That moment when you're bored waiting to get into the room, so you start setting up outside.
http://i58.tinypic.com/20frcy9.jpg
7pm start...allegedly. Not had their deserts yet...or the speeches.
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That moment when you're bored waiting to get into the room, so you start setting up outside.
http://i58.tinypic.com/20frcy9.jpg
7pm start...allegedly. Not had their deserts yet...or the speeches.
Fantastic. Bloody fantastic.
Gig was night was actually really good (considering it was a Sunday night wedding). With the exception to one idiot who decided to dance on my sub (he was less than pleased when I pushed him off with all my might and he went flying), it was a really good gig. Didn't really start until 8:45, and the order of the night was Dance, RnB and Reggae. We did the first dance, popped in a couple of pop tracks and when the buffet came out, I played the reggae stuff for half hour or so.
From there, it was Dance & RnB with a full dancefloor all night. I was planning on doing an hour of each and then either mixing it up towards the end or doing something completely different, but decided to bounce back and forth between the two genres and it seemed to work really well.
Job done. :beer1:
Had a pretty busy weekend but in the end it wasn't too special and ended in disaster.
Friday had a booking passed from a local DJ who had a regular come to him at short notice and he was booked so the gig came my way. The venue is one of the best rooms in the NE however it has killer stairs and needs a crowd. Had my wife helping me roadie as I made the mistake of going and playing football last week after a 10 year absence. Aching was not the word and every staircase looked twice a big.
So set up nice, met the woman who booked me, seemed very nice, she asked for a "good range of music as guests were young and old" and all is good. An hour later and about 20 people had came in. This room is huge BTW, in the past all the big club bands have loved playing hear for the stage and room. 20 people seem lost in the middle.
Then some dude comes to stage, can you play the top 40 chart stuff. Ive actually spent the first hour playing chart and just out the chart music. Then played 2 yes 2 old songs. Some more come in and we do the birthday bit - give the cake - sing a song etc. I get asked for some cheese and play it then he is back. He delivers this line..."can I get b*witched cest la vie and wannabe by the spice girls as these will get them dancing... Unless you haven't guessed Im a DJ too." Really mate.
End of the night the woman who booked me is happy enough so job done.
Gig 2 is a kids party at a local hut. Yes its one of those community places I love as there easy in, easy to fill and normally good fun. Kids are up for it so a dead easy gig. This is also my 10x gig for NAD so in less than 3 months Ive made my £69 fee back ten fold at got my golden testimonial.
Plenty of balloon games and the limbo go down well but I managed to get a hanger on all night. Easy job in the end and a nice early finish on a Saturday night.
Sunday I set up for my gig, again very local 3 miles from home at a local leisure facility (actually had to provide pli and pat for this). Woman on desk is a pain and expects me to load the long way so I upset her by getting another attendant to open the doors and drove around back on the grass (rebel I know).
All the stuff in, got my roadie again and set up with 30 mins to spare. Power up PC and grey doom. Tried for 15 mins then went for the back up laptop. Loads up but music well out of date. So had to chose to use the hard drive over the RMX controller (damn lack of usb ports) my micro pc has 10 on it so never an issue. Now ordered a powered hub. Thought all was good, nope - laptop is overheating and shutting down. Did it 3 times before I found issue and installed some fan control software to help me limp through the gig.
I had to get my other DJ to cover a later gig so I could have a look at the computers back home. The gig was fine in the end, nothing special but very young kids and was actually a last min booking. Was a tad embarrassing at times and proves I may well either need a 3rd backup or more regular testing of the second. At least the pocket inno barrel I repaired behaved itself all weekend.
Last night I was doing a wedding down in Toby's neck of the woods at one of his old stomping grounds, the Balmer Lawn Hotel. The Groom was the brother of one of my mates although I'd never met him before and the first time I met him was last night just a few minutes before the first dance would you believe.
