How to DJ a reunion?

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jtnichol

jtnichol

KCDJ
Oct 25, 2006
4,963
208
50
Leavenworth KS
www.jfproductions.biz
Hey there,

I've only done a couple.
I'm not really into games and such because I figured these people just want to catch up.

I keep the music quiet and even made the announcement about congrats and everything and just tell them I'm not going to be on the mic much. I'll keep it low so you can chat, come to me and say hello and make requests I'll be happy to do those....etc.....etc.....then some ladies start to dance, about 5 or 6 or so, then back to talking.....boys in the clubhouse lounge watchin' football....bunch of people outside smokin', some of them don't normally....you know class reunion stuff.

My question is this: Is this the way reunions typically go for you? I just kind of get the feeling if people haven't seen each other for a long time, then they just want to talk for the most part.

Why hire a DJ?
Answer: To maintain fun background music and make announcements.
Right?....

I just feel like its the easiest paycheck in the world or is there a bunch of stuff I'm not doing?

No glowing compliments or tips expected. Just music of the era.

FYI class of 1997 about 80 people total.
My room seemed pretty cleared out. About 30 guys watching the BIG game.
 
I had my first High School Reunion last year, (1967). I made the mistake of playing the music quite loudly, expecting people to dance. Well, I was half right. After all the prizes, and ceremonial stuff most just wanted to mingle. Some danced...

From now on, Ill be bringing it down a notch, and just let it flow. Live and learn. Still got a $50 tip tho!

Groovielou
 
Yup, that describes just about every reunion I have played.

A little more dancing at some and a little less at others but for the most part folks are catching up since the last reunion. I've played a few where they were so frail I'm glad they didn't dance! As far as I can tell they don't judge the success of a reunion by how full the dance floor was.
 
Jeremiah:

You've nailed it. Let them cvatch up. Play music softly until some folks make some requests. Relax and enjoy it.
 
Pretty much the same here.

Did one for the class of 1987...Went out with a bang..

Cranked up "Sweet Child of Mine" A bunch of ladies were singing it, then pretty much the whole class joined in! It was really cool, and i recieved a whole bunch of compliments for that one.
 
ok so here you go though some have read this story in the past there are many here now who didnt have the chance to gain my perspective of reunions.

Okay here goes. My first ever was a class of 77 in Medford Oregon. I knew a bit about the school since we traveled there in 75 while I was playing football for Arcata High School. We got beat badly by the Black Tornadoes of Medford. So I went out and bought some stuff from a card shop with important things which happened in 1977 scoured the newspapers of 1977 at the library and also checked the billboard top 100 for 1977.

This party had alot of presentations and a slide show which pushed my time back to around 10 pm but as I was a bundle of nerves it suddenly hit me. I would use the clocks and Time by pink Floyd as my intro backing track.
It went something like this (still using the wheels of steel) Ladys And Gentleman we are about to travel back into time when peace love and psychedelic were the main things in life. When your number one hit for 1977 was (cue and play) Debbie Boone-You Light UP my Life (greeted with a ton of boo's) I let 15 seconds elapse and then back spun the 45 (it had crackles and pops which added to the nostalgia)and then mixed in saying but seriously folks I believe its time to (hit play) Get Down Tonite (K.C. and the Sunshine Band another top ten for 1977. I had them eating out of my hands mixing all the hits of 77 along with the occasional newer stuff. It was a serious Dance party from the start. My intro was thought up 5 minutes before I was to begin.

That was a great start. The nextone was a 40th reunion in which I did a similiar intro. Throughout the night at both events I threw out trivia and news bulletins to keep them in thought mode. The both went great.

Fast forward to my current times in Vancouver. I did a class of 57 I believe and concocted news reels from for instance when the day the music died (the actual news reel from announcing the death of Big Bopper, Ritchie Valens and Buddy Holly) these caused a huge success along with announcing the championship the particular school gained that yr. Some of the yearbook most likely to succeed and class clown etc. This is where serious research has payed off for me.

Last summer I had the pleasure to get paid to attend my class reunion and play the music. It was definitely an awesome time knowing everything about our class and the music we loved. The dancefloor was packed from 1030 until 1 AM and comments varied but mostly translated to I havent danced in such a long time thanks for the great music selection.
I have found exclusively sticking to that particular yr isnt the ticket there were many dances and song favorites from the previous yrs and forward to the yrs after school and of course with a smattering of party hits of newer styles and genres.

