at least the parking is free which is a novelty in Cambridge)
A brisk stroll across "The Backs", through I don't know how many college gates with electronic security on them (it really helps to befriend the Porters!), and it's time to actually put the rig together. It took just 18 minutes! Yes, I'm more than happy with that!
And then the waiting begins. The party was supposed to start at around 9pm. 10:15pm and they started to trickle in from their very sumptuous meal to the tones of Shakey wishing everyone a Merry Christmas. This is a change to the normal routine....I normally start with Mariah and END on Shakey - I did it the other way around tonight and it worked much better
Musically - ermmm...cheesy-ish. A bit of 70s disco, a LOT of 80s, some 90s clubland. In fact the most recent track I played was Mr Brightside (arms held aloft and much bouncing around as always). As always with this lot, I was blessed with a very full dance floor for the duration (they're like Duracell bunnies this lot!)
Lots of compliments and hugs at the end (I've done this one for the past 4 years and they know me by name now, and have indeed already booked me for next year!) and it's time to pack away (15 minutes), walk to the van (5 minutes) and drive back to the Priest Hole (15 minutes
It's my last official gig of the year (I don't DO New Year's Eve) and one hell of a party to end on. I'm a very happy but tired DJ tonight
Next up, I'm doing battery powered PA and an iPad for the village outdoor carol concert on Friday. I'm being paid in burgers for my time (it's actually good exposure from where I stand because a lot of people know me in the village but don't know what I do...and they all have kids that have birfdays). Wish me luck
Well that was interesting!
Last minute cover for an agency hotel gig, with everybody blaming everybody else for the lack of notice. Middle of Sheffield, in an area I have a little knowledge of. The hotel appears to have a tiny car park, which definitely isn't Transit friendly, even a short wheelbase.
That hyappy feeling fades a little, when you see your native guide personhandling one of those six foot tall Tesco trolleys into position.
I started assembling my kit in the designated space, and a member of staff moves the tables they have left me. At this point, I must say that ( almost) all the staff were the nicest, most helpful staff I've met in many a year. I've got music running quickly, and I'm rigging cables for light and mics, when the function manager arrives, and without a word of introduction or explanation, starts getting in my way, to set up the client's slide show. I'm gobsmacked when he informs the client that he can put his laptop here ( my booth ) without a by your leave, or please and thank you!He's being a bit of a smartbottom as well when I'm asking for info. He then accuses me of unplugging hotel kit, when the laptop won't reach the wall sockets for the projector. I hand him the box of Hotel marked cables that's behind me, and he gets everything connected, and effectively traps me behind the screen which is one of these powered things. Client ( CEO of company, whoopee more of that later ) gets slides rigged, and we're ready to go.
Background music playing, until it's time to announce buffet. I said the staff were lovely, one of them comes up and says first thing is do I want a drink, and secondly will I announce the carvery style buffet please? Nice to see people getting priorities right. He also brings me a turkey dinner, cutlery, dessert, and more soft drinks! You don't get that everywhere.
Time for the raffle, run by the CEO, who is next to me, in my booth, and behind the screen. Not ideal, but he has a little helper frontside, who deals with raffle tickets, prizes, and then awards. Eventually it's music time, and I try to contact the living. My but they're hard work, virtually no reaction to anything. Slowly, the alcohol helps a bit, and a trickle of dancers appears. A guest complains the screen is too bright, can I turn it off? Well no, but a guest works out how to do so, and hotel staff raises the screen. Excellent.
Well, we get a reasonable dancefloor going, and the CEO's alcohol intake has risen to the level where he needs to influence the music policy to get this party started. He has been asked to request some Moderrn Music, and can I turn it up? Ah, that would be the half an hour of said Chart and Modern stuff I played earlier, asked if that was what people wanted,and got zero response.
OK, off we go with Dance Monkey and Old Town Road, and to bridge the gap, Sam Smith and her Marmite version of I feel love. I am remonstrated with for not playing modern stuff at this point. CEO is surprised and slightly chastened to find that I am actually playing a track about three weeks old, and yes it really is Sam Smith and not Donna Summer. What are my next three requests? Modern Stuff?Ooh no, dear reader, no.
Abba, Sweet Caroline, and something else from the Seventies. Ah well, it was ever thus. After playing those, it gets a tad more intense, and the CEO wants a style of music called " Jump Up ".
