Good Gig, Bad Gig.

[Shakermaker Promotions]

Where's that 'Like' button?
I couldn't go down the 'heavier' route last night as they were really in to their Indie. The only thing that was requested in advance that was slightly on the heavier side was Queens Of The Stone Age - No One Knows.

Best songs of the night (apart from Champagne Supernova) were The Black Keys - Lonely Boy, Of Monsters And Men - Little Talks and Bombay Bicycle Club - Shuffle.

Wish I could do nights like that every weekend.

[Benny Smyth]

Decided to bypass the 80db (I kid you not) sound limiter at a venue last night by using an extension lead to a different set of sockets.

Nobody died.

Nobody was hurt in any way, shape or form.

In fact, nobody complained. Wierd, that....

[funkymook]

Decided to bypass the 80db (I kid you not) sound limiter at a venue last night by using an extension lead to a different set of sockets.

Nobody died.

Nobody was hurt in any way, shape or form.

In fact, nobody complained. Wierd, that....

Don't agree with that practice - if the venue has to close due to repeatedly ignoring sound restrictions then that's job losses for the staff, what gives you the right to put them in that position?

Though I do go along with it not being fit for purpose of holding entertainment if it's that low, but if we take on a booking we should do our venue research and decide whether we want to take the job or not, if we do we should abide by the house rules.

[Benny Smyth]

Don't agree with that practice - if the venue has to close due to repeatedly ignoring sound restrictions then that's job losses for the staff, what gives you the right to put them in that position?

Though I do go along with it not being fit for purpose of holding entertainment if it's that low, but if we take on a booking we should do our venue research and decide whether we want to take the job or not, if we do we should abide by the house rules.

No right at all. Hence why I informed the duty on the night that was what I was doing.

[funkymook]

No right at all. Hence why I informed the duty on the night that was what I was doing.

So they allowed you to bypass it rather than you doing it without permission - slightly different scenario than your first post suggested.

[Benny Smyth]

So they allowed you to bypass it rather than you doing it without permission - slightly different scenario than your first post suggested.

Wasn't given permission. I told the duty that I want to plug into different sockets as the limiter is not fit for purpose, and she used a 'see no evil, hear no evil' approach.

She obviously agrees that the equivalent volume of a vacuum cleaner for a room of 130+ was not quite enough.

[funkymook]

Wasn't given permission. I told the duty that I want to plug into different sockets as the limiter is not fit for purpose, and she used a 'see no evil, hear no evil' approach.

She obviously agrees that the equivalent volume of a vacuum cleaner for a room of 130+ was not quite enough.

Yes you were - if she have said no then you wouldn't have done it, but good on you for asking first rather than going behind their backs.

[Excalibur]

Only two slight issues, I didn't play Summer of '69 and it has the lyric "...and Jodie got married..." in it - and the bride was Jodie - but I managed to get the venue staff to allow me to play it after the official finish. Only other issue was that the groom pre-requested Cream, "Sunshine of your love" and I didn't play it despite him coming up and asking for it during the night. I didn't play it because all of the pre-requests were listed as "play if possible" (as opposed to "must play"), it didn't fit in with anything else being played and I also didn't actually clock that he was the groom when he came up and asked for it again during the night!

Julian

Do my old eyes deceive me? A mobile DJ refusing to play Summer of '69? Not only that, but eschewing the chance to play Sunshine Of Your Love? Naughty Julian. Naughty naughty julian.

Don't agree with that practice - if the venue has to close due to repeatedly ignoring sound restrictions then that's job losses for the staff, what gives you the right to put them in that position?

Though I do go along with it not being fit for purpose of holding entertainment if it's that low, but if we take on a booking we should do our venue research and decide whether we want to take the job or not, if we do we should abide by the house rules.

Wasn't given permission. I told the duty that I want to plug into different sockets as the limiter is not fit for purpose, and she used a 'see no evil, hear no evil' approach.

She obviously agrees that the equivalent volume of a vacuum cleaner for a room of 130+ was not quite enough.

In my book, that's wrong. You play the hand you're dealt.
If venue staff instruct you to use sockets which aren't on the sound limiter circuit, that's fine. ( I once had a venue instruct me to use a couple of dodgy looking orange leads trailing across a stage, rather than the wall sockets. Turns out they bypassed the limiter. )

If you do it off your own bat, that's wrong, plain and simple. It's of no consequence to you whether the limiter is set at a suitable level or not. If your clients aren't happy with the available volume, they take it up with the venue, not you.


OK, my gig. I went to the Seaside. Turned up at a WMC in Mablethorpe for a 60th Birthday to find double yellows outside the venue. Fortunately, there was a rear access, down a somewhat narrow lane, reverse up to the beer garden, and leap up the fire escape. This caused a significant delay, which I could ill afford, having been held up on the journey. Fortunately, I was given assistance to get the gear in, and got sound running quickly. Got the cloth on the DSB, and the lights on the overhead lit up one minute before start time. Birthday boy walked in three minutes after, and I hit Cliff-Congratulations as he did so. Phew.

I was warned that I might not have more than twenty or thirty guests, and I didn't. I did have a bunch of children from one year old up to about ten years old, which is why the function was to run 4pm to 10pm. The first two hours or so were greeted with apathy, with all the guests twenty yards away at the far end. Then I noticed something going on, as evidenced by guests leaving the room in droves, and holding animated conversations outside. I wondered if an even earlier finish might be on the cards, and for half an hour, the atmosphere was very subdued, you could see. Then requests began to trickle in, people relaxed, and the last two hours were riotous fun. I again got help getting the kit out, despite refusing it, and I was on my way home in good time.

The 4ft DSB MK1 is a hefty piece of metal to carry upstairs, or fit in lifts, and I've just got an Ultimax again to cope with this. I should soon have all the parts to allow me to have it either 2ft or 4ft as required, thus giving me options. Since next week's gig apparently involves a yomp across a field, lightweigh kit is the order of the day.

[boomer]

Ok last week had a las vegas night at a really nice golf club with a casino and yes Elvis was in the building starting with background of swing, I knew it was going to be a good night when people were dancing to the background music I then moved onto an hour of motown followed that with Disco as per instructions, gave Elvis the big build up he did his fifty minuets then I finished of the evening great night

This week complete contrast at a social club the type you wipe your feet as you leave, set up in a tight corner with plug sockets taped up and hanging of the wall with a “do not block the security camera” yes a internal camera fitted on the instructions of the police the birthday boy wanted rock music playing all night, lots of air guitar on the dance floor I think some of the guests thought I was some head banging junkie not to bad in the end got out in one piece

[DJ Jules]

Do my old eyes deceive me? A mobile DJ refusing to play Summer of '69? Not only that, but eschewing the chance to play Sunshine Of Your Love? Naughty Julian. Naughty naughty julian.

Just to be clear, I didn't refuse - I just didn't get the opportunity!

This should give you an idea about the level of quality of both the pre-event requests and the requests on the night, with only a few exceptions they were all really good tunes that I could see would work well with the crowd. When I got into the last hour I found myself spoiled for choice (for a change) and these two just didn't quite fit as well as some of the others

Julian