In an article published just over two years ago titled “What Is A DJ Supposed To Know?”, I expressed an opinion that inherently, first and foremost, a DJ is ‘supposed’ to know about music. Reading that article again with hindsight being 20/20, I can see that much of what I wrote in that article was fueled by my own personal opinion coupled with a great passion for music, specifically ‘popular’ music.

Although I still believe this to be true, admittedly, I acknowledge that a DJ must posses some additional skill sets in order to execute his duties as a DJ… Particularly the Mobile DJ. Stating the obvious, it would help if the DJ was familiar with and had a general understanding of acoustics, sound and amplification equipment, as well as emerging technologies and platforms on which play music. At the same time, there are some other extracurricular skill sets which might also enhance the Disc Jockey’s ability to do his or her job correctly, some of which I hope to cover here. To begin, I searched the term ‘Disc Jockey’, and came up with this definition:

A Disc Jockey, also known as DJ, is a person who selects and plays recorded music for an audience. Originally, disk referred to phonograph records, while disc referred to the Compact Disc, and has become the more common spelling. Today, the term includes all forms of music playback, no matter the medium.

There are several types of Disc Jockeys. Radio DJs or radio ‘personalities’ introduce and play music that is broadcast on AM, FM, shortwave, digital, or internet radio stations. Club DJs select and play music in bars, nightclubs, discothèques, at raves, or even in a stadium. Hip Hop Disc Jockeys select and play music using multiple turntables – often to back up one or more MCs. They may also do turntable scratching to create percussive sounds. In reggae, the DJ (deejay) is a vocalist who raps, “toasts”, or chats over pre-recorded rhythm tracks while the individual choosing and playing them is referred to as a selector. Mobile DJs travel with portable sound systems and play recorded music at a variety of events.

The definition suggests that in each instance, aside from the playing of (and therefore knowledge of) music, there are ‘specialists’. Varied types of DJ for various applications, each possessing unique skill sets that lend to their specific responsibility or ‘type’ of DJing. Aside from the Reggae and Hip Hop varieties, I have personal experience in the other three roles; Club DJ, Radio DJ and Mobile DJ, the latter two requiring an additional skill set in common – the use of the microphone. The use of the microphone, and the ability to articulate correctly and properly while using it, is a learned skill, and something that naturally – like anything else – evolves and improves with time.

Further examining the Club DJ versus Radio DJ, I think it’s fair to assert that each has their strengths aside from music knowledge.  In most cases, the Club DJ has a much greater technical ability than the Radio DJ, but is often more fluent in a specific style or styles of music (ergo a Club DJ at a disco club might be more versed in 70s music than a Club DJ that specializes in House music).  The Club DJ can mix beats, blend and sometimes scratch or even re-mix on the fly, all of which are skills the Radio DJ has no need for.  The Radio DJ – or ‘personality’ – is often just that.  Unlike the Club, Mobile, Hip-Hop or Reggae DJ, the Radio Jock seldom even chooses the music which – unlike in the early days of Radio – is often pre-programmed.  The Radio DJ is more of the personality, making announcements, taking callers, introducing songs and chatting a bit about the tune or the artist before or after it is played, being careful not to talk over lyrics or leave what is known as ‘dead air’ (gaps between songs or commercials).  The proper use of the microphone and grasp of the English language is therefore essential to the Radio DJ, while possessing a general knowledge (less specialized than the Club DJ) of various musical genres.

The skilled professional Mobile DJ embodies all of these skills, or at least a lot of both.  Like the Club DJ, the Mobile DJ must chose the next song, and then the next, ‘reading’ or anticipating the reaction of the crowd, whereas the Mobile DJ must have a broader knowledge of music, as his audience is often more diverse than the genre-specific nightclub or radio station.  The Mobile DJ must also blend music to some degree, and although may not be the ‘mixologist’ that the Club DJ is, they often posses a sufficient degree of skill… enough to keep the party moving.  The experienced Mobile DJ is also comfortable with the microphone, having the ability to make necessary announcements articulately and with precision, although typically with less frequency than the Radio DJ.

Essentially, the Mobile DJ is more well rounded than the Club DJ or Radio DJ, and although you could certainly engage the services of a Club DJ to do your wedding, or a Radio DJ to play at your Sweet 16 party, both might have limitations in their abilities that the Mobile DJ has evolved beyond.  Not to be mistaken, I am not suggesting that the Mobile DJ is ‘better than’ the Club or Radio DJ, just better at what they do.  A Mobile DJ might be hard-put to make the transition from party to radio or club, but it’s more likely that the Club or Radio DJ would be harder-put to transition the other way.

