When you didn't have the full information.

[Excalibur]

Not sure if this is the right place, so if it should be moved, so be it.
Inspired by another thread, have you ever got to a gig without quite having all the necessary information? :confused: Here are a few of mine. :D

Many years ago, I got a series of gigs in a Police Social Club in Hull. This venue was expressly for the families of Police Officers. I get booked for one gig, and there is an element of uncertainty. When we arrive, the steward is there, in similar mood. He has had a booking, but no confirmation, so he turns up in case. Soon the organisers turn up, but they are not family of Police. :( Even worse, they're Students!!!:eek: :eek: We start the gig on the understanding that it's on shaky ground, but soon we're rocking. :D Enter four Top Btass wanting a half of shandy after a game of bowls. Five minutes later the bar is closed, but the gig is allowed to continue. Yeah right. ;) ;) ;)
Organiser asks for the mic and utters the immortal words" Can you eat as much buffet as possible, as quickly as possible, and we're heading back to the Uni. There's a bar there. " We care then asked if we will follow! :eek: We pack up the gear, find the uni, set up a reduced rig, having fought our way through the punters, and I give my roadie money to go to the bar, cos we're gagging. He returns with a face etched through with sorrow of such magnitude that no man should ever have to endure. " They've closed the bar" :( :( :( :( Fortunately, in the car was something younger readers will have to Google. A Party Four ( or Seven, I forget. ) We commandeered a couple of empty glasses, and slaked our thirsts. :D Guess what, no tip. :(

A gig in a local hall for customers I'd had before. I arrive, without having been told it was a Wild West Theme Party. Fortunately, in those days I was the epitome of sartorial elegance, and passed easily for Brett Maverick. Thank the Lord for frilly dress shirts. :D :D :D

A Young Farmers gig, booked till really late, in a private venue. No dress shirt required obviously, so casual was the code. Except, it was the Fiftieth Anniversary Grand Ball. :eek: :eek: :bang: :bang: Guess which muppet was in the corner in jeans and a t shirt? Yup. :o :o :o :o

Come on folks, let's have yours. :D

[nigelwright7557]

Turned up at a gig but we werent told we were backing a band.
The band took up the whole of the stage so we had to set up on the floor !
We could hardly get any gear in so just played with a couple of lights.

[Kernow]

I was told by a Hotel, when contacting them as a new venue, that I could park in an alleyway right outside the double doors at the back of the stage, and therefore have to carry gear no more than about 9 feet to set up.

What they failed to mention was that the alley was so narrow, you couldn't open the side doors of the car !!! :confused:
I had to open & climb out of the sunroof, over the back windscreen and slide to the ground before unloading through the back hatch.:o

[Excalibur]

Turned up at a gig but we werent told we were backing a band.
The band took up the whole of the stage so we had to set up on the floor !
We could hardly get any gear in so just played with a couple of lights.

Thanks Nigel, you've just reminded me of one. I used to get a big corporate ball every year for a local company, and work with a large band. That night I had two gigs, so sent my mate out with most of the gear, as I knew space would be at a premium in mine. I arrive, and expect to see the band's truck unloading. Nope, empty car park. Uh, oh! :( " This year we've cancelled the band, we thought you could do it all." ( And of course, save a few bob. ;) ;) )
Thanks for telling me folks. :eek: Cue one DJ with the minimum amount of gear hiding in a corner of a huge marquee. :o :o :o

[1st Choice Karaoke]

Last year I got a regular booking for a club i had never heard of, the promoters just booked me on word of mouth reccomendation. All i got told was price and make sure you have loads of r&b. I turned up... and it was a lapdancing club! Bonus... needless to say I still work there... (I'll keep going til i'm a pensioner lol)

[Excalibur]

Last year I got a regular booking for a club i had never heard of, the promoters just booked me on word of mouth reccomendation. All i got told was price and make sure you have loads of r&b. I turned up... and it was a lapdancing club! Bonus... needless to say I still work there... (I'll keep going til i'm a pensioner lol)

