Getting to meet more forumites was certainly a plus point for me, and I forgot to mention Freudian Hips (indeed they were), Smiley Sue (indeed you are) and Jackson Doughnut (we danced to the track from hell ).
Overheard at the barbie "I couldn't eat another thing, .....oh, is that LM's chocolate cake over there, must have a piece of that".
On the volume issue - I mostly didn't find it too bad, except near the speakers (obviously). There were actually spots in the blues room where the music was at times a little faint. A couple of other people remarked on this. As has been said on another thread people's volume sensitivity / tolerance is very varied.
Last edited by Lost Leader; 2nd-June-2008 at 08:04 PM.
Let your mind go and your body will follow. – Steve Martin, LA Story
Lee also played a fabulous set on Saturday afternoon.
I think I must have broken a record this weekend for the least dances ever danced at a weekender. For some reason I just couldn't dance! It was as if someone was using a remote control and making me lose my balance and following skills every time I got onto the dance floor. Admittedly, Saturday night it was due to too many drinks at the BBQ's I went to, In the end on Sunday evening I just gave up and went to bed! (at least I'm not tired like the rest of you though )
Enjoyed the socialising and watching everyone else have a great time and what fab weather on Saturday!
I noticed it too that it was quite quiet on some parts of the decking at times (on Friday??) too. A single outward-facing speaker meant it was quiet, especially on parts of the decking furthest from it.
I found it hard to hear the music on the restaurant floor too, but this was when the main room was too loud.
But just because the music was too quiet at some places and times, it doesn't excuse the volume being way too loud at others - too wrongs don't make a right. My main complaint was with the main room which was seriously loud on Saturday and Sunday nights.
To be fair, I spoke to John AH this morning and he did tell me he'd noticed it too and asked for the volume to be turned down. There's also the difficulty which DJs have in getting it right - Rocky made some helpful points on this (although they were entangled in a thread that went Outside so may be deleted).
But my ears were ringing even after a night with earplugs in so overall I'm pretty sure it went too loud in places for too much of the time.
Love dance, will travel
Part of the problem for DJs in the blues room is that it's hard to tell what the volume is like, because of where the decks are situated. Its kind of like being in the centre of a whirlwind. On Sunday night, SilverFox came up to the decks to say that the volume on the temporary dance floor was quite low and they were finding it hard to hear the music properly. TWK turned the volume up on the speaker and it was fine after that. But if the volume is too loud, the best thing is to let the DJ know, then he can do something about it.If you don't tell them, they will assume that all is OK. I felt the volume in the blues room was too loud during the day at times. I was trying to order food on Sunday afternoon and found it hard to converse with the person behind the bar.
Fletch's southport
It was very different for me this time, I knew it was going to be a very emotional weekend for personal reasons and also 'Fletcherette's going through personal issues.
I couldn't settle on Friday, and it was easy to blame the music, but I suspect it was me.
I am so fed up with that squeaky mouthorgan music with a squeak on the end.
I managed to get the first dance with Steven666 at 2.15 and was the last to leave this morning
It was good catching up on the Gossip
Saturday started just fab and just got better and better.
Wes's soul set yeah!
Lee's set was the best of the weekend for me.
TWK and ZW 'the floater's float on just the biz
The BBQ went really well
Loved putting on my long red boots
James's Mc 'wig wam bam' what's he like, now I remember why I love him.
I never managed to give RJ his dance due to 'Fletch & Fletcherette' issues, but I was able to give my apologies.
Danced with a wonderful guy from France think his name is Burtron, he was very helpful with my WCS and he said if i'm asked 'do WCS' the answer is yes! ooooer i'm a westie.
Lovely to see some SP virgins there, Ben form Ashton's 'Josh' you were so brave to walk out of the bouncy room into the blues straight up to Paul Warden and ask for a dance, never having done WCS I thought you were very brave, especially entertaining the heckling audience. James form the Midlands, I slotted in like you had done them all, glade I told you to go to bed Sunday afternoon, you got the whole night then.
