DJ Jimmy O

New Year's Weekend

2010-12-29T01:24:00.001-07:00

MSU-B and RMC Halloween Compilation

2010-11-01T23:41:00.004-07:00

Here's a short compilation of some pictures and video shorts from the College Halloween parties that I performed at. It was truly a great weekend!

Homecoming/Halloween Dance

2010-10-26T23:57:00.003-07:00

I booked another one for Halloweekend...this time it's with the students from Rocky Mountain College on Saturday night at the Billings Depot. They decided to combine their Homecoming weekend with Halloween. The night started off pretty slow, and I was a bit worried that we would have a small crowd, but was rewarded with a great turnout just after 9:00. The party kept right on going up until we had to shut it down, and the dance floor was full the entire time. I really enjoyed my first gig with the Rocky Mountain students, and hope to work with them again in the future.

Halloween Party at MSU-Billings

2010-10-23T17:29:00.000-07:00

I'm really looking forward to working with the students at MSU-Billings again. We kicked the school year off with a dance party in the atrium of the Student Union Building to great success. The turnout was great, and it was fun just watching the students, both new and seasoned, start off another year with good times.

This coming Thursday brings their yearly Halloween Dance, and I am excited to come back for more fun, and to see how creative the students get with their costumes this year,

October Wedding in Choteau

2010-10-11T23:07:00.002-07:00

I spent Saturday in Choteau with another great family. It is always nice to spend time in a smaller community with friends and family that seem so close to one another. I was pleasantly surprised with the reception location, which was at the Pavilion next to the City Park. It was recently remodeled, and looked like a brand new event hall on the inside. They did a great job with the decorations, lending a feeling of warmth to the room.

The Groom let me know ahead of time to expect to play some country music, as there would be quite a few ranchers in attendance. What an understatement! As the guests shuffled in, the room quickly filled up with cowboy hats. Thankfully, I really enjoy playing to those crowds, and the dance floor stayed full for the entire evening. Drinks were flowing, conversations were plentiful, and everyone seemed to be having a wonderful time.

Again, I am thankful to have been blessed with so many perfect crowds at the wedding receptions I have performed at in the past, and once I again I was not let down. I look forward to traveling back to Choteau in the future.

Summer 2010 - Part 1

2010-09-30T23:58:00.001-07:00

As Summer comes to a close in 2010, I feel a renewed sense of excitement as a DJ. After taking a hiatus and performing for only a handful of events this past year, I completed my Summer run with a couple of unbelievable wedding receptions.

The first event was for a wonderful couple in Great Falls, at the Chapel Theatre. As usual, I was set up early with some mellow background music playing as the early guests started to arrive. The room was filling in and the vibe was good. Time passed, and I was expecting the wedding party to show up at any minute, watching the entrance and waiting for my sign to start announcing the arrival of the Bride and Groom. I noticed a Groomsman heading my way, sure that he was coming to tell me that they had arrived. Unbeknown to me, there was a much more serious issue at hand.

He proceeded to tell me that I needed to make an announcement. The Father of the Bride had a heart attack in the parking lot. Evidently,the church where the wedding was held was extremely hot, and did not have a cooling system. The heat was too much for him, and when they arrived at the reception, he collapsed. The Bride and at least one of her bridesmaids were nurses, and ended up having to perform CPR in the parking lot as they waited for the ambulance to arrive. The paramedics ended up needing to use the paddles, and rushed off to the hospital, with Bride and Groom in tow.

I did not make an immediate announcement, as I thought it better to inform all of the family before making a public statement. The Groom's father stayed at the reception and remained in contact with everyone at the hospital, and together we kept the guests informed of what was transpiring. The Father of the Bride ended up needing to have surgery to have a couple of stints put in, and the Bride and Groom stayed at the hospital until he came out and they got the thumbs up that he would recover. After about 4-1/2 hours, they finally made it to their reception, exhausted but ready to see their family and friends. I had done all I could to keep the guests in attendance, and the thunderous applause as I announced the arrival of the Bride and Groom made the wait worthwhile.

The night progressed smoothly from that point on. The toasts and First Dance were perfect, and then came the time that the Bride would have danced with her Father. After a warm round of applause for the First Dance, I asked that everyone there find someone to dance with, whether daughter, wife, girlfriend, or Mother, it didn't matter, as long as everyone danced to the song that she and her Father were supposed to dance to together. The entire dance floor filled with the guests...ALL of them...and there was a look of wonder on the Bride's face as she looked in amazement at everyone dancing for her and her Dad.

It was truly one of the most touching wedding events I have been a part of in the 12+ years I have been performing.

New Year's Eve 2010

2009-12-30T20:29:00.000-07:00

New Year's Eve 2010 at Club Bighouse in Great Falls

New Year's Eve in Great Falls

2008-12-08T01:22:00.008-07:00

Poster from New Year's party 2009

Thanksgiving Weekend

2008-12-02T20:29:00.003-07:00

A trip back to Great Falls for Thanksgiving was in the works when I got a phone call asking if I wanted to DJ for the New Year's Eve Bash at Club Bighouse this year. I agreed, as I have done so for them year after years since they opened their doors. I told them I was also going to be in town over Thanksgiving weekend, and they offered up their Saturday Night gig. So again, I agreed, looking forward to seeing the old crowd once again.

Thanksgiving itself was wonderful as usual, with a great spread of delicious food, as well as great company with both family and friends.

