Tag Archives: Fun DJ

Where Do The DJ Photos of Weddings and Parties Come From?

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As the site of DJ Mystical Michael continues to grow and expand, (look for a new look soon!), we now have over 500 DJ Photos on our site! Of those 500 DJ photos captured of Weddings, Parties, Events, Fundraisers and Dancers, all but about 25 of them are from actual events that I am the professional DJ. It turns out that the professional DJ often has the best pulse of the Wedding or Party because we are providing the music, as well as good professional DJs coordinating the event and know exactly what and how is gong to happen next.

 Who Is The Photographer of The DJ Photos?

I am the ‘photographer’ at most of my events. It is in my contract with my Brides, Grooms and Party Planners that I will capture their amazing experiences and use them on my site for promotional purposes. I make sure in advance that the Brides and Grooms know this clearly because I do not want to upset anyone with my DJ Photos. I have had a few of my Brides and Grooms explicitly ask me not to take DJ photos at their Weddings. Of course, I have willingly agreed. Most Brides and Grooms are really excited to know that their special day of DJ Photos will be accessable for friends and family to view the next day after their Wedding. The same is true for my Party Planners that are not Brides and Grooms, they know I will use the DJ Photos on my site and give me permission to do so.

 

The truth is that I am just a mediocre ‘photographer’ at best. I do not think I am even qualify as a photographer, I just like to capture fun and special moments of Weddings, Parties and Events and share my DJ Photos with you. This way, you know in advance what your Wedding or Party will be like if you hire me to be your professional DJ. It gives you a bird’s eye view of Weddings and Parties with DJ Mystical Michael, not just what it looks like but also what I feel are the moments that you will appreciate. A professional photographer will do a MUCH better job and have significantly higher quality equipment than me. They take their gear as serious as I do with my MacBook and BOSE L1 system. They take their craft and finished product as serious as I do as a professional Wedding and Party DJ.

 

I just thought it was important to share with you where and how the DJ Photos you see on my site come from and that I have legal permission to do so. The other images are either purchased for specific uses or from Creative Commons through the public usage licensing. Last month I had a very angry, rightfully so, photographer write me about an image I had on my site. A gorgeous dancer full of beauty and colors that I loved! I explained that I found her image on Creative Commons and was using it legally. She had never heard of Creative Commons, so I sent her the link and info. I then apologized and removed the image. Apparently, somebody else who did not have rights or permission, posted her image on Creative Commons and offered full permission for public use! It has been since cleared-up but the artist has been hunting down all the illegal uses of her work all over the internet. She said most users were not as polite and respectful as me and some even refused to delete the images. This is so sad and disturbing to me. This is one of the ways the internet and its access are being abused.

Let me know if there are any specific DJ Photos on my site that you appreciate and like!

DJ Photos of Fun Wedding Party on The Dance Floor

DJ Mystical Michael Rhode Island DJ & NY DJ

Yo! Where Are All The Good DJs?

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Yes, that was a real post I saw earlier today. I was scanning the Craigslist postings for professional DJs in the New Jersey, New York and Pennsylvania area to see what other Wedding, Event and Party DJs are doing. And I had to actually laugh out loud when I read the title of the post, “Yo! Where Are All The Good DJs?”

I have been a professional Wedding DJ and Party DJ for a long time and the thing I find the most fascinating is what people decide makes a good DJ, a good DJ and what makes a bad DJ, a bad DJ.  In most cases, it is simply a good DJ is a DJ that plays music you like. It has nothing to do with skill, inspiring a crowd, high quality equipment, professionalism, ability to interact positively with guests or any actual ‘talent’. This makes sense since the music industry in general is taste, not talent, driven. The most talented artists rarely get known outside of the community of trained musicians themselves. Physical appearance, stage presence, production and music that meets the tatses a wide range of listeners is typically what earns the highest ratings and $$$. Also, the age of who the music appeals to is significant, since the music industry in the USA is driven by the 13-27 year-old demographic.

The professional DJ business is somewhat different. Aside from playing music you like, which any professional good DJ without an ego can do easily with modern technology, many people do not know how to choose a good DJ, so they use the few distinctions that they know like scratching and so-called ‘beat-matching’.  Both of these skills are just a product of practice, there are no actual ‘talents’, since anyone who practices enough can do them. Talent is something that is demonstrated in a craft or art that practice alone is not enough. Some examples are athletes ands musicians. No matter how much I practice, I will never be as good an athlete as Kevin Durant or Derek Jeter. I will not be a vocalist like Adele or Andrea Bocelli or songwriter like Elton John or John Lennon. Some things cannot be taught, either you have them or you don’t. An exceptional professional Wedding DJ and Party DJ is similar, but maybe not as easily detectable to those on the dance floor, or to those who want to dance but can’t figure out why they are “Not in the mood tonight”. Here is where the subtle distinction between the exceptional professional DJ and the regular professional DJ exists.

