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View Full Version : Last Night's Experience - Uh Oh!



Shakermaker Promotions
18-03-2007, 09:52 AM
Hi all,

Last night I, like many of you most probably, DJ'd at an Irish themed night. I had been booked for it back in December following my first visit to the venue in December for a last minute booking as the chairman of the club (which is outside Basingstoke), was impressed with me.

Anyway, it had been promoted for the past 6 weeks and the club put on a buffet and decent raffle too and billed the night as an 'Irish themed disco with traditional irish music, irish bands and YOUR requests'.

I was booked from 8.30pm - 11.30pm. The venue has 2 bars...one in the main room (where I was set up) with a big stage and dancefloor, and the other in the small bar. I have to say that I have never ever seen so much lack of interest...ever. The buffet was set up in the main room where I was.

There must have been around 150 people in the venue last night but all of them, apart from 7 people (I could actually see them and count them easily) were next door. The people that were in the main room where I was were all up dancing and writing down their requests on the request slips I provided and were all loving it. I gave out 4 cards because they kept complimenting me on the set up and the way I came across. I kept making jokes over the mic that they were all having their own private party! The people from nextdoor came through when I announced that the buffet was open and I thought.."Cool, they'll stay"...But they didn't! They found it easy enough to pile up their plates and scoff their faces with the free buffet laid on by the club (which apparently cost them £100.00), but they found it near impossible to stay in the main room and enjoy the music, purely lack of interest and enthusiasm.

I was annoyed to say the least. Not because I only had 7 people up dancing but because the club had paid for me and a buffet and also some decent prizes for the raffle yet no'one could be bothered to join in. Now and then, a couple of the girls who were enjoying dancing etc would come up and big me up, saying that they were really enjoying themselves and that it must be hard for me to get motivated. I told them that as long as they were enjoying themselves it didn't matter. At one point during the night, I went nextdoor to see what was going on and to get a pint of guiness just to do my Irish thing and I could hear my music blaring from my speakers as clear as crystal. I was amazed to see that nearly everyone in the bar was singing along to the music I was playing so it cheered me up a bit.

As the night came to a close, someone asked for a slow track so I stuck one on and a few couples came in and joined the dancefloor. The last track I played was The Pogues 'Fiesta' and they left to go nextdoor. I got on the mic at the end and said to the people that had been in my room, "Thanks for being up for it and I hope you enjoyed the night" - All of them clapped and then surprisingly, everyone else (well as many that could squeeze into the doorway), came through and clapped and cheered me. (probably because I had finished lol!!).

I started to pack down my equipment and people started coming up to me from next door, shaking my hand and telling me what a great night that they had. That's got to be the wackiest night I have ever done to be honest. When I spoke to the bar manager afterwards who was sorting the payment out, he said that it was a fantastic night and that the place was rocking at times, although I never saw it because they were all nextdoor! He kept apologising to me though, saying that they were all (swear word) because they couldn't be bothered to get up and dance.

At the end of the day though...I suppose in reality, as long as they all enjoyed themselves then it's job done isn't it!!? Yes, I may have been a bit peeved that the majority weren't dancing but the main thing is that they had a good time and I have been booked again.

Anyone else had anything like this happen?

Dragonfly
18-03-2007, 10:07 AM
the misconception in our business is if you haven't had 150 people dancing all night then a. you have done something wrong and b. it has been a rubbish night.

ive had several nights where hardly anyone has danced some i have even been forewarned about "we love music but arent a dancing crowd" but if at the end of the night people have said wow what great music and indicate they have had a great night ...... then its a good night and you have done your job well .....

i did a gig in a barn last year for a wedding ......saw 3 people all night barn stank of cow poo and it was a wedding so everyone was in their nice clothes ... i had 3 emails to thank me for a great night 2 from guests and have had 3 further bookings because all the guests in the marquee next door loved the music.

just because you haven't smashed a dancefloor doesnt mean you werent excellent.......

you can lead a horse to water ..... but you can't make it drink.

