Cutting Edge Entertainment provided Wedding DJ services more weddings in 2011 than ever before. A big part of that is certainly due to the relationships we have with wedding venues, and one place we have a great partnership with is the Loews Hotel Philadelphia. On October 22nd I once again had another opportunity to DJ an awesome wedding at The Loews Philadelphia.

The wedding couple – Gabi and Dean – found Cutting Edge Entertainment through the staff of the Loews Hotel. I met with them months before their wedding, when they decided on having me as their Wedding DJ. In my opinion, getting to know the couple before the wedding is as important as the wedding itself. Not just to go over music and a timeline with the couple, but also to build a rapport and have the bride and groom be comfortable with me as their Wedding DJ. I feel the better they know me, and the more trust I earn, the better they will be able to relax the day of the wedding and just trust in the DJ.

This was an especially fun wedding to DJ. Gabi, Dean, their family and friends were a crazy (‘crazy’ in a good way), party crowd. In fact, I witnessed my first ever ‘Family Pyramid’ (see the photo below). The crowd was up and dancing to everything from Motown, to Funk, to today’s Top 40 dance music. After my last song of the night I was swarmed by guests chanting “One More Song, One More Song”, and with permission from the staff at the Loews Hotel, I happily complied. I also had the chance to work with Shea from Roggio Wedding Photography. He did an awesome job and his images came out looking outstanding. He is a top notch photographer and I look forward to working with him soon in the future.

Like every wedding blog post I write, I can not finish before thanking the bride and groom. Gabi and Dean you’re an awesome couple and it was confirmed to me by meeting all their friends and family that were there to celebrate.

Congratulations!!

-Richie

Images courtesy of Roggio Weddings

The Loews Philadelphia

www.cuttingedgedjs.com

The phrase “The Sound of Philadelphia” encompasses a body of soulful music that, for the most part, originates in the city of Philadelphia.

The criteria to be classified as the Philadelphia sound (or Philly soul) gets a little foggy at points, but seems to encompass one or more of the following prerequisites;

1) It was written or produced by Thom Bell, or the team of Kenneth Gamble and Leon Huff (Gamble and Huff), John Whitehead and Gene McFadden (McFadden and Whitehead), or a number of other talented songwriters considered to be part of the Philadelphia International label.

2) It was released on the Philadelphia International Records label,owned by Gamble and Huff.  Although Bell was not a business partner in the label, he was their partner in their Mighty Three Music publishing company.  Bell also guided the sound of the Delfonics for the Philly Groove label, the Stylistics for Avco and a string of hits for the Spinners on Atlantic, taking the Philly sound outside the confines of the Philadelphia International label.

3) It was recorded and/or engineered by Joseph Tarsia and Sigma Sound Studios in Philadelphia.

Although not limited to these prerequisites, some of what is considered “Philly Soul” may meet some but not all of these criteria, while later records were lumped into this category either because of a similar “Philly” sound, or because the artist happened to hail from Philadelphia (Hall & Oates being the perfect example).  In the end, what is Philly soul is of course speculative, as any music classification is.

Gamble and Huff first approached Ahmet Ertegun at Atlantic Records to distribute the Philadelphia International Records label, only to be turned down and then be picked up by Clive Davis, then at CBS Records.  Much of the actual recording was done at Sigma Sound Studios in Philadelphia, and later, artists like David Bowie – seeking to create a more ‘soulful’ sound – would come to Philadelphia to record.  Philadelphia soul reached it’s peak in the early to mid 1970s, and is arguably (see T.S.O.P. below) the forerunner of Disco.

Here are a few tunes from the era of Sigma Sound Studios and The Sound of Philadelphia. Feel free to scroll down and hit play on the player to hear some of the great Philly sound.

“T.S.O.P.” by M.F.S.B. featuring The Three Degrees

M.F.S.B. (Mother, Father, Sister, Brother) was basically the house band at Sigma Sound Studios.  A pool of over thirty talented musicians, they began recording as a named act in 1972, and in 1974, with The Three Degrees singing backup, they released the track T.S.O.P. (The Sound of Philadelphia), written by Gamble and Huff to be the theme song for the television show Soul Train. T.S.O.P. rose to #1 on the Billboard chart, and some consider it to be the first Disco track to reach #1.

