Fight Breaks Out Towards End Of The Evening!

[aaadisco 0]

Hi Guys,

 

I am not going to name the venue but I was doing a night in a working man's club tonight which was going really well.

 

Then about 11.45 I notice that a fight has kicked off at the back of the venue so I turn the music down, people look and then the fight carries on for a while. Apparantly something to do with a family feud but there was a girl doing a lot of the punching.

 

Anyway, it stopped and started again and I decided to start packing up. The fight then carried on outside.

 

I was wondering whether to call the police but in the end the fight calmed down and we packed up and left. The manager and a few people apologised which was nice at it wasn't their fault.

 

The venue is known for being a bit rough but I have played there twice before and apart from a few rude comments not seen any violence there.

 

Was a bit scary at one point as the bundle came nearer the decks. Have to check if my insurance covers a drunk reveller throwing a chair at my rig :-0

 

Have you had a similar situation and would you have called the police?

 

I guess I was paranoid that if I called the police then people realised I had done it, then it could cause problems for me packing up and leaving.

 

Shame really as it was a great night.

 

Would be interested in any similar experiences and how you dealt with them?

[McCardle 1]

The manager and a few people apologised which was nice at it wasn't their fault.

 

So where was the manager when and during the time that it was 'kicking off' then?. Out of all of the people attending or working in the venue, breaking up fights, evicting trouble makers and the decision on whether to call the police, would surely fall down to him / her?

 

The tricky ones to call are the gigs in halls for private functions where there are no managers or members of staff. Unless it had escalated beyond the usual 'pushy - pushy' and girly hair pulling and there was an immediate danger to life, then I wouldn't be making the call. Venue managers get paid a lot more than I do to make those kinds of decisions.

 

It also depends on the area too. Are you likely to get your tyres slashed or lose work / credibility if word got out that you made the call?

 

Its never nice when anything kicks off though.

Edited June 28, 2009 by McCardle

[Bouncy Dancefloor 0]

itsvery easy to panic

 

venue managers are often vey reluctant to call the police as it counts a strike against them when they need to renew their licence!

[Paul The Party DJ 0]

I would probably done exactly what you did. Back in the day we didn't have mobiles so we couldn't call easily - now we have the option which must be a good thing. However, there is a lot to consider before you call.

The stage of the evening might be relevant - it was late and finishing wasn't going to upset people as much as it would if you closed down at 9:45.

The number of people involved and the reaction of the other guests.

Ultimately it's a gut feeling - if you feel it's right to call then you will call.

Fights, although terrifying at the time, are frequently over very quickly.

Very hot nights and lots of drink are not a good combination.

As they used to say on Hill Street Blues ... "Let's be careful out there".

Cheers

Paul the Party DJ

[dh140770 0]

Last weekend a table went over and there was glass everywhere so we were asked to stop the music so they could clear up and calm everyone down. This was more high 'spirits' than anger.

 

It's been a long time since I've experienced a fight but there was one place a number of years ago where it was regular and the agreement was to stop the music and the landlord would deal with it (or let them get on with it).

 

Last week the first reaction was to protect the gear from the revellers and I would always take this approach. A few times I have had to reach over the decks and push people away. I have no quarms about doing it if are getting too close. I'll also mention something over the mic in a friendly jokey way, so that the more sober ones can guide their mates somewhere more appropriate .... it usually works.

 

To be honest, I don't get a lot of trouble, which is surprising given I try and really get them going with the tunes especially the youngsters.

[Norfolk DJ 0]

 

 

make sure that your contract covers you for both the ability to cease playing due to aggression/voilence or damage to your gear, either way you will be covered if some idiot starts something.

[Dream Catchers 0]

I very rarely see trouble these days.

 

The way that it was dealt with in pubs when I used to do them was cut the music, the bar staff would then put all the lights on and the landlord or bouncers would kick the trouble makers out.

