Controlled Chaos
Children present a unique element at any event in which they are involved. The following are some expert views from two DJs who specialize in children’s events: Joe Kahwaty of DJ Entertainers, Freehold, New Jersey and Eric Sands of Sundance Productions in San Diego, California, Bar and Bat Mitzvah specialists.

Kawaty says because children have short attention spans, “you must keep activities as upbeat as possible.” He agrees with the idea of letting certain kids on the mic: “…you might invite the children to be a guest DJ…the children love it, [and it] makes great photo opportunities and lasting memories for your clients, their family and friends.” Sands says, “It’s all about control. If you give kids the opportunity to create chaos, they will. However, if you keep them continuously surprised and challenged, they will respect you for it, and respond to your show…They only act crazy because they need attention. You can give them the attention that they are demanding without being negative.”

However, some DJs feel they have to be the star of the show with kids present; we’ve all seen it-they can and often do steal the limelight. Kahwaty says: “In many cases children are the life of the party but sometimes they need to be invited to participate in activities or dances. It has been my experience that If you ask them they will listen. Often the other guests will help you get the children involved.”

Tips and Tricks for Kids

KEEP ‘EM BUSY. Kahwaty says “you need to keep the activities going around all the other things happening at your parties. When you are done with activities try group dances. Some adults will actually enjoy doing the same activities provide to the children.” Sands suggests giving “kids a role, maybe make them judges for an activity.”

PROP ‘EM UP. Kahwaty uses “hula hoops, limbo stick and sometimes Buddy Walkers® for out door parties. Sands is really into props: “Yes-plenty of props. Those illuminated squeezy balls are very popular right now. Also, glow-in-the-dark items will always win their favor (no pun intended). Air instruments are always fun, and using props for contests makes a great impact (example: jumbo inflatable microphones, sunglasses, and various wigs for lip sync contests).”

HOW LONG? HOW MANY? What’s the ideal timeframe for kid’s parties and how many is too many kids? Kahwaty has a “three hour minimum with no max.” He charges an additional fee for over 25 children. Sands says four hours is “maxed out” and at his Bar/Bat Mitzvahs the number of kids ranges from 30 to 80.

HELPERS AND/OR DANCERS. Kahwaty doesn’t use dancers but does require additional assistance for each group of 25 children.” Sands likes a helping hands: “Absolutely! Although you can call them dancers, or pumpers, or motivators…you need to have staff there to help execute your commands. One dancer for every 30 to 40 guests (kids and adults) is my rule of thumb.”

ARE DJS GLORIFIED BABYSITTERS? Kahwaty says, “If the shoe fits wear it. I’m not ashamed to say I am a glorified baby sitter. Money talks!” Regarding parents he recommends: they “should know beforehand what they are getting into. Explain some of the activities you plan to do at their event. You will not have any problems unless you don’t have the command of the activities you are planning to perform. If customers have any unreasonable demands, there are plenty of DJs they can call.” Sands feel “parents don’t really care how you get the job done. As long as you keep them occupied and entertained at the opportune times during the party.”

WHEN GOOD KIDS GO BAD. Have you had to deal with out of control kids? Sands relates one incident: “In the early ‘90s, we got a bit rough with one kid who was trying to steal our CDs. Parents got mad and threatened to hire an attorney in response to our mishandling of this kid. We were forced to write a letter of apology to the family.”
“There will always be troublemakers,” he adds. “Don’t alienate them…but embrace them into the party.

KID PARTIES ARE WORTH MORE. Exclusively child-attended parties require a lot more effort on the part of an entertainer. Are they worth charging more? Kahwaty says absolutely and recommends adding “a prize package (with) fun inflatables, leis, hats, sunglasses, etc. The prize packages you sell will generate much more business for you; you can take that to the bank.” Sands agrees, he charges “almost twice as much for Bar/Bat Mitzvah parties than for all other parties.” He feels that “to the hosts of the party, it’s worth every penny.”

Mike Ryan started out writing for news radio. He also DJ’d on KGB and KSDS. He mobiles as Mike on the Mike and is also the inventor owner of Frankenstand Powered Speaker Stands! Mike also works part time as a DMC tour guide. He has been the President of the San Diego Professional Tour Guide Association, a board member of his local NACE chapter and is currently the secretary of the San Diego Chapter of the ADJA.
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Speaking of Junior DJs…
While researching this I came across an interesting school program in England called “Make Me a DJ!” Directed towards 12 to 14-year-old students, this interesting approach to education is being sponsored by Pioneer, with the expected assistance of UK “Garage Guru” DJ Spoony, winner of Britain’s prestigious “MOBO” award for the Best DJ 2001. Pioneer, the company of “sound, vision and soul” is touting “Make Me a DJ” as “the training of a new generation of world class DJs!” According to PR spokesperson Philippa Streets, “This unique program was launched last April (2007) in the UK and the response has been amazing! The kids love the alternative way to express themselves in music lessons through an ‘instrument’ they can actually relate to!” Students get to practice DJing on PCs with Pioneer’s DJS software and get to compete in Mix-Offs for DJ related prizes.

I remember my first Junior DJ classroom. It was in my Uncle’s living room on his “state of the art” stereo equipment, using 45 RPM records with those little plastic spindle inserts. Upon reflection, it must have been the fact that my relative was into “high tech” audio that pushed me over the edge-he also had a microphone! And you know I still feel like a kid every time I use one. – M.R.

When you think of clean, what comes to your mind? What comes to my mind is sparkling, like a brilliant diamond, or fresh smells, and an overall feeling of just feeling good. Imagine starting every day with that kind of feeling. Your mind is functioning clearly, openly accepting a new day’s work and ideas. You have a vibrant attitude as you speak to, meet and persuade new clients. You have an uncluttered, open mindset that allows you to focus on providing exceptional service, while personalizing your clients’ events with new and exciting ideas.

Let’s Get Physical
Let’s start at the beginning (a good place to start!) and that is simply…yourself! What exactly do you want to keep clean? The answer is you, which means your body, dress and grooming, your mind and, just as importantly, your working environment.
First, it means your basic hygiene and clothing. It might sound ridiculous, but the basis of most of your success (and ability to book gigs) comes down to how other people, or clients, perceive you. Close your eyes for a moment and envision what you would consider a successful person would look like. No doubt most of us would be thinking of someone well-dressed, perhaps in a clean business suit, and most likely he/she would be clean shaven (if a guy!) and well-groomed.

Isn’t that the perception that you want clients to have of you? Then you must make sure that you do all of the necessary things to present that image. Start with the small and most obvious things, such as bathing, shaving, combing your hair and brushing your teeth. You should also dress in a presentable manner. This has a positive effect on your entire outlook. You want to look good and feel good about yourself. It will reflect in your attitude, confidence and demeanor. This is especially true if you are working from home, as many of us do. Don’t fall into the trap of not shaving or working in your PJs. That doesn’t mean you have to pull out the tuxedo and work in that, but just a nice casual dress shirt and clean, pressed pants should do. When you look good, you will feel good and it will show in your voice when you are making phone calls. You will work much more efficiently.

Cultivating Positive Consciousness
Let’s move on to keeping a clean mental state and outlook. Since you are already feeling good because of your physical state, you are already on the right path. Keep that positive physical outlook growing and adjusting your mental outlook.

Make a daily mental checklist for yourself. How is your thinking today? Look for any possible negativity or complacency. These are things that are causing mental clutter, so get rid of them! Negativity can only do one thing if left unchecked, and that is to bring you down and hold you back. Again, it will show in your voice on the telephone and, if that is what you give out, that is also what will return to you.

The same is true of complacency, or being satisfied with the status quo. You must clean out your mind by replacing negativity with good, positive thoughts. Adjust your thinking so it is constantly in line with your personal business vision. Don’t let the dust settle, but strive to keep your thoughts bright, focused and moving forward.