“Me and Mrs. Jones” by Billy Paul

Reaching #1 on the Billboard charts in 1972, Me and Mrs. Jones was a steamy ballad about an extramarital affair, and was to be Billy Paul’s only #1 hit.  Written by Gamble and Huff, it was also Philadelphia International’s first #1 hit, and regardless of it’s taboo topicality, remains a classic (although I don’t recommend you have your DJ play it at your wedding).  Billy Paul was a Philadelphia native, born Paul Williams on December 1, 1934.

“Didn’t I (Blow Your Mind This Time)” by The Delfonics

The Grammy-winning Didn’t I is arguably one of the first notable Philly soul records.  Produced by Thom Bell on the Bell label and released in 1970, Didn’t I charted at #3 on the R&B charts, and #10 on the pop charts. Used in Quentin Tarentino’s Jackie Brown as an almost main (recurring) theme, and later re-recorded by the pop group New Kids on the Block, Didn’t I remains a soulful classic, and a shining example of the lasting impact of Philadelphia soul.

“You Are Everything” by The Stylistics

A personal favorite of mine, The Stylistics are the quintessential Philadelphia band.  Hailing from Philadelphia, The Stylistics had a string of hits written by Thom Bell and Linda Creed, all produced by Bell.  Although You Are Everything peaked at #9 on the Billboard charts (You Make Me Feel Brand New charted at #2), it is part of a powerful and soulful body of work, similar to that of The Delfonics, yet somewhat more expansive and evolved.

“Back Stabbers” by The O’Jays

The O’Jays… Ahhh. Back Stabbers, written by Huff, McFadden and Whitehead, released on the Philadelphia International Records label and recorded at Sigma Sound Studios on the album of the same name meets every requirement to be considered the Philly sound.  The O’Jays had a slew of hits, and if a band were to be considered a Disco Pioneer, it would most certainly be The O’Jays.  Charting at #3 in 1972, Back Stabbers is quite representative of the sound that Philadelphia is famous for.

“I’ll Be Around” by The Spinners

Also known as The Detroit Spinners, The Spinners were originally signed to Motown Records where their contribution was somewhat unremarkable. Not until they left Motown, and not until they re-signed with Atlantic and recruited the talented Thom Bell to write and produce were they able to achieve the success of what now comprises their greatest hits. I’ll Be Around attained #1 on the R&B charts for five weeks, and #3 on the pop charts for ten.

“When Will I See You Again” by The Three Degrees

The Three Degrees were signed to the Philadelphia International label in 1973, and the rest is history… well, at least a short history.  In addition to the intermittent backup quips they added to T.S.O.P., they did have their own  #2 hit single in 1974, and it was When Will I See You Again.  Not quite a one-hit-wonder,  The Three Degrees did have a very forgettable #29 hit on their previous label in 1970… but I can’t remember it.  Guess I won’t see it again.  As irrelevant as they may seem beside these other big names, they still managed to be the only group/artist to make our list twice.

“Don’t Leave Me This Way” by Harold Melvin and The Blue Notes

Two words:  Teddy. Pendegrass.  If You Don’t Know Me By Now charted at #3 in 1972, The Love I Lost at #7 in 73, and Wake Up Everybody at #12 in 1975.  Don’t Leave Me This Way by Harold Melvin and his Blue Notes never charted with Teddy Pendegrass on lead vocal, but it did by Thelma Houston in 1977. The long version (eleven minutes and eight seconds), may possibly be one of the most soulfully powerful but undisputed disco-esque examples of the Philadelphia sound.  At :33 seconds, Teddy begins with a stirring hum, then, almost three full minutes later breaking into the lyric and kicking the song into a do-me-right-now-baby gear like only Teddy Pendegrass can… And all to a latin Disco beat.  Man, you gotta love the Seventies.  Oh yeah, listen to this one all the way to the end – it’s a jam.

