Good Gig, Bad Gig.

[Spirits High]

I do feel sorry due to your audience being outside mate but it would seem that everyone is struggling with that in some ways.

Seems to be happening all over more and more, I blame the greenhouse effect

Did a gig saturday night at a TA centre over in Bootle, It was their farewell to the building gig as it's about to be knocked down and turned into ASDAs car park

Real difficult age range from 18 through to it seemed 118 They wanted Karaoke aswell which is always fun

Suposed to start at half 7 but no one turned up until 8pm and then it was the retired Officers who's average age must have been pushing 85 So just played some swing /big band background stuff.

At 9ish they did a welcome speech etc etc and we went into the disco bit, just light poppy stuff at exactly the same volume and got "can you turn it down we're here to socialise" from the wrinklies

Luckily they all dissapeared after the buffet and we kicked off proper with some charty bits and it picked up nicely from there. Abit of karaoke interjected in places and finished at one.

Final song was unchained melody (as requested) then they broke out into a chorus of "You'll never walk alone" which pleased the Everton fans no end

So to be fair I quickly threw on the theme from Z cars

But it wasn't over then, apparently there's 2 of the lads that always get there kit of at functions

So as they started they shouted across for some music, I think they were expecting "the Stripper" but alas my fingers were tired on the keyboard and it managed to find Electro six Gay Bar which got a massive laugh off everyone apart from the 2 "strippers"

Managed to get packed up by 2 but all my kit ended up filthy as the hall floor was minging, so that needs a good sorting before this weekends wedding at Cressbrook Hall.

So all in all not a bad night but spoilt by all my kit ending up looking like it had just come out the attic after 20 years.

[theoloyla]

Seems to be happening all over more and more, I blame the greenhouse effect
And the smoking ban.

Did a gig saturday night at a TA centre over in Bootle, It was their farewell to the building gig as it's about to be knocked down and turned into ASDAs car park


Managed to get packed up by 2 but all my kit ended up filthy as the hall floor was minging, so that needs a good sorting before this weekends wedding at Cressbrook Hall.

So all in all not a bad night but spoilt by all my kit ending up looking like it had just come out the attic after 20 years.

Yeah I hate that too. Barns are the worst.

[matt the cat]

Oh lord ive just had a very strange night, it was a girls 21st in a large working mens club with only about 50 guests spread out in all 4 corners making the place look empty and the birthday girl wanted mainly chart n dance playing so i did as she wanted without a soul on the dancefloor though a few were dancing in there seats so i went for the old faithful cheese which worked wonders thankfully til they all went outside for a smoke!
Then as always happens 15 minutes from the end they all want to dance and put in about ten requests, as the steward of the club was insisting i finish bang on 11 30 i had to tell the girls i didnt have enough time left for their requests which didnt go down well with one or two, all in all it went quite well until the very last song of the night! i always finish with new york new york and most of the crowd were on the dancefloor kicking their legs in the air when a friend of the birthday girl came on stage and asked me to stop playing this song because the birthday girl was in tears unknown to me her grandad was cremated during the week and that was the song they played as his coffin disapeared!! i felt awful, not the sort of lasting memory of my nights work i was hoping for though she did thank me at the end! i dont think im gonna sleep tonight i feel truly awful

[Daryll]

I had one of those gigs last night where everything went well .
No stairs, easy parking right onto double doors.set up just inside doors, about 6 feet to carry everything .
It was for a 40th birthday, started about 8:30 with some background sounds,main disco was at 9:00 till midnight , strictly no music after 12 , suited me.

Played the number one from the day the client was born, and the the number one from her 16th,18th, and 21st birthdays,rolling stones-jumping jack flash, frankie goes to hollywood-two tribes, doctor and the medics-spirit in the sky, and jason donavon-sealed with a kiss.
she love`s westlife and the nolan sisters. I did finish with a less than conventional song......Maddy prior and Status quo--All around my hat !!!.
age range from 10 to 80, so there was some music from 60`s,70`s,80`s,90`s,00`s rock `n` roll , dance, club etc,loads of requests
full dance floor all night , packed up and was home by 12:40 .

damm good night.

cheers

daryll

[rob1963]