To use an analogy: the Club DJ is the Ear Doctor, the Radio DJ is the Oral Surgeon, and the Mobile DJ… well, they’re more of the General Practitioner, able to cure what ails you with a well-rounded helping of musical love and care.

~Craig

‘DJ Brain’ illustration courtesy of Sean Gallo Designs

One week ago today (Monday, July 25, 2011) our blog, and website re-vamped in March of 2010, reached 500,000 visits.  This is an achievement that gives me great pride which I felt worthy of mention, but admittedly, I cannot take credit for it’s tremendous success.  There are many contributors – photographers, guest writers, illustrators and industry colleagues (as well as close friends and colleagues)  – who have been friends to our DJ blog and website. Some of you have contributed, some have edited and corrected, some have participated, and some have been helping to spread our articles and blog posts thorough every social media hub available. To all of you – a list that would be far too long to compile – I give my sincerest thanks.

In the week following July 25 of 2011, we have gained yet another 5,000+ views, a remarkable feat in itself for a DJ company limited in every possible way a company could be in gaining traffic.  For the most part, we are a regional DJ company, confined to Philadelphia and the surrounding areas, we are stifled by copyright laws regarding music on our site (a huge obstacle for a DJ company… music, DJ, get it?) as well as copyright laws regarding photos and images.  Yet, we still prevail.

In the two and a half years since the initial launch of the blog (when we really had no idea how to use it), and the year since it’s infusion with our website, our DJ business increased exponentially, meaning, we have more booked dates than at any time in our twenty year history.  I credit this with ‘sharing the wealth’.  Our blog is not just about us and what we do (which would get boring very quickly), but about other event industry professionals and their work, their companies, and their ideas.  It is about music, and about parties, and, or course, about the Disc Jockey.

So, back to my staff, I commend them on their dedication to our blog.  Like everything else the staff of Cutting Edge Entertainment does, we put our all into it 110%, and the same can be said for this blog.  At the end of 2007, our Philadelphia DJ company was smacked down by the same omnipresent recession that many other companies and industries were crippled or destroyed by, yet we weathered the storm.  While print advertising became almost obsolete, the internet – and hence our blog – gave us a new platform to reach customers, show our work, share our principles while providing better customer service – via available information – then we ever dreamed possible.  Our blog became a living, breathing and evolving resource to help customers not only to find us, but to learn what we are all about.

The bonus, or unforeseen advantage that our blog gave us, which we could never have anticipated, was not limited to the information we were  able to share, but included information and knowledge we were able to gain.  By being ‘online’, our DJ staff were able to learn and grow as individuals.  We took in as much or more as we put out, learning new trends, new (and old) music, new ways of doing things and, most significantly, how to be a better DJ – while improving our service to our customer.

Read our DJ blog and decide for yourself.  It’s fairly simple to navigate, as you can simply click on ‘Blog’ on the navigation bar above, or reference the ‘CATEGORIES’ section along the right column to help find information more specific to exactly what it is you are looking for.

As for those companies still struggling simply to be found…  Start a blog.  Remember the voice in Kevin Costner’s head in the film ‘Field of Dreams’; “If you build it, they will come.” And for our little Philadelphia DJ company blog, with over three hundred individual blog posts and half a million hits to date, I think of the credo of a little space toy named Buzz Lightyear… “To infinity and Beyond!!”

Craig Sumsky
Director and DJ
Cutting Edge Entertainment

Illustration by Sean Gallo

www.cuttingedgedjs.com

We couldn’t have asked for a more beautiful afternoon at Spring Mill Country Club for Emily and Dan’s Ceremony. As a guest at the wedding I was able to see things that I would normally never be able to see in the past when I was behind the DJ booth.

The MC for the evening was Rich Abrams who I’ve known for well over a decade and have had the privilege of working with dozens of times, and rocked out countless parties together. When you are the MC for any event, you are very busy coordinating with the photographer, the caterer, the DJ, videographer, making sure the volumes are appropriate, preparing the next step in the evening, etc., you really don’t get much of an opportunity to just sit back and enjoy the party. This time…. I was able to… And I did.

Being a former DJ, and still a DJ at heart, I always was/am/will be very critical of any Disc Jockey that was working at a party in which I was a guest. I knew that Rich was a phenomenal MC and DJ (so much so that I always ask him to DJ any of my parties that involve music) – so when Emily told me that she was getting married my first question was, “Did you pick a DJ yet?” I know that the most important part of a successful party is a great DJ, and I knew a remarkable one, Richie Abrams. Emily made the decision to go with Richie for her wedding and I couldn’t have been more excited. I knew the wedding was going to perfect and I couldn’t wait for the party to start.