Coming from a Philadelphian, what makes for the Philadelphia sound is really a lot of things.  My own dad was West Philadelphia born and raised just like Will Smith, and his hit, Summertime, is all about summers in Philadelphia.  Before American Bandstand was American Bandstand, it was Philadelphia Bandstand… And Dick Clark. Philadelphia.  Boys II Men are all Philly, Patti LaBelle, Frankie Avalon, Bobby Rydell, Toni Basil (Oh Mickey!!!), The Bloodhound Gang, Tuff Crew, The Dead Milkmen, Jim Croce, Lou Rawls (also Philadelphia International Records artist), G-Love and Special Sauce. I already mentioned Will, but gotta give a shout out to DJ Jazzy Jeff. Can I keep going?  Sure can! Todd Rundgren, Eddie Fisher, Chubby Checker, Tammi Terell, Grover Washington, Hall and Oates and of course, The Roots (who totally rock).

Many great ‘sounds’ have come out of Philadelphia… Take it from a DJ who knows. But the mid-seventies “Sound of Philadelphia”  had the ears of America… and of the World.

Craig Sumsky
Director
Cutting Edge Entertainment

Cutting Edge Entertainment has a great relationship with the first-class Loews Hotel Philadelphia.  In fact, we have many weddings booked there in the upcoming weeks, and will be there quite often before this years end. The Millennium Ballroom serves as a fantastic setting for a wedding reception; the entire event staff from the servers to the bartenders is outstanding.

For the reception, I was ecstatic to have the opportunity to work alongside Abominable Productions.  Amy and Jim – the team at Abominable Productions – are extraordinary and creative videographers, and working with them is always a really great experience.

I always recommend video to clients because, like DJing, videography is constantly evolving thanks to recent technological developments. As time goes by, wedding videos look more and more like movies, including even little preview trailers.

I also worked with Elissa from EID Photography for the first time. EID Photography is based in New York, so I’m uncertain if I will have many future chances to work with her.  I really hope that I do work with her again because, as you can see by her photos that she let us feature on our blog, there are not many photographers at her caliber, and she sure knows how to capture the excitement and energy of the DJ and the dance floor.

My DJ assistant for the wedding was the one and only DJ Joe T, who started at Cutting Edge a few years ago. He not only became a talented and knowledgeable DJ, but I also think he found something he loves and feels passionate about.  He now attends the University of Vermont, where I’m sure he will continue to DJ.  I look forward to seeing him soon and hopefully working with him again during his breaks from school.

I save the biggest thank you for Rachelle and Jon… what an amazing wedding!  I had a blast getting to know you both and I look forward to keeping in touch.

All the best!!

Richie
Wedding DJ and MC

Check out this video trailer of the wedding from Abominable Productions!

It seems I have been on an unbelievable lucky streak, being a part of so many fantastic weddings this year. On July 9th, I had the opportunity to DJ the wedding of Amy and Steve at the Philadelphia Mariott West. The bride and groom were referred to me by a very good friend, who also happens to be a DJ. I’m always grateful for all of my friends, past clients, and other event professionals that pass along my name to people looking for a DJ or planning a wedding (or both). As I mentioned, Amy and Steve had their wedding at the Philadelphia Marriott West. Ellen, Dana, Vince, and the rest of the staff there were extremely accommodating to the two hundred fifty plus guests, which is a fairly large wedding reception. I also worked with John Barone Photography, who did an extraordinary job capturing some action images (making the DJ look great). I have had many photographer friends tell me that after the wedding is over, all a client is left with are photos. Of course this may be true, but when you have a talented, experienced professional behind the lens you are left with images that can instantly take you back to that special day.

