Setting Up Early & Leaving Your Gear

[Norfolk DJ 0]

 

I have 5 marquee functions booked this year. The clients have requested that I set up early say by 3.00pm, but don't need my services until say 9.00pm.

 

One of the functions is 60 miles away so I will still and hang about for that time.

 

The others are more local and I could go home for 3 hours, but as it's a marquee for some reason I am less inclined to leave the equipment than say a hotel.

 

Comments?

 

 

[DJTREV 0]

I have 5 marquee functions booked this year. The clients have requested that I set up early say by 3.00pm, but don't need my services until say 9.00pm.

 

One of the functions is 60 miles away so I will still and hang about for that time.

 

The others are more local and I could go home for 3 hours, but as it's a marquee for some reason I am less inclined to leave the equipment than say a hotel.

 

Comments?

 

Why?

Why cant you set up your rig and take your cd's and LT with you later.

There is no need to leave the marquee until the party arrive so the gear will be safe then.I hardly think anything will go missing while they are there.

Or are you worried about someone getting injured and being the first one on the forum to have a massive claim against you :ads:

 

[Norfolk DJ 0]

Why?

Why cant you set up your rig and take your cd's and LT with you later.

There is no need to leave the marquee until the party arrive so the gear will be safe then.I hardly think anything will go missing while they are there.

Or are you worried about someone getting injured and being the first one on the forum to have a massive claim against you :ads:

 

Uneven floors, make equipment less safe. I suppose the lack of hotel staff makes less supervision of out of control kids an issue. Just feel less comfortable about it. Think i will stay.

 

[UKHero 0]

Uneven floors, make equipment less safe. I suppose the lack of hotel staff makes less supervision of out of control kids an issue. Just feel less comfortable about it. Think i will stay.

 

I understand you might feel a Marquee might be less secure than say a hotel but its not... A guy I know set up at a hotel and went home.... Came back both his speakers had been stolen...

 

I also quite a few years back set up at a local hotel and when I returned a member of the audience had turned on my equipment and was providing a disco, with out my permission (this was in the days of CD players back in the early 90's). I threaterned the guy with trespass as he did not have permission to use my equipment. I also wonder what would have been the out come if I had got there and my amp or a speaker was blown would he have admitted it to me?

 

I hate the disrespect some people show to us and our equipment... You would not just take a punters car for a spin because he left the keys on the table would you?

 

 

Nik

[Norfolk DJ 0]

I understand you might feel a Marquee might be less secure than say a hotel but its not... A guy I know set up at a hotel and went home.... Came back both his speakers had been stolen...

 

I also quite a few years back set up at a local hotel and when I returned a member of the audience had turned on my equipment and was providing a disco, with out my permission (this was in the days of CD players back in the early 90's). I threaterned the guy with trespass as he did not have permission to use my equipment. I also wonder what would have been the out come if I had got there and my amp or a speaker was blown would he have admitted it to me?

 

I hate the disrespect some people show to us and our equipment... You would not just take a punters car for a spin because he left the keys on the table would you?

Nik

 

The residence hotel run is an old favourite. Always took, my Denon, Mackies and CD's home each night.

 

[Dream Catchers 0]

I'm wondering whether the kit would be insured?

My policy states :-

When insured equipment is in premises open to the public and is not being used or attended, it must be locked in a separate and secure area not accessible by anyone except you, and must be secured by a five-lever lock to BS3261. Any security systems must be put into full effective protection.

I know the marquee isn't really open to the public, but I bet the insurance company will class the guests as public.

Looking through my policy they do not define "public".

 

Jim

[Norfolk DJ 0]

 

I agree with you Jim, there would be insurance issues here, and I also doubt whether you would be covered by theft and possibly PIL issues here, as possibly you could be regarded as being negligent by leaving potentialy dangerous electrical equipment unattended.

 

Interesting point.

[Dukesy 0]

I wouldn't leave the equipment set-up on its own for hours on end for similar reasons mentioned. Standing time is a condition of my service hire. If the client is uninterested in my T&Cs, they can always book someone else. smile icon

 

If you need a comprehensive insurance quote? Contact Hencilla and speak to Mark Hopkinson, Tel: 020 8686 5050 and quote "DJ Associates". DJ@ members need only quote their association membership number.

