djles.co.uk
bigron1 wrote :
There is another aspect to this which is the DJ's support for the venue. DJ soulman does a considerable number of jobs for this venue and the bride and groom are difficult clients. We should feel a responsibility to try to help those venues that offer us long term work. Hence a little "self sacrifice" to aid those who employ us is not out of place.
You got it in one! As resident DJ I do between 80-100 gigs at this Hotel every year. I rarely do gigs elsewhere.
Posted Fri 27 Jul 18 @ 2:38 am
A Man and His Music
I have been watching this, and needed some time to respond. There are two aspects here.
1. I totally agree with Phantom. There is no way this happens to me. I have been using the plumber analogy, for the last 25 years. The previous 25, a client would not dare insult a DJ with such a ludicrous request. My first question is "how did you hear about me". The answer is usually, "I saw you at an affair". I kindly explain to them that what you saw was my experience. There may have been 10 songs that the bride and groom had input, and that included the first dance, parents dance, and any other special occasion song. I am not a jukebox, and if that's what you want, I'm not that guy. Everyone is a DJ, and they all think they know how to do a special occasion. They don't. We do live in a selfish, self centered society. I view a request as a selfish act. They are only thinking about themselves, or worst, think they know what everybody else wants to hear.
I don't do surprises. If grandma has a special request, I know about it the week before (my personal cutoff date) I tell them that we should refrain from any birthday, anniversary, or other special announcements, as it will create a frenzy. If it's grandmas 80th, or something along those lines, that's different. We are not doing little Timmy's graduation, etc. I introduce myself, explain that the bride and groom has instructed me not to take request, now let's get the party started.
The reception is not for the bride and groom, the wedding is. The reception is a party for their family and friends, to help them celebrate their union. AFTER THE FIRST DANCE, THE BRIDE AND GROOM DON'T KNOW WHERE THEY ARE. If they have a favorite song, I will have to announce it, or they won't hear it. They have to meet and greet every table, the photographer is grabbing them for shots, it is a day of chaos. The reason they have pictures and videos is to help them remember, that they spent a year or more planning, $30,000.00 and up, and the DJ is saying "I hope everyone had a great time, and be careful going home".
Now if you are young and just starting out, maybe being a jukebox will work for you. I started at a very different time. I was a star, and was very well respected. Plus, I was one of a handful of guys that could do this. Very competitive, and we did not "network", or get along. I can't tell you how to run your business, you will have to do what puts money in your pocket. I can only tell you how I handle my business.
2. They did not hire Soulman or his company. They hired the venue, and Soulman came with it. So he is in a different situation, and I would have done the same thing he did. Easy party, I know it is not going the way that they planned, so would not sweat it. Accept the tip at the end of the night, and who do we have tomorrow. He will be able to show his skill then, and keep working.
Soulman, glad it worked out, and keep getting paid.
1. I totally agree with Phantom. There is no way this happens to me. I have been using the plumber analogy, for the last 25 years. The previous 25, a client would not dare insult a DJ with such a ludicrous request. My first question is "how did you hear about me". The answer is usually, "I saw you at an affair". I kindly explain to them that what you saw was my experience. There may have been 10 songs that the bride and groom had input, and that included the first dance, parents dance, and any other special occasion song. I am not a jukebox, and if that's what you want, I'm not that guy. Everyone is a DJ, and they all think they know how to do a special occasion. They don't. We do live in a selfish, self centered society. I view a request as a selfish act. They are only thinking about themselves, or worst, think they know what everybody else wants to hear.
I don't do surprises. If grandma has a special request, I know about it the week before (my personal cutoff date) I tell them that we should refrain from any birthday, anniversary, or other special announcements, as it will create a frenzy. If it's grandmas 80th, or something along those lines, that's different. We are not doing little Timmy's graduation, etc. I introduce myself, explain that the bride and groom has instructed me not to take request, now let's get the party started.
The reception is not for the bride and groom, the wedding is. The reception is a party for their family and friends, to help them celebrate their union. AFTER THE FIRST DANCE, THE BRIDE AND GROOM DON'T KNOW WHERE THEY ARE. If they have a favorite song, I will have to announce it, or they won't hear it. They have to meet and greet every table, the photographer is grabbing them for shots, it is a day of chaos. The reason they have pictures and videos is to help them remember, that they spent a year or more planning, $30,000.00 and up, and the DJ is saying "I hope everyone had a great time, and be careful going home".
Now if you are young and just starting out, maybe being a jukebox will work for you. I started at a very different time. I was a star, and was very well respected. Plus, I was one of a handful of guys that could do this. Very competitive, and we did not "network", or get along. I can't tell you how to run your business, you will have to do what puts money in your pocket. I can only tell you how I handle my business.
2. They did not hire Soulman or his company. They hired the venue, and Soulman came with it. So he is in a different situation, and I would have done the same thing he did. Easy party, I know it is not going the way that they planned, so would not sweat it. Accept the tip at the end of the night, and who do we have tomorrow. He will be able to show his skill then, and keep working.
Soulman, glad it worked out, and keep getting paid.
Posted Fri 27 Jul 18 @ 6:04 am
djles.co.uk
A Man and His Music wrote :
2. They did not hire Soulman or his company. They hired the venue, and Soulman came with it. So he is in a different situation, and I would have done the same thing he did. Easy party, I know it is not going the way that they planned, so would not sweat it. Accept the tip at the end of the night, and who do we have tomorrow. He will be able to show his skill then, and keep working.
