Dealing with the ultimate sucky song list

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rickryan.com

rickryan.com

Mac Daddy DJ
ODJT Supporter
Dec 9, 2009
20,046
18,426
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Hendersonville, TN
www.rickryan.com
Had one off the hook great last night. Everything worked, energy through the roof. Tonight's adventure begins last week, first time I'd seen any requests from the B&G. Instead of filling out my Online Planner, she sends me a 5-page Word doc. Bunch of prelim dances; mom/grandma, 2 "first dances" (I dunno), mom & dad, etc. Weird, and I predict it's going to feel like forever. Then we get into the requests. First thing off, she says "definitely don't want played"; Baby Got Back, YMCA, Cupid, Dougie, Wobble, Cha Cha Slide, "or any of those group type dance songs". I got on the phone with her and spent about 20 minutes, gently telling her "You can either have your list or you can have a dance party, but you can't have both." (I was diplomatic). She said she understood, wants a dance party and agreed to let me shift several of the "must plays" into the dinner set. Problem is, this is a monumentally-bad list of songs. Worst I've ever seen, no contest. We're talking things like "Angel From Montgomery" Susan Tedeschi, "The Seed" The Roots, "Dudley's Kitchen" The String Cheese Incident, "Got It All" Portugal The Man. I wasn't familiar with about half her selections and took the time to listen and categorize each. She swears that her crowd is not your typical wedding crowd and they won't be requesting the mainstays and I made sure to assure her that I only wanted to please her and try to make as much work as possible. Problem is, I can't say that I see even one single selection that will even remotely work on the drunkest of crowds. Who knows, I might be completely surprised but I'm predicting a train wreck. My question, when posed with a perceived "no win" situation like this, do you just strictly play the list or do you try to sprinkle enough of the list into the middle of stuff that works (of course, avoiding a large portion of your go-to list)?
 
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I do not take wedding gigs "just for the money" Rick.. So i don't know. I hand select my couples that i CHOOSE to work for/with.
Red flags in the initial meeting make for an automatic "you cannot afford me" Or "I'm not the dj for you"


Dont get me wrong, I totally understand how a few of them have flaked out on you after the contract was drawn up, As i've had that happen to me after what i consider careful screening...

Bottom line is i stress myself out way too bad to take just any wedding that pays my price.
 
Rick you have to remember your not there for YOU

you are there for the client and if you dont like what they ask for
then best hang up the headphones and do something else

its plain and simple...


have a nice day
 
Thanks guys. I appreciate the input. The gig just ended. Absolute misery on my part and absolute, through the roof, off the hook energy on the part of the guests. The bride was all smiles and screaming "You're great" about 30 minutes into it. I ran a couple off her list, it dived, then I went to work. Floor was slammed all night. The hard part was I never got to go to any mainstay songs and I had the bride sending her cronies to give me her odd-ball requests. I think, under the circumstances, I knocked it out of the park. Still, I'm just hoping this girl goes away and does not review me. I have no idea which way she'd go with it. BTW, lesson learned on something. Guys, if you don't already do it, keep some plastic drop cloths in your gear. I had to play the entire party with a sheet thrown over my mixer and laptops and got bathed in beer/whiskey more than once. If I hadn't had the plastic in place, I would've lost at least a laptop and probably a mixer. Lesson learned. Oh boy, there goes the limo. Good riddance.
 
rickryan.com said:
Thanks guys. I appreciate the input. The gig just ended. Absolute misery on my part and absolute, through the roof, off the hook energy on the part of the guests. The bride was all smiles and screaming "You're great" about 30 minutes into it. I ran a couple off her list, it dived, then I went to work. Floor was slammed all night. The hard part was I never got to go to any mainstay songs and I had the bride sending her cronies to give me her odd-ball requests. I think, under the circumstances, I knocked it out of the park. Still, I'm just hoping this girl goes away and does not review me. I have no idea which way she'd go with it. BTW, lesson learned on something. Guys, if you don't already do it, keep some plastic drop cloths in your gear. I had to play the entire party with a sheet thrown over my mixer and laptops and got bathed in beer/whiskey more than once. If I hadn't had the plastic in place, I would've lost at least a laptop and probably a mixer. Lesson learned. Oh boy, there goes the limo. Good riddance.
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This is why a Facade instead of a Table Top helps. Racks also makes a difference instead of everything spread out on a table. In the case of a fight, the table can be knocked over and there goes the gear to the floor.
 
ahoustondj said:
This is why a Facade instead of a Table Top helps. Racks also makes a difference instead of everything spread out on a table. In the case of a fight, the table can be knocked over and there goes the gear to the floor.
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Lots of fights at your gigs Canute?
 
