Biography
My DJ History
I've been DJing dance parties since 2004. I began as a sophomore at Kenyon College in Ohio using two portable CD players and a mixer. As a junior I bought CDJs and learned to mix and beat-match. My senior year I bought two turntables and started buying and playing vinyl records.
While living in the San Francisco Bay Area (from 2008-2017) I had the opportunity to work at Vinyl Dreams records, DJ for Honey Soundsystem at the Paradise Lounge, perform original music at Run the Length of Your Wildness, and play records at various venues around town such as Raven Bar, Showdown, and Underground SF. I eventually bought a P.A. and began DJing friends' weddings.
I returned to my hometown of Austin, TX at the beginning of 2018 and have been working full-time as a mobile DJ: booking events on my own and freelancing for four event companies and one venue.
My DJ Philosophy
I mainly collect and enjoy playing all kinds of dance music.
At the events I DJ, I try to create a dance club atmosphere with robust sound, pulsating lights, and a well-curated and blended mix of tunes. The way that songs are selected, sequenced, and blended by a DJ is crucial to building and maintaining momentum on the dance floor.
I try to push listeners' tastes and music knowledge by playing songs that work on the dance floor and live on the edges of people's memories. My ideal clients have weird and discerning taste in dance music and hire me to help bridge the divide between their guests who are musically adventurous and those who are not.
I believe that one of my responsibilities as a DJ is to educate listeners, introducing them to great new music ("breaking" records) and celebrating old songs that are in the canon of dance music history.
If the music I'm playing isn't working, I can pivot quickly: integrating guests' requests into the mix and blending in songs that, from my vast experience DJing parties, I know will work.
Working with New Clients
After being contacted, we'll schedule a phone or video conference call to discuss the music and sound equipment needs for your event.
If we're a good match, I'll draft and send you a contract and request a 30% non-refundable deposit. Once the contract has been signed, and the deposit has been received, I'll send a link to my music planning form (a shared, Google Sheets workbook) which you can use to select which artists and genres you would like to hear at your event. The planning document also includes a "do-not-play" list, a "must-play" list, and prompts for special songs to be played at different times during the event. For instance, at a wedding, this would include your processional, first dance, and parent dance songs.
I always contact my clients one month before their event to check-in and schedule a phone or video conference call that will take place in the two weeks before your party. During that conversation we will finalize your timeline, music selections, announcements, speeches, and lighting and sound needs.
Final payment isn't due until the day before your event.
I'm always available by phone, text, or e-mail if a client has questions or new requests.