weekend 3\4 october

[C.S 0]

Well looks like i got in before Paula who i assume is largin it with Karen at Caisters(hope you had one for me). My weekend? Friday night is a Fun Pub Gig with music from Irish Folk music to Mettalica and everything in between,no mic so the music has to do the talking! Saturday is also club work but can choose between 3 different ones so shall wait till tomorrow to decide. Have no mobiles untill December so am lording it with 5 minute rig ups! Hope you all have a great weekend with only polite and almost sober punters who only ask for music that you like! http://www.dj-forum.co.uk/html/emoticons/042.gif (could we get a flying pig on here Chris?)

[kazzachi 0]

Well, truth will out, as they say! Me and Paula never made it to caister! But I bet Eskie is worried now and continually looking over his shoulder!

 

Did a school disco tonight and had the pleasure of Paulas company - she not well bless her!

 

Lucky old me - I got an 80th - yes 80th birthday party tomorrow night... dont have to start til 9.30 though so presume the old duffers will have taken an overdose of sanatogen to keep them awake!

[ChrisPointon 0]

I've got the set at the club tonight http://www.dj-forum.co.uk/html/emoticons/thumbup.gif and my voice has come back!. Still got an horrible cold though, and my guess is that it's making it's way down South to Paula http://www.dj-forum.co.uk/html/emoticons/221.gif . Go on, Admit it!, which git came to the PLASA with a cold and infected us all?? http://www.dj-forum.co.uk/html/emoticons/censored.gif .

 

Hey Kazz, how about driving up here one night and helping me!.

[kazzachi 0]

now that would depend on what you want help with!

[C.S 0]

AH Kazz so you two minx`s are winding up the esk! Methinks his revenge will be terrible! http://www.dj-forum.co.uk/html/emoticons/tongue.gif

[paula 0]

QUOTE

Did a school disco tonight and had the pleasure of Paulas company - she not well bless her!

Well apart from being as sick as a pig I made it down to Karen's do, if any of you need a good dose of laughter, then hook up with Karen on a disco, my belly and cheeks hurt from laughing at her http://www.dj-forum.co.uk/html/emoticons/biggrin.gif mind you it done my health no good watching her, up and down like a loon she was with all the kids I was exhausted just watching her!, But I got free smarties http://www.dj-forum.co.uk/html/emoticons/rolleyes.gif

 

 

QUOTE

AH Kazz so you two minx`s are winding up the esk! Methinks his revenge will be terrible!

Me finks not! plus there's always MAY! http://www.dj-forum.co.uk/html/emoticons/071.gif

 

[kazzachi 0]

May is definitely on...only Eskie wont believe it then!

 

Paula.... I thought I told you to keep shtum about what I got up to at discos! Hope your feeling better now..... are you still up for saturday..... bigger, better and certainly madder!

[kazzachi 0]

Oh yeah! Nearly forgot! I did an 80th birthday tonight - which I wasnt particularly looking forward to - especially when I arrive and the chef tells me "you wont get that miserable lot up" then the duty manager says the same.... Ha! Had theminthe palm of my hand all night... bloody good gig!

[paula 0]

QUOTE

Paula.... I thought I told you to keep shtum about what I got up to at discos! Hope your feeling better now..... are you still up for saturday..... bigger, better and certainly madder!

hhmmnn Better http://www.dj-forum.co.uk/html/emoticons/wacko.gif So much for Hot whiskey killing a cold apparently I passed out at midnight and never arose until midday http://www.dj-forum.co.uk/html/emoticons/wacko.gif still holding them flumps you gave me!

 

 

Yes Saturday most definately, and as for your disco's I never said a word http://www.dj-forum.co.uk/html/emoticons/wacko.gif

 

But I did hear that the old bill were called!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Apparently Guys!

