This is a long one you have been warned:
First Corporate 175 people:
Last night we had our second corporate in 24 hours. Thursday night I was vomiting with the flu and a fever. So this weekend was looming. I can say that it had the feeling of a giant in front of me if you have ever had to work while being really really sick. This was my first time and I pray my last on this night I felt like I had been run over by a steam roller but the vomiting had stopped thank God. Friday's event was outside 40 degree's in a tent connected to a very nice restaurant. I really could not complain first 2 hours on our end we just played crooner type dinner music only 2 people in the tent because of the cold. The tent did have a heater it did not work very well. In our area it did not work at all. I could see in the restaurant that dinner was winding down and I knew that from this point they would either talk a little bit and go home or come out and dance. Because I'm not one to just put everything in the hands of fate.
I went to the folks that hired us (The head of a radiology group) and let them know my concerns and told them I would be going around to each table and letting them know about open dancing soon and also let them know we will be taking requests. They loved the idea so I did my thing. Fast forward about 20 minutes later. I got about 75 of those people outside of there own free will. And they had a great time dancing to all the best cheese my funky little mind could come up with. Nothing like watching medical people and doctors doing the robot and kung fu fighting. Clients were very happy assured us we would be back next year and gave us a 100 dollar tip. The only real problem I had at this event was one drunk man who was fairly annoying and kept leaning on my facade and when he almost brought it down after a warning.
He literally ran off like I had kicked him in the nuts. That and a some what attactive woman about 30 kept dancing like 3 feet from my Bose and kept turning to me giving me the "Yea your the man" finger point and doing the slither like a snake aren't I sexy dance while looking right at me. To say this felt odd was an understatement. My wife kept laughing next to me say "what ever"
She also was a problem for my Bose. But I'm pretty quick to come around and keep people off my stick. :sqerr: The head Doctor of this group (Read here the person that hired us) actually was petting my Bose and saying how much he loved them.
Corporate event (2) 425 people:
Ok this was my big boy for the year. As some of you know for my day time job. I work for a multi billion dollar corporation. It is divided into 3 groups. I work for the largest group. The smallest group which is actually quite large is the one we were doing the event for. Now this was the second year in a row we got this event and the third time we have worked for them (we also did there picnic). Now understand this event is very elegant and you will find people there that make millions and people that get paid 20 dollars and hour. Furs and Jackets if you will. I really had to walk away from this event wondering how in the world i get these events and a call back. Here is what I like about this one. Its classy, it pays well and I get to play dress up.
Here is what I don't like about this event. By the time the people that have worked on this event are there. They are done. Details are mininal because they litterally don't know till the last minute. Is there going to be an intro or a speaker? They don't know and most of the other details where changing on the fly. This was driving the catering manager to the point of turning Blue. On my end It did make it a little harder because I like to do a great job. I can be on the fly but my comfort zone is to have a clue. Ok they want an intro for the CEO, no problem I had prepared one just in case. Hey the great part here is I did find out how to get great feed back out of my Bose. Here are the ingredients, just put two microphones near each other both turned up well and stand in front of your Bose
.
This will give you instant fun and that great cheesy DJ sound that you hear in all your favorite movies. Ok lets fast forward a little we get through all the stuff and the give aways and the look of lost what am I doing executives. They finally turn the event over to me for the DJ portion (read open dancing portion). I have everyone thank there exec team give them a huge round of applause. And open the dance floor. After about 30 minutes of open dancing. I'm watching people leave in droves. Now dancing for this first 30 minutes was ok nothing to write home about but ok. Ok at this point I'm looking at my wife thinking well what are doing wrong here. Let's go through the list.
