Recently got a call from a daughter who wanted to help throw a 60 year anniversary party for her parents.  I spoke with her then eventually I talked with dad to get his approval. They   just did not want a party with just music.  It was something more elaborate and needed more details and planning.

  I got there about an hour and 15 minutes early and I set up in about 20 minutes. Started playing instrumentals until five. Cocktail music was played till 540 and then the honored couple had a grand entrance and they danced to their walk in song. Groom said a thank you   then daughter did a toast. Then around 6 we had tables go to the buffet as we played dinner music. Then the bride and groom had a first dance then followed with the daughters dancing with their dad. They had a Richie Valens song for the cake cutting song. Then from 8 to 10 we had 7 dedication songs where people were dedicated songs and they were shouted out. The last song was a pretty Louis Armstrong classic. We ended up going an extra hour since people wanted to keep on dancing.

 It was a fun night since there was a good balance. We did play a lot of songs that the bride and groom liked to dance to then we would go with music that the 20 and 30 year olds would really get into. It wasn’t jut one type of genre.  It felt like we had two parties at one location. Its important to know who will be at the party so you can plan your music sets.

Real Life Weddings: Gilroy Wedding in a Venue like backyard (Bay Area Dj serving San Jose, Milpitas, San Martin, Morgan Hill and Gilroy)

 In 2016, I was hired to do a Halloween party in Gilroy. I do remember how much they decorated and it was a cool vibe. I was dressed like the 49er football coach Harbaugh. Then 8 years later I get a call that they want me to do their daughters wedding. I was impressed that dad remembered and appreciated how quickly I could mix out of songs. I said of course I will do the wedding.

 The house is beautiful and it has a nice swimming pool then in the back they have like a barnlike garage but its like for cars and very spacious.  The parents house could be a wedding venue and I was working with a wedding planner.  I went the day before to take a look at where the ceremony was going to take place. I was happy that we were in the shaded area.

Then we were shown our set up for the reception. There was a concern that we were right in the sun but I assured our host we will figure it out and not to worry about it.

 The following day we show up 2 hours before the ceremony and set up the ceremony system. Most ds use 1 speaker but we use two since it’s a better balance. We gave lapels to the minister and groom. I also had a back up wireless mic in the back just in case.

 After the ceremony they had a Frank Sinatra singer that sounded just like him.

 Our set up for the ceremony was we had our big boy speakers set up outside and connected some small speakers for the barn area. People were able to eat and listen to music and announcements. We did our first dance there and had dinner. It was a bit hot so we did everything outside.  We had our toasts and our special parent dances. Then it was party time. We were going with top hip hop from the 2015 to 2019. We go down with that music then we did a little old school from the 80s and 90s that the older folks appreciated.

Overall a fun time and a good vibe.

To throw a big corporate event there has to be collaboration. You have to have the main point person then you have to delegate responsibilities. I was able to work with a team from Lockeed Martin. We had constant communication and everything ran smooth.

  They located a big venue downtown San Jose, the Guild House. Its huge and it is a creative space. There were tables so people can play board games and then different areas to play video games. Also for this event there was a photo booth.  Guild House had folks passing out delicious appetizers. Dinner was picked up by the side tables and they had choices of tamales and tostadas and chips and salsa/guacamole.

  I gave them a playlist to cover many genres. We decided to move out the country songs and replace them with Christmas songs.  We were mostly playing 80s and 90s and 00s pop music. The first hour or so we went for background music and then later we got a little more aggressive with danceable music. We did get a little louder to get folks on the dance floor and it worked. It seemed like the Latin music is what got folks ready for the dance floor. 85 percent of the music was English but the Spanish music was got the ants in the pants.  For 600 folks we brought 2 -3 way speakers and 4 tops. It was more than enough for the space.

  Overall it was a successful event with good food, a nice venue, and good people who made it a good time for all.

 It was a hot Saturday this past weekend and it helped that the party started at 7. In Sylmar, we had a huge backyard to play some fun music. It was such a big back yard that they had a full court basketball court there. Anyway when I was there they were playing like reggaeton music in the background so I had a general idea of what kind of music they liked. At the fiesta, they were getting the tacos ready and they had the corn with the   chili and the raspodos (sort of like an icee).  Started off with old school Spanish music then went with the lively reggaeton. Then when it was dance time, we went with the cumbia. You cannot go wrong with the cumbias.  Did also threw in a little merengue and salsa and some banda. Then we did hit up some hip hop from the 1990s   and the 2000s. Some songs that hit for the night were by Peso Pluma, Selena, Sonora Dinimita, and Chingy.  At 10:30, we made some speeches to the birthday girl and we played the Mananitas was there  till 11 but the party still continued to after I left. These folks did not mess around and they had a portal potty outside. It was a fun event overall with good Spanish soundtrack. This party could have easily gone late late night but I left at 11. I did like the fact that the backyard was so big so we did not have to worry about the neighbors complaining about the noise level. Please call Black and White Affair for you latin party vibe.

