DJ John Forbes

Back Online!

2009-11-16T14:19:00.000Z

Over the past couple of months, I've not been able to update my Blog.

A double-dose of the flu and an injury to my neck has prevented me from sitting down to conduct many of my duties as a full time Professional Mobile DJ. I have a massive backlog of galleries to put online. So, if you are customer who is waiting to see the pictures from your wedding, please hold on a little longer.

I was hoping to get a new website up and running, but that has been put on the back burner for the time being.

I'm going through the workload and hope to have it cleared in the near future.

John Forbes
Professional DJ
www.johnforbes.net

The Bryan Adams Experience Interview

2009-09-07T23:48:00.001+01:00

For those of you who have looked through some of my Blog entries, you will be fully aware that I am an active volunteer at Darlington Hosptal Radio (Radio Skerne). As well as presenting and training up new members, I am also a Committee member and have the roles of Vice-Chairman and Secretary of the station.

I give up my free time to entertain the patients, staff and visitors to Darlington Memorial Hospital. This is a voluntary role that I have been doing for more than 14 years and throughout that time I have tried to make my shows as appealing, entertaining and enjoyable as possible. I always try out new features, try to get audience participation and generally help some of the time pass during a stressful stay in hospital.

I'm always trying to think up new features or segments of the shows I present and I've decided to include a regular interview slot. I'm hoping to get various people in to discuss what they do and in the case of some bands, get them to perform live from the studio.

The first opportunity went to a local tribute band - The Bryan Adams Experience. Gary and Stuart joined me in the cramped studios for a bit of irreverent chat and live music. Stuart was kind enough to play the acoustic guitar and sing five of the most memorable and popular songs from the Bryan Adams back catalogue.

Gary provided some of the backing, but I'd rather not tell you what he played with :-)

I thought that the show was highly entertaining and I must pay a big thank you to Gary and Stuart for taking time out on a Monday evening to join me in the studio for an interview and to perform on Radio Skerne.

I've been invited down to see the boys perform live at The Forum Music Centre in Darlington on Friday 25th September 2009 and I'm looking forward to a great night out and perhaps take a look behind the scenes of The Bryan Adams Experience!

John Forbes
Professional DJ
www.johnforbes.net

Online Gallery

2009-07-03T13:44:00.000+01:00

I always aim to give the very best service to my clients before and during my performance.

However, I started thinking about what I could do for my customers after their big day.

I've always asked for permission to take photographs or video footage at the events I've attended and I thought that it was a natural progression for me to make these photos available to my customers and also their friends and family. Therefore, all of my clients now get access to an online gallery depicting some of the events from their special occasion.

These sections of my website are only open to my clients, but they can choose who they wish to send the link to. I think this is a great idea and my customers have been highly complimentary about the additional free service I am including in my packages. Many people have commented that friends and family members who could not attend, now had a chance to see some of the pictures from the event.

The pictures I put online are usually available well before the professional photographers have been able to compile an album depicting the celebration. I've found that even professional photographers do not stay any longer than the first dance at weddings. This means that I have a perfect opportunity to show the evening celebrations in full swing and these are pictures that will not feature in any wedding album.

I have been offering this service for a number of months, but this is the first time that I have made the news of it public knowledge. My current and future customers will all be offered this service and based on the take-up so far, I expect the vast majority of people to give a resounding 'yes' when offered.

I would love to give examples of the online galleries I have already produced, but I respect the privacy of my clients and it is up to them who they make the album available to.

For further information on this service, please do not hesitate to give me a call or send me an e-mail.

John Forbes
Professional DJ
http://www.johnforbes.net/

Appointment to the National Association of Disc Jockeys (NADJ)

2009-06-15T12:55:00.001+01:00

I've always tried to further the DJ trade in the North East of England. It's not an easy task trying to get DJs to integrate and network, but at least I have made the effort.

I have been a member of the National Association of Disc Jockeys (NADJ) for a number of years and I've always attended the local branch meetings and have travelled the length and breadth of the country to meet fellow DJs.

These local meetings are an ideal opportunity to meet with your peers and also get to know fellow professionals in my line of work. It's also a great opportunity to pick up on new ideas or experiences from colleagues.

However, earlier this month, I was asked by Mark Porley, Chairman of the NADJ, to take up an important and vital position within the organisation. I had met Mark and some of the other Committee members during my travels around the country and also when representatives from the NADJ visited the North East to attend our branch meetings.

