Pionara
Hey folks.
I've just come back from a gig...and I quite honestly think it might well have been one of my worst gigs in 3 years of DJ'ing. Don't get me wrong, the people were nice enough, but it seemed that no matter what I did I just couldn't move them...with the exception of a few lucky guesses..and going out with a mic into the crowd.
It was an engagement party. Relatively young crowd. I started off with a few of the classics to get the crowd warmed up, but soon found that no matter what I did, it became increasingly hard to keep them there.
I did try to play for them. You know how you get that break with a certain type of music, then you go to stick on another similar style of track and it all goes 'pete tong'? Well, that happened to me on more than one occasion...much more...:o(
I'm sure you'll all agree it's a bit of an ego bashing when this happens...so my question to you guys is:
How do you read your crowds?
How do you keep them going?
What do you do if you realise your plan of action isn't working?
I often think that people believe us dj's to be mind readers as well as musical maestros. We clearly aren't mind readers and so to those who say "can you play some better music?" or words to that effect, when I say "what would you like?" and they say "i don't know", well how are we supposed to know?
I've always believed that you can't judge how good a dj is by how they cope when it's going good, only by how well they cope when it's going badly. I still stick to this statement, but for the love of god...give us a clue!!!
A very disheartened DJ.
P
Hey...my 600th post...(",)
I've just come back from a gig...and I quite honestly think it might well have been one of my worst gigs in 3 years of DJ'ing. Don't get me wrong, the people were nice enough, but it seemed that no matter what I did I just couldn't move them...with the exception of a few lucky guesses..and going out with a mic into the crowd.
It was an engagement party. Relatively young crowd. I started off with a few of the classics to get the crowd warmed up, but soon found that no matter what I did, it became increasingly hard to keep them there.
I did try to play for them. You know how you get that break with a certain type of music, then you go to stick on another similar style of track and it all goes 'pete tong'? Well, that happened to me on more than one occasion...much more...:o(
I'm sure you'll all agree it's a bit of an ego bashing when this happens...so my question to you guys is:
How do you read your crowds?
How do you keep them going?
What do you do if you realise your plan of action isn't working?
I often think that people believe us dj's to be mind readers as well as musical maestros. We clearly aren't mind readers and so to those who say "can you play some better music?" or words to that effect, when I say "what would you like?" and they say "i don't know", well how are we supposed to know?
I've always believed that you can't judge how good a dj is by how they cope when it's going good, only by how well they cope when it's going badly. I still stick to this statement, but for the love of god...give us a clue!!!
A very disheartened DJ.
P
Hey...my 600th post...(",)
Posté Sat 17 Mar 07 @ 3:45 am
Rune (DJ-In-Norway)
Dont let a bad gig bring you down, that just happens every now and then ;)
If you have a bad day, or if the crowd is really weird ..
I usually use the first hours to check the crowd, music wise, to find out what kind of music goes well...
Do they digg house, dance, urban, reggaton, classics, pop .. I use the first hours to get a reading.
Then later in gig, I tend to play at least 3-4 songs that are similar, if a song hits the spot.
And even though 99% of the gigs go well, there will always be the odd gig where nothing seem to work.
It depends on the guests as much as the dj. If there isn't a genuine party mood, and they are groups that wants to chat more than dance, its hard to keep the dancefloor packed:)
At the end of the day, those nights that arent 100% dancefloor filler, are actually better bar days (more buys at the bar), so the manager probably dont mind it being semi-full dancefloor
Cheer up, next gig will be massive;)
Posté Sat 17 Mar 07 @ 3:56 am
andytaylor125
Hey Pionara,
Like Norway said, definitely don't worry about it.
If you've tried different types of music, and said that you can take requests, then there's not alot more you can do.
Engagement parties are notorious for being a washout, because everybody's saving the partying for the wedding day. :)
My only tip for this kind of gig would be keep the music upbeat but in the background at the start of the night (while everybody's chatting). Good chance there to experiment with the music; see what gets peoples toes tapping, head nodding, etc.
Then once people have eaten (if there's food) you can try and get people up and dancing for the last hour or two. Obviously, if it's got going before then, you're laughing, but especially small events can just be dull if nobody's in the mood to dance.
I'm sure the next one will turn out better, sounds like you're doing the right thing anyway, and the most important thing is that you actually care whether you've done a good job or not.
:)
Like Norway said, definitely don't worry about it.
If you've tried different types of music, and said that you can take requests, then there's not alot more you can do.