Saturday Night came quickly, and Ladies Night at the Club turned out to be a tremendous success. It didn't take much coaxing to get the crowd going, and the dance floor stayed packed for the entire evening, right through the last song of the night. It was refreshing to be back in a club scene again, and I'm really looking forward to going back down again for the New Year's Eve party at the end of the year.

Halloween

2008-11-02T00:25:00.005-07:00

Well, Halloween has come and gone already. I spent Thursday, October 30th, DJing for MSU Billings for their Annual Halloween Dance. A couple of hundred young students slowly trickled in at about 8:00pm, and we had them covering the dance floor soon after. I had a great time with a responsive crowd of eager collegiates. The costumes were fun to observe, and awards were given out to several categories, including Scariest - Krusty the Clown; Prettiest - Eve; and Best Overall - Chicken Cord on Blue (someone dressed in a blue suit, with a cord and a rubber chicken attached).

As the Summer Flies By

2008-08-04T23:10:00.004-07:00

The summer is truly flying by, as it seems to do every year. One weekend was filled with two nights back in Great Falls at Club Bighouse, which was definitely enjoyable. It was great to see some of the old crowd, and to spend time back in the booth.

July really went by in a blur of active weekends, taken up of course by a number of Wedding Receptions.

The month started off with a reception just South of Buffalo, Wyoming. It was at a very nice ranch and the guest list was huge. The set-up was amazing, with an extremely large tent covering quite an expansive area. The Bride and Groom rode in on a horse drawn buggy to a warm applause from the gathered crowd. Everything from then on went off without a hitch, and the only difficult part was shutting down at the end of the evening. The crowd kept chanting for more music, and I finally pulled the plug when the Ranch owner called it a night after 8 hours of music.

The last couple of weekends were spent out of town yet again. First was a Wedding Reception down in Worland, Wyoming. I wasn't sure what to expect when I drove into town, as it had been raining and this was to be another outdoor event. Everything turned out perfect...the clouds went away and the sun came out...even the bugs weren't much of a nuisance. The groom's family was of Mexican descent, and had a good time swinging to Salsa and Merengue music, as well as Country music with the rest of the family. There were also lots of requests for Hip Hop music for the younger crowd. The Generations Dance went over extremely well, as the Bride's Grandparent were the oldest married couple there at 58 years together. It was definitely touching moment as they approached the new couple to give them advice on how to stay together in a happy and commited relationship.

This past Saturday was at a small ranch just outside of Bozeman for a small Wedding Reception. There were only about 50 people in attendance, and most were from different States, ranging from Louisiana and North Carolina to Wisconsin. It was nice to see people flying in from all over to spend time with old family and new for such a special day. The ceremony went smoothly, and the rest of the evening progressed nicely as well. The sky turned cloudy and it started to rain at almost the exact time I was scheduled to shut down, at yet another outdoor event with another great family.

I'm traveling back down to Wyoming this coming weekend, for another reception at another ranch. This one is on the outskirts of Sheridan, and looks like it will be another good one.

Club Bighouse-Great Falls-June 27th & 28th

2008-06-19T22:55:00.003-07:00

Club Bighouse Summer 2008

Kelli & Justin

2008-06-19T22:52:00.000-07:00

We traveled down through Wyoming this past weekend, all the way to the South of Ten Sleep. Our destination: The Red Reflet Ranch for a Wedding Reception. The drive down was pleasant, and when we arrived at the ranch, we were definitely surprised to find an absolutely gorgeous location. The scenery was breathtaking, and the building that the reception took place in was very nice, with a great view of the surrounding area. We were a little thrown off at first by the initial meeting with the owners of the property, as they were very difficult to work with. It seemed like an imposition for them to have to accommodate our needs, which were honestly only a six foot table in the reception area, and a table to set our equipment on for the outdoor ceremony. The owners were made aware of our request for tables weeks before the event, but feigned ignorance. We ended up finding a way to make things work on our own, and everything turned out even better than expected.

The reception itself went almost without a hitch. The cake sliding off of the table it was set up on and one third of it smashing on the floor was about the only thing that went wrong, and I have to give credit to the Bride...she shrugged it off and continued celebrating her big day.

The dancing started a little late, as the wedding party and the happy couple wanted to capture some pictures with an amazing backdrop as the sun was going down. But once the dancing started, it was nonstop for the rest of the evening. Everyone had a great time, and it was one of those crowds that we wish could take part in every reception. They were all there to have a good time, and were all smiles for the whole evening.

All in all, the family was wonderful, the friends were a blast, and the location was perfect.

Memorial Day Weekend

2008-06-19T22:36:00.004-07:00

Another Wyoming Wedding Reception, this time down in beautiful Buffalo. Absolutely everything was wonderful, from the food and atmosphere, to the dancing and the company. The family was so welcoming, that we wanted to stay long after the reception was over. The crowd started dancing as soon as the party music began, and didn't stop until it was time to shut things down.

There was such a large variety of music requested, and we had a great time watching as the crowd adjusted to genre after genre of music. They danced to all of it, and everyone seemed to be enjoying themselves. We would definitely travel back to Buffalo to help this family out with another event, or even to simply spend a day hanging out together.

Back in Montana

2008-04-14T23:09:00.002-07:00

What a crazy year it's been. Back in June of 2007, I moved to Sheridan, Wyoming to further my career with my day job. Of course, my summer was booked with Wedding Receptions, mainly in the Great Falls area, and I spent most of my time driving back and forth from Wyoming to Montana and back again. I worked with some wonderful couples through the end of the year, and would spend my time traveling to work with them all over again.