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Audio One said:
Lots of fights at your gigs Canute?
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Nope, I have not seen a fight for years. The last one was when I was providing sound for some Hip Hop Productions back in 2010. There were two big Armed Security Guards in front of my booth protecting the equipment.
 
rickryan.com said:
Thanks guys. I appreciate the input. The gig just ended. Absolute misery on my part and absolute, through the roof, off the hook energy on the part of the guests. The bride was all smiles and screaming "You're great" about 30 minutes into it. I ran a couple off her list, it dived, then I went to work. Floor was slammed all night. The hard part was I never got to go to any mainstay songs and I had the bride sending her cronies to give me her odd-ball requests. I think, under the circumstances, I knocked it out of the park. Still, I'm just hoping this girl goes away and does not review me. I have no idea which way she'd go with it. BTW, lesson learned on something. Guys, if you don't already do it, keep some plastic drop cloths in your gear. I had to play the entire party with a sheet thrown over my mixer and laptops and got bathed in beer/whiskey more than once. If I hadn't had the plastic in place, I would've lost at least a laptop and probably a mixer. Lesson learned. Oh boy, there goes the limo. Good riddance.
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Did you make a deal before the event, to be able to bail out of her list if it wasn't working?
Seems to me if you spoke with her after trying some of her songs (at the event)
that you would NOT have her trying to sneak a few requesting in the back door.
And if she agreed that you were right...technically she should give you a good review for saving the day.
(SHOULD is the key word)
 
Ausumm said:
Did you make a deal before the event, to be able to bail out of her list if it wasn't working?
Seems to me if you spoke with her after trying some of her songs (at the event)
that you would NOT have her trying to sneak a few requesting in the back door.
And if she agreed that you were right...technically she should give you a good review for saving the day.
(SHOULD is the key word)
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Mike, in all fairness, she should be kissing my feet, thanking me for saving her event. In addition to the stuff I mentioned, she had NO ambient lights in the tent. I got permission from her mom and used lekos to bounce pattern gobos off the ceiling. It looked gorgeous. There also was a rainstorm that blew up and while all her guests were literally running for the alcohol, I was humping it, putting the sidewalls on the tent (which were suppose to have already been installed), which saved her cake from being soaked and ruined (BTW, it pays to keep nylon rope with you). I also ended up re-setting my 10 uplights 3 different times to accomodate. I will give her props that the stuff she requested off the cuff was better than the list she supplied. She did ask for one that I was hesitant on, "Love, Laugh F@ck" by The Coup. Didn't have a clean version and she was the boss. They were screaming out "F@ck" at the top of their lungs. I also have to admit she nailed it on 3 Paul Simon selections; Graceland, You can Call Me Al, and I can't remember the 3rd. I couldn't believe how great those things felt, pumping through subs. Those are going into my go-to list. There were a few other hassles, but not worth talking about. It really was a shame to walk away from such a great event, pissed and ready to go home. BTW, somehow I messed up on the mileage. I thought it was 80 miles out but instead it was 120, one way. I was nodding off the last hour on the way home. At the end of the day, I'd really be surprised if she didn't ding me on a review. Not sure I'm going to risk asking for one or not.
 
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BTW Mike, yes on the pre-wedding agreement. On my phone consult, I put it to her "Ma'am, I need to get a feel for what's important to you and don't wish to offend. Do you want to have your list played or do you want a dance party? You can have one or the other, but you can't have both." It was touchy (obviously she wanted to DJ by proxy) but she did finally agree with me that her selections would be floor killers and she thought it was more important to have a good dance party. I gave her an incredible dance party and the funny part was her standing outside the tent on pretty much anything that wasn't her selection, all while her friends were screaming and partying like rockstars.
 
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Well guys, wonders never cease. An email from the bride a few minutes ago:

Thank you so much for the fabulous job you that you did for us! We could not have asked for more! There were a few things that were left behind, could you contact my mom & Bret's dad to figure out how you want to handle getting everything back to you.
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The stuff left behind was a speaker stand and a few cables from the Ceremony setup. It was so chaotic and by the time I remembered leaving them I was 60 miles down the road.
 
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rickryan.com said:
Mike, in all fairness, she should be kissing my feet, thanking me for saving her event.
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I agree, and that is what I was thinking...but you've had a decent amount of "non negotiable" brides lately.
I just wanted to be sure you covered your bases. (although I assumed YOU of all people would have)

rickryan.com said:
At the end of the day, I'd really be surprised if she didn't ding me on a review. Not sure I'm going to risk asking for one or not.
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Kinda what I was getting at when I said she "should" give a good review.
It appears that she DID appreciate your honesty, let's hope she appreciates your extra effort with all the other stuff.

p.s.
So when are ya gonna make the 120 mile trip to get your stuff back?
 
Ausumm said:
I agree, and that is what I was thinking...but you've had a decent amount of "non negotiable" brides lately.
I just wanted to be sure you covered your bases. (although I assumed YOU of all people would have)


Kinda what I was getting at when I said she "should" give a good review.
It appears that she DID appreciate your honesty, let's hope she appreciates your extra effort with all the other stuff.

p.s.
So when are ya gonna make the 120 mile trip to get your stuff back?
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I ain't (and that would be 240 miles, round trip, btw). It was a nearly worn out speaker stand, 2 power supplies, and a short extension cord. I gave them an address in case they just want to mail it. I hope I didn't screw up by asking for a review.
 
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rickryan.com said:
I also have to admit she nailed it on 3 Paul Simon selections; Graceland, You can Call Me Al, and I can't remember the 3rd. I couldn't believe how great those things felt, pumping through subs. Those are going into my go-to list.
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A great album and 2 cuts I use often.
 
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