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Some questions we get asked on a regular basis.
Click the question to jump to the answer.
Q. How much do you normally charge?
A. We keep our rates close to our chest as we try to be flexible & we always ask if you have had a quote off someone else to tell us... we may just be able to beat it & we can always negotiate a better deal, but we can already guarantee you our show hosting skills will not be beaten.
Recently we have done a considerable amount of regular charity work which has been done for free, without asking for any fee!
We do a lot of charity work, most notibly for the Stoke on Trent Star bikers Charity so if you are part of local charity we may be able to provide our services for you without cost.
For more information on our prices, you need to click on our Prices Page
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Q. Will you play song requests from our guests?
A. Yes, But please understand that some songs will not be played if the presenter feels its incorrect for the type of environment and the type of event - for example we wouldn't play, Rage against the Machine songs at your Grandfathers 80'th birthday, Songs by, Gary Glitter at a kids party, "better the devil you know" at a church hall, "He's a Poof" by, The Macc Lads in a gay bar or "D.I.V.O.R.C.E" at a wedding. Also songs are played ONCE so if a song has already been played it won't be played again on the same night - we don't want to have to play "Dancing queen" 17 times a night as people would get very bored of it very quickly & guests would start to leave, even though you may not. You could also as well as asking for requests also ask us to NOT play songs, this is as important to us as much as playing your favourites - we don't to finish the night having just upset some of your guests. The compere is the one who will know what songs will work & what time it would be most appropriate to play them. The compere is governed by his dancefloor. If the presenter feels other people won't like or would perhaps not dance to the song you have chosen it will either be played at a more appropriate time at the event or not at all. Remember that it is not just you at the event & we have to use our judgement or common sense & be able play to a crowd as a whole & not just individual guests. Also please be sensible with your requests - If we are hosting a 60's themed party night for example it would be daft to ask for a song from the present day, so please don't get upset when we say no.
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Q. When do we pay?
A. Payment is usually required in the form of Cash to be handed to the DJ or a member of the event team at the Start of the show. Advance payments can be accepted in form of a cheque, or bankers draught. Deposit payments are optional - paying a deposit is your guarantee the booking is final & binding. Payments must be received on or before the day of the event. We do not work on a "buy now pay later" basis under any circumstances. Receipts & invoices can also be supplied if requested.
We also accept Paypal as a payment method. Please Contact us for details of paying via the Paypal service.
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Q. I'd like you to go on a bit longer than we booked you for... what do we have to do?
A. So long as the venue operators don't mind & will allow it, then this is not a problem. Please take into account bars & venue's have liquor & entertainment licences with strict guidelines to work to. If there is no problem then just let the presenter or one of the event team know before the end (or near the end) of the event. Overtime will usually be charged at a fixed rate of £30 per hour (£50 for the 1st hour after 1 am). This does not include any additional cost of room hire for the venue operators. Please understand if the venue is found to be in breach of licensing laws or other regulations then we are not in any way held responsible for their actions.
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Q. How long does it take your crew to set-up and when do you need access to the building?
A. The crew takes about 45 minutes to 90 minutes to set-up, this depends on the type of the event, the access to the building & of course other factors such as if there is more than one act on at the event. so we ask for access at least 1 hour before the start of the event or before your guests arrive. Extra time is sometimes needed for equipment checks & safety checks.
Please understand if you have a band or another artist as well as ourselves they will usually pack up & leave before a disco does so ideally we would like to be the 1st to set up as we are the last to leave & it wouldn't be very good for us to stop the show for an hour so the band can pack up.
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Q How many "watts" is your sound system?
A. We take pride in maintaining a clear sound & an overall volume level that doesn't hurt your ears, or is so quiet you can't hear it. If you are talking to the person next to you & having to shout to get them to hear you then the volume is to loud in our opinion. If you think our system is to loud or not loud enough please tell us.
