Weddings Was offered $1k to play Fly Me to the moon.

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Briar said:
Had a first tonight...

While playing "Get Low" to a very packed dance floor, an older (very wealthy) man approached me tonight and ask "would it be a shock if you stopped that song and played Frank Sinatra- Fly me to the moon"?

I said yes but would play it later for him. He offered me $500 to stop and play it now, I declined. Then he offered me $1k to play it now. I called his bluff and ask if he had $1k. He said yes and reached into his pocket, I once again declined to play FS (right now).

I was not going to kill the dance floor and look like a fool but that is a pretty dang good amount to turn down.
What would you have done?
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As long as it was not a do not play song and the song you where playing was not a must play song. I would probably have killed it and played his song. And then put get low back on the next song lol. Of course the money would have to be in my hand at that moment.
 
I am going to have to side with Bob here being the labeled Dance Nazi. However I would have waited for the open slot and then played it saying " Now another by request for a fine gentleman willing to pay a very incredible tip. This one is for free as are all my requests".
 
Jon Tuck said:
I am going to have to side with Bob here being the labeled Dance Nazi. However I would have waited for the open slot and then played it saying " Now another by request for a fine gentleman willing to pay a very incredible tip. This one is for free as are all my requests".
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Ahhhhhh fuey.... you're right.... however that's a lot of bread to give up....
 
Briar said:
I was not going to kill the dance floor and look like a fool
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As much as I hate to admit it, I agree with Steve (Thunder). It only takes one song to revive the dance floor.


I never worry about the dance floor at a wedding. I worry about turning it at a club or bar, because my pay and employment is determined that way.

A wedding doesn't matter to me. People can be schmoozing at the bar, toe tapping, dancing, whatever. As long as they are having a good time at whatever they are doing -- it works for me :)


I think the whole issue of keeping a dance floor filled at a formal event, is for naught... Work a club if you wanna play the floor.
 
Briar said:
He was after the "shock factor" of seeing 75-100 college students (including the B&G) on the dance, get owned by his money and the DJ.
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That is why I would NOT have played the request. I have no room in my day for people who behave like that.
 
After I played Fly Me To The Moon, I would have put on Stanky Leg, then Ain't that a kick in the head, Superman(Soulja Boy), The Candy Man! By now, I am up about $3K! To me, it's a great night!!! :yopartyman:
 
Fly me to the moon
Let me play among the stars
Let me see what spring is like
On a-Jupiter and Mars
In other words, hold my hand
In other words, baby , kiss me

Fill my heart with song
And let me sing for ever more
You are all I long for
All I worship and adore
In other words, please be true
In other words, I love you


SHOW ME THE MONEY!
 
djsarge said:
Announce to your guests the guy offered one grand to play the next song then have them watch as he handed you the money.
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that's the ticket!
I woulda dropped the song as fast as I could cue up the Sinatra song!
then watch him squirm when you immediately follow up HIS song
by playing "Get Low" all over again!

(while announcing..."any OTHER offers to kill this song????")
 
Briar said:
Had a first tonight...

While playing "Get Low" to a very packed dance floor, an older (very wealthy) man approached me tonight and ask "would it be a shock if you stopped that song and played Frank Sinatra- Fly me to the moon"?

I said yes but would play it later for him. He offered me $500 to stop and play it now, I declined. Then he offered me $1k to play it now. I called his bluff and ask if he had $1k. He said yes and reached into his pocket, I once again declined to play FS (right now).

I was not going to kill the dance floor and look like a fool but that is a pretty dang good amount to turn down.
What would you have done?
Click to expand...


http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl...7z2Dw&esq=3&page=1&ndsp=11&ved=1t:429,r:1,s:0
 
I would cue it up and show him it's next them tell him to shell it out. Once the $$$$ is in my hand loop out whatever is playing and say "Who's having a good time out there? We're gonna slow it down right now... here's a little Sinatra for all the happy couples. Let's hear it for our bride and groom!!! ...the happiest couple on the dance floor."

Sunsing like dat!!!
 
I'm a professional and I choose to play what I want to play when I want to play it within the perimeters of whatever client has hired me.

There is nothing worse than some person who has had a few to many to try and "show off" only to realize it the next day and call you, or worse call the B&G and say you were a jerk for taking advantage of him/her.

It does nothing for your reputation and if $1000.00 is going to make or break your life style,,,, and be honest here, most would have taken the $500.00, then you need to seriously re-evaluate your chosen profession because my rep is worth more than that.
 
I am going to be honest so don't drag me out into the street and stone me to death. I call ##-## on most of you who said that you wouldn't play it. To make in one song as much as some gigs are, yes you would play it!!!

PS...I Love You All
:yoMoolah:
 
I would've done it. If the bride and groom said anything or were upset, I'd even split the $1000 with then 50/50 and turn their frown upside down! Forget the dollar dance, let's hear some Frank!

I play that song all the time, so it wouldnt be a stretch for me at all. As for "stopping" the dance floor - it would probably just rotate it out.
 
Ok, I will give you a few more details and see if you still feel the same way.....

The effect this man was after was the polar opposite of some of the first dance videos you may have seen. The ones where the dance starts off like normal but then the DJ scratches the song like he made a mistake or equip malfunction then the B&G break into a dance routine. That is what he wanted me to do for what he called "shock". Sorry but I won't purposely make myself look like I made a mistake or draw attention to us.

This is a VERY affluent and wealthy family in our area. So much so that the field where the Wright Bros perfected flight was named after them along with a dam and several other local landmarks. This family has serious money.
I can only assume that if the guests knew what this man wanted me to do, there would be 3 others offer me twice that amount NOT to do it. As far as some saying "split it with the B&G", $500 would have been an insult to them for disrupting the flow of their reception. People of this type of wealth and power don't appreciate games and you don't mess with them just because you can.

Now with that being said, there were approx. 180 guests in attendance, most being single UD college students. When he ask me to do this, there must have been 75-80 on the dance floor. If I do a good job, I can count on 3-5 reception bookings at some time from this one reception. If I only book one, I am still money ahead (yes, I charge more than he offered.) If I took the money and it was not well excepted by the majority, I loose those bookings and possibly the venue.

When the reception ended, I told the groom what had happened and he thanked me for the way we handled the situation.
I can't say that no amount of money is worth risking my reputation as a wedding professional or even compromising my integrity. If he would have offered $1001 it may be a whole different story but I did what I thought was right for me, my wife and our business. We will profit more from it in the future than we would have gained there.

If you are a wedding professional, please think about all the repercussions before you do something and perhaps it may help you someday.
 
Good on ya Bob it certainly shows your merit and conscientious business practice. If ya took it you might as well have had a tip jar and a cardboard sign saying will play requests for cash.
 
We all have to handle it in the way that is right for ourselves and the context, there is no black and white.

It all depends on how it is handled too... DJ Koz put forth a scenario that would have seen it be handled "with the utmost discretion," and the results would not have been as deleterious as many seem to be thinking. DJ's start, build, and end dance sets all the time. Doing it with an agenda isn't an "evil" depending on how it's done.

We're talking dancing folks here - not blaspheming in church or a religious sacrament. That part of the wedding is over already. This is a dance party.

Lets keep all in context.
 
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