Beyond the DJ Booth
Brian B and Joe Bunn tackle questions about the private event DJ industry, share music, gear/gadgets, and stories from their gigs.
Beyond the DJ Booth
S2, Ep.1: Sushi on Christmas and Trending Tunes
New season! Have you ever wondered why some families swap turkey for sushi on Christmas Eve? Join us as we share a delightful mix of holiday traditions, from opening gifts early to the thrill of Christmas Day NBA games. Brian takes us on a journey through his festive memories. We also chat about the serene charm of going to the beach during the festive season, inviting you to reflect on your own cherished traditions and maybe even inspire some new ones.
As we shift gears to the world of music, discover how TikTok and Instagram have become powerful forces in shaping our playlists and gigs. We discuss tracks like Billie Eilish's "Birds of a Feather," Mac Miller's "The Spins," and the unexpected resurgence of Boney M's "Rasputin." With our picks for song of the year, including Chappell Roan's "Good Luck Babe" and Shaboozey's "Tipsy" edit, we speculate on the breakout stars of tomorrow. Curious how these viral trends are influencing what you hear at events? Tune in to find out!
Finally, we explore the vibrant and ever-changing landscape of event entertainment. From the decline of traditional wedding songs to the rise of dynamic dance sets, our discussion touches on the challenges DJs face, such as engaging with 'lazy dancers' and understanding the mixed reactions to artists like Bruno Mars. We highlight the creative influence of figures like Jason Jani in reshaping event aesthetics and setups. As we close the year, we express our gratitude to you, our listeners, sharing New Year's wishes with a humorous twist, and looking ahead to what the future holds. Join us in this festive reflection and celebration of the moments that make each season special.
RESOURCES & LINKS
Our website. Please leave a review! - https://www.beyondthedjbooth.com/
To book Joe Bunn: https://bunndjcompany.com/
To book Brian B: https://djbrianbofficial.com/
Joe’s Gear Finds on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/shop/djjoebunn
Brian’s Gear Finds on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/shop/djbrianbofficial
DJ Event Planner free demo: https://www.djeventplanner.com/signup.php
Brian B's Coaching Options: Https://www.thdjscreativeedge.com
what's up everybody. Welcome back to beyond. The dj is your boy, Joe Bunn, and that right there, Brian B, Is Brian freaking B. If you don't know now you know. This is the private event DJ podcast that doesn't bring on guests. No, Because we live five minutes from each other, so we're sitting here live in the studio. This is what you can pretty much expect from Beyond the DJ booth on a weekly basis. We appreciate y'all being here. I mean here. We are batch content creating Mid-November. This is getting ready to come out right around Christmas. What is going on in the Bonus CC house for Christmas?
Brian B:Our tradition is an interesting one. I don't know why we started it this way. Oh boy Christmas Eve we do sushi. It's kind of our thing. Actually, you gave me the spot I did. There's a place that's been renamed. I can't remember. The center that you said is no longer what it is Village District is that the name of it? Yes, Village District, but you mentioned a sushi spot.
Joe Bunn:Yeah, I just saw it.
Brian B:It's solid.
Joe Bunn:Yeah it, I'm actually pretty impressed, okay, yeah. I'm a sushi snob I know you are. I was scared to even throw it out there.
Brian B:It was very passable.
Joe Bunn:Okay, good, because I'm getting some different stuff.
Brian B:But besides that we do one present. Does a four-year-old eat sushi? She does, she crushes it. Stop Crushes.
Joe Bunn:I love that little girl.
Brian B:I was like 21, 23 when 2007 yeah, before I even decided to venture into it.
Joe Bunn:I got called out because I worked at pioneer.
Brian B:Yeah, yeah, and you know japanese absolutely. Yeah, they like to make you squirm, yeah, so they gave you the live stuff. Oh, it's not even shoot it's not dead yet and maybe just want to see if you're good, if you'll give it a shot, say don't get down like that nah so, but I remember the first time I went to a sushi place I had no idea what a sushi roll was Right, right, right, like what's even in it. I hadn't even heard the term before. I'm just going to a Japanese restaurant.