All in all, especially cos the venue staff want an early finish at midnight, rather than 1am, it has to go down as a very reasonable night for a Thursday night agency gig, but it won't be making my all time top ten favourite gigs. Two in a row at my favourite Forest Pines room beckon, so that should restore a bit of my equanimity, I hope.
A quick roundup of my Christmas Parties.
Due to including a trip to Rome in mid-December, I only took on 4 events this year.
The first three were for private parties, each with around 120 guests, and the final one being a mixed party, but at a private members club.
The first was a party for a private hospital. Lovely bunch of people - a couple of which got up and started dancing between the starter and main courses. Whilst it's flattering, I'm always conscious to deter that happening. Their boss has paid a lot of money for the food, and I want to ensure people do eat through the meal! After the meal was cleared, off we went partying, when the organiser realised she hadn't done the mention of one of the staff members upcoming wedding! I said we could do it after a few songs (she was worried about disrupting the dancing as we'd started). I decided to slot her in before a request I'd had that was for the Romanian workers in the organisation (seemed a good way to break up what would otherwise be an awkward segue). As she concluded her speech she said 'this next song is for you!' to the guy getting married. Now I'd not expected her to do this, and I had the Romanian song lined up, and the person getting married wasn't Romanian. I went with it anyway, and luckily he knew it - and quite a few of the guests knew it, and it went down really well. A good night of dancing was had, from a group, that seemed to be over 50% from other European countries. Interestingly, they didn't drink much (not one dropped glass all night), and were up for partying. A perfect group. Whilst I was booked until 1, I was told that at 12:30 I should announce for people on the coach that they needed to head downstairs to get their coach. Around 80% of the party were on the coach, so I decided to work towards an ending at 12:30, playing the Pogues at 12:25 to 'end on', and would then play some more laid back songs for the last 30 minutes. At 12:22, as I've just started the song before The Pogues, someone comes over and asks if I can announce for people to make their way to the coach now as the coach is LEAVING at 12:30 on the dot! Now that isn't what I was told earlier and completely stuffed up the ending. Fortunately, they all obliged and set off downstairs. They were all very happy, but I knew the ending could have been better.
The next one was the first of two within the same venue, back to back. The beauty being that I could leave the equipment set up overnight. Always nice to finish at 1am, and be in the van and driving home at 1:05!
The first was great. It was for the staff at a private Catholic School. I had no idea what to expect, but they were great - really up for a party (2 of the girls who probably hadn't drunk all year had a bit *too* much, which meant keeping my eye on them at all times, but no bad outcome in the end). A great finish at 1am, and a satisfying night.
The next was for a technical company. The switch from a mainly female mix to a male-dominated company was evident. The dancefloor didn't empty all night, but it never felt 'rocking'. Overall, a good night, but not as exciting as the previous 2.
The final night was in a private members club, and was a party for the members (essentiially, some of the members purchased a table each and invited their friends and family). A lovely decorated venue, with a separate events decoration company looking after uplighting, spotting the tables and other decoration made the venue look amazing. These people were paying a lot of money to be members, so they get the best. A man wth a guitar sang during the meal, doing 3 x 50 min sets, so I just had to play a few songs during his break. It fitted perfectly, except for his third set which started just as dessert was ending. It went on a little too long - everyone was itching to dance, and he was playing chilled acoustic music! 10:45 comes and he ends and I get the disco going with some disco music (literally) from Earth Wind and Fire etc. One guest comes over and explains that whilst they look old, they don't want old music all night. I explained I'd be playing a mix of everything, and she asked for Dua Lipa and Ed Sheeran. I was a little nervous - this was an older crowd - and my suspicions were correct - half the guests left the dancefloor everytime I played something a bit newer. But this woman was the wife of a very high-up member, so essentially, the expectation was if she asked for it, she got it. Which was difficult for me, as I like to play for everyone. Eventually, later on, she was happy dancing to some 90s dance. There was a funny moment when she came over and said she didn't want any old 80s music - but then asked for Whitney Houston - I Wanna Dance With Somebody.