Have you ever had a friend or family member that was constantly negative about everything, every day, no matter what the subject was? How long did you want to stay around that kind of person? I don’t know about you, but my feeling is not very long! In fact, I would go out of my way to avoid them! If that is the impression that you give off to clients, how many jobs do you think you will book?

Instead, try a little positive affirmation each morning as a good way to get into a great mindset. After getting yourself ready in the morning, take a good look at yourself in the mirror and talk to yourself. Yes, I said talk to yourself! Tell yourself aloud that you will have a beautiful day, that you will be productive, and that you will treat other people even better than you wish to be treated yourself. Think of some specific positive things that you want to see accomplished during this day, and then repeat them to yourself, again out loud as if they had already been done successfully. It may seem very strange at first, but such positive vocal and visual affirmations will help keep your mind clean and focused. It will form the beginning of your day and help remove any negativity that might hinder your 100% success. Just try it. You’ll like it!

Environmental Protection
Let’s touch briefly on your working environment. One definition of clean is “uncluttered.” Is your office space neat and uncluttered? Do you have papers, business cards and sticky notes scattered throughout? Do you have a daily schedule to make calls, follow up on arrangements, and keep appointments, or do you just jump into work and hope things work out?

Once again, get rid of the clutter! Keep it clean. This doesn’t mean to throw everything out, but to have a place for it. Keeping a good filing system is an essential start. Write a list the day before of all the things that need to be done the next day, in order of importance, then cross them off the list as you complete them. Any papers that you work with, such as lead sheets, phone call records, vendor references, etc. can be separated and filed in any system that works well for you. Personally, I keep a three-ring binder along with a yearly calendar. I divide my lead sheets into those I need to call (or new leads), those I have spoken to and will follow up on, and those to whom I have sent my marketing package. The calendar allows me to note any special calls I need to make on any specific day. By having everything in one book, it eliminates the pile of loose papers that used to drive my wife crazy. It also keeps things from getting lost, so that if someone calls you back, you know exactly where to find their information. It makes you look (and feel) much more professional and on top of things. Others may be more comfortable with a computer/electronic organizer-based system. Whatever you decide, just find a system that works well for you and that you personally feel comfortable with.

As far as your on-site work environment, ask yourself: “Do I have cords, wires, CDs, etc. hanging out all over the place?” “Is my attire appropriate for this event, and is it clean, neat and clean?” “Is my shirt clean, pressed and my tuxedo in good repair?” After you set up for an event, stand back and try to take an unbiased view your area. If you were not the DJ today and just walked in for this event, what would you think of the setup and system? As mentioned earlier in this article, you want others to perceive you as the consummate professional. Remember, perception IS reality.

Clearing the Air
I will end with a quick note about keeping performances clean. Without preaching morality, I simply suggest you keep in mind that even though your client may give you great leeway in kinds of music you can play, you’ll still want to check out the lyrics to see if they are appropriate for your audience and the kind of event you are playing. Only each individual or company can set their own boundaries as to the content of the songs they play. I have found that by keeping this part of my performance clean and in good taste, I have gained respect and return business from my clients and their guests, and, just as importantly, I can respect myself for having clear standards.

So, do you KICK? When you Keep It Clean Kiddo you will do nothing but benefit in your personal life, your business, and your performance. You will look, feel and act like the excellent professional that you know you are. You will stand out as a brilliant, shiny diamond, heads above your competition. You will have clients that are saying, “Wow, I am so glad that I hired you. You are awesome! By the way, do you have any business cards?”

Please send any comments on this article, suggestions for future articles or questions to djcoach@mobilebeat.com.

Paul Kida, The DJ Coach, is a founding member and the current president of the Colorado Disc Jockey Association. He owns JAMMCATTS DJ Entertainment (www.jammcattsdj.com), and is a regular speaker at the Mobile Beat DJ Show.

Professional Production Process
Disc jockeys have been filling up their off nights with school functions since the inception of the industry. Few, however, give the school market the respect and time that it deserves to make each event a success, particularly the large ones. There are some who really take the time to create the production values (sound/stage/video/lights), and there are some who treat these shows as a way to make a quick buck without all of the planning involved in a wedding or mitzvah. If you are wondering why your school client list and return bookings are lagging, its because your competition realized a long time ago that the days of simply showing up and playing at major school dances were over.
To start with, any entertainment company that does not have a solid relationship with all the sponsors (students, faculty and parents) probably will not last for long. Little things ARE big things in the school market just as in the wedding market. Confirmation calls, edited music, timeliness, and general courtesy will go a long way to building your reputation with a school.

Secondly, being prepared is key. For all of my major events, I request meetings at the venue with students, faculty and venue staff to go over our plans for the evening. It is also important (if not in person) to at least meet by phone with the photographer and designer for the evening, to try to anticipate any and all “bugs” that may arise during the event. It is also important that if there is an event theme, that you coordinate with each entity to stay true to the vision of your ultimate bosses-the students.
Once you have met with your students, faculty and staff, you have developed a relationship that reassures everyone involved that you are a professional and will do everything in your power to make the occasion a success. After all, that is the reason why you were hired.

In addition, viewing the venue also helps you determine the amount of production that is necessary for your event. It’s wise to ask your students what their vision of the production is-from “low key” to “high tech.” For those of you playing the home game, this is the perfect opportunity to up-sell your client (on production and interactive features, such as video and textlive) while they are at the venue and excited about the prospect of something new and exciting.

Thirdly, it is important to allow as much direct input as possible into the music that will be played. For all of my school events, I allow direct access to all students via the DJ Intelligence online system-allowing pre-event requests in a neat format. At my events, I then play the danceable requests, leaving off selections that will “tank” or be too vulgar. It is imperative to purchase and become familiar with any new music that has been requested. The students are counting on you to be their entertainment “tour guide” for the evening, and if you don’t know the way, the party can get lost rather quickly.

Next, you must call and confirm all of your plans and keep a lookout for anything that may have changed since your last conversation or meeting. Open communication will alleviate most of the pressure you may have put on yourself by confirming your role in the event. Talking with your sponsors a week or two before your event will also clear up any miscommunications that may have occurred since the first meeting.
Additionally, one or two weeks may be needed to kick start the process of getting paid from the schools. Different school districts have different processes and some may require a physical signature on not only an invoice, but an “independent contractor’s form.” Whatever the case, just make sure no one forgot about you.

Fully Equipped to Rock
When your clients expect professional services, they also expect professional equipment. All equipment that is used should be attractive-sonically and aesthetically. All speakers should be aimed, calibrated, and elevated if necessary, and should be properly amplified, not overdriven. A good concept to embrace is the idea that if it needs to be overdriven, then you need more. No matter how good they are, or what brand of speakers you’re using, a single pair will not do for a large group of people. Sound, in its finest form, embraces the philosophy of even distribution. Distribution entails careful planning and a slight fringe overlapping of signals designed to increase quality and decrease distortion and destruction of equipment. In other words, your system, at show volume, should be peaked at about 60% of its total capabilities to be able to handle the variance of signals.

Sound is the key technical aspect of a show. Without sound, there is no show-no reason for you to be there and get paid. As a result of this, your setup time should be dependent on getting your sound right first. From there, you can work on the window dressing of lights and the wow factor of video.

Lighting can make or break a show, but is not as system-critical as sound is, and should be viewed as an art form that compliments the science of sound. A basic light show may seem better for your budget, but a large, innovative light show will get you referrals.
The new norm in lights is, without question, DMX fixtures. If you’re not rocking DMX, you may be rocking the house, but you’re not rocking the future, as your light show will remain basic and become stale. With DMX, preset patterns and chases can be crafted before each “run” or “tour” of schools and changed for the next run, making your production seem more like a traveling rock show than a discount bin at your local DJ supply store.

