By: When you hire a DJ for an important event like a wedding, birthday party or corporate event, it’s important to have a DJ that can read the crowd. As part of our preparation, we ask to get request lists and even have it set-up in the Online Event Planner to allow guests to make requests ahead of time. This helps us develop the playlist going into the event, kind of like an artist who gets all the paints, mixes them to create all the necessary shades and prepares the proper brushes and canvas.
Where the whole picture comes, is at the event. Like a great artist, a great DJ has an idea in his or her head of what should be played. But inspiration can strike at any time. Will your DJ watch the guests and interact with them at dinner? Will the DJ notice guests getting bored with dinner music? Will the DJ switch genres if necessary? You want a DJ that will say yes to all three of those questions, because that DJ is watching the crowd.
There are dozens of small details a good DJ will watch. Feet, head, hands, moving to the music? Yes, a good DJ is watching that. The looks on people’s faces, yes the DJ is watching that. Eyes scanning the room, watching body language, feeling the temperature, is the AC on, and all kinds of other factors go into how a DJ sets up the playlist. The most important part is when the dance floor opens. Being armed with a general idea of music, and a general atmosphere in the room, it’s time to start painting the picture. And the only way to paint that picture is to watch the crowd and recognize country is going really well, or 90’s rap is popular and to make the switch quickly. Or the next three songs in his or her head will not be played because another song feels right, and winds up filling the dance floor.
Ask your DJ how they watch the crowd.
