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Sujet: Sweet 16... and I'm nervous as H*LL

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I have a Sweet 16 party tonight and I'm little on the anxious side. The playlist consist of hip hop, reggaeton, northern mexico flavor mixed with a little of everything. I'm nervous because I don't specialize in reggaeton and mexican style. I will do just fine if they don't ask for specific songs because I wont have it most likely. I took the job almost a year ago but the playlist details didn't surface until about 3 months ago. I've search the music forum which helped a great deal.

I figure if I play these songs 5 min for every 1/2 hour it should work just don't request. It's an 8:00 - 11:30 with small interuption inbetween. I had a friend make a mix cd that I marked with cue points for spacific rhythm. When I was finalizing things I found out that there is a dinner from 6-8. Now I have to get there before 5:00 to set. I don't like walking in during dinner for set. It just looks bad and is very akward.

This feeling takes me back to when I first started djing weddings, you know the feeling of no matter how much you prepare- the back of your mind starts thinking of the unknown or the " plan b ".

I did set the tone that I would start shutting it down around 11:00 to get people prepared to leave and help with the clean-up. I'm heading to guitar center to buy a base unit.

This party can and may land me for other MC/Dj jobs... Mom has a title and connections
 
Posté Sat 28 Mar 09 @ 11:51 am
Relax and take a deep breath Fat, I'm sure you will do just fine. Keep your wits about you, 15-16 year olds can test your patients, (trust me on this, my oldest is 15) but for the most part they just want to have fun. Do the J-O-B, like you always do, and everything will turn out just fine. Good luck my friend....
 
exactly fat just do your normal job.if you werent capable they would not have booked you.at theese parties lots of speeches and crap so when thats happening or at the start ask the bday person for fav songs and ur good to go.this is y i ask for playlist when i get booked so i have the songs maybe a hint for future gigs good luck and enjoy
 
FatZ, I'm sorry to be the one to tell you the truth while others like "Teary" try and give you a false sense of confidence. Shame on your Teary!

Be prepared for the kids to be there with their camera phones ready to capture any blunder you might make which will be posted on UTUBE long before you get home.

Sorry, but I call it as I see it.

See you on the tube!

~R~
 
As long as you have the material you are safe.
If you are not sure what to play study the requests for sure hits that are clean.
Sweet 16's are usually kind of "popy" in the music sence as there are parents around and its gotta be clean.
Don't let them talk you into something you are not sure about in the content regard, even suggestive is out.

Listen to the local kids station to see what is being played, that is what they are going to want to hear.

If you are nervous it will show like a yellow hardhat.
We are all scared shitless until the music starts, so get used to it and get the music up and running.
Avoid alcohol so you are on your game if you do drink. Too relaxed = Problems.
 
Hi mate

Having just done party for 11 to 15yr olds at the American International School here in sunny Jeddah (Saudi Arabia). If you can, get hold of a couple of different phone audio cables you may well find that the kids phones are all loaded up with the music they want you to play.
Its not elegant but if a kid requests something you dont have and he/she has it on their phone or Ipod you can offer to play the track from their phone into your mixer. They will drive you nuts if you cant play what they want.

Daz
 
elvis crespo , selena

if you are in or near a big city see what the mexican pseudo mtv channel plays
 
Dazmax wrote :


Its not elegant but if a kid requests something you dont have and he/she has it on their phone or Ipod you can offer to play the track from their phone into your mixer.


Not a bad idea, but make sure you ask if it is the "Clean" version. Sample it if you can understand spanish or can at least recognize bad words. Although Hip Hop and reggaeton are known for bad words, Spanish music "northern Mexico [Norteño, etc]" has begun to push the envelope.

This being said, I agree with some of the guys; 15-16 yo tend to lean to the Pop songs that are the most popular.

Cumbia, Hip Hop, Reggaeton, & Norteño, although completely different styles can be about the same BPM range (with some exceptions, of course), so mixing in and out can often be quick and easy in case you play something that is not working.

Good luck.
 
Well, I figured I give everyone the scoop of the event. For starters, The contract has the incorrect address. So I ended up driving around for an hour. I couldn't find an internet wifi for anything. I found out that the street split up in 3 seperate parts for about 6-7 miles and wouldn't you know it was on the opposite side of where I was. I couldn't get a hold of the hostess to get better directions. I got there in time for setup. The setup was a breeze except two of my lights blew bulbs during testing so I had to find the local DJ shop because I used the spares in another set.

Now, I get back to location 15 min before start and find out the bday girl wanted to wait for her BFF. So ended up playing random music to keep the atmosphere upbeat. After 15 min I said what the heck and started the party up. I eventually got the OK and did the mother / daughter dance as instructed.

I followed plans as discussed but none of the bday girls friends would dance just the older family. I did the group dancing and had to pull teeth to get her friends out. The girls friends started to fade out even with all the request which was more for listening. I figure I put some old stuff on to get the older people on the floor. The bday girl eventually just gave up on her friends and started texting and walking around. The mother said to keep doing what I was doing.

The end result was 1 1/2 hours in almost none of the bday girls friends remained and my biggest fear of playing latin music turned out to my biggest saviour. I never played so much latin music in my life trying to cater to the rest of the party. Sometimes I had no idea as to what was being requested but I drew from the dance style already on the floor and lucked out. By the end of what was a very long night. About half a dozen people asked for my info including the facility.

I felt really bad for the the bday girl and I sometimes got down on myself but if people don't give you something to work with. What else can be done.
 
I've only played one Sweet 16 but got much the same result at the start, the kids rarely dance to the songs they request. As the evening went on I started getting requests from the parents and other older guests and that's when the party really started. After an hour and a half things kind of moved to more of a wedding reception type set of standards and the party was on, and oddly enough, the kids started dancing too. Turned out to be a good time. The kids don't realize that the music they cruise and bob their heads to is not always a floor filler. That's why the DJ makes the big bucks.
Glad it worked out for ya.
 


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