I'd checked where the land lied with regards to end time, and this was one venue where they were happy for things to run over if necessary. Not a problem - always useful to know the rules. I decided to do a 'false ending', and was toying with playing The Pogues, and following up with New York, New York, but then decided to do it the other way around. At 12:55 I played New York, New York as the last song. As it ended, I got ready for the calls of 1 more, but they never actually came! As it was, everyone had danced together in a circle during New York, New York, and had actually made a great ending song, so it worked well to finish 'nicely' at that point. A good night, but slightly distracted by the one guest! Load out was a matter of 5 meters - directly behind me was the double doors, to which the van had been reversed up to (luckily, as it was the night it was very wet overnight!). The only obstruction was the huge Christmas tree in front of the double doors, but I managed to just squeeze everything around it.
All in all a very pleasant 4 gigs, with some nice guests, and no bad/drunken behaviour to report. More of same for next year please!
Gavin, don'tcha just love the mature person who " doesn't want any of this old music". Blimey, I'm doing my best Peter Pan impersonation over here, but it doesn't involve refusing to accept the existence and value of anything released pre 2000. Grrr.
OK, rant over. I may have to go outside into the rain shortly, to check I didn't die and go to heaven last night!
First dancing song, and it's like a herd of wildebeest heading for the only watering hole in town! Geffo no room at the inn on my dancefloor, it was packed to overflowing. Ten minutes in, I've got a young lady pole dancing off the booth ( wish I still had the DSB, it was designed for that ) my first request is for NS and Ska, and to be fair, the quality of the requests was high all night. Only downside was that with it being mainly ladies, they drifted off earlier than I'd have liked, especially as they burnt themselves out a little bit early on.
Mind you, from speaking to ( lighthearted text messages, actually ) Matthew in the other complex, he was having it far worse. Mine had a second wind, and I finished the night with twenty or thirty on my floor, which had to be rebuilt three times that I saw, as my punters kicked it to pieces. Man, I like that. Gives you the feeling you're doing something right.
Back there again tonight, hope it's nearly as good.
What a difference a day makes.
Well in some ways, the two functions couldn't have been more different, while they were fundamentally the same in others. While Friday's was predominantly Singles, Saturday was mainly Couples, and slightly older as well. Biggest difference was having to encourage them onto the dancefloor, rather than stop them invading it!
Once we got going, it was a consistently healthy dancefloor, without ever being rammed, ( although, at times the bar area had a far busier dancefloor ) and particularly noticeable was the even higher quality of requests, most of which had obviously had some thought put into their timing and suitability. Altogether a much calmer evening, and to some extent, even more enjoyable than Friday, which was hard to believe. The noticeable difference was the speed at which the room emptied. Friday had started around 11pm, and hit a plateau at midnight, staying good till the 1am finish. This was the opposite, emptying at a tremendous rate around midnight, just as if a coach had arrived! I was then left with one table who were celebrating a friend's 60th Birthday, who were pretty much the only ones who made it to the bitter end. A lovely way to end the season.
I must say that while Facebook has been full of DJs venting their spleens about poor customer behaviour, I must say that the ones at Forest Pines have behaved in an exemplary fashion, nice to see.
Xmas Parties Done
Thought I would wait until I've finished all my xmas parties.
Been working in the same venue in december, every Friday & Saturday, 7pm - 1am, (Yup knackered)
All parties were mixed corporate parties with numbers ranging from 210 to 390. All sit down meals with background music for about 2 hours, then disco to the end.
Was a little worried with the large numbers (If the football stadium venue, with a wide narrow room, with the dance floor in the center.
Decided to use the Maui 28G2. Was unsure if the would cope with the numbers. Luckily they did.
During the meal, angled them out , wound the bass right down. Managed to get some sound to the extremities without deafening the closest tables.
After the meals, pointed to the dance floor, set levels back to 0db, and off we go.
All in all, 6 great gigs, overflowing dance floor post meal.
Music wise, one thing I've noticed this party season is that 80's-90's seem to be in favor, with a little Motown and northern soul.
Just two gigs left for this year. A 2hr 7yrs birthday party. Then NYE, which is a strange one, bar closes at 23:30, music off 23:45, everyone out by 00:00! Apparently it's a family disco, with kids, so they close early. I can see that getting a few complaints.
390 is a lot of people. Matthew Western has used the 28s for around 250 in his gigs, and they have not disappointed.
I would have to say that's not far off my findings, too.
Hmmmm. Can't help thinking someone's missing the point here. I once spent months trying to arrange an extension to an 11pm finish on NYE, and gave it up as a bad job.
Posting Permissions
Reply With Quote