Joe Bunn:I'm thinking like you know teriyaki chicken. Give me the whatever.
Brian B:And they go, what kind of roll you want? And, of course me, I'm just like I'll take the cinnamon roll. Can I get the cinnamon roll? Like no, bro, this isn't a donut shop, this is not breakfast. This is like wow, I'm like I don't know. Yeah, you were like 21, yeah, they gave you the wasabi?
Joe Bunn:yeah, a jack, let you up. Oh my, my head's the worst, so I don't get down with wasabi.
Brian B:It's acquired taste, bro, I don't get. I wish I would have started younger.
Joe Bunn:Yeah, to like acquire the taste so do you do wasabi, you don't do that no, sir, I just read that right right over to the side. Just a little soy sauce, that's all I need. But I like the nigiri, I like all the different rolls. I mean I don't think I've ever had anything where I was like grossed out by it. Right, I have a few places I need to put you on. We'll talk about that off air.
Brian B:So that's our tradition we do sushi at a, and then we open. One gift, one gift.
Joe Bunn:Okay, on Christmas Eve? Yeah, we never did that.
Brian B:Christmas Day is usually just yeah, I mean, now it's madness. It's madness now.
Joe Bunn:Right, let's be honest With a four-year-old and now she really gets it. Yeah, these are the prime years man Seriously Cherish this shit, don't work. Don't be working like that when it goes by like I look back on these holidays now and I go, damn bro, like it, that was the magic, yeah let's say like four to eight, yeah, yeah, yeah, I'm also a huge nba guy, that is like the day they go off on that and I'm a laker fan, so we're on every year. Programming is crazy.
Brian B:Christmas day, so I'm like afternoon yeah, leave your boy alone. Yeah, yeah, yeah, watching the game he's eating a lot.
Joe Bunn:He's got the itis. He's laid up on the couch watching the Lakers. That's the way to go.
Brian B:Shit. What about you? What are you doing for Christmas?
Joe Bunn:Not much. I don't really have any Christmas plans, but I definitely know my sister's coming from Montana the day after and I'm going to go to the beach. And this year, do you have a tradition now or no? The boys are gone. No traditions really. Man it changes man, different houses. When I was married we'd go to Richmond sometimes. Sometimes we'd be in Raleigh, sometimes we'd go to Wilson see my parents. Sometimes we'd go to the beach, like I don't know. I'd like to start something new now that the boys are grown and aren't really believers. You know, maybe try and go out to Montana every year or something. See my sister go out to Montana every year, so I can see my sister.
Brian B:What's the beach like in December? It's very, very, very quiet down there, man, okay, and restaurants are open. Yeah, it's very mom and pop-ish.
Joe Bunn:Yes, they're all the mom and pops, not all of them. I will say that a lot of them close around two weeks around that time and just probably just need a break.
Brian B:That's like Destin. Yeah, they, they have their pop in the summer, yep. And then those that still remain open, some of them to your point they'll be gone for two weeks. Yeah, oh, yeah, Like we're out. Yeah, but enough are open that are good, That'll you know be sustainable. Have you ever done Christmas at the?
Joe Bunn:beach. I've never spent Christmas day there. I've definitely been there around Christmas. Our beach house is awesome. I think it was built by my grandparents. I think it was either 80 or 90 years old. It's been renovated, obviously, but as a fireplace which is pretty rare for a beach house.
Joe Bunn:So it's kind of awesome to go down there and build a fire, watch football, watch basketball, whatever, and just chill. And, like I said, my sister will be here, her husband, her son, he's 10. Too cold to go on the boat, man, you can sometimes catch a you know a weird day. You put on a couple jackets and a hoodie, you know what I mean and go out there and just take a booze cruise. Yeah, maybe find somewhere open, you know where you can grab lunch or pull up on a dock or something. My dad would, you know when he was around. He, he would find like a fishing spot, yeah, and it might be some shitty, like sea mullet or something that you don't really want, but he'd be like we're catching fish and I'd be like, it's true, I mean in the middle of December, I don't want to complain. Yeah, I'm on a boat, I'm catching fish. Anyway, I'm not nearly the fisherman that Joe Bunn Sr was.