She tryed packing the vicar into her boot! http://www.dj-forum.co.uk/html/emoticons/071.gif

Edited October 5, 2003 by paula

[ChrisPointon 0]

I'm looking forward to seeing Karen's trick with Smarties! http://www.dj-forum.co.uk/html/emoticons/wub.gif

[C.S 0]

I know that trick with the smarties and in some parts of the world it is punished with a 6 month jail sentence! http://www.dj-forum.co.uk/html/emoticons/tongue.gif

[Dukesy 0]

Hi Ladies and Gents!

 

Friday - Usual Gig - went very well!

 

Saturday - Karaoke Disco for a 30th.

People prettty laid back from 8pm-10pm

Dancing on and off during the night - too many kids running around.

(Even the 'Bouncers' were getting fed up with the adults lack of responcibility)

Last hour was manic. It seemed everone wanted to sing and suddenly 'hit' with 45 song requests at 11pm!!!!!

Quite funny really - easiest way to please most was to invite groups of 5 and 6 to sing-a-long, which at least involved the majority of who wanted to sing!!!

Trouble was, more and more 'singers' started gathering around!

If you can imagine the 'Band Aid' line-up at the end of their video - it was like that to several songs towards the end of the night!!!

BUT - nobody wanted to sing I Will Survive - which was nice. But now Summer Nights is getting on my nerves.

Largest audience participation was to Angels and I Saw Her Standing There!!!

 

Mental! http://www.dj-forum.co.uk/html/emoticons/wallbash.gif But funny http://www.dj-forum.co.uk/html/emoticons/smile.gif

 

[The Spindoctor 0]

Friday usual blend of madness at a 13 yr old birthday party, early finish Chinese and a beer............ heaven !!

 

Saturday A night off so Mrs Spin and I decide to wander down to the local working men's club to gander at the disco!

 

Hmmmmm 4 lightboxes (Great I thought) 2 x 100w speakers Dj sitting looking bored, I thought well its early give him a break, so more beer £1.80 a pint so who cares. Well various strange tracks played which the kids looked at him like he was from another planet and they got stranger and stranger the later it got, nothing up to date whatsoever till by 10.30pm he is playing White Rabbit, then a remix of White Lines then Whiter Shade of Pale............. think it was some sort of White label http://www.dj-forum.co.uk/html/emoticons/biggrin.gif or White album ??? I have never been so bored!

 

Well throughout this he has not uttered one word all night over the mic, then 11pm he switches it on and says " Well thats it, thanks, see you next week"!!!

 

I was gobsmacked! But the beer was cold and cheap!

 

Spin

[kazzachi 0]

Sin! Last week you work instead of taking mrs sin out - THEN - this week you take her on a busmans holiday to a working mans club!!! I can see I am going to have to have serious words with you young man!!

 

Dan - when you have loads of kids running amok at a function, I guarantee if you play to them to begin with you will wear the little darlings out, thus keeping mums and dads happy and get a really good name for yourself into the bargain!

Edited October 5, 2003 by kazzachi

[paula 0]

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

QUOTE

It seemed everone wanted to sing and suddenly 'hit' with 45 song requests at 11pm!!!!!

45 requests http://www.dj-forum.co.uk/html/emoticons/wacko.gif You've got nearly as many as I would of had at a karoke only do! whats that 2.h hrs?

 

If I find myself with 2 many requests towards the end of a night, anyone thats previously sung will not be called up, you'll notice that at this time everyone has had more than there fair share of dutch courage, so best to let those that have not sung up at this stage.

For those that will say to you I want to sing and your running out of time, then stop!

This is where summer nights and your the one that I want come in handy, get them all up, halve them men on one side lady's on the other...and preform....Battle of the sex's you'll have them all at it!

 

Please everyone and lots of fun!

Of course you can use other duets, like Ive alos done this with Ive got you babe and the time of my life as well as many more well known ones http://www.dj-forum.co.uk/html/emoticons/fear.gif

[The Spindoctor 0]

QUOTE

I can see I am going to have to have serious words with you young man!!

 

Ooooooh I can't wait http://www.dj-forum.co.uk/html/emoticons/wub.gif

 

Actually it was Mrs Spin who's had the idea, it means I don't have to drive and where we live there are only two pubs both of which I would'nt go in without my shots being up to date!! also we were meeting friends there too!

