I’ve always loved music. Totally cliche, I know. There are very few genres I can honestly say I don’t like. Whether it was the sound, the lyrics, the message; there’s always been something about music that got to me. I grew up listening to classic rock in my dad’s car, soft rock in my mom’s, and pretty much anything else on my own. Classic hip hop and R&B are my go-to’s by far (my cousin taught me the lyrics to Humpty Dance when I was 8) but I feel like I’ve developed a pretty extensive knowledge of all genres over the years. Some of my favorite genres to play in open format settings are classic hip hop/R&B, motown, and funk.

I never thought about being a DJ until about 2008 when my friend and mentor to-be, DJ Underdog, got hired at the school where I teach (that’s my weekday job). He was DJing lunch periods for the kids as a reward and from the faculty lounge I was bumpin my head heavy to what he was playing. A few minutes later we realized we had a lot in common musically. I began helping him work weddings (setting up equipment, handling requests, etc). A few times I’d play a track or two while he was on a bathroom run. About a year later he simply asks me “hey you wanna actually do this?” He gave me a little controller to practice with and it was on from there.

I was fortunate to be working with great friends DJ Underdog and DJ Crush from the get go, filling in for them at the popular bar Finn McCools in Pittsburgh’s SouthSide neighborhood. Talk about trial by fire!! A little while (and a lot of practice) later I became a resident there. In 2014, I moved on to Claddagh Irish Pub on the other end of the SouthSide. I remained the resident DJ there until it closed in May 2019. Throw in a few dozen weddings/private/corporate gigs a year and there you have it!

As far as DJing weddings go, I’ve honestly always considered myself to be a “club DJ” who does weddings. Couples these days don’t want that guy in a tux who introduces each song without mixing, goes out dances with the crowd, and other trademarks of the “Wedding DJ”. They want a DJ who can mimic a club/bar scene and keep the dance floor packed, but also throw in those wedding/family classic bangers to appease any age.

I absolutely love working with couples to ensure their day goes as smoothly as possible and is the most fun they’ve ever had. Weddings are stressful enough; I want to be the least stressful part of that whole process. To me, DJing a wedding is SO much more than just showing up and playing music. I take pride in considering myself to be somewhat of a “day-of coordinator”. This includes MC duties, handling the schedule of events, relaying information between vendors, and more. I will work to make your wedding to be the best possible day it can be!

If you like what you’ve read and want to talk, head over to my contact section and send me a message!! I look forward to hearing from you!!

— Mike