Mark wanted me to take up the role of Membership Officer. This is one of the most important Committee positions and after a couple of days to think about the offer, I decided to make my commitment to the DJ industry a bit more formal. Rather than sitting on the sideline, I was asked to play a more instrumental role in recruiting and spreading the word of what the NADJ does.

Mark and the other Committee members noticed that I had a real passion for my work and that I was willing to help others raise their standards and offer a more professional way of conducting their business. Mark commented that it was these exact traits that the NADJ was looking for in spearheading and developing the organisation.

All membership enquiries come through me and I'm looking forward to meeting more of the membership at branch meetings and at other DJ related events throughout the UK.

John Forbes
Professional DJ
http://www.johnforbes.net/

Mayor of Darlington's Generous Donation to Radio Skerne

2009-05-14T17:33:00.006+01:00

It is with delight that I'm able to tell you that the outgoing Mayor of Darlington (2008/9), Councillor Ian Haszeldine, invited representatives of Darlington Hospital Radio (Radio Skerne) to the Town Hall to receive a very generous cheque.

As the Vice-Chairman and Station Secretary, I was asked to attend a gathering of local organisations to pick up a cheque from the Mayor.

The Mayor had already given visited our studios and he took part in one of the shows. Councillor Haszeldine gave the charity a cheque for £800 on that occasion. That money would cover the two main expenses each year- insurance and the broadcast license to Phonographic Performance Limited.

I attended this meeting on Wednesday 13th May 2009 along with the the station Chairman, Frank Benson, and Treasurer, Mike Denham.

We didn't know how much was going to be donated on this occasion, but even a hundred pounds would have been an enormous help.We were completely lost for words when our group was highlighted for special attention. The Mayor's last duties in office was to reward local organisations for their efforts in the community.

Councillor Haszeldine talked about the visit to our studios and the on-air interview in which he commented that yet again he was roped into singing a song on the radio. It was all in good humour and I was singled out as the presenter who conducted that interview.

At the end of the wonderful comments from the Mayor, he called forward the representatives from the station to receive a cheque for £3,000!!!

We couldn't really believe it, the charity hadn't received financial assistance of that kind for many years. It also meant that the station could keep on entertaining the patients at Darlington Memorial Hospital for many more years to come.

The station now has a comfortable financial safety net in place and we will continue to cater for our listeners to the best of our abilities.

A letter of thanks has been sent to the outgoing Mayor of Darlington and he is keen on a second trip to our studios. Councillor Haszeldine will always be welcome at the studios of Radio Skerne and I look forward to meeting up with him in the near future.

Darlington Hospital Radio (Radio Skerne) is always on the look-out for new members who are aged 18 or over. If you would like to join the station and can spare a few hours every week, please do not hesitate to get in touch:

Telephone: 01325 743304
E-mail: radio_skerne@hotmail.com
Web: www.communigate.co.uk/ne/radioskerne

Darlington Hospital Radio (Radio Skerne)
C/o Darlington Memorial Hospital
Hollyhurst Road
Darlington
DL3 6HX

[Pictured above (L-R) Mike Denham, Treasurer, Frank Benson, Chairman of Darlington Hospital Radio and The Mayor of Darlington (2008/9), Councillor Ian Haszedine]

John Forbes
Professional DJ
http://www.johnforbes.net/

Mayor of Darlington Interview

2009-04-08T15:50:00.010+01:00

If you visit the 'About Me' section of my website, you'll see that I am active member of Darlington Hospital Radio (Radio Skerne). I have been at the Hospital Radio station since I was 18 years old. I currently hold the position of Vice-Chairman and Secretary of the charity.

The station recently wrote to the Mayor of Darlington, Ian Haszeldine [pictured right], to see if he would consider giving the organisation a small grant to help with running costs. We were delighted to be informed that the Mayor's Charitable Fund was willing to give us £800 to keep the station running for another year. This grant couldn't have come at a better time!

Some of the volunteers at the station went to the Mayor's Parlour at Darlington Town Hall to receive the cheque and to personally thank the Mayor for the grant. We also invited Councillor Haszeldine down to our studios to find out about what we do and to have a quick tour of our studios.

The visit took place on Monday 6th April and as well as having a chat to some of our members, the Mayor was kind enough to spare some time for an interview and to announce a few requests that had been collected for the live show. I conducted the interview and four of the listeners had the pleasure of their request being announced by the Mayor.

The two main expenses are the ridiculously high insurance fees and the broadcast license to Phonographic Performance Limited (PPL). I think it's best that I say as little as possible about the insurance and PPL fees - I could be here quite a while!

