Big Hotels and Sh!tty Load-ins...

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I don't find it a problem. Sometimes the setups take significantly longer than the shows themselves; there are some venues in which you have to travel a quarter-mile from dock to ballroom, but that's why they invented the wheel.


If you bring anything that you can't move by yourself - and don't bring someone to help you - WTF??

I keep all of my gear and cases to fit within a 30 in. wide door or corridor. Even when the hotels pile stuff up in the corridors the fire codes require that they keep open a 36in. - 42in. wide pathway. You'll often find it marked off on the floor.

If you design your gear to break, move, and strike with the building codes in mind - then you'll have no problem.

I can't remember the last time I had any real issues with hotel and large capacity venues other than the need for additional time or crew.
 
Proformance said:
I don't find it a problem. Sometimes the setups take significantly longer than the shows themselves; there are some venues in which you have to travel a quarter-mile from dock to ballroom, but that's why they invented the wheel.


If you bring anything that you can't move by yourself - and don't bring someone to help you - WTF??

I keep all of my gear and cases to fit within a 30" wide door or corridor. Even when the hotels pile stuff up in the corridors the fire codes require that they keep open a 36in. - 42in. wide pathway. You'll often find it marked off on the floor.

If you design your gear to break, move, and strike with the building codes in mind - then you'll have no problem.

I can't remember the last time I had any real issues with hotel and large capacity venues other than the need for additional time or crew.
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Consider yourself lucky. :)
 
That's why I always use the front door or the closest route to the ballroom, fire code!!!
 
You think that's bad?

There's one venue here that had 35 metal steps with two tight landings to load in from. You had to carry your gear up the steps.

Yes, there was a front entrance but the DJ could not load in from there.

Before the new management and remodeling I worked there only once and then black listed them.

It was a February day and clear when I loaded in. It was difficult but my assistant and I managed.

During the event it rained and the steps iced up. I asked the banquet manager if we could load out through the front because of the ice and he said no. I showed him the ice and he told me that it was my problem, not his. I told him that if he forced this and we got hurt then the law suit would be his problem but that did not sway him.

I pulled the truck around front while my assistant finished tearing down and we loaded out from the front. The banquet manager said that he'd call the police and I told him to go ahead. He told me that I would never work there again and I agreed with him and told him that I would also post that on the website and why.

About two years ago a new owner bought the place. They have since made a DJ/Band entrance in front. I took the black listing off the site and have played there several times since.
 
GoodKnightDJ said:
There's one venue here that had 35 metal steps with two tight landings to load in from. You had to carry your gear up the steps.

Yes, there was a front entrance but the DJ could not load in from there.

Before the new management and remodeling I worked there only once and then black listed them.

It was a February day and clear when I loaded in. It was difficult but my assistant and I managed.

During the event it rained and the steps iced up. I asked the banquet manager if we could load out through the front because of the ice and he said no. I showed him the ice and he told me that it was my problem, not his. I told him that if he forced this and we got hurt then the law suit would be his problem but that did not sway him.

I pulled the truck around front while my assistant finished tearing down and we loaded out from the front. The banquet manager said that he'd call the police and I told him to go ahead. He told me that I would never work there again and I agreed with him and told him that I would also post that on the website and why.

About two years ago a new owner bought the place. They have since made a DJ/Band entrance in front. I took the black listing off the site and have played there several times since.
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Again take control. Something that could be put into your "Ahem" contracts can read like this "Client will ensure that XYZ Venue will have an enuncumbered and hazardous free passage for DJ, from loading area to set up area. In the event that the passageway is encumbered or made hazardous, DJ may elect to immediately cancel event. DJ may not be held liable for any delays caused by venue for access to or obstruction of passageway.
 
ahoustondj said:
Again take control. Something that could be put into your "Ahem" contracts can read like this "Client will ensure that XYZ Venue will have an enuncumbered and hazardous free passage for DJ, from loading area to set up area. In the event that the passageway is encumbered or made hazardous, DJ may elect to immediately cancel event. DJ may not be held liable for any delays caused by venue for access to or obstruction of passageway.
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If you discuss these potential problems with your Client B&G, then they in turn can put it in their contract with the venue. You in turn would not have to hassle with the venue as the heat would be on them. They will be forced to honor the B&G contract with them before they would even make it easy for you. Most venues think that the DJ is being overpaid anyway so they try to treat you like crap!
 
And I thought it was only my wife's family in Mexico that lived in 'La La Land'...

Let's face reality, it really doesn't matter what it says in the contract because what you actually encounter when you get there can be something completely different.

I can lift everything myself but when you've got to get heavy subs up onto a 4 foot high loading dock that has NO stairs or ramp but only iron bars set into the concrete to climb up , come on, that's ridiculous! When I did encounter that, I used the guest elevators from the pay parking underground lot; if the staff would have said something, I'd have told them "Too bad, so sad, now out of my way!" Sure I have a clause relating to all of this in my contract but what are you going to do, not set up for a wedding? Yeah, sure...

As for the pathway code, my widest load is only 24 inches and I have not had enough room to get by on many circumstances; the venue doesn't give a crap. When you're loading out at 1 or 2 in the morning, most of the staff don't speak English and the rest don't care about your problems. What are you going to do, sit there and whine? No, you get your a$$ to work and deal with the matter at hand!