Engagement parties are notorious for being a washout, because everybody's saving the partying for the wedding day. :)
My only tip for this kind of gig would be keep the music upbeat but in the background at the start of the night (while everybody's chatting). Good chance there to experiment with the music; see what gets peoples toes tapping, head nodding, etc.
Then once people have eaten (if there's food) you can try and get people up and dancing for the last hour or two. Obviously, if it's got going before then, you're laughing, but especially small events can just be dull if nobody's in the mood to dance.
I'm sure the next one will turn out better, sounds like you're doing the right thing anyway, and the most important thing is that you actually care whether you've done a good job or not.
:)
Posté Sat 17 Mar 07 @ 4:28 am
Pionara
Cheers guys. You know how it is with these things...:o|
Posté Sat 17 Mar 07 @ 4:42 am
DJ Marcel_1
Actually I had a odd night sort the same there, pionara. Thursday night.
The Club was moderately busy (for thursday) so only about 100-175 people in the place (capacity 500)
and they seemed to avoid the dance floor like the black death. No matter what style of music I played,
Top 40, hip hop, reggea, reggeaton, dance, rock, metal, even country they would not hit the floor.
Oddly enough they were "Dancing in the Isles" the girls looked like they were doing sexy little lap dances for they're guys. It wasn't just one or two couples - it was every girl in the bar (seemed) like they were in their own little world. The fact there was a dance floor there didn't matter.
I'm just getting home from work tonight - (Friday) We were packed to the roof, very similar to the slideshow I've posted on youtube and in my blog.
Fun night - I darnk a lot of beer.
John Sleeman - you brew good beer.
The three John 's Of beer.
John Molson
John Labatts
John Sleeman.
Tonight Mr Sleeman was my freind - tomorrow when the hangover kicks in I'll curse his very Existance.
The Club was moderately busy (for thursday) so only about 100-175 people in the place (capacity 500)
and they seemed to avoid the dance floor like the black death. No matter what style of music I played,
Top 40, hip hop, reggea, reggeaton, dance, rock, metal, even country they would not hit the floor.
Oddly enough they were "Dancing in the Isles" the girls looked like they were doing sexy little lap dances for they're guys. It wasn't just one or two couples - it was every girl in the bar (seemed) like they were in their own little world. The fact there was a dance floor there didn't matter.
I'm just getting home from work tonight - (Friday) We were packed to the roof, very similar to the slideshow I've posted on youtube and in my blog.
Fun night - I darnk a lot of beer.
John Sleeman - you brew good beer.
The three John 's Of beer.
John Molson
John Labatts
John Sleeman.
Tonight Mr Sleeman was my freind - tomorrow when the hangover kicks in I'll curse his very Existance.
Posté Sat 17 Mar 07 @ 12:26 pm
bagpuss
Pionara, Did you ask the organiser over the phone what sort of music they wanted? (very important), I'd never go to a gig "not knowing" something as important as this. Although I'm quite diverse and can please for minority groups (of music fans), i.e South American Dance, I would fall flat on my face if I did a gig for hundreds of Indians, assuming they wanted Indian music, or if someone wanted Heavy Rock all night. So if you forgot to ask this, and on the night they wanted what you haven't got..then it was a failure..But from what I can grasp this wasn't the case.
If they told you they wanted the usual thing, Top 40 Hits, Pop, Rock, R'n'B and a bit of Dance, then it sounds like you did your job, you can never 'force' a night as they say.
People thing that DJ'ing is all about getting people to dance, but often it's not, a hard one to grasp for some, but often the DJs music is to the back and not the front of the night. Imagine being a DJ in a wine bar where people aren't getting exceptionally drunk and there is no dance floor, it's a whole new challenge for people who usually rely on the pussycat Dolls to fill a floor.
Sounds like you did a good job and came out it as a better DJ, as your concerned about your customers and not just the paycheck, just don't see it as an ego bashing, as I said, different strokes for different folks.
If they told you they wanted the usual thing, Top 40 Hits, Pop, Rock, R'n'B and a bit of Dance, then it sounds like you did your job, you can never 'force' a night as they say.
People thing that DJ'ing is all about getting people to dance, but often it's not, a hard one to grasp for some, but often the DJs music is to the back and not the front of the night. Imagine being a DJ in a wine bar where people aren't getting exceptionally drunk and there is no dance floor, it's a whole new challenge for people who usually rely on the pussycat Dolls to fill a floor.
Sounds like you did a good job and came out it as a better DJ, as your concerned about your customers and not just the paycheck, just don't see it as an ego bashing, as I said, different strokes for different folks.
