Rant/Question/Problem. Drinks on dancefloors.

[Excalibur]

This has now in my opinion become probably one of the biggest ones we face nowadays. .
Friday night, we were reminded by venue staff to be watchful about this, and despite our regular reminders, it was still a big problem. The highlight of the night for me was when a diminutive female venue manager ( who made up for her lack of stature by her earnest and determined attitude. Excellent young lady. ) walked straight up to a punter waving his pint about, and removing it from his hand, placed it pointedly on a table at the side. The thing is, in other circumstances, that could have resulted in trouble. We'd already had drink spilt on the floor, causing a slip hazard, so she was undoubtedly doing her best to avert the possibility of personal injury claims.

Saturday night was worse for me. As I said elsewhere, it was a private party, so slightly different rules. A pint glass was smashed on the dancefloor, and was an obvious danger to those of the ladies who were by now dancing barefoot. And of course, everyone who came up to request anything seemed to think it was obligatory to dangle their pint over the DSB in order to make a request! Grrrr. Fortunately, no serious problems ensued, but it was more by good luck than good judgment.


What can be done? Can we legitimately stop the music every single time we see some on the dancefloor with a drink? I'd like to, but realise it would be a nightmare. Reminding them over the mic sure as hell makes no impression on them, because they appear to have the attention span of a goldfish. I've seen people who have been instructed to put drinks in place of safety absent mindedly do exactly the same thing minutes after.

I've got no answers, only a deep hatred of the practic. I'm terrified now when I see a drink within six feet of the kit, and the rose tinted specs I'm wearing show me that " It was never like this in my day " . I suspect that i some ways it was, but I don't remember it being so bad.

Over to you.

[Shakermaker Promotions]

Peter, some people just don't or won't listen. A lot of the venues I have been in before have asked me to remind people that they shouldn't have drinks on the dancefloor but they don't listen.
I've seen it before where I have mentioned it and been ignored only to see someone drop a glass full of wine on the dancefloor and then some unfortunate girl get carted off to hospital having stepped on broken glass in bare feet.
A few weeks back at a venue, a guy dropped a glass on the dancefloor, again despite me asking people not to. What did he do? He laughed and then scraped the broken glass with his feet to the edge of the dancefloor so that he could carry on dancing. Disgusting!
I'm not sure what else we can do to be honest?
I personally wouldn't go as far as stopping the music every time someone went on to the dancefloor with a drink. That would just create a bad atmosphere and I'd be seen as the 'bad man'. Obviously health and safety is always on my mind but what else can you do?
Staff should monitor the situation really.....shouldn't they?

I can totally understand why people may want to keep their drinks with them when in a club or something as they can get spiked and I've seen what that's like via a friend of mine who had her drink spiked a couple of years ago. I just don't understand why someone can't dance to a few songs without having a drink in their hand.

[Corabar Steve]

What can be done? Can we legitimately stop the music every single time we see some on the dancefloor with a drink?

I've been known to. After 3 or 4 times the usually get he message.


My best one however was:

"A gentle reminder that drinks are not to be brought onto the dancefloor area & music will be stopped if people persist in doing so. No, putting it behind your back so that I can't see it does not count, especially when there is a large mirror behind you"

Sober DJ: 1 - Drunk Punter: 0

[Solitaire Events Ltd]

I hate it.

People swinging bottles and glasses round at weddings and forgetting there's kids there and that they are small.

Last weekend, I did a small wedding and the 'lads' started doing a bit of moshing - it was all good natured and there was only a few of them, but someone had a glass and pushed the groom's head right in to it. Luckily it didn't break, otherwise he would have spent his wedding night in hospital.

[Corabar Steve]

I had a bride at one gig, who despite numerous warnings slipped on somebody else's spillage & landed on her own wine glass.

[Kernow]

Saturday night was worse for me. As I said elsewhere, it was a private party, so slightly different rules. Over to you.

The endorsement of current proposals to introduce a minimum charge per unit of alcohol, putting an end to the ridiculous "£1 a pint" scenario ( ) might be a step forward ?

[Jonathan Ford]

I to hate drinks near my kit, and always gently guide a drink laden hand away from the gear when punters come to make a request. However, I tend to view whatever happens on the dance floor as a venue problem, rather than my problem, no matter how unsafe or irritating. Consequently, I can't remember the last time I made an announcement about drinks on the dance floor. I do on occasion approach venue staff and point a problem out to them, or let them know of any spillages.

[Excalibur]

putting an end to the ridiculous "£1 a pint" scenario ( ) might be a step forward ?

I narrowly missed out on being able to buy the stuff at £1 per Gallon. When I started drinking, it was 13p per pint. And even at that price, we sure as hell didn't risk spilling it.

I to hate drinks near my kit, and always gently guide a drink laden hand away from the gear when punters come to make a request.

I'm not always gentle. Neither am I always concentrating on what the punter's asking for, cos I'm usually watching the drink.

[JTRS]

I always start by turning the music down and announcing that drinks are not allowed on the dancefloor, after the second or third announcement then I make a point of stopping the music and politely reminding them that no drinks are allowed on the dancefloor. I won't restart the music until the person with the drink has either left the dancefloor or put their drink down on a table.

As for customers asking for a request whilst holding a drink anywhere near my equipment, well that's my pet-hate and I refuse to talk to them until they have taken the drink away, sometimes they don't bother coming back which is usually a win-win situation.

JTRS

[Stu]

Funny this thread should pop up! After the weekends gigs i have just had, i've spend today out in the garage re-designing the disco to avoid problems with drink.

I have now constructed a 2 foot high stage to remove myself and my expensive equipment from within spillage range of most drunk dancers.

Requesters now will have to come around to the side of the stage as they won't be able to lean over the front of the booth!

I'll post some pictures of next weekends gigs and report back on if it works!

Drink spillage has been a problem for me in the past, particularly 18ths, 21sts and proms. Worse than the drinks though, is when some clown takes a fire extinguisher off the wall and thinks it's fun to spray that all over the dancefloor and disco!