For me, as a DJ, I love to be behind the mixer spinning music back to back and beat to beat. There is no better feeling than when you look up from the mixer and see a packed dance floor. Even better is when you are able to sustain maximum capacity on the dance floor for the entire night. In my opinion, if you attend a wedding there is no better way to show your love for the bride and groom, than by having a good time and dance the night away. In Amy and Steve’s case, their friends must love them a lot, because I had everyone dancing the entire evening. All types of music were played from “Brown Eyed Girl” by Van Morrison to “Give Me Everything” from Pitbull. However, the song that got the biggest pop was the classic sing-a-long “Piano Man” by Billy Joel. I played this song second to last and all of the remaining guests which (about 200 people) were on the dance floor singing their hearts out and smiling from ear to ear.

After a wedding is over, I enjoy staying in touch with my past clients. The majority of brides and grooms I work with are much like my friends outside of work… We have a lot in common and it is easy to get along with them. I look forward to keeping in touch with both Amy and Steve, as they start their lives together as husband and wife.

~Richie

Images courtesy of John Barone Photography

Philadelphia Mariott West

www.cuttingedgedjs.com

Last week, Vanessa and Matt whose wedding we provided the DJ services for – and our DJ Rich posted a blog about titled “A Bride, a Groom, and a Philadelphia Wedding” - wrote a glowing review on the wedding website WeddingWire about how happy they were not only with the DJ’s performance, but, well, with everything. First and foremost, I would like to thank Vanessa and Matt for writing such a glowing review, which acknowledges the job we did for all to see, and subsequently helps us to gain future business. I think it’s also important to note that, like they said in the review, this IS the way to get future business – by making the customers wants and needs the only priority, and not future business itself. With Matt and Vanessa’s permission, we have re-posted the review here on our blog to share with our readers, and also to point out a few specific points of note that I found quite surprising.

I [Matt] highly recommend Cutting Edge and DJ/MC Richie who made sure the party atmosphere of our wedding night was just as successful as the ceremony. Not only did he ensure everything went smoothly, but he did it with class and a whole lot of fun. The planning process, in particular, was where Cutting Edge set themselves apart from other vendors.

First off, we were able to get two DJ’s (Richie who acted mostly as MC and another young man who was sort of like an apprentice and I hadn’t met until the day of the wedding) plus uplighting for close to the price of what other vendors were charging for a single DJ. We found this to be a vital reason for the success of the evening, as Richie was able to spend time coordinating with the catering staff, making announcements and doing more “directing” than just standing behind a CD mixer. He was interactive with the crowd without being overbearing. The worst thing I could imagine is a DJ trying to “steal the show” at a wedding… and I’ve seen it plenty of times at other people’s affairs. Thankfully, Richie knew how to strike the right balance, while maintaining the right level of energy. While the price may have been a tad higher, we found it to be the biggest “bang for your buck” as far as the difference goes (you know, like $100 more in flowers adds very little value, $100 more in food gets you one more plate, while $100 more in DJ costs gets you a smoother operation that also LOOKS more upscale)

As for the lighting, the Cutting Edge options provided just what we needed for a fraction of the cost of “lighting designers.”  To each their own but I couldn’t imagine spending more on lights than my videographer, which some lighting “artists” wanted to charge me.  Cutting Edge added it in for very little extra cost and Richie and his crew were even able to install them at first in the ceremony space with a simple white light and then transfer them to the reception room, where the same lights produced vibrant blues, amber, etc. There were many color options all in the same light because they use LED, which also has the benefit of being energy efficient & cool to the touch (good for little kids) and reduces the chance of a fire in the middle of your wedding.  Seriously!

