Good video Brian, it was well thought out. A lot of products we rush out to buy end up sitting in storage. I was reading a post where a guy was just now using a table he had bought several years earlier. He bought it because it was trendy, not thinking how he was actually going to utilize it... we all have been there. As mobile DJs we need to think of the ease of getting our equipment from point A to point B. Many times I'm told to use the kitchen entrance and it's hard enough getting the "rock n roller" cart through those, so I tend to stay away from bulky gear.It's great how you always work out exactly what you need to get the job done and retrofit your existing gear.
Great video Brian. A few thoughts .. . powered speakers, very little use of passive speaks these days for the average DJ. Wires seem to be disappearing, we have more battery and wireless DMX, so let's hope that trend continues. However I think the really interesting trend is how much more accessible becoming a DJ is now: music is digital, gear is a lot cheaper and smaller than it was 10 - 15 years ago, software has made it easier for an amateur to use a controller and mix tracks, I'm sure AI will help with playlists etc. I'm sure this will remain a trend, so we will have to differential our services through our professionalism and experience.
"Kitchen island" is hilarious, and I needed that laugh this morning! Thank you! Have you had people asking you for cold sparks? They seem to be fairly popular here in central TX.
I don't think those rolling cabinets are a thrend. I do agree that they solve a lot of problems. And don't have all of the problems you mention. I get that in YOUR specific situation, a rolling dj booth is in no way practical. But others' mileage may vary. I own a rolling dj booth (in fact, you've reviewed mine once on your channel :) and if I could choose any setup for a dj booth right now, I would go for pretty much exact the same setup. I can't speak for djs in the US, but here in Europe car sizes are way smaller in general, due to taxes and high fuel prices. I drive a car that has a moderate size in my country, which would be considered microscopic in your country. Loading up my car for an event would require removing the booster seats of my kids and removing almost all rear interior. That's why I own a trailer (with a ramp as rear door). That trailer is parked in my garage, fully loaded with my dj-booth, my speakers and a basic light setup. When loading for a gig, I only have to hook up my trailer, throw my dj-controller in the back of my car and - if necessary - two plinths as well, and that's it. Loading/prepping takes about 5 minutes. When arriving at an event, my buildup time is mostly around 15-20 minutes for a setup similar as yours, or 25-30 minutes for a setup with 8 dmx-controlled moving lights and some extra uplights. Breakdown time is about the same. Please note: I only mention these times to indicate practicallity, in no way I want to compare my situation to yours. That would not be fair in any way. I don't have to load up a cart or a trolley, everything is already packed up in flightcases with large coasters. At max, I have to wheel four stacks of stuff into a venue (mostly only two or three). Pulling it out of the trailer without having to repack, and just pushing it into the venue saves me lots of time. You mentioned weight as a disadvantage, and I must admit, my dj-booth is massively heavy. Especially since I pack my 15" tops inside when transporting. But I hardly ever find its weight an issue. Most floors are perfectly even and the coasters carry will carry the weight anyway. Sure, high podiums aren't my favorite, but for small or medium high podiums I can use the back lid of my dj booth as a small ramp. About aesthetics, luckily everyone has different a different taste. But practically, in my case, my rolling kitchen solved many problems for me :) (English is not my native language, sorry for any spelling mishaps)
@@voxproevents6405 Thanks for your reply. Where I live there aren't many event venues with rooms above ground floor without a decent service elevator :)
I offered Gobo Monograms to my wedding clients for like 7 years. I sold it ONCE....ONE TIME. ONE COUPLE WANTED IT. Now, the Gobo Add on was a PITA for me to deal with. I charged $350 to add it in, and I did have like 3 couples interested in having it, BUT once they heard the cost was $350 to add it, they didn't bother with it. I know other DJs were adding it in for $150 to $200, but I did not feel after paying for the Metal Gobo to be made that it was worth it at that price point for me.
i used to just use what ever was at the venue.I had barely any lights but i mostly did private parties or clubs so i did not have a lot of stuff except for my decks mixer and records and or cds.
