Edinburgh City Chambers

[Shaun]

Edinburgh City Chambers: I'm doing a wedding there soon, just wondering if any of our Scottish members have any details as to access, sound limiters, setup area etc? I've not had time to do a site visit but will be calling the venue in a few days, just looking to get a wee heads up prior to calling. Thanks in advance. :)

[leelive]

I visited the place last year to check I was booked for a wedding..... (luckily the wedding got moved to Merchants Halls as ended up doing renovation work)

But, unless it has changed dramatically then this is what i expected.

The function was to be in a large hall upstairs.
There was a small lift and gear could be left in the corridor near a side entrance to the hall.

There was no parking. Drop-off only.

Good luck.

[Shaun]

Thank you Lee. Just what I was looking for - very helpful. :) :beer1:

[Excalibur]

Just what I was looking for

You're easily pleased, Shaun. I'd have been looking for " Superb access, fire doors twelve feet wide, you can reverse the van onto the stage".

Seems to me that most of the city centre Scottish venues wish to make life as difficult as possible for the DJs.

[Jim - Scotland's Party DJ]

You're easily pleased, Shaun. I'd have been looking for " Superb access, fire doors twelve feet wide, you can reverse the van onto the stage".

Seems to me that most of the city centre Scottish venues wish to make life as difficult as possible for the DJs.

Meh we're a soft bunch.

29 and Grand Central in Glasgow are probably the bench mark "I whack 7 squillion quid on a gig in there!" and "I don't even quote for it as it's too much hassle." venues.

True there's quite a bit of faffing around but if you're charging appropriately it's really not to be sniffed at - I'll rue the day I get sand in my vag when I'm earning more doing a bit of lifting and having to move the car for a gig than the majority of folk (my good self included) earn for a weeks graft in the day job ;)

[Shaun]

Meh we're a soft bunch.

29 and Grand Central in Glasgow are probably the bench mark "I whack 7 squillion quid on a gig in there!" and "I don't even quote for it as it's too much hassle." venues.

True there's quite a bit of faffing around but if you're charging appropriately it's really not to be sniffed at - I'll rue the day I get sand in my vag when I'm earning more doing a bit of lifting and having to move the car for a gig than the majority of folk (my good self included) earn for a weeks graft in the day job ;)

I do think some venues just aren't worth the hassle. There's enough work going around that cherry picking the most suitable to quote for is a much better scenario (for me anyway) than being in a venue that's a complete nightmare (for whatever reason).



Re Edinburgh City Chambers: It turned out to be very easy in regards to access and parking. I asked the groom in advance to try secure parking on-site...which he did. I turned up on the day, popped over to the security guard and he lowered the bollards to allow me access to the compound, and I was able to park there for the entire duration. The function room was up a level but there was a lift for me to use.

Space in the function hall was limited, I was pretty much in the corner, but I managed to fit everything into the space provided. The only real downside is the bar was setup quite a distance away in another room at the end of a long corridor. So it was a bit of a trial trying to keep people in the room. What made it more difficult was the client asking for a "Silent DJ" during the initial brief. We found a workable compromise where I would make just a few announcements (first dance, and the occasional mention of guest requests that were made in advance).

All in all though, a great venue, great location and a great bunch of guests. :)

16926

[Excalibur]

Just so I understand, Shaun, you took on a gig with limited parking at best, poor access, a lift, restricted setup area, a bar in a room half a mile away from you, and use of the microphone banned from the outset? :confused:

Rather you than me. :D

[atlanticdisco]

We have just tonight turned away quite a lucrative gig because they were setting out limits/control over everything from music choice, volume, lighting and the times we could use the mic!!! I had to point out that we get "employed" to DJ and provide entertainment to a crowd and not an individual. They didn't agree and basically said its there way or the highway. Highway looked good and they were shocked.
Gigs like this damage your reputation!

[atlanticdisco]

Apologies guys, quite possibly the wrong thread. Freshly off the phone with this "client". Woooosaa 😳

[Shaun]

We have just tonight turned away quite a lucrative gig because they were setting out limits/control over everything from music choice, volume, lighting and the times we could use the mic!!! I had to point out that we get "employed" to DJ and provide entertainment to a crowd and not an individual. They didn't agree and basically said its there way or the highway. Highway looked good and they were shocked.
Gigs like this damage your reputation!




Often customers that want to micro-manage their event have had bad experiences in the past. More often than not though there is a happy medium that can be reached. And if that happy medium can be reached, I quite like the challenge.

[DJ Jules]

16926

Since you're in this photo, I'm assuming it was taken by the photographer? I'd love to know what settings they used :P

[Shaun]

Since you're in this photo, I'm assuming it was taken by the photographer? I'd love to know what settings they used :P

Yep, it was one from the photographer. The groom posted it to my Facebook page.

I'd love to know the settings too. The photo was taken from a high balcony with pretty low light, and the photographers flash just looked pretty standard.

[Excalibur]

Often customers that want to micro-manage their event have had bad experiences in the past. More often than not though there is a happy medium that can be reached. And if that happy medium can be reached, I quite like the challenge.

While I don't agree 100% with my amenable Scottish friend, we are indeed singing from the same hymnsheet. " He who pays the piper calls the tune." Yes I have limits, like Shaun, I'm always happy to see if we can get a solution acceptable to both sides.

[Shaun]

While I don't agree 100% with my amenable Scottish friend, we are indeed singing from the same hymnsheet. " He who pays the piper calls the tune." Yes I have limits, like Shaun, I'm always happy to see if we can get a solution acceptable to both sides.

Which parts of the comment you quoted don;t you agree with 100%. Just curious. :)

[Excalibur]

Often customers that want to micro-manage their event have had bad experiences in the past. More often than not though there is a happy medium that can be reached. And if that happy medium can be reached, I quite like the challenge.


Which parts of the comment you quoted don;t you agree with 100%. Just curious. :)

Well since you asked, my inquisitive friend, I'll tell you. :)

It's only a very minor issue, but from the way your post reads, I get the impression that you would like to put your views and ideas forward more strongly than I would. In truth, we're probably only differing on the degree, if at all, but when the customer says " jump", I'm very likely to enquire " How high " ? Unless they're suggesting something stupid, or logistically unworkable, I'm unlikely to tell them how it should be done.

One day, I'll tell you the story of a Day Job customer. No matter how much I explained the simplest, easiest, prettiest, strongest way to do a job, she wanted it done differently, in a way which disadvantaged her neighbour aesthetically. As we were doing the job, the neighbour agreed that our way was the only logical way to do it, but he couldn't be bothered to cause ill feeling by complaining over something relatively minor. Nice fella.