I've just got off of the phone from the Hotel that I'll be at (day and night) for December. Lovely place..and they've booked Disco Dinner Dances every night in December except Sundays, and Disco lunches every Wed, Thur, Fri during December too. Its at times like these that I like my hotel contract policy that all gigs are charged at the same rate, regardless of length - as theres only about 90 minutes of dancing music required at each of the 12 lunchtime do's.

(memo to self: Get more Pro-plus, and some Red Bull to wash it down with).

The other big advantage is that the gear gets set up during the last week of November, and stays up until January 2nd.

Im sure we're all in similar positions, with diaries bulging during that lovely month, however...if somethings going to go wrong...Christmas (only 92 days away) is going to be the worst possible time for something to go wrong...also, its the most likely, since we'll be using our gear more.

So, heres an idea, which I've put into play for more years than I care to remember...and if you're working alot of nights in one venue this December (mobile) its something that you could consider. Its easy.

Ask the venue if you can set up all the gear in their hall/function room on some day which is quiet for them. It might be a wet wednesday, or a dull November sunday etc - eg: A day that they wont be losing any money by lending you the room free.

Two key points to explain: Firstly, mention that its in their own interests, as much as yours, as you would like to use the room to test the gear, to reduce the chances of anything going wrong during any of THEIR christmas gigs. Secondly,
aleviate their remaining fears by pointing out that you wont be running the sound at "full blast", just background levels.

I've done this "Test day" at hotels for several years now, and whats more, one regular hotel even got their visiting qualified electrician to PAT test all my gear "while he was there" The hotel even echo'd back to me that "it was in their own interests".

These days are often great for just getting all those trivial "5 minute" jobs done, that you just dont get a chance to do when you've been given 4 minutes to set up in, eg: during all those lovely weddings over the last few months.

I know instantly that I'll be removing and washing the air filters for the amps, glueing down some of the rhino-hide thats come loose on the sides of the light screens, opening ALL the mains and bulgin (lighting) plugs to check for loose (or loosening) wires/screws, changing bulbs in the light screens, checking the wiring inside the systems flightcase, drilling an extra "height" of holes in the tripod pole, and the odd lick of paint here and there.

I normally take along a couple of mates and set the sound gear up on one side of the room, and the lighting on the other, so that we dont get in each others way.

Also, the background music normally attracts a few of the waitresses, who are happy to swap hot food for requests...

I had also done this for many years, try and pick the Sunday before the first Friday gig then you leave it set up, it is surprising that if you have no pressure of getting the gear up and getting it working by 8pm how easy the job is, I set up and then tape everything, I hide the cables to the speakers on the back of the speaker stands and tape them in place, tidy everything up and do those 2 minute jobs that never get done, well not until next December anyway, check the plugs on everything, rewire things, solder things etc etc, gaffa tape down everything, not only for safety reasons but most of the people who you will be entertaining are from companies, companies that need corporate days and function throughout the following year, so first impression and all of that.

I also did lunchtime gigs a few years ago (my record is 13 discos in 7 days, only one disco on the Sunday !!). Most of the time, the function went something like this,

Booked 12 to 4

12 background music for 2 hours whilst customers eating
2pm Customer finish meal, get up and go back to work, finish 'disco' 2 hoprs early.

Start again at 8.30pm

8.30 - 10.30 Background music
10.30 - 12.30 Disco

so 2 hours of disco, charging for 8 !!

Stand By for some Special XMAS offers brochures (Once i've removed the trade prices off 'em )

Turkey and Tinsels weekend officially started in Torquay yesterday, running through tio the end of February, so 6 months then.

Its great if you can set up... but unfortunately for me, the hotel I resident at is small, which means I have to set up after Dinner in most cases.... how come you guys get all the luck!
Gary, I am surprised that you dont PAT your own gear!

I have just collected my gear from a hotel I have been at every week for the last 7 weeks so last time I moved my gear was months ago.

Will put it up again on November 30th for thier staff party and take it down in January sometime

I use my garage to test & tart up all my gear before the Christmas season starts, which as I not in Torquay is a few weeks away yet. I did try Gary's method a couple of years ago but there's always something needed which is back at the workshop so it either means a trip back or put the job off. The main point is though, this is an important subject that shouldn't be neglected just because the gear is working OK at present. It's also surprising how a lick of paint can give your rig a new fresh look which, as it's not being humped about for a month (sorry Karen) it will retain until the new year.

Why is it you guys get all the luck.. is the hotel I work for the only one that has to use their function suite for conferencing during the day! Boo Hoo....Im gonna move to torquay!!