Thread: Another performance lesson....

Adding to Zorba's wise lesson teaching us to always take out any other tapes/cd's in your boom box before handing it off to the host of a party....

Today I performed at a baby shower. The host said she'd bring her own stereo, but I ALWAYS bring mine, because you never know (I've had bands who are unable to play CD's and have had to hook my boombox up to their speakers at big events - so even if there is a band/dj, I still have it in the car).

At today's party, we start my show using her cd player. And then, right in the middle of my set, the cd player just STOPS PLAYING. That's all - it just stopped, and we couldn't get it to restart! And it wasn't the cd - I had listened to it twice in the car on the way there and it was fine. I had just gotten a bunch of the ladies up to dance with me too, so it was such a kill-joy. The poor girl who booked me - she was so sad, she kept telling me she was so embarrased and I didn't have finish my set if I didn't want to.

No worries, I told her - my mom (who came with me) was already out getting my boombox and was back in a second. We hooked that up, and started where we left off and I finished my set.

It would have been a disaster had I not had my own stereo - I would have only performed about 5 minutes of a 13 minute set. So...today's lesson is:

Purchase a LOUD boombox and always keep it in your car for gigs - even if the client swears up and down that they have a band/dj/stereo system/boombox of their own....plan for emergencies!

Ahh, good advice!

I started doing this after I did a gig where the client had a boombox so old it would not play burned CD's. We lucked out that her DVD payer was hooked up to the stereo, so we just popped it in there - but I swore I would never travel without my own sound sysytem again as a backup!

I'd like to add, I made a cassette tape of the music I was dancing too, and it wouldn't play loud enough, in the boombox my instructor brought.
It played great in mine (before and after this event).
So you're right, bring your own boombox!

Also be careful playing your burned cd's in the car stereo, they might get damaged and start skipping.
I think it's because of the constant vibrations of the car, and sometimes climate.
The dye in cd's you burn yourself is more delicate than ones burned by a manufacturer.

Sound problems suck, I don't care what causes them! I've heard that lesson before - but I'd forgotten it. Thanx for the refresher!

My troupe has had tons of problems this year with burnt cd's not playing in the stereo equipment provided by venues. It seems like it just started happening this year, but we've been using burnt cd's for several years - not sure what the deal is with that. Anyone else finding that this is happening more and more?

Daniella's advice is most excellent - always have a backup sound system ready to roll at a moment's notice.

Originally Posted by khalisah

My troupe has had tons of problems this year with burnt cd's not playing in the stereo equipment provided by venues. It seems like it just started happening this year, but we've been using burnt cd's for several years - not sure what the deal is with that. Anyone else finding that this is happening more and more?

Daniella's advice is most excellent - always have a backup sound system ready to roll at a moment's notice.

Are you using a different type of CD? Some brands that you burn will work with some equipment and not others. There are ratings out there somewhere that tell which brand is most likely to work with the most brands of equipment.

Been there, done that. I ALWAYS have my stereo along with me, and a good, long extension cord. I have an airline collapsable roller cart, and strap my boombox and bag of cords onto that, so I just take it in, even if they say they have sound.

On the CD's, I'd suggest using name brand burnable discs such as Memorex rather than the cheap ones - those seem to fail most often. Always make a backup copy of your music. If your burned discs are older they might not be compatible with newer stereos, so try reburning them using the newest software. For the absolute best quality in burned cd's, use a cd RECORDER - the separate audio unit that burns cd's from any audio source. The quality of those recordings is top notch. There again, use name brand discs or they may not work.

Also, for those who really like to be prepared, keep charged batteries in your boom box or in your cord bag, just in case.

Being prepared is part of being professional.

Jana
Essence of Egypt Dance Company
Learn How To Belly Dance with belly dance classes, belly dance videos and belly dance DVD's

My friend has trouble getting her cd's to play on some systems - the only reason we can think of is that she uses CD-RW, and I use CD-R. Not sure if that makes a difference but I don't have problems and she always does!

Originally Posted by danielabellydance

My friend has trouble getting her cd's to play on some systems - the only reason we can think of is that she uses CD-RW, and I use CD-R. Not sure if that makes a difference but I don't have problems and she always does!

That's exactly the problem. CD-RWs don't work in most stereos and shouldn't be used for audio files. Switch her to CD-Rs!

Thanks Zorba! I just sent her an email - we thought her computer had an issue, she'll be relieved to know it's just her choice of CDs!

yes, boombox i n the car!
I have a big old one, it's old but works fine, just in case.
When we went to the Dondi workshop in March, the rganizers didn't know there would be no stereo in the room. Thank God I had my stereo in the car, so we didn't have to wait for half an hour or more to track some one down/ go home to pick up a stereo.
You just never know.

I used to have an extra costume in my car with accessories for "just in case".
My biggest fear was alway that I leave the skirt or bra or belt home. I was always driving and having one arm in bag to double check for the 10th time. Of course at home I checked everything, but I think I developed a little compulsive disorder regarding performances.

I have two stories for you, Marianna -

First, I was recently at a Nourhan Sharif workshop, and same thing happened - the organizers didn't plan that the room wouldn't have it's own stereo! They tried looking for one for about a half hour, until I finally said I'd go get the one out of my car. Thank goodness I had it - it was a three hour workshop, I can't imagine not having music for that long! (not to mention, I paid $75 - I wanted to learn to music, thank you very much...)

My other story relates to your "fear" - I was doing a three person show quite a ways away from home once, and when we got to the venue, one of the dancers realized she had forgotten her skirt! Thankfully, we had extra veils, so we pinned her veil to her belt and made a makeshift skrt that way. It actually ended up looking really cool - a sleek chiffon skirt, who knew?!

So yeah, extra costume peices come in handy as well. I am neurotic, too, and will sometimes pull over to make sure everything is in the bag. I am never nervous about performing at parties - only nervous that I've forgotten something!

Originally Posted by khalisah

My troupe has had tons of problems this year with burnt cd's not playing in the stereo equipment provided by venues. It seems like it just started happening this year, but we've been using burnt cd's for several years - not sure what the deal is with that. Anyone else finding that this is happening more and more?

Daniella's advice is most excellent - always have a backup sound system ready to roll at a moment's notice.

I've found that my home stereo with a 5 disc tray, WON'T play cd's at all, with CERTAIN cd's in it.
I haven't noticed if the all the other cd's were one's I burned.

I can't play my store bought Mary J. Blige cd (with U2's One on it LOVE IT!), unless ALL the other trays are empty. I know some items send out a 'signal so they can't be copied (i.e. DVD's), so I assume my Mary J. Blige might be sending this signal, and recognizing the other cd's? I've never tried to make a duplicate of it.
Anyway, so now if a cd doesn't play, I take out all the others, and then it will play in this unit. Strange.....

Originally Posted by danielabellydance

I am neurotic, too, and will sometimes pull over to make sure everything is in the bag. I am never nervous about performing at parties - only nervous that I've forgotten something!

Oh thank Goddess. I thought I was the only one... ..l;,

I make sure my car is packed up the night before important performances - no headless chicken moments before you set off.

I have a list with everything I need for a gig, that I check and recheck as I am heading out the door. No matter how many gigs I've done over the years, if I don't check that darn list every time I am certain to forget something.