 A party is not a party without a bounce house. You would think it would be just for little kids but high school teens love the bounce house. They can be a kid again!  We were able to contact Cal Jumps to set up two bounce houses. They were awesome to work with. We were able to get an obstacle course bounce house that was about 70 feet in length and also got a decent size bounce house. Since we did not have a power source the company brought some generators. We had them out the whole day and students could not get enough of them. Cal jumps has a number that you can call and text and they respond pretty quickly. What is neat is that you can text them and it is shared with the drivers so they can see the communication. It took them about an hour to set up and about 45 minutes to put it away. Other events were a tug a war with a pool of water in between. They had a basketball game and   volleyball game going on. They had a dunk tank and students were having a ball. They did have speakers playing music but it would have benefited from a do playing Latin music and current pop and hip hop. A dj would have made the party an epic one.  A dj can help the atmosphere become more festive and raise the fun so much.

  I was asked to be part of a 60th birthday part at Capital Club. It has to be one of the best views to have downtown at the spot. I made sure I made more time to get my gear ready since its on the 17th floor. Best bet is to unload everything in the loading zone and take it up the elevator. Then come back to your car and move it in the garage. One of the positives is that they validate your parking with no questions asked.

  I was able to set up with 20 minutes to spare. We were playing a lot of 70s and 80s music. The guest of honor did not show up till 620. I was playing for the other guests while they waited. It was a surprise event so we all got quite when she arrived. The food we exquisite and the host took care of me and made sure I had a chance to eat.

At the end of the night, the hosts asked his family to help me put my gear away. He insisted that I take the help. It was very nice of him.

 Over all it’s a good spot to have an event. The waiters are very helpful and did everything to accommodate me. I did have an issue with the coordinator. In all the years I have been in the business I had two times I have been disrespected by staff. The first time I was at a Night Spot called Willow Den where the owner asked if this backpack I was about to put away asked me if that was my backpack and then he kicked it and said put it away. I moved my backpack and played the rest of the night and he called me to do another event but I didn’t accept it. Even though the owner disrespect me I still did my job as I was supposed to. The second time I have not been treated nicely was by the coordinator at the Capital Club. I was wearing a dress shirt and black jeans and nice Jordans. Coordinator asked me if I had other shoes and I said I didn’t it and she mentioned a dress code. I told her I was unaware of it but I will follow it next time. About 10 minutes later she mentions it again in-front of the clients and the clients told me not to worry about it. Keep in mind the coordinator did not hire me, but she was thinking I was her employee as she shoved a few chairs and told me to move them. And of course since I had a job to do I did not put up a stink but did what I had to do. But she did make me feel uncomfortable with her tone of voice. I did get a glowing review from my client. I did reach out to management but did not get a response. So please if you do do book the Capital Club please do not ask for Julee Winterbourne. Everyone there is pleasant but Julee may disappoint you.

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At this time, it is nearing the mark of quarter 4. Holiday parties could add or decrease the stress of the holiday season. For this reason, here are some holiday party ideas for work for the bay area.

  Setting up a corporate party can seem like a second job and be dreadful if it is not organized. But a holiday party that is well organized can be bash for your staff can look forward to every year.

Set Up a Restorative Wellness Session

After putting in a hard year’s efforts, this is what the doctor ordered to recharge the batteries and end on a positive note.

Why not have a holistic yoga or meditation session to help alleviate the year long stress. If space is needed there are many spaces that can be rented. It would need to be indoors since it would be cold outside if you are doing yoga but then again if meditation is taking place then the Bay Area has plenty of outside spaces that are available. All you need is hiring a yogi to have a memorable relaxing event in the San Jose or Sunnyvale area if your company is not too big.

Why Not Have a Masquerade Ball?

A very fun event to throw is a masquerade ball that the whole company can partake in. These balls are black tie events that folks dress up nice but they keep their faces covered so no one knows who they are. This will be a company community building event.

  To max out of this Masquerade Ball then a Bay Area Dj that fits the atmosphere of class that can create a playlist that fits the mood that can make the event to be epic.

Duh! Hit Up a Winery!

Napa is a few hours away but if you want to keep it local then go down to Morgan Hill or Gilroy. Someplace like Fortino Winery would be an excellent place to get some tasty wine and to have a great party. Your folks won’t be trapped by the company walls and can be truly free.

End the year with a Bash!