As my luck would have it, I was asked to move back to Montana, this time to the Billings market, and find it refreshing to be back in Big Sky Country. Once again, I find myself traversing distance to work with more amazing duos, and am very happy that the length is much shorter this time. I'll be performing in Sheridan, Buffalo, Tensleep, the Red Reflet Lodge, and of course, Billings throughout the summer. I do have some dates still open for booking, and would welcome the opportunity to meet more people and help bring everything together with them at their wedding reception.

Now that I am located in Billings, and should be here for quite some time, I'll be able to effectively cover a much wider range of locations. I plan on traveling to Laurel, Big Timber, Livingston, Bozeman, Belgrade, Red Lodge, Miles City, Great Falls, Sheridan, Buffalo, and anywhere in between. It feels good to be centrally located. We're settled into our new place, and I really do feel at home in Billings, MT.

Here's to another great year in music and lasting relationships.

A Very Busy Week!

2007-05-20T22:16:00.000-07:00

What a crazy week!!!

Well, this was definitely a hectic way to start off the summer wedding season. On Wednesday, I donated my time to help with the kickoff of the Special Olympics' Summer Games at the fairgrounds. I played music at the outdoor pavilion for their "Celebration in the Park" and had a wonderful time. It was simply amazing to participate in such a heartwarming experience, and to see everyone having such a great time. I will definitely offer to help them out again next time.

On Thursday, I helped out with a pre-concert event to help promote E-40, Lil' Scrappy, and Baby Boy for their upcoming concert this Friday, May 25th.

Friday night, I played at Club Bighouse to a full house...

Saturday brought my first summer wedding reception. I played for a couple who had just returned home from a trip to Cancun, where they were actually married. It was also held at the Fairgrounds, in the Family Living Center. It was a nice gathering, and I visited with three other couples that I had DJed for in the past.

Wedding Season 2007!!!

2007-03-22T21:51:00.000-07:00

Well, it's just around the corner. Wedding season has just about arrived, and I have a wonderful looking schedule so far. July's Saturdays booked first, as usual, but I do have a few prime dates still open in other months. If you are a June Bride and need someone to help make your event what it should be, send me an email, as I do have a couple of weekends open at this time, as well as some Saturdays in every month other than July.

Big thanks and congratulations to Nick and Sanjuana. I had a great time performing for their Wedding Reception, and really enjoyed putting together a mostly Latin theme for the occasion. I played a mix of Salsa, Cumbia, Reggaeton, Mexicana, and Peruana styles of music for both sides of the family, and had a blast watching them dance the night away.

New Picture Site!!!

2007-01-07T17:38:00.000-07:00

After an extremely busy end to 2006, I have decided to set up a new picture site to display some pictures from some of the events I have performed at. It can be seen at www.djjimmyo.com and includes the Wedding Receptions from December 29th and 30th, as well as the New Year's Eve Party at Club Bighouse. It was a whirlwind of a weekend, and I had a great time at all events.

Friday's Wedding Reception was held at the Airport, and the Air Host had to virtually push the last 30 guests out the door over a half an hour after the event was scheduled to be done. It was definitely a great start to the last weekend of the year.

Saturday's Reception was actually held in Highwood, at the Community Center. The place was transformed into a winter wonderland, complete with pine trees and sparkling white Christmas lights. A large number of people showed up for the Bride and Groom, and I kept them dancing for what they said was far longer than a typical Highwood event. The people were very easy to get along with, and just as easy to entertain.

Of course, the weekend ended up with the New Year's Eve celebration at Club Bighouse, and the place was jammed full with all kinds of people looking for a good time. The dance floor was filled for the entire evening, and it was a refreshing change, as the crowd requested a good variety of music from Country, Rock, Top 40 Hits, and the usual Hip Hop that the younger crowd loves. I had an amazing time, and was excited to see 2007 roll in with such an enthusiastic crowd.

Havre Senior Ball 2006

2006-11-29T16:55:00.000-07:00

Last March, I traveled up to Havre and helped the High School Juniors make their Prom a party. They called me again this fall, as Seniors, and asked me to come back for their Senior Ball. I gladly accepted, and it was a great success.

The amazing thing about playing for High School students is that they are ready to party as soon as the switch is turned on. The dance floor stayed busy for the entire evening, and they seemed to have a blast.

This year's theme was "Arabian Nights", and they did an amazing job at transforming the MSU Northern Student Union Building into a true oasis.

I played music for the Senior Ball itself from 8pm until Midnight, and then the Seniors hosted an After Party for the rest of the students from 1am until 4am...it was definitely a long night, but worth the time put in.

I hope to make my way back up there again for the new Junior class and their Prom...

Ryan's Dam

2006-09-12T00:40:00.001-07:00

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Usually the wedding season tends to wind down at about this point, but I have been so busy, I have barely had time to keep up with my posts. I spent this weekend helping out with a Wedding Ceremony and Reception that took place up at Ryan's Dam. I met with the Bride-to-Be and her Maid of Honor a couple of weeks ahead of time to go over all of the details and found that they needed help choosing songs for both the ceremony and for a couple of other important dances. They really liked IZ's "Somewhere Over the Rainbow/What a Wonderful World" as a Processional Song for the wedding party and asked me to come up with some ideas for the rest. After drawing up some suggestions, they went with my favorite. For the Bridal Processional, the Bride agreed on Ben Harper's "Waiting on an Angel", and for the Recessional Jack Johnson's "Better Together". All of the songs definitely complimented eachother as far as sound went, and the ceremony was perfect. She told me that she and her Mother were in tears as they reviewed those songs, and knew they were the ones.

