Think this will work? Party at a library.

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Papa Deuce

DJ Extraordinaire
Aug 8, 2006
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Valley Forge Area
Every year I do a Bubble Party for a local library. Well, they called me up and asked me if I want to DJ at a party INSIDE the library. It is a wine tasting / appetizer party. I figured that they would just want background music, but the lady who called me is saying that she wants people to dance. They are charging $35 pp. It is a fundraiser for the library, and I would be paid, but I would agree to work for less than my normal rates. My family is a BIG user of the library. We probably take out 15 -20 books a month and 5 - 10 DVDs. With so many libraries closing down, or shutting off services, I feel like this is a worthy event, but not necessarily a good event from a DJ perspective.

It would be a Friday night, after the library closes, and they are clearing a space big enough that maybe 20 people could dance if they were so inclined. They are capping it at 100 people, and have about 60 tickets sold so far.

She just called me on Saturday, and I told her I would let her know by Wednesday.
 
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Might I suggest:

"Paperback Writer" - The Beatles
"White Rabbit" - Jefferson Airplane
"Everyday I write the Book" - Elvis Costello
and maybe "Book of Love" - Peter Gabriel
 
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I do a fundraiser each year for the local public library. Been doing them the last 4 years. . They are mostly cocktail-ish parties but there is some dancing plus a lot of MCing.

They said their previous events were boring and people left early and they were getting less and less people each year.
I suggested we do some thing like name that tune..with prizes being books and wine.

We also did a Chinese raffle, 50/50 raffles, and live auctions. They loved it, and we've been doing it that way ever since. They have fun and make much more money than they ever did before.

I don't give them a discount. As I mentioned, they make much more money since we started working with them
 
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Here are my two pennies: Everyone has something that is special to them. For me, it is my grade school that needs all the help it can get to avoid having to close. I do two events for them every year, one small, and one pretty good size. I do them both as a donation of services, and I book a bunch of weddings from the people of that community. I call it Karma :angel5:!
 
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rickryan.com said:
Isn't your "normal rate" something like, $195? At $35 pp, just my opinion, they shouldn't be trying to use the "worthy cause" bit to pocket your cut.
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LOL, no. That is my Bubble Party rate for 1 hour. I get "real" rates for regular events. They also didn't ask for me too cut my rates, but I will because I want to support the library. I just think that it isn't a great event if she expects dancing.
 
Why wouldn't it be a great event for people to dance to? Don't you have the right kind of music that will get people to dance? Don't you know how to get people to dance? It could be a thing where couples show up and you could in the beginning play music for them to dance together with some slow jams and later on some upbeat stuff they can get down to. I say do. You never know how many clients you can get out of such an event as you said there will be 100 people there. Give them your best like you always do and have a good time with them at this event. What are the hours of the event?
 
Mix, it is the setting of a library that concerns me. The lighting is terrible, and I don't even think it is dimmable. Being surrounded by shelf after shelf of books doesn't sound conducive to dancing in my opinion. Also, wine and apps seem more like an event for socializing than dancing. My 2 cents, anyway.
 
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Oh, it WILL be a party!
You know how those librarians get after closing time.
They let their hair down....have a few glasses of wine....

WAIT!
That was a stripper I saw last month.
 
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Papa Deuce said:
Mix, it is the setting of a library that concerns me. The lighting is terrible, and I don't even think it is dimmable. Being surrounded by shelf after shelf of books doesn't sound conducive to dancing in my opinion. Also, wine and apps seem more like an event for socializing than dancing. My 2 cents, anyway.
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(gawd I hate droid auto-correct-edited)

You're dead-on. Bad lighting will kill any kind of dance event. My suggestion, 4 to 6 traditional par64 cans will probably be plenty. Just put them at the edges and bounce them off the ceiling. You could even use an amber or colored gel if you want to color the room. As for the dancing, I'd make part of my requirement that the librarians get out and lead The Wobble. That vid clip would be GOLD.
 
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Also throw in:

"At the Library" - Green Day
and
"Library Card" - Frank Zappa
 
Papa Deuce said:
Mix, it is the setting of a library that concerns me. The lighting is terrible, and I don't even think it is dimmable. Being surrounded by shelf after shelf of books doesn't sound conducive to dancing in my opinion. Also, wine and apps seem more like an event for socializing than dancing. My 2 cents, anyway.
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Are you going to do the gig or not? If so then I say have business cards ready to hand out to those who want one. You never know who may need your services in the future. Now let's say you do the gig, what music will you play for such an event and what was the client suggesting you play?

Now besides the fact of it not being the best gig for you to do in your mind, look at it this way. It's an event to help the library stay afloat and you don't know how God will bless you for doing a good deed. Not to mention every event we've done hasn't had people dancing up a storm. Some events are where people are more laid back. That doesn't mean they didn't have a good time with what we did. Check how many people sitting down are either rocking their heads, patting their feet or singing to a song. That is an indicator that even though they aren't dancing that they are enjoying themselves.

Our egos tells us that every event we do people need to be dancing up a storm or it's a bust getting in the way.
 
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MIXMASTERMACHOM said:
Are you going to do the gig or not? If so then I say have business cards ready to hand out to those who want one. You never know who may need your services in the future. Now let's say you do the gig, what music will you play for such an event and what was the client suggesting you play?

Now besides the fact of it not being the best gig for you to do in your mind, look at it this way. It's an event to help the library stay afloat and you don't know how God will bless you for doing a good deed. Not to mention every event we've done hasn't had people dancing up a storm. Some events are where people are more laid back. That doesn't mean they didn't have a good time with what we did. Check how many people sitting down are either rocking their heads, patting their feet or singing to a song. That is an indicator that even though they aren't dancing that they are enjoying themselves.

Our egos tells us that every event we do people need to be dancing up a storm or it's a bust getting in the way.
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Mix, while I appreciate the reply, I have about 1000 events done in my life. I know the signals for who is enjoying themselves. I don't know if I am taking it.... I have library books to return tomorrow, and I will check out the lighting again. Florescent lights are brutal.
 
Papa Deuce said:
Mix, while I appreciate the reply, I have about 1000 events done in my life. I know the signals for who is enjoying themselves. I don't know if I am taking it.... I have library books to return tomorrow, and I will check out the lighting again. Florescent lights are brutal.
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Papa I feel as far as the lights go. That can be brutal as you would want things kind of dim to attract more people to want to dance. I say go for it and let us know how it turns out.
 
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Chuck I say take it if your heart is in it. They want a DJ and you are a DJ either they dance or they don't but either way they still get what they want and you look like the good guy. From a DJ perspective it might be a bad event with the lighting problem and the setting but the worst case scenario is you will have toe tappers and great exposure to your marketing base and make a few bucks too
 
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I don't think you should be concerned about the lighting. This is not a middle school dance - it is a wine tasting.

The lighting should not be an issue if you use the right approach. There are countless numbers of afternoon receptions in broad daylight with lots of dancing. Lighting is not a magic bullet.
 
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