Posté Sat 17 Mar 07 @ 1:11 pm
the day of the week and the time can be a factor.....fridays can be tough sometimes......also youth being wasted on the young , a young crowd sometimes just sits on it's hands as if there was an infinite supply of weekends
i figure everybody only has a supply of about 4000 weekends b4 they shuffle off...... so personally i like to pretend like weekends are great and not to be wasted
i figure everybody only has a supply of about 4000 weekends b4 they shuffle off...... so personally i like to pretend like weekends are great and not to be wasted
Posté Sat 17 Mar 07 @ 1:41 pm
shooter6
Hey - this stuff does happen. There have been a couple private gigs in my history where I just had no energy, no crowd response to anything... but at the end of the night I get a ton of complements about how great the music selection is. Turns out, some crowds just don't dance but still want to hear the music. Doesn't mean they aren't having a good time - They are there to visit with their friends, drink heavily, etc. I still ended up with referrals and excellent ratings after those events.
My philosophy - I can't MAKE a crowd dance with great music and mic skills... I can only make them NOT dance by being terrible. I play every show like the crowd is up and moving. Even if the event starts off slow, I still leave them wanting more by the end.
And besides, if we don't get an occasional kick in the ego, it could grow out of control ;-)
My philosophy - I can't MAKE a crowd dance with great music and mic skills... I can only make them NOT dance by being terrible. I play every show like the crowd is up and moving. Even if the event starts off slow, I still leave them wanting more by the end.
And besides, if we don't get an occasional kick in the ego, it could grow out of control ;-)
Posté Sat 17 Mar 07 @ 4:49 pm
Pionara
Nice one guys, thanks for the thoughts.
My boss phoned me today (still a week to go before I buy him out completely) and I told him all about it. He knows the girl who was having the party and he's honest enough to pass me any feedback, so I'm sure I'll hear about her thoughts on the matter. I'll keep you posted...(",)
Incidentally, I was doing a karaoke tonight. Just a pub gig, and it was really quiet, so I was playing around with some tunes and stuff. Anyway, as I said, was really quiet. I wasn't expecting a huge crowd as they've only just resurrected the whole karaoke scene in this bar. There was only about 20 or so people there but they had a great time!!!
I wasn't 'treating' it as a 'disco' as such, just a karaoke, where you would expect to have more singing than dancing, but by the end of the night, everyone commented on how they enjoyed the night and the tunes i was spinning.
I suppose every gig is different, and it's just a case of taking the rough with the smooth.
Spin and be happy...whatever the night holds for you. At the end of the day, I'm there to do a job. And in every job, there are good shifts and bad shifts. As is life.
Cheers...and keep spinnin'...(",)
P
My boss phoned me today (still a week to go before I buy him out completely) and I told him all about it. He knows the girl who was having the party and he's honest enough to pass me any feedback, so I'm sure I'll hear about her thoughts on the matter. I'll keep you posted...(",)
Incidentally, I was doing a karaoke tonight. Just a pub gig, and it was really quiet, so I was playing around with some tunes and stuff. Anyway, as I said, was really quiet. I wasn't expecting a huge crowd as they've only just resurrected the whole karaoke scene in this bar. There was only about 20 or so people there but they had a great time!!!
I wasn't 'treating' it as a 'disco' as such, just a karaoke, where you would expect to have more singing than dancing, but by the end of the night, everyone commented on how they enjoyed the night and the tunes i was spinning.
I suppose every gig is different, and it's just a case of taking the rough with the smooth.
Spin and be happy...whatever the night holds for you. At the end of the day, I'm there to do a job. And in every job, there are good shifts and bad shifts. As is life.
Cheers...and keep spinnin'...(",)
P
Posté Sun 18 Mar 07 @ 3:48 am
Steve Lynch
dude, I've had a couple back to back weddings where nobody responded to anything at all....
sometimes it happens.. but when it happens twice at back to back gigs, you start questioning your skills as a DJ... but then it goes great at the next one, you totally rock their faces, and you're like "phwew! still Got It!"
sometimes it's even too easy!
hell this st.patty's weekend, I could have played belgian mountain goat herder folk music, and people would have danced.... it was so fun....
so don't let the couple of lame gigs get you down... you can't force people to loosen up and dance...
-Steve
sometimes it happens.. but when it happens twice at back to back gigs, you start questioning your skills as a DJ... but then it goes great at the next one, you totally rock their faces, and you're like "phwew! still Got It!"
sometimes it's even too easy!
hell this st.patty's weekend, I could have played belgian mountain goat herder folk music, and people would have danced.... it was so fun....
so don't let the couple of lame gigs get you down... you can't force people to loosen up and dance...
-Steve
Posté Sun 18 Mar 07 @ 10:46 pm