Anyone familiar with a venue called the Letchworth Hall Hotel in Letchworth, Hertfordshire? Apparently they have a "Minstrels Gallery" and because of space issues they have the DJ setup in this gallery, which is above the dancefloor.

The client who sent me the enquiry asked me if this was normal as she was concerned that it would be a bit strange if the DJ was above all of the guests and I replied that it certainly wasn't normal and that it could well have an effect on the atmosphere because it would make it extremely difficult for me to interact with any of the guests or take requests etc. She agreed and asked the venue if it was possible to have me located on the same level as all the guests. She said the hotel reacted in a very surprised manner as if they'd never been asked that before! They have a resident DJ who has no problem with this arrangement... (I wonder whether he has any choice ).

I would guess that hardly any mobile DJs would like to be setup way above the crowd but I thought I'd start this poll just to confirm if my hunch is correct.
I once worked in a club for a few months in a similar situation. The DJ box was 30 foot above the audience. It was a nightmare, I had virtually no interaction at all with the crowd while I was working, as far as them asking requests etc.

I've got a gig nearby on saturday week so I'm gonna check out the venue then.

theres a National Trust place near basingstoke who also like the DJ to setup upstairs above the dance floor.

Im doing a wedding there later this year and I visted to let them know I would not be using the upstairs area...

bride and groom were also a little suprised to be show a disco upstairs and the dance floor down stairs...

It does work in some clubs with nice installs of lighting and sound but not with a mobile disco rig....

Certainly for all the types of functions I do, weddings, birthdays etc, this would not suit me at all.

I like to be able to walk out into the audience and talk to them face to face.

I found even working on a 4 foot high stage makes a difference.

The only advantage I could foresee, is if trouble were to break out, at least you and you're equipment are well out of reach.

I'd do the gig from there if I had too, but far too isolated for me as a preference.... might be a fine arrangement for those DJ's who are know by their surnames only and stand there mid-mix with their arms out as if they'd been hung up to dry, but those are the sorts of DJ's who have already worked out the tunes that "their" audience will be subjected to that night, weeks in advance - so zero audience interaction would probably suit them.

Mind you, being in a minstral box 30ft about the crowd would certainly stop the problem of people leaving their drinks and burning cigarettes balanced on your speakers and lights while they danced - (except for those in platform soles).

One of the hall I use has a gallery. I have never used it I alway plump for the ground level even though if I did use the gallery I would be able to use the effect lighting etc. It's just no fun up there
Anne

Agree - fine for a club where you're just gonna do your own thing and don't need to connect on a one on one level - but for a mobile gig (especially a wedding) no way

As Eskie said I also doubt the resident has any choice.

Good for you guys sticking to your guns (and probably backing up the client too), Some venues can be very dictatorial (sp?) which is strange when they're being paid by the person they're dictating to

Vinnie

I've never really worked in a venue where I've had the opportunity, although I did work once in a venue in Lancashire which was laid out like a country and western club and had a purpose built 'barn' above the dancefloor, although I didn't bother because both the floor and 'ladder' upto it looked non to clever for heavy gear

I went yes, as there wasn't a "don't mind" option. I do a lot of work for Farnham Castle, and I use the Minstals Gallery there with no major problems at all. People can still come up with requests, I've got more space to play with, and I can see the whole hall, not just the bit in front of me.

Where there is a stage, I try not to use that, so a definite no to a gallery. I would not turn down a gig for this reason though!

I prefer to be in a position where I can see the entire dancefloor. I don't like being stuck way out of the way, but I don't like actually being on the dancefloor (or at the edge of the dancefloor), because it makes it difficult to see the whole dancefloor and more difficult to read the crowd.

One place I used to play, the DJ box was a good 15 foot above the dancefloor and that felt too remote. It was difficult to get good interaction with the crowd. I'm playing there again next month and now they've moved the DJ to a stage at the front. You've still got the elevation that lets you see the whole floor, but you're also much closer to the audience and they can still come up for requests.

Working on a 'gallery' as a mobile is a bit different to when i worked the clubs years ago. I personally don't like it.

The last gallery i worked on was at Cooling Castle barn, Cooling, kent.
The guests could traverse the stair case for requests but the stair case looked well dodgy when idiots tried to pass one another......
Not my bag.

But I agree that you can see everything.....but it's not being 'part of the occasion' in my book - however, other venues and gallery height/access/layout will be different - and so might my opinion.

set up a couple of times in a gallery and it was horrible, i took requests on my mobile as there was no access so take lots of slips if you do dj from the gallery, just an afterthought is there a fire exit on the gallery apart from jumping onto the dancefloor ect you could always mention risk assesments ect

Did the last two sunday weddings in one of those.
Never again. On both occasions the gallery was low ceilinged (about 5'8") so had to stoop all night, poorly ventilated (in this weather!!), the roof leaked, and guest unknowinly put chairs against the door so trapping me in.
NEVER again!!