The reception was a blast. Both sides of the family enjoyed country music and classic rock and roll, so it was easy to throw together song after song for them to enjoy. I mixed in some Hip Hop later in the evening for the younger crowd, and they seemed genuinely surprised that I would have such a wide selection of music to choose from. I love it all, though, and really enjoyed playing for them. I even got to catch up with a couple (one of which was the Groom's brother) who I helped with DJing their wedding seven years ago! It was nice to know that they recommended me even after so much time had passed since we had spoken.

Another wonderful family! And another couple of full weekends coming up...

Back at the Heritage

2006-07-23T16:11:00.000-07:00

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Well, another Wedding Reception at the Heritage Inn, and this one was a huge success. I spent the day with two amazing families, the Groom's side that flew in from Missouri, and the Bride's from the Great Falls area. We even had a good number of friends from the Chicago part of the country, and they all mixed well together...a group that wanted only to celebrate a special occasion.

The Heritage staff once again did a great job, even with two other events in nearby rooms. By the end of the night, the guests had gone through 4 kegs of beer and over 30 bottles of wine, and were certainly loosened up for the festivities. It was enjoyable to play for a group of people who were so responsive, and I was able to play music from a wide variety of genres, from the 50's, 60's, disco, country, 80's retro, classic rock, and even a little bit of hip-hop. I didn't have an empty dance floor from the First Dance on, and I honestly wish every wedding reception had a group of family and friends like this one did. It was a pleasure to perform for them, and a night I won't soon forget.

Receptions at the Airport & the Heritage Inn

2006-07-20T22:43:00.000-07:00

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Talk about a busy weekend! On Friday, I DJ'd for a couple from Alaska, who were celebrating their one year anniversary with friends and family who could not attend their wedding. It was basically a wedding reception, with cake, the first dance, and all, and went very well for a small gathering. It took place in the Falls Room at the Great Falls International Airport, and was put together really well. It was a pleasure to work with them, and a nice change from working at the Club on a Friday night.

I spent Saturday at the Heritage Inn with a much larger group and had a wonderful time. As usual, the Heritage staff had everything in order, and the entire reception went off without a hitch. The guests had a good time, and I played to a split group, as far as musical taste went. One side seemed to thrive on 80's Monster Rock, while the other side danced away to hits from the 70's, 80's, and 90's. It was interesting to watch as they all came together and had fun.

I'll be back at the Heritage Inn again this coming weekend.

Missouri Room at the Civic Center

2006-07-10T19:41:00.000-07:00

The weeks are definitely flying by this summer. I spent the 24th of June at a short but sweet wedding reception at Norley Hall up in Conrad. The Bride and Groom kept the reception short, as they had to start their drive back to Seattle that evening. Still, all went well as usual, and the guests had a wonderful time. The couple even showed off their dancing skills as they waltzed and jitterbugged across the floor.

I kicked off July back at the Civic Center, but the reception was held in the Missouri Room, instead. They did a beautiful job decorating, and surprisingly enough, 250 people fit quite well in the room. Some effects lighting really added a dramatic effect to the room, and we had a blast as the party really swung into full gear after the traditional dances were over. Another highly successful event, with many more yet to come.

Heritage Inn Reception

2006-06-18T23:02:00.000-07:00

My wedding weekends continue! I was at the Heritage Inn on Saturday for my smallest reception so far this year. The ceremony took place there, as well, and I provided the music for the whole event. The marriage took place without a hitch, and turned out to be a beautiful ceremony. The guests started drinking immediately afterwards, and the food wasn't scheduled to be served for almost another 45 minutes. We weren't sure how long the reception would last, with the small crowd and the amount of liquor being consumed, and one of the staff even commented that he would bet that the party would be over by 10:30. I didn't agree, and was right not to. The party lasted right up until the scheduled ending time of midnight (hotel policy). The people that we there danced the night away, and there were even some hotel guests on the upper balcony that were dancing and singing right along with them. We had a great time, and the Heritage staff did a wonderful job, as usual.

Party in Geraldine

2006-06-18T22:28:00.000-07:00

Check this out. In Geraldine, it is evidently not traditional to send out wedding invitations. Instead, the engaged couple simply place an ad in the newspaper, and then those in the community who know the couple show up for the reception. I was a little skeptical, I'm not going to lie. Little did I know that just about the whole town was going to be there, and on a day that the town attended a funeral in the morning, and a 50th wedding anniversary the same evening. Talk about a party. From the first dance on, the dance floor had something going on. We even had to remove some of the seating to allow more room for dancing. I think I had as much fun watching the crowd as I did playing the music for them. There is truly nothing better than entertaining a group of people looking for an excuse to have fun (especially in a farm and ranch community during a year with more moisture than we've seen in a very long time).

Wedding Season Continues at the Civic Center

2006-06-04T21:22:00.000-07:00

June started off strong with a Wedding Reception at the Great Falls Civic Center. There had to be close to 400 people in attendance, and it was easy to keep them entertained. The reception was scheduled for 7:00pm, but I actually started playing music early, as guests filtered in as much as a half an hour ahead of time. After the first dances, the crowd was eager to hit the dance floor, and I kept a good mix of music going all the way up until almost 1:00am. Country and Hip-Hop were definitely the most requested genres of music, but they also responded well to some 70's and 80's thrown in to keep things mixed up. All in all it was a very successful reception, and it was a pleasure to help in making a memorable event.

Friday Night at Club Bighouse

2006-05-22T20:21:00.000-07:00

Country Club Kicks It Off!