As for the original question, sadly this is something the hi-fi industry has brainwashed into people for years that more watts = louder... sadly this is not exactly the case. Many people wrongly assume a 100 watt amplifier is twice as good as a 50 Watt model, and also that it is twice as powerful. Amplifier power ratings are, if you’ll pardon us being mathematical, logarithmic. So, to obtain double the power of a 50 Watt amplifier you actually need to a 500 Watt design. So, "Watts" just means the sound will carry more clarity over a greater distance which isn't particularly needed in an enclosed space such as a bar as opposed to an outdoor event. We have made sure our system is of a high quality to start with. For a pub or small hotel function room, the number of "watts" is usually unimportant once you run over 200 watts as the clarity will be there all the time if the equipment is set up right, if you are holding the event in very large halls or outdoors only then it does make a big difference.
We usually use around 400 watts & use 2 speakers for up to 150 people & will utilise 2 amplifiers & 2 extra speakers for over this figure giving us around 900 watts. If you have more than 300 people invited we will bring in more kit as no doubt your venue will also require it. People also tend to absorb sound so we may to use need extra equipment if the guest numbers are high. We have put our 400w system head to head with a 1.6k rig in an enclosed area & the overall difference is minimal. We used to use a 600w amplifier for our basic rig but we found our current 400w is just that little bit louder to the ears. The design & layout of the equipment is what matters more than the numbers on the casing.
A live band playing live music will need more output power in Watts to keep the clarity stable as it is playing live music, but a disco usually always plays recorded music & has a more basic vocal output i.e. the DJ's mic doesn't need all the tweaks a singers mic has, as well as the need for hardware to enhance or stiulate the effects of individual instruments - also a lot of the hard work a live band will need to do to get the sound has already been done in the recording studio - so the clarity is always kept at a more stable and constant level. A distorted sound is what causes unrepairable damage to your ears & also is what blows or causes damage to speakers.
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Q. We want you to play our special song at our party. Can you do this?
A. When booking a good source of entertainment anything is possible - or at least we try our hardest to make it possible if it isn't. All our songs have now been catalogued so we know at a glance if we have your favourite song (although it may take us a bit longer to find it) already in our collection. If however we don't have your song, provided you can tell us in advance of your booking we will get it for you specially, we will not even expect you to pay for this service... it is a privilege to do it. As we see it, it is your song for your day - you never know when we may need it again for you.
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Q. Why should we book you instead of someone else?
A. This is for you to decide. Before you do, consider the points above along with the fact you are getting experienced mobile roadshow & venue hosts, top radio experienced show hosts & people who have been in the industry long enough to gain vital experience to understand your needs. We also carry 90% of music styles you can think of & a few you probably can't think of as well. We have music from the 50's to the present day. All our equipment is tested & maintained well above the industry standards for safety.
We also put our audience 1st. If nobody is dancing then we will try our best to get them on the dancefloor or at least tapping their feet & singing along. Our presenters are always smartly dressed & not turning up in ripped jeans or on the other end of the scale sparkly suits that went out of fashion in 1975 - although we may need to dress down a bit while setting up.
The big difference here is we guarantee your presenter does know what he is doing & already has probably already thought of what you want them to do before you ask.
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Q. I've been told I have to book the resident DJ when I hire my venue, is this true?
A. No. You do still have a choice. If you are not happy with, or don't feel confident to go with the resident or pre-chosen DJ at your selected venue you don't have to use their services. Simply let the venue know you have your own DJ in mind & things should generally be OK. Many venue's may say you must use their DJ but don't let them bully you - it is your choice only, not one for them to make for you. They may just make you pay a bit extra for room hire if you don't use their DJ & in the long run the event could be more expensive cost wise to organise but hiring a room for your function with a DJ you don't think you can trust to do the job or, you know cannot, could cost you a lot more than you hoped - and we are not talking financially.