During the ceremony, everything went wonderfully – Emily and Dan were all smiles, all the guests were so excited for them, and I’m sure everyone was ready to celebrate in honor of the new Mr. and Mrs. Ruvolo.  Once we got into the main room, the atmosphere was perfect – up-lights were around room coordinated with the colors of the wedding party, great music playing as people walked in – I was ready to party. And, as all things good, it went way too fast and the party was over. The guests danced all night – had a great time and I was very excited to be a part of it. Congrats to Emily and Dan I am sure they had as much fun as we the guests did and I can’t wait to be a guest again at one of Richie’s parties (my feet hurt that entire night).

-Tony Donato

Emily and Dan’s wedding at Spring Mill Country Club in Bucks County was remarkable. I was particularly lucky at this wedding because a good friend and co-worker, Tony Donato, was at the wedding as a guest! Everyone was on the dance floor the entire evening. The crowd was awesome, and clearly a reflection on Emily and Dan. They are such a fun and energetic couple, and each of their guests was the same way. Everyone was out on the floor living it up and soaking in every second the whole party. The vibe from the guests really fueled me and I rocked them out to everything from oldies like ‘Build Me Up Buttercup’ and ‘Twist and Shout’ by The Beatles, to the popular dance classics like ‘Billie Jean’. Not a person in the place was silent when ‘Don’t Stop Believing’ by Journey came on. I am very lucky in my line of work to get to meet so many couples, and get to hear so many interesting stories about how they fall in love. Emily and Dan met at work, both are teachers. Dan introduced himself to Emily at a faculty event after noticing her at work. They sure taught me a thing or two about how to party!

Congratulations and Best Wishes Emily and Dan!

-Richie

Image of Emily and Dan courtesy of Jayne Toohey

www.cuttingedgedjs.com

Another rocking wedding! This is my first blog posted about an event I did at the Crowne Plaza in Trevose.  Cutting Edge Entertainment has worked countless times in the past at this venue (formerly the Holiday Inn Trevose), and this was my debut wedding there since they made the change over to a Crowne Plaza.  The ballroom has since been expanded, and it looks awesome, giving the place a fresh new look to go along with the new name.  I also witnessed the Crowne Plaza banquet staff in action, and felt they excelled at accommodating all of the guests, without missing a single detail.  I was ready for my return to the hotel and Jim and Jessica were the perfect couple to work with for my big comeback.  Jim and Jessica are big music fans with broad eclectic tastes, many of which were some of my favorite genres.  As a Disc Jockey, this really allowed me to open up my “DJ song book”, and get really creative.

The ceremony was also held at the Crowne Plaza and I provided the soundtrack for the processional and recessional, while mixing both classical and string quartet pieces as their guests arrived for the ceremony.  At the conclusion of the ceremony, we moved on to cocktail hour.   The music of Frank Sinatra, Harry Connick Jr., and Michael Buble played as the guests enjoyed tasty hors d’oeuvres and drinks .  Once cocktail hour ended, the bride and groom treated everyone to a surprise choreographed and well rehearsed first dance, a big hit that earned them a huge round of applause. We had up lights around the room, which enhanced the ambiance of the reception.  Once dinner ended, the bride and groom were out on the dance floor the entire night with their guests. In my opinion, that is the key to a packed dance floor.   Although I feel I’m a  great DJ and enthusiastic MC,  I keep in mind that the guests did not come to dance for me, but to celebrate with the true stars of the show, our bride and groom.   As always, when the bride and groom are out there on the floor, their guests are sure to follow suit.

This was also my first time working with photographer Michelle Evans. She took some great shots and I appreciate her for letting me feature these pictures on my blog.  (Congratulations on the birth of your new baby boy Michelle!)  Then, there are the bride and groom Jess and Jim.  You guys are awesome and I hoped you liked working with me as much as I enjoyed working with you.

Thanks for reading!!

DJ Richie

Images courtesy of Michelle Evans Photography www.michelleevansphotography.com

Crowne Plaza Bucks County

www.cuttingedgedjs.com

I first met with Rachel and Bill months before their wedding, but even at then I could tell they were going to be a fun couple to work with.  They showed up at our office in their Flyers gear, as I remember the Philadelphia Flyers were in the playoffs at the time we met.  A big hockey fan myself, I was excited at the prospect of working with them. They shared all of the ideas they had for their wedding while I listened and took notes.  I could tell they were really into the whole planning process, and their enthusiasm was contagious.  Naturally, they chose to book with us to provide the Disc Jockey, and I couldn’t have been happier.

