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1. How early should I book? Wedding FAQs 1. Can your
DJ or entertainer provide a written contract and references from previous clients? Extra's: Lighting:
I do not use strobe lights or smoke machines (unless requested) as they generally
will cause problems for at least one guest. One of the lighting effects that I
do use in my show is called an iBall. It is a very unique effect and
always seems to mesmerise many guests at the majority of events that I do. Even
from looking at the above website it can be difficult to get an idea of how it
can be used in an event such as a wedding. An important thing to put across is
that it doesn't look cheap and tacky in any way whatsoever, and it's not anything
like an LED message display or any such unit. The above website places emphasis
on how it can be used for sales/marketing purposes, but it can also be used very
effectively for entertainment purposes. I am able to add messages to
it and at many weddings that I have performed at the bride & groom have given
me a list of messages thanking the best man, bridesmaids, and parents etc which
have added a little something to the night. Apart from any messages
you add, the iBall will also display animations, images & humorous quotations.
There's no extra charge for this service. If you would like me to add some messages
for you please send me a list of up to 20 messages. You may wish to include messages for the following
people: Best Man, Bridesmaids, Page Boys, Parents, relatives/friends celebrating birthdays/anniversaries, people who have travelled a long distance to attend your wedding, work mates etc. If you have any other questions,
please don't hesitate to get in contact, remember advice is just the cost of a
quick call. General Answers 1. As with all services the best DJs tend to get booked well in advance and the later you leave it the less choice you'll have.But sometimes though the best deals are often for late bookings, but that does involve taking a gamble that I will be available for your date. Holiday periods and other special dates attract premium fees. To receive a quote please complete the online contact form here. 2. I have been a professional DJ for over 20 years and have performed at thousands of events during that time. Of course there is a lot of competition but there are not many that have the background and experience in this field that I possess. I also pride myself on the level of customer service that I offer, which is unrivalled. Most clients will deal with someone they like, respect and above all, trust. I hope to score well in these important areas and I place great value on my regular clients who have used my services over many years. 3. Yes, I have references on this site, they can be viewed here and all of the references displayed here have given permission to be on this site, so you are welcome to contact them. 4.
Planning and organising entertainment is the core of my business but many clients
are often in need of other areas of assistance. I often give advice for themes,
help with venue location. Lighting, sound and staging. Outdoor event & site
services. Marquees & interiors. Having been in the entertainment business
so long I have built up a considerable amount of contacts in every aspect of entertainment
that you could imagine. If required I can be employed as MC or the event planner
for the whole event. I also run an entertainment company named Euan Anthony Ltd and can provide many different forms of entertainment such as bands, string quartets, tribute artists, magicians, casino tables, chocolate fountains, firework displays, toastmasters and much more. 5. This is one of the advantages of also running an entertainment company, we have DJ's all around the South East of England, so in the unlikely event that the worst happens, your event will have a DJ. I must add that in all my years of DJ'ing this has never happened. 6. I only use modern transportation plus the back-up of having it serviced on a regular basis and I have full RAC cover just in case. 7. I only use the most modern of equipment, which is never more than two years old, I also carry spare speakers, amps, mixers, four CD players and a computerised music system, just to be on the safe side. 8. This is quite standard these days, all of my equipment is Portable Appliance Tested annually to the current HSE Electricity at Work regulations, and every item has a PAT certificate. Additionally I am a member of the Musicians Union which provides me with £10 million worth of full public liability insurance, I can supply copies upon request. 9. I believe that as with anything in life you get what you pay for. I have always offered high quality entertainment at affordable prices! Also you would not believe the amount of call I receive from people who say "I had asked my friend to DJ for me, but he can't do it now, can you help". 10. I have found that smoke machines, bubble machines and dry ice are more trouble than they are worth with many venues now banning their use, so never use any of them unless specifically requested to do so. 11. Unless requested in advance, I never use any form of strobe lighting. 