Requests

[bluishbob]

Hey all,
Had a thought the other day while doing a gig at my school. The gigs i do at the school always go extremely well, and as far as glowsticks go......i sold 100 at 50p by half way (i wish i had have bought 2 packs of 100 now!!!!:bang: ).

BUT i had a bit of a problem, i always get loads of requests, and i end up 2/3 of the time playing requests. This i think is really good, i always thought, as i play what they want to hear!! But then when i squeeze in a few sets of what i think essentually have to be played, they go wild and love it, to add to this, talking to a few girls the next day, they said that they would have preffered a little more 'dance and chart stuff', like i played when i had no requests.

WHAT DO I DO, i can't out right refuse to play requests, but if i allow some, surely i have to allow all to keep everyone happy (and not complain thet 'my song didn't get played' :bang: :bang:

But there is a better reaction when i completely control the sets.

What do you do????

[Vectis]

Stop selling glowsticks :o and instead concentrate on putting together a more coherent set that includes requests and your own music selections. Also with kids events don't take any more requests after the halfway point - just tell them you've got wall-to-wall requests until the end whether that's true or not they'll never know... unless someone comes up with a corker that is!

[Shaun]

Hey all,
Had a thought the other day while doing a gig at my school. The gigs i do at the school always go extremely well, and as far as glowsticks go......i sold 100 at 50p by half way (i wish i had have bought 2 packs of 100 now!!!!:bang: ).

BUT i had a bit of a problem, i always get loads of requests, and i end up 2/3 of the time playing requests. This i think is really good, i always thought, as i play what they want to hear!! But then when i squeeze in a few sets of what i think essentually have to be played, they go wild and love it, to add to this, talking to a few girls the next day, they said that they would have preffered a little more 'dance and chart stuff', like i played when i had no requests.

WHAT DO I DO, i can't out right refuse to play requests, but if i allow some, surely i have to allow all to keep everyone happy (and not complain thet 'my song didn't get played' :bang: :bang:

But there is a better reaction when i completely control the sets.

What do you do????

I place a laminated print-out on the table that states a few things with regards to requests - i.e. That we won't play tracks with swearing - that the DJ's do not guarantee that all requests will be played, etc. At school events I tend to get more requests than it would be possible to play in the time-scale, so pointing out that the DJ will randomly choose which requests will be played, seems to be suffice. Works for me anyway.

[PropellerHeadCase]

Play the good and popular requests, ignore the crap ones.

Some kids very clearly ask for obscure songs to impress their mates :D

[bluishbob]

That seems to be the thing to do then......state that i can't guarantee their request will be played but say i will try (and just select the best ones). Don't worry about the glowsticks taking away my concentration.....thats what the girl friend is for lol


Some kids very clearly ask for obscure songs to impress their mates
God!!!! Tell me about it. I had a group of 5 little 'emo kids' asking every half hour for Trivium, Bullet for my Vallentine, Metalica, Funeral for a friend etc. (basically anything that had screaming and would clearly disperse the dance floor into a mosh pit!!!!) When i did finally play a (carefully selected) emo type song they just stood at the back sipping cola!!!!

[Tom]

Don't worry about the glowsticks taking away my concentration.....thats what the girl friend is for lol


hope she got a cut of the takings aswell as she did help you out, girlfriend or not. i pay my girlfriend if she ever helps out.

[soundmaster mobile disco]

It just seems to be a natural thing for school kids to come up and ask for requests,i get this all the time.this i dont mind because i soon find out what songs are popular amongst the kids ,so the next time i go into that school i can remember what songs they like.

It might be better if someone can help you sell your glowsticks and you play the music.Personally i dont sell glow sticks i give them away free.