I agree with Ducky that those of you who don't run into these problems should consider yourself lucky. I am a very busy mobile and even when I am familiar with a venue, I often encounter new obstacles. When I do, I refuse to simply wimp out and ruin a bride and groom's big day just because of something that is 'not what it should be' as stated in my contract which is why I have a stellar reputation; I will go above and beyond... The next day, I will open a new thread here and vent...
 
I think I'd like to slap the architect's who design this stuff. Or have them act as a vendor and try to haul in equipment to see what it's like. They might think a little differently when designing buildings...with a vendor friendly attitude.
 
Newer buildings are designed to accomodate vendors, especially so if there is any kind of food and beverage service. These establishments get deliveries every week. If it was a struggle to get in and out, the vendors would rip 'em a new one.

The hotels we've had the pleasure of working in have all the rental areas on the ground floor. There are double doors close to the rental halls around back with ample parking.

It's the older, converted houses that are such a PITA. Many were constructed before there was any semblance of a standardized building code. Old churches, converted buildings that were designed to look like ancient Greek temples with huge flights of stairs, dance halls upstairs, located in downtown where there's no parking etc. These buildings were not designed for loading in and out of equipment on a regular basis. That was not their original purpose. And it's darned nigh impossible to make 'em vendor-friendly.
 
You really wanna piss off the banquet staff and servers at the end of the night after the event? MOVE their crap outta your way and put it in theirs - especially if it's in an access hallway. I've done it several times. Sure, I've been spoken to terseley by them, but I just tell them - Sorry, it's in my way and I've got heavy equipment to move. If they don't want to help move my stuff they either need to get busy and move their stuff outta my way or play roadie for me. It usually shuts them up because they know I'm right.

They wanna play the inconsiderate card? I just turn the tables on them.

I either do that or just tell them - Sorry - No habla espanol.
 
Has anyone ever had staff come up and try to remove the table cloth and skirt, hell even the table while you were packing up your gear?
 
Oh, sure. I used to deal with that all the time, before I started using my own table. I purchased a couple of those light weight white colored tables from Staples a couple years ago and they've been a great investment.

Virtually indestructable and a backsaver compared to those wooden tables we used to use. (which I still have a couple of in the basement that I use for work tables now)
 
Greg,

You want a table get yourself a Massage table, folds in half, adjustable height, weights less than 21 pounds, safely holds 500 pounds, sets up in three seconds flat. you can use it with the padding just make a cover for the whole thing to act as the table cover and skirt. or remove the padded top and replace it with 3/8 plywood and again add cover and skirt.

These thing don't sag, warp or collapse.

But I still use the table a venue supplies if it is already set up when I arrive.
 
Hi Maestro. I know the hotel you are referring to and exactly what you have gone through. Most of the downtown hotels in Vancouver are the same. Two years ago I had a Sunday night convention wind up party on the top floor of one of them. It was a great party (of course it helps when they all have rooms) and ended at 1:00 AM. Security had shut down all of the freight elevators and even the passenger elevator to the top floor and had told me to give them a call when I was ready and they would unlock it. I called them at 1:30 and then sat and waited.......and waited...... and waited. I suspected that something like this might happen so I brought a book with me and I managed to read almost half of it by the time he arrived-at 3:15!!
I got out of the hotel shortly after 4:00 and by the time I got home and packed everything away it was 5:10. I poured myself a large scotch, listened to the birds, watched the sun come up, laughed (what the hell else could I do?) and went to bed.
I wish that I had a solution for you but I don't. I don't like downtown hotel gigs, but If I take any I now add an extra charge-usually about $100-for extra set up and tear down time.
 
Craig Robinson said:
I called them at 1:30 and then sat and waited.......and waited...... and waited. I suspected that something like this might happen so I brought a book with me and I managed to read almost half of it by the time he arrived-at 3:15!!
I got out of the hotel shortly after 4:00 and by the time I got home and packed everything away it was 5:10. I poured myself a large scotch, listened to the birds, watched the sun come up, laughed (what the hell else could I do?) and went to bed.
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I would have called them every 10 minutes and after the third call tell them I am claustrophobic and could freak any time if I am not let out
 
Many of you who are presenting these problems also seem to be presenting a pre-disposition that is anything but "team player." Nearly everything I'm hearing is just minor inconvenience, or congestion in an obviously very busy enviroment.

There's a certain bulldozer mentallity here that says: "I have a job to do" and "this is between me and the bride/groom" - which completely ignores who's turf you're on and who has the ultimate liability for ANY trade or conduct on the premises.

Your contract with the bride and groom has no bearing on the function facility. You can be thrown out and escorted off the premises at any time, I've seen it happen. The facility will have no liability for your obligation to your client. They are not a party to your agreement.

Loading docks are so named because that's where you load in and out. They are built for trucks not SUV's, pickups, or sedans. If you can't lift a subwoofer onto the dock then bring someone to help you. If you don't know the building, it's policies, it's work enviroment, or it's people - then 2 hours before your event is too late to be complaining about it.

Sooner or later everyone will encounter a bulldozer - but I doubt I need to describe for anyone how comical it is too watch two bulldozers run into each other. Especially since the outcome is always pre-determined: the home team always wins.
 
Has anyone ever had staff come up and try to remove the table cloth and skirt, hell even the table while you were packing up your gear?
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Yes, and if the event is over I clear it off and give it to them. I know they want to go home - just like me.
 
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