Our first round we were in a gym rocking the silent disco. For the second round we were out by the steps by the mission. We were outside playing for the masses. The first time around we were playing on one channel and this time around we were notified we can do multiple channels. All we needed was another transmitter to send it to the headphones.

In the first channel we were playing more the the current music (even did a small Bollywood set) (always got to be prepared to play anything)  and on channel two we were playing more for the folks who like old school. We had our djs lined up next to each other mixing.

  Silent disco is the coolest thing since you can have multiple djs right next to each other and the music won’t conflict with each other. If we wanted to we could have 3 djs playing right next to each other. The set up of the silent disco took a few minutes. And another cool thing was the people were not even close and they can receive the music in their headphones.

It was neat to see the different color headphones in the dark. The color determined what channel the folks were listening to.

Love playing at Santa Clara University! We were playing for multiple ages and everyone seemed to be having a good time. Thank you Santa Clara for setting up a fun event for everyone.

Top Questions to Ask Your Los Angeles DJ

Despite the hundreds of Los Angeles DJs online, finding the right one is a challenge. Hiring a Los Angeles DJ with the trifecta (experience, style, and professionalism) often means you'll have to extensively vet your potential choices. Conducting your vetting doesn't need to be an inconvenience. Instead, your vetting can be limited to the following questions, which you can ask your DJ via Zoom or in person.

The 8 Questions to Ask Your Los Angeles DJ

The answers to these eight questions will be most revealing of the type of DJ you could be hiring, allowing you to make your decisions.

Are You Willing to Have a Meeting Before Booking?

Availability is important. Many DJs may over-extend themselves, meaning they won't be available for a meeting. Therefore, if you want to know — honestly — whether your DJ will avail themselves after you've hired them, see if they'll make themselves available before booking.

How Much Time Do You Need to Set Up?

Depending on your event, knowing how long your Los Angeles DJ will take to set up can help with scheduling and coordinating the event. If the setup is one hour, and the event starts at 8 p.m., your DJ should have the space to set up for the event and should be scheduled for 7 p.m.

If a prospective DJ isn't giving a clear response on setup time, they may not have as much experience.

Do You Have Insurance?

With any business, insurance is essential for Los Angeles DJs. You'd be surprised how litigious Los Angeles venues can be and how quickly accidents can escalate. Rather than waiting to see what would happen if a DJ doesn't have insurance, confirm that they have it.

What Type of Music Do You Typically Play?

Most DJs flourish in the genre they've perfected. Being a DJ is a full-time job requiring research, testing, and development alongside serious marketing, known as self-promotion. As a result, most good DJs will have a genre of music they've been perfecting ever since they knew what career they would pursue.

Do You Have References?

Any DJ worth their salt should be able to provide at least three references and a sample of their mixes.

How Long Have You Been Spinning?

Experience is more important than expertise when hiring a Los Angeles DJ. Anyone can learn what a DJ does, but it takes years to learn to read a crowd, get — and keep — them engaged, and make last-minute changes to the set.

How Do You Keep Your Music Up-to-date?

With the frequency of music releases, having a current playlist can be exceptionally time-consuming. But, if you know you'll have an audience that will revel in new music — which, let's face it, in Los Angeles is everyone — understanding your Dj's process for finding and using new releases in their mixes is essential.

Can I Be Involved in the Selection?

If you're searching for a Los Angeles wedding DJ, for example, you may want to be involved in some of the song choices. Confirm with any prospective DJ if they — not only take your suggestions but — implement your song choices and where or when they'd insert it into their mix.

These eight questions to ask your Los Angeles DJ will help save your event from disaster.

At Black and White Affair, the purpose of the work being done is to meet your vision. We understand communication is a two-way street. Therefore, if you decide to book BWADJ as your Los Angeles DJ, expect us to ask you — and answer — questions, guaranteeing your event goes off without a hitch.

