Business Line

By Jeff Stilles

Recent developments with vaccine distribution indicate that there is a light at the end of the tunnel for many in the DJ business. As the vaccines began to roll out aplenty, we asked mobile DJs if they’re beginning to see it reflected in their bookings.

Shawn Roberts, Groove Entertainment, Sioux Falls, S.D.: “I’m 85-percent booked from spring through fall, and I’m now starting to take 2022 bookings.” Andrew DeLessio, Twilite Events, NYC: “Things are opening up a little at a time, but the phone is still quiet. Same for my friends in the area.” DJ Jason Escalona, Miami, Fla.: “We’ve received four calls for proms, two for weddings, and then a private-school dance. Budgets are a killer, though. If it’s not COVID, it’s the cash.” John Hubela, City Disc Jockeys, NYC: “For me, the city that never sleeps has yet to wake up.” Shawn Michael Shipper, Party Express DJs, Blandon, Pa.: “No light in sight.” Keith Smith, Keith Smith Productions, Knoxville, Tenn.: “We’re almost totally booked out the rest of this year and booking 2022 like crazy.” Lee Grube, A-1 DJ Entertainment, Las Vegas, Nev.: “As of now, our governor won’t allow gatherings for private events past 10 people of the same household yet – ugh.” Geoff Sockol, Electric Entertainment, Washington, D.C.: “In the D.C. area, we’ve had an uptick in leads and bookings just in the last two weeks.” Kurtus Nichols, K-Sound Entertainment, Crooksville, Ohio: “We’re seeing an amazing light at the end of the tunnel since turning into 2021. We’re approaching a hundred weddings booked.” Andy Schutt, Midwest Sound DJ Entertainment, Rosewood, Minn.: “We’re fully booked, with 73 weddings already scheduled from May through November.” James Glick, Ambient Noise Entertainment, Columbia City, Ind.: “Indiana just passed a bill that should make venues more comfortable with events. It prevents lawsuits against the venue and the event hosts, as long as the recommendations are being followed by the event staff.” Vito Malo, DJ4U, Dunedin, New Zealand: “It’s humbling to see where the rest of the world WILL YOUR is at compared to us here.” DJ Brian Adams, Somerset, N.J.: “Many halls are doing postponed weddings that are really scaled-down. There seems to be an interest in services, but no one’s really pulling the trigger— BUSINESS and many of the dates that are being searched for are late 2021, 2022 or 2023. Private events are non-existent, at least in south Jersey. Events that I normally do are cancelled again for this year. And attendance numbers are not adding up for events to be successful.” SEE A Charles Carlos Feliciano, East Coast Productions, Mililani Town, Hawaii: “Our place is still shut down, and we may be moving to Tier 3, if the cases continue their downward trend. I do have several gigs, but haven’t done a wedding in a while. Destination weddings here are basiPOSTcally non-existent due to testing – and perhaps quarantine mandates the state still has in effect.” Andrew Lindley, Supreme DJs & Entertainment, Barrie, Ont., Canada: “Bookings are very good. Whether I can do them or not, who even knows?” PANDEMIC Ramu Al-Mahdi, Ramu & The Crew, Providence, R.I.: “People are getting comfortable again, slowly. Gyms are getting more crowded and inquiries are up.” Nikos Rakis, Rakis Productions, Brockton, Mass.: “All my clients are starting not to care BOOM? what the government wants us to do. People are moving forward and are not concerned about rules anymore. Everyone has opted for an outdoor – inside a tent – wedding, though, and masks are optional. Inquiries are way up, and I feel like people are making decisions way quicker – they’re nervous about their dates being taken.” Will Redden, Red DJ Service, Highland Heights, Ky.: “Ten gigs booked, with five to 10 others waiting to confirm – gigs like schools, etc. But this isn’t my day job.” DJ Jennifer Rupprecht, Saginaw, Mich.: “I have a couple weddings that were rescheduled from 2020. Karaoke and bar gigs are not happening yet. Restaurants and bars working at 25-percent capacity, and don’t want to advertise music to draw more attention to themselves. Sad times. I miss our crowds.” Corey Rusch, Rusch Entertainment, Freeland, Mich.: “Ninety-percent of our 2020 events moved to the same weekend in 2021. Currently, those dates are starting to cancel/postpone again for the third or fourth time. Really haven’t been able to take new events this year. Our industry is pretty decimated in Michigan, compared to other states, and there’s not much light at the end of the tunnel.” Patrick Sims, Premier Entertainment, Atlanta, Ga.: “Clubs and restaurants are booking, but the weddings have fallen off.” Ron Kronebusch, Knight Music Productions, Ottawa, Ont., Canada: “It’s the same as it was in 2020 and it’s not getting any better due to the variants now. It’s different kinds now in Canada, so it’s going to be a long haul again this year.” DJ Grant Davis, Toledo, Ohio: “It’s not slowing down here one bit, honestly. Several cancelled high school dances in 2020, but that’s the only hit we’ve taken. Our average is 30 weddings a year.” Ron Champion, Champion Sound Productions, Marlton, N.J.: “No light at the end of the tunnel. Our governor just added another 30 days of restrictions.” Josh Staley, Josh Staley Productions, New Albany, Ohio: “It’s going crazy here in Ohio.” Bob Albrecht, Fantasy Productions, Hackettstown, N.J.: “We have a small multi-op and we’re losing many of the early weddings in the first few months. I personally have 15 weddings in June, but we’ll see how many happen.” Powell Jamie, Always Entertainment, Toronto, Ont., Canada: “Here in Ontario, we’ll not see any bookings until at least September at the earliest. Hopefully, the year will not be a complete write-off like last year. It’s a sad thing. I’ve been in the business for almost 50 years and I’ve never seen anything like this. I have hundreds of dancers that I’ve known over the years just waiting to get back onto the dancefloor.” Tyler Jones, Indiglo Rush, Barrie, Ont., Canada: “I’ve got no bookings yet. I still have weddings from 2020 to do, though, and they haven’t confirmed a new date yet. I’ve tried offering micro-wedding packages at heavily discounted rates just to try and drum up some business, but still nothing.” Daniel Bush, Rolling Thunder DJ Entertainment, Seneca Falls, N.Y.: “I have 10 weddings in New York, and I’ve been slowly booking one or two more every week this month.” Thomas Krechel, Party On Tour, Ayl, Germany: “No events at all for almost a year now over here in Germany. My next bookings are for weddings in July and August.” Jim Hargrove, Varsity DJs & Photo Booths, Grand Rapids, Mich.: “We’re getting very busy, starting in June. We’re a three-unit multi-op, and we’re totally booked up for September and October. Just this week we’re starting to get more inquiries. We’re still not sure if or when there’ll be a problem in Michigan. All options are booking very strong.”