Let's play 20 questions...
Do you have a video we can see?
We choose not to stock a video for several reasons. The biggest problem that we have with a video, is that it only would show our performance according to one of our client's tastes. The point that we want to drive home is that the style of our performance will reflect your desires. We will play the songs you want, while avoiding the one's you don't. The level of personality and audience motivation/interaction will be at the right "temperature" for your taste too.
Many clients come to us and complain about the last DJ video they just saw. The production quality is often poor (bad lighting, sound quality, camera technique, etc.) and just in case you didn't know...Stock wedding video clips are readily available for sale, so it's very easy to fake a demo tape.
Can we come see you play at a wedding?
If you call an entertainer and ask him or her this question and they eagerly say, "Yes, come see us at Dick and Jane's wedding this weekend." and then you hire this person, you may see some uninvited guests at your reception too. We at Windjammer Disc Jockey Service will never conduct business like this during your time. If after talking with us over the phone, you are still not satisfied, then perhaps we should rendezvous to discuss your event in person.
What are the advantages of a DJ over a Band?
Don't get me wrong. We Disc Jockeys love bands. They sound great on the radio and without them, what would we have to play? However, for a wedding reception, in most cases a DJ satisfies everyone's needs best.
- You hear the songs the way you remember them, from the original artists.
- Once we start performing, the music never stops. No band-style breaks.
- You're not limited to one style of music. DJ's have music of any era/artist.
- A band by it's nature commands attention. They are the centerpiece.
- Bands need more...Food, Space and Money!
- You will get a more polished, smoother Master of Ceremonies from an experienced DJ.
- Volume control...we can turn the music up or down to suit your taste.
- A Pro-DJ is able to match beats and create a musical flow. These smooth mixes keep the dance floor energized!
How far will you travel?
Every time we leave "the barn", so to speak, it's not a matter of "if" we will travel, but "how far". We are "Mobile DJs", so we will come to you no matter where your function is. We have served clients from Illinois, Indiana and Kentucky. We cover most of the Tri-State.
Will you play for us at outside events?
Of course we will. We will help you make any event or party fun for you and all of your guests. We do ask that you provide us will some kind of cover such as a porch, tent or awning that will protect our equipment in case of an unexpected burst of bad weather.
How soon should we reserve a DJ?
Whether we're talking about banquet halls, photographers or DJs, the best stuff always goes first, so to be safe it's a good idea to reserve your DJ as far in advance as possible, especially if you are looking to hire a particular individual like say maybe…..Us.
How much do you charge?
That depends. There are several factors to consider. The most important of which is the day that you have chosen for your event. Weekends (Friday, Saturday & Sunday) are busy, prime-time for us. Weekdays are off-peak. The length of your function, location, amount of equipment requested and other requirements may also affect the price. We generally keep our prices lower than the average company so more customers can enjoy the event of their dreams
What is the process for reserving your services, do we meet first?
We actually meet with a very small percentage of our clients prior to being hired. I would estimate 20% at most. If you feel comfortable with what you hear from our discussion over the phone and are satisfied that we will perform as billed...then let's do it!! Some folks still want to see us in person. If that's the case, we'll schedule time to sit down together to discuss it further.
All we need to get the ball rolling is a signed contract, we will email or mail (your choice) a contract and any other paperwork you might need, depending on your event. Once the contract and a small deposit are received your date will be locked in for sure!!
What kind of music do you have?
Whew! Where do I start? For dancing purposes, you can expect us to have any popular and danceable song from the last 75 years. Big band, rock, pop, club, oldies, disco, country, alternative, rap, reggae...the list goes on and on. Background music for social hour-cocktails, dinnertime, etc. includes a multitude of different instrumentations and textures like; piano, guitar, saxophone, light jazz, new age, classical...you name it!
Who selects the music at my affair and do you take requests?
It's usually a combination between you and your DJ. To help get you organized, we can supply you with several music lists on which you may highlight your favorites. Feel free to write in any tunes not listed, as we do not list every song in our library as this would be quite impractical.
At your event the DJ will take requests, and "read the crowd" and get a feel for what the guests will want to dance to. Giving the audience a chance to participate is what it's all about. However, we will filter these requests for you. If there are certain "No Play" songs on your list or if the request would not be in the group's best interest (questionable lyrical content, awkward dance beat, etc.). We will ask that your guest give us another choice. We will do our best to keep everyone at your event happy.
Can I bring my own CD's to play?
Of course! If you have songs that aren't listed on our music list and you're confident that the crowd would respond favorably to hearing them, Windjammer Disc Jockey Service welcomes playing your CDs. Let us know in advance what you will be bringing as there is a good chance we may already have them in our library.
What kind of sound systems/equipment do you use?
Not to worry. Our sound systems are Pro-Grade. That means no department store components and nothing is World War II surplus. It's all late model, reliable, well-tuned and maintained gear...big names like; Numark, Shure, Gemini, JBL, American DJ, QSC, Sony and more.
It not only sounds great, but we intentionally keep it low profile. Many DJs will overwhelm a room with unnecessarily large speakers and amplifiers, loud advertising banners and other gadgets and gizmos that create an eyesore. After all, we don't want your guests asking, "Is this a rock concert or a wedding?" We perform at the finer function halls in the region, so we realize that we need to fit in and not STAND OUT!
