Empty Rooms

[Barclay's Beats]

Any of you find yourself playing to an empty room? Recently this has become very common for us and I think there are a number of contributing factors to this.

Firstly, let me paint the picture: wedding in a big fancy stately home which is now a venue with rooms too small to house the total number of guests so they put the bar in one room and the disco in another. The result of this is after the formalities of the first dance everyone disappears to the bar room only to be seen again at the end of the night for the last couple of tunes.

This has become more evident since the smoking ban (which I see has been well covered in other threads) as people tend to hang about outside regardless of the weather or whether they smoke or not. Also the number of venues with the bar in a different room seems to be on the increase as more and more places start taking on weddings and larger functions.

We seem to have a better chance of controlling the ebbs and flows of the night when the bar is in the same room and the smokers can see and hear the disco even if it is just through the window or doors.

[Solitaire Events Ltd]

We seem to have a better chance of controlling the ebbs and flows of the night when the bar is in the same room and the smokers can see and hear the disco even if it is just through the window or doors.

I agree. I know we still get paid playing to tables and chairs, but I'd still rather have a captive audience in the same room as me, so that I can try and create a decent atmosphere.

[Dillmiester]

And people requesting tunes, then disapearing outside for a smoke only to come back and say "when are you going to play that song" I just did where were you? "can you play it again".

[rob1963]

Any of you find yourself playing to an empty room? Recently this has become very common for us and I think there are a number of contributing factors to this.

Firstly, let me paint the picture: wedding in a big fancy stately home which is now a venue with rooms too small to house the total number of guests so they put the bar in one room and the disco in another. The result of this is after the formalities of the first dance everyone disappears to the bar room only to be seen again at the end of the night for the last couple of tunes.

This has become more evident since the smoking ban (which I see has been well covered in other threads) as people tend to hang about outside regardless of the weather or whether they smoke or not. Also the number of venues with the bar in a different room seems to be on the increase as more and more places start taking on weddings and larger functions.

We seem to have a better chance of controlling the ebbs and flows of the night when the bar is in the same room and the smokers can see and hear the disco even if it is just through the window or doors.

Absolutely.

The best scenario for a successful disco is a large room with a bar, tables & chairs around the outside or at one end, the buffet on a table in the same room and a dancefloor & disco also in the same room. That way, people have virtually everything in the same place & you are more likely to have a successful night.

However, this isn't necessarily ALWAYS the case. A couple of weeks ago I did a wedding reception in a large girls school. The meal was in one room and the tables & chairs were not moved afterwards, the bar was in a different room, the buffet was in yet another room, there was a patio outside with tables chairs & a really nice view (and it was a lovely evening)...and the disco was in another room - with no tables or chairs!

I was expecting a nightmare gig with an empty room after the first dance, but I had no less than about 20 people dancing all night...which I thought was very good in the circumstances.


I agree. I know we still get paid playing to tables and chairs, but I'd still rather have a captive audience in the same room as me, so that I can try and create a decent atmosphere.

Absolutely!

When you're playing to an empty room you can't enjoy yourself, and it's boring...which means the time drags. I also feel like I must be doing something wrong for this to happen.

[blitz]

had this senario a couple of weeks ago, bar in diffrent room and harley seen anyone all night you would think the place was dead, they were all dancing in the bar tho and good comments for me at the end, last saturday had big room with bar in it and a full dance floor all night, it does make a big diffrence having the bar in the same room and now we have had the smoking ban up here for a while i think it's not so bad now with loosin alot of ppl outside (unless it's really good weather), take the good with the bad i suppose

[Penfold42]

When you're playing to an empty room you can't enjoy yourself, and it's boring...which means the time drags. I also feel like I must be doing something wrong for this to happen.

I agree, but i try keeping my hands on the decks..............:D :D :D :D

[flatliners]

i used to have the same thing at a place i used to play quite alot called the ramberlers lots 3 small rooms but the owner loved my djing in the place thats why i was always top of his list when recomending a a disco

[Vectis]

I see 'empty room syndrome' as a challenge. If you keep a watch, you can tell that folks are getting twitchy for a ciggie - they start pestering their mates and gesticulating outside or doing the 'two fingers to the mouth' thing.

What a perfect opportunity to do a rapid genre switch and slam on a cracking song that they absolutely must stay and dance to!

