Good Gig, Bad Gig.

[ckpr2]

I think its just life that things don't always go 100% right.

I have turned up at correct time only to be told I am late and where had I been !
I had just about set up and someone turned the juke box on !

I was given a playlist at a birthday gig and played them all.
Then birthday girl came in and asked when I was going to ply the playlist, I told her I already had.
I was told to do it again !

Did an Army gig and one side of the audience kept shouting to turn it up while the other side told me to turn it down !
A woman wanted a Lily Allen track that I didn't have and she spent most of the night shouting abuse at me.

Did a gig at Gretna Green for a youth club.
Not a single person danced all night. We had 4 DJ's and not one of us could shift them.

[Benny Smyth]

I got a lot of thanks and handshaking through the evening, and it's a shame I'll get no NaD feedback on it, because it would have been another golden testicle.

I see there's been a new reviewing policy since I've cancelled my subscription.

[Excalibur]

I see there's been a new reviewing policy since I've cancelled my subscription.

Yes. Victoria Beckham's taken over.

Mod Note. That's off topic, and as a moderator, you should know better. Consider yourself severely censured.

[Nakatomi]

Two awful weddings this week disco-wise. One on Tuesday which came to a dreadfully early end at 10pm (poor attendance) and one last night where every single groom request cleared the floor, every other guest request was unworkable & every bride request was the finest Brie. Oh & would it have been too much bother for every requester to not wander off into another part of the hotel? Apparently it would.

I don't normally mind playlists, but I spent more time preparing music for Tuesday night than actually playing it.

Last night I discovered I don't have a radio edit of Gold Digger. Hmmm. Was it MY fault only half the expected 100 people turned up to the reception last night? Meh.

[Excalibur]

And then it went wrong.

First dance is scheduled for 1930. I've just finished rigging up at 1915 (having wireless on most of the fixtures for DMX is brilliant ). Best man comes over and announces that actually I'm supposed to be set up at 90 degrees to where I am and against a different wall. How hard would it be to move.

Welcome to the wonderful world of the Mobile DJ, where every night is a revelation and an education. My bride last night ( who had also done every single thing by email, and turned out to be a lovely girl, and lovely to deal with ) informed me there were three setup options. On the floor at one side, a small stage at the other, or up the North Face of the Eiger onto the immense main stage, flanked by six gallopers from a carousel. She had proposed I use the small stage at the side, except when I got there, it was full of grand piano! Hey ho, main stage it is then. More on that later.

whilst I read the HUGE pile of request slips I was handed. Normally, I have no problem with this...if the guests have requested it, they normally dance. Happily this was the case tonight.....to Superman, Agadoo, Amarillo, Cha Cha Slide.....need I continue? Most of the list smelled of very well fermented whey. Hey ho....it's what they wanted and boy did it fill the floor.

There was also a lot I wouldn't/couldn't play....for good reason.

Firstly, I had to check to see if you'd quoted my wedding last week by mistake.
Secondly, I'm disappointed in you if you're now applying strict quality control to your playlists on the grounds of musical integrity. Shame on you.


Right, whimsy over, mine now. If you're ever in the area, check out this place. I'm certainly going back as a visitor sometime soon.

Arrived in reasonable time, to find I had a hundred yard plus trek to the split level, four foot high stage. Got the kit in, and was pleased to find that when guests arrived they would be going on the fairground rides for half an hour, before sitting down. That's when the " fun " started.

The venue was breathtaking, with steam organs all round the room ( Room? Aircraft hangar, more like! ) and the staff were lovely, but: I had no timings, running order or other info. The MC disappeared after the meal ( which took forever, due to each of the eleven tables visiting the serving table in turn. ) and when it eventually finished I expected the top table to be removed from the dancefloor, so we could kick off. Nope, table's staying put, apparently. That means my dancefloor starts approximately fifty yards away. The photographer comes up and pleads with me to do the first dance, so he can go home. Reasonable request, the lad was worn out. Right, time for SuperDJ to do his bit. I'm high up on the stage, with my PA about eight feet above the guests, so I call the B&G to cut the cake and then do the first dance.
At this point, I should mention the venue lights. We've got everything in there, mirrorballs, huge moving heads, stage lights, backdrop lights, front of stage lights, chandeliers, and joy of joys, a sniper with a follow spot at the far end, whose main aim in life seemed to be to dazzle me. Grr. I had one stage light blazing on me, four others strobing slowly, and an assortment of front of stage lights shining in my face. " Do you know anything about lighting desks " they asked me? " No " I said, deciding that we'd struggle through somehow with what we had. At least I had control of the chandelier dimmer, so could get that where I wanted it.
Music proper kicked off with two camps, Charty/Modern or Heavyish Rock. I alternated between these till sanity prevailed, and we settled on a course of Cheese/Party Classics/Anthems. The groom's family were Scottish, so 500 miles, Shout, Young at Heart and Hoots Mon were wheeled out, among other apposite tunes. We finished with an impromptu dance routine to Bohemian Rhapsody by the git who had been asking for all manner of heavy rock all night, involving lifting his kilted male partner in the air in many and various fashions,. Fortunately, nothing unseemly came into view. Last song was November Rain, B&G in the centre of the circle, and the sniper up on the grassy knoll again.

Like you Wayne, a night that has to be marked as successful, but left me feeling that it could have been so much better. Bride had an ear to ear grin at the end, so who am I to whinge?