I think what we've been finding over the last few years is a trend of consolidation. Rather than setting things up, a wheel in/out solution with the minimal setup is preferred. With road cases this was fine, but now people want the aesthetics as well, so there's a migration to AIO solutions that also look classy and match the aesthetics of the venues we're in. I think this push toward furniture also came from photographer preference to not have eyesore DJ systems in the background of pictures. I have furniture, but also am in the process of building my own TV booth. The main goal I had is to eliminate the rock n roller cart while also adding a TV. The TV booth will accomplish both of these, as my most commonly used speakers will fit inside the booth for transport. My current system, which utilizes the Danny Max Edge L booth, also has this, but there's a bit more teardown/setup (not much - I am fully enamored with my booth), and putting into/out of cases adds time. Really, I think it boils down to people wanting to have the right tool for the right job vs just being stuck with a one-fits-all, but is perfect for none solution.
I have scrim, but never really liked it. I always hoped they would come up with something better. Only time I use it now is if I have a remote speaker at an awkward spot, then I will put white scrim on it and throw a light behind it so nobody trips over it. Switched to top cabinets over subs on a sub pole. Looks nicer, but sounds worse because of sub placement. Just ordered my Maui 28 G3s yesterday, so I won't have to worry about that mess anymore. Let's hope for the best.
The rolling booth take is an interesting one. The one you have pictured is likely made from 80/20 aluminum so there’s no major difference in weight then the event table. The only real disadvantage is portability
Brian, I don’t like ALL your videos, but you are correct on this topic. I couldn’t agree more. I too fell into these trends, and spent a ton of money. Fast forward…. Most youtube influencers sell you on this BS too. No names mentioned.
Rolling Kitchen Island. Dwl. I cannot see this item being a trend. Too bulky for a one-man or one-woman show. Most of these DJs pushing this item have not been to a venue where it is difficult to move gear through. Just like the facade, most clients are more interested in how you rock their party. Before DJs were into uplighting, it was the venue's responsibility to create the aesthetics. We took it on with the move of uplighting becoming LED. Great video Brian, well thought out. I think maybe the trend should go towards line array speakers vs point source.
The petite little white preacher podium looking DJ furniture pieces are another trend that i think is at it's peak currently. I wouldn't mind a video booth if it were more practical but not a fan of the small T shaped lecterns.
I have the pro event table too…and I love it. I do feel pressured to buy those nice “kitchen island” tables because it’s the trend and it does look cool, but how am I going to move it around…especially if I’m setting up solo?? And does anyone really care or just us DJ’s??
I still have my SCRIMS for my speaker stands. They stay in one of my gear bags. I never really like the "TEE PEE" look of scrims on speaker stands. I did like the look of up lights inside of white scrims. However, after I did it a few times I realized that adding the scrims added 5 to 6 minutes to my set up time. Also, my clients were not paying for the it. Also, nobody ever commented that the scrim look was cool, or that they liked it. Not a single good comment from any guest or planner about the look. So I figured people do not care about scrims on speaker stands either. Last time I used my Scrims was in 2018.
Yes Now mirror balls back!! Us old DJ's have see it all!! :)
Good video Brian, it was well thought out. A lot of products we rush out to buy end up sitting in storage. I was reading a post where a guy was just now using a table he had bought several years earlier. He bought it because it was trendy, not thinking how he was actually going to utilize it... we all have been there. As mobile DJs we need to think of the ease of getting our equipment from point A to point B. Many times I'm told to use the kitchen entrance and it's hard enough getting the "rock n roller" cart through those, so I tend to stay away from bulky gear.It's great how you always work out exactly what you need to get the job done and retrofit your existing gear.
