Pictures!

The "Music and Wine Festival" in Alamo this past Saturday went well - my son took some pictures of the event. Thanks also to Yellow Wood Coffee and Tea for letting me set up there. We had gotten some rare late summer showers that morning - in fact, I was awakened pretty early by lightning and some thunder. With that fresh in my mind, I started my setlist with "I Can See Clearly Now", "Here Comes The Sun" and "Pocketful Of Sunshine", followed by 4 hours of a great music mix.

There's still a few openings for Fall 2009 events - Oktoberfest, anyone? Halloween party? For any event that could be enhanced by having just the right music, give me a call!

Music Festival in Alamo, CA

I'll be set up at the 27th annual Music and Wine Festival this Saturday (Sept. 12) in Alamo Plaza. This event is fondly referred to by locals as the Alamo Block Party. After you finish your shopping at Safeway, come over to see me at Yellow Wood Coffee and Tea between 2 pm and 6 pm. Lots of other activities will be happening in the vicinity as well, including a rock wall for the kids. Dinner tickets can be purchased at the Alamo Rotary website. Proceeds go toward supporting local schools. So stop by and say hello!

Weddings

I just recently completed back-to-back weddings on the same weekend, which is admittedly not that unusual, but these were just a few hours apart. The first was up at the Heirloom Inn, in Ione, CA (gold country). It's an 1800's-era home that's been turned into a B&B/wedding site. Quite picturesque! I didn't get to use my full range of lights, however, since previous DJs or bands there have blown a fuse in the old wiring! Oh, well. My friend, singer-songwriter Steve Kritzer, is the uncle of the groom - that's how I got the gig. Steve played and sang beautifully for the outdoor evening ceremony. Following that, all the chairs were moved, and that space was transformed into a dance floor! And for the next couple of hours after dinner, I was taking requests and getting people boogeying! Congratulations, Louis and Robyn!

The next day, I attended my 2nd wedding within 15 hours. Luther and Jana got married in a traditional morning service at Messiah Lutheran Church in Danville (Luther's father was the minister!). It was beautiful. Thanks to church members the Stame's for getting me this gig. After everyone went home for a few hours, some guests returned for an evening reception, which I feel went really well. The bride and groom had picked some great music, and I got to round it out with some fun song choices of my own!

Singles Dinner and Dance

I'm doing final preparations for the "Dinner For Six", sponsored by Focus Singles at Cornerstone Fellowship in Livermore. Dinner music from 7-9 pm, followed by dancing from 9 pm to midnight. This flier was mailed to over 1,000 people!

Thanks to Dave Matas and Paul Schaffer for setting this up!

Pool Party and BBQ

You missed it! The annual Diablo West HOA July 4 barbecue was rockin'! Guest ages ranged from 3 to 83, so the music went from Frank Sinatra to Miley Cyrus and everything in between. Patriotic songs, samba, Top 40, country, oldies - and nearly every request was honored! Well, except for maybe that one little girl who kept coming up every 10 minutes... It's one of my favorite gigs of the year, precisely because of the variety. I got a lot of compliments on the great music - hopefully that translates into more gigs!

Capped of the day by taking the kids to see fireworks at San Ramon's Memorial Park. I forgot how cold and windy it gets there in the evening!

How to get my "secret" discount...

Where will I see you this summer? Car show? Wedding reception? Singles' dance? High school reunion? Wherever it is, you can be sure you'll be hearing the biggest hits, with no repeats. Several hundred songs from each era, with no filler. Thousands of songs overall, and all of them "chart" hits! Plus, lots of specialty, novelty and holiday tunes for when the occasion requires.

When you book my services for an event prior to Labor Day, mention that you saw this post and you'll get a $25 discount! That's it!

Spring and Summer

Sorry it's been awhile. My most recent event was a wedding reception, quite a distance from home. I originally agreed to do it because my nephew's wife was going to be in the wedding party. Although that status changed over time, I was still hired as the entertainment. The bonus for going was that I'd get to be with my mom and family on Mother's Day!

Too bad I'm not located near there, because I got several compliments - one groomsman even said I was WAY better that the DJ they had at their own wedding. I got a nice tip, which covered the cost of gas there and back. Oh! I also took a few pictures of my rig set-up, which I wanted to post here.