 

But I'm ok to have serious words with http://www.dj-forum.co.uk/html/emoticons/biggrin.gif

 

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

[Gary 0]

Well the Saturday gig was a Wedding, and one that I wasnt particularly looking forward to the setting up of.

 

Bride & Groom + guests sat down to their 2+ hours of meal and speeches at...

 

18:30 ..... (cor! the lengths that some people will go to, just to avoid having to order a buffet for everyone. eg: Feed em late, then dont feed em later...

 

After coffee and mints, the room clears of full-bellied punters at 8:45. The one or two punters who see us waiting to get in get given quotes of "1 hour" when they ask the inevitable. (I know it only takes 45 mins to set up the gear, but hey customer service is all about Under promise-Over deliver)

 

Punters started filing back into the room, uninvited, 10 mins before we were finished setting up (dontcha just hate that), but luckily the kids that were still up were able to be persuaded away from playing "Run at full speed into the light screens" into a nice game of "Chase the gobo (against the solid oak panelled wall! http://www.dj-forum.co.uk/html/emoticons/wallbash.gif )

 

Interviewed the bride and groom (off-air), gave 'em 10 minutes warning of the first record (Aerosmith: Dont wanna miss a thing....from ARMAGEDDON - always wonder if thats a wedding omen http://www.dj-forum.co.uk/html/emoticons/patriot.gif )

 

Played first record, two more slowies, 3 current tunes with a fairly full dancefloor and low and behold, breaking all previous records...up comes "Mr Old Guy", claiming to be representing the whole room (the 30% hiding at the back, that arent already on the dancefloor) stating "There ARE some of us who cant dance to this sort of noise". To which he got the reply...

 

"Dont worry, its obviously a function with ALL sorts of different age groups and musical tastes. We've got plenty of time to play something for everyone, and Im sure that when I play some 60's and 70's later, some of these people dancing to this modern music, will tell me "There ARE some of us who cant dance to this sort of noise" too."

 

"oh" he said, looking at the dancefloor, "I see what you mean".

 

And yes, 4 records into a 60's spot, up comes "R'n'B girl"....."Got anything newer?", who gets the reply, "Yes, we'll be going back to even more of the newer tunes in a few minutes, just keeping the old folk that Beth and Mark have invited, happy too.

 

Even more music quibbles later...you'd have thought that me announcing "Well, Mark the Groom has asked me to play some Madness and Bad Manners now for all the guys that we with him on the Stag Night" would have been enough for a dancing (note: Dancing) heckler, to think twice about saying "Oi! mate, any chance of some decent music instead of this crap". Obviously some people need to think three, or more times. "This has been requested by one of the two people that invited you sir!" came my reply.

 

Also, it was minus 2 driving away from the gig....Brrrrrrr.

[Dukesy 0]

http://www.dj-forum.co.uk/html/emoticons/1106.gif

Soap Box Time!!!

 

Yep - typical remarks from the 'self self self' brigade of guests who never appreciate the bigger picture.

 

Never mind polls on what a DJ charges or what should be a national rate - what about a poll on how many guests does it take to 'get under your skin'!!!!!

 

Even the most experienced or well established Jocks are given little or no respect as an individual - because 'people' are either thick, ignorant or just plain troubl-makers.

 

How many Weddings or Corporate functions have you done when some anal wipe tries to 'steal' a 'limelight' (that didn't exist in the first place) and demands 'better music' or 'something decent'?!?

 

The crowd of 'plonkers' who gesture behind others backs - or to the face of individuals to cause trouble?

 

When a client hire's our service to entertain - say, Karaoke, do we say "Oi! Mate - sing something decent!" or "could you pick a song that everybody knows pal!"?

Or even midflow "can't you sing something better than this rubbish???"

 

Of course we don't (mind you - I have, as an affectionate remark to people I know, and it's quite funny to get the crowd on your side...not in a cocky way!)

