“Just take those old records off the shelf, I’ll sit and listen to ’em by m’self. Today’s music ain’t got the same soul, I like that old time rock and roll.” Bob Seger’s classic tune rolls over the dance floor like an ocean wave, and people dance like seaweed in the wake. Clothed in dresses and tuxedos, everyone is smiling and having a great time, including myself as their DJ.
As the night comes to a close and everyone is finding some way to make it home, I quickly tear down my equipment and load up the truck for the ride home. Once the last goodbyes are said and thank you’s were exchanged, everyone goes home with memories from this night that will last forever.
Not for me. Unless something outrageous happens, I go home from another successful night of satisfying the customer and after tomorrow it’ll be a blur of many identical nights. It is my job to make the night as near perfect for the client as I can, needless to say, by the end of the night I am exhausted.
On my way home, I turn off my radio and enjoy the sound of silence after a long night of loud music of all genres. I recap the night in my head and think of songs I should have played, but then I start to debate with myself “Is this worth it? Do you really want to keep doing this?” The questions ring in my head as I’m torn between different answers.
The usual tenure of a DJ is two to three years. I’m currently finishing up my third year with my company, which explains my predicament. I love my job so much, I recently can’t help but dread performing at a gig and that really bothers me. I want to end my little career of being a wedding DJ on a positive note, and I am scared that I am just burnt out and my performances will start to slip.
Being a wedding/teen dance DJ is a great job, you meet a lot of different people, listen and discover a lot of good music and you get to make people remember forever the fun they had the night of their wedding. I recommend to anyone who wants to be on a microphone for their career work as a live wedding DJ for a few years. It is the best way to get microphone experience. Hands down.
I know my future will be behind a microphone. And being a wedding DJ has given me the chance to really have some great hands-on experience. Especially in my tenure with this company, a lot of my training was learned under fire.
Remembering all of the weekends I’ve given up make me realize that this is real life. If I want to get anywhere great, especially in this business, I have to start at the bottom of the totem pole and work my way up. As soon as I can make a name for myself, build more experience and become more professional, the jobs will be finding me. And hopefully it’s a job to announce the Green Bay Packers starting line up and not the Green Bay High prom king and queen.
Bryce Dolan's Blog 
This has come a long way! What town are you in as you are performing this night? What do you play for the last dance? What can you tell us about what makes the experience great? Specifically?
I liked this post. I have never thought about or heard about an event through the perspective of the DJ. I was surprised to read that you shut the music off for your 3 hour drive home. I get bored in the car and feel like without music it just drags on, but I suppose after listening that long that silence is comforting.
Had I met you a semester earlier I would have hired you as our DJ!