Me Myself and I

When did DJing become so corporate?  Back in the days when I started (1988!) there were no “DJ companies” Sure, there were entertainment agencies who would fill gigs, normally for pubs/restaurants/hotels, but the general birthday party and wedding market was still very personal – you find a DJ and you hire him. Discos back then were individuals, even though we did give ourselves fancy names - Silverball Disco (as it was originally) was named after pinball, my friend named his roadshow after the street he lived in (and lots of people were a “roadshow”). Oh, the 80s…..

There have been many changes in the technology of discos in the thirty years that I have been a DJ – Vinyl gave way to CDs, and now even I am moving to a laptop (with multiple backups). The traditional twin decks have gone, as have the big bulbs an static lighting effects of old, replaced by LED technology and effects that mimic those seen in nightclubs and at concerts! Radio mics, controllers, many things are now available and have changed the physical side of DJing

Back where it all began!

What hasn’t changed, what shouldn’t have changed, is the personal service.  The DJ who you meet, book and who comes to your wedding or your special event.  What I am now seeing more and more is companies, teams of DJs – what used to be a single operator job being replaced by what feel like huge conglomerates!  Ok, maybe not quite, but when I see a website listing “all our DJs” I just wonder where the personal service is, where the specialisms are….  Who turns up to your show?  Will s/he have a different level of experience, a totally different style?

From a personal point of view, it feels like these companies/agencies/teams can squeeze out other DJs which may lessen the choice for anyone looking for a DJ.  Venues use these companies and will steer clients to them, or even insist on you using them which again reduces your choice for your special day.

Even if you hear me say “we”, Silverball Leisure has always been a single operator disco, (although we can call on experienced specialists as and when required), and that is how it will always be.

Personal – Passionate – Professional

Let’s Get Ready To Rhumble

I exhibited at a small wedding fair on Sunday, a whole day talking to Brides and Grooms and explaining the service that I provide to them.

The standout point of discussion was how prepared I am.  It wasn’t until a visitor was so impressed that I realised how unusual this apparently is!

If you follow this blog, or any of my other platforms you’ll have seen “Justin Case”.  Justin is a tool box that goes to every single gig, and contains all the essentials that might be needed – which includes confetti, bottle openers, lighters, sewing kit, safety pins, tissues, plasters…well, you get the idea!

The main thing in Justin is the cake knife.  I DJ’d at a wedding once when the venue supplied a chef’s knife to cut the cake – one with a tatty white plastic handle!  The very next day I went out and bought a knife from John Lewis so that none of my Brides would ever be faced with that again!  Having used a sword at a military wedding, the knife is now joined by my own sword – so you have the choice of using it if you so desire!

What else?

The equipment comes in a large flight case, so rather than only carrying what I think I might need – I carry it all!  Extra lights, lots of power leads so that whatever the venue, I have the means to make it look good!  The flight case also has a complete CD player/mixer unit in it, so that at every event I have a back up mixer, back up CD player.

As standard I use a radio microphone – with a cabled back up – so that I can make announcements from anywhere in the room (and of course I carry spare batteries!) and the microphone can be used for speeches, by your own MC etc… There is also a sound monitor - Just In Case!

Recently I have started to use a laptop for my music – but until I am 100% certain of the reliability of the system I will continue to carry CD players (plus back up!) and CDs.

The van (Wolfgang) is covered by breakdown cover, is always driven the day before an event and also carries a tow rope and a battery charger – plus I have the 4x4 (Travis) for snowy days!

There is probably more – but I don’t really plan my “just in case” – I just do it as a standard!

Personal – Passionate – Professional