SWAY if I had told you who the people were I sent you to dance with, you would have freaked. you looked the biz.
Sunday is allways the best, getting down and Funky in the blues, with the welsh witch, the timed1, Nayomie (she looked fab) and HevMate (how did you get on with that bloke you pulled)
James Mc thank you for your love and support, it meant a lot, my tag dance with Tor, Tom etc made me realise that there are some people that give back and not just take.
TigerPants and 'The Librarian' I watched your dance near the end of the night, what a difference a year makes, has lust turned to love, hope you liked the cake, congrats.
thanks to Spikey Steve and Kathleen for been good room mates. Glade you were with me Tor, thank you for been such a good friend.
I will have probably forgotten loads but im sooo tired, i'm sure I will remember more tomorrow.
A big up John and Wes another overwhelming success.
Just to balance out my other comments - I had a fab time despite the niggles.
Some lovely dances (but missed loads of people too. ).
It also reminded me how special it was to be able to dance outdoors again - I think it was a good decision to brave the weather, even though it meant we couldn't dance outside on Sunday when the "marquee over the decking" layout from last Sept would have allowed this.
Sunday afternoon freestyle is still my favourite time though.
I thought Arjay and Melissa's classes (the only ones I did) were pretty good, although for me I'd have liked to have more practical dancing and less theory (even if the theory was good).
Having a bigger area for the marquee (rather than the old Dance Den) seemed to work - I was only in there for a short time to attempt some WCS, but there seemed to be a lot more space and a lot more dancers there than the Dance Den would have allowed.
Love dance, will travel
Great Dancing - Great company - it just is the best.
But WTFing planet are Kingdom of Dance on?
Today I hearby rename Kindom of Dance, Small Hamlet of Dance.
If I was a purveyor of fine footwear for the jive and associated dance addicted amongst us, I would see an opportunity to peddle my wares to 1500 mellow jived up punters like the son of a newsagent would see the line of prepubescent boys in the playground after halfinching the last months returns of Razzle. To put it bluntly "They're gonna fooking sell, even the green shiny ones!" or in the case of Razzle - even anything with that minger that sounds like a formula one team in is gonna sell.
So why was I unable to get a pair of stealths in a 6 or could the GF not get any one of five sandal styles also in a 6, and before the wise cracks start no it wasn't a made up GF and the shoes were really for me! I just can't do heels they make my calve ache like buggery!
So fag packet maths
2 punters - ordinary nowt special but enjoy a dance
willing to part with roughly 60 notes each
assume that we were odd and only half the punters would buy shoes anyway, call it 750 pairs at roughly 60 notes each (rounding rounding lots would buy more but bear with me a mo!)
mmmm
nice work that - £45,000 for one venue for a weekends work by 2 people
Why did they not have a lorry outside full to the gunnels with shoes?
I bloody well would have and my sales figure would be up by £45K today.
I would have of course now got my new stealths too!
wibbble
wibbble
Actually, that is a good point. I remember thinking, whilst queuing up to pay for my shoes that every dancer and their dog was throwing money at them in a frenzied state like they'd stop breathing if they didn't spend hundreds of pounds on shoes in the next 5 minutes.
If it were my business I would have lots and lots of staff and millions of shoes and make a filthy disgusting killing....clean up and sod off somewhere hot for a few months.
fab weekend to John & Wes - well organised with the bestest team
Fab music but for me, not enought dances, I must get on that dance floor more, so many great dancers I missed dancing with (all my fault)
Really pleased the barbie went well, thanks to all that helped making it the best one yet and John's chat to the man upstairs giving us wonderful weather and an extra special thank you to Mr & Mrs Captain Fantastic for their toys and things - the pressie from John & Wes really helped (thanks to Dave & Ellen for looking after it till Sept)
Loved the new younger straight haired blond me (thanks Lory )
--ooOoo--
Age is a question of mind over matter, if you don't mind, it doesn't matter
Leroy (Satchel) Paige (1906-1982)
Mickey Mouse's girlfriend, Minnie, made her film debut, along with Mickey, in "Steamboat Willie" on November 18, 1928.
