18th birthdays........ god do i really have to do them ?

[mkindy]

3rd 18th i've done in 5 weeks, glass fights chairs on the dance floor bar being closed early police....... is it really worth £220 ?

answer no

18th birthdays are now a min booking of £250 and a £100 cash deposit to cover damages to be given back at the end of the night

we now do 18th's in twos, normally we set up and one of us goes home them comes back but now we stay together.

is it just us that has problem 18th birthday partys ??

[hammy]

I don`t do them, I won`t do them, Too much hassl.

[DeckstarDeluxe]

If you don't like doing them then simply don't, plenty of other events in your local area that require some sort of entertainment service.

[Shakermaker Promotions]

As said above, don't do them! It's as simple as that really isn't it? Nobody can make you do something you don't want to although if it's a money thing and bookings are thin on the ground then I can understand that you wouldn't want to turn work away.

I've done quite a few 18th's but none in the last year and I have had no problems whatsoever.
I have an 18th coming up in June at a golf club and I didn't have a problem taking it on.

[dj foureyes]

I think I must be the only Dj that HASN'T experienced trouble at an 18th. I have witnessed/been part of near riots but never at an eighteenth.

[Excalibur]

I find 18th's no more troublesome than any other. The worst incident I've seen for ages happened a fortnight ago at a function with very mixed age groups, with a crowd that I and the venue staff would previously have forecast to be one of the most good natured we'd seen, and likely to be good as gold. You can't forecast trouble, and generalise to any extent.

[Jonathan Ford]

I choose not to do teenage parties or 21st birthdays, not because I've experienced any more trouble than at other gigs, but due to the volume of pap I'd have to play!

[Mr Spyke]

I think I must be the only Dj that HASN'T experienced trouble at an 18th. I have witnessed/been part of near riots but never at an eighteenth.

+1

Personally I for one have seen more trouble at weddings than any 18th or 21st Birthday, I blame the DJ they just play the devil's music! :p

[Excalibur]

I choose not to do teenage parties or 21st birthdays, not because I've experienced any more trouble than at other gigs, but due to the volume of pap I'd have to play!

And that's one good reason why I don't mind doing them. The getting of knowledge. Find out what's hot, and cherry pick the more suitable ones for general use. Also, while I share Jonathan's views on much of the music, it's still nice to play something different. When you've spent as many years as I have playing The Usual Suspects at sensible levels, it's nice to play something different with all levels at eleven. :D:D Currently, I'm sound checking with Skrillex at most gigs for instance.

[djdave01]

I tend to avoid 18th & 21st that are in dodgy venues, or when its not a 'family' event.

I did a 21st on Friday past, no trouble at all and a very nice family.

The last 18th I did that was in a rough area, and was mainly just her 18 year old friends, lasted all of 45 minutes after two males started fighting and the management stopped the party.

[goldensounds83]

I think I must be the only Dj that HASN'T experienced trouble at an 18th. I have witnessed/been part of near riots but never at an eighteenth.

never had any problems at 18th birthdays my self either but I do insist on them being FAMILY PARTIES not all 18 year olds

Have to say I usually get more problems at weddings as where I am no one wants to step in... worried they may get accused of ruining the happy couples big day

[musicologydisco]

I too only do them if organised and booked by an "adult" and a family party only. I state on my website that I can't accept bookings from under 25's so this has eliminated the ones that try to organise it themselves. Also helps cut down on last minute cancellations. As a result I get no probs from 18ths 0r 21sts.
If they say they want modern music all night I suggest they find a younger Dj and side-step it as it's a sign that it's probably not a family do at all!

[DJIanScott]

Like many on here, I've not experienced more trouble at an 18th than I have at any other function. I believe the venue is important......a scruffy village hall or a pub back room lends itself to a decent tear-up much more than, say, a classy hotel. It's a weird concept, but even the most seasoned of troublemakers and *removed* seem to be subdued by finer surroundings.

[soundmaster mobile disco]

I normally leave the 18th 7 21st birthday parties to Alan. He specialises in knowing what the youth of today require music wise, One booking for Alan seems to lead to another, and he gets recommended from other parties he has done. It was going along nicely until another dj undercut Alan's price, now there does not seem to be as many 18th bookings.

Trouble wise yes it happens now and again, but most of the events go really well for Alan.

[hadyn]

i do 18ths regulary and 21sts but then i also do 60ths and 80ths like this weekend so not a problem for me usually as a lot of them like to provide a playlist so that makes it a bit easier.
what playlist worked well at one young gig tends to be roughly the same music at the next so that helps as well
only near trouble ive had is at house parties where you refuse to play on after the contracted time but i get over that by stopping slightly early and then playing "one more" several times untill the time is up......

[SoundONE]

I must be the only one, I love teen gig's 18th and 21st, teens are always up for it having it big time, 18th's to 21st generally have a bunch of girls dancing all night with the guys joining in once the beer has kicked in a little. Must be the location we live in that we don't get the trouble you guys seem to be getting, but then we don't do pub gigs, unless its a closed party pub gig. Most of the teens - 21sts seem to be at local football and rugby clubs and we basically try play the better dance tracks and pretty much always have a full dance floor.

[ukpartydj]

I find them hit and miss. But definitely surroundings do play a part - I've played in nightclubs for £150 (walk in) and it's been a bloody nightmare with all the family getting wasted and having a go at me but most of the time I find somebody might get into a fight, kids might drink when there not yet 18 and get chucked out - doesn't bother me too much, 1/10 times you get an early night! once only did 40mins before they closed the party down!
I tend to get the nicer 18th parties now, in hotels or private houses ones where they want extras to make things special, not just an excuse to drink where they also want music.

One of my latest goals is to never have to DJ in a working mens club or pub, some DJ's seem to love it but I feel quite uncomfortable sometimes when you have a bunch of regulars all staring at you.

[oligunner]

I do a fair bit of 18 and 21st parties regular pub work annual a level parties and gcse parties I get more trouble on engagement parties but most venues around here that will take 18th and 21st parties require the booking of at least two bouncers.

I quite like the younger parties though as I get to crank it up and just do all clubby stuff all solid mixing verry little mic work.

[HeartandSoul]

I turn down any 18th enquiries unless they are in upmarket venues with private security.

Not really interested in the hassle otherwise