Brian B:Oh yeah, when this drops.
Joe Bunn:Episode one. Episode one, season two.
Brian B:It's kind of an odd place to start because it's before the start of the new year.
Joe Bunn:That's true. Start a new season, but it's a good place to talk about the past year.
Brian B:Yeah, Segway bitch, there we go.
Joe Bunn:We haven't talked to music in a while like really talk to music, right, gotten into it.
Brian B:So I thought this would be good to kind of go through our thoughts on the music landscape in 2024. I came up with some categories for us, and this is mainly gig related, so think of it in that terms, not necessarily personal.
Joe Bunn:No right, that's another episode. Man, that's a different episode. I made a reel the other day and I haven't put it out yet, but it was more about like the albums I'm listening to now, and not one of them was something I would play at a show. Yeah, it's just not. My musical taste in that field is different than than what I'm gonna play at a show. Let's get into the first category.
Joe Bunn:This is great man, thanks for doing this, because I love these questions and I think we're probably gonna match on some of these, maybe, even though we're wildly different.
Brian B:Yeah, we're not wildly different DJs. Actually, I think we're closer than probably Janai. Right, janai, yeah, he goes different, that's just Jersey's, a different planet. I've said that before.
Joe Bunn:I feel like we play a little bit similar in that sense, probably, but you're going to go deeper and find a better edit than more creative. I'm just going to pull up a scooter at it.
Brian B:Which are solid, and I made it Shout out scooter, shout out scooter, all right. So the first category. I feel like it's shaped the way we play now. Social media has definitely affected what people are requesting these days.
Joe Bunn:Yes.
Brian B:Whether it's TikTok or Instagram.
Joe Bunn:Sure.
Brian B:Has there been like a song that you've played that you would say was like the viral hit of the year that you incorporated into your sets?
Joe Bunn:I kind of read this a little bit wrong. Yes, the song I picked and I'm not going to say that this has gone over on the dance floor, but it has definitely gone over at like Doors Open Fashion Show, corporate Vibe Set Birds of a Feather, billie Eilish Okay, it was huge on either TikTok or Reels or both it's got such a weird energy I never really—.
Joe Bunn:It does have a weird energy. That's why I'm saying it's not a dance song per se. Yeah, but I know a song is big because I told you this before I wake up to terrestrial radio. Right 96.9 on the Alexa through TuneIn or whatever. I've got this shit dialed in bro.
Brian B:I've been there, this shit yeah it is legit.
Joe Bunn:Alarm goes off, tells me the weather, blinds go up, motorized fan off, light on Automatic. This is like Doc.
Brian B:Brown stuff, it really is.
Joe Bunn:And then the New Pulse FM comes on terrestrial radio, Okay, 96.9. And I know a song is big if it's playing on a pop FM station Right, If that makes sense. Yeah, and that song is playing in that span of me getting up showering, pushups after the shower, which makes no sense. I'm aware it plays normally in that span. Okay, that's how I really put a barometer on. Like damn, this song is a big song.
Brian B:Does that make sense? Yeah, and then it translated to Requestless yes.
Joe Bunn:It was definitely on the wedding for this past saturday. I did not get to it because she just went too heavy, too many songs and I had to be a little more choosy. So again, I'm not going to say this is a dance floor mover by any means, but it is a vibe setter. Where are you at?
Brian B:I went dance floor and I feel like these it could be one of two oh, you're going multiples, I'm going.
Joe Bunn:I didn't get multiples.
Brian B:It could be either or or, honestly, but I feel like the song the Spins, mac Miller has made a massive resurgence. We've never played that, have we Saquon?