Candybeatdiscos
18-03-2007, 11:04 AM
yup my sentiments exactly, i have had a few of those as well

Shaun
18-03-2007, 11:59 AM
Strange how some nights work out!. The people that were in the hall had a great night though. Good job Mr Shaker.

CRAZY K
18-03-2007, 12:26 PM
the misconception in our business is if you haven't had 150 people dancing all night then a. you have done something wrong and b. it has been a rubbish night.

ive had several nights where hardly anyone has danced some i have even been forewarned about "we love music but arent a dancing crowd" but if at the end of the night people have said wow what great music and indicate they have had a great night ...... then its a good night and you have done your job well .....

i did a gig in a barn last year for a wedding ......saw 3 people all night barn stank of cow poo and it was a wedding so everyone was in their nice clothes ... i had 3 emails to thank me for a great night 2 from guests and have had 3 further bookings because all the guests in the marquee next door loved the music.

just because you haven't smashed a dancefloor doesnt mean you werent excellent.......

you can lead a horse to water ..... but you can't make it drink.

Dave, was that Eydon in Northants? Been there done it got the T Shirt:D

On the topic I think on St Patricks night the expectation of the punters may not always be matched by the material especially where dancing is concerned---this is a specialist subject on its own as Angela knows:D

Still if everyone has a good time:D :D :D

Now St Georges Day 23rd April ---thats a different matter:D

Im ordering my Flags now before they run out::eek:

CRAZY K

Corabar Steve
19-03-2007, 10:50 AM
ive had several nights where hardly anyone has danced some i have even been forewarned about "we love music but arent a dancing crowd" but if at the end of the night people have said wow what great music and indicate they have had a great night ...... then its a good night and you have done your job well .
Yep had a few of them

There must have been around 150 people in the venue last night but all of them, apart from 7 people (I could actually see them and count them easily) were next door. The people that were in the main room where I was were all up dancing and writing down their requests on the request slips I provided and were all loving it.

Had something similar last year on one of the hottest days of the summer, about the same ammount inside with me dancing etc & the rest outside in the courtyard however mine were also dancing outside.

rob1963
19-03-2007, 11:20 AM
Hiya Shakermaker,

I once had something very similar happen to me.

I was booked for a birthday party in a large room with the disco at one end and the bar at the other.

As usual, I started with background music while everyone was standing around the bar & chatting, then I welcomed everyone, turned the music up & went into all the usual party stuff.

Everyone stayed at the bar & carried on chatting, and this is how the evening went on. 4 hours later, I played a couple of slow ones to end with, and again - nothing. This was the only gig I've ever done where literally nobody danced all night.

As I was packing away, I saw the birthday girl coming towards me & thought "Uh oh - I'm about to get slated"

I was wrong. She thanked me very much, told me how much everyone had enjoyed the music & said what a great night it had been!!!

:confused: :confused: :confused:

ross@rds
19-03-2007, 11:42 AM
The way i see it if only 2 or 3 people dance all night then they are having fun , they are not boring old gits , you are doing somthing right if they dance so i dont relly mind if i have a gig like this.

Must say its a bit hard when they have two halls to sit in as most will take the one with the bar in it lol.

Management was happy and most of the guests came and thanked you so in all sounds like you dont a good job :)

Shakermaker Promotions
19-03-2007, 02:03 PM
Thanks guys for the comments. I think what mainly did my head in was the fact that it's a members club and the people running the club had obviously tried their best to get something special for St Patricks Day.....The raffle, the buffet and myself. It was the lack of interest really although like some of you have said, the fact the feedback was good means that they enjoyed themselves.

PropellerHeadCase
19-03-2007, 08:57 PM
Yeah, I get the occasional one like this, my biggest concern is that because I have no-one to play to I know that my song selection goes out the window as I try and find a rich seam to mine...

With weddings, particularly, I always try and find out how many guests are from overseas or significantly far away, in country, as this often gives a good indication as to how much dancing will occur. Of course you can always just ask if they are a dancing crowd.