Keeping It Real
Finally, and most importantly…your performance. Without question, this area is what every show depends on, and on which return business is based. It is important that you feel the energy of the room, amplify it and channel it back into your show. Have enthusiasm for what you do, but DO NOT be phony. There are few people in this world that can do what we do and be truly successful at it; if you’re faking it, it will be felt by the audience. Real professionals NEVER have off nights. The show must go on; the crowds of young people do not care about your personal life. They came to have a good time and escape their regular lives for a few hours.

Schools are a significant form of income and even professional enjoyment, but also a serious responsibility. You are providing a lasting impression for potential life-long fans of your work, who may potentially utilize your services at every future milestone event that necessitates them. Above all, you are providing memories that will last a lifetime and a reputation that will define you.

Beside being a youth event specialist and logistics manager for BC Productions in Des Moines, IA, Jake Feldman serves as coordinator for the print and online versions of the Mobile Beat/ProDJ.com gear guide.

A few years ago, I had the privilege of watching one of the world’s top wedding disc jockeys work his magic at a wedding in Long Beach, California. Having been in the wedding industry for the past 25+ years, I’ve seen my share of great weddings-along with a whole lot of bad ones. This one ranks right at the top.
The reception was held outside, at the Long Beach Museum of Art (visit www.lbma.org for a look at the venue). It’s a magnificent facility, with a grass patio overlooking the Pacific Ocean. The weather was California-perfect that day, with neither a breath of wind nor a single cloud overhead. And as the sun melted into the horizon and night fell upon us, the evening came alive with candle-lit tables and twinkling lights all around.
Adding to that night of perfection was the presence of a great group of guests. The marriage enjoined a firefighter with a police officer, so the audience was mainly comprised of their colleagues. And while the mixing of the police department with the fire department can sometimes spark fireworks, in this case there was just a friendly rivalry that spawned some hilarious toasts and evolved into some hardcore partying (the hosts even chartered a bus to drive everyone home afterwards).
But the key factor in the success of that particular event was the masterful work of the man at the podium. He was like a seasoned conductor who used all his tools to quite literally “play” his audience, bringing them from a comfortable mellow to a glorious high, then back down to a pleasant finish that focused on the collective joy of a wedding well-celebrated.

The Perfect Start to a Perfect Night
Having organized and presided over my share of special events over the years, I can say with absolute certainty that one of the keys to a great event is to make guests feel welcome the moment they arrive-and music can play a big part in that (along with friendly “greeters” at the door offering flutes of champagne). If you can put a smile on their face when they arrive at the event, it will often extend right through to the end of it.
And that’s precisely what happened that afternoon: guests were warmly greeted, the champagne flowed and the “vibe” was immediately defined with a selection of light orchestral pieces that said “this promises to be a fun, classy event.”
Once everyone was seated, the wedding DJ (now serving as event MC) offered a formal welcome (on behalf of the bride and groom) and then immediately oriented them as to how the event would unfold. He was gracious with his approach-upbeat, sincere and genial-but slightly low key and self-effacing. His focus was on the bride and groom; they were the stars, not him. His goal was to honor them and to lead their guests through an evening that would celebrate their marriage (rather than showcase his talents).
He took immediate command of the event with the kind of confidence and professionalism that is the hallmark of all great MCs. While he had great presence and a deep, melodious voice, I think the main reason he was able to so effectively engage his audience was the fact that he was so thoroughly prepared.

Doing Your Homework
He rolled into his intro like a kid entering a classroom on the day of an exam, totally confident in the knowledge that he had done his homework and would ace the exam. This was his event-he was the guy who had helped the bride and groom plan it from start to finish-and he could hardly wait for it to get underway.
He had met with the couple well in advance of the wedding to map out a detailed agenda (in this case, he had filled out five pages of notes that accounted for every element of the event, from the manner of welcome to the eventual wind-down and bidding goodnight). In his words, it was the “script” he would use to direct the wedding (in the same way that a movie director would use a script to guide the production of a film).
He had made sure to get final approval of that agenda from the bridal couple so as to avoid any misunderstandings. And he had shared copies of that agenda with each of the other vendors involved (photographer; videographer; caterer; wedding planner) to help ensure everyone was quite literally on the same page throughout the night.
He had also reviewed a detailed checklist with the bridal couple that covered everything from the availability of power for his gear to the selection of music throughout the event. He knew precisely where the event was to be held, when it should start, when it should end and what it should “look like” through the eyes of the host (in this case, it was decidedly laid back, informal and designed for lots of dancing and frivolity).

The Grandest Entrance Yet
He orchestrated a grand entrance like none other I had seen. Again, he had done his homework by asking the bride and groom to provide background on each member of their wedding party; then, with the couple’s permission, he had contacted each one to conduct a brief interview designed to draw out a bit of “color” for their introduction (e.g. “How did you meet the bride and groom?” “What words of advice would you offer the bride about living with the groom?” “What’s the best thing that’s ever happened to you?” “If you could have dinner with anyone in the world, who would that be?”).
He then used that information to assemble some insightful-and often hilarious-introductions that were accompanied by a particular song to match the personality of each person being introduced. He even added sound effects and pre-recorded material to each intro. The guests loved it, the members of the bridal party each felt recognized, and with the audience now primed and ready to party, the bride and groom made their grand entrance to an absolute roar of cheers, laughter and applause. Believe me, this wedding was off to a great start.
The energy from that opening had everyone sky high, and the only thing I can liken it to is the experience of being “warmed up” by a comedian prior to the star’s big entrance (if you’ve ever attended a taping of “The Tonight Show” or “The David Letterman Show,” you’ll know what I’m talking about). And that buzz carried right through the entire event.
A formal dinner followed, and our MC recognized a few special guests and read some congratulatory notes and e-mails from guests unable to attend. He also entertained everyone with a little “game show” routine that tested guests’ knowledge of the wedding couple’s history together…and that, too, resulted in some truly hilarious moments.
Again, music set the mood. In this case, it was comprised mainly of jazzy little numbers that were never overwhelming but which nevertheless got the audience tapping their feet and primed for the dance that was to come.

Wedding Toasts Made Easy
Dinner was followed by a round of toasts – and again, the MC truly impressed me with his professionalism and attention to detail. Each of the “toasters” had been briefed in advance about the approximate time they would be expected to speak, the suggested length of their toast (no longer than three to five minutes, max) and their particular spot in the order of toasts.
They had also been given a quick lesson on the use of the microphone and offered the opportunity to experiment with it prior to the start of the reception. And finally, the MC made sure to offer a brief but classy introduction for each of the people chosen to speak (“And now I’d like to welcome the Bride’s brother, James O’Brien, to offer a Toast to the Bride.”).
The toasts were excellent-no drunken diatribes, no horribly unprepared ramblers and no material that could be considered Restricted Adult (and pardon the plug, but that’s because each of the speakers had been provided with a copy of my book, Wedding Toasts Made Easy six weeks prior to the wedding along with a personalized note from the bride and groom to thank them for their time in preparing the toast and to offer the book as a gift to guide them in their efforts).
The traditional cake cutting and round of first dances followed-again, seamlessly coordinated by our master of ceremonies (who had also “blocked out” the best locations for the photographer/videographer to set-up and capture the moment).