Many people say to us that they have had bad experiences of resident DJ's in bars at parties & go on to tell us numerous horror stories, not just for private parties but other things like weekly karaoke nights. Much of this stems from the fact that many of them are just bar staff or sometimes waiting staff doing the DJ'ing as a bit of extra overtime, or it could be one the Landlords children, who simply plays music & call themselves DJ's but haven't really got a clue of what makes an audience tick or carry & play the music to suit. This is simply a way for the bar operator to keep costs down by giving one of his staff a bit of extra overtime & not having to pay a proper entertainer or professional DJ which could cost him a few hundred quid extra each month.
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Q All you do is play records isn't it?
A. If you think that is all we do, you are very much mistaken. A typical working day for a disco or karaoke is a lot longer than you think. For example this is a typical schedule for every event we do - this is not counting the time we need to buy records & CD's & the preparation time we take between ourselves & our clients.
- TIME TAKEN 90 MINUTES - Checking & testing all the equipment operates & is safe before use.
- TIME TAKEN 45 MINUTES - Repair any faults, replace blown bulbs or maintain equipment before use.
- TIME TAKEN 30 MINUTES - Prepare music, add new CD's to collection & remove some of the dead wood in the CD collection.
- TIME TAKEN 45 MINUTES - Load vehicles with equipment - also making sure nothing has been left behind.
- TIME TAKEN - TRAVEL TIME TO EVENT LOCATION - Travel to event, regardless of where it is being held. Perhaps grab some food or a snack on the way.
- TIME TAKEN 45/90 MINUTES - Unload vehicle & prepare for rigging, set up equipment for use.
- TIME TAKEN 40 MINUTES - Ensure equipment is all working & all cables are taped down & safe to avoid accidents or injury. Do a sound check & set levels of volume / EQ & lighting control speeds.
- TIME TAKEN 5 MINUTES - final safety check. - Start playing background music.
- TIME TAKEN 10 MINUTES - Talk to event organiser or venue manager to ensure they are happy. Receive payment.
- TIME TAKEN 3 - 7+ HOURS - THE EVENT ITSELF - THIS IS THE BIT YOU ARE PAYING FOR.
- TIME TAKEN 45 MINUTES - Take equipment apart & prepare to load vehicle(s).
- TIME TAKEN 15 MINUTES - Speak with event organiser or supervisor.
- TIME TAKEN 30 MINUTES - Load vehicle.
- TIME TAKEN - TRAVEL TIME from EVENT LOCATION BACK TO BASE.
- TIME TAKEN 45 MINUTES - Unload vehicle(s)
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Q. My friend is a DJ, can he do half an hour or do the DJing for the night using your equipment? He is really good.
A. Absolutely not. Even if it is Carl Cox or Paul Oakenfold who turns up with some tunes. The last time we did allow this some of our equipment got seriously damaged which left us with a big repair bill - & these people claimed they were "Ibiza club DJ's" so sadly if you want to have a go at DJing get some of your own gear & stop in your bedroom until you are as good as we are.
Besides people are expecting US to do the work. Also if they are that good they should have their own equipment already & common sense says if they are that good then the question we ask is if he is as good as you say, why have they booked us instead of your friend? Our insurance only covers the presenters who work for us to use the equipment as these are who we know we can trust to respect it.
The equipment is very expensive to replace & costs us too much to let it get damaged through someone's carelessness & stupidity. Our presenters always stay sober & will usually not drink any alcohol when working. Please, leave it to the professionals.
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Q. How Will The Compere Dress?
A. A lot of this depends on the event. If required we can don Black suits with shirt & tie although we do have a uniform which allows our Event team to work comfortably and we feel this also makes them easy to identify should you or your guests need to speak to them. The uniform consists of Blue Polo Shirt or sweatshirt with a logo silk screen printed onto the front & the words “Event team” printed across the back and Dark Trousers. We do not wear Jeans unless the type of event is appropriate and we will always dress in an appropriate manner. Name tags or ID badges can also be worn if so desired.
Please note, even if wearing a shirt, tie & a suit, we may need to “dress down” during set-up but will retreat to change into more formal attire later once all the dirty work has been done
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Q. Do you have any back-up should things go wrong?