[Dragonfly]

a little trick with particularly the younger generation is they will come up and say "have you got xxx"

"yes I have"

they then disappear ......... note they haven't strictly speaking asked you to play it :D :D :D :D :D

I try and get through as many requests as possible but i do believe you have to take various things into account

the theme of the night - "can you play some trance ?" - "no sorry its a 60s night" this does happen.

the wishes of those paying you if they say no xxx then dont play it

to an extent what is working ... you may get away with slipping something in that goes totally against the grain but you have to be very careful ,i once played tex ritter - deck of cards to a full pub ....but then on the odd ocassion i do like to don the aviators and call myself maverick.

and lastly ....... "can you play barbie girl?" .... "no simply beacause its rubbish and i have to disinfect the whole rig when i get home if i play that stuff" :D :D

I do a school on a regular basis and rnb rnb rnb all night with requests ....but ... there is one little chap who everytime will come up and ask for billy idol , queen or lynard synard which i do play for him because it helps me to believe that good parenting is still evident in the uk somewhere :D :D

[Vectis]

Reminds me of a kids party I did recently ... about 40 7/8-year-olds soaking up charts, R&B, action songs when one particularly young looking (for the age group) lad with particularly long (for the age group) hair came up and asks for... wait for it.... green onions :eek: I nearly died. I'd just got over the shock when a girl of the same age came up and asked for silver dream machine :eek: :eek:

Yes... I did play them just because they were so odd. David Essex during their scoff time and Booker T just after the last record whilst we were de-rigging :D

[rob1963]

Stop selling glowsticks :o and instead concentrate on putting together a more coherent set that includes requests and your own music selections.

I completely agree.

If you want to have glowsticks, just give them away free to everyone at the beginning of the evening.

Then you can concentrate on the job in hand.

[theoloyla]

Reminds me of a kids party I did recently ... about 40 7/8-year-olds soaking up charts, R&B, action songs when one particularly young looking (for the age group) lad with particularly long (for the age group) hair came up and asks for... wait for it.... green onions :eek: I nearly died. I'd just got over the shock when a girl of the same age came up and asked for silver dream machine :eek: :eek:

Yes... I did play them just because they were so odd. David Essex during their scoff time and Booker T just after the last record whilst we were de-rigging :D
I have been asked for "Green Onions" several times just lately. Is it on a TV ad or something?
When some people ask me for strange or unsuitable requests I actually ask them if they are going to dance to it, get their name and announce that they requested it and if no one is dancing to it it gets cut off early with a suitable comment which generally raises a laugh.

[spin mobile disco]

Why does everyone put down sale of glowsticks? It is getting really annoying. If they want to buy them and makes him a few quid then why not? Its no more tacky than having a big 8 ft banner with your name and telephone number on. Which a lot of people also do. Just please accept different strokes for different blokes.
I did an 18th at the weekend and made nearly £50 on the sale of glowsticks which included the 2 birthday girls and parents. At the end the parents even came up to me and said how nice an idea it was. Also mentioning the road safety aspect of them.

Ok rant over back on topic.

I take requests up to a point and will play almost any but if asked for a song that I know will dive I will tell them this and suggest another. If they insist I make a point of announcing it as a request.
This shifts the blame in the eyes of the audience in many cases. But all audiences are different.
Sometimes simply putting requests in the right order will help a lot.

[Vectis]

Why does everyone put down sale of glowsticks? It is getting really annoying. If they want to buy them and makes him a few quid then why not? Its no more tacky than having a big 8 ft banner with your name and telephone number on.

Fair enough. I just don't think either of the above conveys a professional image except perhaps with the Wheeltappers & Shunters brigade... I just know that if I'd hired in a plumber to fit a new boiler, and on my time he was selling sweets to the local kids, I'd be most upset. If he'd said when I engaged him that this was standard practice, I'd have hired someone else. If he'd said he'd be bringing a free box of sweets for the kids to share, all part of the service, that would be different. But that's just me.

[bluishbob]

Sorry, got to stick with Spin here.

For me, my girlfriend and another friend were just stood next to me with a table full of them. I sold all of the sticks i had by half way through and made over £50. I was told by several teachers there on the night that it was a brilliant idea, and all the kids loved it.

If everyone is happy, then what is the problem????? Surely it would be a selling point for anyone on the night interested in having a disco in the future.

