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As summer temperatures rise the event industry still finds itself battling with a lack of events due to COVID-19; however, some restrictions on events are beginning to lift. As your city and state begin to reopen, it’s likely that you will see an increased number of outdoor event opportunities where social distancing is more easily enforced. With outdoor events comes exposure risks for your gear and new challenges to the way you rock a party. Here are some tips for making sure you and your gear stay cool in the sun.
Equipment Overheating
One of the biggest worries for DJs at outdoor events is equipment overheating. I’ve had it happen- one of my iPads went into thermal shutdown moments before a wedding ceremony started (luckily I had a backup on hand). To avoid situations like this, make sure you’ve conducted a site visit before the event if you’re performing at a new venue. Look for shaded areas, whether they be trees or patios, where you can set up your gear. If shade isn’t available, bring a small canopy or ask the planner or venue to provide one for you. This canopy should cover your speaker, mixer, laptop, and any other electronics.
Shade might not be enough to keep your equipment cool, however. For sensitive electronics like laptops and tablets, it’s worth purchasing a small cooling dock that uses fans to continually move air past your gear. If you don’t have one and don’t want to buy one, at least try to get your laptop up off the table or mixer shelf so that it can be properly ventilated.
Lighting, like other electronics, can suffer from the same overheating issues as speakers and laptops. In addition, if you’re performing outdoors there is a good chance the sun will stick around longer than if you were inside, causing your lights to be rendered useless or at least very ineffective. If lighting is important to your clients, make sure they understand the limitations that being outside imposes.
Keeping Yourself Cool
Taking care of your gear isn’t nearly as important as taking care of yourself! If you find yourself in the sun and heat, make sure you protect against sunburn with a quality sunscreen. I normally don’t take a water bottle to events (the venue will usually have water or drinks) but if you’re outside it’s important to bring extra water to prevent dehydration and heatstroke. Invest in a small personal fan that you can set on the ground behind your DJ booth – a little breeze will go a long way in keeping you cool. If you normally wear a black shirt to your events, it might be smart to ditch it in favor of a lighter color that absorbs less sunlight.
Dealing With The Sun
In addition to heat, the sun can wreak havoc on your eyes and your laptop screen. Have a pair of sunglasses on hand, and if they won’t draw too much attention (take a look at the other guests at the event) whip them out when you need them. Glare on your computer screen can make seeing your DJ software a nightmare – luckily, most DJ programs have a “day mode” that will invert the colors of your display to give it more contrast for the times you find yourself in bright sun. If switching to day mode still doesn’t fix the glare, you might want to look into a sunshade. These simple products are like a small hood for your screen that can reduce glare and improve visibility even on the sunniest of days.