New years eve

[DJWilson]

Local boozer was shut by 9PM last night. Not sure if they bothered opened at all.

The last two years it has been dead in there.

[rth_discos]

So that's New Year's Eve done.

A new venue for me, as I chose to spend last New Year's Eve in Malaga.

I knew I was well and truly in Toby country as I passed Careys Manor!

This was a local restaurant/pub/hotel for a small town, and was a ticketed event with a 3 course meal, followed by disco - my preferred style of evening, as everything is much more 'controlled'.

100 people booked in - capacity, so was looking forward to this one. Quite a small room, so I took my new favourites, the Maui 5. I also recently purchased the new QTX Party Derby FX Bar, specifically for smaller gigs/upstairs etc, so this was its first outing.

Arrived at 4pm to set up, as guests arrive from 6pm onwards. I was told that the meal would be finishing around 9:30pm.

I assumed I'd need to play some background music, but as it was, I was in a different room to the restaurant, so literally had nothing to do until 9:30pm.

I was aware the crowd were predominantly 50+, which I'm fine with, and was looking forward to.

Many of the crowd were 70+, and I must be careful before I receive the wrath of Peter for any age generalisations!

After 9:30, it was very slow to pick up - and one of the guests who had been last year noted how much older the guests were, and that she thought they had all gone to bed already (her words, not mine!!)

A continuous amount of a few people dancing, until 11:50 when all the remaining guests come in (I counted about 30 in total) and we do the countdown. The guests remain dancing until the end time of 12:30.

Not quite the New Year's Eve I'm used to, but I'd prefer that civilised experience to some of the horror stories!!

Quick note about the QTX Party Derby FX Bar - this thing is amazing. For a smallish room, it's more than adequate. The wash and derby effect did the job perfectly well. In fact, once I'd set up, even the manager commented on how good the setup looked!! A smart starlit booth, with 1 tidy light behind, and the Maui 5s with a bit of uplighting in each corner looked nice and tidy, and was spot on for the venue.

[Shakermaker Promotions]

It was such a nice change for me NOT to be doing a NYE gig and I did think of those of you that were out for the evening for all of 2 minutes (sorry!).
We'd made plans to go over to a friends house until 11.30pm and then walk back to the in-laws to celebrate with everybody round there (about 15 in total).

Throughout the day I found myself thinking "Well, I'd usually be setting up around this time..." etc etc and it did feel strange not being out DJing but, that's probably because I did it for so many years.
A few bevvies were consumed at our friends house before someone mentioned popping out for a beer at the pub nearby so off we went and I wish we hadn't because I saw what was possibly the worst DJ ever.

We walked into a half full pub (or half empty, depending on which way you look at it), and the music was far too loud and distorted.
Whoever the DJ was, I couldn't see them at first and that was because he was stood at the bar, drinking. As I am sure most of us do, I couldn't help but check out his set up as I walked to the loo and well, 2 x active speakers (never seen them before and can't remember what make they were), a little notebook connected to a 12 channel mixer and some LED rope lights. The pub had some par cans set up which I assume are there all the time, and that was it.

As I said, the music was blaring out and it sounded like a mix CD to my ears. Nobody seemed to be taking any notice of it anyway and as we sat at a table (we easily found one), and shouted to each other over the distorted music, I did the see the 'DJ' go back and forth to his set up and fiddle with his notebook and then return to the bar. It could have been a local who had some equipment or it could have been a paid DJ but he looked scruffy and uninterested and it was bad.

We stayed for 20 minutes before returning to the house and it was the topic of conversation until we staggered back to the in-laws.
Thankfully, not all places are like that and certainly not all DJ's are like that either.
I was asked by our friends if I regretted staying in and not working...... I won't repeat what I answered.

Happy New Year!

[yourdj]

I knew I was well and truly in Toby country as I passed Careys Manor!

Was it the huntsman? Should have popped in for a pint. Nice to be ticketed, I don't think I would do a walk in NYE event ever again?

I was in a different room to the restaurant, so literally had nothing to do until 9:30pm.