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We were able to play at a retail store in Brea. It was very easy to set up since they had their own booth. I have done stores before but this one had to be the biggest. There were a few things I learned. I learned we do not need to be so loud. We had one speaker facing one direction and the other speaker faced the other direction. It was also Spanish Heritage Month so we included more Spanish in our playlist. When I got there they told me they wanted pop such like Beyonce and Timberlake. I used that as my baseline and decided to go way open format.

When you play at a retail store, it is best to play music that everyone knows unless you are doing some underground house music. I would try to play one to two versus of a song and then mix in another song. My goal was to have no dead air. Songs were either mixed in or a new beat dropped once a song finished if it went that far.

One of the songs that got everyone moving was by Bad Bunny. It has to be his biggest hit. I tried to keep it as latin as possible. I played a lot of Selena and Pitbull and added Marc Anthony. Most of my list was pop songs that everyone knew.

I started 15 minutes before schedule and finished 5 hours and 15 minutes later. It did not feel like 5 hours and it was 5 hours of enjoyment. I can truly say it was an open format set that ranged from Calvin Harris, Katy Perry to Selena and to the Temptations.

It was a joy to play for many types of people and look forward to doing it again. Please call Black and White Affair dj for your retail dj needs.

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They had an event at SCU and they asked if we can dj it. Of course we obliged. Then they mentioned we will be adding silent disco to our set up. We have seen it on Instagram but never had used it till this day. We brought our gear and set it up but didn’t not set up the speakers. Even though I knew we did not need speakers, I brought them for plan b but it worked perfectly so we didn’t need a back up plan

   SCU put out all these headphones and we had a transmitter hooked up to our system. The headphones had 3 channels with each one with a selected color. It would be possible to set up 3 djs with 3 transmitters and listeners can decide which dj to listen to. There was no latency. If the dj scrathed But all we had today was one dj. We went with new hip hop and some reggaeton.

The rec center was separated into three areas. One for the silent disco, one for ping pong and corn hole and the last area to shoot hoops. People could get involved with the music and get involved in the other activities.

 Silent disco is a cool concept. It seems to be way easier on the ears. One can adjust the volume of each headphone. One can do different activities while listening to headphone.

 They had a cool 360 photo booth students were able to use.

Plan a Silent Disco Los Angeles Partygoers Will Enjoy

Hosting a party in Los Angeles is challenging. Not because there's a shortage of partygoers looking to let off steam on a Friday night, but because of the city's stringent noise ordinances.

Silent discos help you circumvent these strict rules that limit "noisy" hours to between 7 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Now, you can host a party at any of Los Angeles' premium venues by planning a silent party Los Angeles night owls will enjoy.

Benefits of Hosting a Silent Party in the Los Angeles Area

Los Angeles isn't the only city where silent parties are overtaking event planning. They've become a go-to in most major cities because they're so beneficial and convenient.

1. Get Access to Preferred Venues

Because of LA's stringent noise ordinances, most venues and spaces choose not to rent to promoters, event planners, or individuals who intend to use the space to host a disco. This often means you'll have to find the most out-of-the-way locations when planning a party in Los Angeles. You can solve that issue with a silent party. You can get access to

2. Save on Costs

Besides ensuring you avoid the $500 fine for noise complaints or being promptly shut down at 9 p.m., you also don't have to

3. Attract More Attendees

You may not realize it, but the average silent party attendee may not be your typical nightlife prowler. Silent parties allow you to tap into a new demographic when planning a disco or get more of your friends to RSVP if you're hosting a party. That's because silent parties help attendees control the level of social interaction they feel comfortable having. Some don't enjoy parties because of anxieties when striking up a conversation.

4 Steps to Plan a Silent Disco Los Angeles Partygoers Enjoy

If you're convinced your next event should be a silent disco, this is what you need to do to get that going.

Find a Venue Suitable for a Silent Party

Space matters. If you haven't attended a silent party before, you may not know that attendees love to dance. Unlike your typical nightclub, where socializing and being seen is the purpose of the event, letting loose is the reason most attendees go to silent discos.

Try to allocate two to four feet of space to each attendee and use that as a gauge when hiring a venue.

