404 Wedding Not Found

Streaming music will slow your party to a trickle. There is a story going around about a wedding reception that went sideways because the DJ lost internet service and couldn’t stream any more music. A friend of mine said it best.

PROFESSIONAL DJs BRING every song. No streaming. EVER. – Jim Cerone

I walk into a event with a legal, working copy of EVERY song we discussed before the wedding and a backup (sometimes I also have on pants!). If there is internet, I am not adverse to downloading a last minute or guest request via Amazon Music, Google Music, or god forbid iTunes (if it is okay with the Bride and Groom).

There are too many variables to do it any other way. Your event deserves more respect than that.

I was at the Cheaptrick/Def Leppard/Journey show at Busch Stadium on August 24, 2018. It was an amazing show until…

At least that was the case until the last third of Journey’s performance, which was marred by sound problems. Time and again the music cut out completely and then snapped back at full volume, often distorting horribly before dying. It was jarring enough to send many scurrying for the exits, even while Journey played its most anticipated material. – Daniel Durchholz – St. Louis Post Dispatch

There was a issue with the digital wireless sound system so it went some like this.

“Don’t st… Hold on to that f…’ Streetli….eople” –  Journey

If you want to ruin a Journey concert and 50,000 peoples night or an intimate, once in a lifetime wedding that rely on wireless networks, it is illegal and it costs $5.

If you want to do it on accident, hire an idiot who needs to stream music for your event.

Things you should never say to a DJ

So my friend and former DJ partner Jak got this from Rusty (aka Mudkids aka Bird Men of Alcatraz) and sent it to me. Are you following me so far? good.

I haven’t DJ’d in a club for a long time, but I can see where this is coming from. Nowadays, when I sit down with a client, I want to find out exactly what they want, then make it work over the course of an evening.. I just have to make it work. It’s a different sort of challenge compared to selling drinks and keeping people on the dance floor. I love it.

I remember once upon a time, a Tri Delt came up with a tape of a song she thought Jak & I had never heard before. A little game of stump the DJ, maybe. We threw it in the tape deck and laughed, because we had the original 12″. It got played next. And the Tri Delts go wild!

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What NOT to say to a DJ…

Even a trained monkey can be a DJ!

I have seen everything now.

It’s actually pretty cool. Capuchin monkeys have been trained to put a CD in a CD player and hit play. They are actually trained to assist people with paraplegia, so they can do a lot of simple things.

So the question in my mind is simple.

What is your DJ going to do that a trained monkey can’t or won’t. (Monkeys are notoriously fickle).

The answer is simple for me.

• You probably could use some help planing the flow of the ceremony and reception.
• You might like great quality source music. Monkeys hang out with pirates.
• You might want music and a master of ceremonies that can act as your voice through the course of the evening. Monkeys tell bad jokes and fling poo.
• You might want someone to setup and control all the equipment required to make things sound nice. Monkeys like it LOUD! and need assistants to setup the sound system.
• You might want to relax and enjoy your reception with an experienced MC keeping the evening on track. Monkeys can’t be trusted around an open bar.
• You would probably like a good value. Trained Monkeys get about $3000 a day, and take a lot of breaks.

When they teach Capuchins to use iPods all bets are off.

The Mystery is Solved

The bride and groom from the Best First Dance Ever have been found!

They were on Ellen today. http://ellen.warnerbros.com/2007/12/newlyweds_got_back.php

There names? Michelle and John Brubaker!

How much easier would this have been if the MC had said. “John and Michelle’s first Dance” or “Mr. and Mrs. Brubaker’s first dance”?

Not that hard… Much easier to remember in a once in a lifetime moment.

Best First Dance Ever

I can’t believe how much traction this video is getting. If you don’t know what I am talking about click here.

The first dance mis-direction magic.

With the right tools, putting together the music is pretty simple, but doing it poorly will ruin it for everyone who comes after you. Get a good DJ who can mix the music.

Even Better –

Get a great DJ who knows your name when he introduces you. I swear this is the first thing I heard. “Ladies and Gentleman, our bride and groom and their very special first dance as husband and wife.”

This is the Master of Ceremonies equivalent of “And um, yeah well, um, you see, uhhhhhhh”.

I am guessing the DJ came from his day job. “Your order comes to $5.30, please pull to the first window.” It’s all words you say when you don’t know what to really say.

Maybe that is a little harsh, but seriously this bride and groom (whose are unknown at present, the search continues) have real names. Think about how much easier it would be if the DJ had bothered to learn their names and used them.

Oh Snap!!!

I’ve been Bamboozled! I was doing a Copyscape search on my web page. Two companies, one in Pennsylvania and another in Australia thought the stuff I wrote was good enough to just steal it without asking permission.

I have spent a considerable amount of time and effort trying to improve professionalism in this business. Sadly, it’s not a business to many so called “professionals”. Steal the music, steal the web page, fill the car up with gear and go out and ruin someone’s wedding day.

I am where I am at, because I have paid my dues… I have done the hardwork, I have done the training, I have sought out professionals that I respect that can help me grow as a professional.

I am more than a little annoyed at anyone too lazy to do their own work and / or steal credit for mine.

Anyone else have this experience?

The Best Wedding Reception Ever!

A friend of mine, Peter Merry, wrote a great new book on creating amazing wedding receptions. The book is called The Best Wedding Reception Ever!

It’s a great book. The first half is all about why you should pick a great entertainer. The second is chocked full of killer ideas that you might include in your own wedding.

“Talent” is a dirty word in the DJ business. The difference between magic and tragic is all in the hands of the person playing the music and talking on the microphone.

Tim & Jennifer

When I initially met with Tim and Jennifer they gave me a heads up that Tim’s sister was helping out with the planning.

Fast forward to a month before the wedding…. It turns out that Tim’s sister is actually a movie producer and director. Most recently a documentary called “By the People” which got picked up by PBS. You can check it out here… http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0860898/

Malindi takes detail oriented to a whole new level. We got together like peas and carrots! The wedding and reception were held at the Hilton Indianapolis North.

The ceremony and reception was in the Crown room which has been updated very nicely under new ownership. The menu also got overhauled. very nice. The cocktail hour spilled out onto the patios. The Evening flowed.

Respond to this ad and you might be DJ’ing your own wedding.

It’s May 3rd. A busy wedding season is just getting started. Guess what? DJ companies are looking for DJs. Check out this ad on Craig’s list. http://indianapolis.craigslist.org/csr/300844946.html
Maybe they aren’t trying to fill dates they over booked. Maybe they won’t be sending out untrained DJs to a wedding.

Is the company you hired scrambling to find a DJ for your wedding?

Did you get the name of the DJ on the contract? You got a contract. Right?

The picture on the mainpage.

That is me on the right. The bride and groom are Brian and Rebecca.

I am way too close to the camera, by comparison (and in reality) Brian and Rebecca look GREAT!

That is what I do… Make my clients look great.

Things change. Like the picture on the front page. Here is the original picture.