What Is An Exceptional Professional or Good DJ?

The exceptional professional DJ inspires you to move even when you are not in the mood, too tired or have to get up early for work in the morning. An exceptional DJ is part of the inspiration that makes dancing such a fun, exhilarating and sometimes ecstatic experience. A great live band is still my favorite form of musical experience but an exceptional DJ can bring something else to the experience that can be equally inspirational.

Fun Party on the Dance Floor with Good DJ Mystical Michael

What makes a good DJ in your experiences?

DJ Mystical Michael Rhode Island DJ & NY DJ

Wedding DJ Performs at Dark Wedding

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This past weekend I was Wedding DJ & MC for two rather unique Weddings. On Saturday Night, the Wedding was a Dark Wedding with almost everybody dressed in black. This was not your Black Tie Affair, it was more Goth-liike than anything else. The Bride and Groom chose a bunch of really unique songs for the Introductions and Traditional Dances including “The Imperial March”, “Sistinas” by Danzig, “In My Life” by The Beatles, “Simple Man” by Lynyrd Skynyrd and “I’ll Stand By You” by The Pretenders.  It was fun, creative and their friends and family loved it and their Wedding DJ!

 “I’ll Stand By You” by The Pretenders

“I’ll Stand by You” is a 1994 song recorded by The Pretenders from their sixth studio album, Last of the Independents. Written by Chrissie Hynde in collaboration with the songwriting team of Tom Kelly and Billy Steinberg (who used the melody from Johann Sebastian Bach’s Minuet for Lovers]), it was the Pretenders’ most recent significant hit single, and their last successful single in North America.

The song is a power ballad that pledges love and faithful assistance in times of personal darkness. Since its initial release, “I’ll Stand by You” has also become a major hit for British girl group Girls Aloud in 2004 and Carrie Underwood in 2007, both times recorded as a charity single. Wikipedia

Groom Fun At Wedding with Rhode Island Wedding DJ Mystical Michael

I really enjoy working with Brides and Grooms who are interested in creating a simple, elegant and unique Wedding DJ Event.

As a professional Wedding DJ, I always offer my experience and recommendations, leaving it to the Bride and Groom to decide what will best for you. As many Wedding as I am Wedding DJ & MC for, it seems like they would all feel and look the same but they are not even a little bit. I am grateful that the Brides and Grooms that choose me to perform at their Weddings are wanting something that expresses their style, taste and personality. I do not do ‘cookie-cutter wedding factory style’ Weddings and won’t. I think a Wedding is too important for a Bride and Groom to not place their imprint all over it.

DJ Mystical Michael Rhode Island DJ & NY DJ

Holding Lighters at Concerts Started September 1969

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It was during a concert at the Toronto Rock & Roll Revival on September 13th 1969 the tradition of holding up lit matches and lighters during Rock Shows began. Before The Plastic Ono Band with John Lennon, Yoko Ono, Eric Claption, Klaus Voormann and Alan White came onstage, the MC Kim Fowley asked the audience to light their lighters to welcome them. It became a phenomenon not long after, whenever a Rock Ballad performed at concerts or before concert encores. It does not surprise me that such an honored tradition was birthed at a performance of John Lennon. We do not really have a performer today that symbolizes Peace and Equality to the degree that John Lennon did back then. It felt like that was what he lived for and was so passionate to the extent of being arrested and eventually shot and killed. Few among us have believed so strongly in Peace to suffer such a consequence.

Plastic Ono Band

The Plastic Ono Band is a conceptual supergroup formed by John Lennon and Yoko Ono in 1969 before the dissolution of the Beatles. Among the various other members of the band were Eric Clapton, artist Klaus Voormann, future Yes drummer Alan White,Delaney and Bonnie Bramlett, & friends, the Who‘s drummer Keith Moon, New York band Elephant’s Memory, Billy Preston, Nicky Hopkins, Phil Spector, drummer Jim Keltner, and, in a 2009 revival, Sean Lennon. Wikipedia

 Strange Concert Fact

As a peculiar side note to the concert festival, the rumor that Alice Cooper ate live chickens on stage during concerts also was birthed there. The reality is that somebody threw a chicken onto the stage and he through it back to the individual, who ate it. The rumor stuck with him throughout his career and he became somewhat of a Rock legend in creating an image of Alice Cooper as an insane man. Ozzy Ozborne followed Cooper as Rock’s crazy concert man.

