Good Gig, Bad Gig.

[Shakermaker Promotions]

Good stuff and thumbs up!

Last night I was 10 miles out of town at a venue I have done a number of times. I was providing the Disco for Waitrose and this is the 10th time they have booked me over the past 5 years. It is always a good one with this lot. I've had other bookings come from them too and it's generally the same faces so I have gotten to know them well. I know what they like and even though I always ask for requests over the mic, I just get a handful from the younger crowd. It is really nice when they are so complimentary too.

So, I'd originally arranged to set up in the morning but after a night off and indulging in far too much wine I decided to set up before I started. It's never a problem with the venue and it's easy access. I have a dedicated / reserved parking space right in front of the doors to the venue and it is more or less straight in and on to the stage.
I've got used to putting the uprights of the ultimax on the lowest settings due to the low ceiling on stage and it seems weird with the lighting just inches above my head.
Anyway, I arrived at 7.00pm and was set up by 7.30pm and ready for an 8.00pm start (midnight finish).

With 30 minutes to spare and nobody representing the party in sight, I chatted to the lady in charge as I always do and she told me that the venue have had issues with the noise levels. Apparently an older lady bought a house about 100 metres away from the venue before Christmas and has been complaining regularly about noise. The lady in charge joked and said "The club has been here 93 years and has never had any complaints since I have been coming her which is over 50 years!"
Also apparently this neighbour has made many complaints about the builders merchants that are opposite her house and across the road from the venue. She doesn't like the noise that the lorries are making during the day........that says it all doesn't it. Everywhere has one of these types that will complain about everything.

Anyway, we had a good chat and I started talking about sound limiters and decibel levels. I told her of my experience with them and what levels were acceptable etc and how everything worked if and when they had to put one in. She said that they'd had a visit from the council but the council were a bit lacklustre in telling her what was going on and were threatening court action. I got my mini hand held sound level thing out, closed the front door and gave it to her. I said we'd do a soundcheck and then cranked up the volume in the empty hall. She thought it was very loud but when I asked her what the reading was she said 75db. I told her that it was a false reading because there were no people in the venue as yet. I asked her to keep hold of it and go on to the dance floor at peak time when the venue was full. She did this and it gave a reading of just over 90db which in my opinion is acceptable.

She does seem very worried about this whole thing so I tried my best to reassure her and put her mind at rest as best I could. I told her where she could get the same hand held thing I have and also downloaded a free sound level app to her iPhone for her. I said that in reality with the complainee (is that a real word?) being 100 metres away sat in her house with the doors and windows closed and TV on (or even silent), she shouldn't really have any reason to complain about the noise levels of the music. If there are people shouting outside the venue then that's a different story isn't it.

So, I got up behind the set up once I'd chatted to her and it was 7.55pm. By 8.15pm there was still nobody there and the bar steward came over to see me. She was concerned and wondered if the night had been cancelled. She hadn't heard anything from the customer and neither had I and it was unlike them because usually they are there in plenty of time sorting out the food etc. 8.25pm and still nobody has arrived. I'm getting concerned myself now. I go over to the bar steward and ask if she has a contact number for the organiser as the number on my booking form is for the store as the lady organising was a different one to usual and had not put her mobile number on the form. The bar steward joked and said "Well, if they don't turn up we'll pay you to stay. There's only a handful of blokes next door but shame to see a disco go to waste". I laughed and then all of a sudden in walked the organiser and a few others all in fancy dress. I didn't know it was fancy dress as it wasn't mentioned but no big deal. They apologised for being late and said the others were on their way. I got back up behind the set up and started doing my job.

Within 30 minutes the place was packed and people were getting in to it. At 10.00pm the organiser came over and said "Right, who's the winner of the fancy dress then?"
I was confused and then she said "Oh sorry, I didn't tell you that you were judging it again like last year" - She said she'd give me 5 minutes and then I announced who I thought was the best. After that it was full on until midnight with a mix of old and new and everyone got well in to it. It is always enjoyable playing for them and they have already said they'll be in touch for their summer party as usual and also for a Christmas party this year too.
I was packed down, away and back indoors by 12.45am and then wide awake at 6.00am.

