This blog is intended to be an online diary for myself DJ Anthony Gelo and my company Good Times Productions. Here you will find event announcements, giglogs, pictures from events, DJ related articles, music reviews and DJ Mixes.
Overlooked and often seen as an afterthought, background sounds
during your cocktail hour set the mood for what will come next.
It doesn’t have to be BORING!
Cocktail is a great time for:
1) Songs or genres that aren’t suitable for dancing
2) Personal Favorites to make your day more personal
3) Video Montage or pictures on a background screen
4) Live musicians such as a string quartet or guitarist
5) Your own unique idea or twist!
I suggest a mix of different genres for you cocktail hour. Particularly a mix of Standards, Motown, R & B and / or Modern Rock work very well in pleasing your 20 year old brother, middle aged Aunt and elderly Grandmother..
For a complete copy of "Good Times Productions Wedding Reception Guide, a musical journey through your big day" please download it here
You just got Rick Rolled! Listen for it tonight at 80s & 90s night at Bar None at 98 Third Avenue. Be the first to mention that its the Vintage Video of the week and get a free drink!
Here's a testimonial from Matty Martin. Matty is a personal friend and former manager of several bars I've worked with.
I've managed bars and clubs in the city for a dozen years and have used Anthony repeatedly. I can't recommend his ability to read a crowd enough. I even saw him work the opening of a bank once (I went because I wanted to goof on him), and he actually had people dancing. I wouldn't believe it if I didn't see it with my own two eyes. I've seen him in action from dive bars to high-end clubs to weddings and bar mitzvahs. Regardless of the event, he can put together the entertainment you need. He also acts like a professional, as opposed to the kids that think they're DJs because they've got two ipods and a mixer.
We always appreciate new reviews of our services. If you have seen us in action and have kind words to say please do so on YELP.
Debarge's 80s classic "Rhythm of the Night" always gets the crowd going. Come down to 80s and 90s night at Bar None Tonight and when you hear this track, let me know. If you are the first I will give you a free drink! If not just enjoy the video. Bar None is located at 98 Third Avenue.
Venue Spotlight will focus on some of the venues and places that I've performed at over the years. I thought I'd start at the very beginning for me. My first regular bar gig was circa 1999 at the Raintower Tavern in Rockaway, Queens. Rockaway has undergone a transformation the past couple of years. Unthinkable just 10 years ago, 85th to 105th Street is the home to some awesome beaches. They are clean, have great food and ample parking. A much better value than the 45 minute trip to Jones Beach if ask me. Back in 1999 Rockaway was home to many places like the Raintower tavern, a complete and total dive in every sense of the word. You had to travel up a flight of stairs to get to the bar. There were about 4 bar stools, pool table, bathrooms and that was about it. The perfect place to launch a DJ career, lol. The dj booth doubled as a closet and my equipment consisted of 2 Sony Cd players and a broken down Numark mixer. Not exactly top quality stuff. My lasting memory of the Raintower was my 21st Birthday party which was raided by the police. Drunk as hell and on another planet I was in the bathroom when the raid occurred. After, coming out of the bathroom not realizing what was going on the only thing I noticed was that the music was no longer playing. I proudly proclaimed in a loud voice "Who turned the music off?", ahh youth. Anyhow after a fun filled year doing Friday & Saturday nights the bar closed down. It is now an apartment where the occupants probably have no idea of the shenanigans that went on there. I remember it fondly and gained valuable experience in working a crowd with a wide variety of music. Pop, Dance, Hip Hop and Rock & Roll ruled the playlist there. My opening song was always "Eye Of The Tiger" and somehow I remember playing Dmx's "What My Name" almost every night. It was a steppingstone to what would come next. It ended right before i would go on to my long run at Gantrys and the beginning of the radio years at Q104. Good Times.