 

When I started DJ'ing, I worked in some right old holes and scum pubs for many years, but eventually, through hard work and determination, I 'escaped' the spit & sawdust venues to elevate my 'status' to a different league. However, I make the point that it was from Private bookings from 'pub punters' who started me off up the 'ladder' to private hire - and, having club experience helped 'promote' these first steps.

Not all pubs are 'scummy' - some of my best friends are landlords and managers in the trade. It's just that the majority of pubs I DID, were either changing management every 2-6 mths or getting 'protection' or 'turned over'. Not Eastenders style, but my 'mannor' stretched from Mile End to the Old Kent Road and from Kent to Essex (South East Area). Nuff said!

 

I suppose what I'm saying is that now, if I want to be treated with disrespect - I'd jump of the ladder of progress and start at the bottom again, and take on the chin what one would expect from a very public venue, for peanuts. Fact of life, but in a pub - you're on a level field.

 

But because I now work directly for a 'Private' paying customer - I don't expect abuse, childish remarks or ignorance from the clients guests!!!!!

 

So, on the very rare occasion that I do get it - in moderation, I let it go. Sometimes it's really pathetic - and I end up laughing all the way till the end of the night and beyond.

If the 'guests' are, however, very rude, I pull the hirer aside and explain the situation for their benefit - as they signed to MY terms and conditions!!!!!

After all, it's not my function that's being ruined!!!

 

Looking at other trades who are hired privately, do they get 'abuse' or 'remarks' midflow, say, when a builder is building a wall or a plumber is checking the heating system?

"Oi! Mate! Can you find something better to lay that brick with?! You're the worst tradesman I've had to watch!!!"

 

Although I've given my point of view, I expect to receive comments and remarks unshared by fellow entertainers. That's fine!!!! After all, this is what the forum is for - to share info, experience and ideas.

But like many, when a topic comes up that feels important enough to reply to, remember we are all aiming in one way or another to improve the public perception of our profession - be it Mobile, Club or even the Bedroom Mixer.

 

So please, whatever your remarks - the forum is WWW viewable !!!!!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

[ChrisPointon 0]

Good Morning to you as well Dan http://www.dj-forum.co.uk/html/emoticons/tongue.gif

 

One common thing I have found with potential troublemakers at a gig (Similar to the ones who also come onto the forum with an axe to grind!) is that they have one goal - and that is to seek (and win) attention.

 

Ever noticed, how the Majority of people who "have a go", are the ones who are either on their own, or self proclaimed to represent the silent (invisible) majority!!. In other words the Have a go leaders http://www.dj-forum.co.uk/html/emoticons/rolleyes.gif .

 

It's quite amusing sometimes to see the drunken 40+ suicide blonde stumbling up on the stage and announcing that "This music is crap - play something decent". Other times she'll say "Play something by Gareth Gates" yet, when asked, was unable to name a single track by him!. Hmmmm.

 

Often you'll get the 18 year old "trying to be menacing in front of my mates" have-a-go weirdo asking for something that has at least 20 "F words" in the first chorus and being disappointed when it gets overlooked on the playlist. One thing about tradesman that Dan has overlooked when comparing trades is that Builders and plumbers don't have a large audience in front of them when they work. Unless of course their ar$e is hanging out and they are working outside a building full of frustrated woman!.

 

Unfortunately, whilst we are still obligated to work in front of Human Beings, and Alcohol is still legal then you are always going to witness the worst side of people. At least, unlike Taxi Drivers, we don't have to swill out our backseats after work on Saturday!.

 

Note also the word Potential before Troublemakers in the above http://www.dj-forum.co.uk/html/emoticons/smile.gif . The difference between being a Potential Troublemaker and an actual troublemaker may be in the balance - depending on your own attitude and reply!. Most troublemakers need an active third party to operate since when left to their own devices they tend to fade away. Often not rising to them or giving them fuel to continue the debate is the best course of action. Age also plays a factor, you may be able to rationalise with a 50 or 60 year old, but your explainations on how a disco is planned are often lost on youth!.

