Hmmmm I would refer them to the Bride and Groom for EXPLICIT PERMISSION by way of the B or G nipping over and agreeing-- to play the tracks--that usually SHUTS THEM UP.:rolleyes:Quote:
Originally Posted by Imagine
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Hmmmm I would refer them to the Bride and Groom for EXPLICIT PERMISSION by way of the B or G nipping over and agreeing-- to play the tracks--that usually SHUTS THEM UP.:rolleyes:Quote:
Originally Posted by Imagine
OK Wayne, my jibes about musical integrity were decidedly tongue in cheek, but re smut and profanity I'm with you all the way.Quote:
Originally Posted by Imagine
Having said that, I did an eighteenth where all semblance of taste and decency vanished with the birthday girl's Mum. She was banned from the function as soon as she had paid me. :eek: I didn't half play some :Censored::Censored::Censored::Censored::Censored: that night, which is very unusual for me.
It's all a question of circumstances and degree. Taken to extremes, we can bin Brown Eyed Girl, Let's Spend The Night Together, most of Prince's output, Feel like makin' love Bad Co or Roberta Flack, Love to Love You Baby by Donna Summer is totally banned, Lady Marmalade would have to keep her ya yas covered, and we'd even bin Afternoon Delight by Starland Vocal Band, and Summer the first time.
There were a couple of songs in the recent past I rarely played, because I didn't have a clean version.
Another tightrope we have to walk.
Glad you liked my setup, not sure what happened there I had signed contract from customer. She did mention another DJ turned upQuote:
Originally Posted by Daryll
Well, yesterday afternoon saw me setting up for yet another Murder Mystery night at my residency. The manager popped his head around & said he didn't expect anybody to dance. There were only 31 people due to turn up for the festivities so I started to look forward to an early finish. HA!
I decided to experiment since the numbers were going to be so few - so light wise we had my £12 Ebay special illuminating my front screen & my GigAbar doing flood/wash duty above. PA wise it was a big departure for me. One speaker on top of my bin. Mono mixer! Well, there wasn't really room for 2 speakers on tripod AND the bass bin so...
I showed up around 9.30 figuring I'd only have to wait half an hour or so to get started. Wrong. I popped my head into the other function room to see if I could get the names of the B&G... Now then. For quite some time I've been wondering when this was gonna happen. I roll up one day and end up in the middle of a full-on Asian wedding with no prior warning. I dunno if my next event IS proper full-on Asian, but I reckon it's gonna be at least half & half. Thanks for the warning folks! Hahahaha. I've just been raiding Amazon for some possibly suitable tunes. I think I'll be taking my old Denon 2500F to the show juuuuuuuuuuuuust incase I need to play CDs bandied in my direction.
So back to the gig at hand... murder players finished at about 10.40pm & off I went to discoland. 3 songs in, full floor right til the end. A lady tried to get me to play her request for the current number one song which goes on about "something being such a rush" (?????????? Then the penny dropped - and it's not, nor ever has been #1... Zara Laarsen - Lush Life).. but I couldn't find it til the end. How do people expect me to know lyrics of current songs? And you lady - you love the tune so much but only have a vague inkling as to the lyrics, and not a single scoob about the artist or title? :rofl:
Inbetween times we had upbeat soul, 80s, 90s & some chart. Penultimate tune was Rockin Robin (!) for which we were rewarded with a stunning display of twisting by a couple I encouraged applause for & joked "Best wedding first dance idea ever".
Sound-wise I was over the moon with my PA but I can't help thinking a Maui 5 would've done the job just fine.
Not. :mad: Venue's goalposts are on wheels, and just about everything is forbidden. I turned up this morning and was virtually refused entry. The caretaker was so rude that the balloon lady's daughter confided in me how astonished she was by her rudeness, and how she had to bite her lip. ( Actually, I've sanitised it a little. ;) ) There's a huge great stage, but I can't use it, I have to set up on the floor.
Except I can't put the DSB on the floor, as it doesn't have " feet ", and they've just spent thousands on the floor. Fortunately, they provide carpet tiles as an emergency measure, so the DSB is now sat on six of these.
I was only granted access for a short time, and I'll have to return at the agreed access time of 2.30pm. Except it's not 2.30, as she informed when I arrived, it's 3pm. So, she'll see me at 3.15pm then, she tells me. :confused: Told you the goalposts were on wheels.
