Looking back at the Calgary CDJ Show 2014

On the road now. And during the nearly 1200 KMs we’ve got to drive over the next 12 or so hours, a lot of details of yesterday’s CDJ Show were discussed.

Main Stage
Main Stage, CDJ Show

I’m travelling with Bryan Podworny, Dale Kerik & Cory Gulenchin and we’ve all enjoyed our trip to Calgary for the show and found it very worth while. As a regional show, it was very successful at bringing together a series of worthwhile seminars and good product demos and displays. The DJs that attended were also eager individuals that wanted to up their game and work towards bettering what we all know and love about our industry. Very inspiring. It was a pleasure meeting all of you!

Showroom Floor
American DJ booth, CDJ Show showroom floor

The exhibitors had great product displays, knew what they were talking about and were happy to provide well thought out answers. A definite plus for a smaller, regional show, is that everyone has lots of time for everyone (think Disc Jockey News Conclave November 9 – 12, 2014). It may have even resulted in this guy purchasing a new toy for himself… very eager to now learn Serato DJ from the ground up and try out my new Pioneer DDJ-SX (now wish I wouldn’t have missed the Serato DJ seminar at this show)!

The friendly hospitality and welcome of those in the Calgary community of mobile disc jockeys was also outstanding. Huge thanks to the great team of people that really sweated really hard over the last 3 months to pull this show together.

In addition to the presenters I wrote about yesterday, here is a sampling of what we learned about and picked up this past weekend at the CDJ Show:

– The pros & cons to placing your booth in a variety of difference places at a wedding show.
– Don’t “schedule” an “appointment” or a “meeting”, rather, plan visits (thank you Scott Faver).
– Being told what the fines are for improper use of lasers (depending on their classification) was really educational. Being informed of what the unique classifications are in Canada was helpful too.
– Scott Faver really is up for a phone call anytime if you need help brainstorming an idea for a party (for FREE too, thanks Scott!).
– Listening to Vickie Musni talking about the 4 different personality types is a lot of fun! It can be very helpful for not only understanding the people already around you, but also those who you have yet to meet, those that might one day become clients of yours. (I’d witnessed Vickie present this seminar once before and it’s still as good as ever!)

Vickie Musni
Vickie Musni, “Speaking Bride”

To sum up, it was an absolute pleasure making the overnight trip to arrive just in time for the start to the first Calgary DJ show. About shows and conferences like this in general, Bryan Podworny said it best today as we were cruising along the pavement under a cloud-filled prairie sky…

“Nothing beats the reinforcement of meeting other people in the industry who want to succeed. These shows are a great place to come together as a group and bounce ideas off each other.”

That, my friends, is the truth. And it’s worth something. It’s worth a lot.

Next conference stop? Well I can’t make ARMDJs this year (but you should!) so it’ll have to be sunny, Las Vegas, Nevada for the Las Vegas DJ Show this September. See you there!

~ Dave T.

(By the way, in preparation for a “RESOURCES” page on this blog, what DJ shows are you aware of in addition to these? Mobile Beat, Midwest DJs Live, the CDJ Show, ARMDJs, the DJ Expo, The Las Vegas DJ Show, Disc Jockey News Conclave. Let me know here, thanks!)

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