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thex-faders
16-08-2009, 02:58 PM
Did this last night, mixed thoughts.
The actual DJing part was brilliant, really good crowd of around 50 guests but the setting up / takedown was a bit of a nightmare!

I know the bride & groom personally and we arranged transport via their coach which was taking all their evening guests from the ceremony to the zoo.
Arrived, guests got off at one entrance which was pretty much on the other side of the zoo. Had been informed before hand we could go to another entrance nearer the Mappin Pavillion. So find the gate then tell the driver of the coach where it is.... his reply... i need a half hour break [Legal requirement] so we waited and then drove round the the other gate.

While this was all going on the guests where free to wander the zoo. The gate wasn't really that close to the venue so meant me and Adam had a trolley each tranposrting the gear like a couple of horses and it was a hot day!

Started setting up, decided not to use the dynamo's as it would take too long to set up so just had the LED Dynarocks, Double Derby Effect & 2 Colourburst on the ceiling. Plugged into starville dmx controller... changed first dynarock to channel 1... it did sound to light? May start another thread about this? In main set up we have a dynamo as first light set to channel 1?

Then found we had left the laptop mains lead at home!!! .... uckily we had backup laptop ay!!! =P

The early problems were echoed at the end getting the gear out of the venue as we were not allowed to use the main gate with plenty of room to walk our geaer through, they said the only way was to put it over the FENCE!!!!!! Can you believe this!!!! As the guests were going through a turn style which *u obv cant get back through.
I was genuinly shocked by this and expressed my anger towards the staff who really were not helpful at all apart from providing an electric buggy to the gate.

On the coach home me and adam both sat in disbelief and slept! Home and packed up by 2.30am.
I asked the staff if we brought our own transport, van or car etc if we would have been able to park on site.... no would have had to either find parking nearby or in there car park which would have worked out about £30 for the time we were there!!!

A VERY steep learning curve for us, i had contacted their event manager... who wasnt actually there on the night!!! [Another thing that shocked me a little] You deal with an event manager who doesnt even great you or stay for the start of the event?

Anyway, long thread sorry if its a rubbish read just wanted some opinions or advice or stories of anyone done a gig at london zoo before?

Tom

*Please do not use text talk.

discomobiledj
16-08-2009, 03:03 PM
That's a really interesting venue, did the animals enjoy the disco? :D

Seriously, how can they expect you to park off site and then lug the equipment to the venue. What a joke.

Quite surprising that the events manager wasn't even there. You would have thought he/she would be bearing in mind something could have happened, who would be the person to go to in this sort of situation.

When they told you to put the gear over the fence you should have insisted that they carry it and lift it over!

thex-faders
16-08-2009, 03:37 PM
That's a really interesting venue, did the animals enjoy the disco? :D

Seriously, how can they expect you to park off site and then lug the equipment to the venue. What a joke.

Quite surprising that the events manager wasn't even there. You would have thought he/she would be bearing in mind something could have happened, who would be the person to go to in this sort of situation.

When they told you to put the gear over the fence you should have insisted that they carry it and lift it over!

Ye it was a very interesteing venue! Had a quick walk around whilst the guests were having dinner, a lovely surrounding etc but not really the best for outside entertainment needing to perform!
The security gueards ended up helping us coz they wanted to get home i think! But they had a woman who was basically running the food and she was kind of the 'manager' but i dont think it was well organised at all.

rob1963
16-08-2009, 03:51 PM
I'd NEVER work at London Zoo...




























































...just in case they didn't let me out!

Jiggles
16-08-2009, 04:05 PM
I'd NEVER work at London Zoo..



...just in case they didn't let me out!


Yeh you don't want to go back. :D :D

PropellerHeadCase
16-08-2009, 06:31 PM
Have played at Auckland Zoo frequently. Much easier than that - we could park right in front of the venue - nor more than five metres from vehicle to set-up lpocation, and we used to leave the gear over night, come in early, pack the gear up and then wander around the zoo for an hour before it opened, for free :-D


Asd to the Event Manager not being their - there's a differenvce between the Events Manager and the person managing the event on the day, so no surprise at all that the Events Managers wasn't there.

Kernow
16-08-2009, 08:01 PM
That's a really interesting venue, did the animals enjoy the disco? :D

Only if they were party animals ;)
They probably ignored it :)

Wim-away,,,,Wim away....the Lion sleeps tonight

:D

thex-faders
16-08-2009, 08:19 PM
Wim-away,,,,Wim away....the Lion sleeps tonight

:D

Was soooooo tempted to play this!

Corabar Steve
17-08-2009, 12:22 AM
Obviously didn't like you.

I've played both venues in London Zoo (also Whipsnade, which is even easier) with no problems. Parked on site (inside staff area of the zoo) both times. Both are a pain for access, especially the service lift (glorified dumb waiter)

DJMaxG
19-08-2009, 11:20 PM
So you took your gear down on the Coach :lol:

The electric buggy would be useful though, especially