Nothing beats being close to home. It took less than a minute to get to the venue. The location has a stage with power in the front of the stage so there is less cabling involved. Capacity for the venue is a little over a 1000 people so it can hold big functions. This venue is very spacious and we had over 23 tables set up. There was plenty of room for buffet tables, and guest tables and have a photo booth that was really spread out with room to spare. Due to the big venue space, there is plenty of parking available behind the venue.  It was a hot day but the AC did a good job keeping everyone at a good temperature.

For cocktail hour we had a mariachi sing to the crowd. In the front of the community center in the lobby area, folks were able to quench their thirst with the open bar. It was nice since the bar was busy they had a table to fill up your cup with tea or cold water.  The caterers had access to a very clean modern kitchen.

It’s a good spot if you are having a Catholic wedding across the street then head over to the community center. Bride and groom can take pictures in front of the church or in front of the rectory (which is on the same property) which has a lot of trees and green grass. This is a nice spot to have an event in the East Side of San Jose.

These venues are www.bwadj.com favorites I have played the past year or so. I based it on how awesome the venue is and how fabulous the staff is. 

Favorite Bay Area Venues I have been a Dj At 

Los Gatos Lodge (Los Gatos)

They are my most favorite spot. They can provide an outside venue for a ceremony and also have a nice outside area to have cocktail hour. They do have multiple rooms for events. The staff rocks and do a great job taking care of guests. A great place for birthday parties and high school reunions. 

Dave and Busters (Milpitas)

D and Bs is close to my home and close to my heart. Staff is super fun. Before the guests showed up they were dancing while working. Fun group. Staff helped me take my gear. Packages can include catered meals and game cards for guests. 

Gilroy Gardens (Gilroy)

Gilroy Gardens is a huge venue. They do offer two big venues for weddings. They can offer rides and games to guests as part of a package.  Its so big that I lost a dj table and staff told me if they found it they can drive it to me. What service!

Alexander by the Sea ( Palo Alto) 

Best food I have had in a long time. Everything just melts in your mouth. Staff did help me with my gear which was a good help since we had to go down stairs. Good place for small events or corporate functions. 

Vinyl Room (Burlingame)

The past two new years I have played there. It has a good fun atmosphere.  The biggest decision of the night is to play the biggest song of the year right after the countdown. Last year it was G- Eazy No Limit and this year it was They can hold private events there.

Double Tree San Jose (San Jose) https://doubletree3.hilton.com/en/hotels/california/doubletree-by-hilton-hotel-san-jose-JOSE-DT/index.html

Very nice staff and able to hold huge events.

SF Marathon (2 street locations)

I played at two different spots in the city but the best was by the bridge. I was able to go as loud as I want and the runners would get down when they ran by. 

Westin Hotel San Jose (San Jose)

Centrally located downtown. Very nice décor and staff actually helped me unload equipment. 

Mama Mia (Morgan Hill)

They have a nice outside area with a water fountain and a nice indoor venue space. Staff is accommodating. 

Palo Alto Country Club (Palo Alto)  

Very nice golf course. Staff took care of me when it started sprinkling and saved my equipment. 

Black and White DJ services (www.bwadj.com) went local around the Down Town San Jose area. It is called Mexico Lindo (https://www.mexicolindoycantina.com) Downtown San Jose Venue and they have a back area for private parties (https://www.mexicolindoycantina.com/private-party-venu). There are a few Mexico Lindos so make sure it is the one on Race Street. Mexico Lindo provides full service event planning with food and entertainment. When I got there, I had to set up next to their dj set up. At the venue, they host dancing and karaoke.  The venue itself from the looks of it can hold up to 75 guests. They specialize in Mexican food and seafood.

The night was full of old school music. This was not your cookie cutter music event. It was all about the old school such as 80’s and 90s r&b. 

Staff was pretty friendly. Food was good. They served salad, beans and rice and 3 different kinds o f meat. They did have horcata at the serving table. In the banquet room, they had a full bar. 

Venue was able to accommodate dj. This venue would be good for small gatherings. They do have a built in dance floor.  Tables can easily be removed to open up the dance floor. Also it already had its dj light system. There are bathrooms located in the room so it makes it convenient instead of travelling to the restaurant part of the establishment.

It is easier to find a Dj that plays English music. If you do find a good Spanish dj make sure you do not lose their number since they are harder to find. Some djs do play Spanish but it is not their strong point. They cannot tell the difference between a banda song or a cumbia. They have the know what type of Spanish music you need for the dinner portion of the night. 

With the newer Spanish music, the one that gets people moving is raggaeton.  Artists like Bad Bunny and J Balvin are filling up the airwaves. 

A good Spanish DJ can put a little of different kinds of Spanish music. They can have a classic merengue song by Elvis Crespo, Suavemente. Then they can eventually throw in a Salsa song by the Salsa Queen Celia Cruz such as La Vida Es Un Carnaval. One of my favorite cumbia artists is La Sonora Dinamita.

It also makes a difference where the guests come from. If the Spanish folks were from Miami then they would want more Salsa. If a lot of the people were from Texas then they would like the artist Selena. It makes a huge difference if the dj knows where the guests come from so they can prepare. 

