Nice People

[paul1404]

Some are customers are ....
Some are really nice people - Booked to play a Gig in a 4 star hotel nr Windsor - Dinner / Dance - Customers said while were eating our dinner you go into the restaurant and have a steak n chips etc on us !

amazing how great people are :)

[Charlie Brown]

That is nice! Doesn't happen every day.

[soundmaster mobile disco]

That was good of them,I hope you gave them an excellent party afterwards

[DJ Jules]

If you think about the relative cost of a meal for two compared to the cost of their wedding, it's surprising that more people don't do this for the people providing key services at their function (photographer, DJ, etc).

Though, being the consummate professionals that we are, I'm sure we'd all provide the same level of service with/without a free meal/invitation to the buffet/free drinks/etc :D

Having said all that, my personal pet hate is seeing the DJ stood behind the deck stand tucking into a plate of food from the buffet during the main part of the evening (especially if they elbowed their way through the guests to get it!)

Julian

[dj foureyes]

Having said all that, my personal pet hate is seeing the DJ stood behind the deck stand tucking into a plate of food from the buffet during the main part of the evening (especially if they elbowed their way through the guests to get it!)

Julian

I only eat if I have been invited to by the customer and only when everyone else has got their food. This does, of course mean that I have to either eat very quickly or take mouthfulls while working. What do you do Julian?

[BossmanKaraokeDisco]

Having said all that, my personal pet hate is seeing the DJ stood behind the deck stand tucking into a plate of food from the buffet during the main part of the evening (especially if they elbowed their way through the guests to get it!)

Julian

Got to admit that is one of my pet hates also, I am always being offered food from the buffet and at various dinner/dances asked if I would like to sit and have a meal with the guests, to which I always decline.
IMO I am at my place of work and doing my job and not there to eat the food that is for the guests. :D

[spin mobile disco]

Got to admit that is one of my pet hates also, I am always being offered food from the buffet and at various dinner/dances asked if I would like to sit and have a meal with the guests, to which I always decline.
IMO I am at my place of work and doing my job and not there to eat the food that is for the guests. :D

But does also depend on the length of the gig. I've done a few all dayers and although I normally ignore buffets they do call to you after 10 hours or so.

[BossmanKaraokeDisco]

But does also depend on the length of the gig. I've done a few all dayers and although I normally ignore buffets they do call to you after 10 hours or so.

Yes agree that an all day event you will need to eat but I would always take something with me if I feel I am going to have to eat before the end.
I am not knocking anyone if they do I am just saying that it is not something I do. :)

[sonicdj]

At a wedding I did a few months ago they asked us if we would like a meal, when we arrived at the venue we were seated with their guests on a table complete with name cards.... very nice.

[itruby]

End of last summer I did a wedding at a Hotel near Windsor.
I was booked in conjufnction with the Band and my roadie and I were added to their rider as it were. They had free drinks all night as did we (although mine were soft drinks and few and far between - don't drink much when working).
We also had a free meal at the bar from the Bar Menu while the guests were in the main room eating, as it was only an evening party....
Many bands make these stipulations in their contracts.

[DJ Jules]

I only eat if I have been invited to by the customer and only when everyone else has got their food. This does, of course mean that I have to either eat very quickly or take mouthfulls while working. What do you do Julian?

For the majority of functions I do, they're not all day events and only require me to be on site from about 6:30 onwards. For these I eat before I go which means I don't need to eat during the gig at all.

For longer events (all dayers, etc) I would normally take my own food along and find a time when I don't need to be with the equipment (background music, etc) early on in the night when I can find somewhere quiet to eat, or sit down behind the deckstand and eat out of direct line of sight. If I didn't have food with me, I'd make a point of finding it outside of the function (at weddings I'd normally look to order food from the hotels public bar outside of the function if I didn't bring my own food for some reason).

I just consider all this to be another part of being prepared for the function.

The ones which get to me are the evening parties I've been at where the event starts at 7:30 with the buffet being served at 8:30 - 9:00 and the DJ has dropped the Mic and made a run for the buffet table as soon as he's announced it and has then stood behind the deckstand eating while some inappropriately selected mastermix compilation bangs out.