An increasing number of couples are choosing to have their ceremony & reception at the same facility. It avoids unforeseen logistical concerns with directions,
traffic and travel. Ceremony music falls into five sections. These are Prelude, Mothers Seated, Wedding Party, and Processional & Recessional. Many songs work for
all of them. Traditional or Contemporary selections can be used. Popular traditional selections are listed below:
Mothers Seated Wedding Party
1-Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring (Bach)
2-Ave Maria (Schubert)
3-Arioso (Bach)
4-Air On “G” String (Bach)
5-Over The Rainbow (Iz)
6-Canon In D (Pachelbel)
7-Ave Maria (Bach)
Wedding Party
1-Canon In D (Pachelbel)
2-Spring “Four Seasons” (Vivaldi)
3-Trumpet Voluntary (Clarke)
4-Over The Rainbow (IZ)
5-Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring (Bach)
6-Air On “G” String (Bach)
7-Trumpet Tune (Purcell)
Processional Recessional
1-Here Comes The Bride (Wagner
2-Canon In D (Pachelbel)
3-Trumpet Voluntary (Clarke)
4- Trumpet Voluntary (Purcell)
5-Trumpet Tune (Purcell)
6-Trumpet Tune (Stanley)
7-Spring “Four Seasons” (Vivaldi)
Recessional
1-Wedding March (Mendelssohn)
2-Trumpet Voluntary (Clarke)
3-Ode To Joy (Beethoven)
4-Hornpipe Water Music (Handel)
5-Rondeau (Mouret)
6-Queen Of Sheba (Handel)
7-Hallelujah Chorus (Handel)
Don’t be afraid to BE CREATIVE! Contemporary or thematic selections can be used to give your guests a unique experience.
For a complete copy of "Good Times Productions Wedding Reception Guide, a musical journey through your big day" please download it here
Though I would share my favorite Amy Winehouse song. It kind of annoyed me to see Facebook & Twitter posts with people mocking her death and claiming she had it coming. She was a human being and Im sure she had people who cared about her. Its disrespectful regardless of how you felt about her lifestyle. Her death is sad and she truly was a talent.
Here's a testimonial from an awesome wedding my company performed at recently at the Roosevelt Hotel in Midtown:
We hired DJ Anthony Gelo for our wedding and he was incredible!! He came highly recommended to us from our friends in the nightlife industry since he's DJed at the bar and club/music venue where they work. We set up an initial mtg and he was beyond professional and came to our home for an initial mtg. He was fully prepared with a laundry list of things to go over with us. He was easy to get a hold of and always returned calls, so we never had a problem with correspondence.
A week or two before the wedding, we had a second meeting with him and that's when we nailed down the specifics of our playlist, what song would play when, the phonetic pronunciation of our wedding party, etc. Very buttoned down and professional, yet completely easygoing. And I should note that he is NOT one of those cheesy DJs who tries to steal the show at your event by being a corny emcee. That's just not his style and he lets the music speak for itself.
We are still getting calls from all our family and friends about how incredible the reception was and how much they loved our DJ! People are referring to our wedding as the ultimate dance party and said they had never danced so much in their lives. Hire him; you won't be disappointed!
Q+D, Brooklyn, NY
Married at The Roosevelt Hotel, NY
How young does Justin Timberlake look here? Anyhow, come down to Bar None tonight at 98 Third Avenue. When you hear Nsync's "I Want You Back" be the first to come up and tell me you saw it here and receive a free prize.
I've posted this before but I just had to again. It turns out my cousin owns a bar in Florida and has hired this guy to do karaoke. The woman in the video is actually a co-worker of his. If you haven't seen this yet check it out. Probably the most unprofessional Dj I have ever seen. Still very funny.
When hiring a Disc Jockey Entertainment service for your wedding reception, the dj above is a bride's worst nightmare. The "corny" wedding dj can be a total a complete disaster. However, at a recent consultation a perspective bride told me "We're not looking for a "Long Island DJ". Perplexed, I asked her what she meant by that. She replied that they were not looking for someone to completely dominate the reception and make the night about them. They were not looking for someone to say things like "Put your hands in the air" or "Come on, Lets go!" during every single song. I instantly got exactly what she was talking about. Having attended many weddings myself over the past several years I realized how much "Long Island Dj's" annoyed me as well. I don't know exactly how Long Island got tied into this but its not really that important. I remember thinking at many receptions that the dj's were really good. They knew the right music to play, mixed it well were well prepared, etc...