Dancing Under the Stars
But it was the dance that proved to be the highlight of the event. And again, I credit the DJ for making that happen.
Like the event itself, the playlist was carefully designed to offer a steady “build” in intensity, followed by a gradual return to the more mellow “good-night” numbers. The guests had a rollicking good time; the dance floor was pretty much full the entire night. And our party host shared a couple of secrets with me that I think helped make that possible.
First of all, with the agreement of the facility manager and wedding planner, he had recommended a slight reduction to the size of the dance floor. Through his trained eye, he had immediately determined that the relationship between size of guest list vs. size of dance floor was disproportionate. There simply weren’t enough guests to keep the dance floor full (as was originally configured).
But through the magic of downsizing (in this case, simply moving some tables closer to the dance floor), just a handful of dancers could provide the illusion that the floor was active and the party was non-stop. That, in turn, seemed to encourage a steady influx of dancers throughout the night. (Of course another theory was based on the vast amount of booze consumed by the off-duty fire and police officers, knowing that a bus was waiting to drive them home).
Factor #2, however, was perhaps the key reason for a flooded dancefloor. And it’s an incredibly simple concept that’s often overlooked by wedding disc jockeys. Our “spinner” in this case had presented the bride and groom with a suggested song list that was pretty much entirely based on “dance-ability.” He also got permission from the bride and groom to refuse to play any request that wasn’t similarly “dance-able.” The result: No sudden transition to the kind of heavy metal or country classic that can clear a dance floor faster than a cowboy with his boots off.
The evening concluded with a heartfelt “farewell” for the couple. The reception was a huge success, and everyone seemed genuinely happy for the new couple.
I also noticed a steady stream of guests asking the disc jockey for his card. That’s apparently the primary source of new business for him-guests who see him perform and referrals from satisfied clients. There is no better way to build a service business-focus on providing exceptional value and the phone will continue to ring.
So who was this mysterious master of wedding entertainment? You might know him. His name is Peter Merry-DJ, author, seminar speaker and past-president of the American Disc Jockey Association. And on a near perfect night beneath the stars of Southern California, he was about as perfect as you can get (unless, of course, I had been the MC).

Tom Haibeck is the author of The Wedding MC handbook and Wedding Toasts Made Easy, both of which can be purchased from his website at WeddingToasts.com or at major bookstores throughout North America.

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He was like a seasoned conductor who used all his tools to quite literally “play” his audience.

When I was asked to write about my experiences working with wedding vendors, a couple of words immediately sprung to mind: respect and teamwork.
My perspective goes beyond a simple “us and them” relationship: I’ve walked a while in their shoes. During a short stint with a theme party production house I must have put on hundreds of tablecloths, chair covers, chair cover sashes and an equal number of centerpieces; in case you had any doubt, it is definitely laborious and boring. In the Navy I had my share of galley (kitchen) duty-swabbing decks, cleaning tables, washing pots, pans and dishes-not fun. During college I took a photography class. I hated the developing chemicals and squinting into a camera gave me a reverse sense of claustrophobia. No doubt, you’ve had some similar experiences along the way. Welcome to the wedding vendor’s world.

Reception Team Roster
I firmly believe that good DJ karma starts from the bottom up. Many times after I’ve packed up my equipment and I’m ready to leave I’ve noticed the catering staff still toiling away, cleaning up the mess left behind. I always clean up my area, whether it’s leftover gaffers tape, soda cans or just removing the tablecloth and those little plastic thingies that hold it on. Someone had to set up the table and tablecloth for me-why not return the favor? More often than not, I’ll ask the catering staff if I can help them finish up. They always say “no thanks” but I know they appreciate the offer. And who knows, maybe, just maybe, they’ll tell their boss and more work may come my way. But like in the movie Pay It Forward, I don’t count on it. It’s a team effort and the event isn’t really over until the venue is locked up.
This example equally applied to all wedding vendors in some way. You can team up with the photographer by keeping him/her informed of different activities coming up that need to be photographed. Then, when you ask for a picture of your full dance floor he or she may be more amenable to sending you a copy.
How important is teamwork and respect to caterers? A past article on working with caterers quotes kitchen pros as stating: “The DJ is key to a smooth running event,” and “It’s critical for everyone, including the DJ, to be on the same page” and “The relationship with a mobile DJ is based on trust, consistency and fulfilled expectations.” If the catering staff gets slammed I try to help them out. It blows away guests when they see me, the DJ, helping the catering staff clear away plates. Again, it’s about team work.
Teamwork is paramount in the hotel industry. The hotel’s catering managers and coordinators have the heavy responsibility of putting together teams of experts, including DJs, for most if not all of the non-corporate parties. One catering manager says, “Any DJ I hire must be a team player and they need to remember that all aspects of an event are important!”
A sense of comaradery is also important. With so many Spanish-speaking employees in the hotel industry here in my Southern California stomping grounds, I like to play Latin music for them while I’m setting up before an event.
Talent agents also weighed in on teamwork: “If you want to approach a talent agent, let them know that you are willing to become part of the sales process, thus becoming part of their ‘team!’ And the team is there for one reason only: to give the end client the best event possible so they will come back time after time and recommend us to others.” All the talent agents I interviewed for a previous article agreed: “If you work with a TA you should be ethical, loyal to your agent, and you should remember that you are part of a team whose job it is to make the client’s dreams come true.”
Other wedding team members who need to be mentioned include wedding planners and ceremony officiants (ministers, rabbis, etc.). My experience working with officiants has been an easy and mostly enjoyable one, except for the occasional one who shows up late. Wedding planners, on the other hand, can be more of a challenge to work with. A new trend in the wedding planning world is the “Day Of” wedding planner.” These planners are the “iPod weddings” of the wedding planning profession and are a real thorn is the side of traditional WPs. The first “Day Of” planner I worked with gave me her convoluted reception schedule at the very last minute before the Grand Entrance. She had the couple’s last name wrong; I announced them as it was written and ended up looking like the fool.
Most mobile DJs appreciate how difficult a job a traditional wedding planner has. I hear horror stories from my WP friends about their dealings with brides-to-be. They have a lot more patience than I will ever have. I always defer to them because of the nature of their business; they can spend hundreds of hours with the couples in the planning stages of a wedding. Of course, some WPs think they are the absolute rulers of reception schedules. Personally, I would like to see wedding planners just deal with everything up to the ceremony and leave the reception planning and coordination to the professional entertainers-the DJs. With that said, most WPs appreciate what mobile DJs bring to the wedding team.
When you’ve graduated to the professional level (which you probably have, if you’re reading Mobile Beat) you’ll find that you’re working with many other team members of equal status. They know they are professionals and act accordingly-and you should too.

Join the Club
Surprisingly, the best teams I’ve experienced are my two local DJ associations. I have been truly impressed and am proud to report that all members share extra work, ideas, music and even equipment with each other. When one of our association members had all his equipment stolen everyone pitched in to help him. I gladly gave him two spare speaker stands.
One little concluding postscript: Some people disagree with me when I say that, even though DJs are entertainers, I think we’re more aligned with the hospitality industry. I get far more work through caterers, meeting planners, destination management companies, photographers and wedding planners (ie., the hospitality industry) then I ever do from members of the entertainment industry! And from my experience the hospitality industry is a very tight club. Once you’re in it, respect the team and you’ll have plenty of work. Respect and teamwork is what being a professional wedding reception vendor is all about.

Mike Ryan started writing for news radio. He also DJ’d on KGB and KSDS. He mobiles as Mike on the Mike and is also the inventor/owner of Frankenstand Powered Speaker Stands! Mike also works part time as a DMC tour guide. He has been the President of the San Diego Professional Tour Guide Association, a board member of his local NACE chapter and is currently the secretary of the San Diego Chapter of the ADJA.

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DJs need to remember that all aspects of an event are important.

I recently performed for a wedding that would certainly qualify as one of the least stressful weddings ever. It went off without incident or complaint and it was certainly a pleasant surprise to miss out on the myriad of possible problems that could have arisen.
The groom was pretty laid back, booking my services within two months of the actual wedding. Usually such short-notice weddings involve the bride being pregnant but that wasn’t the case. They had just forgotten to book a DJ when they were taking care all of the other reception items.
The bride was Chinese and her parents and other family members were flying in from China for her PhD in Electrical Engineering graduation ceremony in May and staying until the wedding. The groom was also a PhD in EE as well. Perhaps this inspired their nonchalant attitude.

