From The DJ's Table

Well hello there…It’s obviously been awhile since I’ve posted anything. Sorry about that. I’ve been busy doing events, and I’ve also been struggling a little bit with what to write about. When I started this site I wanted it to be a little of everything. Tips and Tricks for fellow DJ’s, Ideas for the Event Planners, and General Tips for Anyone planning a Wedding, Party, Event, etc.

So, now I’m wondering if I should focus on just one area. And if so, which one? According to my website analytics, I have had a lot of visitors to this site over the last year. But, I haven’t got much feedback. So if you are one of the  many, I am asking you to become one of the few. Please comment or email me your thoughts on which direction you would like to see things go here. You can also contact me if you would like to become a contributing writer for the blog.

Thanks,

Jeremy

jeremy@fromthedj.com

BTW – If you are one of the many visitors, I would like to say Thank You!

Happy Holidays!

As I was headed out to DJ a holiday party this past weekend, I was quickly reminded of how careful you need to be when leaving to and from your events. Here’s a short list of things to consider…

1. Give yourself ample extra time to get to your events. Take into consideration any adverse road conditions, construction/accident traffic, and just the general slowness of traffic in bad weather.
2. Watch for icy conditions when you’re outside of the car as well. You don’t want to get all the way to your event just to “Eat It” in the parking lot and end up missing it.
3. Be sure to cover any electronic equipment when loading and unloading at your event. Water + Electronics = Bad Things…Garbage bags can work in a pinch to cover speakers and such adequately for short trips in and out.
4. Try not to load the car up too early before you leave for your event. If your equipment is exposed to the cold  for an extended period, it will form condensation when moved into a warmer environment. Condensation = Water…Water + Electronics = Bad Things…This also goes for CD’s. They will “Fog Up” when you get them into a warmer area and will not read correctly if you attempt to play them before they warm back up.
5. Try to dress weather appropriate when traveling to and from your events. In most cases, it’s usually easy enough to change clothes before your event starts. Especially, if you have given yourself ample time to get to your event.

These are a just a few quick considerations to think about for this time of year. If you have any comments, or something to add, I would love to hear it. Thanks, and Season’s Greetings!

I love Halloween. The parties, the haunted houses, the decorations…I just can’t get enough of it. So, here are 10 of my Must Play Halloween Party Songs…

1. Thriller – Michael Jackson
2. Ghostbusters – Ray Parker Jr.
3. Bad Moon Rising – Credence Clearwater Revival
4. Monster Mash – Bobby “Borris” Picket
5. Welcome to My Nightmare – Alice Cooper
6. Sympathy for the Devil – Rolling Stones
7. (Don’t Fear) The Reaper – Blue Oyster Cult
8. Bark at the Moon – Ozzy
9. Dead Man’s Party – Oingo Boingo
10. Highway to Hell – AC/DC

These are just 10 of my Must Play Halloween favorites. What are some of yours?

Well, it’s been awhile since my last post…and I’m sorry. I will try to keep things a bit more current from here on out. With that said, let’s get on with the show.

Gone are the days of  The Chicken Dance and The Hokey Pokey. This is an ongoing trend I’ve noticed over the last few years. Majority, if not all, of my clients are putting  these songs on their “No Play” lists for weddings. And to be honest, I’m really not heart broken about it. People no longer want the “Cheeze” with their dinner and dancing.  

Another trend (that I hope actually isn’t a trend) is a few clients have started to request no line dance songs.

“No Electric Slide? No Cha Cha Slide? Even if one of your guests request it? Ok…”

This actually troubles me a little. It’s not that I love these songs (god knows I’ve played them enough over the years)…It’s more of the fact that these songs are sort of “Tools” for most wedding djs. These are the “Hey, I know that dance…Let me up there” songs that usually get the guests up and moving. Now, I’m not saying that a dj should rely solely on these songs. Not at all. A good dj knows how to work a crowd regardless of the music selections played. I guess I’m just trying to say that sometimes it’s nice to have those ”Tools”  available if you need them.

In the end, it’s all about what the client wants…If they don’t want it, obviously you don’t play it.

I would love to hear from any other djs, wedding planners, or even brides on this one. What are your thoughts on the subject? Please comment below. Thanks!

Ahhhh, Spring is in the air. That means only one thing…Wedding Season is in full “Bloom!” Time for you Brides out there to finalize those song lists with your DJ. One of the questions I get asked frequently is if I have any suggestions for the Father Daughter Wedding Dance song. After making sure that they discussed it over with their father first (Some Dads prefer to pick this one out themselves), I will give them this list of my most requested songs.

1. “I Loved Her First” – Heartland
2. “My Girl” – The Temptations
3. “My Wish” – Rascal Flatts
4. “Wonderful Tonight” – Eric Clapton
5. “What A Wonderful World” – Louis Armstrong
6. “Over The Rainbow” – IZ
7. “My Little Girl” – Tim McGraw
8. “The Way You Look Tonight” – Frank Sinatra
9. “In My Life” – The Beatles
10. “Forever Young” – Rod Stewart

There are so many more songs I could list, but I’m going to leave it at ten. Just remember…keep your father involved in the selection process. This song is as much for him as it is for you.

If you have a song (or Songs)  you would like to share with everyone, please list them in the comments section below. Thanks!

