Well, another weekend has come and gone for this Edmonton DJ, and by God's good grace, it was a busy one!
Karaoke again at the Alberta Beach Hotel was a fun night! Lots of singing being done, and everyone was well behaved.
Saturday night was the Chiro Foods (A & W) Staff Appreciation party. It was my (personal) first time at the German Canadian Cultural Centre, right across from Corus Radio where I used to work, and I've gotta say, what a great venue! Easy access to the rooms, no stairs, and plenty of power nearby. Nice dancefloor, and the food was great! I hope we can work there a lot more in the future.
The Appreciation party was a unique one, at least in my experience, as there's a WIDE mix of people at the event. I had a pretty wide-open request for "Any Indian Music", so I pulled out a small sampling of what I have in the ol' hard drive, and those staff members who have roots in India were able to enjoy themselves, too! Being it's quick-serve restaurants, there were also plenty of younger people there, so it ranged from techno to hip-hop to Top 40, and even Country for the few fans that were there. While it was an early night (at least by DJ standards) for me, everyone had a fantastic time, myself included! My tie didn't even make it past the 2nd game we played, "The Chiro Foods Elimination Scavenger Hunt". This was after the "Toilet Paper relay" that kicked off the fun and games for the evening, which provided TONS of laughs. It's too bad we didn't have a little more time, as I had another game ready to roll...but we'll save that for another blog post.
Gotta say, I loved hosting a couple of games! Always nice to break the ice before a wedding or other event.
Anyway, off to Vegas tomorrow and for the next few days, so blogging may be sporadic as we spend some time at the Mobile Beat Las Vegas convention!
Have a great week!
Tarcy
Advanced DJ Services
Edmonton Wedding DJ
Edmonton Corporate DJ
Sunday, January 30, 2011
Wednesday, January 26, 2011
Vegas Baby!
Well, Mrs. Edmonton Wedding DJ may not like it, but I am headed to Las Vegas next week for the Mobile Beat 20 Convention. It's all about the seminars and making my business better.
There's learning opportunities like how to better work the microphone, how to take better care of clients from brides to schools, how to find mid-week work, all kinds of things. Everyone I've spoken to in our association that has been there has said to me that I will love it, and I'll come back all jacked up. Just a warning. I'll be gushing about new opportunities that we'll be putting into place.
I'm staying at the Stratosphere. Anyone been there? I'm a Vegas Virgin, so it's good to know. The convention is being held at the Riviera, so at least it's "close" (by Vegas standards).
Mrs. Edmonton Wedding DJ has also roped me into going to the Coach Outlet Store, which is a mere 1.6 miles away, according to Google. Yay. A lone male shopping for a purse in Las Vegas. I'm sure no one will be wondering what size heels or what shade of lipstick I wear.
Anyway, I'm starting to get VERY excited about learning all kinds of new things, seeing new products, and becoming a better DJ and getting more and more positive comments from our customers. By the way, a BIG thanks to everyone who has contributed a testimonial to the page!
Anyway, enough for tonight. Have a great one!
Tarcy
Advanced DJ Services
Edmonton Wedding DJ
Edmonton Corporate DJ
There's learning opportunities like how to better work the microphone, how to take better care of clients from brides to schools, how to find mid-week work, all kinds of things. Everyone I've spoken to in our association that has been there has said to me that I will love it, and I'll come back all jacked up. Just a warning. I'll be gushing about new opportunities that we'll be putting into place.
I'm staying at the Stratosphere. Anyone been there? I'm a Vegas Virgin, so it's good to know. The convention is being held at the Riviera, so at least it's "close" (by Vegas standards).
Mrs. Edmonton Wedding DJ has also roped me into going to the Coach Outlet Store, which is a mere 1.6 miles away, according to Google. Yay. A lone male shopping for a purse in Las Vegas. I'm sure no one will be wondering what size heels or what shade of lipstick I wear.
Anyway, I'm starting to get VERY excited about learning all kinds of new things, seeing new products, and becoming a better DJ and getting more and more positive comments from our customers. By the way, a BIG thanks to everyone who has contributed a testimonial to the page!