 

I was once taught on a course, that the best way to quell an argument was to agree with everything the other party stated, although even then it sometimes doesn't wash with the most obnoxious of punters. Here is a rough transcript of a conversation I had with one such person, at a Wedding Anniversary:-

 

 

Joe Public:- Take this crap off and play something decent

Me:- Yeah total **** isn't it

Joe:- Huh? *Confused look*

Me:- Yeah, amazing!, at least I have been payed to put up with it, you have to stay here for nothing

Joe:- Then play something decent then!

Me:- Well we have 50 people on the dancefloor, and if I take it off, then I would have 50 people up here complaining, right now I only have you, so out of the two it seems the better option.

Joe:- I don't like this, put something modern on

Me:- not possible at the moment, since the majority of the audience are in their 50's or 60's and wouldn't appreciate it.

Joe:- But I hate 60's

Me:- So do I and given the choice I wouldn't listen to it either, but I'm paid to provide a service and that's what they've requested. I wouldn't play 60's at a function where the audience were your age, so please respect the fact that I have to play to an older audience tonight.

Joe:- Your Crap you are

Me:- Why, because i'm a bad D.J for having a full dancefloor, or just because I won't take the risk at spoiling the evening to please you?

Joe:- You are a **** D.J!

Me:- Well you are entitled to your opinion, however I have a job to do, and have taken this conversation as far as i'm going to, so have a good night!.

 

[C.S 0]

This is a problem that is international and i have found that by telling people politely how long it is untill you are going to play their requests,they are often happy with that." sorry you dont like this sir it was a request and of course i will play your request in about 15 minutes " worked this past weekend.I would also like to say that i turned up at a shop and humiliated the manager loudly in front of a shopfull of customers once after she had been at a gig the night before and was rude about the music! It felt great!!!!!!

[Dj_Kray 0]

Wow some great points i will say i've had most of the above coments said to me before as im sure most of you you all have, my problem and a know its a big fault of mine is i take things personally and ive got quite a short and firey temper. so i do find it very hard to bite my lip or just agree with rude and anoying people but i am working on it!

 

My reacent coments from this friday and you have to consider that my club was at it full capacity of 2400 all night and it was 1 in 1 out from about 10 so i must be doing something right. I was playing some of the latest rnb when

 

Girl. This music is rubish play something decent

me. Ok what do you think deacent music is

girl. not this

me. ok but how do i know what you think decent music is i mean do you like country music as that is not this

girl. no of course not look nobody is dancing (dance floor was totally full)

me. sorry are they all just pretend people dancing on the dance floor

girl. well just play something faster some dance music

 

at this point i just laughed and shook my head as she left

 

later i put on billie jean she came running up saying this is what i want dance! music.

 

Later in the evening i decided to play a little bit of house and trance cue the bedroom djs to come and crowd round the dj booth all muttering to each other on how great they are at mixing and prob how **** i was one of the comments i had where why dont you bang the vinyl out cds are **** (even though i still had vinyl with me and use it a lot ) its more the wispering to each other that bugs me what they dont get is that i have got as far as i have so far by playing to the crowd not just playing a 5 hour set of trance which nobody had never heard of insted i play everything 60s 70s 80s 90s rnb dance rock and i entertain with the mic, yes im sure there are a few people in the crowd that can mix rnb or dance better than me but can they do it all wow sorry turned in to a bit of a rant!!!! http://www.dj-forum.co.uk/html/emoticons/188.gif http://www.dj-forum.co.uk/html/emoticons/1106.gif

 

The thing is if i want to listen to funky house all night i will go to a dedicated club to listen to that. People should expect a mobile dj to play eveything well in a perfect world.

Edited October 6, 2003 by Dj_Kray

[paula 0]

Hmmn I keep re reading this and reareading this, & Ive lost the plot!

 

DAN.