Hire a Silent Party DJ

Throwing a silent party Los Angeles partygoers will enjoy is contingent on the DJ you're hiring. Like any dance or disco party, the DJ is the sole entertainment, and his mix matters. You want a DJ who can play to the crowd and read cues even though the party is silent.

You still want your silent disco partygoers to have a blast. If your budget allows, you could consider getting two or three DJs.

Rent Headsets from Reputable Rental Companies

The most important silent disco rental is the headsets. Your silent disco headsets should be noise canceling but also allow users to connect and maintain the connection at a distance. Sound quality is critical.

The headsets should suit the sound of the DJ and their mix, with crisp audio that adds to the experience.

Set Ground Rules for Attendees

If you're looking forward to avoiding the $500 in fines you can receive from going 5 decibels above the ambient noise, you need to relay a set of rules for your silent disco. The primary one should be silence. Talking is fine. But singing along at the top of your lungs should be avoided.

If you're planning a silent party disco in Los Angeles, Burbank or Glendale, consider hiring Black and White Affairs DJ as your silent party DJ. www.bwadj.com

If you're operating a retail store, you know how important music is to a customer's experience. Hiring a DJ for your pop-up or retail store means you can benefit from a real-time response to customers' reactions. During lulls, a DJ can draw on a wealth of experience to keep customers engaged, in the evening hours an event DJ could play calming music to reduce stress.

Hiring a DJ for Your Retail Store in Three Steps

The purpose of a retail store DJ is to attract customers to your store and get them shopping. If they're not capable of doing that, then the DJ is no better than the radio or a Spotify mix.

For that reason, you should take into consideration three aspects of hiring a DJ for your retail store.

Listen to a Prospective Event DJs Mixes

To understand a DJ's knowledge of music, you should listen to sample mixes; two or three samples should give you an accurate gauge of a DJ's range.

Consider a DJ's Versatility

Hiring a retail store DJ in Los Angeles means you'll need someone who can develop ambiance that would be enjoyed by any shoppers. It also means that your DJ should be able to assess the types of crowds your store is attracting and choose songs that are appealing to that customer. In the beginning, your retail store DJ may not know shopper patterns and demographics, but over time, observant DJs will pick up on these patterns and home in on them to leverage better sales volumes.

Test their Ability to Emcee

A retail store DJ should be an excellent speaker and emcee. Using one, you can announce deals, launch new products, and even map the customer's path through the store.

If your DJ has passed the previous assessments, ask them to send a sample of a one-line phrase that includes terms and themes commonly used in your store. For example, "Today only, 25 percent off Frame jeans."

You're listening for clarity and conviction. The kind of retail store DJ that would entice you to check out the jeans.

Of course, your dialog will change to reflect your store or target demographic; alternatively, you could ask the DJ to create one.

What Type of Music Would Be Good for Retail Stores

Once you've hired a DJ, knowing the kind of music that you should be playing in your store or pop-up will give them a foundation they can use to create mixes.

80s Songs

80s pop music is often inoffensive, clean, and nostalgic. Even younger crowds appreciate some of the music as it seems vintage.

90s Songs

90s music is effective for the same reason 80s music is: it builds nostalgia, which triggers dopamine — the brain's happy hormone. Associating your store with this music will cause customers to — inadvertently — make a positive connection to your store.

Contemporary Music

If your retail store appeals to a younger audience, contemporary music will unlock dopamine in their brains when you're playing music relevant to their experiences.

Of course, there's more to being a retail store DJ than playing 80s music. You need to let the crowd — in this case, shoppers — direct the mix.

As a Los Angeles retail store DJ, I understand the impact a good mix can have on a business, and I aim to do what's best for your business. Please contact Black and White Affair. We are not a dj service but we are a Dj experience.

Music can totally change the vibe of a store. I lived the majority of my life in the bay area. Recently I have moved to Southern California and I noticed a few differences. I noticed the lines are longer in Southern California and they are a little more adventurous with their music selection.  I noticed it at a Trader Joes. I saw people lip syncing to the words and grooving to Young Michael Jackson and played Hey Jealousy by the Gin Blossoms. Music does enhance the customer experience and that is what Retailers should strive for.