The wedding reception was held at the Heritage Ballroom, on the night before Halloween.  We added up lighting to the package, giving the walls a light blue wash, and really setting the mood.  After the cocktail hour, we brought everyone into the main ballroom where we began our introductions, first dance, and dinner.  Being that this was the night before Halloween there were a few ‘must play’ songs.  The song most people think about when I say Halloween is Thriller by Michael Jackson, and as expected it got a great reaction from people on the dance floor, with all of the guests doing their best imitation of the moves from the iconic music video.

The staff at the Heritage Ballroom did a magnificent job.  There was constant communication between myself and their staff, which enabled us to work together toward the overall success of the event.  I also had the chance to work with photographers Brett and Stephanie from Brett Martelli Photography.  They both took amazing pictures and were very kind to let us feature some here on our blog.  I also worked again with videographer Ken Stillman who captured the event and also put together an awesome day-of montage for everyone to watch during the reception.

Before, I conclude though, I have to Thank Bill and Rachel.  You are both superstars and I really enjoyed working with you guys.  It was great to meet all of your family and friends and I hope everybody had as much fun at your wedding as we did.

~Richie

A week later, Cutting Edge Entertainment received this letter from Bill and Rachel.

We would like to send many thanks to The Cutting Edge Entertainment Company for their outstanding service for our recent wedding reception. Each employee of Cutting Edge went above and beyond to make sure our wedding was everything we had dreamed it to be. We mainly were in contact with Richie throughout the planning process and he was AWESOME! He made sure everything was perfect for our night. He and his assistant did an AMAZING job at keeping our family interested and engaged during our reception. A wide variety of music was played to meet everyone’s tastes as well as getting in the special requests that may have came up through the night. We have heard from many of our family and friends in the last few weeks and everyone has said what an amazing reception it was. We feel that the entertainment from Cutting Edge played a huge role in this. We will have no problem at all to give outstanding reviews to anyone we know looking for a group of people who truly know how to “run” a party. Thank you again to The Cutting Edge and Richie for helping making our wedding not only memorable for us, but also our loved ones!

Thanks again,
Bill and Rachel

Brett Martelli Photography – www.martelliphotography.com

Heritage Ballrooms

www.cuttingedgedjs.com

In compiling this list, and subsequent play list of ‘friend’ songs, the aim was to try and focus on songs that were about friendship, trying to avoid any obvious inference of romance or suggestion intimacy.  Just friends.  And who better than to contribute to such a list than a group of friends who happen to be Disc Jockeys.  There are a few obvious friend songs that were omitted simply based on personal opinion, like That’s What Friends Are For by Dionne Warwick and friends, and Friends by Bette Midler, the former being somewhat campy and the latter being just downright annoying.

Other great songs often associated with friendship were left out as well, like You’re My Best Friend by Queen, which, after a few careful listens seemed to be specifically aimed at a love interest more than a good buddy.  Some of the songs on this list could certainly be deemed as something one would dedicate to a love interest, but can also stand apart as a tune about the meaning, or in each song’s case, the different meanings of friendship.

So to all our friends out there, these songs are for you.

“You’ve Got A Friend” by James Taylor

Although the song was written by Carole King, but she never released it as a single… but James Taylor did, and it stands as his only number one hit, charting in the summer of 1971.  It won two Grammys, one for James (Best Pop Male Performance) and one for Carole (Song Of The Year).  One might say that You’ve Got A Friend is one of the all-time classic friend anthems.

“Lean On Me” by Bill Withers

Just one year after Sweet Baby James hit with You’ve Got A Friend, Bill Withers came out with the soulful classic Lean On Me.  The message is virtually the same, professing the virtues of friendship and being there for one another when times get tough.  Coincidentally, like Taylor’s hit the year before, this is Wither’s only single to chart in the number one position in the summer of 1972.

“You’ve Got A Friend In Me” by Randy Newman

Randy Newman’s hit song from the movie Toy Story goes far beyond the friendship of Buzz Lightyear and Woody (one might say “to infinity and beyond”), and it’s message reminds us again of  standing by your friends, defining friendship for a whole new Pixar generation.

“I’ll Be There For You” by The Rembrandts

Again, the repeated message of being there for your friends, and a theme song for a television show called Friends, incidentally about six friends of the generation Y persuasion trying to make their way in the mid-nineties.  The Rembrandts charted at #17 with this friend tune in 1995.

“Friends” by Elton John

Very little information exists about this Elton John song.  Apparently it never charted in the Billboard Top 40, and we can’t be certain if it’s about being friends, having friends, or making friends (or perhaps  all of them at the same time).  Although it’s likely this is the most obscure song on our list, it’s a friend standard.

