Bands and DJs in Solihull

Dave Metcalfe-Carr Wedding and Event DJ has been DJing for over 20 years and worked both in pubs and clubs as well as running an events DJ service for weddings, celebrations, charity, and corporate events.
They work with you to get the event you want from the first contact to the end of the job.

What do you need to know from an organiser in order to provide a comprehensive quote?

The venue - where it is, is the room upstairs? Does it have it's own PA or lights? How big is the room as this will determine the size of equipment I need to bring? If the venue has it's own equipment and I can plug and play then I will reduce my quote compared to having to bring a vehicle full of kit
The event - how many people are you expecting? Is it a charity night or fundraiser? How long is it?
The crowd - Do I know the music you want, because if it's specific or niche and I don't know it then I'd rather not waste your money and do a sub-par performance

What advice would you give to a customer looking to hire a provider in your area of work?

I have a saying, never trust a thin chef or a bald hairdresser. You have to talk to people. I will contact you by text or email asking for a convenient time to talk. I need to know what you want and you need to know I know what I'm talking about.
Never book anyone who wants to tell you in detail about their equipment. The average client doesn't care about this, they want to know if "I have lights". I will tell you the basics, I bring sound and light equipment and I work from a laptop so can take most requests on the night.

Please tell us a little bit about how and why you started the business.

I started over 20 years ago when a DJ at a club I worked in fell sick midway through the night. Part of my job was buying the clubs records each week so they knew I knew the music. I finished the night then got offered the pre-bar on a Saturday. I started doing student nights at the local university and went mobile during the vacation months. I've had pub residencies which have led to weddings and birthdays because I get to know the regulars. My main thing is that I make the events personal to the client rather than a generic disco

Please tell us about a booking you've had through Add to Event, how did it go? Would you recommend us to others?

Last week I did a birthday in a pub function room, The brief was Britpop and indie plus requests and I was on a stage so in view of everyone which I hate. My ethos is that the night is about the client, not me. Prior to the event, I get the clients to provide me with a list of music that must be played and a list that must not. The list was very diverse but everyone was up for it and as the requests came in the night became very eclectic and the dancing never stopped. As I was packing up one of the client's friends came up and gave me the best review ever because I had made a very shy and uncertain person feel special because I'd made the event very personal to them without making them feel uncomfortable and embarrassed without ignoring the other guests. To top it off I have had 2 bookings from the guests.