My son had his wedding there last year, (I didn't do disco) the Gallery is extremely small ( if you havent seen it) and obviously involves taking the kit upstairs.

You certainly wont need a lot of kit ........ In fact the gallery is that small I would refuse to do it. as my speakers wouldn't fit on them I would be inclined to call it a balcony rather than gallery.

There is always the potential to put spaekers underneath but you obviously then couln't see them.

The reason the disco goes there is cos they normally cram the room with tables which leaves virtually no room for a disco.

Nice hotel tho.

Eskie

i used to do a lot at letchworth hall, being up on the gallery isn't the best place in the world. The stairs are narrow and access is via the kitchen. I used to put the speakers on the ground and then just use a couple of moon flower effects to light the room.

Saying that i had some good nights there. Although if its a warm day it gets very hot.

Rgds

Rich

I did Farnham castle, there's plenty of room in the main room to be with the crowd. I was forced at another venue to be upstairs in a barn overlooking the dancefloor (I think it was called Swallows oast in Ticehurst), and that was really annoying.

Hi

I've done a couple of Weddings in gallery spaces...

To be honest, although i voted "no" I had no problems re connecting with the audience.

In the first instance, I set the speakers up at either end of the dancefloor and kep my eyes open, or should I say the roadie did.

The second time was at Sulgrave manor, which has a very nice big gallery space, however we couldn't use the base bins which made it difficult to get the sound we wanted.

You just have to change the way you interact with the audience, lots more mic work, the odd jest about being scared of heights and stage diving etc.

We also had fun chucking inflatable snakes, guitars etc from 20ft above the dancefloor.

Darren

No. In fact I'd contemplate refusing the function, even at my price. I am the MC (Toastmaster) at roughly 50% of weddings I entertain and there are a lot of things I do that involve the guests and bridal party which simply couldn't happen if I was set up on a different level. They might as well hire someone who just plays music and makes announcements and save the couple of hundred pounds difference.

One of the reasons I have a rig that is so compact is that I don't have to be put where other DJs have to go, because I can set up nearly anywhere!

sometimes when i do cheese i like to get out in the crowd to get them going so being close even on a stage is ok for me

I did a wedding at Swallows Oast last night Brian, I set most of the lighting up on the gallery but the sound and me on the floor by the window - there's plenty of room I am suprised they made you go up there. Getting access to the gallery isn't much fun either. At least the sound limiter in the place doesn't seem to do anything - the orange beacon was lit up most of the night and nothing tripped out!

Jon.

no

I dont mind and i am sure Esk you will interact and work well from the gallery. Lately I have been doing a bit of experimenting at weddings by not using a mic but turning down the music ,leaving the consul and getting amongst the people for various activities and it really has worked well. Why not talk to the crowd from the floor before going up into the gallery, I am sure they will find creative ways to get requests to you eg paper darts etc. Take a fishing rod with a small basket on the end and lower it to the floor to get requests ! Get creative !

It's not quite as easy as that. There are several interactive things I do that require me to stop the music, alter the volume or start a new track before the completion of the previous track. Although it's possible to get a remote control system (X-Keys) operating OtsDJ, it's not a solution that I see as viable. I think hiding the DJ away and therefore removing him (or her) from the crowd is a sad commentary of how these venues have come to view us as a profession and we've only got ourselves to blame for that.

Luckily we do have to ability as a united group of professionals to show these places that the ghastly DJs of old are not the only option they have available now.

I must admit i dont feel ghastly I think professionalism in our business includes an ability to adapt to any gig,locality,problem and still do the job. I dont think the days have arrived where we can stamp our foot and say "if things arent done my way then i wont perform" if we do that then we will run out of customers quite quickly and have lost track of what we really are. Just my 3p !

Well said Richard, couldn't agree more, besides the issue here isn't just about whether the DJ should accept being put up in the clouds whether he likes it or not, it's equally about whether clients should accept being dictated to by venues about what they can and can't have and then having to pay a fortune for it!
It was my client who raised these concerns in the first place as she was concerned it might effect the atmosphere. On speaking with the wedding co-ordinator of the venue it seems that a compromise will probably be reached and that I will be on the same level as the guests, but that I'll reduce the amount of equipment that I'll take. By not bringing my starcloth booth that will reduce the amount of space I need considerably.
As mentioned before; no one has thrown any hysterics here; so far all discussions have been carried out very amicably and I will be checking out the venue this saturday.

Good points coming out of this thread and of course richard and tony are absolutely right in what they are saying.To bring us a little further ,i would like to ask where you guys feel the limit goes on what you can demand\request of a gig , venue, customer ?