The biggest reason I recommend Richie & Cutting Edge is that they listened to us.  It was disturbing and shocking that certain competitors told us point blank “I won’t play the music the bride and groom want to hear, my job is not to listen to their desires, my job is to get people up and dancing so that guests will remember they had a good time and recommend me for future business.”  Umm, I get that this is a business and all but as a contracted vendor you are working for ME, not referrals. Heck, if I hired you to play polka all night long that’s what you would do because that’s why I’m paying you.  Fortunately, my wife and I have much better music tastes so it wasn’t an issue. And Richie was not only OPEN to playing songs we did want to hear, he made it FUN to talk about songs.  We had a meeting for I’d say an hour where we sat around in the office and played songs off iTunes and went over different options for “events” such as Father-Daughter Dance or Cake Cutting. Richie had recommendations, while we also brought in a very long list of songs we liked and hoped to hear (and a handful of “must plays”) It helped him understand our style more and cater his setlist to our tastes. We wanted a mix of everything from Motown to Oldies to Beatles to Funk to Stevie Wonder to Michael Jackson to 80’s to modern danceable pop like Justin Timberlake, and he was knowledgeable about all of it. The most “alternative” song choice we had was entering to MGMT’s “Electric Feel.” Not only did Richie know the song right away, he had a few remixes as options. We felt comfortable immediately that Richie “got it” and were put at ease that our reception would have people dancing all night long. This, of course, turned out to be true.

I also want to point out how important it was to have certain songs NOT played (i.e. chicken dance, line dances, Celine Dion, etc) and again, Richie took this into consideration and guaranteed a “do not play” list while other DJ’s threatened to “play whatever THEY wanted.” Insane!

Acting as MC also meant that Richie went over (and adjusted) a “timeline” of events with us in advance, which as the detail-oriented wedding planner groom that I was, I found really important.  Of course it’s impossible to plan for everything at a wedding but having a meticulous schedule in advance made it feel more orchestrated than doing everything “on the fly”

One final note:  Cutting Edge’s policy as far as I understand is to dress professionally, and Richie & crew showed up in black tie… so that should put your mind at ease about DJ’s who wear jeans to formal events.

Overall, again, a big thumbs up for Cutting Edge and ask for Richie if he’s available!

Although as I said earlier that we could not have asked for a more amazing testimonial about our DJ service, I bolded a section which I found to be enlightening and somewhat disturbing at the same time. Here are my thoughts.

First, Matt, you are absolutely right, we are working for you, not for future business.  At your wedding – had you asked for it – we would have been happy to play polkas, or whatever else you both had wanted you to play.  That is our job.  Might I also add that the success of your wedding had a lot to do with the fact that you did have good taste in music, but in either case, the DJ should always play what the customer wants.  Period.

What I found disturbing was your bad experience with a DJ who told you otherwise.  Obviously, as a DJ myself, I don’t have the opportunity to interview too many Disc Jockeys, but I can imagine your frustration in that situation.  The analogy of a house painter comes to mind, who would have the audacity to tell you he will not paint the room the color you wish but instead will choose the color he feels is best.  Absurd.

I’m grateful you put this out there, as it is something we pride ourselves in and I’ve written a few blog posts about this very subject myself in the past.  That day was Matt and Vanessa’s day, their wedding day, and our job was to be your wedding DJ, play the music you preferred, and do the job the way you wanted it done.  That’s what we do at Cutting Edge.

Thank you again and again for your amazing testimonial.  We are grateful for the opportunity you gave us, and your recognition of the job we did.  We’re always happy to paint the colors you choose.

-Craig

Image Courtesy of Cindy Guessford

Other articles about doing what the customer wants

“The DJ and the Client in Perfect Harmony”

“Your Wedding DJ… Are They Listening To You?”

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

One of our favorite event venues in the city of Philadelphia is The Loews Hotel.  Located conveniently on Market Street in Center City Philadelphia, the Loews might be officially categorized as a five star hotel, but in our minds it’s a solid ten.  Over the course of the past few years we have had the pleasure of providing DJ and lighting services for countless weddings, bar and bat mitzvah parties, corporate events, college formals and just about any other type of social celebration you can think of, and we’ve come to fall head over heels in love with the Loews and it’s staff.  Not only is it a great place, but the folks there are great people who excel at customer service and, well, just being great.