Reception Mystery
They had returned my DJ agreement and deposit in a timely manner but during the weeks preceding the date, they were very elusive, leaving me with many unanswered phone calls and un-replied-to emails. I left plenty of messages and didn’t get any non-deliverable messages via email.
Apparently neither the bride or groom had ever attended a wedding before and her parents were pretty clueless on the activities that occur during a typical “American” wedding. The civil ceremony, cocktail hour and reception were all being held at the same Holiday Inn location. Logistically it was pretty easy, as I could set up one speaker for the outside gazebo ceremony, another speaker in the cocktail room and my main system no more than 20 feet away in the reception room.
The hotel manager had pretty much planned their entire evening. 5:30 to 6:00 for the ceremony, 6:00 to 7:00 for the cocktail hour and 7:00 to 11:00 for the dinner and reception. I had gleaned these tidbits by contacting the hotel directly and asking the right questions, since I could not contact the bride or groom.
When I asked about the elements of the reception, ie introductions, cake cutting, garter, bouquet etc, she mentioned that she usually leaves it up to the DJ, as long as it doesn’t interfere with the delivery of food. These particular elements went without any problems, as I basically facilitated each with the bride and groom being positioned in the right place at the right time. Thank goodness I carry spare garters-they didn’t have one.

Instant Music
Musically, they didn’t even have a first dance song chosen or any songs chosen for any parent’s dances. Thus, relying on my copy of the Mobile Beat Top 200 list, I picked those first three songs. It was at that point that I wondered if I could perform for a complete wedding using songs only from that list.
After the introductions and first dances, I weaved in and out of the slow and fast portions of the reception using exclusively the songs on the Top 200 list. Sure enough, with each passing song and the joy it generated, it further illustrated the absolute value of the songs on that list.
Towards the end of the reception, realizing that I had kept true to my little Top 200 plan, it really struck me how the general public still has a great fascination for these time-honored songs. This bride’s non-existent playlist was in sharp contrast to the kinds of playlists that I’ve received for other weddings.

“Tried and True” vs. “Variety Is the Spice of Life”
Without being specific, I’ve had one wedding dominated by Grateful Dead music and another by Contemporary Christian music. I also recall receptions wanting a high amount of classical music played throughout. Having advance notice of these song requirements helped deliver the music that they desired.
Sometimes I get an exact song list to be played during the dinner and dancing portion of the reception. I try to advise the bride that while I can usually weave in certain songs throughout the reception, to rigidly adhere to a list removes the possibility of adjusting to the guest’s reactions to the songs being played. Most of the time the brides are pretty open to my professional opinion regarding the playing of songs. My intent is to work within the style of songs presented by the bride. After all, it’s their party.
I’ve heard often about how mobile DJs sometimes distain the use of these lists in an attempt to become more creative. It appears that those DJs perform for many weddings and to be “different” they play different versions or remixes of the standards. Or they avoid the obvious standards altogether. Perhaps it’s entertaining to them, providing a break from monotony-but what about the guests?
To the guests, the fact that you played “Mony, Mony” yesterday or last week has no bearing on today’s reception. “Mony, Mony,” “Love Shack,” “YMCA,” “The Electric Slide” and many other “obvious” standards caused my “un-listed” reception’s dance floor to fill every time. The Mobile Beat Top 200 list certainly represents the best of the best. Not that I would bring 10 CDs containing only these songs. But a good ole’ standard wedding can be a huge success with only these wedding standards.

Mark Johnson is a long-time mobile DJ and has written for Mobile Beat for years, giving his insightful and often incisive perspective on many business and operational ideas. His articles grow out of his own experience and his observations of other DJs during his travels. Always providing an alternative view, his previous articles can be found at www.mobilebeat.com/archives.

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I wondered if I could perform for a complete wedding using songs only from the Mobile Beat Top 200 list.

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Editor’s Note: Look for the Mobile Beat Top 200 list online at www.mobilebeat.com and in the next issue of Mobile Beat Magazine

Technology keeps pushing forward in multiple directions, sometimes all at once, it seems. B-52 Professional, known primarily for a wide range of speakers, including their Matrix series of powered speakers, have released an unexpected surprise in the form of an integrated dual CD deck and mixer workstation, the Prodigy FX. While it is an integrated “plug and play” workstation, do not compare it to other basic CD-mixer combo units. While the Prodigy FX is meant to configure easily, it is also meant to offer performance far beyond basic playback. This is for DJs who want to manipulate and really work “hands on” with their music. If that’s you, read on…

Meet the Prodigy
The Prodigy FX is hefty, and looks built to last. At first inspection, it’s clear that lots of thought was put into creating this piece. The unit can be used on a tabletop or from within the custom flight case that is included, so you’ll have zero accessories to buy. While it’s big in size, it’s not so big or heavy that you’ll need several friends to help you schlep it around. The entire unit is fan cooled and the case designed to support the airflow of the automatic and variable speed cooling fans. Heat kills electronics faster than any other single thing. The harder you work the Prodigy FX, the harder the fans work to keep the unit cool and fully functional. The mixer section uses VCA components, which are known for their durability and accuracy. Indeed, all the controls have a high-quality “feel.”
The unit configures easily. I had it out of its double boxes and “live” into powered speakers in less than ten minutes. As a quick test, I turned the unit off and on with the power to the speakers still live and loud, and there was no pop at all, at any time. Nice. Basic operation is totally intuitive with the well laid-out control panel. CD decks and their controls are located to the left and right symmetrically, with the mixer in the middle, so anyone who has DJed previously should be able to work with the Prodigy FX right away.
The CD decks are slot-loading from the front, so there are no trays or door mechanisms to break. There’s even a “forced” reset, which will eject the disc and reset one side of the unit, in the unlikely event a CD jams inside of it during a performance. For longer laser life, the decks go to sleep if left idle for too long (but you can disable or change the parameters of this protection). The decks can play audio CDs, as well as MP3 CDs natively; you don’t have to upgrade it to make it MP3 capable and it is as feature-rich with an MP3 CD as it is with a standard audio disc. Oversampling and shock memory are included, of course.

Control Yourself
Above the slots is the jog wheel, which is a 5″ replica of a standard 12″ turntable “wheel of steel.” Behind the wheel are the Digital Signal Processing (DSP) controls that unleash a host of effect options, allowing tons of creativity in live performance; I found these to have a level of quality and accuracy I’ve never seen before in an “all-in-one” unit. They’re laid out logically; you’ll only have to read the manual for the nuances of operation-the basic operations are totally intuitive. The effects can be stacked on top of each other, up to four (one per “row”), and can be beat-synchronized!
Three programmable hot starts are on each player, as well. Behind it all is the large, well-designed display, which reads well in low light or bright sunlight, from a wide viewing angle, with adjustable brightness (I found I could generally read the Prodigy FX display better than the screen on the notebook computer that I’m using to write this, especially in direct sunlight). The entire deck control area looks very modern (like an iPod® or maybe a Zune® lCD display), which shows CD text on standard CDs, or tag information on MP3 discs, so you know what you’ve got loaded in your player at all times. Track number (or folder and track number, on MP3 discs encoded that way), time (selectable to elapsed or remaining), pitch (including pitch lock), and BPM (automatically calculated, or manual “tap”-your choice), are all shown here, too. BPM calculates and recalculates in “auto” mode, and if you alter the pitch (or tempo) in either direction, the BPM adjusts accordingly, so the current BPM is always displayed.
Finally, an oval with a slice missing, representing a “needle drop” position, graces the center, reacting to movement of the jog wheel, in order to help you quickly find (without headphones, even), the start point from where you might “juggle” a beat or sound, in the same way a vinyl turntablist might put correction tape on a record, to find his “marks.” In regular mode, the top and sides of the wheel simply slow down or speed up playback with your touch. In either of the two scratch modes, the top of the wheel scratches, while the sides still speed up or slow down the audio. The two scratch modes are: “blue” LED indicating standard, where the “needle” sticks to wherever you manually direct it to be, while the “red” LED mode indicates that when you touch the wheel, you go back to the last cue point, and scratch from there. I believe this feature was first seen on the Pioneer CDJ 800, and makes complex and fast “juggling” simple to execute. Getting really good at it? That’s up to you.
To the right of this all is the pitch adjustment slider, which can be set to 4, 8, 16, or 100%. Additionally, there a button to activate and deactivate the pitch, pitch bend buttons, and a master tempo button. The audio is very good, even when pitch or tempo is altered, within reason.
Loops can be set on the fly with ease, played and later relooped at will, and edited to absolute perfection. Start and end points can be saved to the internal memory. If you save cue or loop points, the next time you load the same CD, the Prodigy FX will remember them. You can store up to 1,500 of them per CD player.

