One might think that scheduling two events back to back in the same day would spell trouble: The stress of getting from one to the other with time to spare, the slim margin for error, the fingers crossed behind your back that all the traffic lights turn green and the other cars pull to the side like you’re driving an ambulance. And supposing all of these factors work in your favor, there is still the pure exhaustion to consider. Booking a double is pretty simple in theory. How close are the two venues and how much time to do you have between the end of the first gig and the start of the second? But when you wake up that morning, things are significantly different. It’s almost like the events of two whole days lay in front of you, but smooshed into one.
The reason I chose to write about the double I performed on May 21 is because none of those stress-inducing details were factors. It was actually a lot of fun! I had to be on the Boston University Campus by around 10AM for an 11AM start time. I called the client as I maneuvered down Bay State Rd. in the shadows of Fenway Park. BU is obviously an immense place and even with all the preparation in the world, I knew there’d still be some question as to where I was going. I’ve worked on the campus before but it was no where near where I was supposed to go for this one. It is important in our business to always make sure we have cell phone numbers for all the parties who will be involved.
Karleigh Antista, who I’d been corresponding with during the booking process, directed me to the parking lot next to the BU Castle. The parking lot opened up to a beautiful common area overlooking the Charles River. The students fondly refer to it as “BU Beach”, though it was all grass and no sand. At 10AM on a bright and sunny Saturday morning in May, it was the perfect place to be.
The event was called “BU Beach Bash” and was part of Commencement Weekend for graduates and their families. Due to its proximity to the river and Beacon Street, the event was also accessible to the public. There were family style attractions like juggling unicyclists, face painting and miniature golf and fun activities like simulated bungee jumping, rock wall climbing, and mechanical bull riding. I put together a fun soundtrack to keep people moving as they munched on loaded Italian sausages and quenched their thirst with cold beer and soft drinks. Music at events like that is pretty easy to choose. It’s obviously important that everything is upbeat and family friendly but there are lots of different age groups to consider so it’s great to play stuff that everyone can relate to! And best of all, in a causal atmosphere like that, I get to play stuff I really enjoy!
Karleigh approached me once or twice to see if I needed anything, but otherwise had no concerns and said the music was great. It’s mornings like that when work doesn’t really feel like work. When two o’clock rolled around, I honestly didn’t want to leave. But I felt strong and energized and was looking forward to my next event.
After a shower and wardrobe change, I was on to Lincoln, MA, driving up to the Pierce House around 5:30PM. I was scheduled to play a wedding for the sister of a friend of mine. The newlyweds were Liz and Bob Tobin. Liz (maiden name Materazzo) and I had meticulously planned the details of my performance prior to the date, as I try to do with all my clients. As is usually the case, though, you can plan until you’re blue in the face but each event takes on its own shape once it’s underway.
Anyway, it was a beautiful early evening in Lincoln and the set up was quick and easy. I like this venue because I can get my car pretty close to the side of the tent where my table is. I worked there once before in 2008 and remembered it well. The mansion itself is a lovely place but the events mostly take place on the outdoor grounds and in the tent attached to the house. Liz and Bob chose to have a indoor/outdoor cocktail hour with no music but they had a professional cigar roller which added a nice touch. I was slated to play from 7-midnight in the tent for dinner and dancing. As one might notice, most weddings have a pretty typical timeline. If the ceremony is onsite, an hour is usually allotted for it. Then an hour of cocktails and four hours for dinner and dancing. Some receptions do extend further by 30 minutes or as in Liz and Bob’s case, an hour.
Once the guests started to filter into the tent a few minutes before 7, things got moving pretty quickly. Introductions, first dance, toasts, dinner (buffet), cake cutting and parent dances were all completed within an hour. If there was a prize for that sort of thing, this wedding would win. I was really surprised 140 guests moved that quickly through dinner. Maybe it just proved that they were eager to party! So around 8PM, it became clear: the floor would be mine for the next 4 hours. That can be a very frightening thing for a DJ. Weddings generally end up dedicating between 2 and 3 hours to dancing and 3 is pushing it.
I began dragging song after song into my playlist, trying to thing not only of the most popular songs of each genre, but also of that second tier of well known songs that I’d had success with before. With 4 hours to fill, I’d have to revisit some hidden gems I hadn’t played in a while. Liz had given me some general ideas on the reception worksheet she filled out before the wedding but there weren’t many specific requests. I started in my comfort zone, playing some older hits to get people going, and I never looked back. In order to accommodate requests, I had to zig zag in and out of different genres pretty quickly, which can come off a little choppy, but the guests were all very polite and light-hearted. By the end of that 4 hours, I was pretty well spent and had played a myriad of different things to keep people entertained. The undisputed smash hit of the night was “Kung-Fu Fighting” by Carl Douglas, a song that is well documented as the official theme song for the Materazzo family. I was told beforehand that this song would illicit a huge response from the crowd because it is Liz’s father’s favorite song. He even came up to the table to tell me to play it on a loop if people continued kung-fu fighting in the center of the human circle. I ended up playing it twice and could have played it a third time but honestly I felt like it was against my moral code. And the second biggest hit of the night? ”Jump Around” by House of Pain, also requested by Liz’s father, although he referred to it as “jump up, jump up and get down”.
At about 10:45, a light fog hovered around the trees behind me and rain began to spit on my shoulders. The temperature was probably in the low 50s and I was freezing. Liz’s sister (whose name escapes me now) could see the weather was weighing me down and she came around the table to stand next to me. She commented on how cold it was and how sorry she was that it was raining on me. She offered me a jacket and an umbrella, both of which I politely declined. ”How about a hug?”, she asked after a moment. I produced a smile and felt a deep appreciation for a friendly and warm group of people for whom I’d had the pleasure of performing.
Reflecting on it now, my May 21 double was no trouble at all! But the next time I wake up in the morning with two events in front of me, who knows how the day will unfold? Can’t wait to report back to you then! Signing off for now…
SR Arrington
