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!

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.