The booking was made last year and during all that time I never got to meet the Bride or Groom. Their communication was non-existent really. The Groom was never available as he is in the Navy and the Bride wasn't too responsive to calls or emails. It was only a week or so ago that she actually decided to give me a call to go over music choices and the conversation was over in 5 minutes because she was so laid back. She didn't have any idea about first dances and believe it or not I suggested a song and she said "Ok, we'll go with that".....(It was Ed Sheeran - Tenerife Sea by the way).
One thing she did say which got me thinking "Hold on...it's going to be one of those nights is it?" was when she laughed and said "One thing you MUST play is Village People - In The Navy because he (the Groom) hates it and it will wind him up". I said nothing but I wasn't sure straight away. I didn't think it would be a good idea playing something that the main man of the whole day would hate. As it happens my mind was put at ease when she made a point of coming to see me as I was setting up to tell me to leave that one out as she didn't think it was a good idea.....Yes, correct! Now, I didn't know what to expect before I met her but when she came waltzing through.....sorry, staggering through to see me she was also wearing a sash across her wedding dress that said "Happy 21st Birthday". No wonder she was already a bit 'lively' shall we say.
So, I left my place at 4.45pm and aimed to get there for a 6.00pm set up. I was doing really well for time and my sat nav said I'd get there at 5.30pm. I was 4 miles away and then hit traffic going through a village and ended up arriving at 5.55pm so I am glad I left slightly earlier. I'd been to the venue a couple of times in the past so I knew access was very easy and it was literally a case of parking outside the back gate and walking the equipment in through the door and straight into the room itself. It was a smallish room (I thought it was bigger before?) and I was set up by 6.30pm so I chatted with the staff who were very nice.
I have to say that the whole thing seemed like a bit of a free for all really with not much organisation. The Best Man was too busy drinking and when I asked him if he could find out if everything was still as planned and first dance was 7.30pm, he said "Ok" but never actually came back. My mate ended up doing all of that and tried rounding up guests to get into the room. There were 100 guests supposedly attending but I reckon there were probably 50 in total when it came to the first dance. Apparently a lot of people left after the meal and speeches because it had been a long day. I did the usual announcements and got everyone going and for the first dance it looked like it could actually be a decent night. The photographer was the same guy I had seen a few weeks back at another wedding so I knew what he liked lighting effect wise. When I invited the other guests on to the floor after the first dance hardly anyone bothered.
In the brief chat I'd had with the Bride over the phone she'd mentioned she liked a lot of current chart and some cheesy stuff. She didn't like Rock and Alternative music. However, the Groom had come over to me and said he liked Rock and Alternative music but it didn't matter because he just wanted her to enjoy herself. Well, she certainly was enjoying herself. She was knocking back the shots at the bar! I played plenty of current chart stuff and got a mediocre response. One girl came over at around 9.30pm and held her phone up to my face... "Have you got any of those?" she asked...."Yes, I have all of them" I replied...."Can you play them before I go?" she asked..."Er, I don't know when you're going do I?" I replied...."In about 10 minutes" she said...... Right, ok....there's about 8 songs there. I guess I had to be a magician?
Now, I did a midweek booking last week and it was pretty mediocre and I thought then that it was simply a case of the event itself. I wouldn't say that this was a typical midweek booking where people weren't in the mood because the handful of people that were, were enjoying themselves. It was just the lack of numbers in the room.
Lots had left before the Disco started and lots were either outside the room in the garden / smoking area or walking backwards and forwards between the room and where the wedding breakfast had been. For the most part I was standing there feeling like a plum. Every now and then the bar staff would give me a look as if to say "We're bored" and I felt the same. I actually went over to the bar at one point when the dance floor was at its busiest for the Macarena and had a quick chat. They couldn't believe the way the night was dragging on and the main man said "The music is excellent, we all want to party but they don't seem to". Another one said "This is the strangest wedding I have seen". I laughed along with them.