2006-05-22T01:50:00.000-07:00

Wow. What a way to kick off the summer wedding season. Saturday turned out to be a long day, as I started setting up at 3:00 in the afternoon, right after the thunderstorm we had in Great Falls. Luckily, the skies cleared up and the outdoor wedding ceremony worked out. I provided the sound for the pastor and for the guests who read scripture during the ceremony, and it was a beautiful event. We moved inside of the Country Club immediately afterwards, and I quickly set up my equipment for the reception, which again ended up turning out amazing. The bride had an itinerary that she wanted to follow, and I was absolutely amazed at just how smooth everything progressed. It is very rare to see a reception that flows so well, as there are always little things that seem to delay parts of the evening (dress bustling, visiting longer with guests, taking longer with food, pictures taking way too much time, etc), but Saturday's reception was perfect. The party kicked off after a great couple of first dances and a Generations Dance that ended with the Bride and Groom presenting the couple that had been married the longest with the Bouquet and Garter. The guests really loosened up as the evening progressed and I kept the music flowing as they danced right up until 12:00 midnight. I couldn't have asked for a better wedding to begin the summer season.

Wedding Season Arrives!

2006-05-15T21:39:00.000-07:00

Well, we're halfway into May and the Wedding Season is definitely here! I can't believe how busy my summer is going to be. I will be at the Country Club this coming weekend for a very big event, and I'll be providing the music and sound for both the ceremony (outdoors) and reception. Both are taking place on the Country Club grounds, and I can't wait to see how things turn out. It looks like there will be roughly four hundred guests in attendance, and I'll be sure to post some pictures when everything is all said and done. Something to look forward to as a new addition to my packages: audio and picture discs! I will be putting the most popular songs from the wedding reception as well as the main dance songs onto a disc for the Bride and Groom, as well as a disc with pictures of people dancing at the reception. My wife Brittny takes some amazing pictures with her new camera (8 megapixels), and we get some shots that some photographers don't tend to stick around for. And of course, we'll throw them in at no extra charge. Wedding season is here, and I'm excited! I can't wait to work with all of you who have booked your events already, and with those of you who are looking for someone to help you out.

Havre Prom

2006-03-27T14:26:00.000-07:00

Wow...I guess I haven't posted anything in quite some time...sorry about that. Things have been as hectic as usual, with the most recent event taking place up in Havre - The Junior Prom and Post Party. Their theme this year was Mardis Gras, and I started things off with a slide show for the parents while they were awaiting the Grand March. I played some jazzy parade music while showing some pretty interesting pictures from this year's multitude of Mardis Gras festivities. The Grand March started at roughly 8:00 pm, and I had each couple on the big screen as they walked through the arch way and were introduced to the parents and friends in the stands, and played a variety of Cajun and New Orleans Jazz as they made their way through the walk.

The dancing commmenced almost immediately after the Grand March, and the couples jumped right into things. I was amazed at how much everyone wanted to have fun right from the word go. They all danced right up until midnight, and I played music from so many different genres. I had a great time,and I know that they all did, too. It was a great success, from the Grand March, to fast and slow songs alike, and the presentation of the King and Queen.

At 1:00 am, the Post Prom Party started, and I couldn't believe how many students showed up. The gym was packed right up until 4:00 am with kids partying on the dance floor the entire time. The video presentation added some great effects to both the Prom and the Post Party, and I will definitely continue to offer it as an option for future Proms.

Shelby's Junior Prom is this coming weekend, and I look forward to another crowd of enthusiastic High School couples with their Red Carpet theme.

2006-01-29T20:47:00.000-07:00

Yet another Heritage Inn wedding reception...and another wonderful family gathering. For those of you in the planning stages of your own wedding reception, here's something very important to keep in mind: even though you get family and friends to RSVP a yes to coming to your event, you can almost guarantee that not everyone will actually show up. A good rule of thumb is to expect roughly 20% of those who commit to not be there. Sometimes it can be even higher.

This weekend's show was very successful, and I kept the crowd there until the Heritage Inn's closing time of midnight. I ran the music for the ceremony at the Foothills Community Christian School (the old St. Gerard's) and somehow made it to the reception afterwards before any of the guests arrived. The reception was very smooth, and everyone had a great time. After nine hours of music, I was pretty exhausted, but felt extremely good about how everything went. We even had a group of people that pulled some tables and chairs from the pool area to where they could listen to the music and were very appreciative to the Bride and Groom for allowing them to take part in at least listening to the entertainment. I made a new contact with a professional photographer from Lewistown who was part of that group, and hope to book some events in her area.

Here's to the start of another great wedding season in Montana!

Fridays at Club Bighouse

2006-01-29T19:51:00.000-07:00

Well, they got me to come back to work at Club Bighouse. I'll be performing most Fridays, MCing the comedy show and DJing on the club side. This last weekend, the comedians were hilarious. The headliner was Darryl Lennox, who is set to be featured on Comedy Central sometime in February on a Jamie Fox special. My first official weekend back started off pretty well over in the club, and it felt good to be back. I received a great welcome, and it will be nice to work on building Fridays back to where they should be. I'm taking this Friday off, but will be back on February 10th. The cash box has been doing well, with $1200 already given away. It's back up to $400 in cash right now, with 4 chances to win given away every Friday night. Be in by 9:00 for the comedy show, and receive 5 tickets, and by 10:30 for 1 ticket. This Friday night is their Bikini Bash 2006, and DJ Jade from Spokane will be in spinning vinyl.

