HELP, I’m DJing An Odd Wedding...

gloomgloom 2,765 Posts
edited August 2005 in DJ Talk / Mixes
I just got a call from my mom, and her friend's daughter is getting married, and they want me to DJ the shindig...the catch is, this couple is "interesting" and are having a halloween themed wedding (costume rehersal dinner, masked reception), AND her husband is a techno/electronic artist and wants to play some of his music along with some other shit within the genre...I have maybe heard a handful of electronic records, and I am lost on how I should prepare and handle this gig (ie. artists/records to bring, what other genres are appropriate to bring in to the mix, etc.).

Thanks...
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  Comments


  • gravelheadwrapgravelheadwrap corn 948 Posts
    "big beat" breaks???????????




  • SwayzeSwayze 14,705 Posts
    tell him that you'll dress up as the groom, and that he should dj his own fucking wedding. just an idea.

  • Lord help you.

  • meatyogremeatyogre 2,080 Posts
    I'd pass

  • SwayzeSwayze 14,705 Posts
    i just say that (no diss to GLOOM in any way) because i was once asked to dj a wedding for a friend because he "respected my music taste", but then basically made a set list, down to "fade out of this song, at this part, into this weird intro, right before this other part..." it wasn't fun, and i didn't even have time to drink... which is what weddings are really about, right? just burn some future sound of london from the internet onto cd, and then play the field if you can.

  • gloomgloom 2,765 Posts
    i just say that (no diss to GLOOM in any way) because i was once asked to dj a wedding for a friend because he "respected my music taste", but then basically made a set list, down to "fade out of this song, at this part, into this weird intro, right before this other part..." it wasn't fun, and i didn't even have time to drink... which is what weddings are really about, right? just burn some future sound of london from the internet onto cd, and then play the field if you can.



    yeah, this sounds like the best idea, i will probably give them this option or tell them to look for someone else to do it...



    thanks for the help

  • LaserWolfLaserWolf Portland Oregon 11,517 Posts
    Thriller

  • gloomgloom 2,765 Posts
    Thriller

    yeah, when i first heard "halloween" theme, i thought it would be a fun project to get a couple crates ready with that in mind, but then electronic came into the picture and thats not my game...

  • BigSpliffBigSpliff 3,266 Posts
    Tino's Halloween Dub Braeks - sure fire winner.

    Apart from that, I'd say you're gonna bomb big time Check Livejournal for some musical inspiration.

  • LaserWolfLaserWolf Portland Oregon 11,517 Posts
    Thriller

    yeah, when i first heard "halloween" theme, i thought it would be a fun project to get a couple crates ready with that in mind, but then electronic came into the picture and thats not my game...

    Do what you know. Nobody else there likes that shit that the groom is into. They want to hear, Celebration Time, Hava Nagela, and the Chicken Dance.

  • CousinLarryCousinLarry 4,618 Posts
    What will suck, and this happens a lot with weddings, is that the music the bride and groom want will not be well received by the family. They will keep asking you to play traditional wedding stuff and get all pissy. Meanwhile the bride and groom will be so busy they will hardly notice the music. I did a wedding recently for one of my best friends. Him and his wife wanted hip hop. I kept asking them are you sure, and they said yes. I made set lists so they knew what I would play. I told them i could bring other stuff they said they wanted hip hop. So luckily I brought an extra create and a half of other shit because the brides dad who was a big drunk Scottish guy violently demanded to hear 70's funk. Thank god i had it or I would have caught a bravehart style beat down. If you end up doing it, take some of everything because while the bride and groom are consummating their marriage in the limo the natives will be getting restless. If the groom is an artist have him burn a cd of the stuff he wants played make an an announcment that he is the one who made it before you play it and use it as a chance to go get drunk and screw a bridesmaid.

    Good luck and get paid.

  • SwayzeSwayze 14,705 Posts
    go get drunk and screw a bridesmaid.
    exactly.

  • mylatencymylatency 10,475 Posts
    go get drunk and screw a bridesmaid.
    exactly.




    WHAT WOULD THE BUTTERSCOTCH STALLION DO?

  • mrmatthewmrmatthew 1,575 Posts
    I'd pass

  • asparagusasparagus Northampton, MA 333 Posts
    yeah- bring a variety- you have a crowd to please, and the bride/groom will only really dance to a couple of tunes - probably his stuff - btw, what style of electronic is his music? acid, drum and bass, disco house?

  • gloomgloom 2,765 Posts
    go get drunk and screw a bridesmaid.
    exactly.




    WHAT WOULD THE BUTTERSCOTCH STALLION DO?

    LOCK IT UP.


  • gloomgloom 2,765 Posts
    btw, what style of electronic is his music? acid, drum and bass, disco house?



    not sure, im working on finding out his name right now...

  • DocBeezyDocBeezy 1,918 Posts
    I'd pass

    way more of a headache than anything. surriously.

  • gloomgloom 2,765 Posts
    I'd pass

    way more of a headache than anything. surriously.

    Yeah, ive done weddings before, but this one seems far too out there...

  • meatyogremeatyogre 2,080 Posts
    I did a wedding this past weekend for the first time. I was given 8 or so CD's with mostly new rock shit that I have no clue about, (Maroon 5?) The last 2 hours of the night consisted of people swarming around me asking me to play this and this and then this and then this. Shit wasn't fun.. I was praying for it to be over.

  • volumenvolumen 2,532 Posts
    "big beat" breaks???????????





    no no "break beat" breaks.


    Seriously don't do a wedding unless you want to be a wedding DJ. You have to be ready to play lots of corney stuff. Plus, as stated, people are going to swarm you all night with requests for The Electric Slide.

