What if I have other entertainment booked for my event?
I’ll start off with a little introduction. I work mainly as a Wedding DJ for MPG Entertainments and as a Live Sound Engineer for The SoulKings. I’m also a Keyboard/Piano player and sometimes deputise for Keys/Piano players in a Function/Wedding band who cannot attend their event, so I have experience from all corners. I know what issues tend to crop up and how to mitigate them or eliminate them entirely.
I'm more than happy to work as a DJ alongside bands & singers. I can actually go one step further and (as a Live Sound Engineer) supply a single touring-spec sound & lighting system that both the band and I will run through. This will 'clean up' the stage area so there's not a ton of speakers, lights and cables cluttering up the background of your pictures! It could potentially reduce costs for the band if all they have to do is turn up with their instruments. Bands generally do not provide a ‘touring spec’ PA system. Touring spec means the same brand of speakers you would find at a festival or venue.
This event had myself as a DJ (Left) and a Band (Right) ran through a single PA & Lighting System provided by MPG Entertainments.
I'll personally liaise with the band and sort out their requirements, I'll get a copy of their playlist/setlist so I don't play any of their songs before or between their sets.
Typically speaking, I’ll run the band through my PA system but they’ll use their own mics, stands, monitors etc. They can also use my lighting when they’re on.
Check out the video below as an example of a Wedding where I provided everything and ran their sound for them:
In the above video, I supplied everything from stage monitors to microphones, the main speakers to the lighting. This was a 6 Piece band with 2x Guitars, 3x Keyboards, Trumpet, Trombone, 4x Vocalists, Bass, Auxiliary percussion and Drums.
If you contact your band and they ask what equipment they'll be running through, please see what I'd typically bring to an event below:
Front of House PA: 2x d&b audiotechnik Q7 or Y10p Mid-tops paired with 2x d&b audiotechnik B6 Subwoofers (up to 4x Subwoofers can be provided at extra cost)
Front of House Amps: 1x d&b audiotechnik D40
Monitors: 2x d&b audiotechnik E12, 2x d&b audiotechnik E8 or 4x d&b audiotechnik E3 (depending on availability)
Monitor Amps: 1x d&b audiotechnik D20 (4 channels) or 1x d&b audiotechnik D12 (2 channels) & 1x d&b audiotechnik D6 (2 channels)
Mixing Console: Midas M32R or Behringer Wing with Midas DL153 Digital Stagebox (up to 24/32 channels of Midas Pro series Preamps & 13x Mono Monitor Mixes/6x Stereo in-ear mixes)
Microphones: 1x Wireless Sennheiser ew500 G4 with Neumann kk205 capsule, 2x Wireless Sennheiser SKM2000 with 935 capsule, Several Wired Shure Beta & SM58s, Neumann KMS105, Audix Drum Set for Kick, Toms, Snare, Audix D2/D4 Instrument mics for guitar/bass.
DI Boxes are also available upon request
Anyone in the know will be aware that the equipment listed is the best money can buy (d&b audiotechnik speakers are used on the 2 top grossing world tours of all time & huge festivals/venues such as Tomorrowland, Pacha Ibiza, Glastonbury and The Royal Albert Hall). Midas Mixing Consoles, Sennheiser/Neumann, Shure & Audix microphones are also top quality.
I also work regularly with The SoulKings. Lots of footage available here.
Other issues that can crop up when both a Band & DJ are playing & how I circumvent them are as follows
DJ playing songs from the Band’s set list
I always liaise with the band with what’s on their set-list before I start playing . I can do this weeks/months in advance if the band have pre-defined set lists or can liaise on the night before they go on. This will ensure I don’t play anything they plan on playing.
There’s often limited space for DJ and Band to set up
I will always turn up as early as possible to set up before the band so when they break down, they’re not tripping over any of my equipment that wasn’t there when they began to set theirs up. Although my lighting setup is vast, its actual footprint is small. I don’t carry any heavy duty trussing etc as it takes up a lot more room on stage. This will give the band as much space as possible to perform.
A messy stage/Aesthetics
I have attached a couple of images from past events where there have been multiple PA systems.