Darlington Hospital Radio (Radio Skerne) is always on the look-out for new members who are aged 18 or over. If you would like to join the station and can spare a few hours every week, please do not hesitate to get in touch:

Telephone: 01325 743304
E-mail: radio_skerne@hotmail.com
Web: www.communigate.co.uk/ne/radioskerne
Darlington Hospital Radio (Radio Skerne)
C/o Darlington Memorial Hospital
Hollyhurst Road
Darlington
DL3 6HX

John Forbes
Professional DJ
http://www.johnforbes.net/

Customer Feedback

2009-04-01T21:14:00.005+01:00

January to March every year can be one of the quietest periods for work for a Professional DJ.

Many people are paying off the luxuries and added expenses from Christmas and New Year. However, people still want to get married or hold other celebrations.

Just this week I have received several messages from some extremely happy clients and I feel it's only appropriate I let people know that it fills me with great pleasure to know that I have contributed in a small part to making a celebration an event to remember for years.

Here's just what a two of my customers have said:

We have been meaning to get in touch but things have been a bit hectic so I do apologise for the lateness of this.

We wanted to thank you very much for such a wonderful evening. It was even better than we had anticipated and everyone has commented on how fabulous everything was and how good the music was.

We could not have asked for a better night or a better service from yourself.

We have highly recommended you to all our friends and family for any upcoming events they may be planning.

You are sure to see us again, as any event we plan you will most definitely be our first choice.

Thank you again for your professional yet personal touch you added to our day.

Kind Regards,

Mr & Mrs Fudge
March 2009

&

Now that we're back from a great few weeks away in Sri Lanka, I just wanted to say a big thank you for all your efforts a few weeks ago. From the packed dance floor all night I can safely say, and hope you'd agree, that people loved the tunes!

I was generally very impressed with your set up and was especially grateful for the assistance you offered to Ron and his band.

Thank you for essentially sticking to the play list and for choosing some cracking tunes off the play list. My only slight regret is that I didn't ban requests and so could have saved myself the shame of the "Ice, Ice Baby" display! At least the video chap had gone back home by then so there is no lasting record!

If you're in need of recommendations I'd be happy to give one on your behalf so please feel free to keep my details on record for that purpose.

Many thanks again.

All the best,

Mr & Mrs Slade
March 2009

If you would like to see more feedback from my customers, please visit my 'Client Comments' section of my website.

John Forbes
Professional DJ
http://www.johnforbes.net/

My First Marquee Wedding Of The Year

2009-03-11T16:54:00.012Z

A number of weeks have passed since my last Blog post. Surprisingly, this is because February has been a busier month than I had expected.

I've worked each weekend for many clients and these events range from a Valentines Night Cabaret and Disco at a local golf club through to the first marquee wedding of the year for me.

It's the marquee wedding I would like to highlight in this post.

The beginning of March is a difficult month to hold an event in a marquee. There's simply no way of knowing what the weather is going to be like and the weather can disrupt the event more than in a hotel or other venue.

I was working in a marquee in Richmond, North Yorkshire and the weather on the week leading up to the big day was dry and calm. Sadly, it didn't stay that way and on the night of the wedding the wind got rather blustery and the rain came down.

The poor weather didn't dampen the spirits of the Bride and Groom or their 200+ guests.

It was a wonderful night and I think that the Mood Lighting I installed transformed the marquee and changed the atmosphere in the room. You can see how I was able to transform the marquee from the standard white lighting that the marquee hire company installed to the subtle and effective LED Mood Lights.The first picture shows the dancefloor during the Wedding Breakfast. The other pictue shows the crowd taking in the speeches from the father of the Bride, the Groom and his Best Man.

There were three distinct sections to the marquee. There was the dancefloor with Mood Lighting, the bar and drinks reception area and finally the dining section of the marquee.

The whole event went very well and I had a full dancefloor during my performance. The Bride and Groom were very happy and personally thanked me at the end of the night. I also received some major compliments from the Bride's parents.

The family had held several other wedding receptions in a marquee on their grounds and the Bride's mother commented that I was the best DJ they had ever had. She couldn't critisise or pick fault with any part of my performance or duties.

John Forbes

Professional DJ

www.johnforbes.net

Business Development & Networking

2009-01-30T12:22:00.003Z

There are some fantastic DJs out there who are excellent at doing their job. However, this is a trade that has so many people who are very poor businessmen or businesswomen.