Sound Routing
The mixer section has four channels, and up to three mics inputs, the primary two featuring adjustable talkover as well as DSP reverb, so you can perform effects on your vocals while you do strange and wonderful things to your music mix. The four mixer channels each have 3-band equalization and kill switches in each band, as well as a master trim controls, allowing the DJ to compensate for extra loud or extra soft sources. If the onboard DSP effects on the decks simply aren’t enough for you, each channel has an effects loop, so you can use an outboard effect units, too. It’s as simple as the push of a button. The first two channels carry signals for the built-in CD decks, but can also be selected for other line-in audio sources. The decks themselves have line out jacks as well. If you combine these ins and outs, the DJ is enabled to loop timecode CD audio into (for example) a Serato box, and back through the mixer section of the Prodigy FX, allowing this workstation to control (for example) Rane’s Serato Scratch Live, M-Audio’s Torq, or Virtual DJ software. (One word of caution here: do not use the DSP effects on the CD decks when using timecode discs. The effects will only make the programs “hear” distorted timecode, which could cause all kinds of odd behavior in the programs.)
Both CD decks also offer direct digital outputs, so they can be used for studio or other applications requiring a direct digital output. Channels 3 and 4 are offer selectable line or turntable inputs, and channel 3 also has a dedicated stereo mini jack input, marked “MP3.” If you wanted to use an iPod for dinner music, and later, cut things up on the decks, it’s pretty easy to do, and the iPod can sit out of sight, right in the back of the case.
The crossfader is switchable and selectable (and user-replaceable-another pro feature not often seen on your typical “combo” unit), and the fader curve is adjustable. If you scratch better with one hand versus another, there’s a hamster switch to “flip” sides. In addition to the main balanced XLR output, there’s a separate booth output and volume control, as well as two other sets of RCA outs. The headphone cueing section can be “split” left and right, and/or have the main output mixed into the headphone output.
Wow. I can’t think of a single feature this mixer lacks… all the way down to the “mono” switch. As small of a thing as having a “mono” switch is, I’ve seen even high end mixers that lack this basic ability. In the unlikely event you lose an entire mixer channel, you can use “mono” and the remaining “good” side of the board to finish your event; or if you’re doing a job that’s really small with only one powered speaker, hit the “mono” switch, and you’re good to go.

Prodigy in Action
“In the lab” (ok, it’s my garage) the Prodigy FX got high marks for excellent design, ease of layout, and overall quality. What about “in the field”?
I was called to assist with a Sweet Sixteen party a friend of mine had booked. I decided this was the perfect time to “road test” the Prodigy FX. I set the flight case on an x-stand, tapped into my friend’s board, and was ready to go. With three hours of dancing to prepare for, I assembled and burned two identical MP3 CDs and played off those (6 hours of material on each). With the exception of any requests that I didn’t have the foresight to burn, which I played from Virtual DJ directly (no timecode, this time) my entire night was played from two identical CDs, one in each deck. I ran loops, echos, flanges, pans (left and right to the beat), and mixed, scratched and looped throughout the night. The audience loved it! And it was a blast for me too!

Mixed Messages
For one final set of tests (and a second and third opinion), I invited over a couple of DJs I know locally who are big on beat-mixing, and for being particular about their gear. One was a fan of the American Audio Pro Scratch 2 CD decks, until he switched to the Numark CDX, which is his current favorite. Our other DJ friend prefers the Technics SLDZ1200 CD decks. I’ve watched several times as the two of them have “debated” each other over which one of them had a better set of players, so I knew this would be quite an animated discussion and mix session. The hardest thing to do here was separate their observations regarding “preferences” versus “functionality.” They both found (as I did) the Prodigy FX to be feature-rich, but (for example) they had difficulty gaining accurate control of the “scratch” features, mainly because of the size of the wheel, and the entire console being “too cramped” compared to what they’re used to; as an all-in-one it can’t be separated to suit their spacing preferences. They liked it, but (of course) not quite as much as what they’re already using.

Winning Combination
In terms of engineering and layout, the Prodigy FX is fantastic. It’s both “retro” (with the elements of turntablism) and futuristic, built with the look, functionality, native feature set, ability to interface with outboard effects and timecode DJ programs, and even basic playback of MP3 players, that DJs increasingly need. It is a combination unit of the highest order, featuring high quality and ease of use. The price, while not small, is a great value, compared to what you’d pay in money and time, buying and assembling all the individual items of this caliber, as well as the flight case to carry them in. The Prodigy FX is smart…and did I mention it’s also fun?

Prodigy FX Specs

CD/MP3 Player Features
• Plays all formats of CD, CDRW and MP3 files with full functionality
• Dual mode high resolution touch sensitive jog wheel
• Seamless loop with on-the-fly access to loop editing
• Independent buffer memory anti-shock for each player
• Pitch control & master tempo with up to +/- 100% shift range
• Oversized blue LCD display with wide viewing angle and brightness control
• True instant start for both CD and MP3 operations
• Easy MP3 file search by folder, file name, title or artist
• Onboard DSP effects with multi-mode scratching, auto and manual filter and phase shifting as well as flanger, echo, trans, pan, & reverse
• User-friendly beat synchronization for DSP effects
• Auto BPM or manual TAP tempo
• Three hot cue points
• Three independent memory banks can remember up to 1500 cue points and/or samples
• Integrated fader start
• Slot loading transports with blue LED illuminator
• IPR – Independent Player Reset for each CD/MP3 player provides fail-safe disk jamming protection
• Built-in memory to save settings (memory is upgradeable)

VCA Mixer Features
• 4-channel VCA mixer with flexible input configurations
• Dedicated DSP reverb and talk-over on MIC channels
• Dual rail premium quality Accutrack^TM crossfader
• Effects loop with independent assign button on each channel
• Hamster switch
• Rotary crossfader curve control
• 3-band EQ on each channel with – oo to +12dB range
• Kill switches for low, mid and high on each channel
• Dual mode SPLIT/BLEND headphone monitoring
• 10 segment tri-colored LED metering on inputs and outputs
• Master MONO switch
• CD direct outputs and mixer inputs for use with Serato Scratch LIVE, M-Audio Torq and all other time coded systems

Connections
• 4 Line, 2 Phono, 1 MP3 and 3 XLR / 1/4″ MIC inputs
• Balanced master XLR outputs plus booth, master, record & master digital RCA outputs
• Independent digital SPDIF outputs for each player
• Digital master SPDIF output
• Fan cooling for improved thermal performance
• Voltage selectable power supply for worldwide use

