Clients vs the DJ - Please dont clear my dance floor!

[Dillmiester]

I had a great gig on Sunday night. It was a Christmas party for a large retail company in a huge hall.
The size of the room did get me worried about the sound but in the end just my two Class D 15" cabs and Peavey Pro Sub was enough. I set up high on a stage which gave a very good look and helped keep people away from the kit.

The organisers handed me a list of events for the evening. Now i like to be organised so this wasnt a problem. It involved lots of work on the mic announcing stuff like the raffle, pin the tail on the donkey! hidden prizes in the room, the buffet, and games etc.
The slight irritation was that from about 8pm I got people up and dancing but then they wanted the buffet opened - so the hall lights came on and people cleared off the dance floor.
About half an hour later I got people back on the floor only for the pin the tail on the donkey to be announced at 9pm. Again everyone backed off the floor.
I got them back again by 9.30 only for the raffle prises to be handed out!
By 10.30 I had a full dance floor but again one of the organisers said she wanted to announce the prises for the dam donkey game, and yep the dance floor cleared again, thanks alot!

I know theres nothing I could do but I just wanted a quick rant, I feel better now!

[Jaggiebunnett]

Can be aggravating I know..lol
It can go the total opposite way though when they expect the DJ to be the MC and the organizer and everything else.
I usually try to take control early on since most (but not your party) don't have a clue..lol

[Solitaire Events Ltd]

It is difficult, but a polite suggestion at the start of the night that their schedule may break things up a bit too much may have helped.

I had this a couple of times in December with people's raffles and when they are taking too long, I make a bit of a joke out of it and hope they get the message.

[PropellerHeadCase]

Agreed. Coaching them so they announce the winner of one game as they are organising the next will at least halve the number of interruptions.

[leighinstoke]

If all else fails - and I know we don't always like it - but go with it.

On the other hand - you could easily hack the client off by trying to change the way THEY want to do things.

Leigh....

[pulsemobiledisco]

If all else fails - and I know we don't always like it - but go with it.

On the other hand - you could easily hack the client off by trying to change the way THEY want to do things.

Leigh....

:agree:

It's the clients night, if thats the way they want to do it let them get on with it.

[UltraBeat Entertainment]

Originally Posted by leighinstoke
If all else fails - and I know we don't always like it - but go with it.

On the other hand - you could easily hack the client off by trying to change the way THEY want to do things.

Leigh....

I agree. It's the clients night so do it the way they won't it how ever annoying. remember try to keep them sweet and you may get bookings from them in the future:cool:.

I normally find this happens with the birthday cake. i'm right in the middle of a dance set with cha cha slide and grease lighting ect and then they tell me they want to do happy birthday with the cake NOW!!! and i must just stop the music and do what they want. annoying but what they want.
Thats life and it keeps you on your toes:D.

[Dragonfly]

indeed my opinion is now , the client is paying for a service and that is exactly what they get .

If they want things done a certain way then it is done a certain way no complaining from me, sure i might use my experience to delicately make a suggestion , but that is all it is what the client says goes , yes sometimes it really feels like selling your soul to the devil but as i see it thats service, its not about what i want as im not paying.

i doubt if next time i go and get a new car and order it in red the salesman will say "oooohhh tell you what i'll get you it in blue it will look much nicer?"

[rob1963]

As professionals, I think it's our job to find out how they intend to run things on the evening, and make suggestions if we think their way might lead to problems.

At the end of the day, it's up to them whether they take our advice, but if they don't and things go pear shaped, we have nothing to feel guilty about.

If I did a gig which hadn't gone well due to the way they wanted to run things, I'd certainly feel guilty if I'd seen the problems coming, but hadn't said anything to the client.

[PropellerHeadCase]

I've had nothing but positive responses from people when I've suggested limiting the number of interruptions. When they understand that the guests will enjoy it more if things flow better invariably people thank me for the advice (and take it). Why? Because whilst it IS their event they ARE NOT event organisers, in the professional sense, and good information is good information.

[rob1963]

That said, I've had nothing but positive responses from people when I've suggested limiting the number of interruptions. When they understand that the guests will enjoy it more if things seem to flow better invariably people thank me for the advice (and take it). Why? Because whilst it IS their event they ARE NOT event organisers, in the professional sense, and good information is good information.

That's fine, Al, unless you're dealing with control freaks who think THEY know best about how to run the evening & won't listen to anyone else.

[PropellerHeadCase]

As professionals, I think it's our job to find out how they intend to run things on the evening, and make suggestions if we think their way might lead to problems.

At the end of the day, it's up to them whether they take our advice, but if they don't and things go pear shaped, we have nothing to feel guilty about.

If I did a gig which hadn't gone well due to the way they wanted to run things, I'd certainly feel guilty if I'd seen the problems coming, but hadn't said anything to the client.

That's fine, Ron, unless you're dealing with control freaks who think THEY know best about how to run the evening & won't listen to anyone else ;)

[rob1963]

That's fine, Ron, unless you're dealing with control freaks who think THEY know best about how to run the evening & won't listen to anyone else ;)

The trouble is, you sometimes get people jumping down your throat for no reason when you come out with the most simple comments! ;)

[Solitaire Events Ltd]

I've had nothing but positive responses from people when I've suggested limiting the number of interruptions. When they understand that the guests will enjoy it more if things flow better invariably people thank me for the advice (and take it). Why? Because whilst it IS their event they ARE NOT event organisers, in the professional sense, and good information is good information.

I agree. If you are professional and persuasive enough and make them see that your way would be better for them and the guests, then no problem.

If they are control freaks, then there's not a lot you can do about it anyway.

Over the years, people seem glad to have someone to help take charge and organise alongside them.

[paull]

Having had a similar thing happen to me, I now ask if there will be any announcements cake cutting etc and the time they want it done. That way I can peak the music around it.

Paul
www.spectrumdisco-dj.co.uk

[PropellerHeadCase]

If you are professional and persuasive enough and make them see that your way would be better for them and the guests, then no problem.

If they are control freaks, then there's not a lot you can do about it anyway.

Over the years, people seem glad to have someone to help take charge and organise alongside them.

Precisely. :thumbsup:

[Excalibur]

Precisely. :thumbsup:

And some, whether through ignorance, obstinacy, or sheer bloodymindedness, appear intent on ruining the flow of your evening. No matter what you have arranged re timing, sometimes the customer manages to miss all appointed timings. :bang: :bang:

[robbiedj]

Having had a similar thing happen to me, I now ask if there will be any announcements cake cutting etc and the time they want it done. That way I can peak the music around it.

Paul
www.spectrumdisco-dj.co.uk


And some, whether through ignorance, obstinacy, or sheer bloodymindedness, appear intent on ruining the flow of your evening. No matter what you have arranged re timing, sometimes the customer manages to miss all appointed timings. :bang: :bang:

Now, come on you two.

Since when have any timings for an evening, especially a wedding, been set in stone?

Very few manage to keep to a schedule. :bang:

[Excalibur]

Now, come on you two.

Since when have any timings for an evening, especially a wedding, been set in stone?

Very few manage to keep to a schedule. :bang:

What do you mean, very few?????? I've never seen one!:eek:
Even my own daughter's wedding, which was planned like a military operation, missed some timings, though not by much.