Author: bluemoonbeats

  • Emm & Mikey’s Wedding 9-20-25

    Emm & Mikey’s Wedding 9-20-25

    Yesterday I DJ’ed at a venue I’ve never played before, Golden Pine in Smithville. It turns out that yesterday’s wedding was the first they’d hosted, so no wonder I’d never been there! Despite it being their maiden voyage for weddings, everything went off without a hitch, and you’d have assumed they’d been hosting weddings for decades. The site itself is beautiful, and the venue is nestled into a lovely forest. I played from a balcony, outside an air-conditioned banquet room, overlooking a large lawn shaded by trees. It is truly an idyllic setting for a wedding!

    Wedding DJ view at Golden Pine in Smithville
    Here’s my view from the balcony.

    The wedding was just as wonderful as its setting. It was catered by Mandola’s, which was a treat for me as I love Italian food. And while I’m shouting out vendors, I have to mention the photographer, Evelyn Rude. She stayed for the entire event, which is not always the case with photographers, which meant there was no need to do a “fake sendoff” or rush anything, and she was always on the spot and ready to capture special moments.

    As for me, I was asked to play music for dinner, and for the dancing that followed, and the timeline allowed for a relaxed pace. I really love it when a wedding timeline allows for several hours of dancing. Too often the timeline leaves only 2 hours, or even 90 minutes, for dancing, and that’s never enough. Last night I had 3 1/2 hours in which to play dance music for the guests, and even when the last song finished, they wanted more. Instead, we handed them bubbles, and sent them out front to give Emm and Mikey a beautiful send off!

    Dinner Music

    La Diferencia – Vicente Fernández
    En Tu Pelo – Javier Solís
    Yo el Aventurero – Pedro Fernández
    Light My Fire – José Feliciano
    Life On Mars? – Seu Jorge
    Samba Pa Ti – Santana
    Tres Hermanos [feat. Dan Auerbach] – Hermanos Gutiérrez
    Les Eaux de Mars – Stacey Kent
    French Bossa Nova [feat. Aupinard, GraceGrace & Chezile] – Ladji Mouflet
    Sea Gets Hotter – Durand Jones & the Indications
    Abusey Junction – Kokoroko
    Señora Diana La Ví -Eduardo Mateo Diane Denoir
    Perdido de Amor – Luiz Bonfá
    Mi Negrita – Devandra Banhart
    Flight Attendant – Josh Rouse
    Caminando – Isadora
    Saudade – Thievery Corporation
    Ladyfingers – Herb Alpert & the Tijuana Brass
    Elegantly Wasted [feat. Leon Bridges] – Hermanos Gutiérrez
    The Waters of March – Susannah McCorkle

    Introduction of Wedding Party: A Milli – Lil Wayne
    First Dance: Ojitos Lindos [feat. Bomba Estéreo] – Bad Bunny

    Dance Music

    Baila Esta Cumbia – Selena
    Azúcar [feat. Fito Olivares] – A.B. Quintanilla III y Los Kumbia Kings
    Corazón Sin Cara – Prince Royce
    No Se Va – Grupo Frontera
    Macarena – Los Del Rio
    Neon Moon – Brooks & Dunn
    Dancing Queen – ABBA
    Stayin’ Alive – Bee Gees
    24K Magic – Bruno Mars
    Electric Boogie – Marcia Griffiths
    Head Over Boots – Jon Pardi
    Cowboy Cumbia – Javier Molina
    Cumbia Sampuesana – Aniceto Molina y La Luz Roja de San Marcos
    A Mover la Colita – La Sonora Dinamita
    Dance the Night – Dua Lipa
    Murder on the Dancefloor – Sophie EllisBextor
    September – Earth Wind & Fire
    Time of Our Lives [feat. Ne-Yo] – Pitbull
    Designated Drinker [feat. George Strait] – Alan Jackson
    Tennessee Whiskey – Chris Stapleton

    Bouquet Toss: Girls Just Wanna’ Have Fun – Cyndi Lauper
    Garter Toss: Another One Bites the Dust – Queen

    Copperhead Road – Steve Earle
    El Botecito – Los Hijos del Pueblo
    La Chona – Los Tucanes De Tijuana
    La Charanga – Hugo Guerrero
    Me Vale – Maná
    Apache – Sugar Hill Gang
    Uptown Funk [feat. Bruno Mars] – Mark Ronson
    Ice Ice Baby – Vanilla Ice
    Don’t Stop ‘Til You Get Enough – Michael Jackson
    Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! (A Man After Midnight) – ABBA
    Forever – Chris Brown
    Love Story (Taylor’s Version) – Taylor Swift
    Fireball [feat. John Ryan] – Pitbull
    Low [feat. T-Pain] – Flo Rida
    This Is Your Night – Amber
    Calabria 2008 (feat. Natasja) – Enur
    Bidi Bidi Bom Bom – Selena
    Stand By Me – Prince Royce
    Adiós Amor – Christian Nodal
    Yo x Ti, Tu x Mi [feat. Ozuna] – Rosalía
    Hawái [remix] [feat. The Weeknd] – Maluma
    In Da Club – 50 Cent
    Wanna Be a Baller – Lil’ Troy
    No Scrubs – TLC
    Return of the Mack – Mark Morrison
    Party In the U.S.A. – Miley Cyrus
    …Baby One More Time – Britney Spears
    Hypnotize – Notorious B.I.G.
    Gasolina – Daddy Yankee
    I Want You Back – The Jackson Five
    Pop a Top – Alan Jackson
    I Wanna Dance With Somebody – Whitney Houston
    Billie Jean – Michael Jackson
    La Vibora De La Mar – Los Kachorrillos De Tijuana
    Amor – Emmanuel Cortes
    Grillz [feat. Paul Wall] – Nelly
    Rock Yo Hips [feat. Lil Scrappy] – Crime Mob
    Shoulder Lean [feat. T.I.] – Young Dro
    Stanky Legg – GS Boyz
    Teach Me How To Dougie – Cali Swag District
    Swag Surfin’ – Fast Life Yungstaz
    Mo Bamba – Sheck Wes
    Cotton Eyed Joe – Rednex
    Pepas – Farruko
    Last Night – Morgan Wallen
    The Ketchup Dance – Las Ketchup
    No Rompas Mi Corazón – Caballo Dorado
    La Noche de Anoche [feat, Rosalía] – Bad Bunny
    Dale Don Dale [feat. Glory] – Don Omar
    Ritmo (Bad Boys for Life) [feat. J. Balvin] – Black Eyed Peas
    Lovin’ On Me – Jack Harlow
    Yeah [feat. Lil Jon and Ludacris] – Usher
    I Could Fall In Love – Selena
    Lean Like A Cholo – Down AKA Kilo

    Heaven Is a Place On Earth – Belinda Carlisle

  • Kadyn & Josh’s Wedding 6-13-25

    Kadyn & Josh’s Wedding 6-13-25

    Kadyn and Josh

    I DJ’ed Kadyn and Josh’s wedding at the Preserve at Canyon Lake yesterday. This was my last wedding of the spring 2025 season, and it was probably the most energetic dance party of the entire season. Part of that is no doubt due to the Preserve itself, as it has a large indoor, air conditioned ballroom. That makes a massive difference when you’re DJ’ing a wedding in Texas in June! It was more than just the comfortable atmosphere however, that made for such pandemonium on the dance floor. I’m sure it was in part what I played, listed below as always, but mostly it was the 250 or so guests, every one of whom seemingly came prepared to party.

    From the moment the anniversary dance ended, when we heard some advice from a couple who have been married more than 56 years, and I played a Billy Currington record, the dance floor was full, and it stayed that way through the final strains of Shake Russell’s “Deep in the West.” It was wild. There was screaming and shouting, jumping and bouncing, hands in the air, and people in the air, too, being surfed over the crowd. It really felt like every guest of every age danced the entire time. I love that energy!!

    I’ll definitely share more video footage on my Instagram soon, so keep on eye on the ‘gram. In the meantime, here’s a recap of the music I played during the wedding.

    Pre-Ceremony Music

    Kadyn and Josh provided me with a short list of songs they wanted played before their ceremony began, and I happily obliged.

    Springtime – Chris Renzema
    Lay It All Down – Will Reagan
    Fishes and Loaves – Josiah Queen
    Adonai – Chris Renzema
    Forever Amen – Stefafny Gretzinger
    How to Be Yours [String Version] – Chris Renzema
    Not In a Hurry – Will Reagan
    Abba – John Mark Pantana
    Open Space – Housefires
    How Deep the Father’s Love for Us [Live] – REVERE

    Ceremony Music

    Bridal Party Processional: Love Is a Wild Thing [acoustic] – Megan Nicole
    Bride’s Processional: Goodness of God [instrumental] – Remi Collins
    Couple’s Processional: You Are the Best Thing – Ray LaMontagne

    There was one additional musical element to the ceremony. I set up a microphone for a singer, and ran his guitar through my board to amplify it, so he could sing a song. I’ve heard some DJs complain about “doing extra work,” but I enjoy moments like that. It was nice to get to know the singer a bit, and I even got a thumbs up from him later, during dinner, when I played a song he’d mentioned that he’d liked while we were sound-checking.

    Cocktail Music

    After the ceremony, everyone moved outdoors to a patio, where a bar was set up, and food was passed. I provided an additional sound system outside so the guests had music to mingle by.

    Beautiful – Bazzi
    Isn’t It Romantic – Tony Bennett
    Bittersweet – Louis the Child
    Backyard Boy – Claire Rosinkranz
    Are You Gonna Kiss Me or Not – Thompson Square
    The Joker – Steve Miller Band
    Pursuit of Happiness (Nightmare) – Kid Cudi, MGMT, Ratatat
    The Best Is Yet to Come – Frank Sinatra
    La Vie en Rose – Louis Armstrong
    Good Directions – Billy Currington

    Dinner Music

    After cocktails, the guests moved back inside, into the main ballroom, where dinner was served and dances were danced. I typically play some upbeat, fun, party music as guests make their way inside and find their seats. I want to make sure they know they’re at a party, and start building some energy that can be unleashed later, on the dance floor.

    Wanna’ Be Starting Something – Michael Jackson
    Move Your Feet – Junior Senior
    Power of Love – Huey Lewis & The News
    Papa’s Got A Brand New Bag, Pts. 1, 2 & 3 – James Brown and His Famous Flames
    Baby Let Me Take You (In My Arms) – The Detroit Emeralds
    This Magic Moment – The Drifters
    Better Together – Jack Johnson
    Kiss Me – Sixpence None The Richer
    I Miss You – Blink-182
    Archie, Marry Me – Always (This is the song Beckett, the ceremony singer, mentioned to me.)

    At this point, Kadyn and Josh were ready to rejoin the party, and of course I had to bring them into the room in my energetic, and I’d say inimitable, style. The came into a song of their choice.

    Couple’s Introduction: Signed, Sealed & Delivered – Stevie Wonder

    After that energetic moment, I settled things down a bit, and played music that is still upbeat, but more conducive to dining.


    Butterflies – Kacy Musgraves
    Beautiful Crazy – Luke Combs
    Greatest Love Story – LANCO
    Burn, Burn, Burn – Zach Bryan
    More Than My Hometown – Morgan Wallen
    Talkin’ Tennessee – Morgan Wallen
    The Architect – Kacey Musgraves
    Dive – Luke Combs
    7 Summers – Morgan Wallen
    Smile – Uncle Kracker
    Sun to Me – Zach Bryan
    One Man Band – Old Dominion
    You Should Probably Leave – Chris Stapleton
    All Your’n – Tyler Childers
    Diamond In My Pocket – Cody Johnson

    Dance Music

    First Dance: Space and Time – Tyler Childers
    Father Daughter Dance: When She Grows Up – Craig Campbell
    Mother Son Dance: Deeper Than the Holler – Randy Travis

    Anniversary Dance: Angel Eyes – The Jeff Healey Band

    And now it’s time to get the party started! And boy did it start, and keep going. This really was one of the liveliest, dancing-est groups I’ve played for in some time. It seemed that the dance floor was not only full, but loud and energetic, for the duration of the party. This group really got down, and here’s what they got down to.

    Must Be Doin’ Somethin’ Right – Billy Currington
    Amarillo By Morning – George Strait
    Man! I Feel Like a Woman! – Shania Twain
    Don’t Stop the Music – Rihanna
    Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! (A Man After Midnight) – ABBA
    Fireball [feat. John Ryan] – Pitbull
    I Gotta Feeling – The Black Eyed Peas
    Low [feat. T-Pain] – Flo Rida
    Pursuit of Happiness [Steve Aoki Remix] – Kid Cudi
    I Was Made For Lovin’ You – Kiss
    It’s Tricky – Run-D.M.C.
    We Found Love [feat. Calvin Harris] – Rihanna
    You Spin Me ‘Round (Like a Record) – Dead Or Alive
    Unwritten – Natasha Bedingfield
    September – Earth Wind & Fire
    Timber [feat. Kesha] – Pitbull
    Teach Me How To Dougie – Cali Swag District
    Gold Digger [feat. Jamie Foxx] – Kanye West
    Party In the U.S.A. – Miley Cyrus
    …Baby One More Time – Britney Spears
    Wobble Baby – V.I.C.
    Dancing Queen – ABBA
    Stayin’ Alive – Bee Gees
    Neon Moon – Brooks & Dunn
    Blurred Lines [feat. T.I. & Pharrell] – Thicke
    Nokia [clean] – Drake
    Hotel Room Service – Pitbull
    Fergalicious – Fergie
    I Just Want To Dance With You – George Strait
    Uptown Funk [feat. Bruno Mars] – Mark Ronson
    Ice Ice Baby – Vanilla Ice
    Billie Jean – Michael Jackson
    We Are Young [feat. Janelle Monae] – Fun.
    Don’t Stop Believing – Journey
    Livin’ On a Prayer – Bon Jovi
    Found/Tonight – Ben Platt

    Bouquet Toss: Single Ladies (Put a Ring On It) – Beyoncé

    Love Story – Taylor Swift
    I Wanna Dance With Somebody – Whitney Houston
    Forever – Chris Brown
    Like a Prayer – Madonna
    Dancing in the Moonlight – Toploader
    Tennessee Whiskey – Chris Stapleton
    Crank That (Soulja Boy) – Soulja Boy
    Humble – Kendrick Lamar
    No Hands [feat. Roscoe Dash and Wale] – Waka Flocka Flame
    Hit the Quan – iLoveMemphis
    Footloose – Kenny Loggins
    Mr. Brightside – The Killers
    Texas Fight – The University of Texas Longhorn Band
    The Fightin’ Texas Aggie War Hymn – The Fightin’ Texas Aggie Band

    Last Dance: Deep in the West – Shake Russell

    Guests: Walking Out: Closing Time – Semisonic

    Private Last Dance: I Don’t Wanna’ Miss a Thing – Aerosmith

    Sparkler Exit: Light My Love – Greta Van Fleet

    And with that, the wedding was over, and it was time to pack up all the sound and lighting gear and head home. I can’t wait for my next visit to The Preserve at Canyon Lake!

  • Karsen & Cole’s Wedding 5-17-25

    Karsen & Cole’s Wedding 5-17-25

    Karsen and Cole's Wedding

    I DJ’ed a wedding just outside of Austin, in San Marcos, at Windermere Farms yesterday. The venue is lovely. It’s spacious, and easy to load gear in and out, two factors that always make a DJ happy.

    There were a lot of guests at the wedding, which is something I love, as it means there is likely to be some great energy in the room. More people usually means more fun, and last night was no exception! Let’s find out what I played.

    Pre-Ceremony Music

    I started with some background music for the guests to hear as they came into the ceremony site and found a seat.

    Lover – Relaxing Piano Covers
    God Bless the Broken Road – Matchstick Piano Man
    Love Story – Relaxing Piano Covers
    Until I Found You – Alan Ng
    Somewhere Only We Know – Stratus
    Can’t Help Falling in Love – Alan Ng
    I Dreamed a Dream – Stratus
    You Are the Reason – Alan Ng
    Somewhere Over the Rainbow – Steve Petrunak
    Wildest Dream – Relaxing Piano Covers

    Ceremony Music

    When it came time for the ceremony, I watched for my cues and brought people in. The wedding party was quite large: 12 bridesmaids and 12 groomsmen! I had to keep an eye on the music to make sure everything sounded perfect. There were also some additional songs. Typically I play two songs before the ceremony begins, but yesterday I had to run four, and time them all to fit the processions, which I did. And of course, I topped things off with a recessional for the couple. All in all, it was a perfect and beautiful ceremony.

    Family Processional: Goodness of God – Lighthouse Piano
    Bridal Party: Make You Feel My Love – Magical Piano Player
    Flower Girl & Ring Bearer: Slipping Through My Fingers – Riyandi Kusma
    Bridal Processional: Unchained Melody – Johan Sander
    Couple’s Recessional: Signed, Sealed, Delivered – Stevie Wonder

    Cocktail Music

    We’re on to cocktail hour!

    Coming Home – Leon Bridges
    (Sittin’ On The) Dock of the Bay – Otis Redding
    Come and Get Your Love – Redbone
    Build Me Up Buttercup – The Foundations
    At Last – Etta James
    Can’t Take My Eyes Off of You – Frankie Valli
    This Will Be (An Everlasting Love) – Natalie Cole
    Everything – Michael Bublé
    For Once in My Life – Stevie Wonder
    I Say a Little Prayer – Aretha Franklin
    Cheek to Cheek – Ella Fitzgerald & Louis Armstrong
    You Can’t Hurry Love – The Supremes
    Valerie [Live At BBC Radio 1 Live Lounge, London] – Amy Winehouse
    Stay – Maurice Williams & The Zodiacs
    This Magic Moment – The Drifters
    My Girl – The Temptations
    Adalida – George Strait
    Every Little Honky Tonk Bar – George Strait
    Kiss Me – Sixpence None The Richer
    Love Grows on the White Oak Tree – Teddy Wilson

    Dinner Music

    And now, it’s time for dinner. But first, I must introduce Karsen and Cole into the reception area with as much energy and emotion as possible. I think they heard us cheering all the way down in San Antonio!

    Couple’s Introduction: Forever – Chris Brown

    We followed the introduction up with the first dance, and the parent dances. I like when couples do this, as it means we can more easily transition straight into open dancing after dinner.

    First Dance: Dance of a Lifetime – Drake Milligan
    Father/Daugher Dance: Stand By Me – Ben E.King
    Mother/Son Dance: Her Little Man – Jami Grooms

    And then, dinner time. The food was outstanding, perhaps one of the best two or three meals I’ve had at a wedding in recent memory. It was catered by La Pera Catering, and I highly recommend them! I hope I see them at another event soon, because they fed the vendors the same delicious food the guests were served. I love it!

    Honky Tonk Crowd – Rick Trevino
    I Wish – Stevie Wonder
    Brand New Man – Brooks & Dunn
    Dancin’ With the Devil – Josh Ward
    Mountain Music – Alabama
    Oh, Pretty Woman – Roy Orbison
    Midnight Mess Around – Old Dominion
    I Can’t Help Myself – The Four Tops
    It’s a Great Day to Be Alive – Travis Tritt
    The Truth About Men – Tracy Byrd
    Watermelon Crawl – Tracy Byrd
    Move It On Over – Hank Williams with His Drifting Cowboys
    Got to Be Real – Cheryl Lynn
    That’s Texas – Cody Johnson
    Be My Baby Tonight – John MichaelMontgomery
    Work Boots – Cody Johnson
    Gonna Get a Life – Mark Chesnutt
    King of the Road – Roger Miller
    River Road Dream – Curtis Grimes

    Cake Cutting: How Sweet It Is – Marvin Gaye

    After the cake was cut, the couple did a champagne toast, during which I fired off a pair of my cold sparklers. Those things really elevate a moment, and deliver a wow factor that must be seen to be believed. You can get a sense of it in the video below, which I’ve shared on Instagram as well as YouTube.

    Dance Music

    At last, we’re dancing, and as I mentioned above this was an energetic group. They did NOT stop dancing until the final record was spun! At one point the groomsmen spontaneously lifted the groom and crowd-surfed him around the dance floor. Not to be outdone, the bridesmaids hosted Karsen and took her on her own surfin’ safari.

    Jubel – Klingande
    Unwritten – Natasha Bedingfield
    Club Can’t Handle Me [feat. David Guetta] – Flo Rida
    Feel So Close – Calvin Harris
    Be My Baby – The Ronettes
    Pursuit of Happiness [Steve Aoki Remix] – Kid Cudi
    I Was Made For Lovin’ You – Kiss
    Low [feat. T-Pain] – Flo Rida
    Here for a Good Time – George Strait
    Dancing Queen – ABBA
    Neon Moon – Brooks & Dunn
    I Want You Back – The Jackson Five
    Careless Whisper – Wham
    Tennessee Whiskey – Chris Stapleton
    Rockstar – Nickelback
    Fat Bottomed Girls – Queen

    Bouquet Toss: Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! (A Man After Midnight) – ABBA

    Achy Breaky Heart – Billy Ray Cyrus
    Hotline Bling – Drake
    Don’t Stop Believing – Journey
    Livin’ On a Prayer – Bon Jovi
    Eenie Meenie – SeanKingston
    I Wanna Dance With Somebody – Whitney Houston
    September [Eric Kupper Remix] – Earth Wind & Fire
    The Climb – Miley Cyrus
    Gettin’ You Home – Chris Young
    Fight, Raiders, Fight – Texas Tech University Marching Band
    Respect – Aretha Franklin
    Best of My Love – The Emotions
    Wannabe – Spice Girls
    Poison – Bell Biv DeVoe
    Come On Eileen – Dexy’s Midnight Runner
    Mr. Brightside – The Killers
    All the Small Things – Blink-182
    Toxic – Britney Spears
    Tainted Love – Soft Cell
    I Want it That Way – The Backstreet Boys
    Medley: Summer Love / Set the Mood (Prelude) – Justin Timberlake
    Get Low [feat. Ying Yang Twins] – Lil Jon & The Eastside Boyz
    Yeah [feat. Lil Jon and Ludacris] – Usher
    Friends in Low Places – Garth Brooks

    Last Dance: Last Dance – Donna Summer

    And then it was time to send everyone out front for a sendoff that featured both handheld sparklers for each guest, and four of my cold sparkler machines. It was spectacular, and can be seen in the video linked above.

  • Ana & Noah’s Wedding 5-3-25

    Ana & Noah’s Wedding 5-3-25

    Ana and Noah

    Sometimes, when a client wants you, they really want you. Such was the case this weekend, when I was hired to perform at a wedding in Des Moines, Iowa. Yes, I’m normally an Austin wedding DJ, but this time I hit the road. I had a nice journey, stopping for a great chicken dinner and a good night’s sleep in Pittsburg, Kansas, and then spending a full day exploring Kansas City, Missouri, before bedding down again. But enough about my mini-road trip, let’s talk about Ana and Noah’s wedding!

    The wedding took place at the Des Moines Art Center, a museum that doubles as an event space. There’s a lovely outdoor fountain where we held the ceremony and cocktails before moving inside for dinner. For dancing, we went right back out to the fountain and enjoyed the perfect weather.

    The couple gave me some requests, but primarily trusted me to get people dancing. As long as they heard a lot of music from Two Door Cinema Club and The Strokes, everything would be good, so I made sure to include a solid amount from both bands in my set.

    Pre-Ceremony Music

    As guests arrived, the couple wanted them to hear a selection of songs from the game Animal Crossings, and so that’s what I played. 🙂

    Able Sisters
    9AM
    5PM
    The Roost
    Bubblegum K.K.
    Mystery Island Tour Evening
    Island Life Orientation
    6PM
    New Horizons Theme [strings]
    New Leaf
    Wild World
    New Horizons Theme [piano]

    Ceremony Music

    Bridal Party & Bride’s Processional: Concerning Hobbits – Howard Shore
    Couple’s Recessional: Taken – Hayley Williams

    Cocktail Music

    Cocktail hour was time for me to play lots of the couple’s favorites, which leaned heavily in the direction of indie rock and new wave music.

    She Blinded Me With Science – Thomas Dolby
    Always Like This – Bombay Bicycle Club
    Tongues – Joywave, KOPPS
    Welcome to Japan – The Strokes
    Something About Us – Saint Motel
    Meet Me At Our Spot – The Anxiety, Willow, Tyler Cole
    Everything In Its Right Place – Radiohead
    Call It Fate, Call It Karma – The Strokes
    On the Other Side – The Strokes
    Rocky’s Late Night – Albert Hammond Jr.
    Synthesize Her – TWRP
    Bad Decisions – Two Door Cinema Club
    Running Up That Hill – Kate Bush
    Head Over Heels – Tears for Fears
    Vertigo – Mini Mansions, Alex Turner
    Under Pressure – David Bowie & Queen
    Wake Up – Two Door Cinema Club
    Como te Extraño Mi Amor – Café Tacvba
    Sun – Two Door Cinema Club
    Kids – MGMT

    Couple’s Entrance: Lovesong – The Cure
    Cake Cutting: Lovin’ You – Minnie Riperton

    Dinner Music

    Sugar on the Rim – Hayley Williams
    Destruction – Joywave
    Red Light – The Strokes
    What You Know – Two Door Cinema Club
    Just Like Heaven – The Cure
    Crystal Clear – Hayley Williams
    Black Sheep – Metric
    Life On Mars? – David Bowie
    This Is Way – Paramore
    Cold Cold Man – Saint Motel
    W.I.F.I. – Wildermiss
    Lavender – Two Door Cinema Club
    Hard to Explain – The Strokes

    Dance Music

    And at last, the dancing!

    First Dance: Think About Things – Daði Freyr

    I don’t normally share videos of the dancing in these music recaps, but, with the couple’s permission, I’m sharing theirs. They did the “traditional” thing for about 30 seconds, then pivoted to something a little more interesting.

    It was a tough act to follow, but after that, it was time for open dancing, and I kept the dance floor full until the very end of the night. It was easy– the guests came to party!

    Dancing Queen – ABBA
    Burning Down the House – Talking Heads
    Espresso – Sabrina Carpenter
    Yeah [feat. Lil Jon and Ludacris] – Usher
    Take Me Out – Franz Ferdinand
    Jump Around – House of Pain
    Walk This Way – Run-D.M.C.
    Uptown Funk [feat. Bruno Mars] – Mark Ronson
    Ice Ice Baby – Vanilla Ice
    Don’t You Want Me – Human League
    We Are Family – Sister Sledge
    Good Luck, Babe – Chappell Roan
    Girls & Boys – Blur
    Talk – Two Door Cinema Club
    Hungry Like the Wolf – Duran Duran
    Cha Cha Slide – DJ Casper
    I Love It [feat. Charli XCX] – Icona Pop
    Pursuit of Happiness [Steve Aoki Remix] – Kid Cudi
    I Was Made For Lovin’ You – Kiss
    Low [feat. T-Pain] – Flo Rida
    Don’t Threaten Me With a Good Time – Panic! at the Disco
    Rock Lobster – The B-52’s
    Dancing With Myself – Billy Idol
    Take On Me – a-ha
    Hard to Explain – The Strokes
    I Write Sins Not Tragedies – Panic! at the Disco
    Sugar, We’re Going Down – Fall Out Boy
    Turn Down For What – DJ Snake & Lil Jon
    Beware of the Boys (Mundian to Bach Ke) – Panjabi MC
    Single Ladies (Put a Ring On It) – Beyoncé
    Party In the U.S.A. – Miley Cyrus
    …Baby One More Time – Britney Spears
    Hypnotize – Notorious B.I.G.
    Tequila – The Champs
    Mr. Brightside – The Killers
    All the Small Things – Blink-182
    Apt. [feat. Bruno Mars] – Rosé
    Hot to Go! – Chappell Roan
    Thunderstruck – AC/DC
    Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! (A Man After Midnight) – ABBA
    I Wanna Dance With Somebody – Whitney Houston
    Something Good Can Work – Two Door Cinema Club
    Psycho Killer – Talking Heads
    Just Can’t Get Enough – Depeche Mode
    Blue Monday – New Order
    Atomic – Blondie
    Friday I’m In Love – The Cure
    Rockstar – Nickelback
    Pink Pony Club – Chappell Roan
    Undercover Martyn – Two Door Cinema Club
    Hey Ya! – Outkast
    Shake It Off – Taylor Swift
    I Saw Her Standing There – The Beatles
    Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go – Wham
    Disturbia – Rihanna
    Fireball [feat. John Ryan] – Pitbull
    Forever – Chris Brown
    Love Story – Taylor Swift
    Don’t Stop Believing – Journey
    Livin’ On a Prayer – Bon Jovi
    Save Your Tears – The Weeknd
    SexyBack – Justin Timberlake
    Smells Like Teen Spirit – Nirvana
    Billie Jean – Michael Jackson

    Last Dance: Kiss From a Rose – Seal

    And the next morning, it was time to drive back to Texas. But not before about a dozen or more guests from the wedding, who were staying in the same hotel, stopped me to tell me how much they’d loved the music the night before. Many even called out specific songs that they appreciated hearing. It was very flattering, and it made me very happy knowing that everyone enjoyed the music that much.

    I’ve made it to Oklahoma! I’ll be back in Texas tomorrow!

  • Yini & Matt’s Wedding 3-29-25

    Yini & Matt’s Wedding 3-29-25

    Yini and Matt

    Yesterday, I DJ’ed Yini and Matt’s wedding at Ma Maison, a wonderful wedding venue just outside Austin, in Dripping Springs, Texas. The guests were an even split of Americans and Chinese, many of whom traveled from China to attend the wedding. I was warned ahead of time by Yini and Matt that the Chinese guests probably wouldn’t dance, but in the end, I managed to get some of them out on the floor.

    Pre-Ceremony Music

    For the pre-ceremony list, Matt, the groom, prepared some custom edits of songs by The Antlers, which he asked me to play as guests were seated, along with a song from Flight of the Conchords, which he described as a song it “might be fun to make everyone listen to.”

    Here’s the list of what was played.

    Strawflower – He Antlers
    Solstice – He Antlers
    Stubborn Man – He Antlers
    Equinox – He Antlers
    Porchlight – He Antlers
    It Is What It Is – He Antlers
    Pencils in the Wind – Flight of the Conchords

    Ceremony Music

    Matt also prepared custom edits of the songs the couple wanted me to for me to play during the ceremony, which were,

    Bridal Party Processional: Things That Hide Away – The Dear Hunter
    Bridal Processional: Adieu – Enter Shikari

    The couple asked me if I would mind Rock’rollling the guests during the recessional. Would I mind? Of course not! I encourage that sort of behavior! I even worked out with them what the officiant would say. He explained that Matt and Yini had an original song they’d created just for their wedding recessional, and to pay close attention. But of course, when the time came…

    Couple’s Recessional: Never Gonna Give You Up – Rick Astley

    Cocktail Music

    As is customary at a wedding, the guests moved over to the cocktail area to eat, drink, and mingle while the couple took pictures with the bridal party and family. 

    Dinner Music

    Rock With You – Michael Jackson
    Ain’t Nobody (Loves Me Better) – Felix Jaehn
    This Magic Moment – The Drifters
    Only Wanna Be With You – Hootie & The Blowfish
    Tell Me Something Good – Rufus and Chaka Khan
    Lovely Day – Bill Withers
    Genius of Love – Tom Tom Club
    Stand By Me – Ben E. King
    My Girl – The Temptations
    Get On the Good Foot – James Brown
    Baby I’m Yours – Arctic Monkeys
    Budapest – George Ezra
    Rebel Rebel – Seu Jorge
    You’ve Got the Love – Florence + The Machine
    Heartbeats – José González
    The Book of Love – Magnetic Fields
    Redbone – Childish Gambino
    Hey Jude – The Beatles
    I Don’t Like Mondays – The Boomtown Rats
    Good to Be Alive (Hallelujah) – Andy Grammer
    Wedding Song (There Is Love) – Noel Paul Stookey
    You’re the Voice – John Farnham

    Dance Music

    Couple’s First Dance: Dark Side of the Gym – The National
    Father Daughter Dance: Somewhere Over the Rainbow/ What a Wonderful World – Israel Kamakawiwo’ole
    Mother Son Dance: And the Birds Sing – Tyrone Wells
    Anniversary Dance: Unforgettable – Nat King Cole
    Cake Cutting:Love You Madly – Cake

    And then, it was an open dance floor for all the guests.

    Burning Down the House – Talking Heads
    All Star – Smash Mouth
    Dancing Queen – ABBA
    Neon Moon – Brooks & Dunn
    Who Let the Dogs Out – Baha Men
    Pepas – Farruko
    Low [feat. T-Pain] – Flo Rida
    Pursuit of Happiness [Steve Aoki Remix] – Kid Cudi
    I Love It [feat. Charli XCX] – Icona Pop
    Cotton Eyed Joe / Schottische – Isaac Payton Sweat
    Footloose – Kenny Loggins
    Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go – Wham
    Happy – Pharrell Williams
    Sugar, We’re Going Down – Fall Out Boy
    I’m a Believer – Smash Mouth
    Party In the U.S.A. – Miley Cyrus
    Oops I Did It Again – Britney Spears
    Hypnotize – Notorious B.I.G.
    Gold Digger [feat. Jamie Foxx] – Kanye West
    Thrift Shop [feat. Wanz] – Macklemore & Ryan Lewis
    Blame It on the Rain – Milli Vanilli
    I Want it That Way – The Backstreet Boys
    Espresso – Sabrina Carpenter
    This Is How We Do It – Montell Jordan
    Paper Rings – Taylor Swift
    Cha Cha Slide – DJ Casper
    I’m Too Sexy – Right Said Fred
    September – Earth Wind & Fire
    Tennessee Whiskey – Chris Stapleton
    Lover – Taylor Swift
    Until I Found You – Stephen Sanchez
    Jump in the Line – Harry Belafonte
    Uptown Funk [feat. Bruno Mars] – Mark Ronson
    Apache – Sugar Hill Gang
    Ice Ice Baby – Vanilla Ice
    Hooked on a Feeling – Blue Swede
    Apt. [feat. Bruno Mars] – Rosé
    Hot to Go! – Chappell Roan
    All the Small Things – Blink-182
    Mr. Brightside – The Killers
    Toxic – Britney Spears
    Tainted Love – Soft Cell
    Where You Are [feat. Hayla] – John Summit
    I Gotta Feeling – The Black Eyed Peas
    A Changed Man – Absence of Anchors
    Take On Me – a-ha

  • Do You Take Requests?

    Do You Take Requests?

    One of the questions most commonly asked during consultations with clients in my role as an Austin wedding DJ is, do I take requests from the audience? And if so, do I always play the songs they want to hear?

    Yes, I take requests!

    I believe that the single-most important skill for a DJ to have is the ability to read a room, and there is no better tool for finding out what your audience wants to hear than via requests. Guests will literally walk up and tell you what they want to hear. There’s no better way to discover what music your audience wants to dance to than to have them tell you directly what that is.

    Blue Moon Beats Austin Wedding DJs Play Requests

    Of course, I have to be judicious when deciding which requests to play, but the same can be said about choosing tracks in general. If the crowd is getting down to ’90s hip hop, I can’t toss any rap track from the ’90s into the mix willy nilly. There are hundreds of great ’90s hip hop songs, and I have to choose the one I think is the absolute best choice at that moment. Likewise I can’t play any and all requests. Knowing which requests to play and which to ignore is part of my skill set. When a request does fit the moment and is appropriate for the event, it gets played.

    Sometimes, a guest will ask me to play a great song, but it’s not the right song for that moment, or even for that event. “Stairway to Heaven” is a great song, and some will argue it’s the greatest rock song ever written, but it’s rarely appropriate for a dance floor. On the other hand, plenty of Cardi B’s songs are great for dancing, but aren’t appropriate for all groups.

    I also have to keep time constraints in mind. If 15 guests have made requests, and every one of them is perfect for the moment, but I only have time to play 10 more songs before the event ends, well… sadly, at least 5 people aren’t going to hear their request.

    My Advice to Other DJs

    Not all DJs agree with me about requests. Many openly state that they refuse to play any requests. They’re the experts, they say, and they know best. Dancers will take what they get, and like it. Those DJs can gripe and moan about requests until they are blue in the face, but my honest opinion is that they need to look at the bigger picture. Unless you are legitimately at the star level, and people are showing up to hear whatever you decide to play, you need to put your crowd’s needs first, and that means playing requests.

    You may want to be the DJ who plays nothing but awesome, obscure new songs that no one but you knows, in hopes of turning people on to your favorite bands, and having those people look up to you as their top tastemaker, but reality is seldom like that. 99.99% of party guests only want to hear “their jam.” Most of the time, you can play that jam without being told what it is, because most people’s jam is everyone else’s jam at any given time. You play the top 10 songs of the moment and you’ve got it covered. But when someone comes up to let you know that their jam is something else, your job is to play it if it’s appropriate.

    Often, a group of friends have a special connection to a song, but you won’t know that until they tell you. Once you do know, it becomes a powerful weapon in your DJ arsenal, and in conjunction with your advanced crowd-reading skills, you can determine the exact right moment in which to drop that song. The result? Instant dance floor pandemonium. And isn’t that the goal? Of course it is! That’s how I take my DJ game to the next level, and you can, too!

  • How to D.I.Y. Your Wedding DJ Music

    How to D.I.Y. Your Wedding DJ Music

    You can’t.

    I’m sorry if that’s not the answer you were expecting, but trust me, it can’t be done. Sure, you can create a Spotify playlist full of your favorite songs, and you can even create separate playlists for each stage of the wedding, but there are too many intangibles in play, and too many unpredictable circumstances that will crop up, for any D.I.Y. wedding music plan to ever have a chance to succeed.

    Can you DIY Your Wedding DJ?

    You probably won’t ruin your wedding if you forego a DJ and create your own playlists, but you are absolutely going to have a lackluster affair. At best, you’ll achieve half the amount of fun that was potentially possible, and at worst you’ll kill the party before it even starts.

    How Do I Save Money on My Wedding?

    You are better served to D.I.Y. just about any other aspect of your wedding than the music. A potluck dinner in lieu of a caterer will be less detrimental to your event’s overall success than will be relying on playlists. You’d be better off nixing the videographer and asking guests to take short videos throughout the evening for you to edit together into a document of the day.

    If you honestly evaluate a typical wedding, you’ll find that the ceremony and the party after dinner are the two elements that really matter. Everything in between is secondary, as the primary focus for everyone between “I do” and “let’s dance” is socializing. Family members are catching up with one another, as people who may not have seen one another in 20 years reconnect. While some people talk with old friends, other people are making new friends.

    Cocktails, flowers, dinner, cake, and the rest provide for a festive, traditional backdrop to this, but that’s what it is, a backdrop. It’s what happens after dinner ends, and the lights go down and the dance music starts, that dictates whether this will be a night your guests remember forever, or “just another wedding.”

    What Do the Numbers Say?

    Let’s look at some hard data. The following numbers are aggregated from over two dozen surveys of brides and their guests, conducted by a number of wedding websites and publications.

    • 63% of wedding guests do not remember what was served for dinner, but do remember the entertainment.

    • 81% of wedding guests say the thing they remember most about a wedding was the entertainment.

    • 72% of over 5,000 brides surveyed after their wedding say they wish they had spent more time planning the entertainment.

    • 98% say if they could go back, they would allocate more of their budget to the entertainment.

    You did not read that wrong. 98% of over 5,000 brides surveyed said that they while they would not have spent any more money on their wedding, they wish that more of what they did spend went to the entertainment, and less went to everything else.

    Don’t Forget, It’s a Party

    The DJ and the MC make or break a wedding. The entertainment is what turns an ordinary event into a fun party, and it’s what most guests remember years later. Unless you bring in a Michelin Star chef to craft a legendary menu for your guests, nearly no one is going to remember what they ate at your wedding. Neither will they remember what color the flowers were, or the cute decor you placed on the table with the guestbook. But they will remember the wedding where everyone danced and sang together until last call, or the wedding where the groom crowd-surfed over their head, or the wedding where even the oldest guest was on the dance floor, walker in hand, busting a move. They’ll also remember the boring wedding where everyone left early because the entertainment was ill-conceived, i.e. a Spotify playlist.

    Sad young woman sitting at dining table during birthday party, friends dancing behind her

    How Bad Can It REALLY Be to D.I.Y. My DJ?

    Let’s examine some of the drawbacks of taking a D.I.Y. approach to your wedding entertainment.

    1. The Drunken Takeover

    Invariably, someone, probably someone drunk, and almost certainly someone with questionable taste in music, will at some point decide they know exactly what everyone wants to hear, and they’ll head over and, right in the middle of a song, switch to the song they think will take things to another level, but will, in fact, kill the vibe. At that point, another guest will come over and chastise them. “No, no, Oswald, that’s not what we want to hear!” And on will come an even worse song. At that point, it becomes a free-for-all, as others come up to change the song, and guests will head for the door.

    2. No Mixing = No Dancing

    Don’t underestimate the need for a DJ who can mix songs together. You and your guests don’t want to hear all 5 minutes of a given song. Sometimes you want just a couple verses, other times you want the full song. And when the song ends, you don’t want to wait for it to fade out, and for another song to fade in. You also need the tempo to remain consistent. If this all sounds technical, well, it is. But it’s also incredibly important! The best DJs mix in a way that keeps a steady groove going, and they blend seamlessly from one song to another. This is what keeps people on the dance floor, and how a great DJ builds the energy in the room. Spotify can’t do this. Nothing can, except an actual DJ.

    3. Spotify Can’t Read the Room

    A DJ can read the room. A playlist can’t. You can line up 20 great dance songs in a row only to have them fall flat when you press play, because your guests were in the mood for 20 different great dance songs. There’s no way to anticipate this in advance. The only way to successfully play for a group of people, especially a group as diverse as what one finds at a wedding, is by reading the crowd, and choosing the next song while the current song plays, based on what is happening live, in that moment.

    4. Great DJs Take (Some) Requests

    What’s the best way to read the room? Listen to what the guests are saying. Great DJs take requests. The best possible way to decide what to play next is to play what someone just asked you to play. This of course involves using judgement, as a DJ isn’t a jukebox, and playing any and every request willy nilly won’t work. But a professional DJ knows when a request is valid, and when it isn’t. You’re playing “Uptown Funk” and someone wants to hear Daft Punk? Yeah, that’s probably going to work. “Play some Jello Biafra next!” Yeah, probably not. Or maybe yes? Read the room!

    5. The MC Factor

    When is a DJ not a DJ? When he’s an MC. That’s right, your DJ is also the voice that guides your guests through the day. He lets them know when it’s time to sit down, move from one area to another, or hit the buffet. He’ll introduce you into the reception hall, bring you onto the dance floor for your first dance, and invite your father to give a toast. Most of all, he’ll adjust on the fly to all the myriad things that can, and will, go wrong on your wedding day, and make sure it all happens behind the scenes, and that no one notices anything.

    But MY Friends are FUN!

    I’m sure they are, but the bottom line is that for every wedding there is a minimum and maximum level of potential fun, which is based on the attitudes and preferences of the guests. Some groups are outgoing, dancing, party types, while others are more of a low-key mingling bunch. Both groups can have fun, but neither will have the maximum amount of fun possible without a live human DJ and MC there to make it happen.

    Resist the temptation, and don’t try to D.I.Y. your wedding music. You only have one chance to get it right!

  • 8 Questions to Ask Before Hiring a DJ

    8 Questions to Ask Before Hiring a DJ

    I’ve seen variations on this post before, and want to offer my own take on the topic of what questions to ask a DJ during the hiring process. I’ve been an Austin wedding DJ for many years, and the DJ for at least 1,000 weddings by now, and I’m happy to share some insights I’ve picked up along the way.

    Many of the articles I’ve seen were written some time ago, and as the wants and needs of brides, and anyone else looking for a DJ, have changed drastically in recent years, I think the discussion is in need of an update. Many other articles on the topic are laughably bad, including one very popular list of 33 questions that exists solely as SEO fodder for the site hosting it, and is nearly useless as a DJ vetting tool.

    Questions to Ask a DJ Before Hiring

    If you are about to hire a DJ, or even if you already have hired one, you don’t need to subject anyone to a 33-question barrage that will end up telling you nothing substantial, and probably overwhelm you and the DJ. Instead, here are 8 key questions that you can use to ascertain if the DJ in question is right for you from a standpoint of professionalism and skill. Once you’ve determined which DJs pass muster in those important ways, you can make your final choice based on the music, vibe, or aesthetic of the remaining candidates.

    So, here are 8 questions to ask that will help you separate the pros from the amateurs, and make sure your choice of entertainment doesn’t end up ruining your special day!

    1. Do you know how to mix music?

    This didn’t used to be as important as it is now, but in 2024 and beyond, a DJ who can’t mix is about as useful to a party as a rotary phone is to updating your social media accounts. Audiences have grown savvy about what DJs can do, and a DJ who still fades out of one song and into another is going to lose the dance floor. If you want a fun, vibrant party at your wedding, it’s an absolute must that your DJ can beatmatch and phrase correctly. Don’t just take his word for it, either. If a DJ tells you he knows how to mix, ask for a sample mix to verify this. There is no more surefire way to kill a party early than to have a DJ behind the decks who can’t properly transition between two songs.

    2. Are you insured?

    Another must-have is insurance. Most venues require it, and those don’t, should. You hope nothing will go wrong at your wedding or party, just as you hope you’ll never crash when you drive, but there’s a reason we are required to have auto insurance: accidents happen. If something bad does happen, and one of your guests is injured, or anything else unfortunate takes place, and it’s due to the DJ or his equipment, you need to know his insurance company will handle it. You don’t want to be left holding the bill if a speaker topples onto someone’s head, but in today’s litigious world, that’s a very real possibility.

    3. Do you bring backup equipment?

    When I perform, I bring at least one backup for every single piece of equipment, from speakers and computers down the last cable and adaptor, and every other self-respecting, professional DJ should, too. Make sure your DJ does. Ask him what gear he brings, and what his plan is if any given piece fails. You don’t want to end your wedding 3 hours early because he blew out a speaker, and you certainly don’t want to stop halfway down the aisle and wait for him to call tech support to find out why his laptop froze. Your DJ needs to have a plan in place to immediately pivot from any single piece of gear he uses.

    4. Are you willing to play the music we want?

    Every DJ should say yes to this, but many won’t! And some will say yes, and then proceed to explain to you why you should let him play what he wants, because he knows best. Run away! Your DJ definitely needs to know how to read the room, and choose songs in the moment that will build energy on the dance floor, and keep guests happy, but there is no one way to do that. If you want to hear all the wedding favorites, by all means let him know that. There’s nothing wrong with dancing to “Y.M.C.A.,” “September,” “Celebration,” and all those great songs. But, if you want to avoid the overplayed songs, that’s your decision. A great DJ can fill a dance floor, and keep it packed, without playing any of the cliche wedding jams. You should let him know the styles of music you like, 4 or 5 absolute must-play dance tracks, and as many do-not-play songs as you want, and then let him take it from there.

    5. Will you play our guests’ requests?

    What’s the best way for a DJ to read the room? Listening to guests’ requests! That makes his job easy. Instead of scanning the room and trying to determine what song is going to work well, someone is telling him the exact song to play. You can’t get better intel than that. And yet, many DJs are angered by requests. You should see the posts in the DJ-only forums! I laugh them off, and shake my head, wondering how such DJs stay in business, because honestly, requests are the absolute best way to determine what to play. That doesn’t mean you want your DJ to play every song every person asks for. He still has to use his judgement! If someone insists that the full 17-minute version of “In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida” is the perfect song to play next, yeah, the DJ needs to know to politely decline that one. Maybe don’t play every request for Jello Biafra or Slayer– or maybe you should? Read the room! But don’t ignore requests!

    6. Will you be there at least 2 hours before the event begins?

    Your DJ should give himself ample time to park, load his gear in, set up, change his clothes, do a sound check, and do whatever else is needed, with a big time cushion to spare. If he gets a flat tire en route, or his equipment doesn’t work and he needs to troubleshoot and rewire things, you don’t want to delay your wedding to accommodate for it. He should build that time into his schedule. I am nearly always completely set and ready to go about an hour before the first guest is scheduled to arrive, and your DJ should be, too.

    7. Are you an experienced MC?

    A DJ isn’t only a DJ, he’s also an MC. If a potential DJ is shy about speaking on a microphone, keep looking. You need someone who is not only confident on the mic, but someone who is charismatic and in control. He has to guide your guests through an entire day’s worth of events. He has to be able to think on his feet, too. I can’t tell you the number of times I’ve been told by a planner to “make such-and-such announcement now,” only to have that same planner whisper to me as I’m in the middle of announcing it “we weren’t ready after all– we need 60 seconds!” Suddenly I have to improvise! I can do it, and whoever you hire as your DJ should be able to do the same.

    8. Will YOU be our DJ, or will it be someone else?

    It makes sense to hire a company that has more than one DJ, as it provides a good backup plan in case your DJ of choice is sick or otherwise unavailable on the big day. Obviously, you don’t want to have someone else show up, but better someone than no one, right? That said, you should make sure that the DJ you speak with is the actual DJ who will be scheduled as your DJ, and not the company owner, or worse, a middleman. You have no idea how often I get a call on a Thursday or Friday from a desperate middleman who booked weddings that he had no DJs to cover, and is scrambling to find a warm body to place behind a console. I think sometimes they end up sending a friend or relative with no DJ experience whatsoever, and hope for the best. Don’t fall into that trap! Make sure you speak with your DJ, and that he or she is named in your contract. What’s the point of finding a DJ who gave the correct answers to all 7 questions above if you’re going to end up getting some other mystery DJ you don’t know?

    And there you have it. Eight easy questions to ask potential DJs to help you verify that they are professional, skilled, and ready to handle the biggest job of their lives: your wedding!

  • Demand Factor Dinner 11-4-24

    Demand Factor Dinner 11-4-24

    Though I’m better known for being an Austin wedding DJ, I also DJ corporate events, too. Last night I DJ’ed a dinner event for a just such a client. That’s right, a rare Monday night DJ gig! It was held at the Archer Hotel in Austin, a great spot near The Domain. This was my first time at the Archer, and I hope it won’t be my last. It’s a wonderful spot for a dinner or cocktail gathering, with a nice outdoor patio with a big fire pit that is directly adjacent to a dinning room with large sliding doors that open it out into the patio.

    The Archer Hotel Austin is a great place for a corporate event.

    The event was mostly for mingling and dining, but by the end we got a little bit of dancing going. I only played for a 2 hour block of time, but I suspect had we kept going, more people would have joined the dance floor.

    One song I played may not be recognizable. Towards the end of the event a woman asked if I could play her son’s track, which is on Spotify, and I happily obliged. I don’t know if Paul Jesse will ever blow up and be a household name like Taylor Swift or Bruno Mars, but if he does, I can tell everyone I was playing his music before it was cool! It’s a pretty good track, too. Maybe give it a listen and let me know what you think, in the comments below.

    One other fun thing– I played the Mike Flowers Pops version of Wonderwall that was all the rage in the ’90s, and a bit later a guest said she loved the jazz version of Oasis and wondered if I had anything similar. Of course I do! Paul Anka’s cover of Nirvana coming right up!

    Here’s the entire set, in order, as always!

    Cloud – Surfaces
    Hypnotica – COIN
    I Can’t Help But Feel – Surfaces
    I’m In Love With You – The 1975
    Cold Heart [PNAU Remix] – Elton John and Dua Lipa
    Beam Me Up [Jacques Renault Remix] – Midnight Magic
    Another Brick – Sharp Soul
    Controller – Channel Tres
    Groove Is In The Heart [The Reflex Bootsy Q tip Revision] – Deee-Lite
    Our Lips Are Sealed [Peza Mix] – Fun Boy Three
    Feels Real [Extended Dance Version] – Shit Robot
    Get Lucky [feat. Pharrell Williams] – Daft Punk
    Kinky Afro – Happy Mondays
    Crystal Frontier [Widescreen Version] – Calexico
    Wonderwall – Mike Flowers Pops
    Take Five – Jazzkantine
    Mané João – Wanderléa
    Where It’s At – Beck
    Sure Thing – St. Germain
    Boom – X Ambassadors
    Espresso – Sabrina Carpenter
    Dance Wiv Me – Dizzee Rascal
    Eye of the Tiger – Big Daddy
    Grapejuice – Harry Styles
    Sunflower [feat. Swae Lee] – Post Malone
    Neva Stop Diggin’ [feat. Phil Most Chill] – Paul Nice
    Midnight Theme [Kenny Dope Rework] – Manzel
    Superstition [Todd Terje Edit] – Stevie Wonder
    Smells Like Teen Spirit – Paul Anka
    Come Out and Play – Richard Cheese
    Evan Finds the Third Room – Khruangbin
    Like Sugar – Chaka Khan
    Careless Whisper [The Polish Ambassador Remix] – George Michael
    Love Talking (Honey It’s You) [Tony Soprano 2020 Rework] – Tatsuro Yamashita
    Another One Bites The Dust [La Royale Edit] – Queen
    When U Wanna Come [LNTG Says Relax] – Frankie Goes to Hollywood
    The NeverEnding Story – Limahl
    September [Eric Kupper Remix] – Earth Wind & Fire
    Don’t Stop the Music – Rihanna
    Livin’ On a Prayer – Bon Jovi
    I Love It [feat. Charli XCX] – Icona Pop
    Just Can’t Get Enough – Depeche Mode
    You Spin Me ‘Round (Like a Record) – Dead Or Alive
    Low [feat. T-Pain] – Flo Rida
    Pursuit of Happiness [Steve Aoki Remix] – Kid Cudi
    I Was Made For Lovin’ You – Kiss
    Shots [feat. Lil Jon] – LMFAO
    Sweet Escape [Original Club Mix] [feat. Sirena] – Alesso
    Your Sunshine [feat. Hannah Davis] – Paul Jesse & Deegan Poores
    Feel It Still – Portugal. The Man
    I Gotta Feeling – The Black Eyed Peas
    Moves Like Jagger [feat. Christina Aguilera] – Maroon 5
    Calling (Lose My Mind) [feat. Ryan Tedder] – Sebastian Ingrosso and Alesso
    We Found Love [feat. Calvin Harris] – Rihanna

  • Alyssa & Alex’s Wedding 11-2-24

    Alyssa & Alex’s Wedding 11-2-24

    I was back at Camp Lucy yesterday. I just DJ’ed a wedding there last month, and another in May, making this my third appearance there this year. As always, it was a great time. I started the day by providing microphones for the ceremony in Ian’s Chapel, while music was provided by a string duet from Terra Vista Strings. Everything went off without a hitch, and the ceremony was lovely.

    The string duet relocated and played during cocktail hour, which gave me a little downtime. That’s always a nice thing, and it gave me time to break down the ceremony system and pack it away in the van before it was time to fire up the dinner tunes.

    The interior of the reception hall looked fabulous last night. A lot of time and care went into preparing it, and the end results were well worth it. One of the things I love about the hall behind Ian’s Chapel is how transformable it is. Every time I’m there it looks different, and always elegant. Last night I played in an alcove in front of a green draping that not only made me look better, but gave me a place to tuck my gear bags out of sight. One less trip to the van? Yes! The candlelit room, accentuated by my uplighting, was mesmerizing, and the entire affair looked like it was taking place in a medieval castle. It was certainly a memorable night for the guests, and one I helped make more memorable with my musical selections, which I’ve listed below.

    Dinner Music

    Classic – MKTO
    And the Beat Goes On – The Whispers
    Higher Love – Steve Winwood
    My Girl – The Temptations
    My Cherie Amour – Stevie Wonder
    Tell Me Something Good – Rufus and Chaka Khan

    Couple’s Introduction: Try a Little Tenderness – Otis Redding

    My Eyes Adored You – Frankie Valli
    Mykonos – Fleet Foxes
    Cherry Wine – Hozier
    I’m Gonna Crawl – Led Zeppelin
    I Want to Hold Your Hand – The Beatles
    One Of These Nights – The Eagles
    Your Song – Elton John
    Danny’s Song – Loggins & Messina
    Work Song – Hozier
    Too Sweet – Hozier
    All My Love – Noah Kahan
    Where We’re Going – James & the Shame
    Rhythm of the Night – DeBarge
    Somebody to Love – Queen
    Turn – Travis
    Total Eclipse of the Heart – Bonnie Tyler

    Cake Cutting: When I’m Sixty-Four – The Beatles

    Dance Music

    First Dance: I, Carrion (Icarian) – Hozier
    Dances with Parents: Landslide – Fleetwood Mac

    Are You Gonna Be My Girl – Jet
    Party In the U.S.A. – Miley Cyrus
    Neon Moon – Brooks & Dunn
    Dancing Queen – ABBA
    Tubthumping – Chumba Wumba
    Come On Eileen – Dexy’s Midnight Runner
    Electric Love – BØRNS
    Like a Virgin – Madonna
    Stacy’s Mom – Fountains of Wayne
    Dont Stop Me Now – Queen
    I’ve Got My Mind Set On You – George Harrison
    All the Small Things – Blink-182
    Brown Eyed Girl – Van Morrison
    Blister in the Sun – Violent Femmes
    I’ll Be There For You – Rembrandts
    Tennessee Whiskey – Chris Stapleton
    Copperhead Road – Steve Earle
    Take Me Home, Country Roads – John Denver
    Friends in Low Places – Garth Brooks
    Boot Scootin’ Boogie – Brooks and Dunn

    Bouquet Toss: Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! (A Man After Midnight) – ABBA

    Sweet Caroline (Good Times Never Seemed So Good) – Neil Diamond
    Cha Cha Slide – DJ Casper
    Don’t Stop Believing – Journey
    Livin’ On a Prayer – Bon Jovi
    Suavemente – Elvis Crespo
    Wobble Baby – V.I.C.
    Hypnotize – Notorious B.I.G.
    …Baby One More Time – Britney Spears
    Gold Digger [feat. Jamie Foxx] – Kanye West
    Thrift Shop [feat. Wanz] – Macklemore & Ryan Lewis
    Back That Azz Up – Juvenile
    Hot to Go! – Chappell Roan
    You Really Got Me – The Kinks
    I Love It [feat. Charli XCX] – Icona Pop
    Pink Pony Club – Chappell Roan
    Elephant Love Medley – Ewan McGregor, Nicole Kidman, and Jamie Allen
    I Want to Know What Love Is – Foreigner
    Rag Doll – Aerosmith
    Where It’s At – Beck
    The Greatest Show – Hugh Jackman, Zac Efron, Keala Settle, and Zendaya
    Can’t Take My Eyes Off of You – Frankie Valli
    Piano Man – Billy Joel

    Private Last Dance: Something – The Beatles

    As ever, I like to remind anyone who reads this that I’m both an Austin wedding DJ and a party DJ, too. I DJ corporate parties, birthdays, and all manner of special events. If you need a DJ for your next party, please contact me.