How do you handle request?

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MIXMASTERMACHOM

MIXMASTERMACHOM

Mac Daddy DJ
ODJT Supporter
Oct 16, 2011
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I had a gig this past Saturday for the 12 step program I'm involved in. It was in Rahway, NJ. It was in a partial gym. Been in that same room before playing. Nice size room. The event over all went well and they loved my playing. I got a ton of compliments and one guy took down my phone number because he has some work for me.

Now on to my question. A person came up to me to ask could I play some other type of club music? Now before I get beat up on here this person wanted what I call standard stuff and this crowd normally don't want to hear the same stuff they have heard 5,000 times. They are more progressive when it comes to music. The person came up to ask for Follow me. They wanted the music to go in that direction. Great classic song for the right crowd. That song wouldn't fit this crowd.

Now I know which way this person wanted things to go. They wanted us to play Kenny Bobien's Gave Me Love, Ce Ce Peniston He Loves Me and such things like that. Things that have been played over and over and over and over and over and over again. What I'm talking about if I had played such songs that more then likely would have killed the dance floor. So how do deal with someone that insist in you playing a song that you know will kill the dance floor?
 
.. on the mic .. "Before we get back to playing some more groovin' tunes, we have a special request for "Follow Me" from the Guy in the yellow suit" .. then switch back to what you were playing. Or if the crowd liked it, you could play some songs that you could transition back to what you were playing if the floor cooled down.
 
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If I know a song will kill the dance floor no way I'm playing it. I'd tell the guy ill do my best and if he still persists then show him a list of songs that the client specifically requested and wants played or find another way to deflect him. I'd do it with a smile but I'm getting paid by the client not a guest...my two cents
 
mikemerlin said:
If I know a song will kill the dance floor no way I'm playing it. I'd tell the guy ill do my best and if he still persists then show him a list of songs that the client specifically requested and wants played or find another way to deflect him. I'd do it with a smile but I'm getting paid by the client not a guest...my two cents
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That Guest could be your next Client or major referral source! I played a Glen Campbell song last night thinking at first it would put all them old Geezers to sleep....know what........ it filled the dance floor. Don't tell me you have never played a song that you thought would tank yet it filled the dance floor and also the reverse, a song that you were sure would fill the dance floor that didn't. Keep the ego out of the way, that is why you have a Mixer so that if something isn't working you can immediately mix in something else. BTW There is no need to wait until the whole song has played. The Guests are just as important as the Client, your job is to please both. Your standing comes in a dead last!
 
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ahoustondj said:
That Guest could be your next Client or major referral source! I played a Glen Campbell song last night thinking at first it would put all them old Geezers to sleep....know what........ it filled the dance floor. Don't tell me you have never played a song that you thought would tank yet it filled the dance floor and also the reverse, a song that you were sure would fill the dance floor that didn't. Keep the ego out of the way, that is why you have a Mixer so that if something isn't working you can immediately mix in something else. BTW There is no need to wait until the whole song has played. The Guests are just as important as the Client, your job is to please both. Your standing comes in a dead last!
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Has nothing to do with me big guy, it's all about the client and yes the guests which is why I wouldn't let one guest ruin an entire dance floor. I'm getting paid to keep people on the floor.

To your point about specific songs I have had "weird" requests and worked it in but only if they "promised me" they would dance to it. I am very hands on and have an easy demeanor and can develop a good repoire (spelled right?) pretty quickly with most guests. Guests request more times than not help your dance floor. However if someone asks me for a song I know won't work (say Free Fallin) and I've got a full dance floor...not gonna do it
 
mikemerlin said:
Has nothing to do with me big guy, it's all about the client and yes the guests which is why I wouldn't let one guest ruin an entire dance floor. I'm getting paid to keep people on the floor.

To your point about specific songs I have had "weird" requests and worked it in but only if they "promised me" they would dance to it. I am very hands on and have an easy demeanor and can develop a good repoire (spelled right?) pretty quickly with most guests. Guests request more times than not help your dance floor. However if someone asks me for a song I know won't work (say Free Fallin) and I've got a full dance floor...not gonna do it
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To each his own!
 
You can play Follow Me, just not at the time the dude requested the song. Finish the current set that you are doing and then open up the next set with the request and a couple of good follow up tracks. Nobody said you had to play it at the time that would have killed the floor.
 
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DJ JohnThe1 said:
You can play Follow Me, just not at the time the dude requested the song. Finish the current set that you are doing and then open up the next set with the request and a couple of good follow up tracks. Nobody said you had to play it at the time that would have killed the floor.
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That's just one of those songs that wouldn't have went well with that crowd. It's a great song and super classic for a certain crowd. Yet for that crowd it would have bored them because they have heard that song way too many times for their taste. Too commercial for them.

There are certain crowds that you can only play the standard stuff that they already know and either have heard on the radio before or have heard many DJ's play again and again. This type of crowd is more deeper then that and for me a lot more fun to play for. I personally hate those crowds that you have to do what I call stick to a script. There are just certain songs I've played more then enough times and couldn't care less if I ever play that song again. I know it's about doing my job and giving the crowd what they want. Not a problem here. It just bores me to death to have to play the same old tired songs I've played more times then I care to count.