Should have popped in for a drink, we do bugger all for at least 3 hours, most Christmas nights.

Amazing what venues will not tell you, (especially if you dont ask them). I ended up setting up at 6.20pm, guests arrived at 7.30pm, DJ set did not start until 10.20pm - 1am. Lovely timings to ram in all the big hits. Most of them were over 65 yo, so were gone by 12.30. A lot of people that live in the New Forest are well over 60 yo as the property prices are almost as high as London (especially in Brock), so a conservative set list is a good bet.

[Excalibur]

Seeing some of the reports coming in on the Book of Faces at the moment, I'm glad I'm at home with a beer.
I'm hearing from people at the moment with just 4 people in their venues (and it's not just pubs). I know it's still a bit early doors, but doesn't bode well for a good night

I was in the same venue as last year. The one that was packed last year, and booked me on the spot for a replay. I looked forward to an " action replay " this year. Nope. Half empty, damp squib of a gig. What's happening? ( Actually, in my case, I have a vague idea what may have had an effect )

The best thing about tonight.............

less than 1/4 mile away....

Can beat that. This year, a 250 mile round trip. Next year, a 250 yd round trip.

Had a quick peek at the Book of Faeces and seen a few venues without a disco!.....what's goin on at the moment!!

The world and his wife have been asking if anyone's free, and today I heard of a no show.

. Quite a small room, so I took my new favourites, the Maui 5.

Sob. More on that elsewhere.

I can understand why you love them. Yesterday, we ran them side by side against something which should have annihilated them. My but the little blighters aquitted themselves admirably. They have no right to do what they do. Like I said, more on that later, it's been a long day.

[yourdj]

Yesterday, we ran them side by side against something which should have annihilated them.

What system was it out of interest? I am interested in the battery units.

[Jim - Scotland's Party DJ]

The wife and I are spending Christmas and Hogmanay in Vegas.

We had planned on meeting up with some expats at a local-ish restaurant that were doing a flat fee all you can drink thing but they shut down the whole strip to traffic so he messaged me and said they might not be able to get near the place.

Hedging our bets (and mindful that I've literally only met this guy for a few hours to watch the old firm game and don't know any of his friends) we booked into a bar downstairs in the hotel which was $5 more expensive but had a singer on.

We headed down there, the guy was pretty good, the timbre of his voice grated on me a bit but he did an ed sheeran type thing where he looped his guitar and sampled stuff and so on. Much better than the RnB that was being piped in before he came.

The place wasn't overly busy so the drink was flowing nicely too.

Quarter to Midnight we headed up to the room to watch the fireworks. The expat dude had been messaging me throughout the night asking if we were going to pop in - to be fair his night did look fun - I said we were heading out onto the strip after the bells so would go down to see them.

I take a phone call from my parents after the fireworks, finish off my wine, turn round and find my wife tucked up and catching ZZZs. I consider going down to the strip myself, think better of it, stick the TV on, watch a few Rick and Mortys and doze off myself.

It's quite nice not to wake up with a hangover on the 1st

[Excalibur]

What system was it out of interest? I am interested in the battery units.

Here you go, Toby.

[rth_discos]

Was it the huntsman? Should have popped in for a pint. Nice to be ticketed, I don't think I would do a walk in NYE event ever again?

It was The Beach House in Milford on Sea, so a fair drive on past Careys Manor. It was only as I drove past it I realised where it was! I'd always assumed your venues were 'deeper' within the New Forest!

I've always stayed on site during a gig... I'd hate to leave the venue and then suffer a breakdown or some other issue that causes me to return late.

This was soon after midnight...



A nice crowd - I chatted with quite a few people, and they were a nice friendly bunch.

[ukpartydj]

I had an interesting one for NYE. A wedding.
Wasn't half as bad as I thought it'd be, there was an odd lull about 30mins before midnight but a very impressive fireworks show and a weird Scottish song and we were back in business for an hour.

Oddly I had an enquiry for NYE 2019 a few months ago at the same venue (again a wedding). Is this a new wedding trend?