There is a definate skill to entertaining and not everyone can do it successfully. Some people think they can do it, but that's a totally different story.

In order to broaden my business knowledge by learning new skills and networking with other small businesses.

For example, just this week, I have been on a training course in association with SASDA (http://www.sasda.info/) and Business Link (http://www.businesslink.org/) to hone my marketing skills. These agencies provide training and assistance to businesses, but many companies are too complacent to take up their services.

It is this complacency that will play a major part in whether a business survives these lean times and I would rather not become complacent and risk my company.

I also attended a meeting at The Enterprise Agency (http://www.theenterpriseagency.co.uk/) because this organisation has received numerous awards for their efforts towards small to medium sized businesses.

Local business people from all trades and service sectors attended a meeting with Margaret Fay, Chairperson of One North East. The former Managing Director of Tyne Tees Television gave a speech on the current economic climate and took questions from the attendees.

This gathering was a perfect opportunity for seeing what is being done to help and assist local businesses improve and expand their company. Organisations like the Enterprise Agency can help setup a support network for companies to come to for the training of their workforce and advice, but the support is only there if the business is open-minded enough to seek their help. Sadly, not every company wants to take up this opportunity.

The meeting also gave myself and a colleague the chance to meet and network with other professionals from many different businesses. We had the chance to talk about various topics and what each company does. It was also good to speak to some of the people who recently attended an event at Auckland Castle - see previous Blog messages for further information.

My advice to other small businesses is to seek out the help and advice that is out there - it will help you through these tough times.

John Forbes
Professional DJ
http://www.johnforbes.net/

Recession = Cowboys

2009-01-23T11:59:00.000Z

Well, it looks like with the purse strings being pulled as tight as possible, the wannabe DJs of this world are back with a vengence.

I wouldn't normally comment about the cowboys in my line of work as I do not regard them as competition. They serve a part of the market I have no interest in. That's not an arrogant statement. Their market is completely different to the customers I work for and I do not focus my marketing strategy on that area.

You will find a comment on my website that I make to anyone who's thinking about contacting me for a quote. I state that if you are looking for a cheap disco, you could make better use of your time elsewhere. That could be taken in completely the wrong way, but it's a statement that says: "I don't do cheap discos."

Instead, I provide a quality and reliable service that is backed up with a wealth of experience. There is a big difference between a quality entertainment package and a cheap disco - sadly, not everyone can see that.

You can buy a tin of branded baked beans in Tesco or Sainsbury's - the beans will be of the same quality in each store, but the price will probably differ by a few pence. However, when you hire someone to provide a service, there is usually a selection of reasons why someone is cheap. If only everyone could see that.

I respect that everyone has a budget and if my fee is above their maximum spending limit, I have no problems with that. I will give them some free advice: "Buy the best you can afford because you only get one chance to create a memorable event."

Anyway, the whole point of this message is to state that because of the recession, the cowboys are coming out of the woodwork and they are letting people down. The past couple of weeks has seen me fielding enquries from so many people who have been told that the DJ they booked cannot do their function. There is one common denominator in all the conversations I've had - they were cheap.

I would suspect that each person that has been let down has been dumped for another job that is a few pounds more. Or that the DJ has had a rough week at work and they can't be bothered to work unsocial hours after their day job.

Is there a contract in place? - NO!

Do they have an address or landline telephone number for the DJ? - PROBABLY NOT!

If the equipment has broken down, why doesn't the DJ have backup gear? - THE EQUIPMENT ISN'T BROKEN, IT MAY BE BEING USED ELSEWHERE FOR MORE MONEY!

Is the DJ bothered he's let someone down? - PROBABLY NOT!

I could go on and on, but I hope you get the message.

So, the moral of the story is: "Buy the best you can afford."

John Forbes
Professional DJ
www.johnforbes.net

Happy New Year!!!

2009-01-01T15:49:00.005Z

Happy New Year!!!

Another year has passed and we're into another year.

Good luck and all the very best for 2009!

I had an excellent gig in the Monboucher Suite of Beamish Hall (http://www.beamish-hall.co.uk/) on the run up to the New Year celebrations and my clients and their guests were over the moon with my performance. In fact, the quote of the night came from the Groom who said: "I simply cannot fault anything you have done tonight. It has been a perfect day and a perfect night."

Comments like that really make my job so worthwhile and a pleasure to do.