Joe Bunn:No, well, mac Miller represented Pittsburgh. Sure, if you ever get a crowd from Pittsburgh, you've got to play that, I agree.
Brian B:However, it's working across. It doesn't matter where they live. I get this on the request list. I't know 50 of the time now.
Joe Bunn:I think it's the sample it could be uses. It's that empire of the suns. Yes, oh yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.
Brian B:I know the song, I know the record and then the other one which is I guarantee you, you aren't playing this go on rasputin by bony m no, I do know that song.
Joe Bunn:It's from like sounds like it's in russian.
Brian B:You know that song. It's like a jig, basically like a russian jig. But, dude, I played it at a school dance for the first time because that was on a list there and I was like no way, this is going over, because it's kind of like an old disco-y bad disco-y song.
Joe Bunn:Yeah, people went apeshit.
Brian B:Because it got massive on TikTok. There was like a dance to it, wow, and I played it at weddings and it goes over really well.
Joe Bunn:Wow, that's the power of viral yeah, 100 stuff. What are we doing?
Brian B:next song of the year yeah, what was the song of the year for you, the?
Joe Bunn:song that. Where are you?
Brian B:I mean it's gonna be kind of a no-brainer this is probably my pick had to do with something that came out this year. It doesn't have to be that for you, but that's the way I was thinking of it go on.
Joe Bunn:So good luck, babe chapel roan, I mean it for the first up is on this list that we're talking about for me, I, I still, I went shibuzi and and and in particular the tipsy edit with the right, okay, I could see that it, just it went over for me more than that. I'll come back to the chapel run phenomenon. Okay, in fact, I'll just go ahead and speak on it now into the breakout breakout artist.
Brian B:Yeah, chapel run 100, so I had shibuzi on this because I wanted to be a little bit different I think shibuzi is gonna have another hit. I mean, I'm worried his next single is pretty no, it wasn't though I don't think it's out the one I just saw.
Joe Bunn:The one I just saw was called highway. It sounded pretty good to me it sounds good, but it's just a normal country record dude, when I'm telling you this summer, every fucking time my mom got in the car. She's's 80 years old. She goes let's put on Shaboozy. An 80-year-old white lady is talking about put on Shaboozy, it's also another case of a sample. Yes and no. Still, an 80-year-old white lady is not going to know. Yeah, but the reason it got big is because, yeah, everybody knows that song and he's playing again.
Brian B:this is dropping in December, but he will have played on Thanksgiving Day for the football game.
Joe Bunn:He needs to play something else in that little mega set that gets everybody like, oh shit, I can't wait to hear this, or I see this could be big, or he needs to tease something. It's not going to be as big as whatever a bar song, but he needs to play something that gets people excited again, because I'm not excited right now. Like I like him. I think he's got a great story. He looks cool, his music's cool. I just want him to not be one-hit wonder.
Brian B:So what was the most disappointing flop track of the year that you thought would crush?
Joe Bunn:that you were like. I'm going to just say, as an album or as an artist, katy Perry, shit the Bed. It wasn't a good album.
Brian B:Yeah, yeah it just didn't do.
Joe Bunn:Well, everybody was like hyping it up Like she was going to be Because she made like a dance record, I think. So I mean, I only gave it like a brief pass and I've never been asked for it.
Brian B:Do you still play?
Joe Bunn:Firework every once in a while. I mean Icon made. I think we talked about that.
Brian B:Fuse. I think May have not been him, but I thought he did and it's good for the cryo.
Joe Bunn:It's a good cryo song.
Brian B:There's a version of that with Viva La Vida. Ooh, it's really good Okay.
Joe Bunn:When it comes to predictions fail. What.
Brian B:I thought it was going to be. I had some help Post Malone with Morgan Waller.
Joe Bunn:Well, hold on.