Dragging along would be an understatement. I was booked until 11.00pm yet that last hour seemed to feel like forever. At one point there was just one table with 6 people on it and everyone else was outside. I decided to play some Rock music as the Bride had disappeared and I knew my mate and a few of the other guests including the Groom would like it. I didn't realise that the Groom's Mum loved it. As soon as the likes of Deep Purple, Black Sabbath and ACDC went on, those that were in the room all got up and danced and it seemed like someone had wound the clock forward because before I knew it, it was 10.50pm. I played the last couple of songs and got those that were left (I counted 9 people) on the dance floor. I did the usual end of night announcements and then that was it. You can imagine my surprise when those 9 all clapped and cheered me and the Bride suddenly came over and hugged me and said "You're amazing"...I took it with a pinch of salt to be honest as she was pretty drunk. The Groom said the same and his Mum gave me a hug too. The room emptied out and it was just me and the bar staff as I packed down. I was ready to leave by 11.25pm which was almost a record. I thanked the bar staff and apologised for what I thought was a boring night. They said that it wasn't me, it was everybody else and asked for a card.
Just a couple of things to mention about the room. Although it wasn't big I think if I went back I would use the subs too as the acoustics weren't great and it seemed quite echoey in there. One guy came over during the night who obviously knew his sound and said that it sounded a bit tinny out front. He said the high frequencies were ok near the bar but in front of the Disco it was a bit uncomfortable. I checked a few times after he'd been up and just adjusted the EQ on the mixer and dropped the volume a bit as I didn't realise I had it up so high.
Alright wedding gig last night. Arrived in good time as usual & again we had a big drape covering the area where the disco gear goes. Grrr. Not to worry though because the groom & friends were on the case. They took it down & put it somewhere safe. I'm sure the hire company will love them for that. They're leaving the room to let me set up when I say "You'll need that as well", pointing at the light source box for the drape. "What's that, like?" somebody said.. "That's what makes it light up", I said. "WHAAT? It's supposed to LIGHT UP?!". "yup. Did nobody think to tell anybody to switch it on? <laughs inside>". Most expensive plain curtain hire ever. Heh
Onto the gig.. it was easy to see how laid back the bride & groom were when it came to the agreed first dance time (the cake had already been disposed of) - they were nowhere to be seen. I filled, filled some more & went into auto DJ mode while I went to look for them. Aha! They were outside. (And hang on a sec, when did coordinating things become my job?). A new time was agreed - we'd do the first dance just before the buffet. More filling time, then got the nod the B&G were finally ready.. played the intro for them & gave them a nice big up ... a successful first dance. I had to pad out yet again because the buffet was going to be late.. and did that with some slow tunes which went down really well.
After the buffet it all took some getting going due to the number of people who'd gone outside but we got there around 9.30 or so. Requests were asked for & folks asking for cheese came in droves. I filled in the gaps & the floor was busy all night except for the couple of times a family crooner (who was actually pretty good) borrowed my mic to sing.
11.45pm saw the majority of guests pile out because their coach had arrived to pick them up but the last few songs hoovered up the remaining people. Big finish, more cheers for the B&G & lots of handshakes for me on their way out.
I bumped into the bride to be for last night's wedding at Friday's gig while I was loading the car. The conversation started ominously. "I don't want so much of that old crap at my wedding" she said. I said not to worry about that because I just play what the customer wants. "Really?". Yes. Really. "You don't just have a playlist you use for weddings then?". No, the only playlists I use are ones given to me in advance by a customer. If I use a playlist at all. "Ok then. You know what the first dance song is?". I ponder.. "yes.. John Legend, all of me. You're Tracy & you're marrying Stephen tomorrow". "Ok then. See you tomorrow night" she says...
I get there at my usual time to find the room still not cleared because the speeches have overrun. The cake is cut to strains of "Swing low Sweet Chariot" from some of the guests who despite the bride's request to stop, keep going throughout.
