The night is coming to a close. Everybody had a great time. There are many people fighting to stay on the dance floor knowing they may be grooving to their last song of the night.  The professional DJ wants to make sure that everybody leaves with the right feeling to carry withy them. The Closing Song. It is often the way a professional DJ leaves their mark on the night.

When I first started out as a professional Rock DJ, my closing song was by David Essex; Rock On.  After a few years of radio, my closing song changed with it. My song to cap the night became John Lennon: Watching The Wheels as a tribute to my hero at the time. This was followed by The Clash for a short period of time then back to John. Over the years, it has shifted many times as my style ands tastes have changed with them.

Today I have two closing songs that match the event I am performing at.  Of course, if the host of the event has already chosen a closing song, I will honor that and follow their decision; it is their party! If not, it depends on the environment. These are the two songs that will typically grace the ears of those attending a gig as they down their last drinks, say good-bye to friends and family and grab their coats while heading for the door:

Turn Your Lights Down Low- Bob Marley and Lauryn hill

Hallelujah- David Buckley

For me, they both have such a nice way to send everybody home after a great night. What are your favorite songs to close a great night?

DJ Mystical Michael Rhode Island DJ & NY DJ

When I first started out in the DJ business many years ago it was unheard of for a DJ to not honor requests.  Recently, this has changed. For some reason, DJs seem to think they are above respecting the musical choices and desires of others. This even includes those who hire them. I do not understand this.

It is a simple rule of business that you respect those who pay you. If someone hires me for the night, I want him or her to feel good about their decision, not just for future business, although that should be reason enough, because they are helping me pay my bills. When did professional DJs become such primodonnas?  If you look back at the history of disk jockeys, we were always grass toots entertainers from Wolfman Jack to Scott Muney to Cousin Brucey. We made our mark as the ones who were willing to get our hands dirty and meet the needs of our listeners, which later become dancers as DJing made its way to the clubs and now mobile at weddings and parties.

For me, the requests are one of the best things about being a professional Wedding DJ; you get to make someone happy!  It is like working an ice cream shop; people come in and order what they want and leave with a smile when you give it to them. I hope someday soon this new breed of professional DJ who think because they play other people’s music they are special or ‘celebrities’ come back down to earth and enjoy the fruits of honoring customer requests!

DJ Mystical Michael Rhode Island DJ & NY DJ

I first started with this thing called being a professional DJ because I loved music. It was that clear and simple.  I grew to enjoy the attention and focus of clubs, parties and events as a bonus along with what was real good money then for being one of the three professional mobile DJs in New Jersey.  Over the years this has changed- I still love music, maybe even more so, I still like attention but definitely less so, the money is not what it used to be but not bad. These things have stayed constant to varying degrees but the aspect of being a professional DJ the most happens at least once during every gig, it is what makes this work worth it for me.

It is the moment when the bride/groom, event host or site owner comes over with a huge smile that cannot be contained to express their genuine gratitude for the performance and more importantly their guests thorough enjoyment. It is not the kind of thanks that you give to people to make them feel good; it is the kind of thanks you offer to somebody because it makes you feel good! You can see it in their eyes when they light-up with bright full cheeks and positive energy oozing out of them like they have never had a better night in their life. To me, that is what makes it all worth it and why I make certain I am well prepared for each event with the right music and equipment. There is little room for error and I want to do the best I can every time I show-up and do my thing.

Saturday Night, The Professional DJ Moment came near the end of the night when the groom, who booked the reception came over to shake my hand with that “I just ate the whole cake look” on his face to give me that big handshake, many words of gratitude for the part I played in their special night and he couldn’t reach into his pocket deep and fast enough to offer me a tip even though he had already paid me in full before the event. It was not the money that mattered to me, although always welcome, it was that he was so excited and grateful he could not find enough ways to let me know how much he appreciated what I did and it worked out just the way he had hoped.

That’s why I am a professional Wedding and Event DJ.

DJ Mystical Michael Rhode Island DJ & NY DJ

One of the fun things a professional DJ gets the opportunity to play with is finding a way to meet the needs of people from often three different generations all at the same time. Recently, I had observed a professional DJ deal with this exact situation and was startled by his lack of sensitivity to the guest at this wedding. It was disappointing to witness. He was approached by an older gentleman who was expressing his frustration with the professional DJ not playing any older or slow music for him and his friends/family to dance. The professional DJ promptly told him that the Bride asked for new and fast music and that was it. No; “I’ll get to it soon” or “As soon as the dance floor clears” or even, “I am sorry Sir”. The man walked away grumbling about how he was treated. I did not blame him. I too would have been angry if I was him.

Meeting the needs of diverse audiences while at an event or club is essential to creating a fun and memorable gig. Sometimes it is as easy as playing an Elvis Presley or Frank Sinatra song. Others it is Brice Springsteen or AC/DC. And even sometimes it means playing Lady GaGa or Beyonce or Pitbull to make sure everybody is having fun. At the end of the day, isn’t that what the professional DJ is there to do?

Why do some professional DJs fight and resist requests so fiercely?

DJ Mystical Michael Rhode Island DJ & NY DJ