[Shakermaker Promotions]

I was at a place 12 miles outside Basingstoke that I hadn't been to for a year. It was a social club in Fleet and has had a few changes since my last visit.
I'd recommended it to the girl who'd booked me (more on that in a second) and first of all it had been refurbished and looked 1000 times better than before HOWEVER, I found out before I went to the venue (when I called up last week to arrange access and set up times) that it had taken the opportunity to refurbish whilst it had been closed for a couple of months due to a number of noise issues / complaints.

So, you can get what had also been added into the mix with the refurb - Yes! the dreaded sound limiter. It is amazing that my last few bookings have all been in places where there have been sound limiters whereas in the past couple of years they'd been a rarity (thankfully!).

As I said, I'd recommended the venue because the girl that had booked me had asked for recommendations. The occasion was her 30th birthday party. I'd done her 21st birthday party too and I am doing her wedding next September. I know 99% of the guests as they are all from Basingstoke and have been to my Alternative nights over the years.
A number of them had been to a wedding I did a couple of months ago and another wedding 2 weeks ago so it was all very familiar and also very, very easy as I knew exactly what they liked. I had no issues with the sound limiter (set at 92db) and I knew in advance that this venue has a stage but a very low ceiling. I decided in advance that I wouldn't take the T-Bars with pre-wired effects and opted for a more compact set up. On the stage floor I had an X-Move either side of me and at the front of the stage I had 4 x Equinox Baterns set on a program and I have to say, I thought it looked bloody great. I could also use smoke in there so it looked pretty cool. It has got me thinking for future set ups in venues like this (I know I have a wedding on 4th June in a venue that has a very low roof too but unfortunately no stage so I couldn't use the X-Moves. I think it will be all pars that night).

So, the music....it was a mix of 80's and Rock / Alternative and it worked very well. The parents of both the birthday girl and her fiance were there and introduced themselves and said they were looking forward to next year already. I was told that it would more than likely be the same guests and the same kind of music list and if that's the case then it will be easy. Even the parents were up dancing to everything so I looking forward to that already.

This lot know that I am leaving the area in September and relocating and I had a number of well wishes and good luck messages during the evening from guests who'd been going to my nights in some shape or form for well over 10 years.
It was therefore a poignant (and embarrassing) moment when the birthday girl asked for the microphone at the end of the night (before the last song actually).
She thanked everyone for attending but then went into a speech about me, almost as if she'd planned it. It was very, very sweet of her and she asked for everyone to pose for one big photo of us all together.

I wasn't sure how to feel to be honest, probably humbled really.
"You don't know how much we all love you. You are a legend and you will be missed..." had me quivering slightly but I didn't lose it.
A very nice thought and a nice end to a great night. It was a pleasure.

[Daryll]

Last nights gig was not......................

I was booked to do a teenage birthday party at Lancing.
However I have a knee infection which flared up again , I could not walk , let alone do a gig ( up stairs).
So after a few phone calls ( thanks mr forest, nice to speak with you after all this time) , I had a phone call back from Colin (DJ colsie on here) , he agreed to cover this one for me ( many thanks again colin).
However on arrival , colin found another rig set up , massive by all accounts , no one around , if fact the venue knew there was a party going on , but had no booking form , come around 6:30 ( gig due to start at 7:00), I told colin to go home , what a waste of time,
I will be contacting NAD about this.

Cheers

Daryll

[CRAZY K]

Arrived in reasonable time, to find I had a hundred yard plus trek

Must say these days I dont think I could hack that--although I do have a job in August that is about that distance across
flat grass/tennis court and I have a young strong assistant working the Shooting Gallery who will give me a hand

I suppose theres always the bonus of the 100 yard trek back to the van in the early hours when you are cream crackered

I tend to look at venues on the Internet these days and even phone them sometimes if I see any adverse features.

I sometimes load up my price to allow for bad features or hire/borrow some muscle.

Im starting to sound like Toby---easy access gigs no more than an one hours drive away,

[CRAZY K]

Last nights gig was not......................

I was booked to do a teenage birthday party at Lancing.
However I have a knee infection which flared up again , I could not walk , let alone do a gig ( up stairs).
So after a few phone calls ( thanks mr forest, nice to speak with you after all this time) , I had a phone call back from Colin (DJ colsie on here) , he agreed to cover this one for me ( many thanks again colin).
However on arrival , colin found another rig set up , massive by all accounts , no one around , if fact the venue knew there was a party going on , but had no booking form , come around 6:30 ( gig due to start at 7:00), I told colin to go home , what a waste of time,
I will be contacting NAD about this.

Cheers

Daryll

Presumably there the usual Signed Contract and booking fee Daryll?

[Imagine]

Firstly, I had to check to see if you'd quoted my wedding last week by mistake.
Secondly, I'm disappointed in you if you're now applying strict quality control to your playlists on the grounds of musical integrity. Shame on you.

Musical integrity? Nah. I don't like the action dances (more of a disco/soul/Motown and 80's chap personally), but if that's what the punter wants and it's filling the floor, who am I to argue?

However, respect, tact and decency are a different matter...

I was in a Church (I'm not in any way religious but respect that others are, and last night were). There were also a LOT of young 'uns in attendance as you'd expect with a wedding. Some of the guests were hell bent on trying to get stuff played because they thought they would be funny in such a venue...

When I say requests that I couldn't/wouldn't play.....just a couple spring to mind:
I don't with you by Big Sean
Just you and your hand tonight by Pink.

There were plenty of others and I'll dig out the request slips from one of my bags when I go and sort out my store ready for next week....all of them along the same lines.

Hmmmm......