I can park to load and unload, but not stay. Move van to a paid park, whoopee.
Ah well, I've had lovely pleasant, helpful staff at the last few gigs, suppose it had to stop. :(
Did you leave your middle finger of righteousness at home?Quote:
Originally Posted by Excalibur
Always do, Benny, always do. Don't descend to their level, rise above it with good grace, and the moral high ground. :angel:Quote:
Originally Posted by Benny Smyth
Update: on my second visit, what do you think I was informed of?
You're ahead of me, aren't you, children?
Oh yes, the dreaded limiter, but " you're unlikely to set it off " Whoopee again.
So I was in the shower before the gig tonight & my phone bleeped. Email! From next week's groom as a matter of fact telling me all the information I asked for when he got in touch the other day. Like the band they're having, who just happen to be at the hotel tonight too. WHAT?! WHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAT?!
Uh oh.. better hurry up & try to get there & set up before the band arrive then eh. Ah well I needn't have worried. For why? This band were PROFESSIONAL. Very courteous, friendly types who didn't have any hint of a 'we're the entertainment, you're just a DJ' snobbishness. Great guys & we got along like a house on fire. I even liked them so much I lent them my rock & roller to cart their mahoosive Mackie bin in.
Music-wise.. mmmmmmmmmmmmmnot so much. Anyway, you might remember that I got a wee hint that today's wedding might have had a hint of Asian about it... WRONG. Ah well, better to be prepared than not I always say.
Before I set up any gear I stripped the lightshow down to just 2 powerflowers & my GigABar. Popped my Altos on tripods & slung some wires about the place. My powerflowers don't seem to like being DMXed with cables - that's gonna need some looking at. Master/slave they're fine but hook up any other lights & they kill the DMX for some reason.
The band murdered a fair few songs, then I got the floor nicely rammed after the buffet ready for the band to clear the room out again until 11pm.. which it should be said didn't really happen cos they started picking up & there was a full floor when the handover took place. Bride's dad told me she loves Queen & Meatloaf.. no problem for me I said. Good job I had the foresight not to take the bin back to the van - I had it going to my right, further away from the dancefloor than is ideal but it's better than not having it at all.
The last hour was just magical. The crowd were eating out of the palm of my hand. The groom did a captivating dance around the bride to Meatloaf's 'Dead Ringer For Love'.. boy could that lad move! Got through some rock, cheese, some rock & roll, some soul, some er.. Welsh (?) - Tom Jones' Delilah.. and finished the night with Bohemian Rhapsody followed by I Want To Break Free. Absolutely heartwarming response from the remaining guests (of which there were many) when I got them to cheer the happy couple on before playing the real last tune. Much singing along ensued, and laughter when I cheekily pressed pause to extend the gap before "But life still goes on". Loads of apple sauce at the very end, cheering & grabbing of business cards.
I :Censored: LOVE this job!
Oh yeah.. regarding another thing about the band.. even with these babies in they were too loud by half. All hail the mighty mighty Earpeace :)
Second of what I'd describe as a dud in as many weeks :(
This one was a 40th for a lovely young lady who booked me way back last August. It wasn't the most stunning of venues, but it was a nice easy load in/out and plenty of space so no problems there.
The big problem....lack of guests :(
I got in and set up in plenty of time and stood talking to the birthday girl. There was only one song on her request list (it's their tenth wedding anniversary this year so could I re-create the first dance.....no problem there then). The only other instruction was for.....erm......:chzy::chzy:
So, I settle in to a little light background music whilst we wait for the guests to arrive....and wait....and then wait some more. Hmmm...going to be one of those then :(
Eventually had enough guests settled in with alcoholic beverages to start considering turning up the volume knob, looking forward to having a fairly free run on the night's music selection...until I learned that the variation of the cheddary stuff required was a repeat of last week :eek:. Yes folks, I've gone for years without hearing the Birdie Dance and Superman (with the exception of kids parties). Now I've heard them (and worse) twice at adult parties in the past two weeks.....what's going on??????
I can also add to the list of shame: The Music Man, Macarena, YMCA, and just about any other action type of dance you could imagine (Oh yes....Oops upside your head was requested and played too!). Some reaction on the floor, and the remainder of the guests glued firmly to there chairs but doing the actions from there....
