When you just know a request won't work...

[yourdj]

I was playing some drum n Bass at an 18th and they were going mad, when a lad comes over and asked me to play When "you say nothing at all", maybe a bit later was my reply

That would make a good end of night track though or possibly post end of night. finish with some d&b lol.

[rob1963]

Do you play the whole track or do you cut it short? If you cut it short, does that annoy the person that asked for it? Does it matter?

Once I put a track on, I always play it to the end.

The only exception is if the client comes up & asks me to take it off.

I think that cutting a track short makes it more obvious that you think you've up.

[Solitaire Events Ltd]

At a wedding last year I got asked in advance and on the night for 'Islands in the Stream' (the original version). It was obviously one of those songs that meant something because everybody got up and danced and sang along to it.

Funnily enough, I've had this requested and the same thing has happened. It's a good tune for couples of a certain age to dance together to and can also be used as a transition track from slow to fast.

[Shakermaker Promotions]

Rob,
If it simply isn't working then sometimes I will talkover it, fade it out and bring in a classic to get everyone back and then joke about it. I'm sure you know that people are very quick to get off that dancefloor if something comes on that they don't like.

A personal hate is when something doesn't work and it's cringeworthy watching people. You can see that they are waiting for it to change so that they can get back to dancing. It's almost as if...once they are off that dancefloor and on the edge of it...they're safe. When something that they like comes back on, a couple of steps and they're back on the dancefloor.

[Solitaire Events Ltd]

Rob,
If it simply isn't working then sometimes I will talkover it, fade it out and bring in a classic to get everyone back and then joke about it.

Me too. The alternative is standing there like a muppet with an empty floor!

[Shakermaker Promotions]

That's the worse thing I think. Not only is it a bit embarassing but you know that all eyes are on you. Everyone is waiting for it to get back to what it was.

[rob1963]

Rob,
If it simply isn't working then sometimes I will talkover it, fade it out and bring in a classic to get everyone back and then joke about it. I'm sure you know that people are very quick to get off that dancefloor if something comes on that they don't like.

A personal hate is when something doesn't work and it's cringeworthy watching people. You can see that they are waiting for it to change so that they can get back to dancing. It's almost as if...once they are off that dancefloor and on the edge of it...they're safe. When something that they like comes back on, a couple of steps and they're back on the dancefloor.

Fair enough, Gary.

The way I look at it is that having a packed dancefloor isn't the be all & end all.

I think we've all had gigs where nobody danced all night.

You can't please all the people all the time, so I'm really not too bothered if I happen to get one request at a disco which clears the dance floor for 3 minutes.

This rarely happens though, as I tend not to risk songs which I think might bomb.

Me too. The alternative is standing there like a muppet with an empty floor!

What about those gigs where nobody dances at all & you're standing there like a muppet for the WHOLE NIGHT?

I can live with 3 minutes!

[andyw]

the only time we won't play a request is if it too late to fit it in,or we have been told by the client they don't want that track(or style of music) or if it can be deemed as offensive to anyone other then that anything goes (within reason of course) , as said earlier we have been surprised by tracks that we think wouldn't work with this audience only to find them fill the floor and take the party off in a totally different direction to what you had planned which can make it a great night for everyone.

[Solitaire Events Ltd]

What about those gigs where nobody dances at all & you're standing there like a muppet for the WHOLE NIGHT?

Rarely happens, but if it does, then I entertain using my mic and people skills.

[soundtracker]

[QUOTE=rob1963;452330

Surely if three different people requested the same "dodgy" song, you wouldn't need to do any investigation to come to the conclusion that it had a special meaning for a number of people there & was therefore unlikely to bomb?[/QUOTE]

Get back under your bridge