12. My standard dress code is a dark suite & shirt or Black-Tie depending on the event. If you have a preference please let me know. There is a section included on the planning form where you can state your preference. The are some samples here. 13. I have a wealth of experience and am very used to performing to a wide age range and keeping the dance floor busy by playing music for everyone. This coupled with my huge music knowledge and collection will make you event a success. 14. I have a music search facility which enables you to search through my music collection to create your own request list. The entire database comprises of over 60,000 tracks. As long as I am given at least 3 days notice I can ensure that ANY song listed on the database is with me for your event. You are of course welcome to supply your own CD(s) for any real rarities. When searching through this huge collection to create the request list, previously some clients became very excited at the huge choice available and drew up very lengthy request lists of over 70 songs! It is virtually impossible for the DJ to play such a request list and also makes it very restrictive for the DJ on the night and less able to react to what is happening on the dancefloor. You will see that when you search for a track in the database, next to the each track are 3 buttons. The 1 st button adds it to a "Must Play" list; Please add songs that are very
very special to you, to the "Must Play" list. Both of these first 2 lists have a maximum number of entries because, there are only so many songs that can be played in one night! Remember that for a 4-hour event, the maximum amount of songs that could be played is around 60! (Average of 4 minutes per song played back to back). The database below is updated on weekly which means that it is up to date with any current chart hits. If a song you like is not listed, please add it to the custom list and I will endeavour to add this title to my collection. I guarantee that I will play ALL songs in your "Must Play" list. (I cannot accept responsibility for any tracks in this list that clear the dancefloor!) If your event over-runs then it may not be possible to fit all tracks in the "Must Play" list in. 15. The booking confirmation form that I will send to you will detail everything that we agree. 16. As mentioned above, I have a wealth of experience of both weddings and corporate events. You can see some of the many venues I have performed at here. On average I DJ at over 150 functions every year. 17. I can arrange to set up equipment at any time that is most suited to your event and this can include setting up during the morning or before the meal, please discuss this when making your booking where I will be very happy to help. 18. This again is easily arranged. Just choose the style of music you would prefer to have played during the meal. The most popular choices are the easy listening/rat-pack style sounds. Other popular choices are jazz, acid-jazz & smooth soul. 19. Yes of course I can, I have MC'd many events, including weddings, cabaret & comedy shows, corporate events & fundraiser's, I am able to help out with anything, just ask. 20. I would be happy to arrange this however there are times when this will not always be possible as the majority of my events are weddings and corporate events. It is obviously not possible for me to invite people to such an occasion. I regularly meet up with clients at their homes, in a bar or at the venue before the event to go over the music and any other issues. This is best done within a few weeks of the big day so that the discussion is still fresh in my mind. On average I perform at 2 to 3 weddings per week so if the meeting is held six or seven months before the wedding date much of the discussion will not be so easily remembered. 21. I can work in any venue that has either a smoke detector system or a noise limiter fitted. As previously mentioned I do not use smoke machines so the smoke detector is not an issue. The sound levels will be adjusted to be within the agreed limit of the venue, this is quite common and should not cause any noticeable quality reduction of my show where the sound limiter has been set correctly. However it is worth noting that at many venues these have not been installed correctly. They should always be installed by a professional sound engineer but some venues have them installed by their onsite electrician. This can cause problems because a professional sound engineer will take into account the acoustics and size of the room when setting the maximum sound level, most electricians simply install these units on the factory default setting and do not adjust the maximum sound level. This can cause a problem when in use because if the sound level is set too low, then it can make it very difficult to entice people onto the dancefloor, even more so if the bar is in a separate room from the dancefloor. If the DJ exceeds the maximum set level then all the power to the DJ's equipment is cut and very often the power will not return for a set amount of time, usually between 1 & 5 minutes. Sometimes the default setting is so low that the sound of the audience clapping can set them off and cut the power! 