| Mobile DJ's spend a huge amount of time carrying, | | | | trolley that can be wheeled into and out of the vehicle |
| setting up, and packing away their equipment at the | | | | via a small ramp, and directly into the venue. This not |
| start and end of each gig. The type and quantity of | | | | only reduces the amount of manual carrying required |
| equipment used, as well as the number of people | | | | but also helps to minimize the number of trips into and |
| available will determine to a large degree how long this | | | | out of the venue, which saves valuable time. With the |
| process takes, but there are several steps that can be | | | | right vehicle and trolley it's entirely possible to use the |
| taken to optimise the setup, and many of these are | | | | trolley as a deck stand during the gig, such that the |
| applicable to both large and small systems. | | | | decks never have to be lifted off it. However, it would |
| Implementing some of these ideas can make a | | | | be wise not to become too reliant on a trolley, |
| surprisingly big difference not only to the setup time but | | | | otherwise the next gig that's upstairs and without a lift |
| also to the amount of stress involved in the process. | | | | could become more stressful than ever! |
| Transport | | | | Cables |
| However your equipment is transported, it pays to | | | | Cabling all of the audio and lighting equipment together |
| spend some time organising the order in which it goes | | | | can take a very long time if it's done from scratch |
| into and out of your vehicle. Equipment that's needed | | | | every time. Many of those cables run between roughly |
| first on arrival should be packed last. Equipment that's | | | | the same two points such as the power and audio |
| needed last should be behind or under that. Equipment | | | | signal cables to an active speaker or the power and |
| that's optional should ideally be packed such that it | | | | DMX control cables to a lighting fixture or stand. |
| doesn't have to be moved in order to access anything | | | | Grouping cables into looms using tape, cables ties, or |
| else. If you have the luxury of a van or trailer, then | | | | spiral cable wrap saves time by reducing the number |
| adding some internal racking can help enormously -- a | | | | of individual cables that need to be run. This applies to |
| shelf for backup equipment and spares that are rarely | | | | both audio and lighting equipment, and in the case of a |
| touched keeps them out of the way of the main | | | | simple setup can reduce the number of individual cable |
| equipment but still handy for the rare occasions that | | | | runs (looms) to just 3 or 4! |
| they're needed. | | | | Pre-Rigged Lighting |
| Wheels | | | | If your vehicle has the space, consider transporting |
| Consider adding wheels to any large or heavy items | | | | some of your lighting equipment pre-assembled. Rather |
| such as big speakers and subwoofers. For items that | | | | than carry and set up several cases of lights, a stand, |
| can't easily have wheels added, maybe a trolley or | | | | and a box full of cables, a T-bar or truss section can |
| wheeled board would help. For essential equipment | | | | be transported fully assembled and ready to be |
| that's needed every time, combining several items onto | | | | attached to its stand. This reduces the number of trips |
| a single trolley that fits into the vehicle fully loaded can | | | | between vehicle and venue, and also the time required |
| be a huge time saver, whether the items stay in place | | | | to set up. Take care to ensure that the assembled rig |
| on the trolley during the event or not. Perhaps the main | | | | is not too heavy to carry safely. |
| speakers and decks could all be strapped onto a | | | | |