1. I know when I'm mixing well and we where mixing well.
2. We had let people know we where taking requests and if they wanted to hear something to come up and let us know.
3. The dance floor had about 50 people on it. Top 100 at the most during the night, and they where the dancers.
About 5 minutes later some guy who was a little older came up and asked when we where going to play some music that people could dance to. And that we where ingnoring a whole side of the room. Yea yea I know but with 50 people on the floor but 425 at the event. Maybe he's right. He almost seemed angry and he was slightly buzzed I could tell. Now while all this was taking place I was talking to a friend of mine a young executive who was climbing the ladder at our company quickly and who was friends with the President. He had come up to talk with me and tell us we where doing a fantastic Job and kept asking me when we were going to quit the company and do this full time. Any how to shorten this rant a little bit. I told this person that it was not my intention to leave anyone out and since we are taking request that I all they have to do is make them. He suggested 2 songs. And I told him they would played shortly because I wanted everyone to have a great time.
When he left I looked at my friend. His mouth was hanging open and he just say's wow what was that. I proceed to tell him that it happens at some events and people just expect the DJ to read minds. I also tell him that this guys songs will kill my dance floor. But I will play them because I don't want to leave anyone out. You guessed it I made sure everyone knew this song was by request. Him and his girly where the only ones out there. Hmm I wonder who made the request.
The wife came back later and said how sorry she was and that she had no idea that would happen (sigh). The suprising thing to this whole event. Is that I told my wife that I really can't see them calling us back for next. I did notice the president of the company out dancing alot. End of the night comes boom about 10 compliments in a row. The people that hired us gave us a 100 dollar tip. Told us how much they loved us and the system sound fantastic. They also got to hear some of the folks giving us props which was nice.
I did tell them I was sorry to see so many of there people leave and she just smiles and says that it happens every year after the prizes (can you say cake and keys). I really had to scratch my head on this one. I can usually read an event pretty well and tell how wells its going. But this one had me up in the air. I guess what really counts is that the people that hired us where happy evidently they are a tough group. I do remember last year being tough also. One of the bright spots other than a well paying weekend was that other than being wiped out I feel pretty good now. Sorry for the long rant guys some times you just have to talk to your friends. And sorry guys no pictures The friday party I just didn't not care to take pictures I felt to bad and the Saturday party is just a little close to home to have any issues with these guys. Evidently I'm one of the only DJ's that has gotten an invite back. This corp is a serious industry giant and I'm pleased to be there corp DJ.
First Corporate 175 people:
Last night we had our second corporate in 24 hours. Thursday night I was vomiting with the flu and a fever. So this weekend was looming. I can say that it had the feeling of a giant in front of me if you have ever had to work while being really really sick. This was my first time and I pray my last on this night I felt like I had been run over by a steam roller but the vomiting had stopped thank God. Friday's event was outside 40 degree's in a tent connected to a very nice restaurant. I really could not complain first 2 hours on our end we just played crooner type dinner music only 2 people in the tent because of the cold. The tent did have a heater it did not work very well. In our area it did not work at all. I could see in the restaurant that dinner was winding down and I knew that from this point they would either talk a little bit and go home or come out and dance. Because I'm not one to just put everything in the hands of fate.
I went to the folks that hired us (The head of a radiology group) and let them know my concerns and told them I would be going around to each table and letting them know about open dancing soon and also let them know we will be taking requests. They loved the idea so I did my thing. Fast forward about 20 minutes later. I got about 75 of those people outside of there own free will. And they had a great time dancing to all the best cheese my funky little mind could come up with. Nothing like watching medical people and doctors doing the robot and kung fu fighting. Clients were very happy assured us we would be back next year and gave us a 100 dollar tip. The only real problem I had at this event was one drunk man who was fairly annoying and kept leaning on my facade and when he almost brought it down after a warning.
He literally ran off like I had kicked him in the nuts. That and a some what attactive woman about 30 kept dancing like 3 feet from my Bose and kept turning to me giving me the "Yea your the man" finger point and doing the slither like a snake aren't I sexy dance while looking right at me. To say this felt odd was an understatement. My wife kept laughing next to me say "what ever"
She also was a problem for my Bose. But I'm pretty quick to come around and keep people off my stick. :sqerr: The head Doctor of this group (Read here the person that hired us) actually was petting my Bose and saying how much he loved them. Corporate event (2) 425 people:
Ok this was my big boy for the year. As some of you know for my day time job. I work for a multi billion dollar corporation. It is divided into 3 groups. I work for the largest group. The smallest group which is actually quite large is the one we were doing the event for. Now this was the second year in a row we got this event and the third time we have worked for them (we also did there picnic). Now understand this event is very elegant and you will find people there that make millions and people that get paid 20 dollars and hour. Furs and Jackets if you will. I really had to walk away from this event wondering how in the world i get these events and a call back. Here is what I like about this one. Its classy, it pays well and I get to play dress up.