There's still time to book me for certain dates throughout the rest of Spring and on into Summer. Give me a call today!

mp3 and iPod weddings

I recently viewed a video online from some unlucky couple's wedding. Oh, the wedding itself was beautiful, and it was beautifully filmed - they apparently got the right florist, videographer, etc., but evidently tried to save money when it came to music and announcements at their reception. Oh, it was painful to watch. Guests were not even staying for things like cake cutting, much less the "dancing" that followed.

As is often the case in society, some things or ideas become trendy with little thought to practical implementation. A few years ago, it was the idea of a "sponsored wedding" that somehow everyone would want to donate their services to you in the hopes of getting business from others. Sounds like a good idea, but never really took off because all the vendors realized that a sponsored wedding only generated more requests for sponsored weddings, not more business for them. So people that overspent on some items, counting on the reception being paid for by others, soon were in trouble as their budget was gone and they were still missing major parts of their event program.

Today, the trendy topic is DIY receptions - using an iPod and a rented sound system instead of a professional wedding entertainer, the DJ. This idea is fraught with peril, because a great event is more than simply gear and music. It is the talent that a qualified professional brings to the event that matters most. It is what allows for a smooth flow to the event, with no embarrassing surprises. A professional DJ provides you with confidence that your event will flow smoothly and will be an event that you, your family and guests will never forget, instead of one they would like to.

Top Songs

We have more than enough music for your themed event, with no need for any repeat songs!
All songs are chart hits! All collections are constantly growing! And if you want a specific song that I don't have, I'll be sure to get it in time for your event.

Pop/Jazz standards, Big Band/Swing, etc. ~ over 600 songs (nearly 30 hours!)
50s/60s Oldies and Motown ~ over 700 songs (again, nearly 30 hours!)
70s/Disco/Classic Rock ~ over 850 songs (hours and hours!)
80s and 90s ~ nearly 900 songs (it would take DAYS to listen to them all!)
2000's ~ over 1400 songs and growing as of last count (have you got a week?)

So get out your boogie shoes - with 5 hours' worth of just disco and funk, you might just have to get them re-soled.

Online Networking

I haven't posted in awhile - just like in your world, things have occasionally been crazy busy. You can check out my personal profile at Facebook.com now; I'm also getting started on LinkedIn.com. Both are turning out to be tremendous avenues for me to find new connections and to re-connect with old friends and colleagues.

Coming up, I've got a New Year's Eve party, and then wedding season is just around the corner! Start recommending "A Positive Spin" to your friends and family who are thinking of planning an event!

Autumn

There are still some openings for Fall/Winter events, so schedule yours now!

This past weekend I provided the music for a wedding reception at the recently rebuilt/remodeled Community Center at Oak Hill Park in Danville. It's always a pleasure to be there, with the stream, the pond, the willow trees, and all of the ducks and geese. As usual, I delivered great music for drinks, dinner and dancing. You should have been there!

Upcoming, I'm scheduled to be the DJ for a 30th reunion of Northgate High School in Walnut Creek. The event is being held at Boundary Oak Golf Course. Classic rock and disco. Long live 1978!

The following week, I'll be at the Deaf Community Center in San Leandro for their Oktoberfest. I'm sure those attending can't wait for all the beer and brats, although those have never been quite my thing.

If you're planning on having your own Oktoberfest, Halloween party, an autumn wedding, birthday, or even thinking of Christmas or New Year's Eve, contact me now!

Hot Summer Nights in Danville!

Last Thursday evening was the final "Hot Summer Nights" car show in Danville for the year. I was set up in front of Mountain Mike's Pizza, playing good-time rock and roll music from the 1950s and 1960s. Since the cars/owners were all registering just north of where I was (at the high school), I got to see each entry as they paraded down the street in front of me. Lots of "thumbs up" and positive feedback from the drivers as they passed!

The general public crowds really started to swell a couple hours into the afternoon/evening, and stayed busy right up to the end. There were alot of short songs during that era, and I think I nearly got through my entire 100-150 songs during the 5 hours I was there! Of course, I played a bunch of Elvis, Beatles and Beach Boys, but also most of the other tip-top best of upbeat oldies hits that just don't get heard much anymore.

