I have totally rethought the interactive stuff in my performance to protect my guests as much as possible.
You see, the brides that book me are usually going for the “shock” factor — they like me because of how crazy things get. I don’t have a 20 minute window in the whole production when something interactive isn’t happening.
While this is good for sharing an experience that the majority of the guests have never seen, it brings up challenges with the new coronavirus.
I don’t have a 20 minute window in the whole production when something interactive isn’t happening.
For example, I do something called a Battle for the Checkbook out of the Dollar Dance. It’s part of the Musical Chairs Scavenger Hunt game. One of the products I call for is a lady with a tube of lipstick. She has to sit on the contestant’s lap. When I “forget” to pull out a chair, everyone corrects me, “Mr. DJ, you forgot to pull out a chair!” I then say, part B is you need to put the lipstick on the contestant, during which I play “Man I Feel Like a Woman.” My coronavirus precaution? I simply won’t be able to do that.
I have been doing a “Piano Man” sing-along for over 30 years. I’m in the middle of the circle going mouth to mouth with my cordless microphone. I sing the words and then the guests sing the words. Obviously, I can’t be going mouth to mouth anymore with my microphone.
During dinner, I do a couple routines, one I learned from Big Daddy. I ask the audience if they think the B/G have the kind of love that will last a lifetime, and if they believe so then high five the person to their right, then high five the person to their left, then hold your neighbors hands on both sides and we are going to serenade our newlyweds with the first verse of “Don’t Stop Believin'” — the audience sings and are swaying back and forth.
During a “Piano Man” sing-along, I sing the words int the microphone and then the guests sing the words. Obviously, I can’t be going mouth to mouth anymore with my microphone.
With this Coronavirus, I can’t have them holding hands. They are going to have to wave or smile at the person next to them. This is just one tweak that I’m going to have to make.
I have not yet heard any concerns from my brides, nor have they asked me if I have any Coronavirus precautions, but it’s still pretty early in the Coronavirus scare.
I have totally rethought the interactive stuff in my performance to protect my guests as much as possible.
I think we are all in uncharted territory. I’m watching in amazement all the Facebook posts with DJ friends losing shows. The brunt of Coronavirus hasn’t even begun to hit yet. I believe when people in our own hometowns start to become sick, I suspect our industry will be hit hard.
Read More: DJ Logo review — Does a Bride’s opinion matter?
What Bride would allow their grandparents to be at their wedding with a 15% mortality rate in that age bracket? Imagine if a grandparent caught the Coronavirus off a microphone as she’s giving advice on how to have a long-lasting marriage?
I’ll use separate microphones for that part of my show, and I’ll use Lysol wipes for the microphones and spray the windscreens with Lysol. Some DJs have suggested buying a handful of windscreens and rotating them.
I’ve also stocked up on hand sanitizer. I put a bottle by every door at my gigs and put a bottle in each vehicle.
Imagine the coronavirus precautions a DJ will have to take when they produce a game show production for corporate!
Wisconsin-based Scott Siewert, owner of Fun DJ.com, says it’s taken him 38 years of DJing almost every weekend to get his performance to where it is. Not every bride is after his style of performance but the ones that are, he says, usually can’t find it anywhere else.