I'm going to put some pictures up on the website (http://www.johnforbes.net/) as the venue is a wonderful place to hold a celebration and the LED mood lighting was used to good effect in the area that I setup my equipment. In fact, the photographers, Nigel & Christina Davison of 2Tone Creative Photography (http://www.2tonephotography.co.uk/), were amazed at the presentation of the disco setup and my professional attitude. Husband and wife team commented that it was great to see a DJ with such a professional approach to their job.

I have to add that it was nice to meet photographers who were upbeat and vibrant about conducting their duties. I have met so many deadpan photographers who look like they have never smiled and who come across as forceful and unapproachable by their subject matters. However, Nigel and Christina got really involved with the wedding party and the guests.

I hope that we have the pleasure of working with each other in the near future.

The people and culture of the North East of England is not known for tipping or showing their gratitude, but the Groom forced me to take a little something extra for my efforts. I was more than happy with the positive comments from the wedding party and some of the guests, but I would have only caused offence if I refused his act of generosity.

So, a massive note of thanks and my best wishes to Mr & Mrs Cleugh. I hope they have a long and happy future together.

John Forbes
Professional DJ
http://www.johnforbes.net/

Merry Christmas!

2008-12-25T14:55:00.000Z

Even though it's Christmas Day, work does not stop when you're self-employed. So, I thought I'd wish all of my customers and the readers of this Blog a very Merry Christmas!

I hope that you were a good boy or girl throughout the year and Santa brought just what you wanted.

I had a relaxing Christmas and used the festive period to wind down a little bit as December has been as busy as ever. However, when you are always busy with work, it can come as a bit of a shock to the system when you come to an almost complete stop. I was actually using this time to make sure preparations for a forthcoming wedding were in place. I'll be at Beamish Hall to provide the entertainment for a couple who have decided to get married just before the New Year.

I'm looking forward to this event as it means that the short break is over and business will be back to normal.

Following the wedding, the next big event is, of course, the New Year celebrations. So, in advance of that important event, may I wish the readers of this Blog and my clients a happy and prosperous 2009.

All the very best,

John Forbes
Professional DJ
www.johnforbes.net

It's Been A While...

2008-12-11T21:15:00.004Z

Well, it's been a while since I last had a few spare minutes to sit down and add something to my Blog. So, before the weekend kicks off again, how about an update?

One of the more memorable events over the past few weeks was the use of the corporate packages for The Enterprise Agency. This organisation helps small to medium sized businesses. It offers help and advice to those starting up in business and those that are already trading.

In fact, I attended a Web Marketing Seminar where I learned that what I'd put in place on the website had been a step in the right direction. It also highlighted options that I wasn't aware of and I left that workshop and put in place those suggestions - one of those suggestions was to setup a Blog!

The Enterprise Agency had setup a question and answer session with business leaders and local companies. The event was held in the magnificent Throne Room of Auckland Castle. The room is perfect for holding various types of event, but it was a real challenge to get the sound right. There's not a lot of furnishing in the room and there's a high ceiling, this made getting the sound just right a really difficult task.

Even with good quality speakers and microphones, the characteristics of the room worked against myself and a colleague. However, on the day, the event was a huge success and I recall the organiser saying that we had: "Provided a really professional service."

The conference team spoke to many of the attendees and they were very happy with the organisation of the event, the venue and the conference facilities.

I believe that Auckland Castle are looking at expanding the number of services they offer businesses by using the Throne Room for conferences, awards, ceremonies and presentations. If the feedback from the customers and visitors was anything to go by, I could be involved with quite a few events at the castle.

The event attracted the BBC cameras, but because of strict rules for certain representatives, the actual question and answer session was not recorded. However, the function was on the local news and it also featured on regional edition of The Politics Show on BBC1.

While primarily a Professional DJ, I also provide sound, lighting and projection services to local businesses. These are all managed services and myself and a colleague make sure that the services we provide are handled correctly and professionally.

John Forbes
Professional DJ & Corporate Services
www.johnforbes.net

DJs Just Stand There Playing Music... Don't They?

2008-11-26T11:46:00.005Z

One of the hardest things to explain to some people when they are looking to hire a mobile disco for their event, is that they are paying for more than just the performance.

Take for example a 7pm-12am function, that is five hours of non-stop performance - I'd love to see a band do more than 45 minutes before they prop the bar up during their breaks, but that's a different story.

However, leading up to the function, there is the travelling to the venue and an hour or more of setting up the equipment and another hour to dismantle it at the end of the night. Then there is the drawing up of the contracts and client contact before their special occasion.

