Good Gig, Bad Gig.

[Shakermaker Promotions]

Wasn't sure where to put this so apologies if it's in the wrong place.
Friday night I was DJing at my local. It was unbelievably busy with a brilliant atmosphere and lots of eclectic requests. One really old guy came over and bought me a drink because he had requested Deep Purple - Smoke On The Water and Cream - Strange Brew earlier on in the evening. He said he was surprised that they actually got played because the punters in the pub were a lot younger than him. I told him that the whole idea of the night was to give people what they wanted to hear, no matter what it was or who they were.
After I had finished DJing, I went out for a beer with him and we sat chatting and it turned out that he was a sound man / roadie for both Deep Purple and Cream way back in the day. He had some really good stories.

Last night I was back at my local for a night of Live Electronica. I had the night off anyway and 2 weeks ago I agreed to play. Nowhere in the town has put on anything like it before so it was a bit of a gamble.

There were 3 of us playing last night. A solo artist was on first doing his Dubstep type thing and it went down well. I was on second. I decided that I would provide lighting etc and for the past 2 weeks I had been working on my set and visuals etc to make it look as good as possible. I put up 2 banks of 4 LEDJ Colourbursts and 4 lasers, used smoke and went it came to my set I had the visuals going too. The pub was packed again and I had lots of people watching me.

No ego intended but the feedback and reaction was amazing. In the set I did 2 cover versions too. Yazoo - Only You and Radiohead - Street Spirit. both got very good reactions. I loved every minute of it and have had lots of messages today from people with positive feedback.

Last band on were a 3-piece called KTS who have just been signed up and have played with the likes of Tinie Temper, Chipmunk etc. They were a kind of Dubstep / Dance band and were very good. They got a really good reaction too and the girl singer had a great voice. They could do well.
I am waiting for some photos from someone so if I get any, I will post them in the Gallery. The gig was also reviewed and will be in the local paper in the next week or so. I'll post that up too.

Pretty pleased with myself today.

[Daryll]

That awkward moment when the lappy turns off mid-set because to charger isn't connected properly and the relief when you realise that could have happened on the first dance

I know exactly how you feel , looking at the mains power block to find a lonely 3 pin plug not attached......

Daryll

[DJ Paulie]

I used to use a multi adaptor with switched sockets, one night the laptop (before got my 00DJ) kept shutting down. Checked the connections & found I kept stepping on the adaptor & pressing the switch with my foot ! I make sure it's on the deckstand shelf now.

[Daryll]

Not a bad night , Charity night at Moggs Meade community and Leisure centre , Petersfield ( I was paid... ).
Around 100 guests , bar and raffle , I was due to play from 7:30 , but lack or people meant it was after 8:00 to when I started to play, plenty of requests and dancing.
I am going to have to get a pair of speaker poles , 20mm thread one one end , the subs are great under the deckstand , but they are very boomy to me , but out front there needs to be a bit more bass , so they will have to be moved , may it did not help being on a hollow stage ?