 

Jim

[David M 0]

Hi,

I had a wedding in Bethnall green in the east end of london earlier in the year,

Pukka east enders, even a pearly king and queen in the guest list,

everything was going well with loads of chas and dave and cheesy action songs ( yes i know it's awfull music ),

i was due to finish at 2 am,

but at about 11.45pm a massive fight kicked off ( right in the middle of mc hammer cant touch this by coincidence)

apparently someone called the bride a fat edit or something like that, in her size 28 wedding dress and a few months pregnant, she was actually a realy nice lady and made shure that i got fed and watered.

so tables and chairs were being slung at everyone, one hit my speaker stand knocking it over, so i killed the power to lighting and sound ( immediate near blackout ) and people started heading for the exit door where the lights were still on, the fight carried on outside the doors were locked by the venue staff leaving a few inside and the fight outside it was finally broken up by the arrival of several police cars and vans,

who arrested several guests including the groom,

i was asked to finish up by the staff,

the bride was so apologetic and insisted i got paid the full ammount and compensation for the damage to the speaker and stand, without me even having to ask.

later the venue staff said i was lucky as the family's are known to use firearms, and control most of the criminal activity in the eastend,

not a wedding to forget quickly,

david

 

9) Do not substitute letters within vulgar/obscene/forbidden words with punctuation marks or other symbols. Some Internet Service Providers (ISPs) parental software controls and School or Company networks still recognise many of the disguised words and may block access to the forum from their networks.

 

Edited June 28, 2009 by Dream Catchers

[Dukesy 0]

Hi Guys,

 

I am not going to name the venue but I was doing a night in a working man's club tonight which was going really well.

 

Then about 11.45 I notice that a fight has kicked off at the back of the venue so I turn the music down, people look and then the fight carries on for a while. Apparantly something to do with a family feud but there was a girl doing a lot of the punching.

 

Anyway, it stopped and started again and I decided to start packing up. The fight then carried on outside.

 

I was wondering whether to call the police but in the end the fight calmed down and we packed up and left. The manager and a few people apologised which was nice at it wasn't their fault.

 

The venue is known for being a bit rough but I have played there twice before and apart from a few rude comments not seen any violence there.

 

Was a bit scary at one point as the bundle came nearer the decks. Have to check if my insurance covers a drunk reveller throwing a chair at my rig :-0

 

Have you had a similar situation and would you have called the police?

 

I guess I was paranoid that if I called the police then people realised I had done it, then it could cause problems for me packing up and leaving.

 

Shame really as it was a great night.

 

Would be interested in any similar experiences and how you dealt with them?

 

Working Men's Clubs are supposedly 'safe family orientated environments'. Full-Members need only follow the club rules and they (and their family) can benefit from club privileges, as well as being able to sign-in at other clubs which offer subsidised beer, entertainment, facilities, etc.

 

Supposedly, the 'club committee' or more often the case, a member of the committee acts 'on duty' for featured entertainment nights, essentially overseeing that members are happy, enjoying themselves and not breeching the rules / dealing with club related issues, etc.

 

IMO, there are many negative issues that outweigh the positive aspects of the 'modern' WMC; the problem with 'internal policing' is that no one (committee wise) really wants to step up to the mantle / put them selves out because inevitably, they will be the only ones left doing it and are not built like brick :crap: houses when dealing with member indiscretions or incidents.

 

Many clubs that have gone over to door entry systems / CCTV have done away with doormen and leave the entry 'buzzer' to the bar staff who are either too busy serving rather than 'policing' who enters the club, or can't be bothered and just let anyone in (the upshot of which can greatly help the till in these hard times.)

 

By and large, club featured entertainment is booked up in advance. When the 'club' is being represented elsewhere on a featured entertainment night, i.e. the games section are out playing pool or darts tournaments, bowls, etc, usually there is no one 'on duty' in the club to police members, invariably leaving the bar staff who are basically employed to serve, not to 'police' or supervise the drinkers.

Likewise, entertainers are not employed to police or babysit the drinkers, and do so entirely at their own risk.

 

Of course, not all WMC are the same and sadly, just like the pubs, many are folding up.

 

Entertainment in any venue can be great…. but you never know when it is going to kick off!

Example - read here.

 

Bum nights are most definitely in the minority, so just keep an open mind and put it down to experience. :yes:

[McCardle 1]

and the landlord or bouncers would kick the trouble makers out

 

In the good old days this was always the most effective. I was brought up on an estate where landlords were known for their lack of tolerance for troublemakers and respected because of it. Occasionally some of these characters were feared just as much as the bouncers they employed and carried just as many battle scars.

 

Trouble is nowadays, is that some managers are about 19 years old, fresh out of University with their hospitality degrees and have little idea of what awaits them and what can errupt. Thanks to the doo-gooders, the process of dealing with troublemakers is to pull out the manual, find the relevant chapter then put the kettle on and try and reason with the troublemaker(s) over tea and digestives. Intervening and chucking people out of firedoors before an isolated incident escalates to a riot is no longer politically correct, after all, there is no space for it in the risk assessment

Edited July 1, 2009 by McCardle