Oh lord ive just had a very strange night, it was a girls 21st in a large working mens club with only about 50 guests spread out in all 4 corners making the place look empty and the birthday girl wanted mainly chart n dance playing so i did as she wanted without a soul on the dancefloor though a few were dancing in there seats so i went for the old faithful cheese which worked wonders thankfully til they all went outside for a smoke!
Then as always happens 15 minutes from the end they all want to dance and put in about ten requests, as the steward of the club was insisting i finish bang on 11 30 i had to tell the girls i didnt have enough time left for their requests which didnt go down well with one or two, all in all it went quite well until the very last song of the night! i always finish with new york new york and most of the crowd were on the dancefloor kicking their legs in the air when a friend of the birthday girl came on stage and asked me to stop playing this song because the birthday girl was in tears unknown to me her grandad was cremated during the week and that was the song they played as his coffin disapeared!! i felt awful, not the sort of lasting memory of my nights work i was hoping for though she did thank me at the end! i dont think im gonna sleep tonight i feel truly awful

Sorry to hear how you picked the wrong song to play last without knowing.

Do you send out request forms to the clients?

If so, do what I do, and have a small section where they can also list songs they DON'T want played, which will avoid this problem.

[Solitaire Events Ltd]

I had a full dance floor for most of the night last night, but didn't feel comfortable as I the guests were very drunk and kept getting very close to my kit - I just couldn't relax.

I played a lot of requests and at one point was playing the Prodigy and had lots of 30 something men bopping about, only for the groom to come up and tell me the bride didn't like it and wanted it changed. I looked over at her and she had a face like thunder. I told the groom it was a bit unfair as it had been a request but I understood and faded it out early.

I did this couples engagement party 18 months ago but couldn't really remember which was slightly embarrassing as people kept coming up telling me how awesome the engagement was!

The wedding overran as they do so things were running about an hour behind which was OK as it was a 1am finish. But then the groom was telling me the bride wanted an 8:30pm cake cutting and first dance. This was 8:20pm and I'd only just about finish setting up and was soaked. I rushed off to put my suit on only to hear the volume of the music go right up and went back in to find some idiot behind the decks 'large-ing' it up. I turned the music off completely and managed to keep my temper in check whilst telling him to bugger off out!

Anyway, it was a good night in terms of people dancing and enjoying themselves and it went really quickly, but I was slightly uncomfortable with the closeness of some people.

It then hacked down with rain as I was packing away, so I got a good soaking for my trouble too.

[theoloyla]

Sorry to hear how you picked the wrong song to play last without knowing.

Do you send out request forms to the clients?

If so, do what I do, and have a small section where they can also list songs they DON'T want played, which will avoid this problem.

I do the same. I do feel sorry for you but at the end of the day you cant be blamed for something they havent told you.

[theoloyla]

I had a full dance floor for most of the night last night, but didn't feel comfortable as I the guests were very drunk and kept getting very close to my kit - I just couldn't relax.

I played a lot of requests and at one point was playing the Prodigy and had lots of 30 something men bopping about, only for the groom to come up and tell me the bride didn't like it and wanted it changed. I looked over at her and she had a face like thunder. I told the groom it was a bit unfair as it had been a request but I understood and faded it out early.

I did this couples engagement party 18 months ago but couldn't really remember which was slightly embarrassing as people kept coming up telling me how awesome the engagement was!

The wedding overran as they do so things were running about an hour behind which was OK as it was a 1am finish. But then the groom was telling me the bride wanted an 8:30pm cake cutting and first dance. This was 8:20pm and I'd only just about finish setting up and was soaked. I rushed off to put my suit on only to hear the volume of the music go right up and went back in to find some idiot behind the decks 'large-ing' it up. I turned the music off completely and managed to keep my temper in check whilst telling him to bugger off out!

Anyway, it was a good night in terms of people dancing and enjoying themselves and it went really quickly, but I was slightly uncomfortable with the closeness of some people.

It then hacked down with rain as I was packing away, so I got a good soaking for my trouble too.

You evidently dont work with an assistant/roadie. We never leave the gear unattended. If I go off to get changed Jan is always there stopping idiots messing about with the gear. It is so annoying when terd brains cannot leave it alone. If we've got a quick turnaround I can leave Jan to wire up whilsy I get changed. At least you had a shower at the end to cool down!

[Solitaire Events Ltd]

You evidently dont work with an assistant/roadie.

Sometimes, but he was out working elsewhere for me last night.

[Penfold42]

I rushed off to put my suit on only to hear the volume of the music go right up and went back in to find some idiot behind the decks 'large-ing' it up. I turned the music off completely and managed to keep my temper in check whilst telling him to bugger off out!

Are you sure it was only bugger off!.....