Darwin Dry Season = Party Season
Peter Gowers • June 6, 2017
Party Season = DJ's, Jukeboxes, PA Hire, Slushie Machine
This is the first blog post for the year as there has been so much going on, I can't believe it's June already!!
With the dry season now upon us and as we wake up to those nice cool breezes each morning there's now many people planning birthday parties, corporate events and weddings among other things.
One thing that has really struck me in recent times is how many options people now available when arranging an event, such as venues, decorators, party hire equipment, event co-ordinators, caterers and yes, even entertainment (Mobile DJs, Jukeboxes, Karaoke, PA Hire to name a few).
And while it may appear from the outside that each provider is as capable as the next, sometimes it's worth doing a little digging before you take the leap of faith to making a booking.
In the entertainment sphere we've had many changes in recent times, from equipment (analog to digital), playout systems (CD's, records etc to digital, with mp3 being the most popular) as well as how we consume our media these days, which affects peoples knowledge and access to new music in a really good way.
When it comes to booking entertainment I recommend at the very least having a conversation prior to making a booking. While it's easy to make an online enquiry and to arrange things via email there's nothing better than discussing what you're looking for in detail as a part of your booking process. If the DJ knows exactly what you like and dislike in advance of your event this makes it so much easier for things to go smoothly. Particularly with weddings you don't really want to leave this to chance.
We've provided entertainment services in Darwin since 2003, first with Mobile DJs, then Jukeboxes, PA Hire and now we also offer Slushie Machine hire. I've been in the industry since 1990 playing at events around Australia, overseas and now in Darwin. We've played at events here in Darwin, both big and small, from Darwin's top venues to peoples blocks and back yards, one thing that seems to be consistent no matter where the event is being held, the more input you have when making your booking, the happier you'll be at the end of the function.
Some times it's those one or two songs that you let us know about before hand that turns a good night into a great one!!
If you'd like to discuss your next event to talk music or other specifics please get in touch, we'd love to discuss it with you. We are also happy to assist you with all other party related things don't hesitate to call for advice. The best contact number is 0418 540 870.
More regular blog posts to come...
Information about booking a mobile DJ in Darwin for your next party or event. Included in the information is a video about setting up and packing up of our DJ equipment in Darwin.
Up Town Entertainment Pty Ltd rated Best Business of 2019 in Darwin Mobile DJ category. This is the 3rd year in a row Up Town Entertainment Pty Ltd has been rated Best Mobile DJ in Darwin.
This post is about booking a Mobile DJ in Darwin and the 3 things you need to know and you need let us know about when making a booking.
This post is about booking a mobile DJ, Jukebox or Karaoke Jukebox in Darwin, Palmerston or the Darwin rural area for Christmas parties in 2019.
Once you've booked your DJ in Darwin this post talks about the things you can do to guarantee the music at your party is a huge success. Your mobile DJ knows his stuff and has awesome equipment, we just need to personalise the music to suite your taste and we need your help to do that.
So it looks like we've finally finished with the wet season and the dry season "appears" to be up on us. The mornings are a little more crispy (just a little at this stage), the dragons flies are awakening from their slumber, the nights seem to be just that little bit cooler and the Mindil Beach Markets are on again. Far be it for me to be officially declaring the dry season open for business but I'm confident the cyclones, monsoons and storms are behind us for this half of the year anyway! So with the cooler, drier weather comes the dry season events such as weddings, outdoor festivals, sporting events and the plenty of outdoor markets that Darwin has to offer. We here at Up Town Entertainment are gearing up for another big dry with lots of bookings for Wedding DJs, Jukeboxes, Karaoke Jukeboxes, PAs and Slushie Machines, it's really shaping up to be a cracker season by all accounts. Given that there are so many events held outdoors in Darwin this time of year and in many cases with limited or no mains power available I thought it would be a good idea to let you know that we hire battery operated PAs which are perfect for wedding ceremonies and any type of event with up to 150 people. Our battery operated PAs include a wireless microphone, USB plug or a phone cable so you can play mp3s through them as well. They are really versatile units which can be used for pre-recorded music, speeches/announcements/celebrants and also for solo artists or duos where they are just looking to play background music in a quieter setting. Of course we also have all our normal range of service such as Mobile DJ hire, Jukebox, Karaoke, PA and Slushie Machine hire available in Darwin and surrounds. If you'd like to discuss your needs for your upcoming event, feel free to call or contact us anytime. Hopefully we'll see you at an upcoming function over the dry season, you'll have a cool beverage in hand and you'll be enjoying the tunes played by Up Town Entertainment Pty Ltd. Until next time..... Up Town Entertainment Pty Ltd 12 Charlton Crt, Woolner NT 0820 Ph: 0418 540 870 www.uptown.net.au