Brian B:Where's your my flop meter? Yeah, why are you flopping it? It was hot for two weeks and I feel like after a month the reaction I got after those first two weeks was not even close and I thought it would be literally the song of the summer. Never just turned into that, not even close. And I thought it would be literally the song of the summer. Never just turned into that. I feel like it had like a run and then it was done.
Joe Bunn:now I play it like very sparingly, it has to be the right crowd where it would make sense I must say it was the song of the summer if you were, like, at the beach, out on the boat. It wasn't the song of the summer if you were out on the dance floor right I thought it was great, so much better if I was out on the boat and I'm bumping that, or like zach bryan, like I was, like I'm living right now.
Brian B:Yeah, I was feeling it next category would be top five gig songs of 2024 I did have that, I did have.
Joe Bunn:I had some help, I was on there, okay. But let me be fair and go back to what you were saying. That was my number five and these are kind of in no particular order, but I would say it was just like you said. I had the shortest window yeah, of these songs.
Brian B:So let's go back and forth okay, one, I'll do one okay and this is no pick your order, but gimme, gimme abba, still crushing every time I play it. It's one of the biggest reaction songs of the night, jeez man.
Joe Bunn:I mean we dropped it once or twice this year, but like I need to send, you the right edit, it's super short. Did you mess with it some more? Doesn't it say Brian B's edit or?
Brian B:something it does In and out.
Joe Bunn:I know you gave me that and I think I've failed to play it.
Brian B:So maybe that's the problem. It's gotta be early, too Early, like Like first dance set First 30, 40 minutes, I wouldn't go playing it, would you ever?
Joe Bunn:substitute for one.
Brian B:Dancing Queen would Right. Okay, number two.
Joe Bunn:That's that me espresso.
Brian B:Okay, you vote for that song. It's another one, tough one, that's like Please, please, please.
Joe Bunn:To me was not it.
Brian B:Really yeah, see, I'm the opposite, yeah.
Joe Bunn:Espresso was it for me, and even that song Taste by her.
Brian B:I really like.
Joe Bunn:Taste song, a great pop song, but I don't know that anybody's come up and asked for it. But when it comes on the radio I'm like, wow, this is actually a masterpiece of a pop song she killed this year, by the way yeah, I mean sold out lenovo a couple of weeks ago here, like she's.
Brian B:She's a big star I just picked songs when they came out. They weren't necessarily released in 24, 24 oh yeah, I'm not.
Joe Bunn:I'm not gonna be like a stickler for that okay, so Still the One. Shania Twain. Oh, okay, I think I went. Stuff that came out in like In 2024. Yeah, I'm sorry.
Brian B:So mine's Still the One. Shania Twain Original. No, no, that's doo-doo. Yeah, you got to go Revis.
Joe Bunn:Alone at Midnight 2024. Can you send it?
Brian B:to me.
Joe Bunn:Crushes. Are you playing that over? Man, I Feel Like a Woman if you had to pick.
Brian B:A different part of the night late, late night. This would be somebody who's pushing the envelope. Like you wouldn't see this one coming but it's sing-along, but it's just a banger of a track that edit Okay.
Joe Bunn:I had to double down on this Again. I was pulling from this year Pink Pony Club and H-O-T-T-O-G-O. I had to double down.
Brian B:I mean just out of nowhere.
Joe Bunn:You know breakout artists. I could pull either of those and smash.
Brian B:Yeah, I had Pink Pony Club as well.
Joe Bunn:Yeah, it goes crazy. That song is About Dancing in a Street Club, though, right.
Brian B:It is, and I also feel like you gotta basically bring it up a little bit in tempo. You got to basically bring it up a little bit in tempo, like it's kind of around 105, 107. Yeah, I don't know that, I've got the right edit.
Joe Bunn:The intro is weird. We lost the energy for a second this weekend and then it came around. Yeah, so you got to go and it was very generational, like I saw the people that were my age there. Yeah, they didn't really get it when the bride and groom and their crowd was into it.
Brian B:Yeah, they had to kind of sell the older crowd on it.