The Loews Philadelphia has three amazing and unique event spaces; The Regency Ballroom, The Millennium Ballroom, and – as the Philadelphia Radio DJ used to say – “High atop the P.S.F.S. Building in Philadelphia” – the amazing 33rd floor. The Loews Philadelphia’s 33rd floor consists of three separate spaces; The Terrace, LeScaze and Howe, all blending into what one might call a single facility within itself.  It is the 33rd floor of The Loews – specifically Howe – which we chose to be the focus of our attention in this article.  With the help of Lisa Strickland, Senior Catering Manager at the Loews, as well as Photographer Kevin York and Event Filmmaker Cinemacake, we (Cutting Edge Entertainment) put together a photo and video shoot not only to feature the breathtaking views of this magnificent space, but how our L.E.D. up lighting could transform something great into something even greater.

There is really no need to elaborate on the atmosphere and ambiance lighting can add to a space, as the image from Kevin York and the video clip produced by CinemaCake speak for themselves.  We are proud to be a preferred vendor at The Loews Philadelphia, and are excited that in addition to our DJ services, our L.E.D. lighting can enhance and add to the already spectacular space with views of the Philadelphia skyline from every angle.

If you are looking for a diverse and unique space for your wedding reception, bar or bat mitzvah or any other type of event you can imagine, we suggest you take a close look at The Loews Philadelphia.  You won’t be disappointed.

Image courtesy of Kevin York Photography

Video courtesy of CinemaCake Filmmakers

Centerpieces provided by Carl Alan Floral Design

Lighting by Cutting Edge Entertainment

The Loews Hotel Philadelphia

When Jennifer first called us regarding her son Jacob’s up-coming Bar Mitzvah, I couldn’t have been more intrigued. Jennifer explained that she had found an awesome venue – which until then had been unknown to me – called ‘Rock and Roll After School’. After looking it up online (see links at the end of this story), I was totally stoked. Rock and Roll After School is actually just that, an ‘after school’ school where kids go to learn how to play instruments, and put together real rock bands. The place was totally thematic, and probably one of the most uniquely suited venues for a kids party that I’d ever come across (thanks to Jennifer… great find!). Kudos to cool clients!

Next, she explained that the Bar Mitzvah was to have a Philadelphia Phillies theme, and that instead of having stuffy entree-style food, they would be sticking with the theme and serving all sorts of Philadelphia baseball fare. Of course, normal baseball food was on the menu (Hot Dogs and Hamburgers), but with a Philadelphia twist.

Fast forward to the party… The decor was fantastic. It was decked out Philadelphia Phillies style, with Robert Ryan Caterers serving the food, while our dance staff acted as ticket takers – each guest being given Phillies ‘tickets’ as place cards. When the kids arrived, they were enthusiastic and so excited to participate in all of the games and activities that even our party staff were overwhelmed by their energy level. Jacob had great friends, and the adults were as participatory in what was going on as the kids were. The party was filled with smiling faces and heaps of fun, with great guests that just seemed to be enjoying every moment.

Although I wish I could take all the credit, I have to give huge props to Jennifer whose creative choice in venue and theme truly made the event unique. Additionally, I really have to thank Julian the Photographer for these amazing images. Julian really caught the event in motion in each photograph, and I look forward to working with him again soon. Lastly, if you are planning any sort of kids party in the near future, be sure to check out Rock and Roll After School in the Phoenixville Foundry in Phoenixville, PA. I predict this will be one of the hottest new kid venues to hold an event in the coming years.

Mazel Tov Jacob and your entire family. Thank you for choosing Cutting Edge and allowing us to provide the DJ entertainment for your Bar Mitzvah.

-Craig

Images courtesy of Julian Kornacki Photography

Rock and Roll After School

www.cuttingedgedjs.com

The Please Touch Museum in Philadelphia was the perfect setting for the Radnor High School Senior Prom. The DJ booth was raised up about eight feet above the dance floor upon the platform of a gigantic replica of the Statue of Liberty, it was VERY cool. Five crew members accompanied me to set up a killer scene for Radnor High’s Class of 2011 Prom, and we pulled out all the stops. Sub woofers filled the room with booming bass, with a an overhead light show of intelligent and L.E.D. lighting lit the venue and two plasma TVs broadcast a live feed of everyone dancing… it was definitely a party full of energy! The senior class was really into the whole scene, and their enthusiasm was contagious.

