Good Gig, Bad Gig.

[Excalibur]

Roll on winter, eh? Friday night was a leaving do for a worker from sweet company, Haribo. No, we didn't get any free samples, and no they spoke just like real adults. ( Well until the falling over water took effect )
Couldn't get them inside for love nor money, the weather was glorious, the venue had splendid decking looking out over green fields, and everyone stayed outside till eleven.
Incidentally, yet another gig where we were booked till midnight, but venue says that means " gone by midnight". Fortunately, this client was absolutely fine with that.

Saturday was an after wedding party, wedding held in Venice. Nice and local, client's family known to me, as I lived round there as a lad. Lovely little marquee, set up the Micromax in a very leisurely manner, stuck on background muzak and relaxed. Guests arrived mid afternoon, for a relaxed chat and drinkypoos. Music was to start with a vengeance at 7pm, by which time many had headed for home.

I was conversing with Wayne, whose gig was running along similar lines, but he was lucky enough to be sent home early, while I was " Human Jukebox " till midnight.

Roll on the cold weather.

[Imagine]

Roll on the cold weather.

I'll drink to that. Although on paper I should be looking forward to this weekend's shenanigans....I fear it's going to be a couple of very long and boring nights playing music to myself.

A 50th on Saturday in a rugby club....even though the England match will be done and dusted by start time (apparently there's some sort of football tournament going on at the moment), I'll wager good money that the telly will be on for whoever's playing on Saturday night, so that one's probably already on to a loser (shame because the playlist ideas I've been given for that one are awesome).

Sunday night? Wedding in a nice venue with a massive terrace overlooking the Fens and Ely cathedral with the bar in a different tent to me....with the mercury set to soar to the low 30s over here. I wonder where the guests will be?

Is it time for Xmas parties yet?

[Imagine]

OK - I cheated, it was a primary end of year disco with around 400 kids spilt across four separate gigs and 4 1/2 hours (urgh....I'm knackered already and I've still got a 50th tomorrow and a wedding on Sunday to do! ).

Despite the heat (it was boiling in that hall), they ALL danced - they were leaving at the end of their discos absolutely drenched in sweat. Why can't grown ups be like that?

Couple of things I don't understand though!

1. "Flossing". What in the name of all that's holy is that all about? They tried teaching me and the PTA helpers how to do it....it wasn't happening for us but my Gawd however they do it....they can't half do it fast!
2. I really must start playing computer games. Apparently there's something called Fortnight which is full of 80s music. I got asked for The Final Countdown and Take On Me.....looked questioningly at the 3rd or 4th kid that asked for them...played them....and thought I'd gone back in time 30 years....they actually SANG ALONG to them

[theoloyla]

The reason why many people (myself included - and I am a professional dance instructor) find the floss awkward is that it is a 6 count movement (like a viennese waltz). Walking, marching, the twist, jive, rumba, tango, electric slide, foxtrot, quickstep etc etc are all in 4 or 2 counts. Young minds have not been preconditioned to expect movements to be in 2 or 4 time; so they assimilate triplets or in this case sextuplets much easier.

[Excalibur]

Friday, I had the honour of being road crew for Mr David Jackson. Dave, ( to give him his normal title ) does a school prom near Norton each year, and likes to push the boat out gear wise for them. This requires him to hire a bigger vehicle to shift the kit, so he decided this year to cut his workload by enlisting my help, gear, and van. Wise move, as we didn't so much push the boat out as launch a cruise liner!!

Dave brought playout and associated paraphernalia, as well as a Yamaha sub. I chipped in by bringing a DSB, filling the truss with lights, and chucking the 15" Proels in, which sounded sweet with the sub. We had two Hadrons above us, an EFX500, two lasers and two Crossfire XPs. Loaded for bear, we were!

Sadly, we were graced with fewer guests than Dave expected, and what with hot weather, photos, awards, pizza, and a chocolate fountain, it was a somewhat haphazard affair. The guests were lively enough, and greeted many songs with delight. It was good to see another DJ at work, and while he does some things differently to me, we share a lot of common ground. It was a pleasant change just to rock up as Road Crew, and watch someone else do the hard work. I had a ball, just running the lights, taking requests, and helping out a bit.

Re lights, two things sprang to mind last night.
1) The EFX 500 is a mighty beast, and still beats the out of most LED effects.
2) Why hasn't someone started putting 100w LED power inside the blasted things, and cutting the weight? Would sell like hot cakes, I reckon.

Anyway, tonight for me couldn't be much more different. 18th Birthday party for a lad with autistic tendencies. Scaled down kit list comprises Micromax, Mauis ( possibly Maui singular even ) Powerbar, and radio mic. Can't get much more minimal than that for me. Music requests so far are chart pop, and a full cheeseboard. That'll do for me.