Now that song Follow Me falls into that category for me. Now if someone wants it and it will fit the event, then it gets played.
 
So what you are saying is you decided to not play the song because you think no one would want to hear it. Yet I bet if it was played there would have been plenty of people on the dance floor, that is if they were already there. How many people where at this event? Do you know every single person at the event and know all their musical tastes? What you did is decide that you did not want to hear the song so you did not play it.

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Playing classic songs or songs that may have been over played can still work at any job especially if it is mixed in properly and put in the set at the right time. Would love to see a set list and see where this could have gone.
 
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99% of the time we think we are right, we think we know what will work.... if you have been in the business long enough you know that every so often someone will request a song that for whatever reason we think will bomb and all of a sudden, it packs the floor, only to remind us that we are not perfect and we do not know everything.

In this case, it would depend on how the cat approched me, but as has been said, slip it in, and be ready to get out of it, a song will only clear the floor if you let it.... you can tell 30 seconds in if it will....

And then you have to decide how much of "kill" you are willing to deal with...

Is losing 1/2 the floor "killing it" are 6 people left????? Each situation is different... But the question you asked is how do we deal with requests...

at events like yours, not a wedding, but more of what I can an "open event", I use a clip board that I hand to people,,, I always put a few songs on top that I think will work so when someone writes down a song, it is not on the top of the list.... gives me some breathing room...
 
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Dj Jimmy D said:
So what you are saying is you decided to not play the song because you think no one would want to hear it. Yet I bet if it was played there would have been plenty of people on the dance floor, that is if they were already there. How many people where at this event? Do you know every single person at the event and know all their musical tastes? What you did is decide that you did not want to hear the song so you did not play it.

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Playing classic songs or songs that may have been over played can still work at any job especially if it is mixed in properly and put in the set at the right time. Would love to see a set list and see where this could have gone.
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What I decided was that I've done other events for this certain group of people and know that wouldn't work well for them. Like I said reason being is that they are a more progressive group and not a bunch of stick in the mud people that will only dance tot he songs they have heard for the zillionth time. This group is so progressive that a lot of songs that other groups of people wouldn't know, they know and will sing the song.

It's not that I didn't want to hear the song. It's what will make the crowd happy. Right now that song by Robin Thicke called Blurred Lines is through the roof and around here is a must be played song. Personally I think that song is stupid and sucks! I hate that song more then I hate onions! Yet I'll play it. Even though while it's playing I want to throw up. Every time I hear that song I can't wait till it's over! I'll be glad when that song dies and people won't want to hear it any more.
 
MIXMASTERMACHOM said:
Like I said reason being is that they are a more progressive group and not a bunch of stick in the mud people that will only dance tot he songs they have heard for the zillionth time. This group is so progressive that a lot of songs that other groups of people wouldn't know, they know and will sing the song.
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If you got a request for a song they heard a zillion times...
then obviously they are not all as "progressive" as you think.
Perhaps the person who requested it wasn't the only one who thinks that way.

I'm on Chuck's bandwagon.
Sometimes you are surprised by a song you don't feel is right for the crowd.
And even if it clears the floor...that is not necessarily a bad thing.
They might be glad you played it so they can stop dancing for a moment and recuperate.
Heck, use it as a way to change gears and play some slow songs.
 
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I usually write it down and tell them that I will try to fit it in. If they come and ask for it again, I will generally try to get it on for them, unless it is something just completely off track. I have had good success with announcing a "Guilty Pleasure" block. I never thought Mmm Bop would go over so well as it did a couple of weeks ago......
 
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Dj Jimmy D said:
Can you give us a set list of what you played that night?
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Since you asked here is some of the songs I played that night.

Black Coffee-Turn Me On
Black Coffee- Superman
Pik Nik- Italliazize
Jesus Creates Sound- Marion D
Touch The Sky- Dennis Ferrer
I Shall Not Be Moved- Kenny Bobien
Hezekia Walker- God Favors Me
At The Club- Da Capo's Afro Mix
Wonderful-Terry Hunter
Rhyme Or Reason- George Duke
Soulful House Music- Kenny Bell
Think Twice- The Detroit Experiment
Thank You- Be Be Winins
4 The Love- Karizma
Fired Up- Funky Green Dogs
Hey Hey- Dennis Ferrer
Just Fine- Mary J Bleigh
Crazy- Black Coffee
The Cure The Cause- Fish Go Deep
I Called You- Lil Louie Vega
Black Coffee- Garden Of Eden
Even Though- Black Coffee
Heaven- Kem
Mary Mary- Grand High Priest
Teddy Pendergrass- My greatest Inspiration
1960 What- Gregory Porter
My Joy- Leala James
Intense- Let The Rain Come Down

Just part of what I played that night.
 
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ittigger said:
5 songs from 'black coffee' - dang.
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Yes that's right. They are a group from South Africa and right now they are hot over hear. They have different people singing lead and those songs are through the roof over here for the right crowd. That one song Superman is a must be played at most events we do.
 
MIXMASTERMACHOM said:
Yes that's right. They are a group from South Africa and right now they are hot over hear. They have different people singing lead and those songs are through the roof over here for the right crowd. That one song Superman is a must be played at most events we do.
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I liked the song ... reminded me of Sade with a techno beat.
 
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