Mobile Beat Las Vegas has always prided itself on featuring major talent at the evening celebrations that are a key part of each event. Each artist or group that has performed at Mobile Beat has made an indelible mark on the music industry in some way; this year is no different. Making his second appearance at MBLV (the first being in 2009) is Rob Van Winkle—aka Vanilla Ice! Rob’s multi-platinum hit “Ice Ice Baby” not only helped brake down stereotypes of who a “rapper” could be, the song also made a whole new generation fans of Hip Hop, both the music and the style. Kids wanted to dress like him, dance like him and be ice cold co... [read more]

I'm a procrastinator. How do I know? It took me six months to write this blog post. Everyday I wake up, write my to do list and totally do a dozen other things. Sound familiar? I have every intention of getting things done and being super productive. You know, "Carpe Diem" and all that motivational stuff. The fact is most days the only thing I really like seizing is my afternoon nap. I guess it's the benefit or curse of being self employed. I'm the boss, so I can take breaks whenever I want or push things off to the last minute. Hey, as long as everything gets done and I'm prepared for my event - who cares when I do stuff. Right? To quote Jim C... [read more]

Many DJ companies grow their businesses by expanding their service offerings beyond simply providing music. These new  services can add new dimensions to a company, truly benefitting clients while also increasing a DJ’s bottom line. For too many DJ companies expansion equals buying a nifty new controller (with unnecessary bells and whistles), or some shiny new lights (without a plan for how to upsell them). Expansion should be about adding services that accentuate what you already offer. One person who has mastered the art of successful expansion is Ryan Scheller of Sound Extreme in Sonora, California. I got to hang out and chat with Ryan at�... [read more]

Arguably the most important piece of equipment we have is our voice. We use it to lead, guide, inform and coordinate at our events. Knowing what to say and when and how to say it is tantamount to a successful event. Each word choice instantly affects the mood and vibe of the guests and room. Do you always know the right thing to say at the right moment? Do you struggle at your events or second guess yourself on the microphone? What if there was a simple acronym or quick little guide rule you could use when deciding what to say? I'm a fan of Jay Shetty, former monk and internet wisdom guru. He's the quieter version of Gary Vaynerchuk. Jay's vid... [read more]

We are truly blessed to have so many educational resources at our fingertips. Online forums, private groups, networking chapters, Associations and all the major conferences nationwide. There really is no excuse for skipping the vast buffet of information so readily available at our fingertips. DJ education is like the food court at the mall. The choices range from fast and cheap to gourmet and swanky. Sometimes we just need a quick fix and sometimes we want a really great meal. A few major things I've noticed, though. One - everybody loves the nuggets and two - I'm always surprised at how many DJ's try to run and improve their businesses o... [read more]

It's no secret that the most important game to be winning right now, in terms of success for many kinds of businesses, is social media. Getting your message out consistently and successfully can be a daunting task. New platforms, changing algorithms and an increasingly diverse group of users can make targeting an audience like finding needles in a haystack. Print media has long been “dead,” so to speak; are static websites next? Recently, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest have been the leaders of the of the social media pack. But there's a new horse on the track and it seems to be steadily moving into the lead: “Live streaming�... [read more]

His name is synonymous with celebrity events and high-profile weddings. David Tutera’s room designs, attention to details and event planning skills are quickly becoming legendary. He has hosted several television shows, created events for rock stars, hollywood elite and royalty. And this October, he will be the keynote speaker at the Wedding MBA conference in Las Vegas. David gave me a sneak peek into his upcoming keynote speech and his thoughts on Mobile DJs. Mike Cordeiro: It really is a big honor to speak with you today. David Tutera: Thank you, it’s my pleasure.MC : So you just got married this past April, right? DT : Yes. MC : What wer... [read more]

 Writing for Mobile Beat has been a great experience. Sometimes to get a great story I travel for an interview. This past weekend I headed to NYC with my wife and daughter to do an interview with the guys from The Funktion House in Brooklyn (look for the article in a few months). I thought it would be great to bring my wife and take her out to dinner in Manhattan and let her and my daughter do some shopping. The trip went well except for the hotel. I like to use Booking.com and most of the time I get some really good deals. Not this time. We stayed at the hotel Pennsylvania. This absolutely, hands down,... [read more]

Recently a post on a DJ page caught my attention. A younger DJ was looking for music ideas for a Portuguese wedding he had coming up. The bride and groom were of Portuguese heritage, but not really familiar with the traditional types of music. So the DJ figured he would reach out for some input. What he got was a ton of misinformation. Many of the replies suggested playing Latin or Brazilian music. Others suggested Reggaeton or Caribbean music. All wrong. It was obvious that none of the people posting suggestions knew anything about the Portuguese culture. This is where we fail. If you are going to do ethnic or culturally diverse weddings, you... [read more]

It's the day after the Super Bowl and Facebook is full of victory memes, trash talk and "what if" quarterbacking. Many folks in New England are playing the blame game; poor defense, the refs, etc. I saw a few Pat's fans actually congratulating the Eagles on a game well played. Yes, I'm a Pats fan since 1985. Back when we went against the Bears and I say good for the Eagles. Why? They earned it. Both teams played hard and in the end the Eagles fought harder. What does this have to do with our profession? A lot. When you're at a large banquet venue with several events happening do you go around and introduce yourself (like a champ)? Do you extend your... [read more]