A favorite for all parties would be the line dance Payaso De Rodeo and No Rompas Mas Mi Pobre Corazon which is a Spanish Version of Billy Ray Cyrus Achy Breaky Heart. 

A lot of the people who appreciate the classic Spanish Music would love Vincente Fernandez, Jenni Rivera, Juan Gabriel and Mark Anthony.

If you are looking for a Latin/ Spanish dj then go to www.bwadj.com or

call 408-768-4904 for your fiesta!

I had a  quincenera event in Saratoga this past Saturday at a banquet Hall (http://ilcsaratoga.org/hall-rental/). I have done all Spanish parties before but a quincenera is very similar to a wedding. Like the grand entrance for the wedding party and the bride and groom, thequincenera court and the quincenera are announced. Like a wedding, a quincenera does not have mandatory events. It is all based what was planned. We did not do the crowning of the quincenera since she already had a crown. During the party, the queincenera was presented with a doll. We had cake cutting on the timeline. One of the biggest event is the waltz by the court. Usually it takes months of practice. They have a formal waltz then often they have a surprise dance which is more modern and hip. There is an event called the changing of the shoes. This is when the dad gives his daughter new shoes as a symbol of the daughter going through a transition. Then after we had the father daughter dance. Just like a wedding, we had toasts and thank you speeches planned out. Our last event was the Last song meant for the Dad, Mom and special people. 

The banquet hall was attached to a church. It was decorated with nice drapery. I had a very good playlist that the quincenera gave me. On the list there was not too many spaniish songs. A good tip is to have Spanish music ready for the quincenera. I had a lot of cumbia, and banda for the night. Overall it was a fun night. A mariachi started the night then I was able to finish it. 

Maverick Event Center in Half Moon Bay (https://maverickseventcenter.com)

This is one of the most beautiful ceremonies visually I ever been a part of.  The ceremony area is close to the reception area. The grass is well kept. You can actually hear the cute otters in the ocean. From the looks of it, one can have a wedding with 60 to 80 guests in the grass area. 

It was a wee bit windy so we opted to use the wireless microphone since the lapel would pick up too much of it.  I also included a wired microphone next to the officiant. Two days early I got my hands on QSC CP speakers. They are way lighter than the other qsc speakers I have but makes it convenient for ceremonies since it does not require super loud music. I like having two speakers than one in ceremonies. I know it is not necessary but it just sounds so much better.  The officiant did an excellent job with the ceremony. Alison (www.ceremoniesbyalison.com) was an awesome storyteller and it seemed like she knew the bride and groom personally from how well she told their story. 

The reception area was well decorated. They had a candy area for guests to stock up on sweets. The staff was nice. We were able to play music at a good volume. It is good to watch the volume because to be considerate of neighbors. 

Overall, Mavericks Event Center is a nice venue to have events at in Half Moon Bay. Keep in mind during the summer months beware of beach goers so allow yourself more time to get to the destination. But the view of the ocean and the ambiance is worth the extra drive. 

  I did a wedding this past Saturday in Gilroy. Based on the weather predictions, it was suppose to rain all day Saturday. My wedding clients were prepared and ordered a tent to protect against the elements. 

  When I got there, it was not raining so unloading and setting up was not difficult. The tent kept my equipment dry for the most part. It is ideal to keep some towels handy when the event when rain is involved. Electronics and water do not mix. It can be a little stressful when a speaker is getting wet without being dried. 

  The wedding folks were very prepared. They made sure they had other people to help setting up the party and be there for anything. We were provided with towels for the wet dance floor. At the beginning of the event, someone brought another canopy to add to the tent. It would be ideal to bring extra canopies just in case more ground has to be covered during a wedding. 

 For the ceremony, I had a wireless lapel for the officiant and a wireless microphone on a stand to hear the wedding couple to do their vows. I tested all wireless equipment and it sounded perfect. Then finally I put on a wired microphone close by and let everyone know its there just in case. It is always good to be prepared. 

 Although it was raining the whole time, the party was a huge success. Everyone was dancing even though it was raining cats and dogs. By being prepared made it a great as it was. It takes a team to make it happen and knowing who is in charge of what.

The Sea by Alexander Steakhouse in Palo Alto (https://theseausa.com/home/)

Last Wednesday, I had a corporate event at the Sea by Alexander Steakhouse. This restaurant can hold multiple events at one time. (https://theseausa.com/privatedining/) My group were able to hang out in the outside patio then came in to our room. They also had a trivia team that led the group with a trivia session. I was able to hook up the trivia team into my system so everyone could hear their questions and their music. Once they were done with their trivia session, I had a karaoke machine hooked up to my system. I made sure I brought my 14 channel mixer to plug in my dj controller, two wireless microphones, two wired microphones and a channel for the trivia music.

Let me talk about the beauty of this location. I was able to have dinner during the trivia session and the food was the best I had at any venue. The food just melted in my mouth. The salmon and the roast beef were so perfect. The dessert was picture perfect and it was as good as it looked. At the end of the night a staff member helped me load up my suv with my dj equipment. We even had to take a flight of stairs! The best food and the most helpful staff at the Sea by Alexander Steakhouse in Palo Alto make it an easy choice in the peninsula area. It is a no brainer to have your corporate event (in house sound system and a built in projector) or private event at this venue.