Here is what I don't like about this event. By the time the people that have worked on this event are there. They are done. Details are mininal because they litterally don't know till the last minute. Is there going to be an intro or a speaker? They don't know and most of the other details where changing on the fly. This was driving the catering manager to the point of turning Blue. On my end It did make it a little harder because I like to do a great job. I can be on the fly but my comfort zone is to have a clue. Ok they want an intro for the CEO, no problem I had prepared one just in case. Hey the great part here is I did find out how to get great feed back out of my Bose. Here are the ingredients, just put two microphones near each other both turned up well and stand in front of your Bose
.This will give you instant fun and that great cheesy DJ sound that you hear in all your favorite movies. Ok lets fast forward a little we get through all the stuff and the give aways and the look of lost what am I doing executives. They finally turn the event over to me for the DJ portion (read open dancing portion). I have everyone thank there exec team give them a huge round of applause. And open the dance floor. After about 30 minutes of open dancing. I'm watching people leave in droves. Now dancing for this first 30 minutes was ok nothing to write home about but ok. Ok at this point I'm looking at my wife thinking well what are doing wrong here. Let's go through the list.
1. I know when I'm mixing well and we where mixing well.
2. We had let people know we where taking requests and if they wanted to hear something to come up and let us know.
3. The dance floor had about 50 people on it. Top 100 at the most during the night, and they where the dancers.
About 5 minutes later some guy who was a little older came up and asked when we where going to play some music that people could dance to. And that we where ingnoring a whole side of the room. Yea yea I know but with 50 people on the floor but 425 at the event. Maybe he's right. He almost seemed angry and he was slightly buzzed I could tell. Now while all this was taking place I was talking to a friend of mine a young executive who was climbing the ladder at our company quickly and who was friends with the President. He had come up to talk with me and tell us we where doing a fantastic Job and kept asking me when we were going to quit the company and do this full time. Any how to shorten this rant a little bit. I told this person that it was not my intention to leave anyone out and since we are taking request that I all they have to do is make them. He suggested 2 songs. And I told him they would played shortly because I wanted everyone to have a great time.
When he left I looked at my friend. His mouth was hanging open and he just say's wow what was that. I proceed to tell him that it happens at some events and people just expect the DJ to read minds. I also tell him that this guys songs will kill my dance floor. But I will play them because I don't want to leave anyone out. You guessed it I made sure everyone knew this song was by request. Him and his girly where the only ones out there. Hmm I wonder who made the request.
The wife came back later and said how sorry she was and that she had no idea that would happen (sigh). The suprising thing to this whole event. Is that I told my wife that I really can't see them calling us back for next. I did notice the president of the company out dancing alot. End of the night comes boom about 10 compliments in a row. The people that hired us gave us a 100 dollar tip. Told us how much they loved us and the system sound fantastic. They also got to hear some of the folks giving us props which was nice. I did tell them I was sorry to see so many of there people leave and she just smiles and says that it happens every year after the prizes (can you say cake and keys). I really had to scratch my head on this one. I can usually read an event pretty well and tell how wells its going. But this one had me up in the air. I guess what really counts is that the people that hired us where happy evidently they are a tough group. I do remember last year being tough also. One of the bright spots other than a well paying weekend was that other than being wiped out I feel pretty good now. Sorry for the long rant guys some times you just have to talk to your friends.
And sorry guys no pictures The friday party I just didn't not care to take pictures I felt to bad and the Saturday party is just a little close to home to have any issues with these guys. Evidently I'm one of the only DJ's that has gotten an invite back. This corp is a serious industry giant and I'm pleased to be there corp DJ.