How much do you pay to work there then? :confused: :D :D

[1st Choice Karaoke]

Ok... bad grammar police... its good but no, i wouldnt pay to work there...
;-) Moneys ok... not amazing... but when the girls spend a good portion of the night picking out songs in the dj box while wearing just their undies... i can't complain lol

[DeckstarDeluxe]

Ok... bad grammar police... its good but no, i wouldnt pay to work there...
;-) Moneys ok... not amazing... but when the girls spend a good portion of the night picking out songs in the dj box while wearing just their undies... i can't complain lol



Do you need a dj to be on standby incase your get shoved down the stairs? ;)

[rob1963]

A couple of years ago, a friend gave me a gig to cover for him, which he described as a "family party"

When I got there, it turned out to be an 18th! :eek: :eek: :eek:

The reason he'd told me it was a family party was because he knew darn well I didn't do 18ths & he clearly had nobody else who could cover it.

[Tom]

A couple of years ago, a friend gave me a gig to cover for him, which he described as a "family party"

When I got there, it turned out to be an 18th! :eek: :eek: :eek:

The reason he'd told me it was a family party was because he knew darn well I didn't do 18ths & he clearly had nobody else who could cover it.

How did that one go in the end??? I know it was a couple of years ago, but hey. lol.

[rob1963]

How did that one go in the end??? I know it was a couple of years ago, but hey. lol.

Luckily it went quite well, as there were a fair few family members there as well, so it wasn't just 18 year olds!

[Tom]

Luckily it went quite well, as there were a fair few family members there as well, so it wasn't just 18 year olds!

Ah, Cool.


I tend to find quite a few parents at the 18th I do. I think they are mainly there to watch the level of booze and also to keep an eye on fights and people trying to gatecrash, which is annoying. :mad:

[Excalibur]

Luckily it went quite well, as there were a fair few family members there as well, so it wasn't just 18 year olds!


Ah, Cool.


I tend to find quite a few parents at the 18th I do. I think they are mainly there to watch the level of booze and also to keep an eye on fights and people trying to gatecrash, which is annoying. :mad:

Wusses! :p :D :D

[leighinstoke]

Had a few stitch ups by a venue I used to DJ at a lot not getting the full info from the manager:

A joint 18th Birthday party for two girls who seemed to both be told "the venue holds around 100" - so both invited near enough that. Place was totally chockablock but the bar manager was mega happy as her till was filled.

Me - I tried my best but had two annoying mates of both girls who fetched bassline CDs from their cars. One guy "put this track on, put that track on" - and didn't know his tracks. One track "everyone will dance to it man" - lasted all of 20 seconds. I pretty much frisbee'd his CD back to him as he was annoying me something rotten.

Fortunately the girls took over and said "handbag tracks for the rest of the evening" and told the lads to shove their music.

Another - thai bride families party - manic bunch, pain in the bum kids but gee did they know how to party - would dance to anything - and the food was just non-stop thai buffet, eat all you like!

[Dynamic Entertainment]

Once had an agent phone and ask me to do a disco. Just a birthday party, he said. Got there and it was a wedding. Had to run around for the first dance which was some obscure track. In the end the groom got it on CD. Told the agency where to go after that.... :)

[ppentertainments]

Once had an agent phone and ask me to do a disco. Just a birthday party, he said. Got there and it was a wedding. Had to run around for the first dance which was some obscure track. In the end the groom got it on CD. Told the agency where to go after that.... :)

I have had similar situations with a social club who use me as their preferred disco. All they do is ring me up for a disco. I give them the disco at a fixed price, no matter what the occasion. The club then take the booking, the money, give me a ring and I do the disco. The problem is they are the old fashioned 'a disco is a disco' and 'a function is a function' and consequently they seem to take 'a booking' and never ask what the function is for. Normally I turn up not knowing if its a wedding, 21st, 40th etc etc. The people who book are of the same mindset and can honestly say every gig there has been great and the money is well above average for a club.