“Thank You For Being A Friend” by Andrew Gold

Best known as the theme from the television show Golden Girls, Andrew Gold’s friend song was originally released as a single in 1978.  Unlike some of the earlier friend tunes on this list, this is the first to thank the friend for being the friend as opposed to offering the gesture of friendship.

“With A Little Help From My Friends’ by The Beatles

‘Friends’ in the plural is the subject of this Beatles classic, or one might say “It’s not what you know, but who you know”.  Surprisingly, this universally recognizable friend anthem, and the second track on the legendary Sergeant Pepper album was never released as a single, and therefore never charted in the Billboard Top 40.

“Why Can’t We Be Friends” by War

Our list concludes with the most unique friend message of all from War, which instead of professing, appreciating or otherwise recognizing friendship, this tune asks to be friends.  Why Can’t We Be Friends was another non-Top 40 charting song, and was later re-recorded by the band Smashmouth.

Click the play button below to hear the listed tunes

www.cuttingedgedjs.com

]]> http://www.cuttingedgedjs.com/blog/2010/11/15/friend-songs/feed/ 2 http://www.cuttingedgedjs.com/blog/2010/11/03/the-professional-dj-vs-the-weekend-warrior/ http://www.cuttingedgedjs.com/blog/2010/11/03/the-professional-dj-vs-the-weekend-warrior/#comments Wed, 03 Nov 2010 14:28:04 +0000 Cutting Edge http://www.cuttingedgedjs.com/blog/?p=2754 Guest Blog Post by Renee McIntyre I am excited to finally be writing a guest blog for Cutting Edge Entertainment.  The idea has been on my mind for some time, however I wanted to wait until I thought of an interesting and relevant topic that I could relate to my life and experiences personally. Many [...]]]>

Guest Blog Post by Renee McIntyre

I am excited to finally be writing a guest blog for Cutting Edge Entertainment.  The idea has been on my mind for some time, however I wanted to wait until I thought of an interesting and relevant topic that I could relate to my life and experiences personally.

Many of you reading this blog post know me as Renee McIntyre of All About Events.  Although I consider myself an event coordinator first and foremost, I dabble in other arts of the industry to supplement my income.  I spend time working as the exclusive planner for MAINLINE & BUCKS Life Magazine, and I also bartend part time.  I began working in events for other companies in 2000, and started bartending in 2001.  On occasion, I get to see elements of these two worlds cross.  One of these elements is the DJ, which is what has inspired this post.

Considering I am only 27, I have seen  A LOT in this industry, due to my widespread experience.  One point that I consistently stress to my event planning clients, my bartending clientele, and the bar management where I am employed, is that the Bar/Club DJ is a completely different entity then the Event DJ.  Each has it’s own set of skills and qualifications.  Let me preface the following discussion by stating that I am by no means saying that one can not do the job of the other.  I know DJs that work for companies who provide event entertainment services, who on their Tuesday and Wednesday nights off will DJ at a club in center city and have the floor packed all night.  I also know a club DJ or two that is able to provide a wedding client with the most professional wedding entertainment they could have imagined.  I will however say that these entertainers are the exception.

My job as a bartender is to interact with the customers, learn about them, entertain them, and make sure they come back again to spend their hard earned dollars with us.  It is frequent that in this conversation I will discover they or a friend are getting married, their niece is having a graduation party soon, or their company is working on hosting a gala.  Likewise many of them know I am an event planner and will ask me for some suggestions.  Although there is a DJ playing 20 feet from where I am standing, that is not who I am going to refer them to.

This customer is asking me my opinion, because they see me as an expert in the event planning field.  Although the DJ I am working with may be a great friend of mine, I take my success as an event planner seriously.  I would be doing my company and the event industry an injustice if I didn’t refer them to a professional DJ company over a weekend warrior.

A DJ from a club or local bar may seem enticing to hire, because their price will most likely be much lower then that of a professional DJ company.  There are several reasons for this.  Primarily, this is probably not their full time job.  Many bar/club DJs, unless they are a big name making big bucks (in which case it is doubtful they would ever be interested in doing events), have a full time job Monday through Friday, and work as a DJ on the weekend for extra cash.  These independent DJs also do not have the overhead that a professional DJ service has.

A professional DJ service has administrative costs, marketing costs, the expense of the upkeep on multiple sets of equipment, possibly rent and utilities, and some even have the expense of insurance for their employees.