Anyway, enough for tonight. Have a great one!
Tarcy
Advanced DJ Services
Edmonton Wedding DJ
Edmonton Corporate DJ
Tuesday, January 25, 2011
Busy Wedding Season Coming
It looks like it's going to be a very busy wedding season for Edmonton DJ's. Even as a smaller company, we are starting to fill dates up as we speak. It looks like Tarcy and Anthony will be busy through the spring, summer and fall. I just hope we don't get any calls this year about somebody else who booked a DJ, and that so-called DJ disappeared. It makes our industry look bad. Drives me nuts. There are people out there who do this for a living, and Advanced DJ Services is one of them. We have many friends who do it on a full-time basis...and everytime some yahoo does something like that, or takes out bad equipment, or doesn't have the right music, etc, etc, etc...then it pushes another person to use an iPod to have their wedding reception.
In my books, it's not the money, it's the ruined events. This is somebody's wedding (or anniversary, or corporate Christmas party, or whatever) we're talking about here! Why use on iPod or something of the like that isn't going to know and read a crowd, that doesn't have music for everybody, and, if somebody who has NO knowledge...it doesn't work right for important times...like your first dance as husband and wife...know what I mean?
This is a shorter post today...but before I go, one more thing...forgot to mention how good Joe and Kevin's booth looked. They're really onto something with the "Facebooth". Our pictures looked great!
Thanks all!
Tarcy
Advanced DJ Services
Edmonton Wedding DJ
Edmonton Corporate DJ
In my books, it's not the money, it's the ruined events. This is somebody's wedding (or anniversary, or corporate Christmas party, or whatever) we're talking about here! Why use on iPod or something of the like that isn't going to know and read a crowd, that doesn't have music for everybody, and, if somebody who has NO knowledge...it doesn't work right for important times...like your first dance as husband and wife...know what I mean?
This is a shorter post today...but before I go, one more thing...forgot to mention how good Joe and Kevin's booth looked. They're really onto something with the "Facebooth". Our pictures looked great!
Thanks all!
Tarcy
Advanced DJ Services
Edmonton Wedding DJ
Edmonton Corporate DJ
Monday, January 24, 2011
Thoughts on Wedding Shows
So, Mrs. Edmonton Wedding DJ and I were at bridal shows here in Edmonton the last couple of weekends. The Edmonton Bridal Fair, held at the Shaw Conference Centre on the 16th, and Bridal Fantasy held at the Edmonton Expo Centre (The artist formerly known as Agricom), on the 23rd.
Two very different shows, to say the least.
Apparently, Bridal Fair has been through some upheaval the last couple of years, and a new Producer is trying to get i back on track. I quite enjoyed the show. It was busy enough to pique my interest (lots of brides and grooms walking around), while at the same time, not being a race to get through it all and get out. It seemed as though the couples got time to spend with the potential vendors. What I really liked was the "Groom Zone" (not the right name), where if the guys got sick of "shopping", they could go eat popcorn, sit on couches and watch big screen TV. Good stuff. There weren't a huge number of vendors at this show, but all bases would have been covered for anybody getting married in the next couple of years.
Then, this past weekend, it was Bridal Fantasy. What a busy place this was! This Edmonton DJ was quite excited at seeing the number of brides and grooms walking around, checking out all the exhibitors had to offer. The one fear I have about this show is that people who don't like crowds may rush through to 'git-r-done', and may not take the time to visit and research everyone. I've gotta send props to our friends Kim and Joanne Torrance, their booth looked phenomenal. So did Sheldon's booth @ Infinite Event Services.
The cost to exhibit in these shows can be high. So, we layed low this year (was it a mistake, I don't know), however, we DO plan on exhibiting next year for sure. At which show? Well, we haven't decided yet. There are pros and cons to both, including the number of DJ's exhibiting. While there were significantly more brides at Fantasy, there were also significantly more DJ's there, too.
