1 host or 2?...
I'm with james.t.orr on this one. When I used to compere, there was always 2 of us - one with a mic, one doing sound and dependent on boss' instructions, we'd sometimes swap roles throughout a gig. Given the choice of feeling safer with back up and taking a pay cut or going solo and being more at risk regardless of gender (I've known some women who have beaten up men in bar brawls, after all), I'd take the pay cut and safety every time. The equipment is better protected with 2 sets of wary eyes too, so it should really be seen as an investment to have 2 people run a gig.
One thing I've put here before which I've only found to be the case through experience and experimentation has to do with lighting at a venue and it seems to have relevance here. If your rig or venue has flashing lights as part of the set up, I suggest you set them to a slow flash rate. Whenever I was at particular gigs where the lights were flashing quite quickly, violence was either hinted in the air or actually manifested. When I was running gigs myself, I just adjusted the flash rate so the lights would brighten and dim much slower, INSTANT change in the mood of a place to a calm and relaxed atmosphere. Light does affect the brain - and not just the epileptic or otherwise impaired type either. So, if you are going to do a gig yourself, try slowing the rate of your lights a bit - not too slow or else you may induce boredom and put your patrons to sleep.
Sounds far fetched, I know but even colour affects the brain of someone drunk. An experiment was done at a police station where drunk 'n' disorderly people were put into cells which had been painted different colours. In the lightly shaded pink cell, the drunks would easily fall asleep and be no bother to the officers. Another colour induced violent behaviour and an off type of yellow resulted in the drunks throwing up. Note these experiments were done with several offenders producing the same results consistently.
If something as simple as paint colour can affect the brain, don't you see how a whole bunch of flashing colours might do likewise? As I said, INSTANT mood change and to further experiment, I would adjust the rate throughout a gig and consistently found the same results. Faster flash rates, fights either seemed inevitable or DID break out, slower rates, nothing of the kind. As I said, try it, hosts. You'd be surprised. You'll also notice you yourself will feel differently cos presumably, you have a brain too! LOL
Submitted by Johnny B on 26-06-2006

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