QUOTE

I suppose what I'm saying is that now, if I want to be treated with disrespect - I'd jump of the ladder of progress and start at the bottom again, and take on the chin what one would expect from a very public venue, for peanuts. Fact of life, but in a pub - you're on a level field. But because I now work directly for a 'Private' paying customer - I don't expect abuse, childish remarks or ignorance from the clients guests!!!!!

 

 

This sounds like pub work is the bottom of the ladder, is that what your trying to say?

[ChrisPointon 0]

 

QUOTE

This is a problem that is international and i have found that by telling people politely how long it is untill you are going to play their requests,they are often happy with that.

 

I agree with that sentiment, although my comment above was generally aimed at the request that you wouldn't play at a particular function. For instance Korn or the sex pistols at Gran's 80th! or function where the B&G have specified one genre of music.

 

I prefer to be upfront with guests and simply explain that it wouldn't work at that particular function, or that the client paying the bill had specified one era of music, rather than simply telling them that "I've left it at home", or "It's with the other D.J". Of course there are also the few who can't be rational, and who want their request NOW ("'cos we're going in 5mins")

 

 

 

QUOTE

and a know its a big fault of mine is i take things personally and ive got quite a short and firey temper

 

Kev,

 

I must admit that I used to fall into the same category as you, and I often still feel that red mist start to descend. I used to take some things very personally, still do to some extent, but i've learned to control the feeling, or at least deal with it rationally, rather than simply telling them to, *ahem* get lost!. I find that breathing in and counting to 5 before I rave at them works a treat, this gives me some time to rethink that string of 4 letter words that I would have otherwise treated them to, and be a little more constructive in the way I phrase things.

[Paul Smith 0]

Over the last 2 weekend 'How was it for you' topics many posts have been made about obnoxious punters. There must be something in the water (alcohol I expect).

Just like being a good DJ, dealing with these people properly comes with experience and even then you can't always get it right. There are a number of really good suggestions on here which can be used in different circumstances so just match the response with the punter http://www.dj-forum.co.uk/html/emoticons/biggrin.gif

 

The one point I would like to make is always look at the bigger picture and don't let one idiot put you off the night - there's another 100+ there for you to entertain.

It is hard sometimes not to take comments personally but I now tend to take the view that it's him/her with the problem - not me.

 

Last summer I stepped in for another DJ at the last minute and on arrival at the hotel was immediately set upon (verbally) by the grooms man. His manner was such that after listening to him for a minute I said I'd speak to the groom & walked away. What I didn't expect was the amount of stirring he would do in the next 2 hours until we started. The atmosphere in the room was icy and very anti and I felt like packing up & heading home and probably would have done if I could've got away with it. By the time I did start I was shaking with rage and told the grooms man to just http://www.dj-forum.co.uk/html/emoticons/censored.gif off and come back at the end of the night if he still had a problem (by this stage I'd tried everything else).

 

It was a bit of a dodgy start until I'd calmed down but after that the night went down a storm and was certainly one of my top three weddings for that year. People in the room soon realised that the stirrer was just that and gave me a break which I must admit by this stage was my sole motivation for starting the gig.

 

At the end of the night I approached the grooms man and he just ran off up the stairs to his room http://www.dj-forum.co.uk/html/emoticons/box.gif

 

Another lesson learnt at the open university of the DJ.

 

That was all http://www.dj-forum.co.uk/html/emoticons/offtopic.gif but my weekend was good, no nasty people, an exceptionally nice buffet on Sat and lots of great music (sounds quite boring doesn't it).

 

 

[C.S 0]

Am also more than slightly quick tempered and often take things personaly,perhaps one day we should have a topic for the older djs called "Nasty things i have said and done to my guests!" I have a bookfull and am ashamed but did in fact have an instance this weekend where i just could nt resist the following comment to an obnoxious woman

" eh Dj ,why are you playing this old crap music??"

" I am sorry madam, i saw you were wearing old and crappy clothes and i thought you might appreciate some music that suited you!"

This is NOT a good example to our younger guys but sometimes you just Have to let it out. http://www.dj-forum.co.uk/html/emoticons/wallbash.gif