A. With regards to Equipment, we use a set of twin CD Players and now also a sophisticated PC playout system should one fail we can always complete the evening using solely the remaining piece of equipment. We often carry a spare amplifier to our events & often will take additional seperate CD or music players. We have as much equipment in reserve as we take out on the road albeit perhaps a slightly less sophisticated system but one that does the job perfectly well. As for our DJ’s we are always prepared where possible in the event of sickness or an accident, we would where possible have other DJ's ready to step in & as a last resort we always keep the number of a good agent at hand. We also have full break down cover in the event of a roadside calamity..
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Before you decide to book a mobile disco or karaoke, please read & consider the following.
The most important consideration when choosing who to book is to make sure the music that they have on offer is suitable. Don't assume all DJ's will carry all genre's of music. A specialist in Punk rock may not be a good choice for a kids birthday party where the main core of music would need to be current chart tracks. Likewise a show with no Punk rock music in their collection would not be suitable for a punk rock theme night if you wanted to hold one.
If Karaoke floats your boat the selection of tracks on offer will also be an important consideration to assure a successful event. Many shows can boast they have thousands of songs but in reality if they don't have the most popular karaoke songs that people want to sing it may be no help at all. Also remember many karaoke shows may boast about how many tracks they have & claim they have thousands of songs to choose from but to be sure to check how many duplicate tracks they have... Sometimes karaoke disk manufacturers may bring out the same song at a later time or if your karaoke host uses different makes or types of disk in his collection many songs may well appear more than once. There is nothing worse than trawling through 5 pages of "Elvis Presley" songs to find he only actually has 3 Elvis songs to sing & the rest of the "Elvis" list is simply made up of many duplicates of the same tracks on various discks to fill the song book out.
Ensure the mobile DJ has sufficient equipment for the size of venue that you have booked for your event. Always make sure that your entertainer knows how big the venue will be and how many guests you are expecting. Make sure your chosen DJ has the equipment to cover your needs. If you book a disco in a large exhibition centre hall you don't want your DJ to turn up with only basic equipment suitable for small bars, if that's all he has to offer.
You must make sure your chosen entertainer uses PAT (Portable Appliance Tested) equipment or can prove to you that it is safe, this is an important safety consideration and some hotel venues may not allow you to use a DJ if he is found to be using old or untested equipment.
You also should ask if the DJ has sufficient public liability insurance cover. This is a now a "legal requirement" brought upon by the people who insure many of the venue's you may wish to hire, and is important for your piece of mind. If there is a problem & someone gets hurt as a result of the DJ's actions it could be you left to carry the can. Many things like Childrens' parties also may need your DJ to have insurance cover.
If you hold a lot of Kids parties it may be an idea to make sure your DJ can be vetted by the relevant authorities or if you can ask him for references or to provide you some proof that he is suitable to work with large numbers of children in the meantime. A handful of DJ's can provide proof they have been checked by the Police & deemed safe so be sure to ask. It is always a good idea to stick with known trusted DJ for Childrens parties - ask the local schools or youth groups who they book for discos or karaoke before picking up the phone book & picking shows at random.
It may be worth asking if your chosen DJ uses copied disks or operates a PC based playout system & if so that he is in possession of the relevant licence to allow him to use them for public performance. Please note, without the DJ having proper licensing, using these types of media could put your liquor license or Entertainments licence at serious risk. Pubs have been known to have been closed down simply because the DJ uses illegally copied music.
If your DJ is doing your party for a low price, (for example under £100 for a weekend night) ask yourself the following questions- Is the DJ fully insured? is the DJ registered by the taxman? has the DJ got the right music? is the DJ using illegal copies? does he REALLY know what he is doing? Is he going to be responsible? What's his equipment going to be like if he only works for a low fee? Does he have much experience? If you are in any doubt about your selection on the points I've mentioned here, or if your DJ only wants to please himself & not aim to please you then DO NOT BOOK THEM, find someone more suitable... he will be out there somewhere & don’t forget, you can always contact us.
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Support
Tips on planning a party can be found on this page
Hints on song selection can be found on this page
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