That date is recognized as her official birthday.
I tried to get a pair of dance trainers at around 6pm on Friday afternoon. I wasn't after anything unusual, and the ubiquitous black split sole trainers would have done nicely. It was really early in the weekend and I don't have an unusual shoe size - but they had nothing in stock for me either
I did get some jazz-type-shoes at Heavenly Dance Shoes though - I felt a bit sorry for them being tucked away when their competitors had such a prime slot though.
Love dance, will travel
Bloody hell, where the flip did my post go???
To summarise (it was a long one and I can't be bothered rewriting it just now);
Music was *way* too loud, to the point of being painful in the main room (even at the very back of the room - was still too loud to my ears when I'd actually gone out of the room and into the games area). Blues room was also too loud at times, which was a real disappointment as it's usuallly my safe haven.
Some chairs to rest tired waiting feet would have been good in the Marquee; also perhaps some kind of flooring just outside so that ladies worried about their shoes didn't have to worry about stepping on the grass...
Had some good dances, and enjoyed catching up with some old friends, esp the Scottish contingent. Didn't make *any* of the wcs classes, as I'd decided that AT would take precedence (and I was generally too tired afterwards). This of course meant that I only had one or two west coast dances over the weekend... I have only myself to blame..
Thanks to Raphael for his hugs and to Sparkles for her wonderful welcome on Friday night It really made my day.
My deep apologies to MissJ for the communication issues which left her in a tricky position I hope to meet you some time soon!
Sorry also for the lack of goodbyes - I disappeared for a nap and didn't make it back, and didn't see anyone I knew before I left for the station this morning
Right, back to bed for me then...
Just uploaded some pics, the comments all got over written with the last comment of "wheely mad" which was unfortunate as I'd put comments on them all. Still the pics are good.
Weekend was fab and relatively relaxed.
Well said, tell the dj and if he/she cant sort it then John or Wes will. But go to the dj 1st.
DD Im sure you will agree the DJ's problem in main hall is the big speaker above their head on that side perhaps distorts their hearing of the quality of the sound. Perhaps its time to have a roaming sound techy walking around at night to advise the dj. but I for one, would like to be central on a stage and get a balance sound in my head rather than a boom boom headache after my set.
Still its the best Weekender to dj at!!
Loved the Marquee set up, well done J & W!!
Thanx babe... I did stop dancing a few times....
Great set Lee... I think it was Captain Matt.. that is all I know! I think the constant "arrr" in pirate stylee voice may have contributed to my lack of voice on Sunday night tho .....
Summary...
I had a fab Southport... as always....
Just woken up after getting in and thinking I will just have an hour..... Mind you due to the lack of sleep got at the weekend I think I deserved a long sleep...(just glad I booked today off work as well)..
Had an amazing night Friday night.. even tho I would so have loved to have arrived earlier than 6 p.m. .. Am soo not used to getting there that late! As soon as I got there, the stresses of having to work and the awful traffic on the way there were forgotten and Southport became heaven and most of all home for me once again. Danced until early hours Sat morning.. think i gave in around 6 a.m. Did manage some sleep before thinking "I need to dance" again around midday.. Loved the sun and Saturday afternoon dancing in the sun outside the blues room.. now that is what sunny Saturday afternoons are all about.. Lee's set was fab and I have to say to CJ for an awesome Mariachi set (so sorry I slept thru the SUnday afternoon one sob sob). Had some of my best dances of the weekend to that set with some favourite dancers of mine
The BBQ was fab and a great social gathering.. sorry about the space hopper guys.. I did have it in my chalet but forgot the bung thing to keep it pumped up.. doh....