22. My fees are based on three main factors: 1. Location, 2. Start/end time of event, 3. Estimated number of guests. These 3 factors will enable me to provide you with a quotation. Further information on prices is available here. 23. It is your event, so will play the music that you want. All I ask is that you give me a guideline of the types of music you would like to hear, and also any music that you would NOT like to hear. The Music Search page allows you to look through my collection and create a request list. 24. It generally takes me around 30 to 45 minutes to set all of my sound & lighting equipment up, and I will usually arrive at the venue just over an hour before the start time. 25. I will send a contract to you which you would sign and return with a 25% advanced payment. 26. I am very aware that at most of the events that I am booked for, are social functions where people wish to dance and have a good time, but also chat with old friends and make new friends. This is very difficult to do if the DJ is intent on forcing you to shout all night because the music is too loud. Throughout the event I will pay special attention to the volume levels to ensure that the music is loud enough to dance to, but not so loud that you're not able to have a conversation. If at any stage during the event you feel that the volume is too loud please do not hesitate to ask for it to be lowered. Info on sound levels/volume is here. 27. Once again the choice is yours, for most functions I will use the mic sparingly mainly to make important announcements and help create a party atmosphere, I much prefer to let the music do the talking. I will of course read out requests, dedications etc. Again, the planning form on this site has a section where you can state your preference regarding usage of the mic. 28. Yes, I have a collection of over 2,000 tracks, this can be booked as an extra if required, or if you have a guest who would like to sing, as long as I have advance notice, this can be arranged. 29. All of the sound & lighting equipment used is modern state-of-the-art discreet and compact. I do not use any lighting effects such as light-screens/light-boxes, rope lights etc. Full details on equipment used by Euan Bass. 30. I do have a demo DVD, which I can send to you if required. Wedding Answers 1. It is extremely important to have your
booking confirmed in writing. All terms of the agreement should be in writing
to avoid any complications at a later date. References are an important part of
any business and an experienced professional DJ should be able to provide you
with current names and addresses of satisfied clients. When booking Euan Bass a booking form is sent which contains full terms & conditions so nothing is left to chance. 2.
There is a big difference between the audio equipment you have at home and the
equipment a professional DJ uses. Professional audio equipment is built to a rugged
specification as it’s on the road day in and day out. Make sure the entertainer
you choose uses only professional equipment to insure the music sounds as good
and the lighting is as impressive as possible for all of your guest's enjoyment. I only use the latest cutting edge equipment. 3. Even professional equipment can fail on occasion,
so it is important to know whether your DJ has spare equipment available to them.
Any number of circumstances may arise between the time you book your DJ and the
date of your event. It is important to know if the DJ has a backup plan in case
of illness or accident. I bring spare equipment to every function in the event of equipment failure, in fact if there was a problem, you and your guest would not even know about it. I am a director of an Entertainment Company (Euan Anthony Entertainment) and we have many good DJs, so in the unlikely event that I am unable to attend (this has never happened) Euan Anthony will be able to supply a more than adequate replacement. 4. It is important that your DJ looks the part by dressing in formal or semiformal attire. Be sure to specify the type of clothing that your DJ should use. There should be no added fee charged for formal attire. When completing an enquiry form, there is an option to select the DJ attire that you would prefer, you can see examples of the usual attire I wear for events here. 5.
A professional DJ will be prepared to handle all announcements and special events
on the day of your wedding. 6.
A DJ who has taken the time to register their business, arrange adequate Public
Liability Insurance (PLI) and regularly has all electrical equipment tested to
ensure that they comply with the standards required for Portable Appliance Testing
(PAT) demonstrates that they are serious business men and women. I am a member of the Musicians Union and have £10 million PLI cover as one of the benefits of the membership; additionally all of my equipment has PAT certificates. 7.