I could go on and on (like a stuck record - excuse the pun), but there is a lot more that goes on behind the scenes than what many people think. All of these actions play an important role in my business and are vital to the smooth running of my operation.

I spent 9 hours on Tuesday wiring up a truss that holds aloft the lighting effects. Each light must be linked together and each one must have a power source. You may be thinking: What's the point to doing that?

Well, by doing this complex operation now, it will allow a quicker setup and will allow me to be ready to go when other factors have caused the day to run behind. It'll never stop the: "Are you nearly ready," comments when you've only just unloaded the van and brought the equipment into the room!

So, if there's one thing I would like people to learn from this message: "Please be aware that in order to run a successful business, there's a lot more than you may think, going on behind the scenes to make your event run as smoothly and successfully as possible."

John Forbes
Professional DJ
http://www.johnforbes.net/

So Much For A Saturday Off

2008-11-22T23:48:00.003Z

I had planned on just chilling out this weekend. The wedding season has gone really quiet and I had a space in my diary for the first time in ages. The Christmas parties haven't started up yet and I was glad to have some breathing space for one weekend.

However, my plans quickly changed when I was asked to do a party for a small group of children. I don't know if the client was let down at the last minute or whether my clients had decided to book things at such a late stage - I don't feel that it is appropriate that I try to find out those answers.

My main work is to provide my services at wedding receptions, but in this instance, the venue was just around the corner from me - if I didn't have heavy equipment, I could have walked to the venue in a matter of minutes.

The children were invited to celebrate Amy's eighth birthday and the two-hours of games, music and entertainment just disappeared. Entertaining children is totally different to performing for adults or mixed crowds and it takes a real skill to be able to do all types of function. There is a lot more interaction needed with children and they need to be entertained and made to become a part of the party and not just at the party.

There were little rewards for the children who took part in the games and I always feel that if there has to be a winner, the losers should be given a consolation prize or reward for taking part. This means that there is less likelyhood of jealousy creeping into the mindset of the children.

As the party was nearing the end, I always get the adults to join in and they help me show the moves to the children. The parents are then brought into the party and the kids give them a big round of applause.

At the end of the party, it felt like I'd been doing an all-day wedding reception and the kids had really worn me out!

John Forbes
Professional DJ
http://www.johnforbes.net/

A Busy Week

2008-11-20T21:22:00.000Z

Well, what a busy week it has been for me.

I've fielded many enquiries for my Professional DJ and Disco service, but a good proportion of them are for one particular date - Saturday 20th December!!!

I have gone through my entire list of fellow professional DJs and every single person I know is booked for that date. There are a few dates in the calendar that mysteriously crop up as one of the dates to hold a celebration or special event and this one appears to be one of them.

I know that December is normally busy in my line of work, but I don't think I've come across this level of demand for one date in the calendar. The strange thing is that many of the enquiries have not been for Christmas parties. They have, instead, been for general parties.

I guess the current trend of booking the Disco or DJ at the last minute is really hitting hard - I wish people would learn to book early to avoid disappointment.

John Forbes
Professional DJ
http://www.johnforbes.net/

Wedding Mania

2008-11-19T21:51:00.004Z

If you thought that all the doom and gloom in the world and the Credit Crunch is making everyone miserable, spare a thought for those people who have decided to tie the knot and show commitment to one another. Yes, I'm talking about the couples who have decided to spend their life together as Husband & Wife, Wife & Wife or Husband & Husband - I'm regularly asked to preside over the entertainment for Civil Partnerships and they just as joyous events as any other form of marriage/wedding.

Whatever your prerogative, bookings for Wedding Receptions for 2009 are really starting to come in thick and fast. I'm not the type of person who usually brags about the number of events I do or my fee, but this week has seen three confirmed bookings come through.

The paperwork has been sent out and I look forward to finding out what my customers would like for their very special occasion. I hope they find that their 'Wedding Packs' re-enforce the high standards I bring to every function and the professional level that I work at.

Two of the bookings are being held in large marquees and I think that my new Mood Lighting service would be the ideal accompaniment. My mood lighting package is a wonderful backdrop for photographs and can add a whole new dimension to the inside of the marquee. If you have a set colour scheme for your special occasion, I can use LED lighting to make the decor of the room fit in with your specific requirements.

The LED lighting is very subtle, but very effective. More and more clients can see the advantage of being able to change the colours in the room to suit their needs. The white walls of the marquee are not the greatest backdrop for photographs, but they can be transformed with LED lighting.

Well, enough of the sales pitch...

John Forbes
Professional DJ
www.johnforbes.net