Another factor in choosing an event DJ service vs. a bar/club DJ is the professional image and atmosphere you want to have at your event, especially if it is a wedding.  Although a bar/club DJ may do a fabulous job of keeping a venue full of club goers entertained while scratching and mixing, they may not be familiar with the formalities of a wedding, and unless you know in what order your bridal party should be announced, or when the best time is for the cake to be cut, they better.  You will want your MC/DJ to be able to follow a timeline, make announcements clearly in a professional tone, know when to let the focus be on you as a couple, and when to open up the dance floor and get the party started.

Again, I am not saying that a bar/club DJ can not do this, but it can be rare.  Here are some tips and questions from a planners perspective that you can use to determine if you have found a suitable DJ for your event.

1 – Are you insured?

This is EXTREMELY important.  A Disc Jockey should hold liability insurance to protect themselves as well as you and your guests.  Many venues are also making this a requirement for them to even be on the premises.  Your DJ should be able to provide you with proof of liability insurance upon request.  Please take this seriously; you don’t want to find out a week prior to your event that your DJ was giving you the run around because they really didn’t have it in the first place.

2- What is your process for working with your wedding clients?

Your DJ should be willing to meet with you in person to discuss their abilities as a DJ, pricing, additional options, and to see if you are a good fit.  They should also explain the process of planning your entertainment over the months leading up to your event.  There should be at least one meeting six weeks to a month prior to your event to thoroughly go through your musical preferences, the timeline, formalities, and songs you may or may not want played.

3 – What is the back up plan if their equipment should fail?

This is an important answer to have in advance.  If the DJ’s equipment has a problem, will there be another set to use?  An independent DJ may only have one set of equipment available to them on the day of your event, whereas it is likely a DJ company will have alternate equipment.

4 – Do you provide a written contract?

If the DJ does not use a contract, just walk away!  You must have a legally binding document that states the time, date, location, and specifics of your agreement.  If you are hoping to get a certain entertainer, be sure that is in writing as well.

5 – What will you be wearing?

Again, this is something that is important to have discussed at your first meeting.  If you are expecting your DJ to wear a hula skirt and a coconut bra for your luau themed party, make sure you find out if this is reasonable at your consultation.  At the other extreme, if you are expecting your DJ to wear a tuxedo for your wedding, make sure this is specified or discussed.  Don’t just assume that they will.

Some other ways to tell if they are of the caliber you are looking for can be to ask to see letters from previous customers, ask if they are involved with any professional organizations, inquire about how they get their music, and find out how long their DJs have been working with them.

For most events, a DJ will be one of the smaller portions of your budget.  With this in mind, why take the chance on such an important factor in the success of your event?  Keep your mind at ease, and use a professional!

Renee McIntyre
Event Coordinator
www.allaboutevents.us



Renee McIntyre, a graduate of Temple University right here in Philadelphia where she received her BS in tourism and hospitality management, is an event planner/coordinator who we at Cutting Edge have had the pleasure of working with several times. She definitely knows her stuff, and it doesn’t hurt that Renee is planning her own wedding in early 2011.  Renee is an active participant in the Philadelphia and Bucks County event industry, and brings great new ideas and fresh perspectives to every event she helps to plan.

-Craig

Photo courtesy of Kevin York – www.kevinyorkphotography.com

www.cuttingedgedjs.com

]]> http://www.cuttingedgedjs.com/blog/2010/11/03/the-professional-dj-vs-the-weekend-warrior/feed/ 2 http://www.cuttingedgedjs.com/blog/2010/07/21/danielle-chris-wedding-at-the-cock-and-bull/ http://www.cuttingedgedjs.com/blog/2010/07/21/danielle-chris-wedding-at-the-cock-and-bull/#comments Wed, 21 Jul 2010 11:52:20 +0000 Cutting Edge http://www.cuttingedgedjs.com/blog/?p=2164 On June 12, 2010 I had the opportunity to be the disc jockey at Danielle and Chris’s wedding. The wedding reception was held at The Cock and Bull in Lahaska, Bucks County (Peddler’s Village).  Danielle and Chris expressed to me at my wrap-up meeting with them, that making certain that everybody was up dancing was [...]]]>

On June 12, 2010 I had the opportunity to be the disc jockey at Danielle and Chris’s wedding. The wedding reception was held at The Cock and Bull in Lahaska, Bucks County (Peddler’s Village).  Danielle and Chris expressed to me at my wrap-up meeting with them, that making certain that everybody was up dancing was extremely important to them, and I couldn’t have agreed more.   Why else would someone hire a DJ?  The reception of a wedding is a celebration of the marriage.   Once the ceremony is over, it is time to party.