Punctuality is an ultimate necessity, and as professionals they should be aware
of their responsibilities to their clients. Normal time spent setting up and removing
equipment should not be part of the entertainment fee. I pride myself on my punctuality and use the latest satellite navigation systems to make sure that I arrive at least one hour before the scheduled start time. It takes me around 40 minutes usually to set-up my equipment, depending on access to the function room, staircases, elevators etc. 8. When booking a DJ through an entertainment agency you usually will not know for definite which DJ will be performing at your special event. If the agency has a lot of events booked on the same day as yours, you may end up with a very inexperienced DJ because all the experienced guys went to the highest paying events! The advantage of booking with Euan Bass, is that it will be me that entertains at your special event. 9.
A professional DJ is aware that they cannot possibly know everything there is
to know about your musical preferences and entertainment needs, they should be
willing to listen to your ideas and suggestions, and they should make themselves
available prior to your wedding to discuss selections. They should never play
the songs you have asked them not to play. Special requests should never be a
problem and your DJ should be willing to play them where they are appropriate.
When guests request music, remember, it is not possible for a DJ to have every
song, or for a band to know every song that could be requested; however, DJs do
have greater flexibility in handling requests because they don't have to learn
the songs. People often request songs that do not "fit-in"
with the music programming. Some may request inappropriate songs. Professional
entertainers know when it is acceptable to honour requests. If inappropriate requests
are played, they will make you look bad. If you, the bride or groom insist on
a song being played that is against the better judgment of the DJ or band, they
have every right to let your audience know that the song choice is yours and not
his. He has a reputation to protect and he should inform the audience why a poor
song choice is being played. Upon confirmation of a booking, I will send an email with a user name & password which gives you access to a special client area of my site. This gives you access to Planning Forms and to browse through my music collection to create your request list. If you wish I will meet with you as many times as required to discuss every aspect of your unique event. 10. Some DJ services brag about a huge music library. Ask them if they bring the entire library and if it is in a database. If they can’t find a song, then it does no good to have that many songs. On the other hand, some only bring about 300 to 500 of the most requested songs. These DJs can not really honour requests of a truly diverse audience that most receptions are composed of. Remember that for a 4-hour reception, the maximum amount of songs that could be played is around 60! (Average of 4 minutes per song played back to back). As a music fan, my entire database comprises of over 100,000 tracks, at any function I will have at least 10,000 tracks with me covering a huge range of music genre's & era's more then enough for most functions. As long as I am given at least 4 days notice I can ensure that ANY song listed on my database is with me for your event, if your favourite song is not in my database, as long as I’m given 14 days notice, I will do my best to acquire the track, alternatively you are of course welcome to supply your own CD for any real rarities. When searching through my huge music collection to create the request list, previously some couples became very excited and drew up very lengthy request lists of over 70 songs! It is virtually impossible for me to play such a request list and also makes it very restrictive for me on the night and less able to react to what is happening on the dance floor. You will see that when you search for a track, next to the each track are 3 coloured buttons; Green, Yellow & Red. The Green button adds it to a "Must Play List", the Yellow button adds it to a "Play If Possible" list & the Red button adds it to "Do Not Play" list. Please add songs that are very very special to you to the "Must Play" list. The "Play If Possible" list is to give me an idea of the types of music you like. Both of these lists have a maximum number of entries because as mentioned above, there are only so many songs that can be played in one night! 11.
A DJ should have all types of music with them at the reception in order to please
a diverse audience, from young children to your grand parents. The DJ should be
able to play music from the big band, 50’s, 60’s, 70’s, 80’s,
and 90’s, right up through today’s hottest hits. Your DJ should be able
to provide even ethnic music and many other more obscure genre’s to suit
your event. DJs have an advantage over bands in this case because they have a
broader selection of musical styles at their disposal. Some music types and songs
are unsuitable to play at wedding receptions. Playing heavy metal or gangsta rap,
for example, might upset or displease some of your guests. Also, songs containing
objectionable language should not be played. Even though you may like a particular
song, you will survive if you don't hear it, and you will not cause anyone at
your event to be uncomfortable. Your wedding will not be hurt one bit by a song
that isn't played, but it could be hurt by a song that is. I have an extremely wide music knowledge covering many genre's and going way back to the 1940's, but still buy the upto date sounds and am very much in touch with the current scene. 12.