Joe Bunn:Yeah, if that makes sense you got to go right to the chorus, I think that was the problem.
Brian B:Yeah, so right where it goes.
Joe Bunn:No, I wouldn't even do that that's a break, oh, that's a break in the, so not the pre-course no, people do like that.
Brian B:Sing along part right they do.
Joe Bunn:Oh, I do play that. I play what you're saying.
Brian B:I'm going right to the right and then circle back, wow, da-na-na-na-na-na, and then circle back, oh, because you got the energy all there. They're like oh, I'm singing it and it's not a great player.
Joe Bunn:The pre-course is a downer Right. Yeah.
Brian B:And I had to fix that. That's where I went wrong Because. I did try it that way and it didn't work.
Joe Bunn:I had some help Espresso, Hot To Go, Pink Bunny Club. And then I'm going back to your boy, Shaboosie. Again, I was pulling. I'm sorry, I read the question wrong.
Brian B:I got two more, then Okay, go ahead. This one's been killing it for two years.
Joe Bunn:Okay.
Brian B:Love Story. The Disco Lines, remix Taylor.
Joe Bunn:Swift, I love that version. It will never get old, yeah.
Brian B:I do play that sometimes too, just to be fresh. But the disco lines it never, does not work.
Joe Bunn:Do you ever play the original?
Brian B:No, never.
Joe Bunn:I did play it Saturday. I felt like this girl was a purist and I was worried that a Swifty would go apeshit if I dropped a non-Taylor's version. I just got worried.
Brian B:Last second I jumped off the Dua Lipa edit of it and went to the original.
Joe Bunn:That's why I do like the Disco Lines version because the intro of it starts with the original Just the guitar, yeah, and then it kind of goes into it Pure Okay.
Brian B:And my last one in that top five. So I had Gimme Gimme Still the One Pink Pony Club Love Story. Last one Million Dollar, baby Tommy Richmond. It still works.
Joe Bunn:I know me and saquon talked about tommy richmond several times. He would be like I feel like tonight's the night. We flirted with it and we just maybe a couple times we dropped it. We didn't get great reaction of that, or, uh, the devil don't lie or what is well, I don't think you ever dropped that one.
Brian B:Okay, I don't think you dropped that one, even though I like that song.
Joe Bunn:Maybe it's just the crowds that we or we didn't we have, or we didn't have the right edit, we didn't have the right crowd, I don't know.
Brian B:We just never really had that younger. Yes, I mean, the older people are not going to like.
Joe Bunn:Tommy Richmond, they're not going to know.
Brian B:I ain't never been there.
Joe Bunn:He's got the in and out two yeah are you playing the uptempo version?
Brian B:uh, it's a transition edit right, and it goes back and forth, so it goes from like 62 to 130. The version to get it just came out not too long ago. Dj scene our boy I love scene he's amazing scene complimented on my reel yesterday.
Brian B:The girl that goes anything yeah, he goes anything, he's great, he's the best shout out dj scene uh, his version, his edit, which starts with lose control, it goes into lose control with missy elliott over that beat and then drops back to the oh yeah it crushes and what's great about it. You know, usually those transition edits, they go from like, let's say, 62 to like 130 and then you're done, and then it comes back. Yeah this goes back to 62 and then goes back again to 130. So you can kind of see if you want to end it up 62.
Brian B:You can go back to the low stuff or, if you want to go on a high note oh genius, all right, so wrapping this up, we wanted to talk about trends we're looking up at the monitor.
Joe Bunn:Whenever you see us looking up like that, we have a monitor up there. So, yeah, I like this. The trends of the year, I guess yeah, for gigs like stuff that you saw at events, what were yours? Anything new? No, nothing new. I mean, you know we've talked about this before. I mean we're three to six years behind.
Brian B:you know, Jersey Sparkler exits, yeah.