touch and go start touch and go start - 19/11/2011 20:20
Deborah Harry I Want That Man - 19/11/2011 20:24
Boney M Brown Girl In The Ring - 19/11/2011 20:28
Boney M - Rasputin - 19/11/2011 20:31
10cc - Rubber Bullets - 19/11/2011 20:36
Bay City Rollers - I Only Wanna Be With You - 19/11/2011 20:40
Bachman-Turner Overdrive - You Ain't Seen Nothing Yet - 19/11/2011 20:44
The Beatles - Get Back - 19/11/2011 20:47
The Beatles - A Hard Day's Night - 19/11/2011 20:50
Wham! - Last Christmas (Single Version) - 19/11/2011 20:52
The Pogues Feat. Kirsty MacColl - Fairytale Of New York - 19/11/2011 20:56
Donna Summer - I Feel Love - 19/11/2011 21:00
Smokey Robinson & The Miracles - The Tears Of A Clown - 19/11/2011 21:04
Martha Reeves & The Vandellas - Dancing In The Street - 19/11/2011 21:07
Diana Ross - Chain Reaction - 19/11/2011 21:09
Marvin Gaye & Kim Weston - It Takes Two - 19/11/2011 21:13
The Velvelettes - Needle In A Haystack - 19/11/2011 21:16
Gloria Jones - Tainted love - 19/11/2011 21:18
Helen Shapiro - Walking Back To My Happiness - 19/11/2011 21:20
Chubby Checker - Let's Twist Again - 19/11/2011 21:22
The Beach Boys - Barbara Ann - 19/11/2011 21:24
Dee-Lite - Groove is in the Heart - 19/11/2011 21:26
Salt 'n Pepper With En Vogue - Whatta Man - 19/11/2011 21:30
Chairman Of The Board - Give Me Just A Little More Time - 19/11/2011 21:34
Mariah Carey - All I Want For Christmas Is You - 19/11/2011 21:36
Oasis - Stop Crying Your Heart Out - 19/11/2011 21:40
Silvan Zingg - Jumpin The 88\'s - 19/11/2011 21:45
Ferrer - La bamba - 19/11/2011 21:48
Chaka Demus & Pliers - Twist And Shout - 19/11/2011 21:52
Shalamar - A Night To Remember - 19/11/2011 21:55
Michael Jackson - Beat It - 19/11/2011 21:59
Lionel Richie - Dancing On The Ceiling - 19/11/2011 22:03
Maroon 5 and Christina vs. Modjo - Moves Like Lady Jagger - 19/11/2011 22:07
JLS Fe. Dev - She Makes Me Wanna - 19/11/2011 22:12
DJ Earworm - Party on the Floor - 19/11/2011 22:15
Lady Gaga - Born This Way - 19/11/2011 22:19
One Direction - What Makes You Beautiful - 19/11/2011 22:23
Lady Gaga - Poker Face - 19/11/2011 22:31
Pixie Lott - All About Tonight - 19/11/2011 22:35
Lady Gaga & Beyoncé - Telephone - 19/11/2011 22:38
David Guetta Fe. Nicki Minaj & Flo Rida - Where Them Girls At - 19/11/2011 22:41
Los Del Rio - Macarena - 19/11/2011 22:45
Rocky Horror Picture Show - Time Warp - 19/11/2011 22:49
Bryan Adams - Summer of '69 - 19/11/2011 22:52
Status Quo - Caroline - 19/11/2011 22:55
Al Wilson - The Snake - 19/11/2011 22:59
Cher - Believe - 19/11/2011 23:02
Wilson Pickett - Mustang Sally - 19/11/2011 23:06
Andy Williams - Can't Take My Eyes Off You - 19/11/2011 23:09
The Monkees - Day dream Believer - 19/11/2011 23:12
Neil Diamond - Sweet Caroline - 19/11/2011 23:15
Journey - Don't Stop Believin' - 19/11/2011 23:18
Whitney Houston - I Wanna Dance with Somebody - 19/11/2011 23:22
Wizzard - I Wish It Could Be Christmas Everyday - 19/11/2011 23:26
Bill Haley - Rock around the clock - 19/11/2011 23:31
Elvis Presley - Jailhouse Rock - 19/11/2011 23:33
Glenn Miller - In The Mood - 19/11/2011 23:35
Mud - Tiger Feet - 19/11/2011 23:38
Suzi Quatro - Devil Gate Drive - 19/11/2011 23:42
Azzurra Music - Ymca - 19/11/2011 23:45
Madness - One Step Beyond - 19/11/2011 23:48
Rednex - Cotton Eye Joe - 19/11/2011 23:51
Mud - Lonely This Christmas - 19/11/2011 23:54
The Toy Dolls - Nellie The Elephant - 19/11/2011 23:57

Daryll

[CRAZY K]

After I had finished DJing, I went out for a beer with him and we sat chatting and it turned out that he was a sound man / roadie for both Deep Purple and Cream way back in the day. He had some really good stories.

Wonder if he was the bloke that used to nail Ginger Bakers Drum Kit to the floor much to the annoyance of the venue managers

Last night I was on your patch Gary at the Viables Community Centre which you may know--in the Barn next door -doing a Barn Dance strangely!