I always have one deck cued with such a track so I'm always ready... good example tracks being (depending on the crowd of course!) loveshack, one step beyond, come on eileen, tiger feet, satisfaction etc. etc..

Last Saturday the room tried to clear out onto the patio at least 5 times over the space of half an hour before I let them go! Even then I only gave them one track, then pulled them back in for more with chasing cars (well it was near the end) :)

[BeerFunk]

I see 'empty room syndrome' as a challenge. If you keep a watch, you can tell that folks are getting twitchy for a ciggie - they start pestering their mates and gesticulating outside or doing the 'two fingers to the mouth' thing.

What a perfect opportunity to do a rapid genre switch and slam on a cracking song that they absolutely must stay and dance to!

I always have one deck cued with such a track so I'm always ready... good example tracks being (depending on the crowd of course!) loveshack, one step beyond, come on eileen, tiger feet, satisfaction etc. etc..

Last Saturday the room tried to clear out onto the patio at least 5 times over the space of half an hour before I let them go! Even then I only gave them one track, then pulled them back in for more with chasing cars (well it was near the end) :)
I suppose that would work, but then you might find yourself playing a blinding track and still having an empty room - which only compounds matters! :(

[Vectis]

Not happened to me yet :p Only a matter of time, I suppose. ;)

[paull]

Roll on the cold wet nights!!!!
House Parties and Marquees have given me the best atmoshere this summer for all the above reasons.

Paul

www.spectrumdisco.co.uk
www.e-designs.org.uk

[rob1963]

I agree, but i try keeping my hands on the decks..............:D :D :D :D

:lol:

[ian8limelight]

Roll on the cold wet nights!!!!



:eek: That's about a week away then !!!!!! ;)

[jamesh]

Yep had a few like that... although now i try to turn it to my advantage in a way...

You still wont always get people in the room but what i tend to do now is at the quoting stage advise them having additional speakers in the same room as the bar / seated area or both... and explain the reasons why....

This not only creates and atmosphere in the other areas (on a separate volume control so it's not as loud as the main disco!) but it means you don't have to push the speakers in the "Disco room" as hard so people can hear it in the other rooms... and when you make announcements and play peoples requests they get to hear it from where ever they are - oh and it gives you the chance to be able to encourage people into the "disco room" .... not to mention the additional income from setting up the speakers in other rooms... - It's where my little actives come into their own every time...

[BeerFunk]

Yep had a few like that... although now i try to turn it to my advantage in a way...

You still wont always get people in the room but what i tend to do now is at the quoting stage advise them having additional speakers in the same room as the bar / seated area or both... and explain the reasons why....

This not only creates and atmosphere in the other areas (on a separate volume control so it's not as loud as the main disco!) but it means you don't have to push the speakers in the "Disco room" as hard so people can hear it in the other rooms... and when you make announcements and play peoples requests they get to hear it from where ever they are - oh and it gives you the chance to be able to encourage people into the "disco room" .... not to mention the additional income from setting up the speakers in other rooms... - It's where my little actives come into their own every time...
Doesn't it concern you that your other speakers are out of sight and unsupervised? Do you strap them to something?

[Solitaire Events Ltd]

Doesn't it concern you that your other speakers are out of sight and unsupervised? Do you strap them to something?

WOW! What kind of places do you work in then? :p

I've also started to provide this service and the cabs are on tripods - I think it might look slightly suspect if someone was trying to take one off a stand in the middle of a function...

Also if anyone did, my T&Cs would take care of any loss.

[BeerFunk]

WOW! What kind of places do you work in then? :p

I've also started to provide this service and the cabs are on tripods - I think it might look slightly suspect if someone was trying to take one off a stand in the middle of a function...

Also if anyone did, my T&Cs would take care of any loss.
It's not just theft, if someone trips over the legs, knocks it onto a child, pulls a cable out around liquid... you have to consider the worst case scenario if you're not there to intervene. I know the chances of any of this happening are very slim, but it must worry you a little bit?

[Barclay's Beats]

Yep had a few like that... although now i try to turn it to my advantage in a way...

You still wont always get people in the room but what i tend to do now is at the quoting stage advise them having additional speakers in the same room as the bar / seated area or both... and explain the reasons why....