The senior guys performed a choreographed dance for all of the girls and lit the place up. Brian was on multi-media, and not only provided a live video feed, but also snapped pictures throughout the night and put together slide shows that were shown throughout the night. Thanks to Zack, my lighting tech, we were able to accent the lighting with black lights and strobes. It was great to have a true club feel being that I was in an elevated DJ booth and could see the entire crowd of students rocking out the whole night. It reminded me of how fun it is to be a DJ, and brought out my creative side when choosing which songs to mix together. I’d like to thank the entire staff at the Please Touch Museum for accommodating myself and my crew, and the chaperons that planned a seamless evening that every student in attendance will surely remember.

To the Radnor High Class of 2011, I hope you had The Time of Your Life!

DJ Jason

www.cuttingedgedjs.com

The month of April was packed full of weddings for us at Cutting Edge Entertainment. The first wedding I did was on Saturday April 2nd, and I couldn’t have asked for a better party to kick off the month. The wedding ceremony and reception happened at Knowlton Mansion in Philadelphia, and the day was beautiful. I was lucky enough to meet Skip through my former boss at a bar I worked at as a DJ, and I feel very grateful to have so many great friends who pass along my name to people looking for a DJ for their wedding or event. When Skip and Kerri came to our office to first meet me and discuss their wedding plans, I knew right away this was a wedding I wanted to book. They are a very easy going couple that clearly wanted to have a fun reception for their large family and friends. They were very confident that I was going to do a great job for them, and that put me immediately at ease. Once they told me they wanted to go with me as their DJ, I had been looking forward to this wedding.

The day finally came and I packed up my equipment and headed right to Knowlton Mansion. A great couple plus a great facility with an awesome staff equals a fun day on the job for me. The ceremony was held in the mansion, which we provided both music and microphone. I have an addiction to the Vitamin String Quartet. Their music is awesome and a nice change of pace from the ordinary classical music, I once played during ceremonies. After the ceremony ended, cocktail hour began. Some people will be surprised to hear this, but my favorite part of a wedding to DJ is the cocktail hour. It’s tougher to read the crowd since nobody is dancing, however when you see people tap their feet or snap their fingers along to what I’m playing, it is a good feeling. Some people just feel cocktail hour music is just background stuff, but I would disagree with them. You set the tone for yourself, the crowd, and the party right at the beginning. Another bonus for me, is that I love the music from Frank Sinatra, Louis Armstrong, Jimmy Durante, Nat King Cole, and Peggy Lee, I guess because I am just such a cool cat.   Now – back to the wedding – the guests enjoyed their cocktail hour, but once it was over we introduced our bridal party, the parents, and of course the bride and groom into the beautiful ballroom in Knowlton Mansion. The bride and groom then took to the center of the dance floor for their first dance as husband and wife to “Stand by Me” from the great John Lennon. Then it was the staff of Knowlton Mansion’s turn to take center stage and impress everyone with a mouth watering, delicious dinner. As you can see from the pictures, the crowd was not shy of the dance floor. The biggest hits of the night were “I Gotta Feeling” from the Black Eyed Peas, “Shout” (the good version) by Otis Day and the Knights, and of course a good old fashion Hora that got things started.

The staff at the Knowlton Mansion did a great job. Eileen is a fantastic event coordinator and with over two hundred guests you have to be. Everyone from the bartenders to the servers and the staff in the kitchen did a top notch job. It is no wonder why Knowlton Mansion is one of the premier venues in the area. I also had the chance to work with Cassidy and Emily of Wren and Field Photography. As you can see by the images they let us feature on the blog, they are extremely talented. I look forward to working together with them again in the future. Then, of course our bride and groom, Skip and Kerri were the kind of clients I love to work with. I hope you both look back on your wedding day with only the fondest of memories.

~Richie

Images courtesy of Wren and Field Photography – www.wrenandfield.com

The Knowlton Mansion

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