Good Gig, Bad Gig.

[Casual77]

I don't normally write gig reports but I had an interesting one last night so thought I'd share.

It was a large marquee wedding in the garden of the bride's parents' grade 2 listed building in a small rural village in North Yorkshire. I had been warned in advance that it was a fair distance from the front of the house to the Marquee at the bottom of the garden by the groom and he certainly wasn't kidding! Fortunately I arrived three hours before I was due to start and it was just as well because I needed every minute of it! The marquee was huge and located about 500 yards down the garden, or at least the front of it was! The rear part of the marquee, where I was to set up, was about another 60 yards or so back and made worse by the fact I had to circumnavigate the catering tent though a mini forest and enter from the back so as to preserve the disco's element of surprise. I decided to give my little rock n' roll cart its first outing because I had my newly acquired Alto subs and I thought it would come in handy. Unfortunately, I was only half right because the cart wasn't all that effective on the long stretches of pebbled paths or through the dense woodland and I still had to handball all my equipment over half of the way.

I soon realised that I had become accustomed to the easy set up of a pair of Gigbars on recent gigs having not done a wedding since New Year's Eve and my full wedding setup took far longer to assemble than I remembered. This was probably down to the fact I knew I had time for a fairly leisurely set-up so didn't feel the need to rush. I got it all set up and looking presentable and then had a minor panic when I came to check that the DMX lighting was working as intended. What I didn't realise was that when I was playing around with my Wifly NE1 during the week, creating profiles for the Chauvet 6Spot and 4Play, I had managed to inadvertently delete the settings for all my other lights. After a bit of nervous playing around with the settings I managed to get everything re-programmed with my 'first dance' settings, but I was fortunate that things were running about half an hour late which gave me the time I needed. Anyway, by the time that the events management staff dragged down the dividing curtain and revealed me to the party guests I was happy that I was 'good to go'.

The disco itself was fairly standard fair, ranging from Motown to R&B/Hip-Hop, stopping off at current chart and obligatory wedding 'cheese' along the way. It started with a raucous first dance of 'Can't take my Eyes off of You' by Andy Williams enjoyed by all 200 or so party guests through to a similarly well attended final rendition of 'Hey Jude'. Perhaps the only remarkable thing about the disco was that everything seemed to be surprisingly well received and I managed to keep the 10 metre square wooden chess board dance-floor full for almost all of the night.

The only negative of the gig was the fact that I managed to collect no fewer than 8 broken glasses in and around my set-up including one pint glass full of lager which was dropped onto the top of one of my subs from a few feet above. This inevitably smashed showering my sub with lager and fragments of glass. It's a wonder that it didn't blow the electrics because there was an extension socket located just behind the sub. I had spent most of the night removing people's glasses from the shelf on my Equinox booth but was fighting a losing battle trying to keep them off my subs. I've thought about getting some custom made sub covers but they would cost as much as I paid for the subs so I'm not sure it would make much financial sense.

The gig finished at shortly after 12.30am and I then had an hour of packing away before trying to navigate my way back up the garden in the pitch black. I managed a couple of trips before the catering team took pity on me and offered to transport the rest of my gear back up the garden on a pallet using their fork truck. I gratefully accepted and even got a ride down the garden sat on the pallet (which gave my weary legs a welcome break). In spite of the kind assistance it was still approaching 3am before I set off home and 4.30am before I got to bed. At least the night had gone well and I received high praise from the Bride's mother and the groom who said that I had 'absolutely nailed it'. When you receive positive recognition for your efforts it at least makes the tiredness seem worthwhile and I drove home in pretty high spirits, which even a closure on the A1M failed to dampen. I'm feeling tired and washed out today but satisfied that I helped contribute to what appeared to be a successful and enjoyable day.

[CRAZY K]

I don't normally write gig reports but I had an interesting one last night so thought I'd share.

It was a large marquee wedding in the garden of the bride's parents' grade 2 listed building in a small rural village in North Yorkshire. I had been warned in advance that it was a fair distance from the front of the house to the Marquee at the bottom of the garden by the groom and he certainly wasn't kidding! Fortunately I arrived three hours before I was due to start and it was just as well because I needed every minute of it! The marquee was huge and located about 500 yards down the garden, or at least the front of it was! The rear part of the marquee, where I was to set up, was about another 60 yards or so back and made worse by the fact I had to circumnavigate the catering tent though a mini forest and enter from the back so as to preserve the disco's element of surprise. I decided to give my little rock n' roll cart its first outing because I had my newly acquired Alto subs and I thought it would come in handy. Unfortunately, I was only half right because the cart wasn't all that effective on the long stretches of pebbled paths or through the dense woodland and I still had to handball all my equipment over half of the way.

