Ask your DJ what kind of equipment he will be bringing to your party.  Make sure he has good equipment and back-ups for everything.  Just the other day we were at a pool party and the DJ couldn’t get his laptop to work when it was time for him to start playing.  It would start up and then shut right back down.  The DJ had a mobile device with music on it but the songs were old songs, and almost all slow.  He had no choice but to start playing the songs he had from the mobile device while his wife drove home to get another laptop.

It took more than an hour for his wife to drive home and get back to the party with the other laptop.  Meanwhile the comments about what he was playing was vicious.  They thought this DJ was terrible even though they knew he was having problems with the music.  Finally, he got the other laptop up and running and he turned out to be a good DJ and had good music.  He was forgiven by the crowd on the surface but they won’t forget soon the hour they didn’t enjoy.

DJ Riptide always brings back-ups for everything.  You never know what might stop working when it comes to electronics so we never take a chance.  We have speaker back-ups, computer, mic cords, monitor, mice, keyboards, mixers, music library, all backed up just in case.  You never know what might happen but we always try to plan for the worst and hope for the best.

http://djriptide.com/fort-myers-dj-san-carlos-lounge/

 DJ Riptide plays music at only one regular establishment in Fort Myers.  We play at the San Carlos lounge on the 3rd Friday of every month.  The owner of the lounge once told us that he has hired many bands in the past and they always tell him they have a big following that will be there the night that they play.  He said, it never happens and the only entertainment that ever brings a following is DJ Riptide 🙂

On the nights we play at San Carlos lounge we normally have from 50 to 70 of our friends that come to enjoy the night with us.  They never go to the lounge at any other time other than when we play there.  What a compliment for us!  The friends that come to our parties were our customers in the past who hired us for private parties, receptions, and other events over the 12 years we’ve been DJ-ing in SW Florida.  Some were customers and some were guests of all those old past parties.

We actually have a group of 4000 people who get our newsletters about upcoming parties.  We hope that after you hire us and we do your party, you join our friends and we see you again and again in the future.

Thanks to all who support us and we love playing the music for you.  We love your smiles and laughter, your dancing, your friendship.  We love you all…..

Cactus Dave and Kimi

djriptide.com

http://djriptide.com/fort-myers-dj-loves-take-requests/

 We have found that groups of people who go to the same nightclub or who have gone to parties together for years, know exactly what everyone wants to dance to.  Sometimes someone will request a song that we are reluctant to play, but find it just the ticket to really liven up the party.  Families or groups of friends really know best what will get people up and dancing.

Many times just one request will tune us in to the genres that will work best for a certain group of people.  Some DJ’s will get a request from someone but then wait for an hour or more to play the song.  Sometimes I think it’s just to show who is running the show 🙂  We play the request as soon as possible, trying not to spoil the mood of the dance floor.  In other words, if you have a bunch of people up on the floor getting crazy and you have played a slow song a couple songs before, you don’t want to play another slow right then.  If someone requests another slow song right at that point we may wait a while to play it.

http://djriptide.com/fort-myers-dj-can-play-twist/

 Yes, we still do play “The Twist” at some of our gigs!  We are open to any type of music and Cactus Dave is expert in many genres to include Country, Hip-Hop, Oldies, Top 40, Rock and Roll, Southern Rock, Club, House, and many others.

Some DJ’s specialize in only one or two genres so make sure ahead of your party that he or she will have the music you like. Some DJ’s use CD’s, some use records, some are digital.  Ask your DJ what medium he will be using and understand the needs of his system.  For instance, records and CD’s can’t stand a really vibrating dance floor for the most part because it makes them skip.

Some DJ’s only bring some of their music with them.  Ask your DJ if he will be bringing all of his music and what genres he will have with him.  If you have a song you want to make sure he has make sure to tell him well ahead of time.  Don’t think “oh, he’ll have to have that one already” because he may not.

Always try to hire a professional DJ if you want a quality party, don’t take the chance of hiring a kid with a little pack of CD’s and some cheap speakers.  You can always use a boom box if you just want something to listen to.  However, if you want a real party with great sound, and someone who will read the crowd and get people dancing, you need a professional.

Hire DJ Riptide, Fort Myers, Naples, Cape Coral disc jockey for your “killer party” that all of your friends will be talking about for years to come.  Go to http://djriptide.com

http://djriptide.com/fort-myers-dj-party-weather/

Don’t let your party be spoiled by the rain.  Here in SW Florida after June 1st the rainy season starts and it gets wet almost every day through November.  Beach parties and receptions are great so by all means go ahead and plan one.  The rain usually comes each day and it rains hard for a few minutes, maybe up to an hour, but then it usually stops and the sun comes right back out to shine on your party.

Remember though, your DJ has thousands of dollars worth of equipment and under no circumstances can he afford to even get a drop of water on most of it.  Make sure your DJ has some type of shelter to set up under if doing an outdoor or beach party.  Some DJ’s won’t even do them because of the chance his equipment could get wet.

Make sure the shelter you provide is totally water proof, not just one of those easy-up sun shelters from Wal*Mart or something.  The shelter must also have sides because the slightest breeze will blow rain across the equipment.

DJ Riptide does have a shelter that we can provide but we do charge an extra $50 to lug it out to the beach and set it up.  It takes quite a bit of extra time and energy to do it so that’s why we charge a little more.  Be sure to give us extra time if we have to pic up the equipment and shelter to move to another area for an indoor reception after the ceremony.

http://djriptide.com/feed-water-fort-myers-dj/

Don’t forget that your DJ’s need to eat and drink too during your party.  Depending on the times, (dinner etc.) your poor DJ may be hungry and he may be suffering just watching everyone else eat.  Keep your DJ happy and I’m sure he will do a great job for you.