This not only creates and atmosphere in the other areas (on a separate volume control so it's not as loud as the main disco!) but it means you don't have to push the speakers in the "Disco room" as hard so people can hear it in the other rooms... and when you make announcements and play peoples requests they get to hear it from where ever they are - oh and it gives you the chance to be able to encourage people into the "disco room" .... not to mention the additional income from setting up the speakers in other rooms... - It's where my little actives come into their own every time...

I have offered this service on occasion although it involves prior knowledge of the venue so you know how far you are running the cables. Great suggestion though!

[rob1963]

It's not just theft, if someone trips over the legs, knocks it onto a child, pulls a cable out around liquid... you have to consider the worst case scenario if you're not there to intervene. I know the chances of any of this happening are very slim, but it must worry you a little bit?

It would certainly worry ME!

The trouble is that when you can't see your gear, you also can't see a potential problem before it happens, or do anything to prevent it.

I like to have all my gear in front of me & in full view for peace of mind.

[Barclay's Beats]

It's not just theft, if someone trips over the legs, knocks it onto a child, pulls a cable out around liquid... you have to consider the worst case scenario if you're not there to intervene. I know the chances of any of this happening are very slim, but it must worry you a little bit?

To do it 'properly' would require the stands to be fixed in some way to the wall to avoid any accidents. I usually get round this by taping a box shape on the floor around the speaker stand (yellow & black tape available from all good stockists). This at least shows some 'due diligence' should anything happen.

So far I have not had any problems with remote speakers.

[jamesh]

Doesn't it concern you that your other speakers are out of sight and unsupervised? Do you strap them to something?

Nope no straps and it doesn't concern me too much about them being out of sight... Generally they are put up out the way in the corner of a room.... The cables are taped down and made as safe as possible and the speakers themselves are only 8" actives so are pretty small... Yes there is a chance someone could mess with them but what i've found every time i've used them so far at functions are people are more interested in chatting, getting a drink, dancing and generally enjoying the party to worry about sticking their fingers into or pulling out and plugs... And as fo little'ens crawling around the speakers are up on speakers stands so they can't play in the back of them (as they can't reach) and it would take quite a bit to push them fully over...


It's not just theft, if someone trips over the legs, knocks it onto a child, pulls a cable out around liquid... you have to consider the worst case scenario if you're not there to intervene. I know the chances of any of this happening are very slim, but it must worry you a little bit?

But you could say that about a rig you were using in the same room... or the same rig when you went to the bar/toilet etc.... What if someone trips on the stands, pours a drink over a plug etc.... you can't be every where at once... The remote speakers are set up with safety in mind... The stands are placed securely with no risk to guests or they don't get used.... The extension cables (where used) are attached to the stand along with the rest of the cables and the run back to the main rig is secured down all the way back to behind the main rig... oh and just incase the speaker stands also have reflective silver tape down the legs... Doesn't look as pretty but in the dark it means the speaker tripod legs can be seen!

There really isn't anything else that could be done short of hiring a guard for each speaker for the night.... I'm sure if there was an accident i could prove i've done EVERYTHING possible to avoid an accident.


I have offered this service on occasion although it involves prior knowledge of the venue so you know how far you are running the cables. Great suggestion though!

But that's all in the chatting to the customer before you quote surly... without evening thinking some of the questions that i ask during the initial communication is things like is the venue upstairs / downstairs, in the same room as the main reception / different room etc..... Will there be a bar / which room is it in...

[PropellerHeadCase]

Whilst I applaud the idea as being responsive to the behaviour of guests wouldn't having those speakers in with them and their drink be just one more obstacle to getting them out on the floor?

[jamesh]

no i tend to find it gets them going and the atmosphere started.... the levels in the bar/meal area are only ever background levels so although you can hear it and dance to it if you really want to but most people still come through and have a good old dance in the disco room with the flashy lights and louder music....

The way i see it is you're always going to get people hanging around the bar whether it's socialising, getting a drink, wanting somewhere to chat or just being lost and not knowing where else to put themselves. some will never leave that area and hate dancing but at least with the additional speakers they still get to enjoy the evening AND the music AND the general atmosphere created while the rest of the party let their hair down and dance like a chicken on E.. :D

[PropellerHeadCase]

Good call, thanks.