I am a DJ in the private event industry. I have been for 14 years. I’ve been fortunate enough to work for a successful company, making a comfortable living out of playing music for people. If you asked me in 2006, when I started, if this would be my career, I’d probably have said no. As it turns out, I’m pretty good at it, and I take pride in the longevity I’ve sustained in a fast paced and ever changing business.
And then there’s…THE VIRUS. The words “Global Pandemic” are reserved for movies, right? Nothing gets in the way of weddings in New England. Boston will always be a hub for large scale corporate gatherings. My job will always be safe, won’t it? In the past two months I’ve been saddled with the unfortunate answer. Everything you work for can and will be taken away if the perfect storm comes together. You don’t get to choose.
It’s no secret that weddings in New England revolve around the weather. Every venue and vendor hopes to have a schedule in March, and even April, before the weather improves and the bounty returns. When my events in March started being canceled, the magnitude of the situation became impossible to ignore. All of us in the industry collectively looked at each other and said, as if in stereo, “Oh shit”. Even then, though, the idea of our summer schedule being taken from us seemed like a stretch. Surely “someone” would figure this out, take care of it, and another dangerous disease would stay sequestered far away from our bubble.
As a person whose only source of income requires him to be in rooms with large crowds of people, watching the news unfold was my nightmare. The only way to combat this threat was to essentially eliminate gatherings; the thing I’ve relied on for all these years. Two months ago, my professional concerns were very much about the moment. The March 10th corporate event that was canceled; I was really counting on that money. Another one the following week; now what? All three weddings at the end of March are gone? OK, now I’m thinking about my mortgage. While I don’t think any of us are “used to it”, we’ve had to move on from the moment to consider what this means for our future. The event world will never be the same and our new version of normal is still a very imposing question mark. The fast paced and ever changing business I mentioned will live up to its description.
In the meantime, who do I entertain?! I try to reach potential clients and fellow professionals through social media, while our team navigates a sea of cancelations and postponements stretching into these beloved summer and autumn months in New England. Events will change, but entertainment will remain a necessity. We will adapt and find new ways to help you throw what may end up being the most memorable parties we’ve ever seen.
Please check out this piece from our ownership Partner, Corin Ashley, about how to safely include our entertainment services at your event in the near future!
Photo Credit: Liz Linder