However, there were times where I seriously considered calling out the RSCPA. The horse was at times beyond flogging. There just weren't enough people there to make it work, and half of the guests had brought offspring with them of the teenage variety (we want Drake and Desiign).
Some surprises with the music in that Motown got a luke warm reaction (that said, I went into a little Northern just due to the way in which one of the gentlemen guests was dancing.....I got that spot on and he was indeed a NS fan). The bar staff were disappointed that this particular genre didn't last too long. 70's failed (although was requested), 80's got a few moving, and 90's towards the end had the remainder who hadn't taken young kids home on the floor.....mainly with brooms whilst they were clearing away but that's life.
Finally got through to the end - birthday girl more than complementary and loads of thanks and hugs. She did mention that she was upset as a lot of what she thought were friends didn't bother turning up....you have to feel sympathy at times.
Whilst I was clearing up, the chap running the bar was talking and mentioned that he helps his brother run a disco. He's starting to see what I've experienced over the past couple of weeks more and more as well, both when out with the disco and when he's running the bar at the venue.
That's it now until the start of June. I have the luxury of next weekend with my feet up and I intend to enjoy the rest :beer1::beer1::beer1:
" Parts of it are not at all bad ". That's about the highest praise I can give it. On returning to the venue ( 45 mins later than initially agreed, by the way. ) the little snippet about the existence was dropped into conversation. To be fair, it was no problem, and I'd say it would be pretty loud to set it off.
I got all wired up, and guests started to arrive just after four. Sat down fully for half past, we all had a nibble at the " wedding breakfast " of bread, cheese, olives, pâté, and savoury bits and pieces. Very nice, but hardly a three course meal. :confused: Later events made more sense of this. The whole affair had obviously been planned to not be your average wedding. The bride had children who appeared to be young adults, and the whole thing was a group effort/family affair.
Speeches at half past five, and by half six we wanted " modern, dancey chart music, to get everybody dancing ". Right, I'll just bin the usual policy of easing them in gradually, cos we've only got six hours, so I'm a bit rushed. :eek: Will I get all the good ones in by half twelve? :confused: Or will they have all sloped off home?
Every time I got a theme going, someone requested a change. Then, just as I was about to go into a set based on requests for Proud Mary, and River Deep, the pie and peas came out! At least that explained the earlier spread. :)
Never mind, I'll slot in all the requests for bilge that wasn't going to get played otherwise. Not surprisingly, I was getting best results when I veered in the direction of the usual suspects, but kept getting dragged away from there. Unlike Wayne, I wasn't ever in danger of filling the cheeseboard, but I'd have liked a bigger sniff of it! :(
Good news, bad news at eleven. Good news, Manageress/Caretaker asks me to announce last orders. Hallelujah, thinks I, she's finally snapped, and we're going for an early bath. Yippee:D:D
Bad news, five minutes later, she walks back up and asks me to rescind the false alarm, cos the bar's open till midnight. :cry::cry: I eventually called it at quarter to twelve, and not a minute too soon.
By now, the crowd had thinned to around twenty, we'd lost almost everyone except the hardened drinkers and young teens, who now seized their opportunity to request the very worst of Ducks, Drakes and Pandas or something, or alternatively the entire Arctic Monkeys back catalogue. Come on lads, there's a limit. By now the laptop was having a very bad bout of amnesia when searching for requests, cough cough. ;)
I'd been counting down the quarter hours, and now the end was in sight. :D The last hour had been a sort of tennis between Indie and bilge from the Top 40 ( and by heavens, there's no shortage at the moment ) I played a reprise of the first dance, and as I said goodbye, the bride dashed across and gave me a big hug, followed by a handshake from the groom, and appreciation all round.
The load out was notable due to not being hassled to leave by venue staff who want to go home ( I think they had a lot of setting up to do for something on Sunday ) and being approached cordially by a young lady as I loaded the van. Sadly, I don't think my animal magnetism was the reason, as evidenced by the cries behind her " Mum, that's not a taxi, it's the DJ's van." Ah well. :(:(
You know those magical nights when it's a pleasure to go out, the music chooses itself, and indeed all we do is press play? Well last night wasn't one of those. I earned my money last night. Still, next week looks very promising.