We need to set up at a field. No problem. We will have around 500 people. No problem. We need four speakers spread out in the field with power spread out also. No problem. Also we want music people can jive too. No problem.

 We had an honor roll celebration recently and I had to provide the sound. First and foremost,  I had to check the power sources to make sure they worked since it is a field. Made sure I ordered 4 50 foot extension cords and 50 foot speaker cables. Wanted to spread out the speakers to cover more ground and would not have to blast the volume so it would be too loud for those who are close to the speaker.

 I set up one wireless microphone with another on stand by with another wired microphone on backup. Parents had a full day of work and wanted to hear their child’s name loudly on the pa system.

 I made sure the playlist was as festive as can be. You need to know your audience.  The majority of the audience was latinos so we went with 90 percent latin music but I did include crossover music and some American classics. A lot of djs are afraid to play non American music because they want to be safe. But when you do play the cumbias or Mexican music people deeply appreciate it.

Outside events you have many factors to deal with but it has to be done by a professional sound guy to make sure it is done right. Contact Black and White Affair to make sure your graduation or outside event is done right.

Recently we played at an elementary school in Saratoga. We were called less than a week before to be part of this Family fun event. I typically do high school events so the vibe has to be different. It was a family event so I had to gather songs for the little kids and have some for the parents. Also I was asked to be interactive. I had some ideas and I let the coordinator know to see if they good accommodate. 

  One idea I had was to have some line dances. So I thought of the Macarena and the YMCA. I had to think of what little kids like to do. I went with musical chairs. What was amusing was we were supposed to do one round but we went 4 rounds. Kids kept on coming to play. We had some hula hoops and we had contest on who can do it the longest. We again went a few rounds since kids wanted to be a part of this. We incorporated little prizes that the students liked. It was an extra bonus with winning. You should have seen the excitement when we got closer to the end of the game.

There were a few songs of the night that were big hits. People were familiar about We Don’t Talk About Bruno. It is based on a cartoon. But the song that got everyone to the front was Baby Shark. We saw toddlers and their parents waddle to the front with their shark moves. One song that was requested multiple times was Barbie Girl by Aqua. 

One of the best outside venues in the Gilroy area is Fortino Winery.  I do like the fact that the space is so open and it was outside. I also liked I could bring my 12 inch speakers and it can be heard at the other end with ease. One does not need tons of speakers to be efficient at Fortino Winery. Its also a cool place since they have a big open space and another space to hold events in case one needs a plan b. They can easily hold two events at the same time and even wanted to can hold another outside event at the tables by the front parking.  I had the pleasure to play there this past weekend. It was a school staff event and it was a good time. The music theme was simple and it was just old school. 70s 80s and 90s. Again the food was top notch. They also had a photo booth which was fun for the folks.

The following day was my birthday. Pre covid I would opt to not work my birthday. But this party had the makings of something special. I heard the playlist that consisted of Spanish classics and 80s music. I am a sucker for the classics and I felt I needed to be at this party. The hostess gave me a lot of artists such as Thalia, Alejandro Fernandez, Paulina Rubio to set a good vibe. I have to vote for South County as one of the best places to have a residence event. We had the volume at a good amount and we didn’t have to worry about neighbors complain about the sound. 

I had a big school event after the lockdown. My last event before the lockdown was a school event and this event was a big school event in Palo Alto. 

I had posters made and students were sending their requests. I had three lists to work from and it was a good starting point. Student still wanted to make verbal requests so I just pointed to the posters which had the directions for requests. 

The school was awesome is having food trucks and they had a variety of different kinds of food. I was amazed that we were outside and everyone had a mask on when I started. I brought 4 speakers and it was loud enough for all the folks that showed up. It was plenty of volume for the outside venue. 

What I noticed was the request for older music. Typically at schools I play the newest latest music  but this time around a few new songs were played and songs from the 00s were very popular. I believe it has to be the popularity of tic tock which is bringing back the old school. The biggest songs of the night were by Calvin Harris which is considered edm or house music. The question of the night is house coming back? I remember playing it during proms in 2014 then it went away. I think playing a little of everything is fun so maybe it is coming back.

Overall, the chaperones made a huge difference. We had to make reminders of keeping the social distance. Students were very respectful and very ready to party since they have been lockdown for a while.

One of the reasons folks live in the bay area is because of the consistent good weather. People love to be outside. At times, its not too hot or too cold so they want to be outside. 

There is a big difference when you are setting up an outside or inside event. There is way less to think about when you are setting up inside. One does not have to think about the weather when you are inside. The main concern about being inside is how close are they to a power source. 

Outside, one has to think about the power source also. Does the dj need a generator or do they provide it themselves. How much extension chord do they need?

Also they need to provide shelter or will shelter be provided for them. The sun can damage gear and also prevent gear from working correctly. I learned that certain brands of speakers can not handle the heat and turned off with the heat when playing at an event in Gilroy. In Burbank in southern California the controller would turn off and one when it got to hot. 

 Since outside has more space of course then indoors the dj has to consider bringing more speakers to cover a larger area. Would 2 speakers work or would a few bigger ones be needed? For my main speakers I carry weather resistant covers to play in the hot sun or in the rain. 

So in the outside events, make sure your dj carries extra gear for the unexpected. As a client, it makes it easier to get them close to a power source and provide shelter for the dj and the gear. 

For most people it is an easy decision depending on the state or time of year it is. But there are factors to consider when making a decision. 

Benefits of an inside ceremony:

There will be no worry about the rain or snow or temperature. There can be more options about decorating inside. And the inside ceremony can be done anytime during the year.

Negatives of an inside ceremony:

It maybe too small if couple has a lot of guests. 

Benefits of the outside ceremony:

There usually more room since there are not four walls holding everyone in. The photo shoot has more natural lighting for better pictures. There is less to decorate so it would not take as long to decorate. 

Negatives of the outside ceremony:

Bugs and the outside elements during the ceremony will not be fun. Some outside venues are blank slates so couple may need to rent furniture for the ceremony. Power maybe an issue since it is outside.

Before the decision is made, it is good to check if the venue has a back up plan in case being outside is not favorable. Also its good to check on the power source is close by and functional for the outside event so the speaker(s) will work for the ceremony. 

Good communication is key with your venue connection in case there is a sudden change and the outside ceremony has to go inside. Hopefully they can contact the couple a few hours before in case of the sudden change. Djs can set up a ceremony event in 20to 40 minutes so they have to be in the loop in case of a change.

During the New Orleans marathon, I thought the dj had the coolest job on the course right next to the volunteers who hand out the finish medals.  The closest race I saw was in San Francisco. I filled out the form online and figured why not. A short period time later I got a voicemail inquiring about my services. They wanted to know my specifications of my dj set up to make sure I was legit. Once I was verified then I was given a contract and mailed the instructions of the event.

The day before I scoped the scene to see where I was playing at to check logistics. I was checking if I needed to park far away and run to my event if needed

I had to get up really early just like a marathon. I set my alarm at 4 since I had to get ready and load equipment and head to San Francisco. Waiting for me was my stage manager who made sure I was fed and hydrated during the event and to fix any issue if any arose.  The police officers were very helpful and one suggested I park behind the set up, which made life so much easier.  The race provided me a powerful generator that fed my four speakers. I was able to walk down the street and hear the clarity of the music.

I got to play a lot of top 40 and jock jam type of music. I know music plays a big part for motivation. When I ran my marathons and felt a little defeated I would hear a good song that would push me toward the finish line. Overall it was a good experience and would do again.