Left the BBQ pretty early to go back for a rest but never quite made it back to chalet until gone 9.. via everyone else's BBQ's / chalets etc!
Out early Sat night and loved the whole night.. Loved my outfit and was great to get so many compliments - thanx guys! Even better to see everyones faces when they came back out Sunday morning and me and Captain Matt and ? Lee ? were still going! I did leave for Killingtime's pancakes briefly.. they were to die for (and Gary you will be missed ) Sunday morning tagging in the blues room is a definite high for me! Half the dancers didn't have a clue what was happenign until their partner was swifly grabbed from them for a new one!
I did have to sleep so missed Sunday afternoon.. managed to make it out again Sunday night but at midnight my body finally gave in.. succumbed to my bed for a few hours but woke again at 4 a.m ready to partee!! sadly by this point most people were going home but a few of us remained.. mind you I could hardly socialise having woken up with no voice.. which everyone found highly amusing.... grrr.... all i have to say is "rar"!
overall I had an amazing weekend.. cant mention names but thank you to everyone for such a fab time and for everyone's company this weekend.. yeh i know i have ADD and can't settle in one place for long (as my chalet mates found out...) but love to you all....
why is september sooo far away.......
PS and Fletch you were right.. I hardly left the blues room all weekend.. think I can count on one hand my dances in the main room.....
Has any seen the Southport video Lory made (it's on facebook) it is AMAZING .............
Loved it, Loved it, Loved it, Loved it, Loved it, Loved it, Loved it, Loved it, Loved it,
--ooOoo--
Age is a question of mind over matter, if you don't mind, it doesn't matter
Leroy (Satchel) Paige (1906-1982)
Mickey Mouse's girlfriend, Minnie, made her film debut, along with Mickey, in "Steamboat Willie" on November 18, 1928.
That date is recognized as her official birthday.
Good
* Southport still my favourite weekender by a long distance. Lots of laughs, good music and great dances
* Danced a whole lot of MJ (and not a little UCP) as well as the WCS and enjoyed it all
* Really enjoyed my dances in the main room to some faster music
* Madonna's '4 Minutes' in the main room after a class - man, that beat kicks some arse - what a tune I thought it would be overplayed this weekend but that's the only time I personally heard it.
* Organisation of the forum BBQ - well done Minnie and all those that helped.
* Almost all of my favourite followers in one place
* Requesting (and getting) 'Pump It' as the very last tune on Monday morning - what a way to finish
* Linedance display in the bar on Sunday night (and also Arjay doing double trouble with Melissa and Susan) - great talents
* Lee's set was a good 'un - love the BEP's 'They don't want music'
* Saturday's weather - slight sunburn permitting
Bad
* Sunday's weather
* Not getting to dance with many people that I didn't already know. I made more of a conscious effort on Sunday and was rewarded with some pleasant discoveries
* Drinking throughout the day and evening on Saturday meaning I lost all ability (and inclination) to dance when we resurfaced at 3 a.m. Sunday morning
* The marquee - well, not bad as such - just didn't work for me, I only had 4 or 5 dances in there all weekend
Ugly
* Finding chewing gum on my sock/in my shoe on Monday when I got back to the chalet. I may have stepped in it as I was dancing in socks for a while or it may have been put in my shoes as a practical joke. Either way, it's a pain in the ass
Pah, you lot are just amateurs in the snooty stakes.
Seriously, picture the scene:
There's mellow Tango music playing, people are slowly progressing around the floor in harmony, your follower is in your arms, eyes closed and (we hope) in a blissful state. All is well in the world.
And then, in the middle of this, you find yourself obstructed by a couple, resolutely staying in one place, taking up vast swathes of room, jumping around in their massive slots, and causing disruption and disharmony. It's not nice. It's the equivalent of a bunch of drunken non-dancer yobs coming into a MJ venue, jumping around muggling all over the place.
Ian was completely correct to ask them to leave - my only criticism was that he was too nice; he smiled and was diplomatic about it.
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