[Nakatomi]

Gary, I've worked in a club where a sound limiter had to be fitted because of noise complaints.. It turned out that the 'complaints' where coming from one householder, who lived over 100 yards away from the back of the club. We bent over backwards to try to please her, fitting all kinds of sound insulation to the back wall of the club, moving the subs, you name it.. Each time the manager personally visited the woman's house to witness how the noise was bothering her. It turned out that every time, even when the council's environmental protection person was present, she was holding her ear to her front window! The noise level inside the club was touching 110dB on the dancefloor but a mere 80 directly outside the back door. Further back, outside the woman's front door, they didn't register much above the background level. Yet they still upheld the complaint & a limiter had to be fitted. Needless to say, the limiter cut in at 90dB & it was impossible to operate the club with it in place because the music was drowned out by people talking on the dancefloor. Also needless to say, the limiter remained fitted but didn't stay in circuit for long. There were no further complaints about noise. EDIT: I forgot one totally amazing thing about this 'limiter' they had fitted.. merely to satisfy the council man that with everything maxed out as loud as it'd go, a resistive attenuator was added between the output of the mixer & the amps. The poor little Cloud mixer had no chance driving into such a load & clipped very readily. You wouldn't get away with such a simple measure these days.. I gather it has to be 'approved' limiting equipment now.

My point is, no matter what, I think councils are sometimes over-zealous in their application of restrictions. If the lady in question had been able to hear music from the club unaided in her front room, and if others were able to then yes that's a valid complaint. But the fact she was alone in complaining, and none of her neighbours mentioned it when questioned - and she had to go to great lengths to hear the music from the club makes it invalid & shouldn't have been upheld IMHO.

Anyway, to last night's gig. I was given a short 'must play' list & a general indication that 'old skool' dance was to be played between sets of the guitar/vocalist they'd hired. Uh-oh, no mention of anything older than the 1990s again.. I took it upon myself to email back & explain that I'd be deputising for the boss & asking for a couple of points explained.. i.e. what their intentions for the first dance were & some examples of what they call 'old skool dance' music. The reply "the guitarist, and YOUR THE DJ. YOU DECIDE" (sic). Sigh. Better get the Nat King Cole track cued up then ("There may be trouble ahead...").

I got the gear all set up nice & early & chatted with the guitar man's dad about various aspects of entertaining wedding crowds. He seemed to think that the fee the boss takes for doing discos there was way too low, the gear notwithstanding (FWIW, I wouldn't dream of putting only 2x dotty lasers & 2x Revo3's up for a lightshow whether it was for a wedding or not).

Onto the night itself, I played background music as people filed into the room & they were ready for the first dance & the guitar man's first set by 8pm. At 8.45 the cake was cut & I went back to background music but got a few up dancing before the buffet opened at 9. People were still eating at 9.30, so I stretched the background music & brought it more upbeat eventually triggering a full dancefloor at 9.45. The guitar man came back on at 10pm, performing such hits as 'Children of the night', 'Like A Shooting Star', and other 'rave' songs mixed in with Beatles, Killers, Strokes (you name it, he'll strum it) songs before finally winding down 40 minutes later. By winding it down I mean he surgically removed the atmosphere.

10.45 saw the disco start again & I worked through the 'must play' list songs. American Idols - Best Day Of My Life (ugh) which a few heads nodded to but nobody danced, into Ronson's Amy Winehouse reworked 'Valerie' (full floor!).. A few requests for 90s dance (Faithless' Insomnia, Corona's Rhythm of The Night, Livin Joy Don't Stop Movin etc) came in which I duly played but the dancing was lacklustre from the young 'uns & didn't last long. After that, I had requests for 'cheese', so out came the Whitney, 'Saturday Night' and (EUGH) Cha-Cha Slide etc. All went down a storm with a full floor & with 15 minutes left I went into an different set intending to finish with 'Mr Brightside'. Having calculated the time wrong (I have to finish at 12 ON THE DOT OR ELSE) I had space for one more track - which the guitar man had already done to a great reception - Little Lion Man.. even some of the older ones were singing along.

