Here's One For the New Gigging DJ's!

[Dj_Kray 0]

QUOTE (Ian Stewart @ Aug 18 2003, 10:06 PM)

I hear DJ's stating that I played everything and no one danced, what rubbish it that means is that you did not play the right song, lets face it no one attends a party with the intention of having a miserable time. and before any says anything it has happened to me, but I look within my own performance rather then blame them.

I do agree with all your points except 1 i really have had a couple of dos when i have played, then practacally begged for music that they want and still nobody danced, i have never had anybody dance the whole night but a few times its been very very hard.

 

Ian im sure you have had moments when this has been the case! yes we are defanatally sometimes to blame as dj i know myself i have on some very rare occasions not given 100% but i know when this.

 

And a dj should give 100% as kazz say's That is what we get paid for.

[Coincidence 0]

Loads of excellent comment - I still assert that there're uncooperative crowds out there, god love 'em but actually, the biggest key to success, once you know which knobs to twiddle, is to enjoy yourself and look like you are! Whatever you play, whichever kind of DJ you are - bloody enjoy it, and that makes a real difference.

http://www.dj-forum.co.uk/html/emoticons/biggrin.gif

 

You can be as technically proficient as you like - if you're a miserable begger in your presentation, you're in the wrong job. (Like those taxi drivers that so obviously don't like other people in their cars...) ;-)

 

There's nothing designed to make dancing harder work than the disc-spinner having a face like a slapped ...er ...bottom (so to speak) http://www.dj-forum.co.uk/html/emoticons/tongue.gif

Anyway - all gigs are excellent experience, and yeah - if you're serious about what you do, you work it from the moment the first tune plays.

[ChrisPointon 0]

QUOTE

I still assert that there're un-cooperative crowds out there, god love 'em

 

Fair Play and Fair Comment to everybody elses opinions, but I do agree that there are certainly un-co operative crowds out there. Maybe it's a locality thing?? http://www.dj-forum.co.uk/html/emoticons/smile.gif .

 

QUOTE

if you're a miserable begger in your presentation, you're in the wrong job. (Like those taxi drivers that so obviously don't like other people in their cars...)

 

Yes, and you (and your crowd) can still enjoy yourself even if you haven't got a full dancefloor. I must admit that I never dance when I'm a guest at a function, and NOBODY on this forum would persuade me otherwise - no matter how professional a D.J they were http://www.dj-forum.co.uk/html/emoticons/smile.gif . Unlike Taxi Drivers we have a huge advantage - we don't need to swill out our back seats every Friday / Saturday Night http://www.dj-forum.co.uk/html/emoticons/tongue.gif

[kazzachi 0]

of course we get unco-operative crowds and I say again, I dont always manage to keep my floor full..... but it is not often that the crowd are unresponsive! Im only a humble DJ - not a magician so obviously I cant work my magic on everyone!

Think its time for a change of thread here to be honest.... I think that the obvious has been stated a few too many times, so why dont we hear some of the ideas that you have for trying to entice a miserable crowd up.... what do you do! http://www.dj-forum.co.uk/html/emoticons/533.gif

 

 

[The Spindoctor 0]

QUOTE

I must admit that I never dance when I'm a guest at a function, and NOBODY on this forum would persuade me otherwise

 

Sounds like a challenge Kazz, you have to get him doing the actions to something.......................

 

Failing that i'm gonna have to put it in my will for the wake that Chris WILL dance at least once!!

 

Sin http://www.dj-forum.co.uk/html/emoticons/221.gif

[kazzachi 0]

you put it in yours sin and i'll put it in mine!

Yep, I love a challenge! Used to do a residency at a golf club and a bowls club booked in for their xmas d/d..... at the beginning the top cheese came up and told me that he didnt know why they had got a disco because they certainly would not dance!......... five years later I am still doing their xmas d/d!!

 

How about this for a corny trick to get em up...... had nobody on dance floor so got on mic and asked for a dozen blokes who would not mind helping me with a bit of heavy lifting..... foolishly they got up to help a lady in distress.... as soon as they were up I played a crappy tune (cant remember what it was) and told them that the only heavy lifiting needing doing was the atmosphere.... and thanks guys for lifting it...... Worked a treat... ! http://www.dj-forum.co.uk/html/emoticons/071.gif

[Ian Stewart 0]

ohhh kazz, good one,

 

 

[Dj_Kray 0]

i once stopped the music and asked everybody to stand up which they did then i said oh jusk checking that nobody had glued your bums to your seats. they laughed and a few more people danced this was a bit cheaky but they were the right crowd for this sort of comment

[Dukesy 0]

Can't say I've had to resort to tricks for a long time, but the ones mentioned seem very very good - excellent advice from Kazzachi. http://www.dj-forum.co.uk/html/emoticons/notworthy.gif

[McCardle 1]

I get good gigs and bad gigs the same as everybody else. I often find that (with a younger audience), the threat to play barndances, Quicksteps, and George Formby all night if they don't dance, often does the trick.

 

Beware about doing it for the older crowds though!, since playing Roll out the barrel often gets them singing in the aisles and for the very old dears, a copy of Max Bygraves - Sing along -a- war years is a good buy and the vinyl version can often found to be appearing at all good car boot sales for about 50p http://www.dj-forum.co.uk/html/emoticons/rolleyes.gif

[Dukesy 0]

Wait till Mikeee reads that!!!!! http://www.dj-forum.co.uk/html/emoticons/smile.gif

[Revolution 0]

got my first wedding 'gig' since I starting up as a DJ for money, tonight. Amazing how different the pressure is for this as I am getting paid for it.

