Check out this one then...pdf list

I'd do it!!

Sounds like fun.

Did two last year that only wanted Disco & Heavy Metal, wierd combination but it worked (full floor all night both nights)

They were both for aquaintances of mine (living in the same area), although given the playlists similarities didn't know each other

I'd like more gigs like these & Brian's

Should keep you busy Brian

No wonder you want a roadie.......

Looks like fun - Perfect Day is a good one for the first dance.

Did they choose from a list you gave them or is this all their own work?

Cheers,

Jack.

It is all their own work.

So glad thats your play list and not mine !!!
so much for dropping all those big Miami tunes !!!
see if you can mix Mr Flugel into any of those, should wake them up a bit !!

Haven't we covered all the ground that can be covered with playlists?

This one looks to me like a nightmare. I dislike functions where I am told "Must play" and would feel uncomfortable in putting my name to this show. The guests will not neccesarily know that you have not selected the music.

Time and time again people see me do a wedding or whatever, say "what a great night, can we book you for our party" and then send lists through which totally change the show you did when they saw you in the first place.

I have every track that they want playing, just dont feel they are appropriate for a wedding party. Ask their grandparents, aunts and uncles if they like the music.

Fair play, it's their day. I have 5x A4 sheets for this Saturday night myself, some common tunes, but a whole sheet of Indie/rock tunes which I am sure will get very little or no dancefloor reaction. Many of the tracks are album tracks that will be supplied by the B&G. (Probably on a copied disc!!!)

I wonder if a B&G would book a band and then tell them what to sing?

I dont mind half a dozen or so requests, but lists??? No!!

OK Rant over, sorry folks, Its just that I,for one,have had it with lists!

I am expecting a "Winge" comment again, but its how I bl**dy feel. Sorry!

Theres 140 minutes of "Must haves" there (2 hrs, 20mins)

And 104 minutes of "Would likes" (1 hr, 44mins)

So, thats 4 hours of the night gone.

My primary concern would be that theres only about a dozen songs on there that I'd expect to have any dancefloor appeal - and only a few more besides with top-tapping appeal.

Best of luck!

phew thats gotta be one of the worst lists i have ever seen !
good luck !

good luck, glad im not doing that one.

actually their is some gudens on their but i would definatly play these sparingly as virtually the lot doest really go together

Wow! I think you might be in for an education there. Sometimes I get some ideas from odd requests that see some previously unplayed tracks go onto my 'high-rotate' list for a while. It sure helps keep me humble when I see a list like that and I don't know a good handful of tracks at all.

I didnt honestly think it was that bad.

Yep - and whilst mentioning bands - without the likes of which, we would be nothing!

Ditto the above too!

Ok Steve, I accept your points.

In regard to an average wedding reception ( note i say AVERAGE) there will usually be a mix of people from all sorts of backgrounds, all ages and all attitudes. Each one of those people at that function are potentially a customer for you to attract.

Now whilst I acknowledge that the B&G at the party are your current client and deserve 110% from you, surely you would want everyone to be impressed by the performance you give at this function.

My take on these lists, which are occuring more and more, is that we are being told exactly how to do our jobs.

Whilst I fully acknowledge that we are there to play reasonable requests should they be appropriate, too many B&Gs are trying to adopt the attitude of "Its my party, you will play what I WANT". To me this shows a disrespect of their guests.

At many functions the B&G are too busy socialising to dance all night anyhow.

Imagine that Aunty Flo is looking for a mobile DJ to perform at her forthcoming Silver Wedding party and thinks " I won't book one today, I'm going to Sandra's wedding on Saturday, I will see who she uses".

During that night, you play the stuff that is on Brian's ( or the one I have) which is , you have to admit, not run of the mill party music. (2x Primal Scream, 4x Stone Roses, 3x Underworld etc) Your Name is blazen across the front of the show. Aunty Flo looks and thinks " I cant imagine my friends dancing to this....etc" do you really think you are going to get the future booking?

Nor me.

Dont get me wrong, I have virtually all the tunes listed on there, with the exception of the Underworld stuff, but I dont think that the majority of venues I perform at would want these tracks. Pubs,Yes, 5 star hotels and Golf Clubs, No!

As for your comments about some only wanting to perform in nightclubs, I strongly disagree, having done the nightclub circuit for well over fifteen years I can safely say that Mobiles are where I want to be. Of course we find out what the age ranges are likely to be BEFORE the function, doesn't every body??

What I was trying to put over to all was that why, oh why, when someone has seen you work and been pleased with that, do they subsequently book you and then insist on you playing a completely different set to the one they have seen and been pleased with??

Perhaps they are booking some of us just because it sounded good and the flashing lights were pretty........Lovely. I'll take that night off please.

I am sure that we all take requests, but 5xA4 sheets................please!

NEWSFLASH #2! Ok, did the gig and I can safely say it was one of the best gigs this year. I had all the tunes except one, BPM'd all the tracks and listed them in order. Then I went to work, making sure I didn't vary the tempo too much for the night.

I was not familiar with some of them, but it was really interesting to hear some new-to-me music. I started at 10:30pm, finished at 12:30, the floor was packed all night except for when I played The Beloved- Outerspace girl, the floor half cleared. Obviously, I didn't manage to play all the tunes on the list, but covered all genres. There were no requests from anyone during the night, I added a couple of tracks of my choice to the set.

When I prepared for this gig, I had comprehensive contact with my customer. He made me aware that this list was compiled with the help of many friends who love this kind of music who would also be there, so I was confident that this would be an easy night despite your perceptions that it could be a nightmare because of the lack of cheese on the list. What surprised me was how many guests came up to me at the end saying how much they enjoyed the night, and how pleased they were not subjected to a 'stereotypical mobile DJ'

Incidentally, I realise this is a niche market, but it does pay very well (£350 for 2 hrs on a Sunday) Maybe I should not share my trade secrets hmmm..... We can all do cheese very easily, don't you get bored just doing that though?

The morale of the story is open your minds I think.

Yep - several times recently I received requests that I just could
not believe - didnt want to play - put them on and found I was
wrong and they went really well.

Dont do weddings though,

I'm glad it went well Brian - my personal opinion is that people who have thought through what music they want are going to enjoy themselves more when they hear it. As I've said before, it's the ones who say "oh, just play whatever you like" who usually complain because what they had in mind was not what I had in mind.

I know none of us wants to be a "human jukebox" but a decent list doesn't mean that. A list of suggestions (even if they are expressed as "must plays") lets us get a really good feel for what the client wants, and I have to say I prefer that, even though others differ.

Cheers,

Jack.

I personally have no problems with punters offering track lists, I allways tell them I'll take it as a recommended list, but reserve the right to change bits if the majority of guests don't seem to appreciate the music.

The two things that do get me annoyed are:

the DO NOT PLAY list - usually stuff that's guarenteed to fill the floor.

the PLAY IT NOW!!! I'm the Bride request, usually things like Perfect Gentleman - Wycleff, for her and 3 mates, who are going clubbing in a minute anyway, and wipes the 50 odd people of the floor who are enjoying the 60's-70's bit.