Advice on Picking Your DJ Company in New York

So, you want to throw a party. You know you need a DJ Company that will make your event truly memorable to you and your guests. DJ’s are almost a dime-a-dozen on Long Island, but if you look hard enough, you’ll see that your party is much more important than using that logic.

As a potential customer, you may read this and think that there is something cross-promotional with this post, however I aim to set the record straight on how to pick the best DJ Company, even if it’s not ours.

What are the basic facets of an entertainment company? For most companies that are reputable, you can plan an entire event. Here are the main components and their job description:

DJ’s

DJ’s are you music masters. They’re sole responsibility is provide the perfect mix of music for all your guests, but knowledge of music is vital. Everyone can say they have the best DJ’s, but how well are they versed in music? Do they know exactly what to play, and when? Just because a DJ may show up with a Laptop claiming to have everything, what IS everything? On a normal 4-hour party you’ll only have the opportunity to hear between 60-120 songs the whole night! I have the song “Rico Suave” from Gerardo in my collection, but I’m not about to play it on your event (unless you really wanted it of course).  

Music knowledge is vital, but a DJ needs more than that obviously. From beginning to end, the music to your party should serve a purpose. At Ideal Entertainment, we call it “setting the tempo”. The music as people are walking in is just as important as the music in the dance set. It sets the mood from slow to upbeat right from the get-go. Your guests walk into your party with an expectation to “have a good time” and setting the tempo from the beginning is crucial. An example of a great up-tempo cocktail song we use is “Michael Franti – Say Hey (I Love You)”. NEVER play a slow song during cocktail. It’ll drag your party to a crashing halt!

Lastly, your DJ needs to have some idea on how to mix. Everyone can say they’re Mixmaster John or DJ Incredible or whoever they want to be. That false persona creates a facade for who the DJ really is, especially in the mobile industry. A great DJ realizes that mixing is an art form. Creating a vibe with how you put together music is ultimately what separates the good from the great. Each venue is different in terms of how a DJ should mix a party. At a Happy Hour, or Club, obviously there is a mixing style and technique to music selection and blending beats. On most mobile events, mixing is much different. Most clients we meet don’t NEED that type of style. They need the DJ’s ability to keep the party hoppin from the moment the music starts to the moment it ends.

MC’s

MC’s are the face of the franchise. They’re job is simple – Motivate the crowd. Just like DJ’s, MC’s are responsible for how great your party goes. In this regard, no 2 MC’s are alike.

We’ve been in this business for 12 years now. From our experience in clubs, radio stations, and mobile events, we’ve seen something consistent in all our ventures with MC’s – overconfidence. You’ll find this a lot with mobile DJ companies now, especially on Long Island. To be a great MC, all you need to do is get the party rockin, and to remain an integral vocal part of the dance sets. You don’t want people that jump in front of cameras, or scream into the microphone, or walk around with a false sense of entitlement. MC’s need to be professional, courteous, smart, and most importantly, energetic. They need to know what to say on the microphone, and what not to. A great MC will NOT talk on the mic every 10 seconds.

Lastly, the MC is your go-to person for everything on the event. Introductions, working with catering staff, learning names, etc. Make sure you pick someone that has AT LEAST 5 years experience. Don’t hire an 18 year-old to do a 23-35 year-olds job!

Party Motivators (Dancers and Breakdancers)

What’s a party motivator? Why would you need one? If you get a DJ and MC, you don’t need any dancers right? Well, not so fast. They serve a very important role in your event.

Party motivators aren’t for all events. You’ll probably never see one on a Wedding, or a 40th Birthday Party, or even a Christening. Our Party Motivators work events like Bar/Bat Mitzvahs, Sweet 16′s, Communions, and Block Parties. These men/women are perfect on events with lots of kids. They help corral all the kids and help lead dances and games. Our dancers have experience in all kinds of dance, and are eager to help add to your party experience.

Sound

How much sound do you need for your party? Do you have 100 people? 500 people? The DJ company you choose should have options for all types of gatherings. We can rock out a party no matter what the size is, but we also KNOW what each venue needs. We take a look and try and find out what the dimensions on your room are to provide the best possible sound options for you.

Lighting

What kind of lighting do you need for the room? If you’re a novice and not too familiar with hiring a DJ, there are companies that will absolutely tear your budget apart when it comes to lighting your event. Some of it is justified since lights are so expensive. For example, if you wanted color kinetic lighting for your room (lighting that shoots multi-color wash-effect lights up the walls) you’re in for quite a bill.

I won’t go into the extravagance of lighting options, as I may bore you to sleep. Most DJ companies have the basic lighting to cover an event. Just make sure your company has different packages available in case you want to light up your room with the best in laser, lighting, and fog effects.

Intangibles

It’s hard to come up with a better term than Intangibles when it comes to DJ companies. If you weren’t referred to anyone to use, you’re on your own with your choice. Providing the company you choose has the necessary facets above, you still have more homework to do!

• Make sure the company you choose is insured

Don’t take chances with a company that doesn’t have liability insurance god-forbid something happens on your event. Equipment could fall and injur someone in the rarest of circumstances, so take precautionary measures to ensure your DJ is insured.

• Make sure the company you choose has references

An entertainment company is only as good as the parties they’ve done before yours. Make sure you check out the company’s references and do a little research and see if there are any reviews for the company online.

• Make sure the company you choose is willing to meet with you

We book many events without even meeting with the client, and converting them right from the phone. We’re able to do this because we have an established history on Long Island, and we are always good on our word. We provide an air-tight contract guaranteeing we show up at the time we’re supposed to, with the right equipment, and fully prepared for your event. Trusting a DJ company with your money, without knowing anything about them, is a scary scenario. Always ask to see if it’s possible to meet your entertainer before your event, if it’s geographically possible.

• Make sure the company you choose doesn’t “overpromise”

We’ve heard horror stories where companies overpromise elements of their entertainment to you, the customer. One company that is notorious for this is Music To Your Ears Entertainment. Their website, www.mtyedjs.com, does everything they can to show you they are your entertainment choice. Do some research on the owner of that company, and see what you find. Sure, they’ll promise you that they’ll do your party for $250, but you get what you pay for. We’ve had many of their customers, and former staff, discuss horrible business practices with us which we found appalling.

On the contrary, there are many companies on Long Island that are capable of providing excellent entertainment. The household names that most people know of are Tommy Tunes, In the Mood, Entertainment Tonight, and Hart to Hart. I’ve been to events where companies like these are performing, and most of them have been done very well. The unfortunate side to these companies is their high overhead. They have to charge much more for their parties to meet their monthly budgets, and you’re not getting anything MORE for your price. Just a household name, really.

Finally, we come to the companies that do the best job, for the right price. We truly feel that Ideal Entertainment, our company, is the best entertainment choice for any event, but we’re not a monopoly, unfortunately! There are other companies that use the ideals that we’ve used over the past 12 years, and have a reputation for providing excellent entertainment to meet any budget. Those companies, in our opinion are:

After Hours Entertainment 

A Night to Remember Entertainment

Total Entertainment

and us

Ideal Entertainment

These companies have everything you need to make your party a BOOMING success. Professionalism, dedication, history, knowledge, and experience.

Picking an entertainment company from the hundreds available is not an easy task. Do your research and find someone you can trust with your event, so you can focus on everything else you need to make your party a blast!

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~ by Tim Brown on April 30, 2010.