Your photographer, event planner, all may be hungry or thirsty so make sure they all are at least offered something.  We specifically ask ahead of time whether to bring our own food or drinks to the party.  Yes, Cactus Dave will maybe drink a beer or glass of wine if offered, but never drinks more than that besides soft drinks or water.  Kimi doesn’t drink any liquor at all, but we both like something to “wet our whistle” during the party.

http://djriptide.com/work-fort-myers-dj/

We use planners for the bride and groom that they fill out on our website before the big day happens.  Every step is mapped out for them and what songs to play, whom to announce, dedications, etc.  We meet with the bride and groom in person many times to go over the planners that they’ve filled out.  We want to make sure everyone is on the same page when the wedding and receptions starts.

Sometimes we have slight problems to big problems if an event planner takes it upon themselves to guide the bride and groom in a totally different direction than what we planned with them. This creates a lot of confusion that the bride and groom mostly don’t even realize is happening.

If you want your DJ to be the emcee, make sure he knows everything ahead of time since he will actually be guiding the events along during the party.  Event Planners, please make sure to work with the DJ before the day of the reception, and/or wedding.

http://djriptide.com/can-fort-myers-dj-get-people-dance/

A good DJ can do things to get a crowd dancing if he is a professional.  Certain mid-high frequency, or base volumes can get people to want to dance sub- conciously.   Some crowds are really tough to get dancing however, and a good DJ will have to really work but may get a few up and moving.  Smaller crowds many times can be tougher to get dancing because maybe most of them are non dancers.  With larger crowds you usually get someone who is a dancing fool to get up there and get more people motivated.

For a wedding reception it’s not a good idea to tie your DJ’s hands by telling him no Electric Slide, or no Cha Cha Slide, No Y.M.C.A. or even at times No Chicken Dance 🙂  Yes, you may hate some of these but these particular songs just get people on the dance floor for some ungodly reason….LOL  Once you get people up there a time or two, the sky may be the limit and your party will be a great success!

During a 4 hour gig for a DJ he will play around 70 or more songs if everything keeps moving quickly.  In other words if a DJ has 2 or 300 top dance songs  he probably won’t steer you wrong and someone is going to dance.  Make sure when you hire your DJ he is very agreeable to doing requests and your guests will be mostly happy with that.  Don’t try to tell your DJ each and every song to play and when to play them.  DJ-ing looks easy but it’s a really tough job!

A DJ is never going to be able to keep everyone happy but if he can keep the majority smiling and in a good mood, he has been a success.  Remember, you have hired the DJ and you are the boss but even though you hate Country music many of your guests may just eat it up.  You have hired your DJ for yours AND your guest’s enjoyment right?  Let your DJ experiment with the crowd to see what really gets them going.

Hire a professional DJ, not a “Hack!”  Put your trust in him to help make your party a huge success.  The most beautiful dress, The tallest, fanciest cake, the most delicious food is nothing compared to the kick butt music your DJ will play for your party!  He will make or break the event, so don’t hire a bargain basement kid with a couple of cheap speakers and a sack of old cd’s.  Get a professional who has experience, state of the art equipment, lights, and knows what the Hell he’s doing 🙂

http://djriptide.com/terrible-fort-myers-dj/

Your very special day has finally arrived and you have planned your wedding since you were a little girl.  All is ready and the cake, your dress, the flowers are perfect.  You also got a really great deal on your disc jockey…..or did you?

We hear the horror stories every day and many people don’t stop to think that they may pay less for their DJ than any other part of the wedding or reception.  Yes, you may pay less and yet your DJ can totally make or break your most important day!

Please, if you really want to have a great reception don’t look for the cheapest DJ you can find for your event.  Professional DJ’s are proud of their work and will not do your ceremony for $150.00.  We have too much expense in equipment and music to even make that feasible.  Choose your DJ very carefully by:

1.  Go to his website and find out all you can about the DJ.  Ours is at http://www.djriptide.com

2.  Make sure your DJ has proof of insurance.  Many venues will not let a DJ perform without insurance and they may turn him away on your special day if he doesn’t have it.

3.  Your DJ should have a contract for you both to sign.  A contract is an important document and helps to make sure there is no confusion about what you will be paying for your event, what time it starts, where the event is held, etc.

4.  Professional DJ’s will usually have a way for you to pay by credit card and that helps to authenticate his business.  There should be a phone number for you to reach the DJ and he should supply his address if you ask for it.

5.  Ask your DJ what songs he is most comfortable playing.  Many DJ’s specialize in a couple of different genres of music and have very little of anything else.  Unless you love “Oldies” or “Heavy Metal” all night, you better make sure what kind of music he will play.  Tell him the music you are interested in and ask if he will have those genres.

Choose your disc jockey carefully and meet him ahead of time if you can.  Your DJ can take the worry of what and when to do this, or cut the cake, or introduce uncle Phil, or when to do the prayer etc.  He can help you make your day a smooth flow of fun and enjoyment, so make sure you choose him wisely.

http://djriptide.com/not-hire-band/

I guess you could hire a band for your big party or reception in order to impress your guests.  However, it’s going to cost you more money than if you hired a disc jockey.  When people think about hiring a band they usually end up with a one to three piece band and some midi files.  If you hire a real band, one that is pretty good, it’s going to cost a whole lot more.  Problem is, most bands have some songs they know and are comfortable with.  DJ’s can play any song you can come up with and all of their songs sound just like the original artist.  Chances are, your party is going to be a huge success with a DJ…at least people aren’t going to have to stand around whispering, “They sure sound crappy!”

http://djriptide.com/watch-hiring-fort-myers-dj/