[DeckstarDeluxe]

I have had similar situations with a social club who use me as their preferred disco. All they do is ring me up for a disco. I give them the disco at a fixed price, no matter what the occasion. The club then take the booking, the money, give me a ring and I do the disco. The problem is they are the old fashioned 'a disco is a disco' and 'a function is a function' and consequently they seem to take 'a booking' and never ask what the function is for. Normally I turn up not knowing if its a wedding, 21st, 40th etc etc. The people who book are of the same mindset and can honestly say every gig there has been great and the money is well above average for a club.


How much of a difference does it make what the function is for? I always ask because its useful to know but i take all my music with me and my lights which i usually decided which ones to use when i get there.

[Dynamic Entertainment]

But whats the chance of you ahving that stupidly obscure first dance that they heard when the met, half way up the alps whilst listening to a chinese radio station. :D (for example).

Most do's, yes i agree that it doesnt matter, but for a wedding, you have to have the first dance, end of. My dad and step mum got lumbered with a first dance that wasnt their first choice as the dj didnt have it (this is going back 15 years mind)

[Shakermaker Promotions]

Two instances spring to mind. The first was when I was working for my mate years ago, he sent me off on a job which he said was a private party for some guy that was well known. I didn't have a clue who it was but it ended up being for Lord Sainsbury. Anyway, I get there and servants start helping me unload my equipment....well, it wasn't mine so that's why I let them help. I was told where to set up and then I was bought a plate of sandwiches and cans of drink and an envelope. I opened the envelope and inside was the payment by cheque but also an extra £100.00 in cash with a post it note stuck to one of the £10 notes saying "Thankyou". This was before I had even pressed play on the first track. There were a lot of people there, some famous faces and at one point in the evening I didn't know where to look because some of the 'love' that was going on was near on x-rated. Great night in the end though, magicians, casino, bouncy castles etc..no expense spared.

The second example that springs to mind is when I was doing a regular pub on a friday just out of town via my mate again. I had a really good working relationship with the staff and punters and it was a good night every week playing their requests and having a drink or two as we could pick the equipment up the next day. The landlord said to me one night "We've got a party on tonight so it should be good"...so I thought to myself that we were in for a good night. I noticed that there were quite a few faces I hadn't seen before in the pub that night and most of them were blokes...dodgy looking blokes too. I also noticed that although I had been told there was a party going on that night, there were no balloons or banners or anything. It was a bit rowdy from the start and then at around 9pm, in through the door walked 3 blokes (all dodgy looking again), and then there was a massive cheer and loads of beer flew through the air. I wish I hadn't known to be honest but in the end I found out that the party was a celebration of the release of one of the local nutcases who had been in prison for a couple of years.

I don't know what he did to get himself banged up but by the end of the night he was carted off again as the police were called just before the end. There was a bad atmosphere and it kicked off big time and he was in the middle of it all. Luckily I was in the corner out of the way with just decks, amp and speakers but a lot of glasses got smashed, some of them over peoples heads. After that the pub was never the same as it scared a lot of the regulars, including me and I ended up doing it for another month I think before I said to my mate that I felt uncomfortable going there again.

[Excalibur]

I have had similar situations with a social club who use me as their preferred disco. All they do is ring me up for a disco. I give them the disco at a fixed price, no matter what the occasion. The club then take the booking, the money, give me a ring and I do the disco. The problem is they are the old fashioned 'a disco is a disco' and 'a function is a function' and consequently they seem to take 'a booking' and never ask what the function is for. Normally I turn up not knowing if its a wedding, 21st, 40th etc etc. The people who book are of the same mindset and can honestly say every gig there has been great
Snap. :D


and the money is well above average for a club.
.