Soulman, glad it worked out, and keep getting paid.
2. They did not hire Soulman or his company. They hired the venue, and Soulman came with it. So he is in a different situation, and I would have done the same thing he did. Easy party, I know it is not going the way that they planned, so would not sweat it. Accept the tip at the end of the night, and who do we have tomorrow. He will be able to show his skill then, and keep working.
Soulman, glad it worked out, and keep getting paid.
This is more or less correct. I sub contract to my mates DJ company and he in turn sub contracts to the Hotel group (and has been for over 20 years). I do every event at this Hotel I work at hence the 80-100 gigs per year. Also, this was where the Hotel was closed to the public and the wedding party hired the Hotel with our 'exclusive' package.
Another 'exclusive' tonight and tomorrow night, but, without the playlist micro management lol.
P.S. I'm only DJSoulman on here, in the real world I'm DJ Les. You can find me here
Posted Fri 27 Jul 18 @ 10:43 am
yourlive
In my case, I run a mobile dj agency. Our clients hire a complete set with a dj, sound system, dj booth and lights. They don't book a specific dj, most of our clients found us through Google and have never seen any of our dj's before so they don't know what to expect. Most of them even never hired a dj before.
Most clients will just trust our professionalism and let the dj choose the music for the most part (they can always tell us if there's certain music they don't wan't played, en they can also fill in their top 10 requests), but some are just really control freaks ;-)
I also have a few regular clients, they never give any direction because they know I'm good at what I do. But first time clients don't know that, so I can't really blame the control freaks.
Most clients will just trust our professionalism and let the dj choose the music for the most part (they can always tell us if there's certain music they don't wan't played, en they can also fill in their top 10 requests), but some are just really control freaks ;-)
I also have a few regular clients, they never give any direction because they know I'm good at what I do. But first time clients don't know that, so I can't really blame the control freaks.
Posted Fri 27 Jul 18 @ 10:46 am
VDJ Ron
Matching the music to the venue, mood and people is at the heart of our work. It's not just about packing the dance floor since other factors can dominate.
I'm getting ready to start work for a well known US corporation with bars all over the world. They have specified the music genres they want which logically fit into their business plan. As a DJ I look forward to the challenge of coping without many of my trusted floorfillers.
This can be applied to a wedding..just suppose the bride, groom, and family are obsessed with country and line dancing?
I think we need to be flexible and adapt.
I'm getting ready to start work for a well known US corporation with bars all over the world. They have specified the music genres they want which logically fit into their business plan. As a DJ I look forward to the challenge of coping without many of my trusted floorfillers.
This can be applied to a wedding..just suppose the bride, groom, and family are obsessed with country and line dancing?
I think we need to be flexible and adapt.
Posted Sat 28 Jul 18 @ 11:13 am
djles.co.uk
bigron1 wrote :
I think we need to be flexible and adapt.
I think we need to be flexible and adapt.
Ha ha ha, never a truer word said Ron. Tonights wedding was soooooo........ different to any of the 200 weddings I've done in the last 4 years.
The first dance was Oasis - Slide Away followed by some happy hardcore, yes, really!
A-Tension - I saw an Angel
Happy 2B Hardcore - Shooting Star
Nakatomi - Children Of The Night
Qfx - Freedom
.......and so on.
It turned out to be a brilliant night! Even the staff were stunned at what I did lol. The 38 years training in nightclubs helped. :-)
Had to do an encore and the groom turned out to be a brilliant MC rapper. Got loads of compliments afterwards, plus girls asking for selfies with me. Probably the best night in 4 years of working in this Hotel, you can't make this up, it was so unexpected at the start of the night.
At the end of the night, I walked out of there feeling like a top superstar DJ lol.
At home now and still buzzing, pizza and a bottle of red wine to chill out.
Posted Sun 29 Jul 18 @ 2:24 am
locoDog
DJSoulman wrote :
Happy 2B Hardcore - Shooting Star
Nakatomi - Children Of The Night
Qfx - Freedom
Happy 2B Hardcore - Shooting Star
Nakatomi - Children Of The Night
Qfx - Freedom
Classic cheese! Any Scooter? :-)
Posted Sun 29 Jul 18 @ 3:34 am
freppa
I know the feeling Les.
When it feels like there is nothing right from the start, but you go home with that feeling that you and everyone had a great time :)
When it feels like there is nothing right from the start, but you go home with that feeling that you and everyone had a great time :)
Posted Sun 29 Jul 18 @ 5:51 am
djles.co.uk
locodog wrote :
Classic cheese! Any Scooter? :-)
DJSoulman wrote :
Happy 2B Hardcore - Shooting Star
Nakatomi - Children Of The Night
Qfx - Freedom
Happy 2B Hardcore - Shooting Star
Nakatomi - Children Of The Night
Qfx - Freedom
Classic cheese! Any Scooter? :-)
Ha ha ha, yep. Scooter - Back In The UK.
Was on the playlist along with N-Trance, Lock 'n Load, Gigi D'Agostino, Network, Special D, etc.
They were also big fans of Indie, mainly The Courteeners & Oasis.
Was a wild night, a counter balance to the rubbish Thursday night wedding, although, I did get a glowing reference on Trip Advisor for that one.
Posted Sun 29 Jul 18 @ 8:04 am