Venue Lights

[ppentertainments]

What do you do for turning venue lights on or off (talking about normal lights not disco lights).

Do you control them yourself ??
Ask the venue staff ??
Assume it will be done for you ??

Just asking, as on Saturday night I had a :muppet: behind the bar who could not operate the venue lighting. I was told earlier by the duty manager that I am not allowed to touch the lighting. The bride and groom were ready for the first dance and Mr :muppet: could not turn down the lights and the duty manager (as usual) was nowhere to be seen. The :muppet: made the venue lights flash on and off quicker than my disco lighting :D :D In the end the first dance was done with venue lighting on (with agreement from B&G). After the first dance the disco started but one or two kept asking myself about the lights yet my hands were tied.

[Corabar Steve]

Just asking, as on Saturday night I had a behind the bar who could not operate the venue lighting. I was told earlier by the duty manager that I am not allowed to touch the lighting. The bride and groom were ready for the first dance and Mr could not turn down the lights and the duty manager (as usual) was nowhere to be seen. The made the venue lights flash on and off quicker than my disco lighting In the end the first dance was done with venue lighting on (with agreement from B&G). After the first dance the disco started but one or two kept asking myself about the lights yet my hands were tied.My pea shooter would've been out by then (a few ball bearings & job done) :sj:


Do you control them yourself ??
Ask the venue staff ??Both, depends on the venue

[ppentertainments]

My pea shooter would've been out by then ( a few ball bearings & job done) :sj:

Reminds me of the first new year gig I done in a crappy pub. They could not turn the wall lights off - so I removed the bulbs :D :D :D

[Corabar Steve]

I've done that enough times in the dim & distant past

[Dynamic Entertainment]

If the venue lights are easily accessible, and I have permission, then I'll do it myself (obviously getting to know which switch does what before the guests arrive).

If the switches arnt easily accessible then I'll get the staff to do it.

Its funny you should mention it because this issue because it cropped up with me at Sundays 13th Birthday Party....done a bit of disco before the food and as they were eating it started to get dark (quickly). They had to phone the caretaker to come down and switch the lights on as they were in a locked office. Caretaker done as asked, locked the office up again and off he went.

After they had eaten they wanted the lights down...no caretaker! It took a whole hour before they got him back to get the lights down for the last 30 minutesm of disco :bang:

[Jonathan Ford]

I generally ask the venue staff to take care of the lights, but have had problems in the past if they get distracted with customers. If that looks to be the case, I'll dim the lights myself in the middle of the track before the first dance.

[Kernow]

I'm struggling to believe that venue staff, who will presumably be shutting down & securing the premises at the end of the event, are not aware of how to turn off the lights :confused: :confused: :confused:

[Dynamic Entertainment]

I'm struggling to believe that venue staff, who will presumably be shutting down & securing the premises at the end of the event, are not aware of how to turn off the lights :confused: :confused: :confused:

Believe it.

Ive a British Legion near to me and the lighting desk, by desk I mean a wooden panel with a whole range of dimmers, switches and push buttons, could put the helm of the USS Enterprise to shame. There must be about 20 odd switches and twiddly bits on there. How many of them do anything noticable......3

1 switch for the stage
1 dimmer for the wall lights
1 dimmer for the ceiling lights

Are these 3 in any similar location or easily identifiable....not a chance!

[DazzyD]

I always ask for permission for us to be able to control the venue lights so as "not to bother the staff while they are working" (ain't I very considerate?!? ;) ).

To be fair, I can't remember a time when the venue has refused (other than times when I can't pysically get to the lighting controls - ie when they are in a cupboard behind the bar or in an office somewhere). When the controls are within reach (ie on the wall, next to the stage, etc) I've always done the controlling (well, either me or my roadie). And I always have a play about with the controls before the gig so I learn what switch/knob/slider controls which light fittings.

I must be really lucky as I've never had problems with the house lights before.

[Excalibur]

I've done that enough times in the dim & distant past
As have many of us, I suspect. ;) :D :D


I'm struggling to believe that venue staff, who will presumably be shutting down & securing the premises at the end of the event, are not aware of how to turn off the lights :confused: :confused: :confused:

I'm not. :( :( :(

Punter: " Can you turn the lights off, please? "
Me: " No. My arms aren't a hundred feet long". And anyway, the venue staff get sniffy about anyone else touching them. Sound familiar? :D :D

[simon1969]

As have many of us, I suspect. ;) :D :D



I'm not. :( :( :(

Punter: " Can you turn the lights off, please? "
Me: " No. My arms aren't a hundred feet long". And anyway, the venue staff get sniffy about anyone else touching them. Sound familiar? :D :D

Me neither not so long ago Dave (from Abstract) and I were told that the lights couldn't be turned off for health & safety reasons at a venue.
Another time i was told only venue staff were authorised to turn lights off and on must need some sort of training :confused: :confused:

[yourdj]

I had one the other day. i like to control the lighting myself throughout the night and this waitress kept turning them up and down.
Really irritating.

Nothing better than a simple dimmer switch however - I get fed up with just switches or over complicated space ship controls.