That done, screams of 'just one more' from the best man. This 'one more' ? Oh just 'You'll Never Walk Alone'. I apologised & said it wouldn't be possible due to the time thing & he got a bit narky. "Oh come on.. the money you're being paid for this.. I bet you're on a fair wedge. PLAY IT". A fair wedge? You must be kidding, mate!

So, apart from the best man being a bit of a knob & one Scooter requester giving me a hard time (I certainly did NOT say I had any Scooter) it was okay but .. had it been my gig entirely the email reply would've had me walking away. Your the DJ indeed. I asked the question politely & it wasn't an unreasonable thing to ask for clarification of IMHO.

[Benny Smyth]

I had a wedding on Friday night and a 30th wedding anniversary last night.

On Friday, I made a monumental balls up (well, someone else did but I should have checked, so it's my fault too). We got to the venue, waited around for a while (a wedding running late...how unusual!) and when we were let in, we started setting up. I love using the full gantry at this venue as it looks so good, but uh-oh - the t-bar that sits on the tripods and holds the horizontal trussing (this thing here) in place hasn't been packed!

What followed next was a few moments of panicking (and a few four letter words, I'll admit). Obviously, my roadie was a terrific help by saying encouraging things like "There's nothing we can do" and "We're screwed, mate." I would petition him for a sainthood for services to positive thinking, but I suspect that the Pope would ignore it...

Had a bit of a ponder, and was left with one option - sit the moving heads spots on the flightcases, moving head washes on the floor in between the Liteconsole and cases and use the plinths DMX scenes. I didn't think it looked that great (passable, but not great), but the B&G came over and commented on how great it looked (if only they knew...).

So we're now set up. Panic slightly over, I start calming down a bit. It looks good enough and there's nothing I can do about it, so no point fretting. I'm playing background music, and the B&G are ready for their first dance. I start my intro, and my mic battery dies half way through a sentence. Cue another panic as I frantically grab the spare mic and change channels. I think it went mostly unnoticed, but I'm there thinking "it's gonna be one of them nights."

And I was wrong. It was a storming night from start to end, with the dancefloor never being empty. Groom came over several times saying how pleased he was, had a lovely lady tell me that she wishes that I was the DJ for her wedding, handed out plenty of cards and high-fived so many people that my hand was red raw come the end of the evening (there's a joke about a red raw right had in there somewhere...I'm sure it'll come to me later). Big indie crowd (former uni students) so plenty for me to work with. I love doing weddings for former students, because I used to work student bars and if they tell me at the consultation that they went to uni anywhere between, say, 2003 and 2010, I'm always tempted just to say the words "Well that's everything I need - see you on the big day!" Amazing night at my favourite venue. Happy days!

So onto the next night, and it was one that I was a bit iffy about. It was for my roadie's parents' 30th wedding anniversary. Last August, when I was the best man for my roadie, his dad asked me himself at the wedding if I would do it and I lied and said I was booked already. I'm not a big fan of DJ'ing for people that I am friends with for a few reasons. Firstly, I would actually like to be part of the party myself so I can have some fun but, also, the amount of gigs we all do, statistically some of them are going to be crap (we can't get the wood on the ball at every gig) and you just know that sods law will dictate...

The final reason was the music he wanted. Northern Soul & disco. Now I can get away with doing 20 or 30 minutes of each with no problem, but any longer and I'm sure it becomes obvious that I'm not an expert in those genres. Give me an 80s night, an indie night, a dance music night, or a pop night and I will happily do 5 hours of that. I was the wrong DJ for that gig, and I knew I would be.

