#215 FEB MOBILEBEAT.COM 2020 WEDDING RECEPTIONS A VARIETY OF VIEWS IT'S HERE! MARCH 16-19, 2020 TROPICANA LV ColorKey www.colorkeyled.com Roland www.roland.com/global/products/dj-707m P.20 WEDDING RECEPTIONS A VARIETY OF VIEWS PLAYLIST MBLV24 ������������������������������������������������������������������� 8 10 Ways to Be a Better Wedding MC By Michael Walter MBLV24 ������������������������������������������������������������������ 10 The Mad Stuntman By Mike Cordeiro MBLV24 ������������������������������������������������������������������ 12 Rick Parisi: Generating Connections By Dan Walsh FEATURE����������������������������������������������������������������� 14 Securing Funding For Your Small Business By Ami Kassar FEATURE����������������������������������������������������������������� 16 Best of Times or Worst of Times? (DJing for Family) By Kevin Freese ADVERTISERS MOBILE MATTERS ��������������������������������������������������� 18 Premature Departure Bose www.bose.com/F1 5 By Matt Martindale ColorKey www.colorkeyled.com 2 SOCIAL MEDIA KNOWHOW ��������������������������������������20 DJ Event Planner www.djeventplanner.com 19 How I Untied Myself from “The Knot” Innovative LED www.innovativeledsales.com 15 By Staci Nichols Mobile Beat Las www.mobilebeatlasvegas.com 24 A DIFFERENT BEAT �������������������������������������������������� 22 Vegas Is the Wedding Industry Doomed? QSC www.qsc.com 9 By Stu Chisholm Roland www.roland.com/global/products/dj-707m 3 P.14 Publisher Editor-in-Chief Events Director Emeritus Ryan Burger Dan Walsh Michael Buonaccorso Mobile Beat Editorial Assistant / Events Director Writer Jake Feldman Rebecca Burger TO ADVERTISE IN MOBILE BEAT OR EXHIBIT AT A MOBILE BEAT EVENT, CALL 515-986-3344 x300 OR EMAIL [email protected] 4 MOBILEBEAT.COM ▷ FEBRUARY 2020 Bose .................. www.bose.com/F1 MBLV24 10 Ways to Be a Better Wedding MC By Michael Walter 10 Ways to Be a Better Wedding MC By Michael Walter t MBLV24 (Coming up, March 16-19, 2020 at the Tropicana in A Las Vegas) Mike Walter will again be teaching the popular “MC Institute” sessionsm, where attendees will learn “the fine art of being a professional wedding MC.” To get you ready for his interactive workshops, Mike offers 10 ways to improve your hosting… ~Ed. 1. Be early. Remember: “Early is on time and on time is late.” party. Find your style, get on the microphone and interact. 2. Use the couple’s first names as often as possible. I know that 6. Play requests (within reason). I don’t know why some DJs loathe seems painfully basic but you’d be surprised how many veteran requests. I love getting them from the couples I work with because MCs (and maybe even yourself) say “bride and groom” or “the then I can throw THEIR party. I know I can rock a dance floor, but happy couple” almost all night and rarely use first names. Stop. if a couple gives me few or no requests, how do I know I’ve made We all talk about “personalizing” events, so let’s start by using their vision a reality? Getting input from clients is essential. But I first names and not generic place holders. also don’t mind getting requests from the guests at a party, and 3. Preview your special songs. Their wedding song is “Perfect” will often go out of my way to play them. Of course if it’s wildly by Ed Sheeran and you just played that last weekend, so inappropriate I won’t play it; or even if I think it’ll clear my floor. you’re good— right? Wrong. I don’t care if it’s a song you just But short of those extremes, I do my best to accommodate. purchased for this wedding or a song you’ve used a hundred 7. Beat mix. It’s shocking to me that some “DJs” are adamant about times, play it, in its entirety, sometime between when you set not actually DJing. I’ve had conversations with some in our up and when people walk into your room. I’d suggest doing industry who claim beat mixing isn’t important or that their clients this for the parent dance songs as well, and if you’re playing don’t ask for it. These “DJs” are out of touch will soon be extinct. for ceremony, the processional and recessional songs. Files get Clients don’t ask for beat mixing...because they assume we do it. damaged sometimes. Make sure the most important songs of They also don’t ask if we can set up our speakers but that doesn’t the night are, well, “Perfect.” mean we can leave them in the car. And here’s another eye-opener. 