Can you supply a light show for the dance floor?
Yes, we can! Windjammer Disc Jockey Service can supply your event with dance floor lights. Our dance lights liven up night time functions with lots of bouncing colors, flash and dazzle! We offer a large show which we usually recommend for high school dances and a smaller set-up which we suggest for private functions.
Do you offer Karaoke?
For a small additional fee we can add a Karaoke system onto our professional sound system. We supply a Karaoke CD library, all of the microphones, a monitor, song catalogs, request slips, pens, etc.
Do you offer props?
Props can add a lot to the overall party atmosphere and tend to liven up any function. Sunglasses, hats, balloon instruments and the like are available if you request it.
How do the DJ's dress?
Windjammer Disc Jockey Service DJs come dressed appropriately for every occasion. If your engagement is a formal affair our DJs wear a suit and tie or casual attire, your preference. We can dress down from that for the more casual events...cookouts, dances, pool parties, etc
Does the "contracted time" include equipment set up & travel?
Equipment set-up & tear down, travel time, preparation time, consultations-either in person or on the phone, the actual performance time, etc. are all included. There are no surprises or last minute fees.
Can we purchase additional time at the end of the event?
Yes, if available. Being one of the hottest acts in Southern Illinois, our schedule is quite full. The safest way to insure that we cover the time you need is to carefully calculate the amount of time needed. A typical wedding reception needs at least 5 hours of coverage. This usually allows ample time for a social/arrival period, dinner, formalities and dancing. If your group is over 150 and/or you are including the wedding ceremony in our time schedule, you may want to plan on 6 or 7 hours to be safe. If you need help in planning this please ask us. We are pretty good at figuring this out.
Do we need to supply anything special for you?
Our needs are very simple. In most cases we only require a power outlet within a reasonable distance and of course the location in the room you would like us to set up. If you would like us to use a table cloth matching your theme/décor please let us know in advance and have it setting out for us when we arrive. You can count on us not to drape any obnoxious orange banners that say "Super Jocks" or the like in front of the table
Can you offer any tips or advice?
A few quickies come to mind...
- For best audience interaction results, the DJ needs to be near the audience and the dance floor. Don't put your DJ up in the balcony or in another room, this doesn't work well for introductions, toasts, audience participation activities, etc.
- Keep the cake close. At wedding receptions, oftentimes the cake is across the room at the furthest point from us. Our telescopic x-ray vision isn't what it used to be, so if you'd like us to properly officiate this and other events, so keep it where we can see what is happening.
While we're on the subject, if you are interested in a better way to keep the dance floor filled, there is a better way to serve the cake. Cut it toward the end of dinner and then serve it immediately as the final course. If you cut the cake and then start dancing, what often happens is that when the cake and coffee is finally served...you guessed it, everyone sits back down to eat dessert.
- Another way to insure that everyone has a good time is for the bride and groom stay involved in the festivities. When guests see the newlyweds taking part in dance floor activities it helps to motivate the guests to join in too. After all, they came to see and party with you. So please don't disappear on us or transform into a lifeless wallflower.
- Get all of your family and group photos out of the way before we start dancing. It kills the dance floor to announce that we need the entire wedding party or all members of the bride's or groom's family outside for a photo.
- We love the old folks, but let's keep them a little further from the dance floor. They don't appreciate bass and treble the way the younger guests do. Sometimes even soft piano irritates them.
- Include the DJ, photographer, videographer, wedding coordinator, etc. in your meal plan and at a table in the room. Sending your professionals to another room far, far away for dinner insures that if a Kodak moment occurs, Uncle Leo wants to propose a special toast, the music mysteriously dies or something else occurs that requires our attention, we will all miss it.
If your hired professionals are eating outside the room (or sometimes even in the same room), you should check with the function manager to see at what point they plan to serve them. Many halls will feed the professionals after everyone else is served. The problem here is that since the wedding party was served first, they are ready to cut the cake and get dancing, while your professionals are just receiving their food. Ask the hall to feed the hired hands as soon as possible after the wedding party and family tables have been served.
- If your reception is being held in a facility that hosts multiple functions simultaneously, it would be a good idea to inspect for wall thickness or distance from room to room. During the quiet times of the blessing, toast or even during dinner, you would probably rather not feel the bass vibrations pounding from an another room.
- Don't wear a watch! Relax and enjoy the affair. You have survived months of planning and have hired qualified professionals to run the event, so don't feel the need to play traffic cop on this special occasion. You owe it to yourself to take this time to enjoy and savor all the hard work you've put into making this day special. After the affair, look forward to the many complements you'll receive about how absolutely fabulous your event was. Thanks to your dedication, you have created special memories that will last forever.
- Don't forget your P's and Q's. While your party staff has had the pleasure of serving you in the planning and carrying out of your affair, it's always nice for them to receive a special thank you by way of a letter or phone call following your the event.
Okay, Dave Everything Sounds Great. What Do We Do Next?
It's simple. Pick up the phone right now and call. I can talk about your event in detail, answer any questions you might have, and I will see how Windjammer Disc Jockey Service can make your party the best ever.
Please call as soon as possible. Due to our very busy performance schedule, dates fill quickly and I don't want you to be disappointed.
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