New Year's Eve Bash

2005-12-17T23:37:00.000-07:00

Well, I'm back at the Halftime Sportsbar for New Year's Eve. It's been a few years since I've played there, but am really excited about being back. I ran the last couple of New Year's bashes for Club Bighouse, and it will be nice to play at a different venue, especially one that brings back such great memories. This year, the Halftime has plenty of things to add to the party. Free t-shirts and party favors will be given away during the night, champagne at midnight, $25 machine play prizes to be drawn throughout the evening, and $100 in cash to one lucky winner. And, of course, plenty of music to dance to with effects lighting, drinks, and good company.

N.E.W. Christmas Party

2005-12-17T23:22:00.000-07:00

I spent last Tuesday night at the Heritage Inn with the employees of N.E.W., roughly 650 of them. The Heritage did another wonderful job of setting up and running their end of the event. Feeding that many people must be a challenge, yet they pulled it off as usual, and the place was also decorated to perfection. I really enjoyed playing music for the crowd, and provided effects lighting to add even more energy to the room. We ran a dance contest, an awards presentation, and the night was filled with door prize giveaways. It was an extremely easy night for me as far as the music selection, as the crowd was extremely diverse. I delved into just about every genre of music, and the evening was very successful. I look forward to working with them again next year.

Christmas Season!

2005-12-11T02:55:00.000-07:00

Christmas Season is definitely here. Snow in more abundance than we have seen in years, and of course, holiday parties galore. This weekend officially kicked them off for me, starting it all off at San Remo's. I was somewhat concerned at first, as I wasn't quite sure what to expect there, but was pleasantly surprised at just how much the place felt like Christmas with the way the back restaurant has been transformed into a small event location. It was decorated with just enough of the season to make people feel the holiday spirit. Cindy's Catering did a great job taking care of the food and the bar, and we ran a chinese gift exchange which went over quite well. All in all, a successful start to the holiday season. This coming Tuesday brings another Christmas Party on a much larger scale. I'll be playing music at the Heritage Inn for N.E.W. for somewhere between 800 and 1000 people, and I'm sure it will be quite an event.

Civic Center

2005-12-11T02:35:00.000-07:00

Well, I finished November off with another wedding, this time up in the Missouri Room at the Civic Center. This one was definitely a family affair, from catering to guests, and there were so many children running about. They asked for several songs in which the kids could participate in different ways, and all had fun (the chicken dance, the bunny hop, and the YMCA were crowd favorites). It has been so nice this year watching as families and friends have pulled together to make these special days come together as planned. Hopefully next year will bring more of the same.

Club Bighouse Weekend

2005-11-13T19:20:00.000-07:00

Well, Jim and Dana from the Brick talked me into coming in and working for them over the weekend. It looks like I'll be putting some more time in there when I can fit it into my schedule. This past weekend went really well. I started it off with the Friday Night Comedy Show, MCing for the comedians from about 9 until 11. They were both hilarious. I moved over to the Club side and played dance music until closing time, and ran their Cash Box promotion for them. We tried to give away $500 in cash, and it was fun building up the suspense to see if someone would walk away with the money. The first week, we gave away $100, but haven't had another winner since then. The money goes up to $600 next week. Overall, the night was definitely successful, a good crowd and a great time. Saturday night was even better, as the Club was absolutely packed, and everyone seemed to have a blast. I was surprised at how many people came up to the DJ booth to welcome me back, and how many expressed to me just how much they wished I would come back more often. We all had a great time, and the dance floor stayed full for the entire evening. I have a weeding reception coming up this weekend at the Civic Center, and am really looking forward to it.

Back on Track

2005-11-05T18:59:00.000-07:00

Well, I'm definitely back on track. Since I've been back from my honeymoon, I performed at a wedding reception in Fort Benton, played at a High School Halloween party in Vaughn, and have been booking events for the Holiday season as well as wedding receptions for next year. The Wedding Show is coming up pretty soon (mid-January), where quite a few prospects book their events, but I already have quite a few set up for next summer. Club Bighouse has also asked me to come back to work for them, even if it's only for one or two Friday nights each month. I'm giving some serious thought to it just to see some old faces again. I'll actually be running the show there this Friday and Saturday, November 11th and 12th. Regardless, I'm excited to see what next year brings, and it looks like it's going to be busy.

My Wedding Day

2005-10-06T22:51:00.000-07:00

First Dance

Well...I did it!!! On September 24th, I got married. We had both our ceremony and reception at the Heritage Inn, in the main convention area. Everything was set-up so beautifully, and my bride was a vision of pure wonder. The staff at the hotel did a great job of helping us to bring it all together, even to the point of going beyond what they said they could do for us. Our colors were Gold, Red, and Ivory. Usually, the Heritage has only white to work with, but they brought in an amazing ivory table cloth and arrangement for the cake table, which was under a huge canopy that was illuminated with the most amazing lights. (Baker Bob made our cake, and also did a good job of decorating with real roses and red ribbon which we provided for him...our cake topper was a WillowTree Figurine...the one called "Promise".) We put quite a bit of our own time setting rose topiaries and candle arrangement on the tables as centerpieces, and actually spent a lot of time steaming some red table overlays that we rented from National Laundry the night before. The finished product was so beautiful. The ceremony was very nice, and we spent most of the reception just visiting with family and friends. It was so strange being on the other side of a Wedding Reception, being immersed in every single aspect of the planning, having everything center around my bride and myself, and just getting lost in the joy of every moment. I planned on taking the rest of the month and all of October off from DJing, but got roped into a few events. Last weekend, I filled in for someone at Club Bighouse on Friday Night, MCing the comedy show, and playing dance music afterwards. This weekend, I'll be working there on Friday again, and helping out with Saturday night's crowd. Then Brittny and I take off for our honeymoon in Maui next Wednesday, and don't get back until the following Wednesday. The Saturday after we get back, I agreed to DJ a wedding in Fort Benton. I just can't seem to take much time off for myself, but I do enjoy the work and being involved in other people's happiness.