Well it's well and truly upon us again, the Christmas party season has commenced and it's kicking along nicely. The Christmas party market has changed a lot over the years as businesses are now more focused on OH&S and in some cases their bottom line. When I first started DJing, the Christmas party season used to start in October, it would kick off with gusto and go all the way through to Christmas Eve. Nowadays it's more like a steady build up throughout November with some frantic activity in December and then everything seems to slow right down for a few months as people recover from the year that was. Karaoke seems to be back in favour this year with lots of bookings coming through at the moment for Karaoke Jukeboxes for end of year parties. Our very popular Jukeboxes are also being heavily booked along with various other hire items such as PA's, microphones and disco lights. However, as always, the mobile DJ wins out here in Darwin due to the flexibility of the service and the value they bring to a function. Highly flexible with the service they deliver, happy to take requests and always willing to please, our mobile DJ service for birthdays, corporate events and weddings is really the best way to go. If you're looking for entertainment and are not quite sure what to do for your next event, why not give us a call to discuss your needs. The best part about a mobile DJ is they play all the original artists, they play hits all night long and they don't take breaks at crucial times which sucks the life out of a party. Book a mobile DJ from Up Town for your next event in Darwin and turn your night from great to unforgettable. www.uptown.net.au 12 Charlton Crt, Woolner 0820 Ph: 0418 540 870
I can't believe I'm about to say this......but Christmas is only 10 weeks away!! Amazing how quickly time goes past, last Christmas only feels like a few months ago. Anyway, with Christmas only 10 weeks away that means we're just about to hit the Christmas party season, which seems to get longer and longer each year. If you haven't booked any entertainment for your work or personal Christmas party as yet I recommend you get on to it. Every year we have to disappoint people who leave things too late on certain dates when we get booked out. Given the limited amount of weekends between now and Christmas there's only a certain few weekends left and we find that everyone wants to book on 2 or 3 of those so inevitably people miss out. The other thing you need to decide is what type of party you're going to have as this will then help you to decide what type of entertainment to book. In Darwin, most people tend to book a Mobile DJ or a Jukebox as these are the best way to entertain people and they also give you the most flexibility. Other favourites that we offer are Karaoke machines, Slushie Machines and PA systems where people can plug in an iPod or a phone and play their own music for those with a limited budget. Whatever your choice, with only 10 weeks to go until Santa arrives, try and avoid the mad scramble for entertainment that seems to happen every year and book now for your Christmas party. Or call us to discuss your upcoming party or event. Ph: 0418 540 870. Christmas Party DJ Darwin, Christmas Entertainment Darwin, Mobile DJ Darwin, Jukebox Hire Darwin, Darwin Jukebox Hire, Karaoke Hire Darwin, Slushie Hire Darwin, PA Hire Darwin.
Having been in the entertainment business now for over 25 years and seeing the benefits of having a DJ run the entertainment for you I know the benefits this brings to any birthday, corporate event or wedding. However, having a DJ is not the only option that you have available to you and depending on the nature of the event there may be some great alternatives. One of those alternatives which we find is very popular here in Darwin is to hire a Jukebox. A Jukebox comes pre-loaded with thousands of songs that will have something on offer for everyone's music tastes. The two biggest benefits I believe for hiring a Jukebox are 1. they are quite a lot cheaper than hiring a DJ and 2. they are a more passive option for when you're wanting good music but you're not necessarily wanting your guests to feel under pressure to get up for a dance. Our Jukeboxes have over 6,500 songs loaded on to them and they have music from the rock n roll era through to todays latest hits and everything in between. They have volume control so you can play quiet music earlier in the night and then later on you can turn them up if people want to have a dance or sing along to some old favourites. In addition, they also have a karaoke function for the more serious singers if you want to go down that path. I've found that the Jukebox option is a good one for corporate events and more informal occasions where the music is being used to compliment the evening and not necessarily be the "headline act" if you know what I mean. Our Jukeboxes also have the capability to plug in a microphone which you can use for speeches or announcements throughout the night. Overall, the Jukebox option is a great alternative to a DJ for the right type of event. If you have an upcoming event and you'd like to discuss your entertainment options and you think you may want to hire a Jukebox in Darwin from us just get in touch and we can discuss it with you.
Prior to all functions we always ask our clients to supply a list of songs they would like to hear at their function and also (often more importantly) a list of songs they definitely don't want to hear!! I was recently asked why we do this as being professional DJs "wouldn't you already know what to play"? The short answer is of course we know what to play, but sometimes it's the one or two songs that a particular group of friends love to dance to that can make all the difference between a good party and a great party. Usually it's a couple of songs that wouldn't be obvious to us to play that can really lift the energy in a room. We ask for a list of around 50 songs which you can email to us, write down and bring on the night or tick from our provided music list prior to your event. The list also will give the DJ a starting point to kick things off with and a reference point as to the styles that you want to hear. When putting your list together don't forget about your background music, this is often left out when people put their list together and it's really just as important as the dance music as background music lays the platform for the rest of the night. Lastly, don't forget to think about the guests attending your event, it's great that you love to listen to thrash metal but I'm pretty sure grandma and grandpa won't appreciate listening to it at a wedding. You need to play music appropriate for your function. It might sound obvious but you'd be surprised what we get asked to play sometimes!! I once had a wedding couple ask me to play Tool and similar artists all night and then wonder why their guests didn't dance....hmm...let me think about that for a minute.....because you requested anti-social, non-melodic rubbish. Most often we get music lists containing a really nice mix of popular hits that appeals to a wide range of guests which is perfect, just don't forget about the 1 or 2 special songs that will make your night one to remember.