[Imagine]

Well...where do I start. Night 2 of three out on the road, it's hot, I'm tired....but was tentatively looking forward to this one.

The occasion? Mr & Mrs celebrating their joint 50th birthdays (OK....his was a couple of months ago but why not join forces for one awesome party?).
Twas an 80s night, and this is where the fears came in because as much as I love doing those....they can go either of two ways, and not always in a positive way.

Luckily....this went the right way!

So....16 feet of Retro Rig hauled into a venue (no Peter....I don't believe in minimalism! ), which on paper was going to be a piece of cake....until you met the slope going up to the front door with a sharp turn into the building at the top....the Rock n Roller doesn't do corners quite that sharply .

Got set up as a sweaty mess (by God some of those light screens are heavy!) and settled into background music whilst the guests arrived....so far so good. With the number of times the Retro rig is going out lately and with the current heatwave, I'm beginning to appreciate more and more the £350 bill for converting it to LED so that it's only taking 300w instead of 2Kw.

I should mention at this point that Mr had sent me a list of suggestions on a spreadsheet several weeks ago. Had I played them all end to end....it would have lasted for 13 HOURS! (note....they were suggestions...not must plays).

So, no-dancier stuff put into auto mix and await the start of the party after the buffet whilst talking to guests and generally milling around getting a feel for how the evening was going to pan out.

By half nine, they were still tucking into the buffet and I thought....let's get this kicked off.

Lots of Adam Ants in the room dictated that the first song of the night at a proper volume had to be Prince Charming (it would have been the Smurf Song by Father Abraham had I owned a copy due to the fact that a group of 6 turned up covered from head to toe in blue grease-paint!)

BOOM! They're up and dancing (despite the heat of the hall). I went happily cherry picking through the customer's suggestion list at a rate of knots, worried that I was going to peak way too soon. Every single track was an absolute banger (and to be honest...90% of what he'd suggested would have been played anyway....it's always nice from my point of view to fit in with what they want though).

Then things got silly. We did the birthday cake twice because after the first time...Mr approached me and admitted he'd forgotten to light the candles (the cake was around a corner and I couldn't see what was going on from my vantage point). After asking me to make excuses for him....I gave him a mic and made him do it himself (it was that sort of party where you could have that sort of fun . ).

So....happy birthday sung again and somebody shouts "Congaaaaaa!". Well....why not? (see....said it was one of those nights).

Midnight came around way too soon and it was time for goodnight and safe journey. They were as good as gold, realised I couldn't do one more and let me start packing away (besides...they were going back to the customer's house for more beers after they'd cleared the hall up....all 80 of them!)

I'm beginning to rethink where I want to take the disco of late after several nights like this one this year. I'm starting to veer away from the wedding side of things and go more towards the retro stuff. When it works, it's a really fulfilling night without all of the formalities and stress. Guests at these ones tend to be there because they want to be, rather than being there because they feel they have to be. There are also very few operators in this area with an original 80s light show so it makes me a bit unique....and people are seeking me out as a result.

Only two downsides from tonight...

One of my trusty DXR15's has developed the dreaded rattle (overtightened screw on the cross-bracing has sheered and needs looking at). Unfortunately it's twin took a dive off the trolley on the way down the slope as well, so that will need properly testing to make sure there's no damage. I was planning on using them for tomorrow's wedding. Looks like it's going to be either the DXR12/8 combo or the Maui's then

So....two very good nights so far. Tomorrow's B&G (I haven't met them) seem to be very laid back to the extent that I had an email last week saying that they were into "70s and 80s music and wedding cheese".....what's not to like about that one then?

[Excalibur]

So....16 feet of Retro Rig hauled into a venue (no Peter....I don't believe in minimalism! ),

It's not how big it is, it's what you do with it that counts.

I'm beginning to rethink where I want to take the disco of late after several nights like this one this year. I'm starting to veer away from the wedding side of things and go more towards the retro stuff. When it works, it's a really fulfilling night without all of the formalities and stress. Guests at these ones tend to be there because they want to be, rather than being there because they feel they have to be. There are also very few operators in this area with an original 80s light show so it makes me a bit unique....and people are seeking me out as a result.

Although I don't have a retro rig any longer, I concur with Wayne's premise. I've had a lot of weddings this year where they wed abroad, and just want the function at home to be a party. No formalities, just a celebration.


OK, my gig last night. Another one from Facebook, maybe there's an upside to this Social Media lark.
18th Birthday for a lad with autistic tendencies, and his mates. Sometimes this job is humbling. I've never seen a crowd of people so into their music, so intent on having fun.

