Finishing times/dress code. .

[Excalibur]

I said I'd do this one, after the Vectis rant put it into my head. Also I'll tag on an embarrassing one about Dress Code. First of all, may I point out that many of these things happened in another century, when I was young and foolish. Since then I have grown and matured sufficiently to be able to call myself old and foolish. :o :o :o

Back in the days when you could hire a Disco for £15, and we still used records, life was simple. You got booked, turned up and played, and if you had punters on the dancefloor, you didn't stop. :eek: On occasion, they've had to cut the power to get rid of me! :eek: :o :o Nowadays, I realise that's unfair to the staff, and likely to incur the wrath of the Authorities. Like I said, life was very simple years ago. :D

Once upon a time I was doing a wedding at a nice hotel, most of the guests were on a coach. Coach booked to return at 11.45am for midnight, and at 10.45pm management say "Finito"! :eek: Bar closes, music off, but they can't throw the guests out, can't serve them drinks, and I can't entertain them! Brilliant, eh? Same thing once happened at a local Social Club, and I ran a shuttle service ferrying guests and buffet home!

I also worked a Social Club with a nightmare access, park on double yellows outside, and in up two flights. :bang: I was told midnight finish, so in anticipation of a hurried exit, I started to unplug the less vital kit at about 11.40pm. Not fast enough, cos a midnight finish meant exactly that. ;) :( :( Me out by midnight! One of the most rapid exits I've ever made.

Of course, there have been gigs the other way. ;) 5am finishes weren't too uncommon in my youth, as more parties were held in private venues. One which springs to mind was in a Farm building, so smart gear was not needed, was it? Except it was a Farm in name only, owned by some very smart folk, so my clobber looked decidedly downmarket. :o

This leads me on to a belter. I used to get a lot of Young Farmer bookings, especially in sheds and the like, so again, smart gear was a bad move, as you were usually dusty and straw covered in no time. I turned up for one expecting exactly that, but it was a marquee for their 50th anniversary, with all guests in full evening wear! And a DJ wearing old jeans and t-shirt cringing in the corner. Whoops. :o :o :o

Over to you, folks.

[rob1963]

with all guests in full evening wear! And a DJ wearing old jeans and t-shirt cringing in the corner.

All I will say it that I'll almost certainly be wearing jeans & a t-shirt for my disco tomorrow.

:eek:

[Twinspin]

I did a gig for a 30th Birthday at Cave Castle Hotel beginning of January which i covered for another dj.

My roadie had forgot his trousers and shirt that night and just had some black cargo trousers on and a twinspin polo shirt on and was in a pair of trainers.

The party started and we got setup. The first couple walk into the room the guy had a bow tie on and the woman had a smart dress on. I thought for one minute someones come overdressed.

The next couple walk in again.... the guy with a bow tie on and his wife with a posh dress on.

At that moment in time. I thought oh no! Why didnt the other dj tell me the function was black tie. But i didnt look that out of place because i had a black shirt, trousers and black shoes and a creme coloured tie. But i could have gone in black tie myself at that situation.

When the organiser of the function come over to see me. She didnt say nothing but i explained to her im covering the gig for another dj and we were not told that the function was black tie. The organiser said it doesnt matter so long as we've got a DJ.

[Charlie Brown]

As of today I still have not attended a gig wearing anything else BUT my suit. Even for Children's parties I have always worn suit trousers, white shirt and a black skinny tie. Wearing a "suit" is like wearing a uniform for me. I get into the mind set that I'm here to work and not play.

I always used to play on an extra 10 minutes until my trip to Reading. Darren taught me how it's always best to please the venue staff as well as the client. This is probably why the venue manager came up to him at the end of the night and said "You have been a star. Everything you did was perfect and you finished on time! Can I have your card to put in the book"

Says it all. ;)

[Penfold42]

I've been kicked out at 12 o'clock on the dot....so yes know what that's like.
Told to stop playing and call last orders at 11.45 and out for 12. :eek:

Good job it was not raining.

...but never had a problem with dress code.
99% Black tie and shirt....the other times it's shirt/tie trousers or just shirt and trousers.....boring I know but 1st impressions count and last.


...oh and used cable ties as cuff links before.....:D

[DJMaxG]

I don't wear denim anyway full stop. But I would certainly NOT turn up as a DJ in Jeans, Polo Shirts, Baseball Caps, or a vest.

Pro's tend to wear a suit, but I have seen many DJs before that just wear a shirt, and even worse - some even wear Jeans with it; and I'm not talking about just one person here.

Based on what Darren said the other day, I don't know whether they are just lowering the bar for themselves as a company, or lowering it for the whole of the UK.

[Penfold42]

but I have seen many DJs before that just wear a shirt, and even worse - some even wear Jeans with it; and I'm not talking about just one person here.

Just a shirt? bit confused here Max - do you mean shirt and jeans?
then yes not very good IMO....but if you mean shirt and trousers - I see nothing wrong in that.

I wear a smart shirt - long not summer shirt and trousers to 18/21's and similar sort of do's and find this is fine.