But...... Can they please just shut up for 2 seconds and let the music speak for itself? Personally, this has never been my style. Another thing that annoys me is the matching Tuxedos. Is this really necessary? I understand if it is a black tie affair but I think each staff member should be dressed to fit their personality. Formally dressed to fit the occasion, yes. Uniforms, no.
This also got me thinking about past wedding meetings when I've heard very similar statements. Some of them are:
1) We don't want someone who sounds like a game show host.
2) We don't want someone to constantly tell us what to do and whats next.
3) we don't want a traditional wedding where everyone knows whats coming next.
4) I hate when Dj's talk all night, please just mix the music make proper announcements and thats it.
5) I haven't even thought about lighting.
When meeting with couples for the first time I do not bring up equipment, lighting, giveaways or price to the very end. I try to get to know them a little bit. I try to gauge what it is they want, even if they don't know themselves. I listen to their ideas and try to see if my experience can make them a reality. I talk about music and whether or not they want Michael Jackson played. (Most of them do) The bottom line is every wedding reception is different and must be treated as such. While many are similar, there is no uniform way. My company is not a "Wedding Factory".
The DJ in the video is very corny. I guess my question is "Is the "Long Island DJ" the new corny?" No offense to any DJ from Long Island but a "Long Island DJ", I'll never be.
This is sad. I really enjoyed this station. It was one of the only New York Radio stations that dared to have a large rotation. It covered its format very well. Check out the article in the Daily News today.
Starting this week, I will post a classic 80s or 90s video every Wednesday. Enjoy the trip back and time. If you happen to come down to Bar None tonight for 80s & 90s Night be the first person tell me which song was posted and I will give you a free prize. I will be at Bar None tonight at 98 Third Avenue from 8pm to 1:30 so come on down. This weeks video is Maneater by Hall & Oates.
One of my favorite musical formats for an event is the 80s & 90s theme. I consider this a specialty of mine. Over the last couple of years I've developed a nostalgic trip down memory lane for those who are willing to take the trip. A child in the 80s and a teenager in the 90s this is the music of my childhood. I recall playing Michael Jackson and Bruce Springsteen 45's off my red fisher price turntable. In a typical 4 hour set you will see and hear music mixed from different genres from this era. These include but are not limited to
1) Classic 80s Pop - Tunes such as the classic A-Ha video seen above that are instantly recognizable and "Only in the 80s" Other notable tracks that fall into this category include Come On Eileen, Video Killed The Radio Star, Maneater etc... You get the idea.
2) The Golden Age of Hip Hop from the early 90s From Biggie to Tupac to everything in between, Early 90s Hip Hop Classics still dominate Hip Hop today.
3) Hair Bands Bon Jovi, Motely Crue, Poison Tawny Kittan Whitesnake videos. Here I Go Again on my own!!
4) Grunge The anti hair metal of the early 90s. Nirvana, Pearl Jam, Stone Temple Pilots and the countless other bands that tried to be them. Candlebox anyone?
5) New Jack Swing ABC, BBD, The East Coast Family. This late 80s / Early 90s genre produced some great dance music.
6) Boy Bands & Girls Ncync, Backstreet Boys, Spice Girls, Early Britney. Although it does not seem like that long ago these are now considered classics and get great crowd reaction. Have you heard MMM Bop recently.
7) Michael Jackson He dominates this era, so in turn his own category.
8) TV & Movie Songs & Clips Footloose, Ghostbusters, Rocky, The Fresh Prince of Bel Air. Throw these into a set and watch the crowd lose it.
This is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to this format. Sometimes these nights can seem a little cheesy but that's exactly the point. The music and videos are mixed nonstop and presented in an exciting fun fashion. Other activities to throw into the mix and complement the music include trivia, classic video games, scavenger hunts, board games or even Human Pac Man! (Haven't tried that one yet)
I've booked this format for numerous private parties but you can catch it every Wednesday from 8pm to 1:30am at Bar None, NYC at 98 Third Avenue.
