This was evident on Saturday night as we worked a birthday party for a local gentleman who turned 50. He asked for a dance party, and he certainly got more than he bargained for! We were asked to play dance and party music from the 70s, 80s, 90s, and today -- quite a tall order! The party was a great success and everyone was exhausted from dancing by the end of the night.
When throwing a "DJ" party, there are certain things you should talk about with your host. By making sure everyone is one the same page as to exact start and end times, genres of music, special requests, and more, there will be no surprises and things will run much smoother.
Things to talk about in pre-party planning:
- Exact start time: The DJ will need to know exactly when you want to start playing music. Often, this means dinner music or other low-key, quieter music as the guests arrive and have time to chat. The host will need to arrive at least an hour to two hours in advance to set up speakers and lighting. Sometimes the host may ask to set up further in advance if the venue allows.
- Party time: At some point in the evening, the music will need to be cranked up, lights turned on, so the party can really get started.
- Genres of Music: What type of music are you looking for? Oldies, 70s, 80s, 90s pop? Modern dance hits? Hard rock? Disco? There are endless possibilities and combinations of genres available. TXPSV maintains a library of 35,000+ tracks to choose from.
- Requests/Do Not Play List: How should the DJ handle requests from the audience? Do you have any specific song requests? Also, the DJ can get a list of songs that you definitely do not want played.
- Toasts, speeches, etc.: The DJ will need to be prepared if anyone is planning on making a toast or doing any kind of speaking using the DJ's equipment. Let him know if you prefer a wireless microphone for these speeches.
- Security, Management, Etc.: Recently at one of our DJ gigs, an uninvited guest tried to steal some coats from near the door. We need to know who is in charge in case something like this happens. Also, occasionally a guest will have a little too much to drink, and we need to be aware of how to handle these scenarios.
- Exact end time: Of course, if we could, we'd play all night, but we do need to specify an end time in advance. Be aware that it takes an hour or so to break down and load up equipment, so plan accordingly.
- Overtime: Many times, when the end of the night is approaching, the host of the party may want to extend our playing time. This is hard on the DJ when he doesn't know about it well in advance, because playlists are based on the timing of the end time. However, if the DJ is available to go later, ask about the extra time/overtime rates.
TXPSV's rates start at $400 for a party with speakers and lights. Contact us for more information!