Joe Bunn:Sparkler exits are brand new here. Bubbles no. The live musicians definitely saw more of Private. Last Dance is huge. Now A lot of people are ordering their own foamy glow sticks. Huge now, a lot of people were ordering their own foamy glow sticks prime dancing. And then I definitely played a little bit more EDM and I'll use that term loosely. I don't want to act like I'm Jarman. Van Buren or something, but I mean like Titanium Clarity, the Gettas Calvin Harris's of the world. It was big later in the night.
Brian B:And I love those records I wrote down and I'm seeing it more just across the country, maybe not so much in Raleigh, but the nightlife signs, the Janai.
Joe Bunn:Yeah.
Brian B:People bring in their own letters to the last name walking in the first time I ever saw it, honestly actually from what? Jen. I told me he could have started a movement because well, now everybody's doing, yeah, everyone's copying that.
Joe Bunn:Yeah, and I I honestly think it was jen I who kind of like got that headline the movement, yeah I don't know that we really give him enough props or he may know, but he's kind of humble about it. Very, he instigated the entire youtube dj movement. I mean that motherfucker was making vlogs. Yeah, before I even knew how to operate a camera, he was making vlogs a decade ago not only you were just now trying to figure it out.
Brian B:Not only that, he started the furniture movement, not even a question.
Joe Bunn:No, he actually started it like he was one of the first people brought that shit in from germany. Then, when other people started doing that, he started making his own. I went to his office his original office yeah, yeah the dude behind him was like a wood shop. I've been to that shop it's like an old man. He just would go in there with like random drawings and be like can you build this?
Brian B:yeah, some old man just whipping it up back there, white speakers first to do that thousand percent, and he's super humble about it now he is a pioneer in some of this shit that we just now caught on all right. So what are your predictions for 2025? Any uh things? Whether it's a trend?
Joe Bunn:yeah, just parlaying off what we just said, yeah djs and kudos to them, kudos to bun gear, kudos to whoever else is making good stuff the, the setups, the sound systems, the. Their appearance of a dj in front of an audience is a trillion times better than it was even five years ago A thousand percent. The facades are going away, the furniture's coming in. The better looking speakers, cable management, taping things down, just looking better as the focal point of the room is a highlight.
Brian B:Now, before we had this recording. I had five sales calls, which I don't usually do that many.
Joe Bunn:Today Today.
Brian B:Five calls, every one of them. Can you tell me a little bit about what your setup looks like? Do you have any pictures? Really, all five, wow. So it's coming back to where people care about that, yeah.
Joe Bunn:Absolutely. And all the people in the comments that shit on me on my like. Yeah, they care, and I've gotten hundreds of referrals before I've even played a song based off my setup. Yep.
Joe Bunn:I would agree with that. And, man, I feel like and this makes me happy and it also speaks to longevity of being in the game for so long there's a lot of the typical wedding songs have completely fallen off the request list. I don't ever see Brick House. I don't ever see play that funky music. I don't ever see or play we Are Family. I couldn't tell. I don't think I've played we Are Family this year. Celebration hadn't played it this year. Electric Slide haven't played it this year. Line Dances falling off, falling off, falling off Like stuff that was industry standard.
Joe Bunn:Slow songs I made a post the other day in the DJ's vault. I'm like, are y'all still playing slow songs during a two or three hour dance set at a wedding? If I play one, it is one, and it's usually an anniversary dance. After that, first five or six songs out of the gate and I might not come back to a slow song, unless I'm either struggling or I'm seeing a lot of older guests sitting waiting for that moment. I'm not coming back to a slow spot, right, get your fucking ass up and dance. Man like. I've gotten to the point now, man, where I'm just like stop being lazy. Yeah, I look at saquon. I'm like dude I cannot play this party any better, like I'm fully willing to admit when I'm not playing well or if something's going on and I phoned it in. I don't remember the last time that happened and sometimes I'm just getting these lazy crowds Dance.
Brian B:Anyway, sorry, yeah, what about you?
Joe Bunn:Sore spot there. I hate lazy dancers. Man, get your ass out there, lazy dancers.