Chapel Theatre

2005-09-11T03:19:00.000-07:00

I just finished playing for a Wedding Reception at the Chapel Theatre here in Great Falls. I was somewhat concerned at first, as the location poses a slight problem for music...it's an acoustical nightmare. The area has vaulted ceilings, and any noise echoes horribly throughout the room. Basically, it is an old chapel in a renovated hospital that now houses businesses and apartments. It is a very beautiful location, but as I said, the sound of a dropping pin could just about bounce off of each wall on its way around the room. But everything worked out just fine for us. The most difficult part turned out to be fine tuning the microphone vocals, and even those ended up being smoothed out. The event was a simple five hour affair, and again didn't cater to only one or two music types. The guests enjoyed a good variety of music and the Bride and Groom seemed pleased at the end of a long day. I decided to take next weekend off, as my own wedding is only two weeks away. My personal experience (in the preparation of my own big day) makes it is so easy to relate with couples as I truly understand everything involved in the planning and execution of all details. It's so much work, and it's nice to see other people's stress melt away as everything comes together in the end.

Geraldine Wedding

2005-09-05T15:54:00.000-07:00

Geraldine Wedding

I spent this past Saturday in Geraldine, Montana. I had to drive roughly 40 miles North of Great Falls, and then another 30 miles down a gravel road to a family Ranch. It was another small wedding, roughly 90 people, but again I had a great time entertaining a fun family. I played for the full six hours, and they danced right up until the last song. Requests varied for music, from Classic Rock to Country, and even some 70's and 80's songs. The crowd reacted best to the Country selections, both new and old. The bride and groom saw a previous post of mine about the Generations Dance and loved the idea, incorporating it into their own reception. I played Rod Stewart's "Have I Told You Lately", and after eliminating couples based on length of time being married, we were left with a couple that had been married for 64 long, wonderful years. It was very touching as the bride presented them with the bouquet. All in all, I would definitely say this was another successful wedding reception with a fantastic group of people.

Small Wedding

2005-08-31T01:26:00.000-07:00

BECC Wedding

I played music for a wedding reception at the Black Eagle Community Center this past weekend for a smaller crowd. It was the second time I have performed there this year, and must say that even though it was a smaller group of people, they still hung in there until the end, dancing until I had to shut down. Requests for music varied greatly, from country music to hip hop, and classic rock to some of the heavier stuff. They responded well to just about everything, and the bride's son made sure to get some requests in for himself as well as for his grandparents. The BECC catered well to the crowd, and the bar seemed to maintain a steady business for the entire evening. The Bride and Groom were successful in acquiring a photographer and a videographer through the K99 Internet Auction for an amazing price, and Randy from Haskel Studio was there taking pictures almost all night. It has been a refreshing year for myself providing DJ Services for yet another friendly crowd, and a very warm family.

Outdoor Wedding

2005-08-03T00:41:00.000-07:00

Outdoor Wedding

This past Saturday was yet another success. I had a full day, and it was a scorcher. I set up for the actual Wedding Ceremony at the Milwaukee Station at about 2:00 in the afternoon, right during peak hours for heat (it was up in the 90's), but luckily I tucked my equipment just underneath a tent. I still had the pleasure of sitting in the sun, but the electronics were at least shaded. The ceremony went smoothly, and I provided the sound for a quartet that played beautifully, a guitar, two singers, and of course the officiant. After the ceremony, I packed up my things and moved them over to the reception location, which was at the Bride's mother's house, where we could walk right onto the Country Club's golf course from her back yard. It was an outdoor reception, and was layed out in such a stunning way. There were tents and lanterns over all of the tables, a dance floor set up on the lawn, and an amazing array of food. The cake was gorgeous, as well. There were somewhere between 150 and 185 guests, and after the first dances and garter/bouquet tosses, they really jumped into the entertainment. Most of them enjoyed dancing, and we even heard some more singing from a family member and from a family friend. They were both excellent. All in all, the reception was a raging success, and it was difficult to shut down just after midnight, as they wanted to keep going. I was amazed that the police weren't called in with all of the noise. It was nice to see everything wrap up to positive comments from everyone around me. Beautiful family and jovial friends. Definitely a pleasure to put in the extra hours.

Red Lodge Wedding Reception

2005-07-11T02:53:00.000-07:00

Red Lodge Wedding Reception

Wow! The summer has really been flying by faster than I expected it to. My Saturdays have been booked, and this last weekend was another raging success. I traveled down to Red Lodge to DJ a wedding reception for close to four hundred guests. The wedding ceremony was beautiful, and took place outdoors at the Golf Course Country Club. I played some accompanying music for the Groom's sister as she played her flute to Canon in D as the Bride made her way down the aisle. We were all a little worried about the possibility of rain, but were lucky enough to avoid any problems from Mother Nature. After the ceremony, we moved inside, and the crowd really seemed to enjoy themselves. I played quite a variety of music, and they responded well to almost everything. One of the most touching parts of the evening came when we did a Generations Dance. We had all of the married couples dancing on the floor with their spouses to some slow songs, and gradually eliminated people from the dance floor based on the number of years they have been married. The Bride and Groom were the first to leave, of course, followed by those married less than five years, those married less than ten years, etc. etc... There were three couples still dancing who were married over fifty years, and the last couple dancing had been married for 61 wonderful years. The Bride and Groom presented them with the Bouquet and Garter, and I thought it was an incredibly touching moment, as did the guests in attendance. Overall, the reception was well received, and most of the guests stayed until closing time. I definitely enjoyed the trip down to Red Lodge, and had a great time at both the reception and while strolling through the quaint downtown area.

