On the back foot.

[tony hollis]

yep we've all had the displeasure of this, i had one the same on friday night and within 5 minutes of starting set up the inevitable question "ay mate whens the music going to be on " or requesting songs while still setting up.

[Excalibur]

Now look, boys and girls, if I'd asked the question" Do you prefer/advocate/offer an early setup", most of the replies here would be spot on. I stipulated that in my scenario, it wasn't an option, and you had to wait to get in, and then set up in a less than leisurely manner. With this set in stone as the parameters for your answers, do you think some of you might actually address the question posed, rather than answering a question I didn't ask.

Right, let's remind you of the question:
" If you have to wait to be allowed to setup, and then get squeezed for time, does it adversely affect your performance, particularly the early part of it? "

Telling me that you prefer to set up a week before, or that your T&C's stipulate an hour for setup, and by all that's holy, you'll damn well take that hour is not answering that question.

[Dynamic Entertainment]

No....

[tc1ooo]

Yes

[Shaun]

Now look, boys and girls, if I'd asked the question" Do you prefer/advocate/offer an early setup", most of the replies here would be spot on. I stipulated that in my scenario, it wasn't an option, and you had to wait to get in, and then set up in a less than leisurely manner. With this set in stone as the parameters for your answers, do you think some of you might actually address the question posed, rather than answering a question I didn't ask.

Right, let's remind you of the question:
" If you have to wait to be allowed to setup, and then get squeezed for time, does it adversely affect your performance, particularly the early part of it? "

Telling me that you prefer to set up a week before, or that your T&C's stipulate an hour for setup, and by all that's holy, you'll damn well take that hour is not answering that question.

I thought I did answer it.

No, it wouldn't affect my performance as my setup time would take an hour regardless to whether I was squeezed for time or not. There's no other answer I can give if I'm honest. I'd make sure I set the sound first, but the situation wouldn't affect how long it takes me to setup, and therefor (sp?) wouldn't affect my performance in the early part of the evening.

[Jonathan Ford]

No. People can look at their watches and stare at me as much as they want, but setting up takes as long as it takes, whether I'm late getting in or not. As I don't allow them to put me under any pressure, it doesn't adversely affect my performance.....though it might pee me off a little.

[DeckstarDeluxe]

Yes of course it does. I hate feeling rushed and despite having the T&C's it doesn't really help because in the real world people are going to look at you for holding everything up rightly or wrongly.

Naturally with experience it only has a small impact at the start and after 4/5 tunes I'm back to normal.

[diydisco]

we all hate rushing, luckily most weddings are slow starters, so you can relax for the first 30 mins of the show to gather your breath, stop sweating and get your head focused on the gig and start analysing the crowd!

but i have done gigs where people are asking how long ill be, even though ive been stood around for an hour waiting to get in

usually its the photographer as they get to go home after the first dance!

Slightly OT but while im at it, a 7pm start, imr eady for 7 and the photographer is trying to get the B&G to do their first dance at 7:30 so he can go home, even though guests are still arriving! Rant over!

[Shaun]

In fairness, I do think I see where Peter is coming from. I think he's talking about a situation in where he feels he has to setup in record breaking time which results in a flustered start to the night for him. I guess the point I'm trying to make is that I don't feel compelled to rush in those situations. I setup in the same way as I normally do (i.e..not rushing any more than usual). If I was to rush I think I would feel a bit out of sorts as described by Peter in the opening post.

I still don't see the point of rushing just because things are running late. It's not a case of "by all that's holy, you'll damn well take that hour" [ to set up ]. I don't think to myself "My contract states an hour and that's what I'll take. It just so happens that my setup time takes around 50 minutes at my normal pace and a relatively easy access (it used to take 90 mins ). I can live with the comments from guests asking when I'll be setup, I tend to just take it all in my stride and smile and say" It won't be long now, Sir". It really doesn't faze me that people might "rightly or wrongly" look at me thinking I'm taking a long time and holding things up.

At the end of the day what matters most is that I setup neatly and safely. When I rush things I make mistakes or cut corners. It takes the time it does to setup for a reason.

[Excalibur]

I thought I did answer it.

Shaun, on reflection, I suppose you did answer it, so I apologise for implying otherwise.
To those whose replies were monosyllabic, thank you, but a little elaboration wouldn't go amiss.

I'm just not comfortable under these circumstances, and I don't have the strength of character to insist on being given my stated time in which to set up in a more leisurely manner.

It does affect me, and I freely admit it. It certainly did last night. If it's a character flaw, then I'm flawed.

Edit: Just read Shaun's post above. He's pretty much on the mark, and also at the back of my mind were two things.
1) It wasn't a late finish, so I knew we would get squeezed at the ned, if I took too long.
2) I knew the customers, which also puts pressure on me.