DJ Mystical Michael Rhode Island DJ & NY DJ

Another Fun DJ Family Celebration

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I get excited before every Fun DJ gig, not sure how, but I do. The excitement begins to rise as the guests for the party or wedding start arriving with their smiles and anticipation. This Saturday was an example of just that. While me and our DJ Assistant were playing some simple background music for entering guests, I could feel the energy grow in myself, her and each friend and family member. With each hug and handshake, I could see that we were in for an afternoon of fun with a closely connected family celebrating a boy’s special day.

They danced together in the beginning to Fun DJ

Fun Family Dancing Together with DJ Mystical Michael

The kids took over for a little while in the middle with  Fun DJ

Kids Dancing at Party with Fun DJ Mystical Michael

And they let the adults join them again at the end with  Fun DJ

Fun DJ Family Dancing Together at Party with DJ Mystical Michael

What a  Fun DJ day!

DJ Mystical Michael Rhode Island DJ & NY DJ

A DJ Has A Night To Play

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There is something really fun about having a night without a playlist.  As a professional full-time DJ, I rarely get to choose the music I play. I am extremely committed to making sure the folks that hire me as a professional DJ get what they want and not pick music for myself at a gig. Last Saturday night at the Barefoot Boogie I had the music all to myself!  We usually try to schedule more than one DJ at each event to add diversity in style and musical choices.  This particular night I was the only DJ on the schedule and took full advantage of the opportunity.

 

I can’t say it was my most fluid segues but we had fun and there was plenty of great tunes for moving and dancing.  We started the night with some mellow, lush music for letting the dancers get loose and grounded to the music and environment.  It was not long till we had it cranked-up to full volume and the energy was very high. I was mindful of bringing the energy and tempo down to provide space for catching breath and get even deeper into their process.

 

As usual, we had a great time and nobody wanted to leave at the end of the night. I still am smiling that I got to play Acoustic Jazz, New Age, Pop, Top 40, R&B, New Wave, Punk, Rock, Old Soul and Hip Hop all in the same night while visiting Cuba, Africa, India, Turkey, Mexico, Japan and Spain along the way. A fun ride for all!

 

DJ Mystical Michael Rhode Island DJ & NY DJ

Hey DJ: Just Play Good Music!

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One of the things that is a constant in the professional DJ and music business is the notion of ‘good music’.  When I am working with a new client to book their event, it is very common when asking them what kind of music do you want at your wedding or whatever the event is to get an answer similar to this, “Please play only good music!”.

 

First note is that I would not or any other professional DJ on purpose play ‘bad music’!

 

Second and more important is that the term ‘good music’ typically translates as; ‘music that I like’. Of course, there is no such thing as good or bad music really. It is just a matter of taste and for most people, the difference between a talented composer and someone who writes music while walking down the street is not distinguishable.

 

Example:  If you are about to perform a professional DJ gig with a crowd of young, rural high school students, their definition of what ‘good music’ is would probably be much different than that of a Professor of Music History at Princeton University. It is not that one of them is right and the other is wrong, it is just that ‘good music’ is subjective and not really an accurate means of defining what you like.

 

It is safe to say that since he has passed on, Michael Jackson has been raised to a level of recognition that few have enjoyed globally. Does this mean his music is ‘good’? Would the reverse also be true then? If an ultra-talented cellist who performs only for private audiences and has chosen not to record anything to be released nationally or globally, and not know by many expert true offocionados a creator of ‘bad music’?

 

When booking a professional DJ for your event, especially a wedding DJ, be very specific in what genres and exact songs you want to have played and when. It is your event and you should be the one who has chosen the main direction of the musical selections.

 

It is helpful to request music for your event like this; “We want Soul and R&B music from the 60’s, 70’s and early 80’s, we do not like Modern R&B or Soul. We love Diana Ross, Stevie Wonder, Prince and Michael Jackson of course.” This is fairly clear without needing to spell out exactly which artists/songs you would be requesting.

 

This is not as helpful; “We like R&B and Soul.” This leaves a lot of room for misunderstanding, interpretation and possible confusion.

 

Be clear and concise in what you want at YOUR EVENT! Form there, an experienced professional DJ can follow along and creatively mix in what you requested, what your guests request at the event and what is working in real-time.

 

Remember: It is YOUR event and YOU get to choose the music. We just weave together the songs with the crowd and make it flow and create a unique and quality event for you.

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DJ Mystical Michael Rhode Island DJ & NY DJ