Every year in February, DJs, MCs, KJs, and anyone involved in the Mobile and Club DJ industry invade Las Vegas to attend the Mobile Beat DJ Show at the Riviera Hotel & Convention Center. I have attended this event a few times in the past but this was my first year attending as a business owner. My wife, Johanna, also attended with me and took a few seminars on the marketing side of the business.
Each day was filled with seminars and education, with topics ranging from sales to marketing, interaction and games, contract law, and lighting to advanced audio. The seminars were conducted by DJs and professionals throughout the industry, most of who are still working in their hometowns. It is always great to learn from those who have blazed the trails before you.
The highlight of the show for most of the attendees was the Exhibit Floor, where companies and suppliers from around the country come to show “the latest and greatest” in the world of audio, lighting, and special effects. I was able to find the Wireless LED Lights I have been looking for and a DJ controller I will use as a back-up/PA system. I also joined the ADJA (the American Disc Jockey Association) as an individual member.
For me, the best part of the show was meeting new friends and reconnecting with old ones. The DJ Round Tables were a great way to do both. I attended two round table discussions, where I made new friends from all over the country, learned from their experiences, and shared my own knowledge. However, the roundtables were not the only way to share information and stories. Just running into people in the halls, seminars, and showroom floor and talking shop was where I got some of my best takeaways of the week.