Yes. Your DJ should arrange a meeting with you to go over all the details. A DJ
should take the time to find out your musical tastes and be open to your needs.
By the same token, an experienced DJ also knows what works and what does not work.
Listen to their advice. A classic example is one where the bride and groom insisted
on House & Trance music for the entire reception! They chose their favourite
music even though the guest list included many people from different backgrounds!
Common sense dictates that you might want to listen to your DJ in this case. If you would like to meet me before the day to discuss your special event this can easily be arranged. Either at your home, the venue that your reception is being held in or at a public place such as bar, restaurant etc. I am also of the opinion that it is your wedding, so a majority of the music played should reflect your tastes. 13.
The stereotypical image of a wedding disco in the UK is of a guy that will
only play the very cheesy hits all night long. It is important that you emphasise
whether you do/don't like this sort of style. In recent years I have found that the vast majority of people who book me, state that they do NOT want the very cheesy stuff like Agadoo played and it is becoming increasingly common for couples to insist on NO cheese or boy band stuff whatsoever. I have no problem with this whatsoever; just let me know your preferences. 14. Music volume should be kept at an appropriate
level so it doesn't "interfere" with the event. Throughout all segments
of the reception, cocktail hour, dinner and dancing, the music should add to,
or help create the proper atmosphere. During dinner the music should be loud enough
to fill in any "dead" air that may occur while people are enjoying their
meal. The music level shouldn't be so loud that it is distracting when you are
engaged in conversation. As the event progresses towards the dancing portion of
the event, the volume should increase. The increase should be mainly concentrated
on the dance floor. This will add to the excitement of the party. The volume increase
should not take away from the enjoyment of any guest as it moves to the foreground.
Some people may prefer conversation over dancing. They should be able to find
quieter areas away from the dance floor. When creating your table plans, it is advisable when possible to place elderly people at the opposite end of the room to the stage area where the speakers will be located. I will play the music loud enough to dance to, but not too loud that people can’t have a conversation. Also if you wish I can supply a sound system that will rival any night club. 15.
Your DJ should have discussed that with you prior to your reception and at contract
signing. It should also be part of your contract. However, you alone must authorize
it. If the cheque you have prepared for the DJ does not cover the overtime then
the DJ has the option of accepting cash or check. Usually, it is best to have
the cash available and to pay the DJ when services are rendered. 16. If you are thinking of doing this you need to take into account whether you are staying till the end and the start & end time of the whole day. If for example the day starts at around mid-day for all your guests and the disco will be finishing at midnight but you want to do the arch at the very end of the night, you’ll sometimes find that many of the guests, especially the older ones, will have left before the end because they were tired, meaning fewer people to do the arch. If you plan to leave before the end; a common scenario is that all the guests will follow the B&G out to the limo to say goodbye, leaving the dance floor empty for 5 or 10 minutes and by then many of them will decide it’s time to go home, so it’s often pointless for example to leave at 10.30, but arrange for the event to go on until midnight! 17. When compared to other party related expenses, a mobile disc jockey is a bargain. The national estimated cost of a wedding reception is well over £15,000. Photographers can cost as much as £4,000; high-quality digital video £800-£3,000; your wedding cake £500-£1,200, basic meal service (chicken) for 150 guests £5,000. Don't forget flowers, invitations, dresses and tuxedo rentals, limos and even postage. Ask yourself these question's; is the entertainment less than 5% responsible for the success of your reception?, our feedback from bride & groom state that my disco contributed up to 70% to the success of their reception. Is price important? Yes, it is. But no price is a good price if you do not like the quality of your entertainment! I realize what an important day your wedding is and how much you want everything to be perfect. My business is built on referrals from my very satisfied customers. |
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