I soon realised that I had become accustomed to the easy set up of a pair of Gigbars on recent gigs having not done a wedding since New Year's Eve and my full wedding setup took far longer to assemble than I remembered. This was probably down to the fact I knew I had time for a fairly leisurely set-up so didn't feel the need to rush. I got it all set up and looking presentable and then had a minor panic when I came to check that the DMX lighting was working as intended. What I didn't realise was that when I was playing around with my Wifly NE1 during the week, creating profiles for the Chauvet 6Spot and 4Play, I had managed to inadvertently delete the settings for all my other lights. After a bit of nervous playing around with the settings I managed to get everything re-programmed with my 'first dance' settings, but I was fortunate that things were running about half an hour late which gave me the time I needed. Anyway, by the time that the events management staff dragged down the dividing curtain and revealed me to the party guests I was happy that I was 'good to go'.

The disco itself was fairly standard fair, ranging from Motown to R&B/Hip-Hop, stopping off at current chart and obligatory wedding 'cheese' along the way. It started with a raucous first dance of 'Can't take my Eyes off of You' by Andy Williams enjoyed by all 200 or so party guests through to a similarly well attended final rendition of 'Hey Jude'. Perhaps the only remarkable thing about the disco was that everything seemed to be surprisingly well received and I managed to keep the 10 metre square wooden chess board dance-floor full for almost all of the night.

The only negative of the gig was the fact that I managed to collect no fewer than 8 broken glasses in and around my set-up including one pint glass full of lager which was dropped onto the top of one of my subs from a few feet above. This inevitably smashed showering my sub with lager and fragments of glass. It's a wonder that it didn't blow the electrics because there was an extension socket located just behind the sub. I had spent most of the night removing people's glasses from the shelf on my Equinox booth but was fighting a losing battle trying to keep them off my subs. I've thought about getting some custom made sub covers but they would cost as much as I paid for the subs so I'm not sure it would make much financial sense.

The gig finished at shortly after 12.30am and I then had an hour of packing away before trying to navigate my way back up the garden in the pitch black. I managed a couple of trips before the catering team took pity on me and offered to transport the rest of my gear back up the garden on a pallet using their fork truck. I gratefully accepted and even got a ride down the garden sat on the pallet (which gave my weary legs a welcome break). In spite of the kind assistance it was still approaching 3am before I set off home and 4.30am before I got to bed. At least the night had gone well and I received high praise from the Bride's mother and the groom who said that I had 'absolutely nailed it'. When you receive positive recognition for your efforts it at least makes the tiredness seem worthwhile and I drove home in pretty high spirits, which even a closure on the A1M failed to dampen. I'm feeling tired and washed out today but satisfied that I helped contribute to what appeared to be a successful and enjoyable day.

Sounds like you need to hire some muscle and a trolley for jobs like this--the customer can afford it by the sounds of things.

I am past the age and stage of hauling equipment 500 yards--I think you need to be more particular about asking the access questions--I often wont quote customers until I have investigated the venue and phoned them to ask about stairs, bad access and sound limiters--all 3 of which I dont do.

A friend of ours who did this kind of thing with Rodeo Bulls in back gardens and difficult access literally died from it--Heart Attack 3 years ago.

Look after your health--theres plenty of easier bookings to do.

Do a Toby, easy access round the corner bookings only

[Excalibur]

Look after your health--theres plenty of easier bookings to do.

Do a Toby, easy access round the corner bookings only

I agree completely. I won't travel more than a hundred miles each way nowadays.

I quoted for an NaD enquiry the other day, and the prospective client asked if I knew where Chesterfield was, as I'm not near there, and was I really sure I'd travel that far?

[CRAZY K]

Not a great one yesterday.

A new venue - which had a sound limiter. I always ask the venue in advance about specifics like sound limiters, but struggled to get any response from the venue, even via the phone. Not a good sign! I'd done 2 weddings recently with sound limiters where it was fine for the music, but every time I spoke on the mic, the limiter would peak, which made announcements like the first dance a nightmare!

Anyway set up early and all was good. Came back ready for the evening and everything was running to time and all was good.

First dance I managed to slightly mis-pronounce the surname - first time that's ever happened. Not sure how I managed it - I had it written in front of me! For me that was about the worst thing I could do, so I was beating myself up inside about it. Not sure if the B/G noticed - it was one letter different from what it should have been.