Sorry mate, you've lost me. :( :( :(

How much of a difference does it make what the function is for? I always ask because its useful to know but i take all my music with me and my lights which i usually decided which ones to use when i get there.
Forewarned is forearmed. ;) ;)


But whats the chance of you ahving that stupidly obscure first dance that they heard when the met, half way up the alps whilst listening to a chinese radio station. :D (for example).

Most do's, yes i agree that it doesnt matter, but for a wedding, you have to have the first dance, end of. My dad and step mum got lumbered with a first dance that wasnt their first choice as the dj didnt have it (this is going back 15 years mind)

Nowadays it's not as much of a problem. Last night, was asked for one I didn't have, so spent 69p on a download, and then they changed the track! :eek: :( :( :( :( :( :( :( :( :( :( :( :( :( :( :( :( :( :( :( :( :(

[Dynamic Entertainment]

Nowadays it's not as much of a problem. Last night, was asked for one I didn't have, so spent 69p on a download, and then they changed the track! :eek: :( :( :( :( :( :( :( :( :( :( :( :( :( :( :( :( :( :( :( :( :(


Not too bad then. I made a point of not having my lappy connected to the interweb. All it is running is SSL and not a single other thing.

[Excalibur]

Not too bad then. I made a point of not having my lappy connected to the interweb. All it is running is SSL and not a single other thing.

Waddya mean not too bad! :eek: :confused: :confused: :mad: :mad: 69p wasted! No profit now. :( :( :( :(

[Dynamic Entertainment]

Waddya mean not too bad! :eek: :confused: :confused: :mad: :mad: 69p wasted! No profit now. :( :( :( :(

Lol, hope you added it to their final invoice:D

[DeckstarDeluxe]

Snap. :D



Sorry mate, you've lost me. :( :( :(

Forewarned is forearmed. ;) ;)



Nowadays it's not as much of a problem. Last night, was asked for one I didn't have, so spent 69p on a download, and then they changed the track! :eek: :( :( :( :( :( :( :( :( :( :( :( :( :( :( :( :( :( :( :( :( :(

I have to say with my experience of weddings alot of the times the first track (dance) is something that ive never heard of before and has been instances where i couldnt find it to download.

I gotta say though wi fi is an amazing thing to have with you. I hate it when someone requests a track and i dont have it (usually its older music which im not that up on) though now i have a big collection so rarely happeans.

[Excalibur]

I have to say with my experience of weddings alot of the times the first track (dance) is something that ive never heard of before and has been instances where i couldnt find it to download.

I gotta say though wi fi is an amazing thing to have with you. I hate it when someone requests a track and i dont have it (usually its older music which im not that up on) though now i have a big collection so rarely happeans.
Ah, you mean like 90's stuff? :confused:

[Dynamic Entertainment]

Ah, you mean like 90's stuff? :confused:

:rofl:

[DeckstarDeluxe]

Ah, you mean like 90's stuff? :confused:

considering im 25 i'd like to think ive got the 90's covered :D

[Bouncy Dancefloor]

brown eyed girl neil?

[DeckstarDeluxe]

hahaha let me tell you next day that was in my collection. Have to admit didnt cover myself in glory that night....

[sleah]

needless to say I still work there... (I'll keep going til i'm a pensioner lol)

Fancy early retirement? I'm looking for a regular club gig....;):D:D:D:D


Not quite OT, but then most of this one has drifted:p

Doing a gig on Baker Street in Granada Studios, came back in the evening after early set up, different security guard. I asked him if there was any chance I could leave my van near the loading doors, (which were off the end of Rosamond Street) as the 'jobsworth' guard in the day said I would have to leave it on the car park (100odd yrds away).

He said, "you can't block that bit mate, just stick it up the side of the Rovers" :cool::cool::cool::cool::D:D:D:D:D:D

As someone who has been stitched up many a time over access, I always endevour to do a site visit. Recently I spent half an hour wandering Astra Zeneca's HQ (which is in my town) looking for the social club, I was so glad I spent the time on the site visit (even if it was the morning of the gig:o) because I'd been stiched again, luckily I found a better access point:D