Over the next few months, my roadie started working on me trying to convince me to do it. "It won't be like that all night - it'll be a mixed bag of people there, so it'll be a mixed bag of music." Eventually, I conceded and agreed to do it.

Did the site visit a few weeks ago - a very big room with a big stage (very deep stage too, in fact). So, for the first time ever, the LED bars I use to light up the wall behind me had a new use - I put them in front to help wash out the room. I was very wary of doing it as I was worried it might be a bit blinding, but it actually worked really nicely.





Hollow stage though, so the speakers and subs had to go onto the dancefloor. Cue me looking over every few moments to ensure that nobody thought that my subs were £1,100 tables for their drinks!

I got there early and set everything up (and made sure I bought everything with me this time!). I took some video footage of the lighting before we started should I decide to add a clip here and there to my promotional video in the making. Whilst doing this, something happened that really does irritate me. The bar staff who worked at this venue kept on peeking in and saying quietly between themselves how great the rig looked. You would think that it would massage the ego, but it really doesn't. If you want to have a look, come in properly and do it. Don't be sneaky, and talk quietly amongst yourselves. I think the thing that bothers me most is that I don't even need to turn around and see them - I can feel them looking, and it's a creepy feeling. I should imagine that this is how a lady feels when the guy across the bar is admiring her, and it would be less creepy if he came over and said "Hello."

The night itself was a bit...meh. We recreated the cake cutting and first dance and from then on, it was a smattering of people dancing. From all accounts, everybody had a great night but it just felt flat to me.

So, a mixed bag of a weekend with plenty of panicking. Today, I will mostly be sending emails.

[scott23]

Benny?! What you using to project your logo? Gobo?

PS your rig looks great :-)

[Benny Smyth]

Benny?! What you using to project your logo? Gobo?

PS your rig looks great :-)

Thanks.

They are gobos made by Rosco.

[Excalibur]

Birthdays for me this weekend. Friday was a 50th Birthday, about as local as it ever gets for me, good access, and minimal kit. Factor in an 11.30pm finish, and it was a doddle. Standard family affair, music was secondary to the social aspect of it all, and a good time was had by all.

Saturday was cancelled, would have been a wine tasting.

Sunday was a 1st Birthday/naming. First time I've seen that, nice touch though. Long drive each way, but in glorious sunshine. Big chain pub near Sheffield, nice function room upstairs, but you could virtually park the van at the bottom of them, and they were very wide, and DJ friendly. Same kit as night before, and in fact basically the same kit as next week. I've bought a new laser, and I was trying it out with one of the basic DMX desks to tame it a little, and give some control. Very good results.

Looking forward to next week's birthday, a 70th with a request list full of heavy rock, and the sort of Metal I grew up with. Magic.

[Nakatomi]

Back in my favourite hotel, but without my web request app (which is still in bits on my server at the mo cos I've been busy), though armed with request slips...

I knew it was a wedding, I had a list of music as long as my arm, but what I didn't know was that it was another gay wedding reception. Heh. It wasn't til I played the first dance song the penny dropped.. from there things got decidedly cheesy. Loads of 80s, loads of 90s, bits of all kinds I hadn't played for donkey's yonks. I didn't get to do the last song because the singing from the crowd was annoying the hotel residents. Nothing to do with me guv, honest!

I'm now absolutely jiggered after getting up at silly o'clock in the morning at a friends' house (thanks, my son & daughter) & driving the 150 miles home from Cheshire before going to the gig. Oh well. Only one more wedding to go (Thursday at the same hotel) and an 18th in the upstairs room of a venue I've driven past many a time on Saturday. Glad I'm not rigging that one. Mackies, up stairs = NOT FUN in my condition.

[Nakatomi]

My second ever mid-week wedding reception saw me back in my favourite hotel again, sans request slips because I've not had time to print any more out since I got in from my day job (wireless printers... GRRRR!)...

No information was given to me on Tuesday after the other wedding other than "it's a wedding!". Yeah yeah. Go figure. NEED INPUT, guys. ARGGHH.

