Good Gig, Bad Gig.

[Charlie Brown]

Fantastic pictures.

Get em watermarked!

[Shakermaker Promotions]

Last night I was doing a corporate Christmas Party in Devizes at the Town Hall. (Venue report in Venues Discussion).

Supposed to be 80 Guests but it looked more like 50 to me.
Disco on the first floor with a live band in the main room (quite large).
Casino downstairs on Ground Floor.
Buffet and Bar in seperate rooms.
As soon as I saw this set up I realised that it may be quite a job keeping people in the same place all evening.

I was right

Arrived at the venue at 6.00pm. Took different sound set ups as I wasn't sure of the size of the room I would be in. Ended up using just the Mackies on their own which were plenty. The sound of them was better than the bands P.A. to be honest.

I was shown where I had to set up which was in the corner as the band were using the stage (quite a nice, large stage actually). After overcoming the rather dodgy access, I was set up within 30 minutes and had lots of time to kill.

I did my soundcheck when the band were finishing setting up and it was quite funny as the first track I soundchecked was Tina Turner - Proud Mary. It was a bit annoying but quite funny as they started to play along with it (why do bands feel the need to do this?). They said it was in their set.
I then played a John Butler Trio song called 'Zebra' and the bass player started playing along to that too!

The band were all in their 20's and apparently Uni Students. There were 6 of them Singer/Piano, Trumpet, Saxophone, Bass, Guitar and Drums and they were really good....well....When they were soundchecking they were. They were doing all kinds of funky things and sounding awesome but when it came to their performance, it was all 50's, Blues Brothers, Commitments, Soul type stuff. Some good choices there and all the classics but there were quite a few mistakes.

Anyway, I said I'd co-ordinate timing's with the band on behalf of the organiser. They had agreed 2 x 1hr sets. I knew I wouldn't have much playing time as the gig was 8.00pm - Midnight. I started at 7.45pm because I was bored waiting around and a few people had come into the main room and got seated.
We decided on the following -
DJ - 8.00pm - 9.15pm
Band - 9.15pm - 10.15pm
DJ - 10.15pm - 10.30pm
Band - 10.30pm - 11.30pm
DJ - 11.30pm - Midnight

Bar the odd few minutes here and there, it kind of went to plan.
Bear in mind that there was a Casino on downstairs too and that finished at 11.00pm and the Bar and Buffet were in seperate rooms, it was a tough task.
For the first set that I played, NOBODY took a blind bit of notice. It's frustrating seeing people get up and leave the room to go elsewhere. Despite me telling people loads of times that I was taking requests, the only person that requested anything was the same lady and she asked for a few songs in my last set!

The band did ok. Their first set was alright but there must have been around 10 people in the room at this point. They had enthusiasm though and tried to encourage people to get up but this lot weren't really feeling it. Apparently the band played the same Christmas Party last year. I showed respect to them by watching them for a while and applauding which encouraged others to applaud too. I fimed a song in their set on my I-Phone so if I get a chance I will upload it.

They had a short break and then I played a handful of songs before they came back on. They played a better set second time round and a couple of people got up and danced. At around 11.10pm, the main room started to get a bit busier as the Casino had finished and this seemed to encourage the band a bit more. They actually finished at 11.38pm.
I have to say that I was quite worried at one point as I was stood behind my set up towards the end of their set and noticed that their mixing desk was clipping allover the place. It was scary stuff and I expected it to blow up!
It didn't!

Just before I started my final (but very short) set, I was asked if I could read out the results of the Casino and give out some prizes to the people that had 'won' the most money. 2 old blokes came 2nd & 3rd and took their vouchers and then a very, very nice young lady came up who'd won and she got her prize which was an I-Pad and a voucher for a local hotel. She grabbed hold of me and gave me a massive hug, a kiss and a cheeky wink and then walked off to applause.

Strange night all in all but as you can probably tell by the set up of the whole thing, it was to be expected really. For the last 20 minutes, most of the guests got up and danced. I was asked for a number of songs by one lady which included The Beatles, Elvis, Rolling Stones and Footloose so I played them and they worked. I actually added in a couple of others and finished off with Madness - One Step Beyond which ended at just after Midnight.

I didn't expect anything at the end but I was cheered and applauded and the organiser gave me a bottle of wine and thanked me. I was back on the road and back indoors by 1.50am.

[marting]

oh my god must have the worst new years eve gig ever sat in an empty hotel bar while every one eats dinner at 10 to 12 they will all storm out to the square for the mayor and piper. and then i can play lots of slow songs in the mean time all my mastermix mixes are getting an outing at around 14 mins a time im a good jukebox.

[chrisj]

Sitting her with a hot chocolate after lots of coffees during my gig. It was in a social club and attended by approx 70 people aged from young children to 80's. Hard to get anyone dancingfrom 8pm until the ALS at midnight apart from a Motown/Northern Soul group. Even YMCA cleared the floor mid evening.
Played the Gay Gordons after Big Ben and a medly of other Scottish songs and managed to keep around 40 there until 1.00am.
Finished with Give Me Sunshine - Morecome and Wise with a round of applause.

[DeckstarDeluxe]

Bloody epic gig tonight!

I can't be bothered to write a massive long report about it but it was just a wonderful event, nice people polite as well. Should be back there next year

[Corabar Steve]

Bloody epic gig tonight!

I can't be bothered to write a massive long report about it but it was just a wonderful event, nice people polite as well. Should be back there next year

Exactly what he said

(once they actually ventured through into my room)

[Daryll]

Not too bad at all , not much dancing until the last hour before midnight , around 70 people , got booked for next NYE straight away.
time for the annual clean up of all the gear , starting today .
Not really any outstanding tracks , but Time warp, YMCA, cha cha slide did the trick , finished with Bon jovi - Always



Daryll

[paul1404]

Exactly the same as previous

Not too bad at all , not much dancing until the last hour before midnight , around 70 people , got asked back for future gigs
Not really any outstanding tracks , but Time warp, YMCA, cha cha slide did the trick , finished with Robbie Williams Angels - Party Rockers was 1st tune after auld lang syne

[hammy]

Fantastic night with a packed floor all night. Arrived at about 1930 to do soundcheck (kit was still set up from xmas eve), Got on the floor with the mic and had a chat with the kids there asking what they got for xmas etc.

As said the floor was packed all night and I will put some pics in the gallery.

At 15 mins to midnight the big screen came down in front of the booth so had my roadie doing music whilst I was on the other side of the room starting the 10 min Phil Bearman visual. That was it the place erupted at the countdown and the dancefloor was full.

All in all a fantastic magical night for me and the guests. booked me straight away for xmas eve and NYE.

Oh just to add, My last song was "you`ll never walk alone" which finished at 01:10 and I was in the van by 01:30 on my way home.

[djdave01]

our NYE was ok. had about 30 kids & 50 adults. Played quite a few games with the kids. Got the adults doing a dancing comp to 'sexy & i know it' and pass the parcel which went down well.

had been told that most people would leave after 12, but most stayed to the end at 1am.

it was a 8pm start, but most people didnt join in dancing till 11, and there was no buffet break so it felt like a long night.

all seemed happy though, a few cards went out and got another booking from it.

Got home 1.45am, shared a pizza with pauline and had a bacardi.