Professional ATA Flight Case Included

MSRP: $2,399.99
Street Price: $1,199.99

By Larry Williams

Strategies to reducing that second-guessing tendency

It’s amazing how embarrassed we feel when faced with the prospect of admitting we did something we are sorry for. A guilty conscience or the awareness of having made a bad decision leads to a desire to sweep it under the rug and tell as few people as possible because of the sheer embarrassment of it all.
We benefit when we apply hindsight to the operation of our businesses in an effort to improve the many different aspects of our service offerings. Unfortunately, hindsight is a rather common occurrence for many consumers too.
Sometimes the “perceptions” of which we are most unaware may be the very ones to which we should pay the most attention. A perfect example of this is “buyer’s remorse.” We have all felt this emotion at one time or another. It represents the regrettable feeling of purchasing a product we shouldn’t have. Sometimes this is because we were too quick to make a decision. Other times it is because we simply didn’t take the time to shop around for the best advice and/or best price.
You will often hear of buyer’s remorse near the beginning of the year when people are making New Year’s resolutions. Many people become committed to joining a health spa or purchase exercise equipment in the hopes that this purchased product will offer the motivation to follow their dream of getting in shape. Often this membership or equipment will then go unused because the excitement of the New Year’s resolution simply didn’t translate into motivation.
It is not uncommon to hear similar stories of buyer’s remorse from people who have purchased time shares, extended warranties or electronic equipment. For some, there may have been pressure in a sales presentation; for others, the regretted decision may have been driven more by desire than information.
Regardless of the myriad of possible reasons for it, buyer’s remorse is a very real condition that exists with our customers and one that we don’t consider very often. Since we are engaged in a profession that, for the most part, sells our customers on the services we will provide at a later date, this gives our customers a great deal of time to second-guess their decisions. For example, consider the bride who may excitedly tell close friends and family about her choice of DJ, only to hear “You paid how much?” in reply. This can and does sometimes leave a customer feeling their decision may have been premature, or at the very least that it’s not popular.
Fortunately, there is a very effective solution to negate the perception that is commonly associated with buyer’s remorse. Let’s look at that piece of exercise equipment. What would immediately make that consumer satisfied with the product they have purchased? Without question, it would be their immediate and continual use of the product. The same would be true with that health spa membership or electronic equipment.
When a customer is engaged in utilizing the product (or in our case, the service) they will immediately have a sense of satisfaction and good feeling about their product purchase or service they have previously hired.
But how can a customer utilize a service that is still many months away from being enacted? For starters, we can immediately get to work on the many important aspects of pre-event planning. By preparing contracts, receipts and other event paperwork in a timely manner we can immediately show our proficiency in how we conduct matters of business. Thank you cards can also offer an immediate sense of comfort to our customers.
Just think of how you feel when you begin to receive receipts and literature concerning that Caribbean vacation you just booked with your travel agent that is still several months away. It is entirely possible to build confidence about a previously purchased commodity many months ahead of its anticipated use.
The scheduling of appointments and follow-up with these pre-event consultations can also prove incredibly beneficial to our continuing efforts of customer service and satisfaction. Other follow-up calls and correspondences concerning vender referrals and/or special ideas that add a personal touch to their celebration will usually be very well received, especially when timed with the progression of planning efforts.
When you engage in a concerted effort to showcase your customer service qualities in the months leading up to an event, you are laying down a foundation of specialized service that can and will leave nothing but a positive perception of your company. When this is successfully implemented, the idea of an outside influence causing your customers to second-guess their decision will likely be met with a swift and decisive affirmation of the quality service you are already providing.
Consumer confidence is rooted in customer service. It represents the customers’ ability to feel confident and secure with the services that they have reserved. When we purposefully create an atmosphere of “inclusion” we can more effectively work to negate the possibility of a regrettable feeling that is created by hindsight.

Larry Williams is the author of Mind Your Own Business (ProDJ Publishing). He is a local chapter director for the ADJA and recipient of the ADJA’s 2006 Michael Butler Humanitarian Award.

After lugging all my DJ equipment, one piece at a time, down a narrow dock ramp, up an equally narrow winding staircase to the boat’s second deck, with sweat dripping from my forehead, I mentioned to one of the ship’s crew: “I sure wish there was an elevator on this boat!”
She answered, “Oh, there’s one right over there,” pointing to a small door in the corner of the room. Thank you very much!

The Unique Challenge of DJing on a Boat
DJing on party boats is exciting and I always look forward to working on them. Party boats are usually very elegant and because most of the events are at night, it often becomes a romantic cruise on the water. And yet because of limited space of boats they’re one of the most demanding gigs you’ll ever experience.
Blondie sang “The tide is high”­-well, during one of my recent load-ins it wasn’t, making the ramp from the pier to the dock very steep. I always worry about my equipment rolling away from me and into the water, knock on teak. After safely getting my gear on board I heard a loud crash and the sound of shattering dishes. One of the catering staff was wheeling a “Queen Mary,” a tall metal food container, down the same ramp and it did get away from him, crashing onto the dock next to the ship with the evening’s dinner turning into seagull soufflé.
Speaking of food, often, but not always, you will get to eat; most crews are pretty good at taking care of you. Where can you go if you’re hungry? Remember, you’re on the water.
When it comes to the actual performance, once you’ve navigated all the logistical obstacles, DJing on the water still requires the high level of performance any client, private or corporate, might expect. One of the premier party boat companies in California, Hornblower Cruises and Events, operates 30 yachts, including the massive Inspiration (see picture), services six ports and is a “$30 million dollar business.” Hilary Rossi, Hornblower’s Assistant Director of Food and Beverage in San Diego is very serious about entertainers she hires to work their on their boats: “If a DJ thinks it’s okay to plug in an iPod® and just stand there, they are very wrong. It is about being a people person, and playing what people want.”

Water Hazards
The following are a variety of tips for a better musical boating experience…
Steve Cosio of I Buy Time, a radio ad buyer in Dallas, Texas (and former mobile DJ) recommends lightening you load: “Travel light…as light as possible….I had only one sound system and it was heavy. The manager of the boat almost didn’t let me onboard because the sound system was on casters. I convinced her that the casters were riveted on and there was no way to take them off. Once on board, I surrounded the wheels with gear so the unit wouldn’t roll.”
This comment reminds me that it’s a good idea to secure all of your equipment if there is even a slight chance of the gear rolling or tipping over. Remember, boats move. You’d hate to hear someone yell “Speaker overboard!” wouldn’t you? I’ve found, because of the tight dance areas, that using just one 8″ speaker and a 12″ or 15″ speaker with the treble turn all the way down acting like a sub works great.
Cosio has another great no-brainer piece of advice: “If you are prone to seasickness, it wouldn’t hurt to carry a seasickness patch in your gear and use it BEFORE you leave the dock!”
Don’t expect a six foot table to put your equipment on. Do expect to be put in a small corner with little room to move. Also, expect the ceilings to be extremely low, so watch out for feedback.
Warning: I promise you, your client probably won’t tell you in advance (make sure you ask) that he or she will want a microphone on the deck you’re not on! And forget about using your wireless on another deck (I’ve tried it). It’ll work just enough to cut out here and there, upsetting the client and making you look like an idiot. I always bring an extra powered speaker and wired mike for just such an occasion. Gene Barbic, co-owner of Warehouse Sound and Light in Miramar, California suspects that my wireless is having problems with all of the ship’s metal. Barbic says there are devices to help you DJ on a boat including a direct box, ground lift, remote and powered antennas etc.
When you have the boat rocking and your CD starts skipping (assuming you’re still using CDs) chances are the deck (floor) is bouncing and not your disks. I actually threw several perfectly good CDs overboard in dramatic fashion in front of the guests because I thought they were bad. (I now have a new appreciation for going computer.) Don’t forget to bring extra-long RCA cables in case you’re asked to patch into the ship’s sound system. Rossi adds: “Boat wiring is tricky sometimes and extra care should always be put to checking a system ahead of time.” In other words, make sure you find and paste to your memory all of the ship’s sound system’s volume controls. The last thing you want to do is navigate around all the guests and ship’s crew as you try to turn down the ship’s piped in music.
Often times, the boats are “home ported” at different locations other than where they pick you and the guests up, so at the end of your cruise be prepared to get all of your equipment off as fast as you can – the ship’s crew will appreciate it. Also, if the boat is returning to a docking area with “live-aboards” (people who live on their boats) near by be prepared to shut down the music as soon as you reach the dock.