Cant say I thought much of the punters in the Community Centre--

[Shakermaker Promotions]

Crazy - I hope they've sorted out the issues with the smoke alarms and lighting at Viables. Hope it all went well.

[djdave01]

did a offroad motorcycle club presentaion dance last night. only played for 30 minutes before they started the presentions, which took an hour.

after that, played for another 30 minutes, then they did the raffle, which took 40 minutes, then the buffet, which took an hour.

Finally got going properly at 10.30. over the next hour most of the people with young kids left and for the last hour i had 20 people. They were dancing and asking for requests so it was ok.

Just before 12.30am, a brother & sister (in their 20's) started fighting outside and i was told to stop.

Shame it got spoilt as the remaining guests were enjoying themselves.

[Excalibur]

The other night, I did a gig which is nowadays a bit of a novelty for me. Playout only.

The DJ booth was spacious, and exactly like every other booth: Full of other kit, ephemera and rubbish, but it had two important things. Power, and an input to the installed Turbosound PA.

Connected all the kit up, and we had a terrible crackle from the laptop power supply through the PA* so I had to unplug the mains lead to play from it, and with the battery on that being so tired, only gave me a few songs, so I mainly used it for inspiration, and played from the D2. Not really a problem, and if it had been, the Cortex is in the same playout box, so no drama there.
Venue lighting was fair but minimal, and having been advised to take a tripod with a couple of lights on, I was delighted that I'd brought the Teutonic Powerbar, cos it blew the venue lights into the weeds.

* (And please please please, don't all post The Suggestion Which Is Not Permitted. My laptop runs through two GLI's, and anyway it wasn't a hum. All posts along these lines will be deleted immediately. )


The gig? Early on, my punters were a party of female diners, who asked for "Some Jive, cos we're of that age". When I told them I was older than them, she said " Well you're wearing very well for it then! " Think I clicked there.
Following that, I did a Tamla set which went down a storm, and then we had the usual DJ dilemma, you've got a crowd who are enjoying what you're playing, and the young 'uns come up asking for " Something modern and dancey". My but it's a tightrope we walk sometimes, trying to play a balance of music acceptable to all punters of somewhat disparate ages and tastes, and it doesn't get any easier. I was booked till one, but when the witching hour came, my audience soon dwindled, so I was paid off early. Venue staff said this was exactly par for the course, so I didn't feel so bad.

Feedback I got was that my efforts had been well received, I saw the venue staff bopping about all night long, and one nice young lady there asked hopefully if I would be there next week. That's nice.

[theoloyla]

Last night's gig I arrived early at 6pm and was in home by 7.30pm. They had asked the hotel to book me but a new organizer of the club took over organizing and booked a band but didnt tell the hotel. Shame I was looking forward to the gig but instead I ggot paid or having a night off.

[Shakermaker Promotions]

Good stuff!

I had a great weekend. A bit knackered today but it was a good one.
Friday night I was at my local for one of my 'Request Fest' nights. It was very busy and people were flooding in and asking for lots of Alternative stuff which was great. I had one of those nights where everything just flowed nicely. I was using VDJ quite a lot too and came up with some decent mixes on the fly that I would never have even thought of doing before but they worked well.

One trio of songs that flowed nicely were Sugarhill Gang - Rappers Delight into Queen - Another One Bites The Dust into Beastie Boys - Intergalatic. I may do that again in the future.

Bit of a shame at the end though as unfortunately, for the first time in a very, very long time, there was some trouble in the back garden right at the end just as I was finishing. I think the closure of the only proper nightclub in town had something to do with it as those that kicked off were not regulars but hey ho, it was dealt with.

Saturday was my first Christmas Party of the year at one of my residencies and wow! what a start. If they are all half as good as this was then it should be a good couple of weeks. I had 6 different companies at the party and all of them were up for it from the word go. A good mix of ages too and even though we're still in November, they were up for a party. Lots of current chart stuff mixed in with classics and I played one Christmas track (apart from the background christmas playlist whilst they were eating), which was Mariah Carey right at the end.

Gave out 5 cards too which was good.
Biggest tunes of the night were Maroon 5 - Moves Like Jagger, Rihanna - We Found Love and Take That - Never Forget.