Do I go to the smaller show and really do it up, in hopes of outdoing the two companies who were there? It could be done. We would surely be visited by each and every bride and groom who was at the show, if we did it up right.
OR
Do we go to the much busier show, and probably get less time with each bride/groom, and compete with a much higher number of DJ companies? The sheer numbers here excite me. If we "do it up right", as we would at the other show, we would look great, but there are some other really good looking companies out there at this show too. Hmm. Decisions, decisions.
Have a great one! Until next time, keep fit and have fun!
Tarcy
Edmonton Wedding DJ
Edmonton Corporate DJ
PS - We do Karaoke, Too!!!
Two very different shows, to say the least.
Apparently, Bridal Fair has been through some upheaval the last couple of years, and a new Producer is trying to get i back on track. I quite enjoyed the show. It was busy enough to pique my interest (lots of brides and grooms walking around), while at the same time, not being a race to get through it all and get out. It seemed as though the couples got time to spend with the potential vendors. What I really liked was the "Groom Zone" (not the right name), where if the guys got sick of "shopping", they could go eat popcorn, sit on couches and watch big screen TV. Good stuff. There weren't a huge number of vendors at this show, but all bases would have been covered for anybody getting married in the next couple of years.
Then, this past weekend, it was Bridal Fantasy. What a busy place this was! This Edmonton DJ was quite excited at seeing the number of brides and grooms walking around, checking out all the exhibitors had to offer. The one fear I have about this show is that people who don't like crowds may rush through to 'git-r-done', and may not take the time to visit and research everyone. I've gotta send props to our friends Kim and Joanne Torrance, their booth looked phenomenal. So did Sheldon's booth @ Infinite Event Services.
The cost to exhibit in these shows can be high. So, we layed low this year (was it a mistake, I don't know), however, we DO plan on exhibiting next year for sure. At which show? Well, we haven't decided yet. There are pros and cons to both, including the number of DJ's exhibiting. While there were significantly more brides at Fantasy, there were also significantly more DJ's there, too.
Do I go to the smaller show and really do it up, in hopes of outdoing the two companies who were there? It could be done. We would surely be visited by each and every bride and groom who was at the show, if we did it up right.
OR
Do we go to the much busier show, and probably get less time with each bride/groom, and compete with a much higher number of DJ companies? The sheer numbers here excite me. If we "do it up right", as we would at the other show, we would look great, but there are some other really good looking companies out there at this show too. Hmm. Decisions, decisions.
Have a great one! Until next time, keep fit and have fun!
Tarcy
Edmonton Wedding DJ
Edmonton Corporate DJ
PS - We do Karaoke, Too!!!
Sunday, January 23, 2011
Brand New Blog!
Well hello there! Welcome to my blog. As one of the Edmonton DJ's plying his trade right now, I have a few things to say, and I hope they can be of help to you. I'm out there at a lot of weddings, I'm speaking with many other DJ's in the Edmonton market on an almost daily basis, and I see good and bad pretty much every single day. My company, Advanced DJ Services is committed to excellence in the DJ/Entertainment field, to getting better every single day, and to promoting professionalism in the DJ Industry.
I always try to be positive, so we'll start with the Good:
There are a few companies out there who do this for a living. These are typically the people who will do the best job for Brides and Grooms, since their livelihood depends on it. Not to say that some part-timers aren't great entertainers, however, I would personally put my trust in someone who does it every single day; or someone who is a member of the Alberta Association of Mobile Entertainers. This is an association of professionals (full AND part time) who want to protect people who use DJ's by ensuring its members have proper equipment, music, training, and probably most importantly, licensing and insurance. It's always a good idea to check for association membership with DJ's you're speaking with. And, ask about their liability insurance in case of an accident...and whether they have an AVLA License (for every single system that is playing music in a public forum, including your 'private' party. To get a good look at the rules, and when and where an AVLA license is needed, click here.
