Ahh always the
first question! The answer is - 'Depends'!! If you want just a typical
4 hour evening party / wedding reception with a 6pm setup, then this
will costs less than if you require me to DJ from 12 midday, provide
background music for the meal and cordless microphones for the speeches
and then DJ from 7pm to 2am.
NOTE:
The average amount spent on a UK wedding in 2006 was £17,000.
(Source: Radio 2, Jeremy Vine Show feature on wedding
costs, 2.6.06) - and you want a disco for £50?
If the answer is yes, please click HERE
and watch this video on Google Video...
Please contact me with details of your event and I will give you a
fair and competitive price. I will require a £50 advance booking
fee for most bookings in advance of the event, which will be properly
invoiced and receipted, the balance either to be paid on the night
in cash, or by cheque a minimum of 14 days beforehand.
I can't take credit
card payment, but I can take PayPal
payment for the advance booking fee at no extra charge, or for full
payment at a £5 surcharge (to cover PayPal fees) if this is
more convenient for you. A full list of Terms & Conditions will
be supplied with your invoice when booking.
I
will:
---
Quote you one price which will include travel & setup.
--- Bring as much of my equipment as is appropriate to the event and
will fit into the venue.
I will not:
--- charge you 'hidden extras' such as travel by the mile, setup
costs, waiting time by the hour or VAT.
--- charge you more for wedding / party playlist creation or for wedding
planning if you require it.
--- bring a 'Bronze' or 'Basic' Roadshow just because you are paying
less.
[ Please Note - If you want me to play for an hour or two longer on
the night then this will be charged at an hourly rate of £25/hr...
would you work an extra hour at work for free? Additionally, by arrangement,
I can provide sound / PA for a band you have booked who do not have
their own PA, at an additional cost of £100 - see q.
7 below ]
I've
got a quote of £50, can you match it?
My apologies
- but No. For my base price you would not be able to hire just my
equipment for the evening, let alone music and a DJ.
Low rate DJ's will commonly have very basic equipment, a laptop
full of illegal downloads and / or will not have Public Liability
Insurance or safety (PAT) testing certificates for their equipment.
And very often, if they are offered a gig for more money than yours,
you could find yourself being let down at the last minute - or even
simply without a DJ on your special day when they fail to turn up.
I offer a high end professional service and have spent many thousands
of pounds on equipment and music - all bookings are confirmed in
writing, and all my music is 100% legal --- if I wanted to earn
£50 in an evening I would be stacking shelves in Tescos!
iPod
Weddings - thinking of 'Doing It Yourself' instead of hiring a
professional DJ?
Please watch this example --> HERE
<-- on YouTube as to why you should NOT try and do the wedding
yourself with an iPod...
2.
What Music do you play? Do you play requests? Can you play from a
playlist that I provide?
Yes I
will play requests - if I have the song and it is appropriate to the
event then I will play it... however I do reserve the right to refuse
requests for songs with swearing or explicit sexual / drug references
at family events / weddings. If I play anything with one of these
stickers on it at a wedding, for example, it usually is quickly followed
by a 'stern reprimand' in my direction from a senior family member...
It is
your event - so I am happy to play the music that you
want to hear; I am happy to work with you to organise a suitable playlist
before the event - either by email or a personal visit if required
/ practical... but my experience has shown that sticking rigidly to
a playlist will usually upset some people on the night, so around
50% playlist is a happy medium.
I have
music from all major genres from the last 50 years plus an extensive
selection of rock music... however I will not play music that
you have specifically asked me not to play!
3.
Do you have Public Liability Insurance / Safety (PAT) testing on electrical
equipment / Public Performance & ProDub Licence / are you registered
with the Inland Revenue?
Yes
to all of those!
The
Firedance Roadshow carries
£1 Million Public Liability Insurance |
The
Firedance Roadshow has been fully PAT tested for electrical
safety - click HERE
for more info |
 
The
Firedance Roadshow holds a Public Performance Licence - legal
to perform in ANY venue, whether it has its own licence or not,
(e.g. is a legal requirement for outside events and village
halls where the public can attend.)
Also it holds a ProDub
licence, required for a laptop DJ system. |
The
Firedance Roadshow is registered with the Inland Revenue,
all bookings are fully invoiced and receipted. |
4.
Do you have microphones for me to use for speeches / announcements
etc?
Yes,
I have 2 cordless microphones and one corded mic which can be used
as requested / required.
5.
Do you use a smoke machine / lasers / strobe lighting?
With
the UK smoking ban, the majority of venues do not allow smoke machines,
so I don't usually carry one - however I can bring one along if you
wish but will only use this where (i) requested, (ii) if the venue
approves it and (iii) there is no-one with respiratory complaints
present. If it is on, it can be switched off and kept off if anyone
present objects. I do not use strobe lighting or lasers.
6.
Can you turn it down / up...?
The volume
level is as you require it - I happy to turn it up or down
as required. Many events like to have a 'talk hour' where the music
is at low volume and then turn it up for dancing... if it's too loud
then please ask for it to be turned down. A 3kW system will be suitable
for up to 300 people in a medium sized venue / marquee - but at full
volume would be painfully loud in a small pub back room!
7.
Can you DJ alongside a band that we have booked? Can they plug into
your equipment?
Yes
to the first - I played in bands myself for many years so am very
experienced with that - and I will always make sure I am not playing
half of the bands' setlist beforehand!
However, to the second question the answer is No, unfortunately. My
equipment is dedicated DJ equipment and not suitable for use as a
Band PA; Most bands will have (or can supply) their own if you ask
them.
I can set up sound and microphones for a small band for you if you
wish, I have a small (4 channel) mixer PA that I can bring myself
plus 2 cordless microphones - this will normally be £100 extra
on top of normal DJ fees and is all inclusive (i.e. PA hire, sound
setup, soundchecking and microphone mixing for a 3-4 piece band in
a small venue - plus paying someone to keep the disco running while
I am doing all this!)
8.
Do you use vinyl / turntables / a laptop?
I use
CD's only; Vinyl is mainly for dance / club use these days. I do have
a laptop DJ system but this is used as a source of music, not to do
all the work for me! If I am on my own, I may use the laptop to cover
a song or two during a trip to the loo / bar / buffet or if I am helping
with a band (see (7) above) or if I have to replace
a bulb that has blown in one of my lights - but not to replace me
as a DJ.
9.
My mate / brother is a wicked DJ / singer / MC, can he have a go on
your rig?
I am
afraid not - for Health & Safety / Public Liability reasons only
myself can operate the roadshow... and I am a disco not a karaoke.
10.
Anything you won't do?
I
don't do Children's Parties /
school discos (not
CRB registered), Karaoke (I am a DJ only), nor do I do 16th / 18th
Birthdays - unless it's a 'rock-required' party! Additionally I do
not have enough tracks to cover an entire night of R 'n B, Drum &
Bass or Hip Hop although I do have a small selection.
Also
I will not play horrifically cheesey music all night long (unless
you have specially asked for it!) or music that is inappropriate to
the event.