Brian B:You're going to get out there, man, do it. Mine was, I'm getting more. Do Not Play Bruno Mars.
Joe Bunn:I'm getting a lot of that too, man, and that breaks my heart.
Brian B:The guys- I think it's just because every band does Uptown Funk.
Joe Bunn:And 24 Karat.
Brian B:Those two tend to get played all the time.
Joe Bunn:That breaks my heart, though I'm not just trying to be funny Like we went two months ago in September for Randy's birthday to Vegas and saw Bruno. I'm telling you man, you can have that in my concert list that we were talking about as an entertainer, band-wise, production-wise, set list hymn, like the banter between songs, and that's a residency that's hard to keep up that act. Dude, he's so fucking good man. He is the closest we'll come to a Prince or a Michael Jackson in our life. Whoa, in our lifetime, who I can't?
Brian B:give you one off the top.
Joe Bunn:Exactly.
Brian B:I ain't gonna give it to Bruno like that Come on?
Joe Bunn:Okay, Well, two white guys in their 40s and 50s are Sa. Come on, Okay, Well, two white guys in their 40s and 50s are Say Quan. When you come up with yours, save it for the next episode. If you say somebody like Tyler the creator, I'm going to throw the microphone.
Brian B:I can't give it to.
Joe Bunn:Bruno, I'm just saying a living artist now.
Brian B:Usher, I'm not talking about historical Usher. I'll put him in that list.
Joe Bunn:I'll put him in the list. Yeah, I'll put them in the list. Yeah, you can't give it to me. You just can't give it to me, I just did.
Brian B:Anyway, go ahead.
Joe Bunn:And I have one more Go ahead.
Brian B:Personalization at weddings, and what I'm talking about isn't really necessarily with entertainment per se.
Joe Bunn:Yeah.
Brian B:I've had multiple ones where they've had a painter.
Joe Bunn:Yeah, just come and like painted stuff. I love that the live painter we I've had a bourbon tasting where they're like super into bourbon, and then the third one which is surprising, is a tattoo artist. Come in and give permanent tattoos. Yeah, I think you did tell me about that Three weddings this year.
Brian B:Permanent tattoos at weddings, so like people doing those personalized tattoos.
Joe Bunn:But you didn't have to get like Bob and Sally. No, no, no, no, no, you get whatever you want.
Brian B:They started during the cocktail hour and then throughout the whole reception. They're there. You sign up on the list, you get texted when it's time to go get your tattoo.
Joe Bunn:We ain't seen that, not here in the.
Brian B:South. It's crazy because you got to I mean not in North Carolina. Well, the venues and all of the vendors have to sign-.
Joe Bunn:Waivers, waivers, if they well. You wake up the next morning you're like what the fuck? Why did I get a heart on my, the head of my wiener or whatever? They're not doing that?
Brian B:I hope not, but like I, don't know I said that like that's ultra custom to like yeah, yeah, yeah, personalization.
Joe Bunn:I see what you're saying something that they love, like wow, this is a good wrap up man yeah, no question today.
Brian B:No, no question today.
Joe Bunn:This is how the year should end this will be the last one of the year. Last one of the year. So, season two, episode one, but the last of the year.
Brian B:Yeah.
Joe Bunn:Well, dude, happy new year to you.
Brian B:Yeah.
Joe Bunn:Happy new year to y'all, everybody that's supported us. Listen, share this with your friends, catch us at. It's going to be good 2025. It's going to be great 2025. You said 2025.
Brian B:Jeez, I'm already two years ahead, bro. This dude hyper jumped a year 2025. 2025. Yeah.
Joe Bunn:I hope everybody that listens to this has a fantastic year.
Brian B:Safe New Year's.
Joe Bunn:Yeah, safe New Year's, merry Christmas. I just said happy new years, and you know that's a pet peeve, don't get me started on that.
Brian B:That's a whole nother episode. Thanks y'all. See ya Later.