[Larry B Entertainment]

If they insist I make a point of announcing it as a request.



Just what i do. Nothing worse than being asked for a song, playing it and it clearing the dance floor then people just sit there and stare at you. If someone asks for it and wont budge on choice then there nothing more you can do, either play it and get it over with or have them coming back 10 times getting more annoyed cos they want it on there and then.

[Solitaire Events Ltd]

Why does everyone put down sale of glowsticks?

Because you are being paid to provide a disco and not set up a stall selling stuff, hence not concentrating on what you are paid to be doing.

If you had a daytime office job, how would your boss feel about it if you decided to use their time to sell something else?

If you need to make an extra £50 then put your prices up.

Personal opinion, but I just think it's so naff.

[Larry B Entertainment]

and its also the health and safety issue aswell with glow sticks, if a kid fell over and poked their eye out with one, would you be liable because you supplied it to them ?

[Solitaire Events Ltd]

and its also the health and safety issue aswell with glow sticks, if a kid fell over and poked their eye out with one, would you be liable because you supplied it to them ?

I doubt it. If you bought a chocolate bar from a newsagents and fell over round the corner from the shop and did yourself an injury with it, they wouldn't be liable would they?

[spin mobile disco]

Because you are being paid to provide a disco and not set up a stall selling stuff, hence not concentrating on what you are paid to be doing.

If you had a daytime office job, how would your boss feel about it if you decided to use their time to sell something else?

If you need to make an extra £50 then put your prices up.

Personal opinion, but I just think it's so naff.

Its not a stall, i have a message that cycles with other messages on my sign every 5 mintutes or so. I do not advertise price etc just the general availability and to ask me for details. As for being distracted by it, do you not have people coming up for requests all night? no different really.
If some one came up to you to you at a gig and asked for information on your prices an what you can provide you wouldnt turn them away for a quote. That is still selling something at someone elses party. Exactly the same thing. At least the glowsticks are for the benfit of your current client.

[Solitaire Events Ltd]

Its not a stall, i have a message that cycles with other messages on my sign every 5 mintutes or so. I do not advertise price etc just the general availability and to ask me for details. As for being distracted by it, do you not have people coming up for requests all night? no different really.
If some one came up to you to you at a gig and asked for information on your prices an what you can provide you wouldnt turn them away for a quote. That is still selling something at someone elses party. Exactly the same thing. At least the glowsticks are for the benfit of your current client.

Sorry, I disagree.

If people want a request I can find it and tell them whether I have it in seconds. I don't have to discuss price, how many they want and wait for people to get money out and then find change for them. Big difference.

People hardly ever ask me about prices and availability at gigs - why would they - I'm working, they just ask for a business card which I give them. They then ring me when I'm in my office and we discuss service and prices etc, so bang goes that theory.

The glowsticks aren't for the benefit of the client. They are to benefit you and your pocket.

[spin mobile disco]

Speaking as a business , yes I have to make money this is my full time job and I have to make ends meet. If this means I help augment my income with this then fine I see no reason why not.
As for increasing prices to give glowsticks away. This means that clients that don't want the glowsticks still have to pay the price for those who do.
As for not benfiting the client you obviously havent seen the fun people have with them at a party.

[Solitaire Events Ltd]

Speaking as a business , yes I have to make money this is my full time job and I have to make ends meet. If this means I help augment my income with this then fine I see no reason why not.
As for increasing prices to give glowsticks away. This means that clients that don't want the glowsticks still have to pay the price for those who do.
As for not benfiting the client you obviously havent seen the fun people have with them at a party.

I have, but I give them away, if I do take any. (which is rare tbh)

Ultimately of course it's your decision. You run your business your way. Personally speaking though, I wouldn't be seen doing something like this in the kind of venue we normally work in as I don't think it looks right.

Youth clubs, pubs and social clubs maybe.

[Larry B Entertainment]

Like anything, you just have to use your discretion.