 

[BigBen 0]

I wouldn't leave the equipment set-up on its own for hours on end for similar reasons mentioned. Standing time is a condition of my service hire. If the client is uninterested in my T&Cs, they can always book someone else.

Ditto.

 

I've had people use my gear when I wasn't there in both hotel and marquee venues. Nothing was broken or stolen; I just didn't like it. I never left CD's, laptops or microphones and removed as many power cables as was sensible. I also put a cover over everything and tied/weighted it down. I even tried to pile chairs all around it, too.

 

When things reached this point I decided to withdraw the option of early set-up unless they were willing to pay for me to sit around with it. Unless you are happy for someone to touch your stuff, maybe adjust all your settings, unplug a lead or two, damage or steal something then I'd never leave it set-up.

[danger mouse 0]

you could always take a photo of the gear just in case something goes missing let the organiser know about it, i know theres not much you can do but adds bit more pressure for them to keep an extra eye on yr gear ( and take the fuse out of yr amp plug ( 1 min job) ,

[Norfolk DJ 0]

 

Agreed. Never leave your kit unless you really have to and then make sure it is safe and incapable of being used by some idiot. Best practice to is remove main extension cable and cover up gear.

[Raymilkybarkid 0]

Under the terms of our insurance we have to have the equipment attended at all times, we usually leave a roadie at the venue to mind the equipment.

 

Many years ago we had a theft from a hotel at christmas where we had the disco set up for the 26 party nights, we lost the decks they were removed from the flight case which was locked and chained to the deck stand, our insurers did pay up on this occasion as they were locked and chained.

[Bouncy Dancefloor 0]

charge extra for the early setup

 

whether you feel this needs to cover you babysitting the equipment or just to cover the travelling etc + a surcharge for the risk

[DJ Sacha 0]

Yes I've come across this with my band/DJ setup i.e. we need you to be setup and out of the venue by 3pm. Trouble is that I don't think our MU insurance covers us for gear left unattended. In the event I have always stayed behind to keep an eye on stuff!

 

In fact last night we gigged in Bristol and were required to be setup before 6pm which we were. We all stayed and everyone but me retired to the hotel room. I walked out of the venue to have a smoke only to come back and find some kid beating the hell out my drums with the stupid parent stood their laughing?? I soon ejected the oink - in the most diplomatic fashion of course!

 

It's a risk, but not one I feel that is worth taking.

[BigBen 0]

I walked out of the venue to have a smoke only to come back and find some kid beating the hell out my drums with the stupid parent stood their laughing?? I soon ejected the oink - in the most diplomatic fashion of course!

As a drummer, too, I used to give my kit some serious abuse but the second anyone played it uninvited I'd go ballistic! It's daft, they couldn't hit the skins half as hard as I did but it just infuriated me.

 

On an aside...I was once invited to play someone else's kit - a 16 year old girls!! - and I broke her bass drum skin the night before a big gig! She was in a band called The Tommys playing thrash rock/punk. Supported +44 on their European tour! It's about my only claim to fame!

[Dream Catchers 0]

It's about my only claim to fame!

They need to be famous for you to have a claim to fame :bouncy::hide:

 

Jim

Edited May 5, 2009 by Dream Catchers

[BigBen 0]

They need to be famous for you to have a claim to fame :bouncy::hide:

 

Jim

Hey! Liv Tyler once kissed me and I could be the drummer (sampled) on White Towns "Your Woman".

 

Beat That! :joe:

[DJTREV 0]

Agreed. Never leave your kit unless you really have to and then make sure it is safe and incapable of being used by some idiot. Best practice to is remove main extension cable and cover up gear.

 

I realise that this subject is now open for discussion but you have just answered the question you posed in the first case.

 

[TonyB 0]

I have left my kit set up a few times and gone home. Usually in venues where I know the staff and are pretty confident that they keep an eye on it. If I worry about it then I don't leave it unattended.

 

I don't leave laptop, CD's, mics or anything else small enough to be easily removed. My mixer/decks flight case is lockable so I lock it up.

 

 

[Steve_Mitchell 0]

I would only leave my gear unattended in a venue were I play often and know the staff.

[dj_dex 0]

I would only leave my gear unattended in a venue were I play often and know the staff.

 

Gotta agree! - I only ever set up early if the venue/room is going to be locked or I know the place well. Usually set up the rig & lights, keep the mics, tunes and amp till kick off.