 

Last year did a big wedding in Ireland for some music industry people, but did it for free (fool!!!)....and it was a 10 hour do as well..and yet I am more nervous about this 90 people 4 and a half hour do..my reputation feels like its on the line ....arrrrrrgh

 

Nice handy hints on this thread!!!!

 

Wish me luck http://www.dj-forum.co.uk/html/emoticons/biggrin.gif

[tonyj 0]

i said it before, just relax and be yourself http://www.dj-forum.co.uk/html/emoticons/tongue.gif

 

all the best hope it goes well http://www.dj-forum.co.uk/html/emoticons/thumbup.gif

[Revolution 0]

yeah i am sure it will be ok...i will just let the music do all the work http://www.dj-forum.co.uk/html/emoticons/biggrin.gif

[kazzachi 0]

good luck.. you will be fine as long as you smile, keep enthusiastic and be polite!

[ChrisPointon 0]

Once you've played that first track you'll be fine http://www.dj-forum.co.uk/html/emoticons/thumbup.gif .

 

I still get nervous before a gig, but once i've welcomed everybody along, and played the first track, it's all plain sailing http://www.dj-forum.co.uk/html/emoticons/smile.gif

[Revolution 0]

yeah it went really well tonight (just got back in)..got another job out of it,and got an £80 'tip' on top of the agreed cost as well....knackered though http://www.dj-forum.co.uk/html/emoticons/sleep1.gif

[CK`s 0]

Kazz,

 

You are sooo right, if you play the evening well, you can start the kids off, then a few walzes for the older people always goes down well, and a good trick is mingling with the guests asking them what they want, this always goes down well, and they feel included, they almost certainly get up and dance when you play waht they have asked for.

 

People do however seem to wait for the "first Dance" as if they cant get up till the B&G do, why oh why......

[chrismk 0]

On another topic it was noted by Chris on 'Request slips' now how does this sound

although it might sound good here but not sure in practice and would be ideal if you

have a roadie (cos they hang about most of the time) on your request slip they

should write their table number or location then when you're near their request the

now awake roadie can type in the message into the moving LED sign or whatever

they're called, just a thought and I suppose its only ideal if you have a roadie.

 

Or considering how cheap texting on moblies cost you could text a person that their

requested song is comming up ater say the next 2 songs, cos maybe they want to

dance with someone speacial..... I know its over the top but hey we try.

 

Cheers

[YourBigEvent 0]

It would take me 10 minutes to type in the text.

 

If they miss thier song then tuff is my attitude, I am playing to the crowd, not a person (unless they are paying the bill in which case, we will discuss it in an adult manner, then not play it again) http://www.dj-forum.co.uk/html/emoticons/tongue.gif

[ChrisPointon 0]

There are two trains of thought on this idea....

 

First a non texting member of the audience, upon seeing you or your roadie busy Playing with their mobile phones, may naturally leap to the logical conclusion that they have far too much time on their hands and are not working hard enough.

 

I once had a complaint from a Hotel Manager that a D.J colleague of mine was texting during a gig. In fact, I had missed the gig due to ill health, and my colleague was texting ME, to let me know that the gig had been extended and could he drop off the Van the following Morning. Again, this was a legimate communication, but the venue management saw it as being very unprofessional. I suppose you would have to weigh up the pro's of the idea, against the cons of the Expense, and how standing their texting would look to the audience in general.

 

Mobile Phones can also play havoc with PA equipment, so if you choose to use your phone, make sure you do it well away from the console, otherwise your audience may be treated to a vastly amplified "D-D-D-D-D-D-D-D-D-D" sound from your P.A http://www.dj-forum.co.uk/html/emoticons/fear.gif .

 

I do use a throw away PAYG sim for text request's, so members of the audience can text requests to me if they require, and this seems to work well with younger audiences. However, I wouldn't respond to the text unless they specifically requested me to do so.

 

 

[Smooth Criminal Ross 0]

Some real great points here!

 

Ive never done a wedding alone yet, im pretty sure i could cope though, now, after watching my dad.

 

there are deffo in my town some crowds that sit there with the "come on entertain me" look, as if expecting us to break out into some Juggling act...

 

In town sometimes its difficult to judge timin, say play to the kids 1st yeh, the oldies , then young uns, but in town sometimes the young uns leave early for the nightclubs, so what would you do then? Mix it around abit.

 

We always try and like, build them up, hit the "party" spot, then bring em down, ive read in the past here before that, some people like to leave em wanting more, which sounds good, but does it have to be like a big tune for the last song to leave them wanting more? You can finish on a slow song and leaving them wanting more as well cant you?

 

and Kazz, i love the trick u played. We usually remind them that we are liscensed to dance.

 

i was really sarcastic once, this guy came up and said "oh mate stick Jamelia on, its guranteed to get people dancing" (why is it people , drunk, think they know more than the DJ with experience)

So i stuck it on, no one danced(shame really) and i just said over the Mic " yeah Jamelia there and her smash hit Superstar....*pause, look at the guy* Guranteed to fill dancefloors across the country that one" and winked at him....

 

hehe

[YourBigEvent 0]

Surely you turn your mobile off, or at least on silent ?