UGF Wedding Reception

2005-06-06T22:10:00.000-07:00

UGF Wedding Reception

June started off well with an amazing wedding reception at the University of Great Falls. I was a little sceptical as far as the location at first, but things really came together well. Scott and Arika had a wonderful family, very easy to get along with, and it was a pleasure to see how well they all pulled together. There were over 350 people in attendance, and the room held that number comfortably. A good portion of the crowd consisted of their college friends, and it was nice to see how respectable they all remained, even with the eight kegs of beer on hand. The reception started a little later than most, somewhere close to 8:00pm, but things moved along smoothly, still giving the guests plenty of time to dance and have fun after eating, the toast, cake cutting ceremony, first dance, and everything else invlolved. Once the dance music kicked in, everyone partied right up until closing time, which was at 1:00am. I would definitely rate this one in my top 10% of favorite wedding receptions.

Testimonials

2005-05-13T00:26:00.000-07:00

Here are a few of the testimonials that I have received from past events:

"I just wanted to let you know that I would refer you to anyone I could to DJ their party or reception. I had alot of people at my daughter's wedding reception that thought you were great. You found the songs right away and there was no delay or pauses between songs. They were able to just keep right on dancing and loved it. Thanks again." Mary Derke

"Jim was the DJ at our wedding reception in August and did an amazing job. There was such a variety of music played that everyone enjoyed dancing. Our wedding party, friends, and family were out there all night and everyone continued to dance even after we left. Everyone was requesting songs that they wanted to hear and guests were dancing every time a song was played. We would recommend Jim to anyone looking to have a great DJ on top of having a wonderful time at their reception, even if they don’t like dancing that much. He just made it so much exciting. Trying to accommodate to a big crowd by playing such a variety of music for everyone to dance to is a tough thing to do but he did it and that, to us, made everyone have that much more of a wonderful time on our wedding day. Thanks Jim. "
Luke and Cassie Zuelke

"DJ Jim made our reception come to life from the beginning! We had several positive comments about him for months after our wedding from our guests that attended. Thank you again for all you do, Jim!" Jeremy and Rae Smith

"We've attended five wedding receptions with Jim as the DJ, including our son Brent's, and were impressed with every performance. We recommend Jim to anyone looking for a memorable event." Rich and Bonnie Jensen

"I was a guest at Cassie and Luke's wedding and also at the Great Falls Clinic Christmas Party and would like to tell you how much I enjoyed your music and entertainment at both functions. If I ever have an event that requires a DJ I will surely keep you in mind. Thanks for your music!" April Woods

Halloween 2004

2005-05-11T02:06:00.000-07:00

Halloween 2004

I can't recall the last Halloween that I actually didn't DJ a party... It has probably been six or seven years... This picture is from 2004, when I worked a three day Halloween event at Club Bighouse... I played music and ran the show for all three nights, hosting a different theme for each night... We ended the weekend off with a Pimps and Hoes night on Sunday, the 31st, with prizes for the best costumes... The weekend was a blast, and it was nice to see some new faces, even though most were altered in one way or another...

Weddings at the Heritage Inn

2005-05-11T01:16:00.000-07:00

Wedding Reception at the Heritage

Playing music at the Heritage Inn has become what seems to be second nature to me... It is very easy to set-up there, as their staff takes care of so much... They provide a nice platform, and the sound is very good in their large reception area, with a very accomodating dance floor... I have performed at countless wedding receptions at the Heritage, and must say that it is at the top of my list for places to work at... As a matter of fact, I am getting married at the end of September, and we chose to have both our ceremony and reception there, as they really do take care of so many things... They do a wonderful job at making everything look perfect, and all I hear are great reviews from the people I have talked to... I highly recommend the Heritage Inn to anyone looking for somewhere to hold their wedding reception...

Finally Out On My Own

2005-05-10T23:38:00.000-07:00

Well, I finally did it... I went out on my own after working with Dana House for the last 6 years... I figured it was about time that I reaped the benefits for all of the hard work I put into being a good DJ... I started working with Dana part time, and ended up playing most of the music myself, almost full time... From my days of building a crowd at the Club Cigar, the JBART, and the various other venues that we frequented, I learned that for me, being a DJ was something I could excel at, and became very passionate about... Of course, a love of music certainly helped me along the way... I also enjoyed being able to manipulate the crowd with the subtle click of a button, taking them from a frenzy down to a sense of calm, and vice-versa... The contacts I made and the people that I came to know all wondered why I wasn't out on my own, and a simple sense of loyalty to a good friend held me back... When I saw how many people started to request my services for wedding receptions, my thinking slowly started to change... I now play music for over twenty wedding receptions a year, and have started to make a move toward more events as well, such as Christmas parties... I'm sure that I will continue to pursue some club nights, but will limit them to mostly big events, such as Halloween and New Year's Eve... Regardless of what the future holds for me, I am very happy to finally be out on my own...