Taso I was talking about a private event. Trust me the event I mentioned turned into a mess because it was the wrong music at the wrong time. Nobody could hear themselves talk while talking the time to eat. This was a retirement celebration. So the proper mix would have been music for the older people attending the event as well. This was a private event and not at a club. That's what the client had in mind once she got there. Her idea didn't work nor did it fit the type of event it was.
There were people way past 50 who attended the event. No disrespect to the older people. They would have liked some music to make them feel a part of the event as well.
I went to a surprise 50th birthday celebration and the DJ that did the event had some nice music to play but didn't know when to play what. The event was 5 hours. From 8PM to 1AM. He didn't know that in the beginning you play stuff that the older people will enjoy and some getting up to dance. Later on you can get into some other music that will have people up dancing.
My thing with that one is I figure you're not going to keep people in their mid 50's on up there till 1AM. So make them happy first and then move on to the younger people attending the event. I know if I was the DJ for that event I would have wowed the crowd out. At least the gear he used was very good.
So lets start from the top....
- Nobody could hear themselves talk = DJ's fault. Just cause you're playing house music doesn't mean volume control goes out the window. There are many weddings where I play deep house and vocal house during cocktail hour and dinner. No one said it had to be played at louder volumes.
- I do weddings all the time with guests aged 2 to 92... I play house music and hip hop etc... again people don't leave because of the music.
- I do many weddings where the client doesn't want older music at all, despite there being many older guests. I do as the couple wishes and only play current music... guess what, if done properly with the right enthusiasm and the right approach and the right volume control throughout the night, don't be surprised if grandma and grandpa are dancing. No one said it's a rule that old people only dance to older music. Yes... it's suggested but definitely not the rule.
- My wedding had NOTHING before the late 90's early 2000's... yet all of our relatives were dancing all night.
- I think your personal beliefs/assumptions and personal preferences are blinding you from the fact that you just didn't know how to accommodate the situation.