What are things you dislike about doing an event?

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MIXMASTERMACHOM

DJ Extraordinaire
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Oct 16, 2011
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For me one obvious thing is when the load in is tough. Many years ago got a call to do an event in a very nice venue in Newark. Never been there before. The load in was horrible. We were using double 15's at the time and the room we were doing the event in was on the second floor and you guessed it, no elevator.

I also hate when a client makes last minute changes and you are not given enough time to adjust to the changes.

Also I don't mind getting some requests while working an event. I just hate when they bumbard me with a ton of requests and not allow me to do my job. Yes it's my job to play music but some go over board thinking they know more than you do. Big control freaks. At times when it's someone that keeps bugging me, I wish I could tell them to go sit their bleep down, can't you see I'm trying to work here? I want to tell some of them do I tell you how to cook the food at Burger King? LOL.
 
I dislike when construction causes our load in to take 2 hours, making each of us walk over 3 miles loading in gear (which of course means doing the same again afterwords). Slightly uphill sidewalk loading in gave us a workout.
I dislike when the administration 'forgets' to let us know the dance is starting earlier than contracted....and springs the news on us less than 60 minutes before the new start time (after aforementioned load in).
I dislike when the venue removes the room and all traces of the electrical panel that we have used for power for the last 10 years and 'forgets' to mention that fact.
I dislike packing up in the dark.
[all of the above happened at one event recently]
I dislike after-prom vendors who infringe on our equipment and space for tearing down & loading out....and dislike even more when they start moving my stuff without asking.
 
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For me one obvious thing is when the load in is tough. Many years ago got a call to do an event in a very nice venue in Newark. Never been there before. The load in was horrible. We were using double 15's at the time and the room we were doing the event in was on the second floor and you guessed it, no elevator.
I also hate when a client makes last minute changes and you are not given enough time to adjust to the changes.
Also I don't mind getting some requests while working an event. I just hate when they bumbard me with a ton of requests and not allow me to do my job. Yes it's my job to play music but some go over board thinking they know more than you do. Big control freaks. At times when it's someone that keeps bugging me, I wish I could tell them to go sit their bleep down, can't you see I'm trying to work here? I want to tell some of them do I tell you how to cook the food at Burger King? LOL.

Except for the "load in" complaint, the things you mentioned are all part of the job.
Agreed....they are not the most enjoyable parts of doing a gig...
but even the BEST jobs in the world have elements that suck.

Personally,
I hate when the gig is over, everyone had a great time (including me)...and the client just walks out without saying anything.
I hate gigs where no one dances...regardless of how hard I try. (even if it IS my fault)
I hate gigs where I am paid well in advance. There's a certain satisfaction in coming home after a long day with a check in your hand!
I hate getting a tip for a job that didn't go well, OR not getting a tip when I busted my butt and felt I deserved one. (yeah, that's selfish)

Although...after typing all of that....I think "HATE" is the wrong word.
These are more 'annoyances".
 
Can't say there is really anything I HATE about any of it.....

I don't like outdoor ceremonies when it is in triple digits, much less when they also have the reception outside and it beings at 4 in the afternoon, so we are in the sun during the hottest part of the day....luckily we carry spares and when the laptop overheated we had another running and no one at the event realized it had happened. Had a backup controller brought up as well, just in case it was the controller and not the laptop.

I really dislike being the one to look stupid for someone else's mistake. During a ceremony (luckily after the entrances were played) the mics died during the ceremony itself. No power, scrambled around, found out the caterer was late and plugged all their warmers into the circuit I was using (they were inside, I was outside on the other side of the wall) and turned them all up on high to melt the cheese for the nachos and warm the taco meat. I got 3 50ft extension cords and ran power from the other side of the building....but we were the ones that looked bad because our system was the only one people noticed failing. The wedding planner was LOST and had no clue what to do, so after getting the power back to our gear, I was on the phone with the owner of the venue (met them about 2 months before the event when scoping the place out) and he was there within 10 minutes to unlock the service closet and reset the breakers.
 
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I don't "like" the load in and strike, but I do it because I have to. But when it's done, I like the accomplishment because it allows me to do the things that I do like.

