I guess that led to you working for Electro-Magic? A: It did. In fact I can tell you that my first job as a DJ was working at the queue line outside the Men in Black attraction at Universal Studios. When the building would overflow and the line would extend outside, I’d be there playing music.
I had a four hour shift every day throughout the summer entertaining people as they waited in line. It was actually a lot of fun. I’d get a new group of guests every thirty minutes, which meant that I could recycle some of the same jokes and some of the same music. Some people cut their teeth in clubs, I cut my teeth DJing in queues!
As well as Men in Black I also did the Spiderman ride and played in Mel’s Drive-In, which is a retro-themed diner in the park. That helped me to really familiarise myself with the hits of the ‘50s and ‘60s. Q: I believe that you also got into gameshow hosting while you were in Florida? A: That’s right.
As well as working the queues, at night I picked up a few private party DJ gigs, had the chance to work at Downtown Disney and got a job at the Nickelodeon hotel. That’s where I cut my teeth as a gameshow host and I also went on to host live gameshows at Universal’s City Walk. I was in Florida for three years and that’s where I got my start as a DJ and it’s also where I tell people I earned my ‘degree in family entertainment’ . Which is not a real degree, but I felt like it was three years of great experience and training that taught me more than any college course ever could. my first job as a DJ was working at the queue line outside the Men in Black attraction at Universal Studios.
When the building would overflow and the line would extend outside, I’d be there playing music 65BEHIND THE SCENES AT THE HK AUDIO FACTORY Q: How did you transition from working in theme parks to becoming a mobile DJ? A: After three years of being mentored by Elliot and gaining a ton of experience in Florida I felt like I’d hit my ceiling. So I decided to head home to Utah and setup my own business, Life of the Party Entertainment. That was 12 years ago and I’ve been building the business ever since.
I’m now kept very busy DJing every weekend – and often midweek too – and have eight other guys who also go out under the ‘Life of the Party’ banner. Q: Why do you think Life of the Party has become so successful? Partly due to want I learnt down in Florida, but what really changed everything for me was joining the American Disc Jockey Association. This allowed me to network with fellow DJs and to be mentored by DJs within my own market, including a good friend of mine, Paul Helms.
He invited me to my first Mobile Beat Conference in 2009 saying that it would change my life, and, do you know what, he was right. Seeing beyond what Utah had to offer and learning from the leading DJs from across the US allowed me to up my game to a whole new level. I think all of us should never stop learning. I’ve taken training in improv, in dance and in acting, and I’ve also trained with other DJs, like Mark Ferrell and Bill Hermann, and all of it has helped get me to where I am today.
Q: What do you think makes a good mobile DJ? A: I think mobile DJs need to be self-aware and also willing to learn and grow. There are too many DJs out there who are just spinning their wheels and saying “I got this” , but doing the same tired thing they’ve always done without ever moving forward or evolving. In fact the only way that some DJs grow is buying new gear; but they are playing the same music, using the same tired lines on the mic, and wearing the same terrible tuxedo that they bought in 1999!
If DJs aren’t evolving, and aren’t self-aware, they are just stuck! The best DJs out there are the ones who are still learning and striving to become better and stay relevant. One DJ who I think really gets this right is Mike Walter. He’s been in the business for years, but he’s continually evolving.
He’s evolved with his dress – he doesn’t have the same mullet that he had in the ‘90s, he’s still learning and he’s keeping up with the latest music and putting out mixes. He’s in his 50s and is still rocking it like he’s in his 30s. Another one is Jim Cerone. He’s very cognisant of the music, always researching the charts, always trying to find out what his younger couples are wanting to listening to.
It’s interesting, as wedding DJs, we get older but our couples stay the same age. They are all still in their twenties and early thirties, but we’re getting older. So we need to make the effort to keep on top of the latest music. There’s a DJ over here, called Nick Spinelli, who advocates for wedding DJs getting regular club gigs to keep them connected to a younger audience, and I totally agree.
I personally don’t do club work, but I do DJ a lot of youth events and that keeps me connected to a younger audience and on top of new trends. There are too many DJs out there who are just spinning their wheels and saying “I got this”, but doing the same tired thing they’ve always done without ever moving forward or evolving PRODUCES THICK, LOW-LYING CLOUDS FAST HEATING - NO NEED FOR DRY ICE USES JUST WATER AND SMOKE FLUID QUICK FIT HOSE SUPPLIED OPERATION VIA ON BOARD CONTROLLER, IR REMOTE OR DMX Equinox - A Prolight Concepts Group Company Order code: EQLED390 - Visit for full details OPTIONAL FLIGHT CASE ORDER CODE: EQLED390C ADV021_ProMobile_ProLight_Arcus.indd 1 14/06/2019 16:50 Q: What inspired you to become a conference speaker?
I like being on stage, I like being in front of an audience, but I also thought that I had something different to say. Coming from an entertainment background, instead of a club or radio background like most mobile DJs, I think I have a different take on things. So when the opportunity came in 2013 to speak at the Las Vegas DJ Show, which was organised by the American DJ Association, I took it. I saw it as a way of giving back to the industry.
I’ve learned a lot of lessons over the past 12 years running my business and I thought if others could learn from my mistakes then that had to be a good thing. From there I spoke at various other mobile DJ shows across the US, which eventually led to the main stage at Mobile Beat in 2017. I found that I have a passion for speaking and now pursue it professionally alongside my DJ career. I’ve spoken at wedding industry events – such as Wedding Wire World and the Wedding MBA – as well as international events in Dubai, Italy and Armenia.
I’m also increasingly being booked to speak at events outside of the entertainment industry as well as to host conferences and corporate events, which I absolutely love. Q: Are you looking forward to speaking at the Pro Mobile Conference next year? A: Absolutely! I’ve visited England once before, staying in London, and I absolutely loved it.
I’m not trying to pander to the UK audience, but I really did love my time in London. So I’m really looking forward to coming back to the UK and seeing more of the countryside. I’ve also heard good things about the Conference and already have DJ friends from the UK who I know will be there, so I’m looking forward to catching up with them and also getting to know lots more of the delegates over the two days. Q: What can delegates expect from your keynote sessions at the 2019 Pro Mobile Conference?
A: I’ll be presenting two seminars, one called ‘The Voice’ and another on social media for DJs. I don’t think a lot of DJs fully appreciate the power of social media and how they can use it to create a good impression on potential customers. These days everyone is online, and we all use the internet to research any major purchase. That means that prospective clients will be doing their research and looking you up online before getting in touch – and that includes looking for you on social media.
They are looking at your pictures, they are reading what you have posted, they are looking at everything that is out there. But so many DJs don’t realise what their digital footprint looks like and what impression it might be making on potential clients. So I want to help delegates to really take control of their social media and use it to generate more phone calls and ultimately more events. My other presentation, ‘The Voice’ , is essentially all about authenticity.
I’m sure we’ve all had customers say that they don’t want a ‘cheesy DJ’ . And I think a large part of what makes many DJs sound cheesy is that they are not being authentic to themselves. When they are on the mic they play a caricature of a DJ, or a caricature of themselves. In the Conference session I’ll help delegates to hone in on how to be more natural, more engaging and how to truly command an audience.
Coming from an entertainment background, instead of a club or radio background like most mobile DJs, I think I have a different take on things