I arrived, was told the first dance was to be The Wurzels' 'Combine Harvester'. Ooooh Arrrr. That, combined with the Harry Potter theme of the room had me pondering.

Later the manager told me there was to be no first dance after all, the groom said. Announce the cutting of the cake & get the party started. Righto boss!

Loads of requests for Abba, Abba & yet more Abba which saw me break my cardinal rule of never playing consecutive songs by the same artist. That seemed to go down really well, then onto the 80s, tested the water with a little more recent music & they all went "MEH", so back in time further to the 70s, 60s & then the 1950s for a dangerously (in today's heat) long rock & roll set. There were a couple of times when one of the bridesmaids came up to ask for something & I showed her it already cued up ready to come on in the next 2 songs.

Time marched inexorably on & I pulled out some old summery favourites, then went into a mini 80s rock set, then back to the 70s.. where I did great til I played 'Ballroom Blitz' by The Sweet. Maybe it was too much for em so out came some slightly slower guns to a nice response. Whacked on a bit of Tamla, then a brief soul stint & somebody asked me to play it. YMCA. "Are you absolutely sure?" says I. Yup. On it came. From there, Bruce Chanel with Hey Baby, then Tina Turner (requested) The Best.. Wished the B&G all the best & the rest of the guests a safe journey wherever they were headed next, so long, til next time... right into Combine Harvester to whoops & cheers.

Tomorrow I've got the night off (woohoo!) so it'll be an early bath & bed. God knows I need my beauty sleep!

[Excalibur]

Different one for me. Providing music after the funeral of a young man. Turned out to be one of the most joyous occasions of its type I've ever done. The lad was a musician, and music of all sorts was a major factor in his life. The family wanted the event to reflect this, and gave me a long list of very varied music, much of which I'd never heard of. Brushy One String springs to mind. ( Wasn't bad though )

Everything fell for us, it was a glorious sunny day, and apparently he used to revel in any opportunity to get out and enjoy our somewhat sporadic and unreliable British sunshine, so since the venue had big French doors, a terrace, and sweeping grass in front, we dragged a speaker to the door, and everyone went outside. They even stayed out until the finish time of eight o'clock, despite the falling temperatures, and it was lovely to see folk dancing about outside to the music.

We finished to Bob Marley-Redemption Song, and everyone just spontaneously got into the biggest group hug I've ever seen. I think everyone thought we'd marked the occasion in the most appropriate possible way. I then packed up the minimal amount of kit, and headed off across Leeds to visit Davesounds, hindered by a sat nav which had less idea where it was going than I had!

The family said that they'd approached other discos first, who had been adamant that the whole thing was a bad idea, and were pleased that I'd been amenable to the idea. There's a thread imminent about this.

[Nakatomi]

Different one for me. Providing music after the funeral of a young man. Turned out to be one of the most joyous occasions of its type I've ever done. The lad was a musician, and music of all sorts was a major factor in his life. The family wanted the event to reflect this, and gave me a long list of very varied music, much of which I'd never heard of. Brushy One String springs to mind. ( Wasn't bad though )

Everything fell for us, it was a glorious sunny day, and apparently he used to revel in any opportunity to get out and enjoy our somewhat sporadic and unreliable British sunshine, so since the venue had big French doors, a terrace, and sweeping grass in front, we dragged a speaker to the door, and everyone went outside. They even stayed out until the finish time of eight o'clock, despite the falling temperatures, and it was lovely to see folk dancing about outside to the music.

We finished to Bob Marley-Redemption Song, and everyone just spontaneously got into the biggest group hug I've ever seen. I think everyone thought we'd marked the occasion in the most appropriate possible way. I then packed up the minimal amount of kit, and headed off across Leeds to visit Davesounds, hindered by a sat nav which had less idea where it was going than I had!

The family said that they'd approached other discos first, who had been adamant that the whole thing was a bad idea, and were pleased that I'd been amenable to the idea. There's a thread imminent about this.

I'm all for this kind of thing. Celebrate life :-)