4. Dress the part. Which means match the couple’s formality. If it’s Most guests (especially under 40 years old) know the difference a “beach casual” wedding and you show up in a black tuxedo and between good beat mixing and bad. And they are laughing at bow tie, you’re overdressed (and probably over-heated). And if you behind your back with all your fancy gear if you are just doing it’s “black tie formal” and you’re in an open collar with sneakers, simple segues (or worse, train wrecks between each song). Learn you’re underdressed. As wedding MCs, we should have multiple to beat match. Practice. Get good at it. Then get great at it. Not outfits at our disposal so we can match the wedding attire. (And only will your parties get better and your referrals increase, but we should have asked ahead of time about the level of formality, you will have fun at your events. I love the part of the night when which should go without saying, but...) all the formalities are over and I just get to play. Those are the times when I pinch myself that I’m actually getting paid for this. 5. Interact. I know some people think “interaction” means putting 8. End on a high note. I think the last ten minutes of a wedding on a chicken suit and leading the “Chicken Dance” but it doesn’t. reception can be as important as any other segment of the night. End Interaction doesn’t have to be cheesy and over the top. In fact, it well and everyone’s last impression of the party will be a good one. doesn’t even have to be done from the dance floor if you’re the type of MC and DJ who likes to stay behind the gear. But it is an essential 9. Play “one more song!” When a crowd chants for “one more part of your presentation and can take a mediocre party to a great song!” I play it. I take it as a huge compliment, like a band being called back to the stage for an encore, and I accommodate. I don’t look at the clock (are three minutes really going to make Mike Walter began DJing 1984. He is a graduate of that big a difference in your life?) and if the banquet manager the Connecticut School of Broadcasting and has a challenges me about it, I encourage them to turn the house communications degree from Union County College. lights on and start clearing tables. Mike worked with Star DJs from 1988 to 1993 where he helped develop a staff of over 50. In1993, Mike 10. Avoid fast food on the way home. Our health and fitness became a partner in a much smaller DJ company, matters, and there is nothing healthy available at a drive Elite Entertainment, in New Jersey. He bought out his through at 1:00 AM. If you really need a bite to eat after an partner in 1998 and continued growing the company event, pack an apple or banana and some cold water for the (20 MCs and 1000+ annual events) and setting the drive home. You probably hit that fast food joint out of habit standard for excellence in his area. more than anything. Instead of driving through, drive by. Your Look for Mike at MBLV24, where he will be presenting multiple sessions of the “MC waist will thank you in the morning. Institute” during the event. 8 MOBILEBEAT.COM ▷ FEBRUARY 2020 MOBILEBEAT.COM ▷ FEBRUARY 2020 9 QSC .................... www.qsc.com MBLV24 The Mad Stuntman By Mike Cordeiro The Mad Stuntman MOVING IT AND KEEPING IT REAL By Mike Cordeiro t’s no secret that for the past 23 years Mobile I Beat Las Vegas has put on some of the best shows of any DJ conference. This year the lineup is out of this world, including Tuesday night’s Signature Party (3/17/20), with the outrageous Sparky B as host, a killDJ Cyn, DJ Felicity and DJ Stephanie Stardust, and featuring headlining ‘90s dance music groups Snap and Reel 2 Real. Reel 2 Real is responsible for one of the most iconic dance songs ever recorded, the irresistibly infectious “I Like to Move It.” This song has been used in everything from tele- vision ads to Disney movies to Zumba classes. It was even translated into Czechoslovakian and recorded by a local pop band (Tezkej Pokondr). I can almost guarantee that is high up in one of your playlists or crates. I caught up with Mark Quashie, a.k.a. “The Mad Stuntman” of Reel 2 Real to talk about his musical influences, growing up in Trinidad, and his upcoming performance at MBLV24. 10 MOBILEBEAT.COM ▷ FEBRUARY 2020 Mike Cordeiro: Mark, tell me about your early years growing up in MC : How much of “I Like to Move It” is you riffing versus sticking to the small island nation of Trinidad. the lyrics? Mark Quashie: I really don’t remember much. We weren’t MQ : I mostly stuck to the lyrics, but for the hook Eric had me poor, but we didn’t have a lot either.