Paranoia - The DJ's worst enemy!!

[yourdj]

We have all been there.

Its not going too good and your worrying a bit.
Maybe there are a whole table of people just staring at you for an hour or more.

You know it's not you or your music but you feel that everyone blames you.
At the end of the day it a stressful job and a big responsibility especially at a wedding.

What do you do to counteract this?


For example - its a great night and people are dancing and some woman mouths to her husband
"this is "

Well this happened tonight and I went up to her and politely asked if everything was OK and would she like a track.

She was pretty embarrassed and asked for hiho silver lining (I was playing never forget after auld lang syne as about three women asked for take that).
I then played that next and said it was a request for her. She did seem the kind of woman who would not be happy with anything though.

The amount of times I have thought one thing and when I have actually talked to the individual it turns out that they are thinking something different. One gig I was paranoid about some bloke staring at me all night. i had a chat with him and he was a DJ looking at the sound limiter behind me

I find this approach really works in those situations.

Its sometimes a no win situation but at least I try.

[Candybeatdiscos]

one gig i had no one dancing ....all night, I was ready to throw in the towel after it, thinking it must have been me and my choice in music, i played every type of music i could, a really good mixture and despite nearly begging them to come up and tell me what they wanted me to play nothing worked....not 1 solitary request either.......the night dragged and i Just wished it would hurry up and end, i was in such a bad mood......then when disassembling the rig, nearly everyone came up and shook my hand and thanked me for a wonderful night, i questioned one or two and they said that they are just not dancers they like a drink and like the music ......i have now learned to watch the feet, see if they are chair dancers ....i now dont take no dancers as personally lol

[yourdj]

one gig i had no one dancing ....all night, I was ready to throw in the towel after it, thinking it must have been me and my choice in music, i played every type of music i could, a really good mixture and despite nearly begging them to come up and tell me what they wanted me to play nothing worked....not 1 solitary request either.......the night dragged and i Just wished it would hurry up and end, i was in such a bad mood......then when disassembling the rig, nearly everyone came up and shook my hand and thanked me for a wonderful night, i questioned one or two and they said that they are just not dancers they like a drink and like the music ......i have now learned to watch the feet, see if they are chair dancers ....i now dont take no dancers as personally lol

i had a wedding like that the other day. They were Irish and just liked to sit and listen. it was a very large stately hall which had been exclusively hired so I felt like I needed to get them all up.

it was a shock at the end when they all came up and said thanks. i was staying there so chatted to them till 4am and they said it was great

I think it makes you put allot more effort in, but i hate the feeling when you try every trick in the book and nothing works. Then someone comes up and takes the

Just part of the job i suppose.

[funkymook]

Maybe there are a whole table of people just staring at you for an hour or more.

At some parties we're the most interesting thing in the room - some people don't have much to say to each other and there's no other focus for their attention. They're probably used to sitting at home staring at the TV for hours on end and we take the goggle box's place.

[WWDJ]

I've given up on the paranoia ...

If noone makes a request and I am playing the usual pleasant tunes the I just assume all is ok.

That's it.

[sleah]

I've given up on the paranoia ...

If noone makes a request and I am playing the usual pleasant tunes the I just assume all is ok.

That's it.

That's pretty much how I view it these days. Sod 'em!
I think the earlier point about us taking the place of the TV is interesting too. Does make one feel a bit uncomfortable though

People don't seem to know what to do at a disco these days...

[Shakermaker Promotions]

Toby - There's no way I would've gone up to her. It's fair enough being paranoid (I know exactly what you mean) but you may aswell have just got on the mic and said "Excuse me...what's your problem?"...It would have had the same effect and that's that it would've embarassed her.
Of course..you, me...anyone wouldn't do what I've said but in my opinion it was just as bad as going up to her.

I just think that if people don't know how to enjoy themselves when the DJ is playing a full range of music and they can't be bothered to request stuff because they think we are all mind readers....well, stuff 'em!

[sleah]

Toby - There's no way I would've gone up to her. It's fair enough being paranoid (I know exactly what you mean) but you may aswell have just got on the mic and said "Excuse me...what's your problem?"..

The danger is that it could be seen as confrontational. You know the usual thing in pubs....
"What's up mate?"

*SMACK*


All hell breaks loose

[soundtracker]

I just think that if people don't know how to enjoy themselves when the DJ is playing a full range of music and they can't be bothered to request stuff because they think we are all mind readers....well, stuff 'em!

Perhaps we bring this upon ourselves by perpetuating the myth that we can "read the dancefloor"

[funkymook]

Just thought - you weren't wearing your new lounge suit were you?