Good Gig, Bad Gig.

I had a 21st in a marquee which worried me slightly. I was told I'd have a long carry, as vehicle access wasn't an option. Ah well, minimal setup then, and the recently acquired Micromax was brought into play. What a good job it was, cos when they showed me the ( tiny ) marquee, and said they'd left me a space in the corner, I thought " Where? "
Added to this, I could see a small petrol generator with a standard run fuel tank, so that worried me a lot. I used the QTX cabs, cos if they were fried, it wouldn't be a disaster. They coped admirably.

It was booked 7.30pm to 1.30am, and I was told they would have a meal at 9.30pm, which meant a lot of background music. Generator was started, and all was well. Everything worked as it should. The genny was refuelled mid gig without losing power, so that was good news. The meal and speeches took forever, so I only started playing dance music around 11.30, and the place emptied as everyone went outside. Fortunately, they soon returned, and danced to almost everything from my extensive playlist. I still had a full floor at 1.30am, so with it being in the middle of nowhere, I overran half an hour. Still got the obligatory " play one more" even when I'd got the cabs powered down, and off the stands.

The genny and lights were still going, I got the kit out in a reasonable amount of time, with a bit of help, and was soon on my way home a relieved and happy little bunny.

A weekend for me that went from one extreme to the other really.

Friday - I was at a venue doing an Indie / Alternative night. First proper one I've done in ages and the place was packed with lots of really good tunes being requested.
Started off with Indie, went on to Grunge and finished the night with Rock and Metal. Loads of comments like "Do it again ASAP please" so I may well do that.
It was a really good night, just like I used to do back in the day and I was buzzing. I had one of those nights where I was in by 2.00am but couldn't sleep. I think I got 1 hour (just) and then I was up and out early to set up Disco and Uplighting for last nights wedding at one of my residencies.

What can I say? It was 'one of those nights' in my opinion. One of those where you personally think it has been letdown but at the end of the night the Bride and Groom can't thank you enough. I guess that is what matters at the end of the day but I still can't help thinking after all of these years that they could have had a much better time had their guests been a bit more up for it.

Met the couple (and older couple) a couple of weeks back and went through the usual stuff with them and had my concerns. I wouldn't say it was a strange wedding because each one is individual and as long as they have it how THEY want it then that's cool but I don't think it worked as well as it could have.
Firstly, I was booked direct from 7.30pm - Midnight. At 6.20pm I got a call from the hotel manager saying that they were actually ahead of time and the Bride & Groom were looking at doing their first dance at 7.00pm. We'd arranged it for 7.45pm and I told the manager that. Begrudgingly I rushed about to get changed and made my way to the hotel.

Now, the Bride & Groom's plan was as follows (like I said, a bit different to what I usually do).
They originally wanted to do their first dance and then get everybody to go outside with them and see them off as they wanted to go for a drive for 10 minutes to get away. They said that this would give those people that wanted to have an early night the chance to leave and those that wanted to stay for the party to carry on.
There was only 60 guests attending the wedding and I could see what would happen. There were a number of 'oldies' and there were lots of children there too all doing the usual run around the dance floor, screaming. It wasn't easy.
The plan then was that when they came back to invite everyone else on to the dance floor for the second dance...... yes, I know....strange.

After the second dance they wanted to do the cutting of the cake.
Well, firstly a number of guests did decide to leave. A number of guests stayed outside for a while and I was left with the children running around. I decided to entertain them until there was a healthy number of people back inside. It was about 30 minutes before the remaining guests came back in and we got properly going again.
During the meeting I had with the Bride & Groom, they told me about their specific requests and I also found out that they loved their cheesy stuff too. No mild cheddar here folks, this was full on stilton big time!
I also found out that the groom was a bit of a 'Trekkie' so when they cut their wedding cake I played the Star Trek theme. He was in stitches and everyone seemed to love it. I thought I was making progress then.

Started off with 'Happy' as requested and all of the children and a few adults were dancing. I had current chart stuff cue'd up but then saw that everyone was holding hands and in a circle so I changed my mind and put on the Hokey Cokey (can't even remember the last time I played it). I don't think I have ever seen such a reaction to something like the bloody Hokey Cokey.........they were mad for it. I stuck to the proper cheese (Music Man etc) and the requests started coming in. The children were loving it and some of the older guests too. Gangnam Style, 5678, Oops Upside Your Head, Grease....you name it, I was asked to play it but I didn't mind. I just wanted them to have a good time and it looked like they were but it was hard work.

It got to the point where at 9.30pm there was one little girl on the dance floor and around 30 people sat down chatting that I had a little chuckle to myself and had to remind myself that it doesn't happen like this all the time (thankfully).
A lady who had been sat down near me most of the night came over and asked for some Rock & Roll. I asked her if she was enjoying herself and she said "Yes, it's fantastic" - I found that hard to believe but there you go, personal opinion. I did a good Rock & Roll section and some of the older guests got up. A girl came over with a list of requests and asked if I could play them. I looked at the list and then told her that I had played every single one of them already. She wanted me to play them again as "I wasn't in the mood for dancing earlier but I am now"..... I didn't play them again and she danced anyway.

It got to about 10.30pm and I could see the numbers dropping rapidly. The Bride & Groom were outside and the children were either asleep at tables or leaving with their parents to go to their rooms. I looked around me and could see that those that were left were more up for chatting than getting up and dancing. I decided to chuck on some of the slower requests that I had been asked for and a couple of people got up. At around 10.45pm the Bride & Groom came back in and I knew what was going to happen. They asked if I could play 2 more songs and then call it a night. Fine by me. I announced that it was the final 2 songs and asked everybody that was left (about 12 people) to join them on the dance floor. Their requested last song was Celine Dion - My Heart Will Go On. It was quite a nice ending to what was an ok-ish night.
The Bride & Groom said that they had really enjoyed themselves and that's all that matters. The Groom asked everyone to applaud me and they all clapped and that was it.
I did notice a lady in tears and the Bride was hugging her. I asked if everything was ok and the lady said "Don't worry, that song just gets me every time".