Correct, I bought a video projector and used it twice. They don't want to spend extra to play video on a 100 inch screen
Great video Brian. A few thoughts .. . powered speakers, very little use of passive speaks these days for the average DJ. Wires seem to be disappearing, we have more battery and wireless DMX, so let's hope that trend continues. However I think the really interesting trend is how much more accessible becoming a DJ is now: music is digital, gear is a lot cheaper and smaller than it was 10 - 15 years ago, software has made it easier for an amateur to use a controller and mix tracks, I'm sure AI will help with playlists etc. I'm sure this will remain a trend, so we will have to differential our services through our professionalism and experience.
The rolling kitchen island booth comment had me on the floor.
Excellent analysis. This will help a lot of beginners, as well as, veterans! Thank you.
"Kitchen island" is hilarious, and I needed that laugh this morning! Thank you! Have you had people asking you for cold sparks? They seem to be fairly popular here in central TX.
that dj furnitures like kitchen island are a pain in the ass when you must perform on venues with stairs and no ramp or elevator...
Nice Vid BSR
One of the oldest sayings is “All That Glitters isn’t Gold”. DJ Furniture is just another trend that I think will fade away.
Great Video @briansredd
A very expen$ive one at that!
It's a trend that is back from the 80s. lol
Loved this video Brian! Would love to hear more about what has come and gone and what has stuck in DJing.
Excellent review!
Good morning
I love the looks of the new podiums; however, at $2k plus each for just aesthetics…it is a hard business decision to make.
I don't think those rolling cabinets are a thrend. I do agree that they solve a lot of problems. And don't have all of the problems you mention.
I get that in YOUR specific situation, a rolling dj booth is in no way practical. But others' mileage may vary.
I own a rolling dj booth (in fact, you've reviewed mine once on your channel :) and if I could choose any setup for a dj booth right now, I would go for pretty much exact the same setup.
I can't speak for djs in the US, but here in Europe car sizes are way smaller in general, due to taxes and high fuel prices. I drive a car that has a moderate size in my country, which would be considered microscopic in your country.
Loading up my car for an event would require removing the booster seats of my kids and removing almost all rear interior. That's why I own a trailer (with a ramp as rear door). That trailer is parked in my garage, fully loaded with my dj-booth, my speakers and a basic light setup. When loading for a gig, I only have to hook up my trailer, throw my dj-controller in the back of my car and - if necessary - two plinths as well, and that's it. Loading/prepping takes about 5 minutes.
When arriving at an event, my buildup time is mostly around 15-20 minutes for a setup similar as yours, or 25-30 minutes for a setup with 8 dmx-controlled moving lights and some extra uplights.
Breakdown time is about the same. Please note: I only mention these times to indicate practicallity, in no way I want to compare my situation to yours. That would not be fair in any way.
I don't have to load up a cart or a trolley, everything is already packed up in flightcases with large coasters. At max, I have to wheel four stacks of stuff into a venue (mostly only two or three).
Pulling it out of the trailer without having to repack, and just pushing it into the venue saves me lots of time.
You mentioned weight as a disadvantage, and I must admit, my dj-booth is massively heavy. Especially since I pack my 15" tops inside when transporting. But I hardly ever find its weight an issue. Most floors are perfectly even and the coasters carry will carry the weight anyway. Sure, high podiums aren't my favorite, but for small or medium high podiums I can use the back lid of my dj booth as a small ramp.
About aesthetics, luckily everyone has different a different taste. But practically, in my case, my rolling kitchen solved many problems for me :)
(English is not my native language, sorry for any spelling mishaps)
i hope you don't need to perform on the venues with a lot of stairs and no elevator... that's the moment where the weight matters...
@@voxproevents6405 Thanks for your reply. Where I live there aren't many event venues with rooms above ground floor without a decent service elevator :)
I offered Gobo Monograms to my wedding clients for like 7 years. I sold it ONCE....ONE TIME. ONE COUPLE WANTED IT. Now, the Gobo Add on was a PITA for me to deal with. I charged $350 to add it in, and I did have like 3 couples interested in having it, BUT once they heard the cost was $350 to add it, they didn't bother with it. I know other DJs were adding it in for $150 to $200, but I did not feel after paying for the Metal Gobo to be made that it was worth it at that price point for me.