Very difficult to get anyone dancing - they were mainly outside, or just at the other end of the room by the bar. Had a few requests, but when I played them and started to get people dancing, the bride wanted newer music which cleared the dancefloor again.

And then even at the very end, I really struggled to get everyone on the dancefloor for the last song - even the B & G! Had to spend about a minute on the mic pulling people on to the dancefloor. Was worth it though for the last song - otherwise I fear the evening would have been a wash out!

Was annoyed about the mis-pronunciation but not sure there was much I could do about the rest of the night - I guess every now and then you get a gig that doesn't quite go as you'd like. Just frustrating as I'd had a really good run of great gigs!

Sound Limiter--nope dont do those--they can wreck events --

Europe Football is not helping either.

I mentioned in another post I do a fair bit of checking on the venues these days in advance--theres a lot of hazards like sound limiters--stairs--poor access--funny they never seem to get mentioned unless you ask

[funkymook]

Sounds like you need to hire some muscle and a trolley for jobs like this--the customer can afford it by the sounds of things.

I am past the age and stage of hauling equipment 500 yards--I think you need to be more particular about asking the access questions--I often wont quote customers until I have investigated the venue and phoned them to ask about stairs, bad access and sound limiters--all 3 of which I dont do.

A friend of ours who did this kind of thing with Rodeo Bulls in back gardens and difficult access literally died from it--Heart Attack 3 years ago.

Look after your health--theres plenty of easier bookings to do.

Do a Toby, easy access round the corner bookings only

Absolutely, we’re self-employed so can decide which jobs we take on and which we let pass.

[Nakatomi]

Sound Limiter--nope dont do those--they can wreck events --

Europe Football is not helping either.

I mentioned in another post I do a fair bit of checking on the venues these days in advance--theres a lot of hazards like sound limiters--stairs--poor access--funny they never seem to get mentioned unless you ask

"oh yes, mr disco.. it's definitely DOWN STAIRS alright"....

then you turn up to be faced with this on your way to the room:

[CRAZY K]

I agree completely. I won't travel more than a hundred miles each way nowadays.

Thats no problem--did that Friday and would have been Saturday if it hadnt been cancelled.

But difficult access, stairs or sound limiters--no thanks.

[Casual77]

Sounds like you need to hire some muscle and a trolley for jobs like this--the customer can afford it by the sounds of things.

I am past the age and stage of hauling equipment 500 yards--I think you need to be more particular about asking the access questions--I often wont quote customers until I have investigated the venue and phoned them to ask about stairs, bad access and sound limiters--all 3 of which I dont do.

A friend of ours who did this kind of thing with Rodeo Bulls in back gardens and difficult access literally died from it--Heart Attack 3 years ago.

Look after your health--theres plenty of easier bookings to do.

Do a Toby, easy access round the corner bookings only

Yes, I could have done with a helping hand on this one but unfortunately my usual roadie (step-son) has just left for a 13 month work placement in America so it looks like I will be flying solo for the foreseeable future.

The gig came through an online agency which provides an auto-quote which, once approved by me and then accepted by the client, becomes binding. I didn't know anything about the access issues until after I was contracted so couldn't really turn it down. On the plus side though, I did receive a good fee for it and they were pleasant clients to work for so I doubt I would have passed it up even if I had known.

[Nakatomi]

Yes, I could have done with a helping hand on this one but unfortunately my usual roadie (step-son) has just left for a 13 month work placement in America so it looks like I will be flying solo for the foreseeable future.

The gig came through an online agency which provides an auto-quote which, once approved by me and then accepted by the client, becomes binding. I didn't know anything about the access issues until after I was contracted so couldn't really turn it down. On the plus side though, I did receive a good fee for it and they were pleasant clients to work for so I doubt I would have passed it up even if I had known.

Does this agency perchance cover my neck of the woods?

[Benny Smyth]

Can't believe that it's up to me to drag this thread back on topic. Me. Of all people.

Fantastic gig tonight. I was booked for this one last year and I had a great rapport on email from the offset. Sat down with them last month for their pre-wedding chat and I had a good feel of what they wanted.

First dance was Wannadies' You & Me Song. I was planning on following it up with Amy Whinehouse's version of Valerie (on their request list), but I spent all of the first dance staring at Jet's Are You Gonna Be My Girl. I can't play that so early, can I? Sacrilege, surely!

In the end, I thought sod it and went with Jet. Excellent decision, even if I do say so myself.

Full dancefloor from first to last. One of those gigs where people know how to enjoy themselves. Venue were happy, bride and groom were happy and the guests were happy.

So the DJ is happy.