[Corabar Steve]

Fair enough. I just don't think either of the above conveys a professional image except perhaps with the Wheeltappers & Shunters brigade... I just know that if I'd hired in a plumber to fit a new boiler, and on my time he was selling sweets to the local kids, I'd be most upset. If he'd said when I engaged him that this was standard practice, I'd have hired someone else. If he'd said he'd be bringing a free box of sweets for the kids to share, all part of the service, that would be different. But that's just me.
Me too

Because you are being paid to provide a disco and not set up a stall selling stuff, hence not concentrating on what you are paid to be doing.

If you had a daytime office job, how would your boss feel about it if you decided to use their time to sell something else?

If you need to make an extra £50 then put your prices up.

Personal opinion, but I just think it's so naff.I agree


If some one came up to you to you at a gig and asked for information on your prices an what you can provide you wouldnt turn them away for a quote. That is still selling something at someone elses party. Exactly the same thing. At least the glowsticks are for the benfit of your current client.Rot!


Sorry, I disagree.

If people want a request I can find it and tell them whether I have it in seconds. I don't have to discuss price, how many they want and wait for people to get money out and then find change for them. Big difference.Indeed


People hardly ever ask me about prices and availability at gigs - why would they - I'm working, they just ask for a business card which I give them. They then ring me when I'm in my office and we discuss service and prices etc, so bang goes that theory.

The glowsticks aren't for the benefit of the client. They are to benefit you and your pocket. I agree


I wouldn't be seen doing something like this in the kind of venue we normally work in as I don't think it looks right. Same here

[Shaun]

Steve - a man of few words. :D

[Solitaire Events Ltd]

Steve - a man of few words. :D

But a lot of posts...:sj:

[Tom]

basically he aggres with everything apart from where rot came into it. lol.

sorry. back on topic

[Vectis]

Boys this is so :offtopic: it's almost on the moon :)

I stopped responding earlier to the glowstick debate 'cos I thought I might get slapped for going too far OT :o

Anyway, my thoughts are clear.

[Solitaire Events Ltd]

Boys this is so :offtopic: it's almost on the moon :)



Not really.

Selling glowsticks was mentioned in the first post was it not? And it's till being mentioned. ;)

[Corabar Steve]

Steve - a man of few words. :D


But a lot of posts...:sj:

http://smilies.vidahost.com/contrib/scorchio/saevil.gif

[Solitaire Events Ltd]

http://smilies.vidahost.com/contrib/scorchio/saevil.gif

And there my case rests. :D

[Vectis]

Got it... Having deliberated for a while... why not CHARGE FOR REQUESTS?

That'll cut down on the quantity.

Say 50p per request, 3 for £1, or Buy 2 get a free glowstick?


:rolleyes:

[Corabar Steve]

I do that when I do the Ace Cafe Mad March Trike Day, all proceeds to the NABD

[rob1963]

Because you are being paid to provide a disco and not set up a stall selling stuff, hence not concentrating on what you are paid to be doing.

If you had a daytime office job, how would your boss feel about it if you decided to use their time to sell something else?

If you need to make an extra £50 then put your prices up.

Personal opinion, but I just think it's so naff.

I couldn't agree more.

Giving away glowsticks is one thing, but in my opinion SELLING them at gigs is a complete no no.

If you sell glowsticks, why stop there? Why not sell sweets as well, and toys, and CDs? If you don't also do that, why not? what's the difference?

Where do you draw the line?

All of it is naff.

We should stick to being DJs & let the market stall holders sell glowsticks.


The glowsticks aren't for the benefit of the client. They are to benefit you and your pocket.

Absolutely.

If they were for the benefit of the client, you'd give them away free.

[robbiedj]

Got it... Having deliberated for a while... why not CHARGE FOR REQUESTS?

That'll cut down on the quantity.

Say 50p per request, 3 for £1, or Buy 2 get a free glowstick?


:rolleyes:

Only do that at charity gigs, profits to the said charity.

Also, before playing those requests I give others the chance to outbid the requester to stop the track being plated.

Can be a nice little earner if you get two determined punters. :devil: