Tag: Fun DJ Austin

  • 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

  • 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!

  • 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.

  • Jordan & AJ’s Wedding 10-27-24

    Jordan & AJ’s Wedding 10-27-24

    I love playing for couples like Jordan and AJ. They wanted to hear their own flavors of music, and they wanted me to avoid the overplayed wedding hits once dancing started, but they also understood that my job is to make people dance, and they gave me the freedom to do just that. Another plus is that they happened to want to hear music that I enjoy– Lo-Fi electronic music, indie rap, and country, with some classics mixed in, and they didn’t mind if there wasn’t a radio-friendly version. It was about the vibe and the music. I’d have probably listened to the same songs had I not been working yesterday!

    Yesterday’s wedding took place at the Sunset Cliff Resort on Lake Travis. It’s a beautiful spot, with a large lawn that overlooks the lake. It has everything needed for a gorgeous outdoor wedding. It’s great for a DJ, as you can pull in and load right where you’ll play, and one setup covers the ceremony, cocktails, dinner and dancing. Truly an all-in-one location!

    Sunset Cliff Resort Lake Travis

    The entire day was a relaxed, low-key affair. There was no timeline, no planner, nothing but me and a big group of the couple’s family and friends. Everyone was pleasant, and everyone seemed to be enjoying the music at all times. During cocktails, I saw a couple of the older guests get up and dance by their seats when I put on Mac Miller, and I knew I was in the right place.

    When it finally came time to officially start dancing, people were ready. I’d seen many of them dancing in place during cocktails and dinner, and everyone was ready to go, so when “Neon Moon” came on, the dance floor filled up more or less instantly. It stayed full for the duration of the dancing, which only lasted for an hour. I’d have gladly played on, but I was told they had a hard stop. I was able to sneak in one extra song, so I let the country roads take everyone home.

    Here are the songs I played. And no, it’s not a typo. I played “Ain’t No Love in Oklahoma” twice in a row. As the song was winding down, someone came running from the dance floor and said the groom wants to know if I can play the song again as soon as it’s over. You bet I can! You should have seen the groom launch himself in the air when it came on again!

    Pre-Ceremony Music

    January – Verzache
    Chasing parties – Sasha Alex Sloan
    The Few Things – JP Saxe
    No Less [feat. SG Lewis & Louis Mattrs] – G-Eazy
    Crazy Girl – Eli Young Band
    Islands – The xx
    Foreign [feat. Atlas] – Sam Gouthro
    Happy Anywhere [feat. Gwen Stefani] – Blake Shelton
    You Make It Easy – Jason Aldean
    Love Song – Miranda Lambert
    Crashing Into You – Vance Joy
    Being In Love With You – Tomppabeats

    Ceremony Music

    Bride’s Walk: Missing Piece [acoustic] – Vance Joy
    Couple’s Recessional: Dreams – The Cranberries

    Cocktail Music

    Beautiful – Bazzi
    Better Together – Jack Johnson
    Bittersweet – Louis the Child
    Backyard Boy – Claire Rosinkranz
    Are You Gonna Kiss Me or Not – Thompson Square
    The Joker – Steve Miller Band
    All Night [feat. Knox Fortune] – Chance the Rapper
    Pursuit of Happiness (Megaforce Version) [feat. MGMT & Ratatat] – Kid Cudi
    The Best Is Yet to Come [feat. Count Basie] – Frank Sinatra
    La Vie en Rose – Louis Armstrong
    Good Directions – Billy Currington
    Out of My League – Fitz and the Tantrums
    Wow. – Post Malone
    Bad 4 U [feat. Gnash] – Imad Royal
    BDE Bonus – Mac Miller
    All That Talk – mike.
    Beautiful Crazy – Luke Combs
    Meet in the Middle – Diamond Rio
    Best I Ever Had – Drake
    Good Morning – Max Frost
    Black Dog – Led Zeppelin
    It Must Be Love – Alan Jackson
    Blue Skies – Willie Nelson
    Can’t Help Falling in Love – Jess and Gabriel
    Shake Something [feat. Joey Purp] – Louis the Child
    Calabasas – Skizzy Mars
    Donald Trump – Mac Miller
    Lalala [feat. BBNO$] – Y2K
    Big Love [feat. Earthgang & MNDR] – Louis the Child
    Dust on the Bottle – David Lee Murphy
    Caroline – Animé

    Dinner Music

    Scarlet Begonias – Sublime
    6’s to 9’s [feat. Rationale] – Big Wild
    Better Not [feat. Wafia] – Louis the Child
    No Problem – Chance the Rapper
    Pretty Little Poison – Warren Zeiders
    You Are My Sunshine – Zach Bryan
    Venice Venture – Big Wild
    Time [feat. G-Eazy & Olivver the Kid] – Skizzy Mars
    Awaken – Big Wild
    Slow Down Love [feat. Chelsea Cutler] – Louis the Child
    Drunk (And I Don’t Wanna Go Home) – Elle King and Miranda Lambert
    Good Time – Niko Moon
    Do You There – Skizzy Mars
    Favorite Song [feat. Childish Gambino] – Chance The Rapper
    Yo Love [feat. 6lack & Mereba] – Vince Staples
    World On Fire [feat. Ashe] – Louis the Child
    What I Got – Sublime
    Stuntman – Tyler the Creator
    When I’m Down – Whethan
    Spice Girl – Aminé
    XOXO – Cherub
    Ghost – Jack Harlow
    Big Fish – Vince Staples
    Blue World – Mac Miller
    Boondocks – Little Big Town
    By the Way – Red Hot Chili Peppers
    Top of the World – Tim McGraw
    Red Solo Cup – Toby Keith
    Joy of My Life – Chris Stapleton
    Can’t Hide [feat. Ashe] – Whethan
    Can’t Tell Me Nothing – Kanye West
    Congratulations [feat. Quavo] – Post Malone

    Dance Music

    First Dance: All Your’n – Tyler Childers

    Neon Moon – Brooks & Dunn
    Jack and Diane – John Cougar Mellencamp
    Lovin’ On Me – Jack Harlow
    Edamame – BBNO$
    Can’t Feel My Face – The Weeknd
    Holla Back Girl – Gwen Stefani
    Theme From New York, New York – Frank Sinatra
    Ain’t No Love In Oklahoma – Luke Combs
    Ain’t No Love In Oklahoma – Luke Combs
    Truck Bed – Hardy
    Fergalicious – Fergie
    Last Friday Night (T.G.I.F.) – Katy Perry
    TiK ToK – Ke$ha
    (You Gotta) Fight For Your Right (To Party!) – Beastie Boys
    All the Small Things – Blink-182
    Blister in the Sun – Violent Femmes
    Friends in Low Places – Garth Brooks
    Gold Digger [feat. Jamie Foxx] – Kanye West
    Party In the U.S.A. – Miley Cyrus
    Take Me Home, Country Roads – John Denver

    As usual, I want to to remind everyone 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.

  • Katie & Daniel’s Wedding 10-26-24

    Katie & Daniel’s Wedding 10-26-24

    Yesterday’s wedding got off to a rough start, but only because I arrived to find there were two flights of stairs between me and where I had to set up. I didn’t know this ahead of time, because I was white-labeling for another company, and I guess they didn’t think to ask about stairs, and I didn’t think to check for myself ahead of time. I’ve only myself to blame! Nonetheless, I always give myself a huge time cushion, so I had everything inside and was completely set and ready to go an hour before my scheduled start time.

    Stairs aside, the Quince Lakehouse is a terrific wedding venue, and one I hope to back at soon, albeit with a roadie next time! It sits right over the Colorado River, and offers a stunning view of the water.

    From there, the evening went beautifully. I had the chance to play with a saxophone accompaniment for part of the night. I’ve worked in the past with Colin Houlihan, so when I learned he was going to be playing along with me, I was happy. He’s great, and easy to work with. Best of all, crowds love him, which means the love me by extension! In all, it always makes for a fun night when I get to play alongside any musician, but especially someone I’ve worked well with in the past.

    I felt very in tune with the crowd all night, as if I were always just a half step ahead of where they wanted to go, and I was able to lead them on a fun musical journey. Perhaps the best example of that came when a guest came up and asked if I could play “Fernando” by ABBA sometime soon. As she said that, I was in the act of pressing play on the song I had cued up: “Fernando” by ABBA. She was shocked, to say the least, and joined the screaming guests on the dance floor to sing along with the song.

    Cocktail Music

    Known for Loving You – Cody Johnson
    How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved by You) – James Taylor
    Better Together – Jack Johnson
    It’s Your Thing – The Isley Brothers
    Big Iron – Marty Robbins
    I Got You Babe – Sonny and Cher
    All Over Again – Johnny Cash
    So Doggone Lonesome – Johnny Cash and the Tennessee Two
    L-O-V-E – Nat King Cole
    I Love You for Sentimental Reasons – Linda Ronstadt
    (Sittin’ On) The Dock of the Bay – Otis Redding
    Orange Colored Sky – Nat King Cole
    Blue Moon – Frank Sinatra
    Soulful Strut – Young-Holt Unlimited
    In the Mood – Glenn Miller Orchestra
    Southern Nights – Glen Campbell
    Build Me Up Buttercup – The Foundations
    Country Roads – John Denver
    Bennie and the Jets Elton John
    Beyond the Sea – Bobby Darin
    Only You – The Platters
    Islands in the Stream – Dolly Parton and Kenny Rogers
    For Once In My Life – Stevie Wonder
    Take It Easy – The Eagles

    First Dance: La Vie En Rose – Louis Armstrong

    Dinner Music

    How Much I Feel – Ambrosia
    What a Fool Believes – The Doobie Brothers
    Dani California – Red Hot Chili Peppers
    Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic – The Police
    She Like the Beatles – William Clark Green
    Dust in the Wind – Kansas
    Dance With Me – Orleans
    A Life Where We Work Out [feat. Kaitlin Butts] – Flatland Cavalry
    Memory Lane – Old Dominion
    All I See Is You – Shane Smith & the Saints
    Cold Beer Conversation – George Strait
    Starting Over – Chris Stapleton
    Traveller – Chris Stapleton
    I’ll Be Over You – Toto

    DJ + Saxophonist – Dinner Set

    Say My Name – Destiny’s Child
    Come and Talk to Me – Jodeci
    Waterfalls – TLC
    No Diggity [feat. Dr. Dre] – Blackstreet
    Can’t Take My Eyes Off of You – Lauryn Hill
    Ms. Fat Booty – Mos Def
    Nastradamus – Nas
    Candy Rain [Heavy D & Trackmasterz Mix] – Soul 4 Real
    Return of the Mack – Mark Morrison
    Girl You Know It’s True – Milli Vanilli
    (She’s Got) Skillz – All-4-One
    Too Close – Next
    Fantasy – Mariah Carey
    This Is How We Do It – Montell Jordan
    Dangerous [remix] – Busta Rhymes

    Dance Music

    Mother/Son Dance: Can She Have This Dance – Drew Baldridge

    Great Balls of Fire [live] – Miles Teller
    Old Time Rock & Roll – Bob Seger and The Silver Bullet Band
    Celebration – Kool & The Gang
    September – Earth Wind & Fire
    I Love It [feat. Charli XCX] – Icona Pop
    Fireball [feat. John Ryan] – Pitbull
    Super Bass – Nicki Minaj
    Pursuit of Happiness [Steve Aoki Remix] – Kid Cudi
    Fernando – ABBA

    Anniversary Dance: Just The Way You Are – Billy Joel

    Dancing Queen – ABBA
    Stayin’ Alive – Bee Gees
    Higher Love [feat. Whitney Houston] – Kygo
    Gettin’ Jiggy With It – Will Smith
    Yeah [feat. Lil Jon and Ludacris] – Usher
    Lovin’ On Me – Jack Harlow
    Copperhead Road – Steve Earle
    A Bar Song (Tipsy) – Shaboozey
    Tennessee Whiskey – Chris Stapleton
    Wobble Baby – V.I.C.
    The Fightin’ Texas Aggie War Hymn – The Fightin’ Texas Aggie Band

    DJ + Saxophonist – Dance Set

    Careless Whisper – Wham
    Tequila – The Champs
    In Da Club – 50 Cent
    Despacito [feat. Daddy Yankee] – Luis Fonsi
    La Gozedera feat. Marc Anthony] – Gente de Zona
    Grease – Frankie Valli
    I Can’t Go for That (No Can Do) – Hall & Oates
    Uptown Girl – Billy Joel
    Who Can It Be Now? – Men At Work
    Be My Baby – The Ronettes
    Low [feat. T-Pain] – Flo Rida
    Your Love – Outfield
    Beautiful As U – Thomas Rhett
    Angel Baby – Rosie & The Originals
    Heaven – Bryan Adams
    Jessie’s Girl – Rick Springfield
    Footloose – Kenny Loggins
    Mambo No.5 (A Little Bit Of…) – Lou Bega
    As It Was – Harry Styles
    9 to 5 – Dolly Parton
    Cupid Shuffle – Cupid
    Thank God [feat. Katelyn Brown] – Kane Brown
    Get Low [feat. Ying Yang Twins] – Lil Jon & The Eastside Boyz
    Sweet Home Alabama – Lynyrd Skynyrd
    The Safety Dance – Men Without Hats
    Rock Your Body – Justin Timberlake
    Mr. Brightside – The Killers
    All the Small Things – Blink-182
    Hot to Go! – Chappell Roan
    Amarillo By Morning – George Strait
    Love Story (Taylor’s Version) – Taylor Swift
    Ain’t No Mountain High Enough – Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell
    Soul Man – Sam & Dave
    1, 2 Step – Ciara
    Gonna Make You Sweat – C & C Music Factory
    Poison – Bell Biv DeVoe
    Jump On It – Sir Mix-A-Lot
    Uptown Funk [feat. Bruno Mars] – Mark Ronson
    Ice Ice Baby – Vanilla Ice
    You Make My Dreams – Hall & Oates
    Lady May – Tyler Childers

    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.

  • Formula 1 Tower Club, Day Three 10-20-24

    Formula 1 Tower Club, Day Three 10-20-24

    When I was asked to DJ the Formula 1 Tower Club events this past weekend, I was already booked on the Saturday, which meant they only got me for two of their event’s three days. I don’t know who they had come in for day two, but I get the feeling he was something of a one-trick pony. When I walked in yesterday morning at 8am, one by one the entire staff told me they were glad I was back, and all shared a version of the same story: yesterday’s guy treated it like his own private rave. Apparently, he played nothing but EDM music the entire time, despite the audience being anything but an EDM crowd.

    This hunch was backed up throughout the day, as time after time, guests came up to me and told me how glad they were to see me back behind the decks. The crowd is pretty much the same for all three days, as they pay some exorbitant sum for admission to the club for the entire weekend. In any event, I wasn’t there on Saturday to hear the other guy, but I’m pretty confident he didn’t have a very good read on the crowd. And while I hate to brag, I definitely did. By the very end I had a table of older gentlemen leaping around the room rapping along with the Beastie Boys. What can I say? I’m good at my job!

    Here’s me being good at that job.

    Everyday Is Like Sunday – Morrissey
    Spirit In the Sky – Norman Greenbaum
    Jeepster – T. Rex
    Rock and Roll – Led Zeppelin
    Street Player – Chicago
    Disco 2000 – Pulp
    I’m Gonna Be (500 Miles) – The Proclaimers
    Lips Like Sugar – Echo & the Bunnymen
    Blue Monday – New Order
    Girls on Film – Duran Duran
    Two of Hearts – Stacey Q
    All My Ex’s Live In Texas – George Strait
    Heaven Is in the Back Seat of My Cadillac – Hot Chocolate
    Machine Gun – Commodores
    Main Theme from Star Wars – David Matthews
    Apache – Sugar Hill Gang
    Hooked on a Feeling – Blue Swede
    Don’t You Want Me – Human League
    Good Luck, Babe – Chappell Roan
    She’s Like Texas – Josh Abbott Band
    I Like Texas – Pat Green
    Amarillo By Morning – George Strait
    Love Story (Taylor’s Version) – Taylor Swift
    Stacy’s Mom – Fountains of Wayne
    Move Your Feet – Junior Senior
    Over & Over – Hot Chip
    Seventeen – Ladytron
    Silver Screen Shower Scene – Felix da Housecat
    Kids – MGMT
    Now That We’ve Found Love – Heavy D. & The Boyz
    It’s Like That – Run-D.M.C.
    Egypt, Egypt – Egyptian Lover
    So What’cha Want – Beastie Boys
    Boombastic – Shaggy
    Nikita – Elton John
    Red Red Wine – UB40
    Tenderness – General Public
    Fly Robin Fly – Silver Convention
    Fire – The Ohio Players
    Keep On Trucking – Eddie Kendricks
    Tear the Roof Off the Sucker – Parliament
    Boneman Connection – Nicodemus
    Son of a Preacherman – Gaylettes
    Jamaica Ska – Byron Lee and the Dragonaires
    Phoenix City – Rolando Al and The Soul Brothers
    Stir It Up – Bob Marley & The Wailers
    Espresso – Sabrina Carpenter
    Doses and Mimosas – Cherub
    Dance Wiv Me – Dizzee Rascal
    Don’t Know Why – Norah Jones
    Saturday in the Park – Chicago
    Sweet Caroline (Good Times Never Seemed So Good) – Neil Diamond
    Friends in Low Places – Garth Brooks
    She Blinded Me With Science – Thomas Dolby
    American Soviets [Cameron Paul Mix] – CCCP
    Just Can’t Get Enough – Depeche Mode
    Temptation – New Order
    Our Lips Are Sealed – Fun Boy Three
    Bigmouth Strikes Again – The Smiths
    Atomic – Sleeper
    Suffragette City – David Bowie
    Jumping Jack Flash – The Rolling Stones
    You Really Got Me – The Kinks
    Parklife – Blur
    Staying Out for the Summer – Dodgy
    Common People – Pulp
    The 900 Number – D.J. Mark the 45 King
    Tequila Little Time – Jon Pardi
    Take a Chance on Me – ABBA
    More Than a Woman – Bee Gees
    Hot in Herre – Nelly
    Brick House – Commodores
    Walk This Way – Run-D.M.C.
    Jump Around – House of Pain
    Pink Pony Club – Chappell Roan
    Wagon Wheel – Darius Rucker
    Fancy Like – Walker Hayes
    Mais Que Nada – Sergio Mendes & Brasil ’66
    Nanã – Bossacucanova & Roberto Menescal
    Teardrops – Roosevelt
    I Feel Love – Sam Smith
    You Can Call Me Al [Flight Facilities Edit] – Paul Simon
    Legs – ZZ Top
    Feeling Alright – Rebelution
    Santeria – Sublime
    Billionaire [feat. Bruno Mars] – Travie McCoy
    Paul Revere – Beastie Boys
    In the Air Tonight – Phil Collins
    Back in Black – AC/DC
    Here I Go Again – Whitesnake
    Africa – Toto

    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.

  • Winnie and Max’s Wedding 10-19-24

    Winnie and Max’s Wedding 10-19-24

    I DJ’ed yesterday at the Allegro Wedding & Events Venue in Dripping Springs. It was my first time there, and I hope to be back soon. It’s an understated, modern yet rustic venue with a history to it, but a place that’s been kept up and modernized over time. It has everything needed for a wedding, including both an outdoor ceremony area and a chapel, several outdoor spaces for cocktails and a comfortable indoor space with air conditioning for a reception. It’s a space that can easily be transformed with lighting into nearly any aesthetic of vibe you are seeking.

    The couple and their friends were a laid-back, fun-loving group, and it was a joy to play for them. Their timeline provided plenty of time to eat and enjoy one another’s company, while still leaving nearly 3 hours for dancing. Despite that extended time for tunes, it seemed that hardly anyone left early, and the dance floor stayed full up until the final song.

    Here are the songs I played to create a soundtrack for their special day!

    Cocktail Music

    Slow Burn – Kacey Musgraves
    All You’n – Tyler Childers
    Wide Open Spaces – The Chicks
    Lady May – Tyler Childers
    Neon Moon [feat. Kacey Musgraves] – Brooks & Dunn
    Golden Hour – Kacey Musgraves
    Cowboy Take Me Away – The Chicks
    By and By – Camp
    Bluebird – Miranda Lambert
    Cover Me Up – Morgan Wallen
    One Man Band – Old Dominion
    Wilder Days – Morgan Wade
    Stone – Whiskey Myers
    Free – Zac Brown Band
    Tequila Sunrise – The Eagles
    Butterfiles – Kacey Musgraves
    Love You For a Long Time – Maggie Rogers
    Cowgirl Blues – Midland
    Karma – Taylor Swift
    Upside Down – Jack Johnson
    Cherry Blossom – Kacey Musgraves
    Universal Sound – Tyler Childers

    Dinner Music

    Power of Love – Huey Lewis & The News
    Only Wanna Be With You – Hootie & The Blowfish
    Reach Out (And I’ll Be There) – The Four Tops
    Sadie Hawkins Dance – Relient K

    Bridal Party Introduction: I’m a Believer – Smash Mouth
    Bride & Groom’s Introduction: Accidentally In Love – Counting Crows

    This Magic Moment – The Drifters
    Kiss Me – Sixpence None The Richer
    I Think I’m in Love With You – Chris Stapleton
    Lovely Day – Bill Withers
    Dinner With Friends – Kacey Musgraves
    Strawberry Woman – Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit
    Night Moves – Bob Seger
    Get on the Good Foot – James Brown
    Margaritaville – Jimmy Buffett
    Build Me Up Buttercup – The Foundations
    Stand By Me – Ben E. King
    I Need You Tonight – INXS
    Rock With You – Michael Jackson
    Rhinestone Cowboy – Glen Campbell
    I Can’t Go for That (No Can Do) – Hall & Oates
    Save a Prayer – Duran Duran
    Cold Heart [feat. Dua Lipa] [PNAU Remix] – Elton John
    If It Feels Good (Then It Must Be) – Leon Bridges
    Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da – The Beatles
    The Dark of the Matinee – Franz Ferdinand
    My Girl – The Temptations
    Ooh Baby Baby – Smokey Robinson & The Miracles
    Beyond – Leon Bridges
    Only One – Yellowcard
    In the Air Tonight – Phil Collins
    The Lion Sleeps Tonight – The Tokens
    You Are the Sunshine of My Life – Stevie Wonder
    Somebody to Love – Queen
    Hook – Blues Traveler
    Shape of You – Ed Sheeran
    Ain’t Too Proud to Beg – The Temptations
    Chapel of Love – The Dixie Cups

    Cake Cutting: The Architect – Kacey Musgraves

    Dance Music

    First Dance: I’ll Have to Say I Love You in a Song – Jim Croce
    Father/Daughter Dance: House at Pooh Corner – Loggins & Messina
    Mother/Son Dance: Forever and Ever, Amen – Randy Travis

    It Takes Two – Rob Base & D.J. E-Z Rock
    Let’s Dance – David Bowie
    Gonna Make You Sweat – C & C Music Factory
    Respect – Aretha Franklin
    Uptown Funk [feat. Bruno Mars] – Mark Ronson
    Ice Ice Baby – Vanilla Ice
    Apache – Sugar Hill Gang
    Ace In the Hole – George Strait
    Let’s Groove – Earth Wind & Fire
    I Love It [feat. Charli XCX] – Icona Pop
    Mamma Mia – ABBA
    Believe – Cher
    Feel This Moment [feat. Christina Aguilera] – Pitbull
    Hot to Go! – Chappell Roan
    All the Small Things – Blink-182
    Toxic – Britney Spears

    Bouquet Toss: Girls Just Wanna’ Have Fun – Cyndi Lauper

    The Keeper of the Stars – Tracy Byrd
    Dancing Queen – ABBA
    Neon Moon – Brooks & Dunn
    Tequila Little Time – Jon Pardi
    Paper Rings – Taylor Swift
    Come On Eileen – Dexy’s Midnight Runner
    Crank That (Soulja Boy) – Soulja Boy
    Laffy Taffy – D4L
    Mo Bamba – Sheck Wes
    Gold Digger [feat. Jamie Foxx] – Kanye West
    Get Low [feat. Ying Yang Twins] – Lil Jon & The Eastside Boyz
    Levitating [no rap] – Dua Lipa
    Last Friday Night (T.G.I.F.) – Katy Perry
    Disturbia – Rihanna
    A Little Party Never Killed Nobody (All We Got) – Fergie
    Don’t Go Breaking My Heart – Elton John and Kiki Dee
    I Gotta Feeling – The Black Eyed Peas
    Hotel Room Service – Pitbull
    Super Bass – Nicki Minaj
    Low [feat. T-Pain] – Flo Rida
    Pursuit of Happiness [Steve Aoki Remix] – Kid Cudi
    Give Me Everything [feat. Ne-Yo, Afrojack, Nayer] – Pitbull
    Uptown Girl – Billy Joel
    Tennessee Whiskey – Chris Stapleton
    Blame It on the Rain – Milli Vanilli
    Pink Pony Club – Chappell Roan
    Yeah [feat. Lil Jon and Ludacris] – Usher
    Hot In Herre – Nelly
    Stacy’s Mom – Fountains of Wayne
    Dreams – Fleetwood Mac
    Mr. Brightside – The Killers
    White Wedding – Billy Idol
    Dancing in the Dark – Bruce Springsteen
    We Got the Beat – The Go-Go’s
    Mickey – Toni Basil
    Just Like Heaven – The Cure
    Cowboy Take Me Away – Dixie Chicks
    You Shook Me All Night Long – AC/DC

    Private Last Dance: In Your Love – Tyler Childers

    As I always do, please let me 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.