 First and foremost, you have to know your clientele. If your clients are over 40 then you can do 80s and 90s music. Thanks to the popularity of Tic Tok and lot of the younger generation has been influenced by older music. Some managers of retail stores may make the mistake of suggesting music that they like but what is important is that the dj is playing music for the shoppers. They want to feed into the brand.

  Different stores require different playlists. The dj should know about the shoppers to create a playlist. This playlist is used as a base but at the same time they can add songs on the fly at the event.

 Not every store would want wedding dance music, but the dj should be an open format dj which means they have expertise in different genres of music. Maybe it is an indie vibe and the dj can play covers of popular songs. Maybe the store would benefit from some electronic music (house music). The dj should have an idea in mind but may need to change songs in the playlist.

Also a store does not need subwoofers but the dj can bring some 8inch to 15 inch speakers would suffice. Music does not need to be loud where the customers have to raise their voice to talk.  

If people are bobbing their head or smiling when a transition takes place the dj is doing a good job.

Consider Black and White Affair (www.bwadj.com)  as your retail dj. We play all sorts of music and would provide a custom playlist for each event. If Spanish Latin hits are needed, then we have all those songs up our sleeve. We do love old school and setting cool vibes for all retail stores we play at.

DIY Versus Hiring a Pro DJ

Anyone with a phone and a Bluetooth speaker has the potential to be appointed a DIY DJ at your next event. But being a DJ is more than simply playing music. That's why when you are choosing between a DIY DJ or hiring a pro DJ, you should consider the pros and cons.

Pros of Being a DIY DJ

There are numerous advantages to being a DIY DJ. Those benefits primarily revolve around saving time and money, but only a limited amount of time and money.

Save Money

To hire a Los Angeles DJ, you'll need to fork over approximately $750 for a four-hour event. If you decide to take the reigns, you can save money, as you'll only have to rent audio-visual equipment.

You could get a subwoofer for about $140 per day and a portable speaker for $60 per day, saving you nearly $550 for the day. Then, you'd save time looking for and vetting a DJ but not much time on the day of the event as you'd need to control the music and the AV equipment you've rented, leaving little time to enjoy the show.

Save Time Vetting DJs

Regardless of the event, you'll typically have to spend a few hours vetting DJs you've shortlisted before you hire someone.

Vetting DJs requires listening to their portfolio, calling previous clients for testimonials, and creating a contract agreeable for you and the DJ.

Cons of Being a DIY DJ

Despite the pros, there are far more cons, but we'll only focus on three of the most significant drawbacks.

The Moment isn't Memorable

Since DJs are the most significant entertainment for most events, their impact on the event extends far beyond music selection. Instead, they shape the event with music that dictates the mood and atmosphere. This mood can make moments within the event memorable and far more enjoyable for guests.

As a DIY DJ, you have zero experience shaping an atmosphere or environment to get a crowd — drunk, sometimes hostile, often tired or disinterested — to get engaged in the event and entertainment.

Music Becomes Monotonous

DJs have to enjoy a variety of music and genres. If you're controlling the music, the tracklist becomes monotonous. The music will reflect your taste with a likelihood of some trendy songs. Even if your music taste is more eclectic or trendy a DJ will always know more songs and how to incorporate these songs to add to the kind of event you're hosting.

There's an obvious line between tasteless and tacky placement and selection that's far more appropriate. A professional DJ represents the latter.

There's No Room for Last-Minute Changes

If the playlist isn't drawing the response you want, as a DIY DJ, you likely won't be able to make a last-minute change to your playlist without ruining it. A DJ can make necessary changes to the playlist and often uses the response from the audience to determine the direction the playlist should take.

Unless you want your event to be the but of any joke, don't skimp on your entertainment budget. Because the nominal savings you make on doing it yourself will lead to a lackluster event. The better choice is to hire a pro DJ. You're guaranteeing your guests — and yourself — a great time.