Shipshape
Q: What’s the difference between a boat and a ship? A: You can put a boat on a ship!
If you live in a big city like San Diego, you may also have historic ships to party on. One of our ships, the retired air craft carrier USS Midway, is a blast to work on; plenty of space-it’s a big, really big ship! They usually put DJs inside the hanger bay, a massive area with a very high ceiling. Party lights look great and really fill the space.
However, as with all water craft, it too has its challenges, worst of all being the way the pier crew load equipment. Apparently someone figured using a fork lift would suffice to hoist my precious DJ equipment up several stories from the pier, over the water, and onto the main hanger bay. Once I actually rode with my equipment in a little cage attached to one of the fork lifts, teetering high in the air…scared me to death!
Bottom line, DJing on boats, big or small, poses some very unique problems to solve, but if you prepare in advance, these parties can be some of the most fun you’ll ever experience.

Mike Ryan started writing for news radio. He also DJ’d on KGB and KSDS. He mobiles as Mike on the Mike and is also the inventor owner of Frankenstand Powered Speaker Stands. Mike also works part time as a DMC tour guide. He has been the President of the San Diego Professional Tour Guide Association, a board member of his local NACE chapter and is currently the secretary of the San Diego Chapter of the ADJA.

Sea Songs
THE TIDE IS HIGH BLONDIE
SEA OF LOVE HONEYDRIPPERS
UNDER THE SEA LITTLE MERMAID SOUNDTRACK
DON’T ROCK THE BOAT HUGHES CORP.
SAILING CHRIS CROSS OR BACKSTREET BOYS
IF I HAD A BOAT LYLE LOVETT OR DAVE MATTHEWS
ALMOST ANYTHING BY THE BEACH BOYS
ALMOST ANYTHING FROM JIMMY BUFFET
YO HO HO, A PIRATE’S LIFE FOR ME DISNEY THEME PARK SONG
(Always gets a chuckle)
GILLIGAN’S ISLAND THEME
(Another chuckle, although a little nervous-sounding)

Nautical Terms You Should Know
Port = left
Starboard = right
Deck = floor
Overhead = ceiling
Bulkhead = wall
Forward = the front of the ship,
Aft = the rear of the ship
Head = bathroom (very important to locate ASAP)
Captain = the guy in charge of everything…and I mean everything!

The evolution of the mobile disc jockey into a mobile entertainer has reached dimensions that even the most sage forecasters might not have envisioned yet a decade ago!
Years past, the disc jockey’s roles were fairly straightforward and clear-provide an on-site audio system and the ability to program audience-pleasing dance music. Vocal aptitude-at least in the industry’s infancy in the early 1970′s-was a bonus. Games were not even on the radar. Dance instruction was non-existent. Interaction was generally limited to mingling with the guests if the host graciously accorded a meal as part of the deal.
My, how times have changed!

Back to the Future: DJs as Vaudevillians?
Today, the “plain” mobile disc jockey is virtually an aberration, like an 8-track player or vinyl records prominently featured in a home. The new paradigm is the mobile entertainer, a multi-headed, multi-talented beast who can switch at the call of the wild to a comic, dance instructor, games master, emcee, prop fiend or music laureate with grace and often exceptional skill.
My, how we have returned to an old American art form-the new mobile entertainer is the vaudevillian performer of old.
With the new, improved, redefined mobile entertainer, are gigs limited to the rich buffet of wedding receptions and school dances? Not likely; as the mobile entertainer has evolved into a multi-faceted performance animal via out-of-the-box thinking, the types of gigs that mobile entertainers perform might benefit from some creative re-assessment.

All the World’s a Stage
Back in the early 1990s, many entertainers-myself included-sought ways to create more portable, flexible equipment configurations. While technology certainly fueled the ability to pursue this angle, the primary driver originated from the increasing number of facilities offering their space for events.
Art galleries, museums, touring yachts, private residences, gardens, and more evaluated their settings and determined that their facilities might offer something unusual, something personal, something more intimate than the utilitarian function of classic halls and air-walled hotel spaces. And, the public agreed.
So, entertainers had to find ways to work without a defined stage area, to access often ill-designed and cramped performance areas, to often work with less, to re-assess what mobile meant. Thus, smarter, smaller, more adaptable equipment configurations allowed entertainers to comfortably execute shows in the growing number of facilities offering their space for events.

Climbing Out of the DJ Box
Much like the venues that expanded their view of what they offered to expand their revenue stream, would you benefit by escalating your view of your services to, perhaps, tap into unusual and different events for your entertainment skills? Do you see yourself as solely a DJ or a versatile, well-rounded entertainer?
For instance, a couple of years ago, I served as systems engineer at Giants Fantasy Camp for a week in Scottsdale, Arizona. 23 set-ups in seven days (bull sessions, lunch time music, public address announcing at Scottsdale Stadium, meet-and-greet with the ballplayers) created a fairly intense work schedule. But the pay was respectable, the January sunshine wonderful and the opportunity to horse around with former major league baseball players such as Vida Blue, Darrell Evans, Tom Haller and Johnnie LeMaster was priceless.

Other entertainers have embraced the opportunities presented by non-traditional events.
Terry Moran of Crown Entertainment, serving the greater New England area, has spun at the Adult Video News Awards in Las Vegas (“Basically, the Grammys of porn,” he reports), Fantasy Fest in Key West, and during bicycle week in Laconia, New Hampshire for the past ten years. In addition, Moran and his company spin and emcee at more than 100 trivia events at pubs around New England annually. Oh, and Crown Entertainment also performs at 20 to 35 wedding receptions each year.
Matt Bixby of Matt’s Entertainment, serving the Willamette Valley area of Oregon, recently performed at a company party entitled “A Night of Games.”
“We did game shows all night that ranged from Let’s Make a Deal to The Price Is Right to Family Feud,” noted Bixby. “No dancing desired, but it was a scintillating success!”
Many, like Bixby, have embraced the transformation. “When I realized that I was an entertainer and not ‘just a DJ’, it was a huge personal reinvention. Now I focus so much harder on building a rapport with my guests before and during the event so that I don’t think of them as strangers and there’s absolutely no reason to be self-conscious or get stage fright.” Bixby even recently changed his company name from “Williamette Valley DJ” to the more personable “Matt’s Entertainment” to reflect his professional evolution. Bixby is actively marketing for further game show opportunities.

Break On Through
The bottom line is the seeing yourself as “just a disc jockey” may limit the types of events you may attract or the opportunities you might consider pursuing.
In my two decades as a mobile entertainer, I’ve secured work as a mobile DJ, dancer, dance instructor, dance floor “plant,” MC, engineer, public address announcer, character player, engineer, commercial spokesperson, voice actor and radio air personality. Some gigs were a bit more unusual than others, but all offered an opportunity to enhance my entertainment skills, keep my excitement level fresh and earn money.

Wedding receptions and school dances may be the volume leaders in the mobile entertainment industry. But, as more and more professionals are learning, unusual gigs offer fun, engaging and innovative ways to secure business and retain a fresh entertainment perspective. Certainly, the ride will be fun!

Mobile DJ, dance instructor, emcee, voice actor, writer, teacher, and improv comedian, Mike Ficher owns and operates Dance Express, based in Bend, Oregon. A regular presenter and host at Mobile Beat conventions, Mike has been expanding the public’s definition of mobile entertainer since 1986.
“When I realized that I was an entertainer and not ‘just a DJ’, it was a huge personal reinvention.” ­­ -Matt Bixby