I don't "like" doing like the paperwork, but I do it because I have to. But when it's done, I like the accomplishment because it allows me to do the things that I do like.

I don't "like" making mistakes during live music programming/song selection/announcements, but I have. But I acknowledge them, I learn from them and get better, because it allows me to do the things that I do like.

I don't "like" dealing with selfish attendees or saying no to clients & guests, but I do it when I have to. But when it's in the rear view mirror, I move forward and continue to do the things that I do like.

I don't "like" working with individuals and groups that "just want to get it over with"...so I don't, because I choose not to nor do I have to.

This don't like list could go on but it would eventually have an end.

However, the list of things I do like is infinite and I do it because I can!

Enjoy what you can and are privileged to do and you'll never regret a day in your life.
 
I hate rain and cold weather between April - October. Since that is my Outdoor Movie season any rain and cold forces cancellations & dates to be moved. This is the first I can remember it raining on both the original date and the rain date. That was after the first two events using rain dates. This year was the worse season in a very long time. Usually the weather is pretty cooperative, one year we started the last week in March, the same location in April had crappy cold weather the end April forcing a move to September.
 
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I'm a small multi-op and do as much set up as I can for all my DJ events. Sounds odd, but I actuall like to load in and tear down.

What I don't like, is to given a playlists from clients. What happens when provided a playlist is it makes me feel restricted and limited. To commit to a pre-prepared song assignment is nothing more than ipod. Leaves you with no creativeness, no excitement, lower energy, no real sense of achievement. . Just play these songs, (hate to hear that) is a difficult circumstance.

I prefer to be handed the freedom to work my crowd with my own choices and selections of music and most importantly the sequence of songs. Giving me the incentive to work harder at pleasing the dancing audience. And most often these events are much more successful.

I will go to the extreme to say that I am very good at reading a crowd. And this goes for a teen event or an older generation party.
 
I'm a small multi-op and do as much set up as I can for all my DJ events. Sounds odd, but I actuall like to load in and tear down.

What I don't like, is to given a playlists from clients. What happens when provided a playlist is it makes me feel restricted and limited. To commit to a pre-prepared song assignment is nothing more than ipod. Leaves you with no creativeness, no excitement, lower energy, no real sense of achievement. . Just play these songs, (hate to hear that) is a difficult circumstance.

I prefer to be handed the freedom to work my crowd with my own choices and selections of music and most importantly the sequence of songs. Giving me the incentive to work harder at pleasing the dancing audience. And most often these events are much more successful.

I will go to the extreme to say that I am very good at reading a crowd. And this goes for a teen event or an older generation party.

I’m so rarely given a list of songs TO PLAY, I probably shouldn’t comment, but I was given one ONCE, and it didn’t really bother me much. I kinda took it as a challenge to see how good I could mix those songs to make it interesting. I can’t necessarily make the songs danceable, but I can make a pleasant mix from them (usually).[emoji1]
 
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I'm a small multi-op and do as much set up as I can for all my DJ events. Sounds odd, but I actuall like to load in and tear down.

What I don't like, is to given a playlists from clients. What happens when provided a playlist is it makes me feel restricted and limited. To commit to a pre-prepared song assignment is nothing more than ipod. Leaves you with no creativeness, no excitement, lower energy, no real sense of achievement. . Just play these songs, (hate to hear that) is a difficult circumstance.

I prefer to be handed the freedom to work my crowd with my own choices and selections of music and most importantly the sequence of songs. Giving me the incentive to work harder at pleasing the dancing audience. And most often these events are much more successful.

I will go to the extreme to say that I am very good at reading a crowd. And this goes for a teen event or an older generation party.
I put a like to your post and yet I had an issue with you saying my crowd. When working for a client it's their crowd. They invited the people to their event and not me. My job is to please the client and their guests if I can.

The obvious thing is you want to see a packed dance floor with people going crazy over what you're doing. That's a great thing but that doesn't happen all the time.

I remember Bob Carpenter telling about doing a wedding and it wasn't a dancing crowd. Such things do happen from time to time. If it happens to you more often than not, then it's either to reevaluate how you are doing things or simply quit the business.