We do all sorts of events. We can do weddings properly in which we can also mc. You want a dj who can do a grand entrance correctly and be able to work with a timeline. No timeline ever sticks with the exact time so the dj should be able to work with it and prioritize to cover all the events in the time allowed. A dj should meet with the bride and groom either in person or virtually to make sure they are on the same page one to two times at least to cover details. A wedding is serious business so details are the utmost importance.

 We love doing birthday parties. They are mostly people eating then having the dance portion taking most of the night. Usually not too many announcements are made. If it’s a Spanish party, just remember to have the Mananitas on stand by after the crowd sings happy birthday.

School dances keeps us on our toes with the latest music. I love getting lists from students then putting it on the playlist. A lot of music comes out locally so it’s good to be up to date with that. Now with school events they are outside so we make sure we have enough sound to cover more ground.

Corporate events are so much fun. Folks can let loose on the dance floor. They are made of announcements and good dinner music and then the fun dance music at the end. Its ideal to have multiple wireless microphones for the event for the corporate hosts to handle.

A few years back I had a student reach out since she was going to get married. It was a small ceremony in Los Gatos. She knew I was a dj so I was going to set up the sound for the ceremony and then do the reception. Then she asked if I could marry them. I never have done it before but they did not know any ministers and really wanted me to do it. So I went online and I was able to marry folks in California. As I teacher, I have no issues speaking in front of a crowd. We had a nice ceremony and the thought was I was in retirement as an officiant.

I get a lot of scam calls and I rarely answer a phone call when I don’t recognize the number. I would listen to the voicemail. I got one call then the caller called again. I felt it had to be important so I picked up. The couple was scheduled to be married at 5 today but their officiant backed out. The couple really wanted to get married today since it was their anniversary. I was scheduled to get my vaccine booster shot and to take care of baby.

I really wanted to help him out. Driving off to Gilroy would have been a lot of trouble for me since it was prime time at the freeway. He mentioned if we can do it via zoom. All I had to do was look for my script that I had and refreshed the names. I shared with the couple to see if they had any changes. The only change was they wanted their own vows. They got married in their car via zoom. You got to love technology!

For our events, we include dance lights. We bring enough lighting for the event. If it’s a day event then we do not need lighting. If it’s a small venue we can bring 1 to 5 lights depending what is needed.  Setting up the gear and taking it down is included in the price. We also help with setting up the playlist. We have popular songs people like plus people can add songs of their liking. The songs they select does not need to be on the list we sent out. All the list is a suggestion of what people like but they can go with their own custom lists. Each event requires that I develop a playlist and I try to use as many of their songs they suggested plus adding ones that fit the vibe the client is going for. 

  For weddings I do provide a timeline to help organize the big day. It is just a suggestion since sometimes folks hire a wedding planner but this is more like music management. Wedding planners don’t like the idea that the dj is setting up their wedding but it’s a good base of what a timeline can be at a wedding. A wedding is anyway the bride and groom choose so events can be dropped and added if needed. 

Private events such as birthday parties or corporate events may just require the sharing of a playlists. I do bring microphones with microphone covers in case people want to use microphones. 

What goes behind setting up a playlist

Setting up a playlist can be difficult. Folks know how the words go but don’t know the actual name of the song. For example, folks will say Apple bottom jeans but in reality, it’s called Low by Flo-Rida and T-pain. But everyone knows what you are talking about. 

When you are setting up a playlist one has to think of the theme they want to have. Will it be an old school vibe or will it be all the new up and coming jams. Or will it be a mixture of new and old to keep the young and older folks happy.  Once that is established then they can get to work. Myself I like to set up around 25 songs per hour of event. I like to be over prepared since it is better to have more songs to work with rather than struggling to find a song when the other song is running out. Nobody likes dead air in an event. Music always has to be playing unless someone is doing announcements.

I like setting up my list two weeks in advance so to ensure I have all the songs that are requested. I may have to go to two or three sites to find the song and make sure it’s the correct edit. A lot of songs have many remixes that may not be the correct vibes the client is trying to portray.

 For the songs that I put in the playlist I do not stream but actually have the mp3 in the hard drive. Streaming is the new thing that is happening in the dj world but on the same note there is not guarantee there will be good Wi-Fi at the event.

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.

A lot of times folks have never booked a dj and have no idea what it entails. Each company has their own way to respond to dj inquiries. For Black and White Affair we tend to handle everything quickly. Setting up an event for the planner at times is like a second job since there is so much to do. Time is of the essence and we believe to respond asap no matter what time it is. Usually people will do an email and respond as quickly as we get it. 

A lot of times folks do not know what to ask. They will just say, “Hey Dj, We have a wedding on the 6th of November and how much does it cost?”

To get a proper quote the dj has to know how many hours and if is going to require 2 or 3 music set ups. For example if the dj is doing the ceremony then it has to have its own set up. Then another set up for the cocktail hour if its else where from the reception. Then the reception will need a set up. Also it it good to let the dj know how many folks will be there so the dj will know how many speakers s/he will need for the event. 

Once all the details are given then we send the quote. If the client likes the quote then they will proceed. Then Black and White Affair will send an agreement in which the client signs then sends a deposit to secure the date. 

 2020 was a year in the dj wedding industry we like to forget. It started with a lot of promise then the lockdown happened. Folks had to wait for their big events so 2021 and 2022 are booking fast.  I have noticed more traffic on my website and people are looking to have events.

What do I recommend? I recommend getting your venue first and foremost. If there is no venue then there is no party can happen. Once that is secure its time to get your dj. Its good to have at least 6 months to prepare but folks have called with one month before and dates are booking fast. Saturday is by far the most popular day followed by Friday. So those days will be hard to secure if its short notice. But off days such as Monday and Tuesday will have way more openings. But if you have your heart on a Saturday and you try to get it a month before the event then you may want to look into having it early since some places may have availability. But being rushed out of your party to set up another party does not sound fun. Again off days such as a Sunday and you can start earlier and finish at 6 or 7 so folks can get enough rest for their day job the following day. 

Also consider the weather can be a factor if you have an outside event. If you do book an event and its outside make sure the venue has a plan b or inside option if the weather does not permit. In the Bay Area, weather can be factor but good venues always have alternatives.

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.