Another thread...Back up! Back up! Back up!

[Shakermaker Promotions]

Right, here we go.

A bit of background first.....

I've mentioned a number of times since I have been on this forum about a guy that is local to me who is always trying to get in on anything I do. It's just pure jealousy on his part. He has to go to work in the week and hates it and at the weekends he puts on local gigs with a mediocre set up. He claims to be a DJ/Promoter/Sound Tech etc etc but in all honesty, he's not very good at any of them.

Now, this may come across as 'Sour Grapes' on my part (it isn't meant to). He has tried on a number of occasions to get in there at my main residency but has failed because he was given the chance to do a night a while back and mucked it up in an absolutely major way so is not welcome back. Everything he has music wise is downloaded from torrent sites and he doesn't hide that fact. He even gets people requesting tunes from him and he'll say stuff like "I'll check my torrents". I find that amazing. What I also found amazing was the fact that a while back he was putting on a rock night at a venue that I do regularly. I couldn't believe it when he came to me asking if I had any Iron Maiden and ACDC that he could 'borrow'.... (a Rock DJ without these?...C'mon!). Needless to say, the night went down like a sack of the proverbial.

Despite all of this, I know the guy and we chat now and then. He knows the score now and has realised that he can't compete with what I do. He has built up a nice little following for his under 18 live gigs and from what I understand, he is doing well out of them so again, good luck to him....he'll need it as he doesn't have PLI and none of his stuff is PAT tested..

Anyway, on a number of occasions I have chatted to him about back up. I have stressed that it is mega important and he just hasn't listened. I was chatting to him last week online and mentioned that I have lots of stuff for sale including mic stands etc and he said he needed some so would buy some off me....he didn't. He also said that his speakers needed looking at as they were making funny noises...I told him where to go to get them checked out...he didn't bother.

Last friday he had an event on. By the looks of the Facebook event, it was going to be rammed and he was well up for it. I was DJing at my local and 10 minutes before I was due to start, a mutual friend got a call from this guy who was panicking. His mixing desk had blown up and he didn't have any mic stands. Rather than talk directly to me, he knew the mutual friend would be at the pub where I was so he asked if he could have a word with me.

Firstly, I had no time to do anything about it BUT....my initial reaction was to tell him where to go.

Now, am I right in doing this?

How many times can you advise someone that back up is important? They don't listen and it bites them on the backside....not my problem.

I don't know how he got through the event but apparently he did in the end but I've also heard that one of his speakers blew up too. I'm not the type to chuckle at his mis-fortune....but I really feel like it.

[Charlie Brown]

Interesting read.

I hope he doesn't stumble across it on here!

[Ecstatic Events]

He already has!

[simon1969]

Karma that is !!! :laughup:
Twice you have cheered me up today!!!

[Charlie Brown]

He already has!

Huh...is it you?

[soundscapes]

with equipment available so cheaply nowadays thanks to chinese imports and the internet, there is really no excuse for not carrying at least a basic back-up.

[Ecstatic Events]

Huh...is it you?

No, Im joking Charlie :)

[simon1969]

No, Im joking Charlie :)

This gets better!!!
My sides are hurting now,tears rolling down my cheeks lol!!!!!

[Corabar Entertainment]

This thread kind of goes hand in hand with the other thread going on at the moment - ie 'Are we enablers'. If you bailed him out, you would be enabling him to carry on in his merry little way using you as his 'Get out of jail' card!

Hopefully, he'll think twice now!

[andyw]

Huh...is it you?

thank you charlie, i am having a bad start to the day and you just made it better, the wife told me this morning she was de icing the car and left the heaters on outside, then comes in 30 minutes later and says she can't start the :Censored: car, NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO, well i shouldn't of called her what i did but you know what it's like.
anyway back on topic, i am with you gary i am all for helping people out but they really must help themselves as well

[supersound]

I have been in this scenario and the story goes like this.
im giging at a wedding(all Day job),anyway is going well and Im about an hour from the end and in comes a DJ local to me who knows me,
"ive blown my speakers up can I lend your backup",I said no my sons using them.
Then He says"lend me one of your Speakers for the last hour" I said no way as they are v expensive (RCFs) and you have blown yours so mine wont stand a chance.

He went of chuntering and disgruntled,I also followed him from a distance so he didnt key my van or enything.

Paul

[Jason]

I'd leave him to it. If he continues to use dodgy music, he's not exactly going to pay for back-up gear, and maintain what he already has.

Its one thing to try to cover a wedding where the DJ has let them down, but a totally different thing to act as mentor to their shoddy practices.

If he was remotely interested in upping his game, then this could lead to some level of respect between him and other DJ's, and hopefully would get him out trouble one day.

I would do the same - if a DJ (that I know of) called needing something (PA/gear), I'd be willing to help them out.

[Solitaire Events Ltd]

I carry a massive case with all sorts of spares, cables, mixers, lamps, mics etc and have lent other people in venues things on quite a few occasions.

[Shakermaker Promotions]

I'm glad people are seeing this for what it is and not me being Mr Meany and not helping him out.

Charlie - There's no way the bloke would come on here. He has no interest in the trade whatsoever. He calls himself this, that and the other and should simply be filed under 'Cowboy'. At least he would be a master of his trade when filed under 'cowboy'. How many times can you advise someone, help them out etc etc?

Believe me, I haven't told the half of it. There was a time when he hired out a lot of equipment from a local sound company for a gig he was promoting in Reading. He was 3 days late taking it back and asked me if I would help him pick it up as he knew I had a van. It was a Bank Holiday Monday too and I said I would (stupidly). Half a day helping him out and I didn't even get a drink out of it let alone diesel money! This is the kind of guy (and he's said this today on his facebook page) that charges people petrol money to take them to a gig when he is going anyway! I've messaged him today to ask if he wants the mic stands (I know he needs them) and he's replied saying that his mixing desk has blown up (like I heard)....now, it's more than likely blown up because he doesn't know what he's doing!

[simon1969]

I'm glad people are seeing this for what it is and not me being Mr Meany and not helping him out.

Charlie - There's no way the bloke would come on here. He has no interest in the trade whatsoever. He calls himself this, that and the other and should simply be filed under 'Cowboy'. At least he would be a master of his trade when filed under 'cowboy'. How many times can you advise someone, help them out etc etc?

Believe me, I haven't told the half of it. There was a time when he hired out a lot of equipment from a local sound company for a gig he was promoting in Reading. He was 3 days late taking it back and asked me if I would help him pick it up as he knew I had a van. It was a Bank Holiday Monday too and I said I would (stupidly). Half a day helping him out and I didn't even get a drink out of it let alone diesel money! This is the kind of guy (and he's said this today on his facebook page) that charges people petrol money to take them to a gig when he is going anyway! I've messaged him today to ask if he wants the mic stands (I know he needs them) and he's replied saying that his mixing desk has blown up (like I heard)....now, it's more than likely blown up because he doesn't know what he's doing!

No not mean at all sounds like you have helped the guy plenty of times, then he tries to :Censored: you over, as I said before karma!!
This guy sounds like he deserves everything he gets from the sound of this post !!!
I have met a few chancers like this in the past and avoid them now!! :)

[Corabar Entertainment]

I carry a massive case with all sorts of spares, cables, mixers, lamps, mics etc and have lent other people in venues things on quite a few occasions.Although I said earlier in this thread that I agree about not 'enabling' this idiot, I also agree with the above.

Anyone can have a 'blonde' moment; nor can you foresee every eventuality, so yes, all for helping out in almost every situation you can, and have been helped out ourselves by others (mostly members on here :) )

[Larry B Entertainment]

I think you was quite within your right to refuse help at such a late stage. After all, you have already tried to help him but he hasnt done anything about it. For under a £100, he could have a basic 6 channel mixer that would get him out of the :Censored: Even one of those rack type mixers would do the job in an emergency.

Mic stands go for under a tenner on ebay now. No excuses really not to be better equipped.

[Excalibur]

I carry a massive case with all sorts of spares, cables, mixers, lamps, mics etc and have lent other people in venues things on quite a few occasions.
Good man, but I believe this wasn't the gist of this thread. Gary is suggesting that the fella didn't deserve to be lent any gear, cos he'd had a chance previous, he knew the gear was dodgy, and he was chancing it.

Although I'm usually ready to help out, I'd have done exactly what Gary did in this case.


Although I said earlier in this thread that I agree about not 'enabling' this idiot, I also agree with the above.

Anyone can have a 'blonde' moment; nor can you foresee every eventuality, so yes, all for helping out in almost every situation you can, and have been helped out ourselves by others (mostly members on here :) )
Agreed Angela, but some folk don't deserve help. Sadly.

[DeckstarDeluxe]

I think of all those teens and think how let down they are. Myself if I could would of bailed him out if I saw it as a way of getting more work where the DJ has screwed up. I wouldn't do it just to help him out as hes clearly not someone I would want to associated with

[Shakermaker Promotions]

With minutes before I was due to start MY night...there was no way I could help out. My work pays the bills and is my only income so I take it seriously. He works in the week aswell and yet does everything else illegally and doesn't listen to advice etc....

[DeckstarDeluxe]

With minutes before I was due to start MY night...there was no way I could help out. My work pays the bills and is my only income so I take it seriously. He works in the week aswell and yet does everything else illegally and doesn't listen to advice etc....

I wasnt saying you were wrong Gary if thats the impression you took from my post. I did say IF and like you this is my only source of income so I understand why you didn't.

[Shakermaker Promotions]

It's cool, no worries.
But...I couldn't help, that's the thing. Earlier on in the evening and again, if I could've helped then I more than likely would've.
Yes, the guy does my head in etc etc etc but I'd like to think that should the time ever happen and I need help, then maybe someone (not him probably) would try to help me.
Not sure if I believe Karma etc but you never know.