After spending a lot of money on my various shows over the years and upgrading equipmet, I think I have my show just how I like it. I have always thought some discos look untidy and have tried making my setup to look as neat as possible as we do a lot of corporate ant top hotel work.

I have a nice fibre optic front, overhead light show on truss with moving heads and scans. All the cables are very neat etc... The customer cannot see any cable from front apart from dmx link leads to each head.

Settting up a disco today (Saturday 4th) for a 40th birthday. Once all set up and tested what did the client say? "Don't all discos look untidy until its dark and they are running".

I really cant think what else I could do to make my show any more presentable.

I really find some customers coments annoying and also amusing.

What do they expect? What is a neat disco that is not untidy?

The only thing about setting up your disco early is that people 'see' it, and MOST discos are in fact just a couple of speakers and some black boxes hanging from some metalwork, it is not until it is dark that the black boxes come into thier own and you can't see the metalwork. I know that MY equipments looks rather dull in the daytime but changes at night, so I know what your punter meant, even if it was directed incorrectly.

Don't forget that the average punter has never done a disco, so they only judge by what they see, and can be less than tactful in their descriptions. You could always offer to "tidy" it for them by unplugging everything, then give them an option of an "untidy" disco with music or a lovely quiet neat one! - give them the choice, it is their night after all! .

After all, Disco equipment is meant to be functional and effective, it's not meant for viewing on the mantlepiece.

Velcro is one answer.

Most fabric shops (most!!! they're almost as rare as Vinyl shops ) will sell various types of Velcro.

I use the type that has the "hooks" on one side of it, and the "eyes" on the other - that way, it sticks to itself. It cost me £1 per metre, which I cut into 8 inch strips, and use it as 100% reusable cable ties - tying cables to gantrys, cables to upright poles, cables to hanging brackets, waitresses to table legs...... (shhhh!)

Available in either White or Black (the Velcro, not the waitresses), I chose White as it was going "against" silver/grey poles.

You can "JUST" see the velcro ties in the photo of my set up, which is on the firum somewhere still, I believe.

I decided that it was about time I did the annual tart up of my equipment - then thought to myself... hold on! I would like one of those nice little numark mixer/cd thingamybobs! So what I have decided to do is to get my everso willing hubby to buy me one, then I will design a "box" on wheels to house the comtraption - incorporating my amp etc..... Hopefully, the idea is that I wheel the kit in.... open out the box which will also act as the frontage, and should look very nice indeed! Especially if I get one of those limelight signs that I can just hook on too! Del is going to love me - Ill be keeping him busy!

I think the problem may just be this certain customer!!! She must have phoned me once a night for the last week in regard to various questions with her gig. You know the sort I mean!!

Well I am suprised. A couple of lads done the gig last night for me. It turned out to be a really good gig. They event got a cash bonus each from the client and a case of beer each to take home.

Was quite suprised as I was judging it would be a bad gig due the the various phone calls and they way the client was. Live and learn!!

LOL,

Don't you will make me paranoid!

Customer was probably just nervous! bonus? then she was happy,with the djs and with you helping her! Dont worry about the scotsman, Rangers lost this weekend!

I agree with the thread of the topic, no matter what you try and do, your setup is quite untidy. Everything is hard wearing materials, black and menacing! That is the way it is! In daylight certainly my setup doesn't look pretty, no matter what you do to it. However it is never meant to be seen this way. Night time is a different story!
Ever seen a stage close up under flouresent working lights? Really Nasty!!! However in the audience with full stage lighting............Magical!

How many of you guys use the floursecent lighting?

Try not to use flourescent lighting.. just in case I have a white bra under a black top!
I wouldnt be worrying about what your set up looks like either.. so long as it is safe! Which reminds me... the DJ in the other room at the venue I worked on Saturday (lightbox city roadshow!) sent his roadies in to take photos on their phones of my show....... Best bit was that I had only put in a couple of twister 4s and a chaos... small room and given the fact that it was an 80th etc etc.... Anyway... While I was packed up and loaded.. him and his three roadies were still doing leads!... He had put so much gear into the room he was doing it was ridiculous... and I found out that he was charging £25 less than I was too! Moral of this storey - No matter how many lights you cram into one room it aint gonna make you a better dj.... - and his punters comments on the way out....... "crap dj" (before any of you say how do you know they werent talking about you! - I only had 30 at my gig and given the fact that they were on the floor the whole time I played, I got quite friendly with them, and knew that the ones commenting were not from my gig!)

I've started using my colour changers set to their "white" and dimmed to about 75%. This removes the dazzling white from the halogen lamp, and gives it a more warm incandescent glow . This is usually enough light in an average room for the arrival of guests / buffet and preferable to bright fluorescent lighting!. One can also be used to hightlight "features" such as a cake at a wedding or a wall of photo's at a Birthday.