Danielle and Chris were a laid back couple who were mostly interested in showing their friends and family a good time.  I was very happy to learn that they loved all sorts of different music styles and genres.  We played “Shout” (the good version by Otis Day and The Knights), which is one of Danielle’s  father’s favorite songs.  We were playing dance classics from the sixties all the way up to today.   The bride and groom, along with their guests were dancing non-stop.  At the end of the wedding, you could literally see people out of breath from all the partying, which means we did our job.

This wasn’t our first time at The Cock and Bull, and in fact we have another wedding there in just a couple of weeks. Lisa was our event coordinator for that day and did a phenomenal job.  Guests complimented the food, which I was lucky enough to eat and I would have to agree… Delicious!  I look forward to my next party at The Cock and Bull and working again with their truly amazing staff.  The photographer was Andrea Funkhouser, who was kind enough to provide us with these photos to go along with this blog post.  It was great working with her, and she did a great job capturing the special moments of the event.

Thank you to Danielle and Chris, I’m glad you had a good time, hope to see you again at future parties.

-Richie

Photos courtesy of Andrea Funkhouser – www.funkhouserphotography.com

The Cock and Bull

www.cuttingedgedjs.com

]]> http://www.cuttingedgedjs.com/blog/2010/07/21/danielle-chris-wedding-at-the-cock-and-bull/feed/ 0 http://www.cuttingedgedjs.com/blog/2010/06/23/philadelphia-band-agency-and-dj/ http://www.cuttingedgedjs.com/blog/2010/06/23/philadelphia-band-agency-and-dj/#comments Wed, 23 Jun 2010 23:08:28 +0000 Cutting Edge http://www.cuttingedgedjs.com/blog/?p=2104 There seems to be a new trend in Philadelphia… band booking agencies selling DJ services.  I think it’s worth mentioning that – for the most part – I’m on pretty good terms with my competition, and by competition I mean both the area’s larger and more prominent Disc Jockey companies, as well as the independent [...]]]>

There seems to be a new trend in Philadelphia… band booking agencies selling DJ services.  I think it’s worth mentioning that – for the most part – I’m on pretty good terms with my competition, and by competition I mean both the area’s larger and more prominent Disc Jockey companies, as well as the independent DJ who operates single operation outfits.  Of all of these companies, only one offers an option for a live band or orchestra, and that’s because the owner is in the band.  Otherwise, DJ companies do offer percussionists, an occasional bassist and a keyboard player for cocktail… but DJ companies in Philadelphia don’t sell bands.

We don’t need to.

So why is it then that the larger band booking agencies in Philadelphia are all offering DJ and Disc Jockey services on their websites?

Could it be because they need to?

Now, don’t get me wrong, I love… LOVE live bands, and I’m a DJ.  I have a great appreciation for live music and can clearly see why they have a place at weddings and bar and bat mitzvahs.  The energy created by live musicians is unique and exciting, and has a perception of sophistication and elegance.

So why is it then that these band agencies are scrambling to hire DJ entertainers of their own?

Personally, I don’t think they “need” to.  I think that they might think they need to … which could have to do with a lot of things.  The demand for quality and talented DJs hasn’t diminished in this economy, in fact it  has increased.  In speaking to my competitors, it seems that business is good, and the more reputable DJ companies seem to have weathered the storm of the recession.  Additionally, the DJ has become more and more popular in the past two decades . At a fraction of the cost of a band or orchestra, the DJ would understandably seem like an attractive alternative.

In trying to grasp this, I’ve looked at my own DJ company, as well as a handful of my competitors/colleagues in the Philadelphia area, and I have to give credit where credit is due. The DJ companies in my market, whom I compete with on a regular basis, have better DJs than the band companies.  They work more, doing their own events, they have more experience, a higher skill level and a better understanding of what it is to be a DJ than those that work for band booking agencies. The caliber of a DJ or MC working on his own or for a DJ company is reflected even more clearly in the fact that he or she doesn’t depend on the table scraps of a large band booking agency. Their skill, talent, and ability ensure that their calendar is full.

If you are looking to hire a DJ, we would be more than happy to speak with you  (and as counter-productive as it  might seem for me to say this )  so would a dozen other DJ companies in Philadelphia.  Disc Jockey services specialize in DJ entertainment, it isn’t something secondary that we also sell, it is what we do.

If a client asks me about booking a band or orchestra (which they ask fairly often), I give them a recommendation.   I don’t want to be in the band business, and I don’t need to be.