Love the videos bro hopefully I'll see you next August
i used to just use what ever was at the venue.I had barely any lights but i mostly did private parties or clubs so i did not have a lot of stuff except for my decks mixer and records and or cds.
I think what we've been finding over the last few years is a trend of consolidation. Rather than setting things up, a wheel in/out solution with the minimal setup is preferred. With road cases this was fine, but now people want the aesthetics as well, so there's a migration to AIO solutions that also look classy and match the aesthetics of the venues we're in. I think this push toward furniture also came from photographer preference to not have eyesore DJ systems in the background of pictures.
I have furniture, but also am in the process of building my own TV booth. The main goal I had is to eliminate the rock n roller cart while also adding a TV. The TV booth will accomplish both of these, as my most commonly used speakers will fit inside the booth for transport. My current system, which utilizes the Danny Max Edge L booth, also has this, but there's a bit more teardown/setup (not much - I am fully enamored with my booth), and putting into/out of cases adds time.
Really, I think it boils down to people wanting to have the right tool for the right job vs just being stuck with a one-fits-all, but is perfect for none solution.
Merry Christmas ~~~
I don't market lighting at all any more lol, the market is totaly saturated in DC and Baltimore
Yeah here in LA , banquet halls will laugh at you if you tell them you will be bring up lights.
I have scrim, but never really liked it. I always hoped they would come up with something better. Only time I use it now is if I have a remote speaker at an awkward spot, then I will put white scrim on it and throw a light behind it so nobody trips over it. Switched to top cabinets over subs on a sub pole. Looks nicer, but sounds worse because of sub placement. Just ordered my Maui 28 G3s yesterday, so I won't have to worry about that mess anymore. Let's hope for the best.
Happy Holiday Brian S. Reed.
The rolling booth take is an interesting one. The one you have pictured is likely made from 80/20 aluminum so there’s no major difference in weight then the event table. The only real disadvantage is portability
Brian, I don’t like ALL your videos, but you are correct on this topic. I couldn’t agree more. I too fell into these trends, and spent a ton of money. Fast forward…. Most youtube influencers sell you on this BS too. No names mentioned.
voice of reason
Rolling Kitchen Island. Dwl. I cannot see this item being a trend. Too bulky for a one-man or one-woman show. Most of these DJs pushing this item have not been to a venue where it is difficult to move gear through. Just like the facade, most clients are more interested in how you rock their party. Before DJs were into uplighting, it was the venue's responsibility to create the aesthetics. We took it on with the move of uplighting becoming LED. Great video Brian, well thought out. I think maybe the trend should go towards line array speakers vs point source.
The petite little white preacher podium looking DJ furniture pieces are another trend that i think is at it's peak currently. I wouldn't mind a video booth if it were more practical but not a fan of the small T shaped lecterns.
I have the pro event table too…and I love it. I do feel pressured to buy those nice “kitchen island” tables because it’s the trend and it does look cool, but how am I going to move it around…especially if I’m setting up solo?? And does anyone really care or just us DJ’s??
I still have my SCRIMS for my speaker stands. They stay in one of my gear bags. I never really like the "TEE PEE" look of scrims on speaker stands. I did like the look of up lights inside of white scrims. However, after I did it a few times I realized that adding the scrims added 5 to 6 minutes to my set up time. Also, my clients were not paying for the it. Also, nobody ever commented that the scrim look was cool, or that they liked it. Not a single good comment from any guest or planner about the look. So I figured people do not care about scrims on speaker stands either. Last time I used my Scrims was in 2018.
good point.
I'm glad I didn't buy them, so glad.
Hello briansredd