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Posted by JazzieCazzie on June 16, 2003 at 08:44:16:

In Reply to: Re: last minute help-prayer /jazzie-dj tip? posted by Cary on June 15, 2003 at 23:49:21:

I'll reiterate briefly for Cary's sake what I said in a post several months ago ... this is by no means "the gospel," I am simply speaking on behalf of someone who does this for a living because it's just not your typical 9-5 job.

When my husband is playing a wedding or bar mitzvah, he usually has to get there a good hour or two before the event to set up, because heaven forbid he should be a distraction while the ceremony (if it's a wedding at the venue) is going on ... in fact, often as keyboard player he is expected to also play the music FOR the ceremony.

It would be nice if every wedding and bar mitzvah he played was a nice 15 minute drive from our house. More often it's at least an hour, maybe two. Then he has to unload all the band equipment and set up. Change into his tuxedo. Play a four-five hour set, unload all the equipment and drive home.

An average schedule for him is normally leaving our house at around 3 p.m. (for a 6-7 p.m. reception), and working non-stop (with a handful of 10-15 minute breaks) to make your son or daughter's wedding or bnai mitzvah a fun and joyous event. He generally gets home around 1-2 a.m.

Sorry if you think that his getting a meal in there somewhere is an imposition. Maybe he should be eating his dinner at 2 p.m. or 2 a.m. In "real" life, we get hour-long lunch breaks at a convenient time and can go somewhere to eat.

Bands and DJs can't do that. They are at the mercy of their clients. They have to stuff their mouth with whatever they may be fortunate to get in that 15-minutes when your kids are doing something else and that has to suffice until they come home in the middle of the night.

It doesn't have to be one of your $80 steak or salmon choices. Most caterers will cut deals for employee meals (the guys call them "bandwiches" and while they're not great they're better than eating air). Some guests actually DO give their band/DJs the same meals as their guests. They are considered the hosts from Mount Olympus.

Needless to say, our DJ is getting a regular meal at our daughter's bat mitzvah. So is our emcee (but that's my husband LOL).

My two cents and an admittedly biased one. :)

Follow Ups:

• Re: last minute help-prayer /jazzie-dj tip? Andi 06/16/03 (2)
  • Re: last minute help-prayer /jazzie-dj tip? JazzieCazzie 06/16/03 (1)
    • Re: last minute help-prayer /jazzie-dj tip? Andi 06/17/03 (0)
• Re: last minute help-prayer /jazzie-dj tip? Canadian Mom #2 06/16/03 (0)

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