Wayne and I were having a " mine's bigger than yours " on Facebook, cos I had just one Maui, Micromax and the Powerbar set to slow fade, as some don't react well to wildly flashing lights. The only thing that was important to my guests was the music, and expending as much of their seemingly boundless energy as possible. What a night, it makes you feel more than a tad humble, and very very satisfied.



The last two nights, I have called on a couple of lights from yesteryear, the EFX500 and Teutonic Powerbar. You remember how good they are, and why you got them in the first place.

[Jim - Scotland's Party DJ]

OK, my gig last night. Another one from Facebook, maybe there's an upside to this Social Media lark.
18th Birthday for a lad with autistic tendencies, and his mates. Sometimes this job is humbling. I've never seen a crowd of people so into their music, so intent on having fun.

Wayne and I were having a " mine's bigger than yours " on Facebook, cos I had just one Maui, Micromax and the Powerbar set to slow fade, as some don't react well to wildly flashing lights. The only thing that was important to my guests was the music, and expending as much of their seemingly boundless energy as possible. What a night, it makes you feel more than a tad humble, and very very satisfied.

)

Good on you sir. There's too many people who hoover up gigs for ASD clients and think they can just play it like a normal gig / setup which isn't fair.

By varying meanders since qualifying to teach I've ended up in an additional support needs school and the word you use 'humble' is very apt.

I've had loads of success in my career to the point I'm now involved in driving certain policies at national level due to my (alleged) expertise but truly some of the fondest achievements I've had is when doing our discos and having a child with Downs who is a very introverted and sad little girl twirl and pirouette around the hall with the biggest smile on her face because I'd clocked her listening to Kiss on youtube and day and played Crazy Nights for her and getting a lad with Autism who would never enter the hall because he was too anxious swagger in to a standing ovation because I name dropped him and played Never Gonna Give You Up - his favourite tune, now he comes to every one.

It sounds trite but it really does demonstrate the power of music.

[Excalibur]

some of the fondest achievements I've had is when doing our discos and having a child with Downs who is a very introverted and sad little girl twirl and pirouette around the hall with the biggest smile on her face because I'd clocked her listening to Kiss on youtube and day and played Crazy Nights for her and getting a lad with Autism who would never enter the hall because he was too anxious swagger in to a standing ovation because I name dropped him and played Never Gonna Give You Up - his favourite tune, now he comes to every one.

It sounds trite but it really does demonstrate the power of music.

Amen to all of that Brother, but especially the bold bit. The only bit of the process I can take credit for is pressing play.

[Imagine]

The good run had to end eventually, and I guessed it would be tonight, the third gig in as many days (I'm shattered).

The venue is one which can go either way....tonight it went the way nobody likes but happens often.

Arrived extra early to get set up and changed (the thermometer over here has been registering super-scorchio again all day - roll on winter). When I got there, the owner warned me it probably wasn't going to be a rammed floor for the evening (and she's not normally wrong).

First dance dispatched, not to shoddy with the number of guests who joined in and stayed for the second dance (a dedication to bride's mum and sisters)....and then they found the outside terrace

I'm used to this at this venue, so start plodding away and biding my time....no need to panic Mr Mainwaring.

The brief had been for mainly 70s, 80s and cheese, or what the bride described as "wedding music".
I always hold off of the bangers in this particular venue until after the buffet has been served....no point in emptying the dance floor after all.

So eventually....it's cheese time (and we're talking Reach, Macarena, Saturday night...nothing too bad). It got a moderate reaction (in fact with about 20 on the floor it was the fullest it was all night).

10pm arrives....a lot of the guests are departing due to having kids with them or having to be at work in the morning....gotta love a school-night wedding . Unfortunately this led to a lot of others steadily leaving the building until I'm left with around a dozen (happens a lot here for some reason).

11:00 - bride and groom are off to bed. Hugs and handshakes and lots of compliments from them, and they apologised for having miserable old sods as friends.....well at least the bosses are happy

11:30, we're down to two and policy is normally that we don't shut down until either all guests have departed, or we reach the midnight curfew. That policy thankfully was soon overturned by the owner who having been in her office all night came down to see the lack of bodies and decided it was home time....hurrah!!!

After a good run this weekend that one was a bit of a downer, for me at least. It might be because I'm now absolutely shattered (I'm never taking three in the same weekend again....it's too much). I couldn't have done anything any different - I know that, and the bride and groom were more than happy with my efforts. It's just not nice to see so much empty dance floor at someone's special day knowing there's not much else you could have done to improve the situation.

Hey ho....onwards and upwards