Nothing can be better than ending the year with an epic party. As the coordinator, you can select what kind of theme you want to have with your Bay Area dj running the atmosphere.

When doing a holiday event that requires a dj, do not just pick any Dj. The dj is the one who sets the mood for the night. Make sure you select a dj who will strive to make the night memorable. Call Black and White Affair DJ services to make your party one to remember and makes it stress-free for everyone!

DJs in Los Angeles are a dime a dozen.

Good DJs aren't nearly as common — and good Spanish DJs even less so. But your event relies on you finding a top-tier Los Angeles DJ if you want will create an unforgettable atmosphere — unforgettable for all the right reasons, that is.

Finding that kind of DJ isn't as simple as searching for a DJ in the Los Angeles area. Nope. To ensure you're hiring the best DJ, you need an action plan that includes asking five critical questions during your search.

5 Questions to Ask Before Hiring a Los Angeles DJ That Specializes in Spanish Music

This guide can work whether or not you require a Spanish music DJ, by substituting questions focused on Spanish music with whichever genre you require. But, since finding a top-tier Spanish DJ that understands the assignment is far more complex than finding DJs specializing in other genres, this guide will highlight the intricacies of this undertaking.

What Type of Spanish Music Do they Play?

Most DJs are tangentially acquainted with Spanish music and their mixes reflect this. If you'd prefer a varied playlist that has some much-loved but deep cuts, you should question the kind of music they play as this will be the most obvious giveaway regarding their knowledge of the genre.

If you'd like to add some Bachata to the Playlist, what would be their picks? You can do this with any genre you have in mind. You could also test their knowledge by questioning the music they'd play to appease any age group. If you're planning a wedding, you want your DJ to play music everyone, even older relatives and guests can enjoy.

Are Their Reviews Great?

Reviews are the best way to substantiate whether a DJ is any good. But, some DJs manipulate their reviews to increase their ratings.

So, an insider tip would be to scrutinize a DJ's reviews. Look at who posted the review and their review history. For example, an obvious fake review would come from an account with no review history. If a DJ has several five-star or one-star reviews from customers who've never reviewed other businesses, these reviews are likely fake.

But even if a reviewer has a history, examine their history. Why would a reviewer who's primarily reviewed businesses in Greensboro, North Carolina, suddenly be reviewing a Los Angeles DJ? Yes, people can host events wherever, but does their review history reflect hosting an event in Los Angeles? Have they reviewed caterers, venues, videographers, photographers, or other vendors in Los Angeles? If not, then it's likely a fake review. Only pay attention to reviews from real accounts if you want to determine if you're hiring a good Los Angeles DJ.

How Long Have They Been in Business?

To hire a top-tier DJ — not the average run-of-the-mill DJ with a generic mix and tacky interruptions — you should pay special attention to their years in business. Anyone can create a mix and learn to DJ, but it takes years to understand how to develop mixes for the occasion, feeds off the crowd's energy, and listen to your clients' needs.

The longer a DJ has been in business, the more time they've had to hone their craft, meaning you're hiring them at their peak and not getting a DJ still learning how to wield their skills and mixes.

Is Their Equipment Good?

Another way to separate a run-of-the-mill DJ from a pro is to assess their equipment. There are enough Los Angeles DJs that entertain as one of many other side hustles; usually, their equipment would reflect this. What type of mixers or turntables do they use? Are these low, mid, or high-end brands? You may think that the equipment doesn't make a difference, but it determines the sound and quality of the performance.

Unless you want a lackluster sound, your DJ should use brands like Roland, Pioneer, and Denon, not entry-level brands like Numark or Hercules.

What Type of Events Do They DJ?

There's a difference between corporate event DJs, club DJs, and personal events DJs. You're not going to — or at least you shouldn't — hire a club DJ for a wedding or quinceañera. Instead, you'd want your LA wedding to have the best Los Angeles Wedding DJ because a wedding DJ has experience creating the type of atmosphere for such an intimate experience.

A wedding DJ knows how to create a mix that can cater to various tastes while making the moment exceptional.

They also know how to create stirring introductions and announcements that don't come off tacky.

On the contrary, a corporate event DJ has to give cold, unfeeling announcements and create mixes that don't have soul or meaning to cater to a broader audience.

So, it doesn't matter if they tick all the other boxes; if the DJ you want to hire has limited experience MCing an event like yours, don't bother.

Hiring Black and White Affair as Your Los Angeles DJ

Get a superior Spanish music mix that will reflect your taste and entertain your guests. Having DJed in the Bay area for years, I have a track record of catering to my client's needs and creating unforgettable mixes that set the mood for the occasion.

Now, you can hire us for your Los Angeles event and get that same performance quality.