Almost everyone has been to some sort of themed event in their life. Whether it was the company holiday party, or just your best friends annual Halloween bash. Regardless of what type you’ve been to, what is the one thing that “sticks” in your head? That’s right, the theme! Planning an event with a theme is a sure way to keep people talking about it for years to come. And, themes are not just for the holidays either. Virtually any type of event can benefit from using a theme. But, don’t just draw one out of a hat and run with it. Try to come up with a theme that can really peak the interest of majority of your guests. Now, I say majority because we all know that you can’t please everyone. Just be supportive of those who don’t necessarily want to participate and continue to encourage them to come to the event anyway. With that said, here are a few ideas that I hope get your brain juices flowing…

• A Current  Event – It’s an Olympic year…How about an Olympic Theme?
• A Popular Movie – I know someone who had a Star Wars Themed wedding! (* A note about themed weddings below)
• A Popular Destination – Who wouldn’t love a taste of Hawaii in the winter time?
• A Popular Decade – How about an “I Love the 80’s” flashback theme?
• A Red Carpet Gala – Great theme for any type of awards banquet.

This is just a few ideas to get you thinking about themed events and how they can work for you. They are fun, and usually easy to plan. If you have any comments or questions, please post them in the comment section. Thanks and enjoy!

A Quick Note About Themed Weddings - Themed weddings and/or receptions are a lot of fun, just be sure that you both are in agreement on the importance of the theme. If it is something that you both enjoy and are passionate about, then it becomes something special to share. I did a wedding  in the past that was just themed for show, and it really distracted guest from the bride and groom who weren’t really into it. Needless to say, they regretted having a theme. Oh, and the couple who had the Star Wars themed wedding were fanatics! They loved every minute of their special day, as did their friends and family…

Well, tax season is upon us again, and I thought this would be good subject to cover for all of my working DJ brothers and sisters out there. I would like to talk a little bit about Write Offs. These can help you lower your taxable income so that you can save some of that hard earned cash come tax time. This is also one of the biggest reasons I suggest working with a tax professional when preparing your paperwork. They can really help you find things that maybe you didn’t even know you could write off. Things like…

• Mileage (to and from each gig)
• Some vehicle repairs (only for the vehicle you use to transport to and from each gig)
• Meals while working (including to and from each gig)
• Music (if purchased for business use – this includes music subscription services like Promo Only)
• New DJ Equipment
• DJ Equipment Repairs
• Dry Cleaning (for clothing you wear while working a gig)
• Phone (if used for business)
• Internet (if used for business)
• Web Hosting
• Computer Equipment (if used for business)
• Computer Repairs and Upgrades (if used for business)
• Clothing (purchased to wear while working a gig)
• Office Supplies (if used for business)

These are just a few of the items that you may be able to write off. A tax professional really can clarify what works for your situation, and point out other items that aren’t listed here.

Hopefully this gets you thinking about ways to save a little of that hard earned cash at tax time. Thanks for reading, and please feel free to leave any comments or suggestions you may have as well.

Interviewing a potential DJ can be a little overwhelming for some. When most people are at this stage in their planning, they tend to have a lot going on and forget to ask a few important questions. My advice is to write down all of your questions beforehand and bring them to the interview with you. Here are Five things you should know before hiring a DJ.

1. Do they use a written contract?

Contracts are for your protection, as well as the DJ’s. It should explain some things in detail. Things like: The date and time of your event. The price he or she is offering their services to you for.  How long those services are to be rendered. Any terms for client cancellations. etc.

2. Is the person your meeting with going to be the DJ at your event?

Sometimes when dealing with larger DJ companies, you will meet with the person in charge of bookings. Make sure you get an opportunity to meet with the DJ before signing on that dotted line. He or she may have the best track record for the company, but you need to make sure they have the right personality for your audience.

3. Do they offer a wide variety of music?

You want to make sure they have the right type of music for you event. A DJ should give you access to a music list that you can look through and select the types of songs you want played at your function.

4. Will they take requests from your guests?

If the DJ takes requests, it makes your event more interactive for your guests. The more interactive it is, the more memorable and fun it will be for them.

5. What kind of sound system do they use?

You want a DJ that uses professional sound equipment. Home audio systems are not really designed for rooms bigger than say a living room. You are probably familiar with some of the home brands, so here is a short list of professional brands that he or she may mention. Gemini, Pioneer, QSC, Peavey, EV, Denon, Stanton, JBL, American Audio, Numark, Mackie, Yamaha, Crown, Behringer, Vestax, and Rane to name a few.

These are just 5 of the things you should know before making your decision on a DJ. Hopefully, these will get your thought processes firing, and you can come up with more questions that are more suited to your event.

Hello,

 My name is Jeremy Cook and I am the owner of GotYourDJ.com. I’ve been in the DJ Entertainment business for over 13 years, and over those years I have had the privilege of doing many different types of events. A lot of my clients ask me for advice, and I thought that this blog would be a great place to share that knowledge with others as well.

 Welcome to From the DJ’s Table. Here you will find advice and tips you can use while planning your events. You will also find advice and tips geared towards DJ’s as well. Whether you’re just starting out, or a seasoned pro, there will be something for everyone.

 I would also like to encourage everyone to participate in this blog. Please make comments on posts, and please feel free to email me (fromthedj@gotyourdj.com) with any questions or topic suggestions you may have.

 Thank you,  and I look forward to hearing from everyone!

Well, you might notice a little change around here. Ok, maybe not so little…Due to some creative limitations with my previous encarnation of this blog, I decided to start anew…So, here it is! I will be posting more very shortly, but in the meantime…please take a moment to tell me what you think of the layout. Thanks!