The bad? People who are unlicensed. Your event can be shut down if an inspector shows up. Policing happens on a regular basis. How about non-insured? What if people are having a good time dancing when a speaker stand is bumped and a speaker falls on a guest? Is that DJ insured in case someone gets hurt? Who's going to pay his or her bills if they need time off work to heal? Always check for liability insurance. Pirated or downloaded music is illegal as well, another reason to shut down an event.
And, the Ugly: Several times, we've gotten calls from people who paid a deposit with a "DJ" who took their money and disappeared. There's a few ways to protect yourself from this. Check that they're a registered business with the government. Those of us who have registered have been given a GST Registration number. Always, ALWAYS get the commitment in writing via contract...that way, you have a legal avenue if necessary. iPod DJ's can be very problematic. First, iPods are loaded with that person's music choices, not those of all your guests. If you have 150 people, there will be some very different music choices. It's probably best to have a library of over 25,000 songs available.
Watch carefully. Ask questions. Be thorough. The reception is a MAJOR part of your wedding day. Don't skimp on the person who will be entertaining your guests. It's always good to meet the people behind the Edmonton Wedding DJ company you'll be using, to sign contracts, exchange reservation fee, firm up your details, hold a consultation, etc, etc, etc. Make sure you're comfortable with the person you're going with. And don't get bullied into committing to someone you really don't want. The choice lies with you!
Feel free to visit our website at http://www.advanceddj.ca/ to see more information! I'll be rambling on like this on a regular basis, in the hopes that Edmonton brides and grooms, Edmonton wedding planners and other party planners can learn more! I'm here to help.
Talk to you again soon.
Tarcy S.
Edmonton Wedding DJ
Edmonton Corporate DJ
Advanced DJ Services
I always try to be positive, so we'll start with the Good:
There are a few companies out there who do this for a living. These are typically the people who will do the best job for Brides and Grooms, since their livelihood depends on it. Not to say that some part-timers aren't great entertainers, however, I would personally put my trust in someone who does it every single day; or someone who is a member of the Alberta Association of Mobile Entertainers. This is an association of professionals (full AND part time) who want to protect people who use DJ's by ensuring its members have proper equipment, music, training, and probably most importantly, licensing and insurance. It's always a good idea to check for association membership with DJ's you're speaking with. And, ask about their liability insurance in case of an accident...and whether they have an AVLA License (for every single system that is playing music in a public forum, including your 'private' party. To get a good look at the rules, and when and where an AVLA license is needed, click here.
The bad? People who are unlicensed. Your event can be shut down if an inspector shows up. Policing happens on a regular basis. How about non-insured? What if people are having a good time dancing when a speaker stand is bumped and a speaker falls on a guest? Is that DJ insured in case someone gets hurt? Who's going to pay his or her bills if they need time off work to heal? Always check for liability insurance. Pirated or downloaded music is illegal as well, another reason to shut down an event.
And, the Ugly: Several times, we've gotten calls from people who paid a deposit with a "DJ" who took their money and disappeared. There's a few ways to protect yourself from this. Check that they're a registered business with the government. Those of us who have registered have been given a GST Registration number. Always, ALWAYS get the commitment in writing via contract...that way, you have a legal avenue if necessary. iPod DJ's can be very problematic. First, iPods are loaded with that person's music choices, not those of all your guests. If you have 150 people, there will be some very different music choices. It's probably best to have a library of over 25,000 songs available.
Watch carefully. Ask questions. Be thorough. The reception is a MAJOR part of your wedding day. Don't skimp on the person who will be entertaining your guests. It's always good to meet the people behind the Edmonton Wedding DJ company you'll be using, to sign contracts, exchange reservation fee, firm up your details, hold a consultation, etc, etc, etc. Make sure you're comfortable with the person you're going with. And don't get bullied into committing to someone you really don't want. The choice lies with you!
Feel free to visit our website at http://www.advanceddj.ca/ to see more information! I'll be rambling on like this on a regular basis, in the hopes that Edmonton brides and grooms, Edmonton wedding planners and other party planners can learn more! I'm here to help.
Talk to you again soon.
Tarcy S.
Edmonton Wedding DJ
Edmonton Corporate DJ
Advanced DJ Services
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