Another pleasant surprise!

[Shakermaker Promotions]

Hi all,

Yes, it really IS 04.10am. I can't sleep and it's doing my head in.
I had a pleasant surprise earlier when I received an email and song request list from a customer for a booking I have on Saturday.
I'll be honest, it's been a case of me kind of regretting taking the booking on up until I received the email. It's a booking that has come via my hotel residency and is a small one.
Ok, we've all had bookings before where the numbers have been low for whatever reason and my lowest ever was a Christmas party for 9 women (which actually ended up being really good).

This one is for 20 ex RAF guys who are having a reunion after 30 years. The hotel can't understand why they want a Disco but apparently the organiser has insisted he wants one.
I'm sure some of you will therefore understand why I WAS originally apprehensive about doing it. Come on, 20 blokes who haven't seen eachother for years. I couldn't and still can't see them ripping up the dance floor.....can you?

Anyway, I'd contacted the organiser a couple of weeks ago to introduce myself and asked if there were any specific music requests that the guests might have. I received an out of office reply saying he was away on holiday. With a couple of days to go until the night itself I was really starting to wonder how I would make it through 4.5hrs. I eventually received an email which has completely surprised me and has actually changed my mind about the whole thing. I am now really looking forward to it.

The reason for this is because the organiser sent me a list of requests that mainly concentrate on the years 1977 - 1985. He mentioned that they really wanted to hear Punk, New Wave, Synth, Two Tone etc....There are some absolute classics on the list and I think it will be really enjoyable for me (and them!). One of the things that interested me was that the organiser said a few of the guys attending also used to be 'bouncers' at Hammersmith Odeon in the 80s. I used to love that place!

So, the question is....

Have you ever (for whatever reason) dreaded an upcoming booking only for it to turn out to be a really good one?

[ukpartydj]

Couple of months ago I did my first Civil Partnership, had to park down a busy narrow one way street with double yellows taking up the whole pavement in the middle of Bath and then once unloaded find a car parking space and return. I had a meeting at the venue a month before so I knew where I was parking but the client was very laid back and didn't give me much info to go on regarding music.

The start of the evening seemed very dull and I became very worried it was going downhill and then after the food came out everybody flocked to the dancefloor and ended up playing classic house, funky house and latin pop which are some of my favorite genres. None of the normal pestering from guests, no unusual requests, no "one more song" at the end - just a lot of praise which makes it probably my best gig ever because of the lack of the normal pests.

[funkymook]

Hi all,

Yes, it really IS 04.10am. I can't sleep and it's doing my head in.
I had a pleasant surprise earlier when I received an email and song request list from a customer for a booking I have on Saturday.
I'll be honest, it's been a case of me kind of regretting taking the booking on up until I received the email. It's a booking that has come via my hotel residency and is a small one.
Ok, we've all had bookings before where the numbers have been low for whatever reason and my lowest ever was a Christmas party for 9 women (which actually ended up being really good).

This one is for 20 ex RAF guys who are having a reunion after 30 years. The hotel can't understand why they want a Disco but apparently the organiser has insisted he wants one.
I'm sure some of you will therefore understand why I WAS originally apprehensive about doing it. Come on, 20 blokes who haven't seen eachother for years. I couldn't and still can't see them ripping up the dance floor.....can you?

Anyway, I'd contacted the organiser a couple of weeks ago to introduce myself and asked if there were any specific music requests that the guests might have. I received an out of office reply saying he was away on holiday. With a couple of days to go until the night itself I was really starting to wonder how I would make it through 4.5hrs. I eventually received an email which has completely surprised me and has actually changed my mind about the whole thing. I am now really looking forward to it.

The reason for this is because the organiser sent me a list of requests that mainly concentrate on the years 1977 - 1985. He mentioned that they really wanted to hear Punk, New Wave, Synth, Two Tone etc....There are some absolute classics on the list and I think it will be really enjoyable for me (and them!). One of the things that interested me was that the organiser said a few of the guys attending also used to be 'bouncers' at Hammersmith Odeon in the 80s. I used to love that place!

So, the question is....

Have you ever (for whatever reason) dreaded an upcoming booking only for it to turn out to be a really good one?

I don't take any bookings unless I know what music they want beforehand so luckily never get that unknown scenario with only a few days to go. Sounds like you landed on your feet with this one though.

[Shakermaker Promotions]

Exactly Martin!
I've been lucky here big time. I was worried firstly because I knew the numbers were low in advance but also because I tried to contact the guy a number of times and had not heard anything back. I even suggested to the guys at the hotel that it may be worth doing a playlist job.

I've been chatting to the organiser at length this morning and it seems we have very similiar taste. He told me that he used to be a big fan of Gary Numan and that started the ball rolling. It turns out that we both went to the same gig in 1981 which was awesome. He said to me that I'd have "my work cut out" trying to get the guys up dancing and I said that it isn't always about the dancing just as long as everyone enjoys the music and has a good time. He sounds like a good bloke but yes, I am so relieved that it's turned out this way rather than going into the unknown.