would you!

[funkymike]

Gig last night was originaly booked for a disco (30th) a few months a go, Passed on form TVD. Sent out contract which was returned with a playlist all very nice, as the date became nearer it turns out that the ladys birthday was in a small 5 piece band so she told me they were going to play first before the disco, fair enough. But turns out they dont have a mixer or mics or anything apart from the instruments, so I offered them a few mics then as things went on the mixer and all the other stuff to get the band up and running and sounding/'looking good, this was all after the contract was done for a disco. So in the end I suppled everything. Now I didnt mind as i go on the fact your only as good as your last gig! plus I thought loads of guests get some booking from it. Turns out that there wasnt many guests, about 30should have been 150!!!

Heres some pics
http://img89.imageshack.us/img89/2310/bandqu2.th.jpg (http://img89.imageshack.us/my.php?image=bandqu2.jpg) http://img514.imageshack.us/img514/936/band2cv2.th.jpg (http://img514.imageshack.us/my.php?image=band2cv2.jpg) http://img514.imageshack.us/img514/6052/band3pj5.th.jpg (http://img514.imageshack.us/my.php?image=band3pj5.jpg)

The disco was cut short due to lack of guests by 1.5 hrs, so I guess it was worth it, but would you go to this trouble to make sure the customer was happy, or did I go over board, I dont want to get caught out again, but it was (for me) a good earner so I didnt mind going the extra bit, but ware do you draw the line chaps.

cheers

Mike


Ps dont mention the wires
PPs They didnt even say thanks at the end either

[Solitaire Events Ltd]

I think you're mad Mike. The band had nothing to do with you and should have had their own gear. This has nothing to do with keeping the client happy. What if they have asked you to provide a chocolate fountain and to do the catering for the same price?

Obviously the client will see this as good service, but personally if they wanted all this extra gear, then they would have paid for it. Why do it for free?

[djsteve10]

I have to agree with Daz, What sort of band doesn't turn up with no Pa And mics?

If they are performing at private functions surely they can't go around and just hope the Dj has got some mics and can use his/her pa

[funkymike]

I have to agree with Daz, What sort of band doesn't turn up with no Pa And mics?

If they are performing at private functions surely they can't go around and just hope the Dj has got some mics and can use his/her pa

Sorry I forgot to mention they arnt a gigging band, this was a kind of 1 off thing.

mike

[Thames Valley Discos]

Should have said no, that is not what the booking was for. You effectively hired your gear in addition to doing the Disco

[djsteve10]

Well they could of at least let you know before hand and then you could of charged them extra for the services.

What moving heads have you got up on the truss by the way?

[funkymike]

Well they could of at least let you know before hand and then you could of charged them extra for the services.

What moving heads have you got up on the truss by the way?

The are EVL 150 mini spots, I have 6 but want another 2, cus iam greedy:D

[djsteve10]

ooh i haven't seen EVL mini spots for a while, oh yes 8 would look amazing and stick a laser in the middle or a few Led pars and it would look ace

[Dragonfly]

I think you're mad Mike. The band had nothing to do with you and should have had their own gear. This has nothing to do with keeping the client happy. What if they have asked you to provide a chocolate fountain and to do the catering for the same price?

Obviously the client will see this as good service, but personally if they wanted all this extra gear, then they would have paid for it. Why do it for free?


I agree really plus what if this client says well mike was brilliant he did a great job for us and provided gear for our band to use free ......... you could have several phone calls from people who have also hired a band with no gear ............. im in your club put yourself out for a client to keep them happy but you do have to be grounded on this ..... getting hold of a clients special tracks for them or organising special lighting for them is one thing ....GIVING their band gear to use is tearing the :Censored: out of it even by my very nice man standards :D :D :D so in answer to the question .... no i wouldnt

[funkymike]

ooh i haven't seen EVL mini spots for a while, oh yes 8 would look amazing and stick a laser in the middle or a few Led pars and it would look ace

they are led par cans there, 4of them, but again want another 4, took the lazer but not allowed to use smoke so didnt bother with it.

The EVL's are very good lights and cheap for what they are compared other moving heads in the same price range, but the internal programs are a bit poo, so working on a pc based dmx one instead

[djsteve10]

Yeah all my lighting is controlled of Pc based DMX software... I personally think that you have more control over your lighting and they are more versatile.

I have to agree about the laser.. they aren't very good without smoke.

[robbiedj]

Yes, I would, under certain conditions.

If I still have control over the equipment and there is no likelihood of damage.

From my point of view, having grown up "backstage" in a family of entertainers, I am 1st and foremost an entertainer. If they want to pay for my services and then do most themselves, fair enough.

In over 40 years in entertainment, I have only ever had one problem with a so-called artist. It was a birthday party where I had to share with a guitar playing singer who turned up late, set up directly in front of me and proceded to tune-up/sound check by playing over my music and instantly clearing the dance floor for me. At that point I stopped playing, apologised to the crowd for his unprofessional behaviour and said I would take a break until he had finished.

I waited until he finished his set and played the originals of his set. Revenge is sweet!

Funnily, I now do all the family parties ............... but I have never seen him since. At the time the organiser came up to me and apologised for the gaff as well. He didn't like the man's attitude either.

[djsteve10]

Yes, I would, under certain conditions.

If I still have control over the equipment and there is no likelihood of damage.

From my point of view, having grown up "backstage" in a family of entertainers, I am 1st and foremost an entertainer. If they want to pay for my services and then do most themselves, fair enough.

In over 40 years in entertainment, I have only ever had one problem with a so-called artist. It was a birthday party where I had to share with a guitar playing singer who turned up late, set up directly in front of me and proceded to tune-up/sound check by playing over my music and instantly clearing the dance floor for me. At that point I stopped playing, apologised to the crowd for his unprofessional behaviour and said I would take a break until he had finished.

I waited until he finished his set and played the originals of his set. Revenge is sweet!

Funnily, I now do all the family parties ............... but I have never seen him since. At the time the organiser came up to me and apologised for the gaff as well. He didn't like the man's attitude either.


I hate when bands do that, When they do it to me i just pull back my volume pick up the mic "Ladys and gentlemen please put your hands together for the band"

Then you get the looks off the band and just respond with "well you wanted to go on didn't you, well there you go"

Then if they continue to argue i just say "i don't play my music over yours so don't do it to me"

[rob1963]

I think you're mad Mike. The band had nothing to do with you and should have had their own gear. This has nothing to do with keeping the client happy.

I completely agree.

It's one thing if the band ask you to put your lights on while they play, but using virtually all YOUR gear for THEIR band is beyond a joke.

How much would it have cost them to hire all that gear?

And you let them use it for nothing?

:shrug:

[Solitaire Events Ltd]

I had a similar situation with an Elvis impersonator. The agent emailed me (never spoken to him before) and asked if he could use my PA. I told him he could 'hire' it for £100 and he got really funny and sarcastic with me.

The Elvis guy bought his own PA and we got on extremely well and I don't even think he was aware of the agent's email.

As it happened, I found out that he was charging £650 for an hour so I was quite glad I didn't offer them a freebie.