Several passersby took my business card; one gentleman said that this was the first year that he's heard the "right" music at this event. That simply validates what I've been saying myself: When the music matters...The RIGHT music for ANY occasion...

Contact me to reserve the date for your fall and winter events now!

Book your Fall/Winter events now!

I know it feels like summer has barely begun, but before you realize it, we'll be back in the rhythms and routines of autumn. School schedules, soccer matches, and in general, just more of a hurried pace.

These upcoming months are also going to start filling up with anniversaries, theme parties, reunions, school fundraisers, fall weddings, Halloween parties, and more. If you don't plan ahead, you may miss your chance for "A Positive Spin" to provide the perfect mix of music for your important event!

And don't think that a DJ is synonymous with getting people dancing. At "A Positive Spin", we also specialize in providing the right background music! Whatever theme your event is going to have, we can help set the right mood. Look at the ideas below:

"Moonstruck" - the music of Little Italy
"Ratatouille" - music for a French Bistro
"My Big Fat Greek Wedding" - exactly.
1950's "Back To The Future" prom/sock hop
50's/60's "American Grafitti" or "Grease" party
1960's surfboards and hot rods beach party
1960's "Austin Powers" shagadelic groove fest
1970's jukebox gold - classic hits to disco/funk
1980's MTV bash
Halloween 2008 - Ghostbusters to Thriller to Monster Mash, plus stuff you haven't thought of...

Contact us now for the best available dates.
Phone (925) 487-1755
e-mail: djolling@hotmail.com

Summer Events: sum'r okay, sum'r great!

It's that post-wedding, post-graduation time of the year again. And aside from this blog, my only real advertising has been the yellow pages ad. I thought I'd try to kick-start things a bit by offering my services for free at a couple of events (one of which didn't work out).

Toward the end of June, "Auto Affair" (an auto accessories retailer for owners of Ferrari's, etc.) sponsored an "exotic and performance auto show" here in Danville. On one end of the parking lot, a live band was set up near the American Classic cars (Mustangs, etc.), and on the other end (with the European models), I was set up playing a combination of techno instrumentals, classic rock and adult/latin pop. One of the owners insisted that the music on his laptop was best suited for the clientele (James Blunt, Andrea Bocelli, etc.), so I wired it into my system for the first hour. After awhile, however, people started complaining that his music was boring, and I began doing my own thing, to rave reviews. A few business cards were taken, and so far, one inquiry has come in. Sadly, I had to turn it down, since I already had another gig for that date.

Danville turned 150 this year, while also celebrating the 50th anniversary of it's fabled July 4 parade. "Hay Days" was resurrected for the occasion, and I thought I'd try to piggy-back onto some of the festivities by setting up at Trader Joe's (for free!). Everything was going well until the property management thought the wires, etc., might be a liability, and so they put the kibosh on it.

Undaunted, I proceeded for the second year in a row to provide music for our homeowners' association's annual July 4 BBQ at the pool/clubhouse. I taped down the electrical cords and set up the heavy equipment prior to the parade, then left early to finish setting up before noon. By all accounts, things went great! Except for one 7-year-0ld's request for some song about a Frog, I was able to play every request. With a combination of patriotic tunes, top 40, oldies and kids' favorites, it was a success! The kids were dancing, people were smiling, and I got paid!

You want to hire a DJ, but you don't want the "wrong" music at your event.

Neither do I. Afraid that if you hire a DJ, you'll hear lyrics that are inappropriate for certain ears (like the nieces and nephews, plus both grandmothers)? Today, even the bleeped, or "radio-edited" versions of songs often contain lewd or suggestive elements. Who needs a moral dilemma like that when you're trying to plan a big party?

I'm Darrell Olling, owner of "A Positive Spin" Mobile D.J. Entertainment. I'll spend the time weeding out those offensive songs, so that you don't have to. And you'll still get a full spectrum of music at your event - fun songs from different eras - including today's Top 30 and Dance/Club favorites. Even "positive hits" (aka Christian Pop) if you want. I've got thousands of songs, representing every genre, decade and style.

The RIGHT music for ANY occasion. Because the MUSIC matters.