Archive for October, 2008
‘I Was Like That After My First Pint’ or Stories From The Drunk & Disorderly
Invariably, there’s a bar wherever I turn up to DJ. And where there’s a bar, there’s always someone eager to take advantage of it’s contents. Below are some of the great examples of how not to behave on a night out in front of your family and friends…
- It was a hot night so most of the 20-Somethings took to skinny-dipping in the hotel pool. As if that wasn’t bad enough, they dragged themselves back into the function suite still dripping and semi-naked…a lovely site for Gran and Auntie Beryl I’m sure. And I wasn’t to be left out……shortly before midnight I was hit with a sopping wet pair of boxer shorts thrown from the jubilant revellers.
- A few too many vinos got the better of one particular bride. I thought she seemed a bit vacant when I arrived but I put it down to nerves. By the time the First Dance came around, she was led very slowly to the floor by her new hubby, whereupon she clung on to him for dear life for the duration of the record. By 9.00pm she was back in her room, unconcious on the marital bed and not to rise again until morning…she missed a good party!
- Every DJ has a tale or two about people falling into the equipment, but one young lad was so battered that whilst watching him try to dance and impress the girls, myself and my roadie were in hysterics…. laughing so hard that we didn’t even see him knock the speaker over because we were doubled up.
There are countless more tales I could regale, but most involve drunken people getting aggressive when their request doesn’t get played within five minutes! Oh the joys of being the only sober one in the room……
As one of the foremost Essex mobile disco service providers, I will be reviewing some of the more prestigious and popular wedding venues over the coming months.
Please bear in mind that I’m not commenting on the hotel rooms, the food or the service…it’s purely based upon how the function suites are conducive to a good party atmosphere. There are a number of factors about the lay-out of a venue that can affect the whole ambience of the night, and below are a few pointers from the DJs perspective…
Starting with the Ivy Suite (Ivy Hill), it’s a small L-shaped suite with the bar in a separate room. This always makes life difficult for DJs, but the music (and announcements) are still audible at the bar. The dancing area is small and the DJ position is pretty much pre-determined by the size of the suite, so not much flexibility there. Acoustics are fine as there are lots of soft furnishings and there is currently no working sound limiter although the staff will let you know if you overstep the mark! It’s a good room for older guests who wish to escape the music, whilst the cosy dancing area is big enough to hold around sixty people doing their stuff!
The Margaretting Suite (Ivy Hill) is currently my favourite Essex wedding disco venue. It’s a newly-built long hall with the DJ position at one end and the bar at the other. The DJ can set up right in the middle of the back wall (so no corner problems) and fire his speakers straight down the hall. Acoustics are very good, dance floor is as large as you’d need and there’s even a store cupboard to lob your cases in until the party’s over! Only drawback is the low ceiling (and smoke alarms….there’s a surprise). There is a sound limiter fitted but it isn’t unreasonable. Every party I’ve played in this room has been a success, and I put a lot of that triumph down to the well-thought-out design. Thoroughly recommended.
Furze Hill is another newly refurbished suite, albeit slightly smaller. For DJs, the immediate problem is that the suite is on the first floor, accessed by a metal exterior staircase at the rear. Having overcome that, you are then faced with a small area in which to set up system (in a window bay). It is central to the room, right opposite the bar and creates a decent atmosphere. You don’t need much in the way of hefty sound systems to fill the place with noise, and again the acoustics are fine. All the usual gripes apply such as low ceiling, smoke alarms, etc and there is a restaurant downstairs so you may be asked to tone it down for the early part of the night. A very swish looking venue, and apart from the stairs, a pleasure to work in.
How come I never get to DJ at these weddings?