First dance time is pushed back & pushed back for whatever reason then the 2nd tune I play, Sheeran's 'Thinking out Loud' (again) fills the floor with couples.
Yada yada yada.. I ended up doing a huge 90s dance set prompting much yelling of "CHOOON!" from the bride, groom & guests. Requests for cheese came just before last orders (11.40pm) & out came 500 miles, Come On Eileen & a few others before the showbiz ending at 11.56pm. Bride rushed over.. "Did the manager not tell you I've asked for Heavy D & The Boyz to be played last song?". "Yes" I said, pointing at the cued up track ready to go. "ahhh, I get it...". Screams of "one more!" from the guests after the 'last' song then hit play... confused look from the crowd. Bride & groom coordinated everybody & got them into lines.. Basically the idea was for all of them to take turns dancing down the middle of the line being clapped as they go. Worked really well, I thought.
As I'm packing up, groom comes over & tells me his wife had been really worried the music would be awful like it was on Friday but I'd been great as it turned out, and they loved the introduction I gave them. Woot! Job done.
I've resolved to never work on my birthday again though. Ever.
Two gigs this Week.
Thursday was nothing worthy of note. If you can imagine a midweek wedding that finishes at 1am, you've got it.
Last night's wedding...amazing night.
The bride and groom up until the day were very hands on. I met them for the consultation and was given a two page play list. After that, it was email after email which I don't mind at all, but the bride kept on saying that she was worried and stressed about the evening do. It actually got to the point where I had to give her a bit of a kick by saying that she needs to calm down because there is no way that she can allow herself to have some fun on the night if she is all stressed.
Onto the night itself, I arrive to the venue, pop into the loo and had a chat with the groom whilst having a wee. Because, y'know, that's just how we roll!
Everyone was really nice, and it was rammed from start to finish. When you have people bouncing off the walls at 8:30, you think to yourself "Damn! They've peaked too early!" But they didn't. It was one of those nights where I could have played anything and they would have danced to it.
End of the night, I ended up staying for an extra ten minutes after taking down because of all the people stopping me to thank me and tell me what a great job I did. It was really nice to hear but, to be honest, any DJ could have had a great gig last night. It was that sort of crowd.
As for the play list? I ignored it for about 99% of the night. :lol:
Got back to my house to find Mrs. Ben and my roadie's wife passed out on my living room floor in their own vomit. In the time we had been away that evening, they had 6 bottles of wine between them.
So that was fun to clean up.:rolleyes:
I forgot to mention the part about the second B&G dance. About a third of the guests had missed the first dance despite being warned plenty. It's not been particularly warm or dry the last few days but still folks wanted to be outside. Anyhoo, best man corralled everybody who'd missed the original dance (I was tempted to ask where the heck he was all night) into the room & he borrowed by mic. ARGHH! Another crooner? Give me strength. So we had Take That 'A Million Love Songs'.
Oh yeah and the other thing. The head barman of this weekend was Mr Grumpy "Oh no! somebody's walking across the floor with a glass in their hand!". Kind of hard to avoid, since the whole room is polished tile floor.. I got tired of asking people not to dance with their drinks then realised why. The room layout wasn't lending itself to anybody putting their drinks down. So I cleared a spare table & carted it off to the side of the floor & made a point of it. And you know what? I didn't have to mention the dancing with drinks thing again. Amazing!
Eeeeeeeeeeeeew. What a glamorous end to an evening, eh? ;)Quote:
Originally Posted by Benny Smyth
Wait, don't you have subs for people to put their drinks on?Quote:
Originally Posted by juski
:sofa:
:coat:
Awkward too. Roadie is squeamish, so I had to undress HIS wife and clean her up. LolQuote:
Originally Posted by juski
:lol:Quote:
Originally Posted by Benny Smyth
Bet they're paying for it today. Don't guilt trip em too much :)