Craig Sumsky
Director
Cutting Edge Entertainment

DJ Brain Illustration by Sean Gallo – seangallodesigns.wordpress.com

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]]> http://www.cuttingedgedjs.com/blog/2010/06/23/philadelphia-band-agency-and-dj/feed/ 0 http://www.cuttingedgedjs.com/blog/2010/06/17/a-beatles-journey-so-far/ http://www.cuttingedgedjs.com/blog/2010/06/17/a-beatles-journey-so-far/#comments Thu, 17 Jun 2010 21:44:15 +0000 Cutting Edge http://www.cuttingedgedjs.com/blog/?p=2079 So here I find myself, almost a year after my first blog post about The Beatles, and subsequent meandering journey in search of Beatles lore.   I read someplace that you know you are obsessed with something when in the instance the subject is brought up in conversation, everyone in earshot turns to look at you.  [...]]]>

So here I find myself, almost a year after my first blog post about The Beatles, and subsequent meandering journey in search of Beatles lore.   I read someplace that you know you are obsessed with something when in the instance the subject is brought up in conversation, everyone in earshot turns to look at you.  So it is with me and The Beatles.

I began my journey not on August 3, 2009 – the day I posted my first article on this blog about The Beatles – but rather thirty years earlier when the first record album I ever purchased was a Beatles album.   Like Kevin Costner’s character in Field Of Dreams, who through his teenage years rejected his true love of baseball, I, like teenagers often do, found myself listening more to the music of the day… the music my peers were listening to. In essence, I lost my Beatles way. Teen angst is funny like that.

I’ve been in the Disc Jockey business in some fashion or another for well over twenty years now, and through my twenties and thirties I had love affairs with many bands, genres and music styles, all of which suited me just fine for their time.  My love for music is rivaled only by my love of reading, and I’ve been voraciously tearing through books since I first learned how to read.  It took reading a book about The Beatles to re-awaken the Beatle beast inside me, and I haven’t stopped since, nor do I see an end to my new found passion anytime soon.  As they say in “The Secret”, I’m “manifesting” The Beatles.

Upon finishing Larry Kane’s “Lennon Revealed”, I had decided to write a review titled “A Beatles Journey: Larry Kane & John Lennon”, and post it to this blog.  I decided that if it was to be a proper blog post, I would need a photo of John Lennon, so I reached out to photographer Bob Gruen, who willingly provided one (see the post).  It was then that I realized that The Beatles were not just four guys in a band, but a parade of auxiliary cast members who make up The Beatles circle.  Some, like Bob Gruen and Larry Kane are actually somewhat accessible, as I was able to meet Mr. Gruen in person, which I wrote about in “A Beatles Journey: 09.09.09 in New York City” where I not only met Bob, but at his behest went to see a John Lennon exhibit at The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Annex, but also visited The Dakota, and John’s memorial in Central Park.

I was also able to meet Larry Kane and hear him speak at an event held at World Cafe Live in Philadelphia, and although I have been unsuccessful in catching up with Larry after that, I have exchanged emails with him and hope to have the opportunity to pick his brain sometime soon.  Larry is currently working on a third book about The Beatles and their time in Liverpool prior to super-stardom, and I look forward to reading it.

In the past year, I’ve read over a dozen books on The Beatles, I’ve shaken hands with three people who shook Beatles hands (third degree?), and I’ve watched virtually every Beatles film and documentary I could get a hold of.   Today, my favorite album is Rubber Soul, but I anticipate that could change at any time.

So what’s next?  well, I’ve recently finished reading Sir George Martin’s book “All You Need Is Ears” – a brilliant book I might add – and am currently putting the finishing touches on that review (and patiently waiting for an illustration of Sir George).  I’ve begun reading “John’ by Cynthia Lennon, and I am currently in the process of trying to get my hands on tickets for the August 2010 Paul McCartney concert in Philadelphia while planning a pilgrimage to Las Vegas to see The Beatles Cirque show.  All Beatles, all the time.

And that’s where I am with The Beatles.  I continue to be amazed by their contributions to music and popular culture, and their continuing impact on everything that has come since.

-Craig Sumsky

So far, I’ve published nine blog posts pertaining to my Beatles journey (this being the tenth).  For anyone who might be interested in reading my long winded musings, reviews and opinions (I know, I know), feel free to check out the links below.

A Beatles Journey: Larry Kane & John Lennon

A Beatles Journey: Don’t Hate On The Octopus

A Beatles Journey: Bob Gruen & John Lennon

A Beatles Journey: Philadelphia 45 Years After

A Beatles Journey: 09.09.09 In New York City

A Beatles Journey: Larry Kane’s ‘Ticket To Ride’

A Beatles Journey: George Harrison

A Beatles Journey: Paul McCartney, A Life

A Beatles Journey: Taxman

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