One other thing to mention....
When I turned up at the beginning I could see a young guy in what looked like a suit that was 10 times to big for him, looking at my set up. I said hello and got behind the decks and he said "Are you the DJ then?"..........I replied "Yes" and then I got the usual, usual stuff.
He told me that he was a DJ too and did it at weekends. He asked me what the speakers were that I was using as he had Mackies. I told him they were Mackies too and he didn't believe me. He said....ahem..."I reckon they're copies mate"......er ok. I couldn't be bothered to explain to him as I knew where the conversation was going to go.
He then said "I notice you've got VDJ there. Good aint it! Don't tell me you actually went out and paid for it?" I told him that it was all above board and a proper version and showed him VDJ8 too. "That's the new version" I said. He then told me that he uses a cracked version and that he didn't realise that VDJ8 was out but he'd get a cracked version of it in the morning. I said to him not to trust stuff like that and he actually told me that "It has only :Censored:up once mate but I always carry a spare laptop with me anyway so it's cool" - What's the point of carrying a spare laptop if the software he's using is suspect and will no doubt be on both laptops?

Some people eh!

Had a wedding at a new venue for me last night. Very stately home in is own grounds just outside Canterbury. Wedding breakfast and ceremony were in the house and the evening reception was in a marquee; so I had a fairly easy and relaxed set up. The bride and room had seen me at a friend's wedding three years ago and that is why they booked me. The venue has an 11pm curfew owing to neighbours and I was booked from 7.30 when the evening guests were invited for. I was set up in plenty of time and playing background music when they started rolling up at 7.15. The bride had given me a huge list of more than 4 hours and told me to just use it as a guide as she trusted my expertise.
Cake was cut and first dance followed at 8.15. They had a choreographed routine and it was an unusual but very nice choice of Don McLean "Castles In The Air". Hadnt played that for years and had forgotten what a nice song it was. The rest of the night I had a busy dancefloor picking the best tunes from her list and responding to requests. There was lots of rock music played and asked for and I finished at 11pm and was home by 12.10:)

Early In The week I did a wedding At Pendrell Hall. Every dj who does this know all about the really bad sound limiter.
I was on with a singer called Karl who years ago was on stars in your eyes as Rick Ashley.
I warned him about the sound limiter so I did my sound check 1st and it was plenty loud enough and sounded great ( Using Bose L1 Model 2 B2 Subs).
Now the singer was using Mackies and it was only half as loud as myself but the sound kept going off. Anyway I played for the 1st 30mins and had no problems, Singer done the 1st dance and sang for around 45 mins with the sound limiter going off at least 10 times. I felt sorry for him because he was really good.
The bride and groom can over to me and asked why my sound was a lot louder than the singer and the sound never went off. I explained why I thought it was with how Bose systems work and it can also be harder for a singer with the sound limiter.

Half way though the night the bride and groom complained to the manageress of the venue about the singers sound which kept going off. The manageress ( jane ) came over to me and asked if it was the singers fault to which I replied No.

Anyway over all I had a excellent night and venue Manager once again told me how brilliant the Bose sound System sounded at this venue and for some reason a lot loud than other systems at this venue ( good old sound limiter)

I did a ceilidh disco on Friday night in a castle in the borders. The client wanted the ceilidh first but it was a struggle getting any of the crowd to move but all the guys in the band really enjoyed the tune. After the buffet we played a few requests and songs from the groom's playlist and a few people danced.

At the end of the evening when we were packing the instruments etc away we had so many good comments about how good a night it was.

Strange how these work out. For me a successful evening is a full dance floor but Friday night was proof that it's not always the case.

Was up at the New Lanark Mill on Saturday (coincidentally one of the first lessons I ever taught as a student was on New Lanark)

Great night, lovely crowd then 10 minutes of absolute dread when I couldn't find my car keys and couldn't quite work out how the situation could be rectified given how far away it was from home, the fact my spare car keys were in the house and my girlfriend (who doesn't drive) was about the same distance away from me in the other direction with the only spare house key:muppet:

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Jim - Scotland's Party DJ

Was up at the New Lanark Mill on Saturday (coincidentally one of the first lessons I ever taught as a student was on New Lanark)

Great night, lovely crowd then 10 minutes of absolute dread when I couldn't find my car keys and couldn't quite work out how the situation could be rectified given how far away it was from home, the fact my spare car keys were in the house and my girlfriend (who doesn't drive) was about the same distance away from me in the other direction with the only spare house key:muppet:

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Don't leave us on a clffhanger. How did you resolve this situation? Assuming you have, of course. For all I know, you could be STILL THERE right now.

Tell us more. MORE!!! ;)

He said 10 minutes

Quote:

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Originally Posted by musicology

He said 10 minutes

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At which point he may have accepted his fate and just went with it.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Benny Smyth

At which point he may have accepted his fate and just went with it.

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I'm spinning cotton thread in the Mill in return for food, board and a small stipend. All going to plan I'll be able to afford taxi fair home sometime in 2019 :)

On a slightly funny / worrying note - my car shat the bed on the way to work today, a few miles from home. If it had happened on Saturday I'd have been properly up :Censored::Censored::Censored::Censored: creek in the middle of nowhere.