It just strikes me as unprofessional (even before I started DJ'ing this was my opinion). I've been a guest at weddings before where the DJ has done the same thing as well.

Julian

[Solitaire Events Ltd]

As usual, we think as ourselves as the whipping boys of the wedding industry. Bands, photographers, toastmasters all get food as part of their contracts and yes, I wouldn't sit behind the decks eating, but I cannot see it being a problem for all day events. The last all day wedding I did, the B&G organised sandwiches, crisps, fruit and drinks for me, the video guys and photographers and we sat in another room and ate. They actually asked me whether I required a hot mean or whether sarnies were OK!

Last week I did a corporate karaoke and the event managers insisted I sat and ate with them. The was absolutely fantastic - stilton parfait, home baked bread, confit of duck, garlic mash and red cabbage and wine too. (Didn't have any as I was driving)

I think people get too hung up about this. No, we aren't there to eat, but we are still human!!

[soundtracker]

As usual, we think as ourselves as the whipping boys of the wedding industry. Bands, photographers, toastmasters all get food as part of their contracts and yes, I wouldn't sit behind the decks eating, but I cannot see it being a problem for all day events. The last all day wedding I did, the B&G organised sandwiches, crisps, fruit and drinks for me, the video guys and photographers and we sat in another room and ate. They actually asked me whether I required a hot mean or whether sarnies were OK!

Last week I did a corporate karaoke and the event managers insisted I sat and ate with them. The was absolutely fantastic - stilton parfait, home baked bread, confit of duck, garlic mash and red cabbage and wine too. (Didn't have any as I was driving)

I think people get too hung up about this. No, we aren't there to eat, but we are still human!!

Ha ha Daz, whilst I was choosing some appropriate words, you beat me too it, I'm slowly getting convinced that the reason DJs don't get paid properly is related to this inane ability to under value themselves, and I think that this "I'm there to do a job of work" attitude is part of the problem. I spent huge swathes of my working life smoozing with Professional people, Company Directors etc and the majority of the business that I did was either over a meal, or in a pub! None of them ever criticised my professionalism, or questioned my ability to do the job, they may on occasion of questioned my ability to walk a straight line! Whilst I'm not advocating getting legless, mainly because it would prevent me driving, having a bite to eat with some civilised people and enjoying good company is an excellent way to pass the time, and I'm convinced that sitting amongst guests, chatting is a great way to get across to people that not all DJs are inbred thickies (whilst I accept that the great majority are!) and perhaps that I might be a decent chap who may someday be able to do a good job for them!

[Shaun]

I'm slowly getting convinced that the reason DJs don't get paid properly is related to this inane ability to under value themselves, and I think that this "I'm there to do a job of work" attitude is part of the problem.

Really?

Different strokes for different folks! I'm one of the ones that does go there with a "I'm there to do a job of work" attitude. Just a personal preference. I'll eat before I go, on the way home, or eat a sandwich in the van.

If you want to eat with the guests, fine. If you don't want to, fine too. Do what is right for you. Doing either has no bearing on DJs undervaluing themselves or any such nonsense, in my opinion.

[Solitaire Events Ltd]

I think Pete has a point actually. I think the two are linked.

[Excalibur]

In my opinion, we're heading back to the antithesis of the "Too emotional" thread by Chris (PP ents ). For heavens sake, show that we're human, interested, and that our last two brain cells haven't died of loneliness. Yes, we are human, although at some gigs you could be forgiven for believing that the customers are unaware of that fact.

[Danno13]

Must admit some of the best gigs and/or gigs I look forward to most, are those when you have been/know you will be looked after, being thought of as just the hired help doesn't give a great amount of job satisfaction!

[funkymook]

If you want to eat with the guests, fine. If you don't want to, fine too. Do what is right for you. Doing either has no bearing on DJs undervaluing themselves or any such nonsense, in my opinion.

I'm not so sure.

Bands have no problem putting a meal (or some sort of food) as part of their contract - but how many DJ's would feel comfortable doing this? (and I'm not talking just about all day bookings either).

Do any DJ's on here stipulate food most be supplied for evening only functions?

We're usually on site longer than a band, play for longer and get paid less - why isn't it appropriate for DJ's to ask for the same as them?

I've been setting up and seen a band walk in and go straight to the caterers and get their meal before doing anything else - bugger all was offered to me!

[soundtracker]

Really?

Different strokes for different folks! I'm one of the ones that does go there with a "I'm there to do a job of work" attitude. Just a personal preference. I'll eat before I go, on the way home, or eat a sandwich in the van.

If you want to eat with the guests, fine. If you don't want to, fine too. Do what is right for you. Doing either has no bearing on DJs undervaluing themselves or any such nonsense, in my opinion.

Yes really, social interaction is the whole crux of the problem as I see it, its not about "us and them" its about communication, and letting people know who you are, what you do and breaking down the barriers, how many times has it been said that people don't understand what a DJ does, apart from turn up and play a few (usually crap) tunes? This is an ideal opportunity to get to the people, and tell them what else you do! I think this links in very well with what Neil was trying to get across in his networking and social media thread, so many of the people that are also working at Weddings have no idea what we do, and probably vice versa.
I'm not telling people to do it the way I do it, because they're not me, and may not be able to carry it off, I'm just saying have a look at it from a different direction, break out from your comfort zone. We are supposed to be communicators, lets communicate!


In my opinion, we're heading back to the antithesis of the "Too emotional" thread by Chris (PP ents ). For heavens sake, show that we're human, interested, and that our last two brain cells haven't died of loneliness. Yes, we are human, although at some gigs you could be forgiven for believing that the customers are unaware of that fact.

I was always told as a salesman to sell to peoples emotions, don't sell them a disco, sell them a fantastic party that people will talk about for years! And yes Peter, sometimes customers are unaware that we are human, so show them, or tell them, by getting amongst them and talking to them, rather than hiding in our safety zone behind the decks.

[DJ Jules]

Must admit some of the best gigs and/or gigs I look forward to most, are those when you have been/know you will be looked after, being thought of as just the hired help doesn't give a great amount of job satisfaction!

That was what I was getting at in my original post on this thread - for the price of a meal (peanuts compared to the expenses for the rest of the day) it's possible to really influence the moral of someone who is in charge of a key part of their day.



I spent huge swathes of my working life smoozing with Professional people, Company Directors etc and the majority of the business that I did was either over a meal, or in a pub!

Yeah, but you weren't behind the deckstand at that point were you...? ;) But I do get what you mean. If you turn up, do the job and walk away again you're probably turning your back on valuable opportunities to network with potential customers.

Julian

[Corabar Entertainment]

Pete - I agree completely about sitting down over a meal / drink, etc and have done it many times myself: in fact, we were OBLIGED to do a certain number of hours of this sort of thing each month, and if sufficient hours didn't appear on our time sheet for this, we'd be asked 'Why not?'

However, this all falls in to the networking / marketing / meetings category, and I don't think should be encouraged to be the norm at the event!

That's not to say that I'm against DJs having something to eat, and that in some circumstances, sitting down with the guests might be the right thing to do.. ;)

[soundtracker]

That was what I was getting at in my original post on this thread - for the price of a meal (peanuts compared to the expenses for the rest of the day) it's possible to really influence the moral of someone who is in charge of a key part of their day.




Yeah, but you weren't behind the deckstand at that point were you...? ;) But I do get what you mean. If you turn up, do the job and walk away again you're probably turning your back on valuable opportunities to network with potential customers.

Julian

No I wasn't, I was behind a desk, where many of my colleagues preferred to stay, and did loads less business!

[HeartandSoul]

When we arrange photography through our sister company its in the contract, as we are usually there for 12 hours or so.

Nice to be offered to the dj though, sometimes told there is a tab open but if we are doubling up with a band the band usually wipes it out ( plus half the buffet) in a flash.!