Wedding reception from hell!

[Cj_The_Dj]

we got to a wedding last night at 6.30 pm like requested. we was set up by 7.30 and we was playing slow and quiet 70's (Rock me gently - andy kim and a few more while people are drinking out side) then the bride comes over says its not working change it, so we did. she brought us some Cd's and asked us to play them and let them run through and play our music around them which we did, but one cd she said play after 10.00 pm, but we played it at 10.10 because of requested songs. then she comes over in tears saying you've :Censored: ruined my night and she were getting into our faces and saying your crap and so on. then she told us she was a dj and shes better than us shes been djing 6years and you know nothing. i then said we told you were party djs and not rock djs.

we said we would play their cd for a little while but we would play normal wedding music around the disc. she was ok with that on the phone.

she nearly brought me to tears. she was abusive

but we had a christening on the same day and they all loved us and the landlord even asked us to do every privet party he gets.

so not all bad lol.

[Jiggles]

Gain in one hand, loose in another!

[Steve Hart]

Dont let it get to you, I think sometime in every dj's work they have been told that they are :Censored: and that they could do better. At the end of the day you are out working getting paid for it.

Thanks

[DJWilson]

You should have jut packed up and left. if its in your T's and C's

[Cj_The_Dj]

we was thinking of giving there money back and going but we wanted to come out alive and our equipment safe.

and am just happy all gigs are not like this.

[DJWilson]

Theres no need to give them there money back because the client had a change of mind during the night, you can only do what youve been asked to do before hand or either let you sort out your tracks for her requests

[Cj_The_Dj]

yes i agree but we didnt want anything bad to happen to our equipment or even us

[aj.promotions]

We were booked for at a local village hall for a wedding reception last night (sunday) When the bride to be booked us she asked if we could play a couple of their cds as they were dj them selves,they asked me if they could bring "Cold play-till kindom come" because she thought i wouldnt have it-she was right.
On arriving i was given 3 cds.including the cold play one.
I was booked to play from 7:30 till 11:30.
we were set up and ready to play from this time,It was one of the hottest days of the summer and at 7:30 ALL of the guests were outside on the village green drinking,smoking and chatting,the door they used was at the side of the stage so they could hear the music,
As most weddings we do when people arrive they want to chat, drink etc.
sometimes the show doesnt get going till after the buffet.
So i started with back ground music the songs i played were:
Summer of Love-Steps
Love me for a reason-Boyzone
Rock me gently- Andy Kim
Love really hurts without you - Billy Ocean
Dancing Queen-Abba.

The bride then came up to us as said this music isnt working,Yor are playing songs ive not even heard off.??? (Shes a dj)there is too many 70s tracks we dont want it and why isnt the dance floor full,i said its only early and everyone wants to be out side,She then told them all to come in so she could have the first dance, after that i was presented with a play list and told to stick to it. and play their cds they had brought, the running order said
8pm play cd1
9:15 play cd2
play cd2 AFTER 10 ISH.
The first cd i played lasted lasted 45mins,which cleared a almost empty dance floor anyway.
the second cd lasted about the same
they were mixed together by them selves and they demanded i played them in full!
as the night went on i played a couple of requests but people complained about the music,i told them it was the bride and grooms cds which i HAD to play, by the time i got round to the third cd it was around 10:10 ish when the groom came up and said we were given a running order why wasnt we sticking to it,i said it says play cd 3 after 10pm,which is on now,(10:10pm)
The bride and groom then became very agressive and said know when i give you a time and a cd i expect it to be played.I didnt realise 10 pm ish ment 30 seconds past 10.and no later. he said we havnt gone to all this trouble of planning our day for you to :Censored: up.
at the end of the night she said how long have you been djing for i said about 25 yrs and worked in night clubs etc,she said I PITTY YOU,timing is everything??? and you need to read a crowd,i then reminded her i was playing their cds they had mixed for us,she then ranted im a proffessional dj ive been doing it for about 6yrs,and you two havnt got a clue.
this all took place on stage infront of the guests.
I was working with my 17 year old son CJ THE DJ a regular on this forum!
He was very frightened by their actions and words and is saying he wants to stop DJing because of it!!!
I dont expect to be liked by every one or be everyones cup of tea but :
I WOULDNT TALK TO A DOG THE WAY THEY SPOKE TO US! and should not have been done on stage either. as they are djs they should understand.
A total contrast nto the disco we did in the afternoon,a christning with around 200 people,the land lord even paid us a lot extra to stay an extra hour and asked if i would do all his private parties for him.
SORRY for the cencored words but i need to get my point across.

[Jiggles]

you get this time to time. You can make some people happy some of the time, but you cannot make everyone happy all of the time :(

[Steve Hart]

Dont give them a penny back, a funny on for you was one of my dj's about 5 years ago turned up for a wedding function. There was only 2 electrical sockets and one had something plugged in it. Without thining he unplugged it and set up the rig. Anyway to cut a long story short the plug he unplugged was only all the hot plates for the wedding food.. They were not very happy but you just grin and bear it and take it as experience and still try and have a laugh about it

[Cj_The_Dj]

dad i am 16 lol

[Penfold42]

I've merged threads. :)

Not very good but I did try.....:D

[Cj_The_Dj]

I've merged threads. :)

Not very good but I did try.....:D

ok thanks but can you put the post from aj promistions under the first one from me please:)

[Penfold42]

ok thanks but can you put the post from aj promistions under the first one from me please:)

I'll try.....:D

Edit - Need Shauns help with that......SHAUN!! :D

[Jiggles]

Ill help! What needs to be done then Tone?

[Dragonfly]

sorry to hear this ... had it been me they would have ended up with a very quiet very dark disco people get 3 warnings not to be abusive with me ..... the fourth time ...............i go home !!!

[Cj_The_Dj]

i think we need to be more stricted at time like this.

[JAMdisco]

i think we need to be more stricted at time like this.

I agree, I would have shown them my t&c's (about abusive behaviour) and then said if you carry on like this you'll have no disco AT ALL with NO refund!

Luckily (touches wood) I haven't had anything nearly as bad as this but have been told on a few occasions I'm a crap dj becuase I've not had a particular (usually obscure) song request.

Unfirtunately it happens and like has already been said, you can please some of em some of the time, but not all of em all of the time. :D

[Shakermaker Promotions]

Oh come on please!!!

It's far too easy to say on here that if you keep getting abuse etc that you will stop, pack up and go home but in reality, I doubt if it would happen that often, if at all. I have had the odd occasion where I have been spoken to like the proverbial, a party last christmas was a classic example and I really wanted to get out of there myself but I would never actually do it. Think about it, it's 4 or 5 hours out of your life and you (hopefully) don't have to see the people again...grin and bear it.

I don't take any kind of abuse off anyone when I am not working....I've said that before....BUT...I am more forgiving at times when I am working because I am being paid. Sometimes maybe people try to wind us up on purpose because they want to see how we handle things? Just a thought. One more thing...at a meeting I had a few weeks back, when I was going through all the usual stuff with the bride and groom I added that they and their guests had to understand that I am a Disco and not a Karaoke and that every now and then you get someone that will come up wanting to sing on the mic. They said that there wouldn't be anyone present at their wedding who would do that....what happens? About 20 seconds into 'I Wanna Dance with Somebody', this girl comes up and says "Give me the mic, I am really good at this!" - I reply "Sorry but I am not a karaoke so just dance to it"...She moans and then says "Where is your mic?", I grab it and say "Here" and she tries to take it from me..."I'm not being funny..." I said..."..but I have just told you that you aren't using it"..."But but but..." she says... "..Do me a favour" I replied...."Just go and dance".

Does my head in!!!

[daz226]

thats why meetings with the happy ouple are so important i have turned down a wedding because the groom wanted to use my equipment and gave me a running order of some of the most bizzare songs for a wedding and was quite in my face saying that as he was paying for my services i should do what he wants when he wants.

i politley informed him that i was not the dj he was looking for thanked him for his interest and left.

its just not worth it some times

[rob1963]

the landlord even asked us to do every privet party he gets.

Sounds like you won't need to hedge your bets then!

Don't worry about the gig...we all get clients like than now & again.

[Dragonfly]

Oh come on please!!!

It's far too easy to say on here that if you keep getting abuse etc that you will stop, pack up and go home but in reality, I doubt if it would happen that often, if at all.
Does my head in!!!

you don't know me very well do you ....... ive been to second base before of 3 as a dad of 2 young kids if i get threatened or my livelyhood gets threatened ..... i walk and ooohhhh yes i would do it.

no it probably would never get to stage 3 as you can usually find someone in the building with a modicam of diplomacy to help sort things ...... but ...... theres always the one in a million, which we all hope never happens.

[Shakermaker Promotions]

Dragonfly - You're right, I don't know you at all and if that's your way of working then that's fine - Each to their own etc etc....
Maybe the abuse that I have had hasn't been that bad then compared to what others may have endured?

[Kernow]

Hi CJ & aj

The way I read this is that they clearly didn't consult or consider their guests when making up their playlist, and as a result the music they provided totally 'bombed'. The 'timing' (sic.) would have made no difference if the tunes ain't right.
I am pretty sure that their anger was born totally out of the frustration and embarrasment they felt at getting it so badly wrong, rather than anything you did or failed to do. The fact they insulted you publicly I think confirms that all they wanted was a 'scapegoat' on whom they could pass the blame for their failure.


Their music, their timing, their :Censored: up.


Just chalk it up to experience, then forget it and move upward & onward with the reassurance of the other gig that you can do it, and do it really well. :thumbs_up:

[DazzyD]

We all get the numpty-brigade with their threatening behaviour at gigs.

The last one I had was at an engagement party karaoke disco. Two drunken numpties (in their 40s so not young 'uns) kicking off with me cos I turned their mics off for screaming down them and making my mixer clip. Lots of mouth so I politely told them where to go. They were getting threatening so I turned off the music and said over the mic "Can someone come and sort these idiots out or there's no more music!" This old woman in her 60s came over and dragged one the lads away (by his head!). He then fell backwards and banged his head on my solid iron T-Bar stand! (Ouch! He! He!). His mate then disappeared (probably with embarrassment) and no-more problems.

I didn't start up the karaoke again but finished the night with a good disco with lots of people dancing!

So, like Dave, if I'm threatened I will turn the gear off. Unlike Dave, I only give one warning. I'm a father of three (and one on the way) and if I don't feel I'm safe then showtime's over!

[Shaun]

ok thanks but can you put the post from aj promistions under the first one from me please:)

Can't be done I'm afraid. Posts remain in the order they are posted.

________

Regarding the initial post:

WOW...talk about bridezilla !!!

You did what they asked you to do, then they tried to make you accountable for their poor choice of playlist and CDs.

Put this gig to back of your thoughts and concentrate on the next. It sounds like a nightmare gig, but it's past now.

[DJ INDIE]

Thats the thing with weddings - near enough everyone has been boozing all day (for free) and all night, which can go both ways.....good and bad!

If it helps anyone, when I can sense someone is a bit of a nightmare, I try to avoid direct contact with them - pretend your'e busy by turning your back and messing with your CDs or speakers, or nip out the back for 2 minutes - anything to put them off their stride - if theyre so drunk then theyll forget what theyre moaning about in the first place, lose patience waiting and go elsewhere spreading their joy! If they manage to catch me first I try and give answers they cant reply to - ie conversation killers - ie

'Oi! I hate this band, play something else!'

'OK I will in a minute, no problem'.

end of subject.



as soon as you say 'what like?........... youve given them licence to moan!!'

doesnt work with everyone, but worth a try!

PS this is only for the awkward, abusive morons.