    It doesn't matter how hip the person getting married is, they still have a big family that is not into that music. Having said that usually people are in a really good mood and just want to dance like drunken goofballs. So if you can keep them happy them you'll be OK. Bring lots of corney rock and funk like EWF, Brick, and every hit dance song you can think of. Peopl are going to ask for disco and they are going to want to slow dance to a Nora Jones song. BE READY!!!!! I'm not saying go out and buy all that stuff, just have a variety of music with you to keep people happy.

  • you've all gotten me worried now...
    I'm deejaying at a weding soon...well the night before I'm doing a party for the groom (I'm best man by the way, wich is a real honor) and he's a dj/beatmaker who knows his shit, so thats cool.. But then at the wedding, 3/4's of the family are muslim and they want me to play some oriental stuff, that is called "ra??", now I dont know shit about "ra??"... I'll have to ask them for a request list and try to download it or go to the local library and borrow some stuff...

  • Birdman9Birdman9 5,417 Posts
    What will suck, and this happens a lot with weddings, is that the music the bride and groom want will not be well received by the family. They will keep asking you to play traditional wedding stuff and get all pissy. Meanwhile the bride and groom will be so busy they will hardly notice the music. I did a wedding recently for one of my best friends. Him and his wife wanted hip hop. I kept asking them are you sure, and they said yes. I made set lists so they knew what I would play. I told them i could bring other stuff they said they wanted hip hop. So luckily I brought an extra create and a half of other shit because the brides dad who was a big drunk Scottish guy violently demanded to hear 70's funk. Thank god i had it or I would have caught a bravehart style beat down. If you end up doing it, take some of everything because while the bride and groom are consummating their marriage in the limo the natives will be getting restless. If the groom is an artist have him burn a cd of the stuff he wants played make an an announcment that he is the one who made it before you play it and use it as a chance to go get drunk and screw a bridesmaid.

    Good luck and get paid.



    The best wedding I did was a bridezilla whom I had never met before Fatback refered her to me. She gave me a complete breakdown of what would be expected, and it was accurate and everyone was happy.

    When it's your friends or a friend of a friend, there is a perception there that you will do whatever, whenever, however and for a discount. And no one ever seems satisfied. unless it is serious cash, pass.

  • volumenvolumen 2,532 Posts
    you've all gotten me worried now...
    I'm deejaying at a weding soon...well the night before I'm doing a party for the groom (I'm best man by the way, wich is a real honor) and he's a dj/beatmaker who knows his shit, so thats cool.. But then at the wedding, 3/4's of the family are muslim and they want me to play some oriental stuff, that is called "ra??", now I dont know shit about "ra??"... I'll have to ask them for a request list and try to download it or go to the local library and borrow some stuff...


    Better yet just tell them to bring the CD's they want to hear. People just assume because your a DJ that you have/know everything. I just tell people I have what I have and if you want something else bring it. Even you standard wedding DJ with 100 crates of hits isn't going to have this stuff.

  • Mr_Lee_PHDMr_Lee_PHD 2,042 Posts
    ...her husband is a techno/electronic artist and wants to play some of his music along with some other shit within the genre...I have maybe heard a handful of electronic records, and I am lost on how I should prepare and handle this gig

    Thats a tall order man.

    If its like actual techno - designed to be mixed, you have to know the tunes inside out so you know when to mix what with what - When one tune cuts out to the mix point and when the next one comes in.

    I'd pass too.

  • Better yet just tell them to bring the CD's they want to hear

    oh yeah,
    thanks

  • dj_pidj_pi 335 Posts
    I had to DJ a wedding once for a friend who insisted that I only do it. Played Oscar Peterson while people were eating dinner and people loved it. I played most of the traditional stuff, and had some CD's prepared. But after a few beers I decided to drop this...

    ...and people lost their minds and were dancin like crazy. It was intense and somewhat fun, but I don't think I would ever DJ another wedding.

  • volumenvolumen 2,532 Posts
    Better yet just tell them to bring the CD's they want to hear

    oh yeah,
    thanks


    I had the same "bride groom want this, but the family doesn't" thing happen. (who hasn't) At first people were so pissy they started getting CD's out of their car and asking for specific songs. At first I was like "OH SHIT!" but as soon as I started playing peoples songs they mellowed and had a great time. If I'd known I would have announced it in advance. It actually makes you look really good "Bring your CD's and I'll play your request tailored specificly for you". People go nuts when you play "their song". Hopefully people won't over do it. Plus, if you just kinda tell the main wedding party and not every guest you really won't get too many CD requests.

  • volumenvolumen 2,532 Posts
    Reqests from the last wedding where the bride/groom wanted hip hop etc.......


    "Do you have new music, something from today...."
    "Like what?"
    "The Electric Slide!"


    "Do you have Start Me Up by the Rolling Stones"
    (in my private mind garden "Havn't you heard that song enough?")
    "Sorry I didn't really bring any rock because the bride made other requests"
    lady goes and gets Stones CD out of her car that doesn't even have the right CD in it

    young girl "Do you have the Barbie song"
    "Sorry I don't even know what that is."

    "Can you play the Macerana (SP)"
    "Don't have that"

    All of these questions were followed by a look as if I had just personally insulted them and demonstrated that I'm the lamest DJ ever for not having this stuff.

    I just kept a smile and repeated that I was playing what the people getting married wanted. PLus, in mmy case the bride and groom kept making requests. So it got me out of playing a lot of the corny requests.
    "Why havn't you played the Rolling Stones yet?"
    "Sorry the bride keeps making reqests and that overrides everyone"
    "Oh sorry!" and they mean it! Saying the bride/groom reqested something will get people off your ass in a hurry. USE IT!

  • gloomgloom 2,765 Posts

    young girl "Do you have the Barbie song"
    "Sorry I don't even know what that is."


    how were you NOT rocking doubles of THAT?

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