[ppentertainments]

I said I'd do this one, after the Vectis rant put it into my head. Also I'll tag on an embarrassing one about Dress Code. First of all, may I point out that many of these things happened in another century, when I was young and foolish. Since then I have grown and matured sufficiently to be able to call myself old and foolish. :o :o :o

Back in the days when you could hire a Disco for £15, and we still used records, life was simple. You got booked, turned up and played, and if you had punters on the dancefloor, you didn't stop. :eek: On occasion, they've had to cut the power to get rid of me! :eek: :o :o Nowadays, I realise that's unfair to the staff, and likely to incur the wrath of the Authorities. Like I said, life was very simple years ago. :D

Once upon a time I was doing a wedding at a nice hotel, most of the guests were on a coach. Coach booked to return at 11.45am for midnight, and at 10.45pm management say "Finito"! :eek: Bar closes, music off, but they can't throw the guests out, can't serve them drinks, and I can't entertain them! Brilliant, eh? Same thing once happened at a local Social Club, and I ran a shuttle service ferrying guests and buffet home!

I also worked a Social Club with a nightmare access, park on double yellows outside, and in up two flights. :bang: I was told midnight finish, so in anticipation of a hurried exit, I started to unplug the less vital kit at about 11.40pm. Not fast enough, cos a midnight finish meant exactly that. ;) :( :( Me out by midnight! One of the most rapid exits I've ever made.

Of course, there have been gigs the other way. ;) 5am finishes weren't too uncommon in my youth, as more parties were held in private venues. One which springs to mind was in a Farm building, so smart gear was not needed, was it? Except it was a Farm in name only, owned by some very smart folk, so my clobber looked decidedly downmarket. :o

This leads me on to a belter. I used to get a lot of Young Farmer bookings, especially in sheds and the like, so again, smart gear was a bad move, as you were usually dusty and straw covered in no time. I turned up for one expecting exactly that, but it was a marquee for their 50th anniversary, with all guests in full evening wear! And a DJ wearing old jeans and t-shirt cringing in the corner. Whoops. :o :o :o

Over to you, folks.

IMO opinion things have not changed too much. What has changed is that there are now 'an amount' of DJ's who have changed. However gigs like you have described still happen.

This is why I HATE people critisising other rigs. A lot of the good DJ's today were the cowboys of yesterday.

[DJMaxG]

Just a shirt? bit confused here Max - do you mean shirt and jeans?
then yes not very good IMO....but if you mean shirt and trousers - I see nothing wrong in that.

Some wear - Shirt + Trousers
Others - Shirt + Jeans

[DJMaxG]

I always used to play on an extra 10 minutes until my trip to Reading

I think I would leave background music playing from the end whilst tearing down, see no harm in that

[andyw]

I think I would leave background music playing from the end whilst tearing down, see no harm in that

you will when out on the road because they will just hang around while the music is playing, i find best toturn it all off.
getting the right dress code is important but you can overdress as well as underdress imo,so for most functions a shirt and trousers for weddings a suit

[Solitaire Events Ltd]

I always used to play on an extra 10 minutes until my trip to Reading. Darren taught me how it's always best to please the venue staff as well as the client. This is probably why the venue manager came up to him at the end of the night and said "You have been a star. Everything you did was perfect and you finished on time! Can I have your card to put in the book"

Says it all. ;)

Don't give all my secrets away! :boxer2: :D

A little common sense can make all the difference. ;)

[Solitaire Events Ltd]

I think I would leave background music playing from the end whilst tearing down, see no harm in that

Ensuring that people still think you are working and still ask for requests, making them hang around for longer and making the venue staff get home later.

Possibly....:p

[soundtracker]

I think I would leave background music playing from the end whilst tearing down, see no harm in that

which may well contravene the venues license!! oh and agree with Daz as well:)

[DJ Jules]

I normally announce and play the "last song" of the night 5 minutes earlier than I need to, leaving me time to either squeeze in another if I get pestered for it, or make the venue staff happy if I don't.

I then normally put on a very slow track, very very quietly as I start to tear down (it's usually the request that was a good song, but too slow to fit into the set) and then leave them with silence after that - I just find going from a full on party to silence is a massive contrast. Note that I cut all of the lighting and the main lights go on as well at this point.

It also gives the amps a chance to cool down :D

Julian

[Sarahjovi]

The shortest (karaoke) gig we did was for a large Car Phone Companies Presentation night. We arrived at 7pm to set up before the presentation and then made ourselves scarce during the presentation and were back to start at 9pm. However the presentations over ran, so we started at 9.30pm, most of the guests were more interested in getting home (some had to travel). We got the first singer up at 9.50pm, whilst she was singing the venue staff started stacking the chairs, which I thought was strange! Then they started ushering the guests out and told us to cut the music and pack up and go! So we started at 9.30pm and finished at 10.00pm! (We were booked until 11pm).



Sarah:D

[DeckstarDeluxe]

I think I would leave background music playing from the end whilst tearing down, see no harm in that

Once you start doing discos I dont think you'll think that