I am currently gaining access to do reunions more frequent.
Thanks for taking the time to read this large post hope its helpful.
 
it all boils down to research and timing. I usually act on a spur of the moment thought. Research probably peaks that.
 
I fricken hate class reunions that are past the 15th year.....

The 5, 10 and maybe 15 they are still partiers and wanting to dance.

After that it's turn it down so we can talk, except for some who want to dance and they want it up.

then you have the people who have not been out of the house or bought new music since they left school and all they want is old chit, then you have the "hipper" kids who want something newer but when you play that you have the others ripping on you as to why are you playing something from 1995 when they all graduated in 1970? Frick 'em! :sqconfused:

I always try to be the voice of the night, I want to sell the raffel tickets during dinner, gives me a chance to talk to the crowd.

I like to do the whole "who came the farthest" give-away stuff. In fact I have a list of great ones (I think) that I use as a selling point to get the booking.

It's better if it is in a place where those that want to talk can go into another area and those that want to dance can do it with the others wanting the music down.

I charge more for them because I do not like green eggs and ham,,,, :rofl:
 
I guess my parties were the exception 4 of them thus far and all into my dance portion. I charge the same as a wedding cause of the preplanning which I share at my intro meeting.
 
I unknowingly (should have known but wasn't thinking) DJ'd my ex-fiance's HS reunion this year... forgot she was class of 87'... was there without her hubby, she was drunk, and things got pretty interesting from there. I digress...

Reunions, on the whole in these parts, suck!!! For a DJ anyway. Nothin but Yap fests. Let em' talk, make anouncements when asked, play any requests and don't force nothing down their throats and you wil be appreciated. I tried to be creative ad entertain the reunion crowds years back and found out that your basically an expensive decoration with a microphone. Kudos' to those of you who have successfully pulled these things off and walked out satisfied.

I do enjoy sitting atop my DJ throne and people watching and tryng to pick out and identify all of the cliques. The Jocks, Stoners, Hot Chicks, Etc...
 
My last reunion was for my dad and his class of 1964....I opened with Crank that...mixed in walk it out, then into thizzle dance - it was crunk all night!!!!


Wait a minute....I think that was a dream I had after a bad burrito the other night. You should have seen my conservative 60 year old dad doing the "superman" right before the whole room turned into a spin the bottle game I lost and had to kiss Betsy Beemer in 4th grade....

.......Anyway.......

I've only worked three reunions and all along the lines of JT's. One danced more than the others but not because of anything I was doing differently they were just that type of crowd.
 
Hey BidDon could ya put a shirt on that dancer... he's freaking me out...

I haven't done a reunion yet... but have just completed a retirement party and an engagement party... from the sounds of the posts so far the three are not that far off from one another as far as tone and such...

At the retirement party I was tasked mostly to make a few announcements but other than that I played music very quietly more like background music than anything while folks ate and conversed... plus the AC sucked and we truely were sweating to the oldies....

At the Engagement party I had a lot more liberty to play whatever struck me... so that was a lot of fun I got to play some stuff I don't get to at weddings.
 
knardini said:
My last reunion was for my dad and his class of 1964....I opened with Crank that...mixed in walk it out, then into thizzle dance - it was crunk all night!!!!


Wait a minute....I think that was a dream I had after a bad burrito the other night. You should have seen my conservative 60 year old dad doing the "superman" right before the whole room turned into a spin the bottle game I lost and had to kiss Betsy Beemer in 4th grade....

.......Anyway.......

I've only worked three reunions and all along the lines of JT's. One danced more than the others but not because of anything I was doing differently they were just that type of crowd.
Click to expand...

Dude your dream....go find my dream thread I wrote....
add this to it....so good.....

except my freakin' dream was real.....weird....

Read it....
 
I've actually got a 30-yr. reunion this Saturday night. Then next Saturday night I go to the other extreme; a junior high school homecoming dance.

I just hope that I don't get those two playlists mixed up...:sqlaugh:
 
jokerswild said:
Hey BidDon could ya put a shirt on that dancer... he's freaking me out...

I haven't done a reunion yet... but have just completed a retirement party and an engagement party... from the sounds of the posts so far the three are not that far off from one another as far as tone and such...

At the retirement party I was tasked mostly to make a few announcements but other than that I played music very quietly more like background music than anything while folks ate and conversed... plus the AC sucked and we truely were sweating to the oldies....

At the Engagement party I had a lot more liberty to play whatever struck me... so that was a lot of fun I got to play some stuff I don't get to at weddings.
Click to expand...

Never!...
 
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