Beyond the DJ Booth

By Joe Bunn and Brian BMusic

Beyond the DJ Booth episodes

September 02 Stop Playing For The Internet
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Formalities are fading and the party is taking over. We’re seeing it in our inboxes, in the way couples ask questions, and in what actually works on dance floors right now. Gen Z wedding clients want fast answers, clear pricing, and proof you can really mix. If your set still leans on full-song playback and your sales process moves slow, you’re about to feel it. We talk candidly about what’s changing, what isn’t, and how to stay booked without becoming a hype-chasing DJ.

We also catch up on the road. Joe shares highlights from Japan and Australia, from Tokyo temples and next-level food experiences to Sydney’s harbor and a DJ conference that reinforces a core truth: stop playing for the internet and start playing for the people in front of you. That leads into practical workflow talk on crate organization, trimming the bloat from your library, and building systems that protect your time instead of stealing it. Nobody gets into DJing because they love organizing folders, so we outline how to keep your prep efficient and your life bigger than your admin.

From there, we dig into music strategy. We scan Billboard, Spotify USA, and the TikTok trending list to separate “chart famous” from “crowd useful.” You’ll hear what edits we’re actually playing, why one minute versions can save a moment, and how to build doors-open sets that sound current without being obnoxious. We also hit gear corner with travel recovery tools and routines for long flights, plus an Australia update on Bunn Gear distribution and manufacturing partnerships.

If you got value from this one, subscribe, share it with a DJ friend, and leave a quick review so more working DJs can find the show. What’s the biggest shift you’re seeing with wedding clients right now?
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RESOURCES & LINKS
Presenting Sponsor: LeadExcess AI https://leadexcessai.com/
Beyond The DJ Booth: https://www.beyondthdjbooth.com/
Book Joe Bunn: https://bunndjcompany.com/
Book Brian B: https://djbrianbofficial.com/
Joe's Amazon Gear: https://www.amazon.com/shop/djjoebunn
Brian's Amazon Gear: https://www.amazon.com/shop/djbrianbofficial
DJ Event Planner: https://www.djeventplanner.com/signup.php
Brian B's Coaching: https://www.thdjscreativeedge.com
52 min
August 26 What If You Had To Restart Your DJ Business Today?
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You can book great events and still feel like the money disappears the second it hits your account. We get into the unsexy part of being a working DJ that decides whether you stay stressed or build something durable: cash flow. With The DJ Collective coming up in Raleigh, we shout out why education matters and why Rich Cranston’s talk hits so hard, especially when the question is “I just booked a $3,000 wedding, where should the money go?” We unpack the mindset shift from chasing revenue to understanding annual cash flow, taxes, profit, savings, and investing so each booking actually improves your life.

Then we pivot into customer experience and event upgrades that feel premium without being complicated. A simple thank-you video from a brand founder sparks a bigger idea for DJs: short personalized videos right after the contract and payment can boost trust fast. From there we break down real wedding field testing with EsStart, including Instant Spotlight guest photos on a TV and QR code song requests that update in real time. We talk practical guardrails, how many table QR codes you really need, why wireless HDMI is clutch, and the one item you cannot forget if you bring a TV.

We also hit the human side: team-building ideas, travel headaches, and the content grind when social media growth feels stuck. To wrap, we answer a great listener question: if we had to restart our DJ business with no reviews, no network, and no reputation, what’s the first priority? If you’re building a wedding DJ business, a mobile DJ company, or any service brand, you’ll take away moves you can use this week. Subscribe, share this with a DJ friend, and leave a review that tells us what you want us to dig into next.
Support the show
RESOURCES & LINKS
Presenting Sponsor: LeadExcess AI https://leadexcessai.com/
Beyond The DJ Booth: https://www.beyondthdjbooth.com/
Book Joe Bunn: https://bunndjcompany.com/
Book Brian B: https://djbrianbofficial.com/
Joe's Amazon Gear: https://www.amazon.com/shop/djjoebunn
Brian's Amazon Gear: https://www.amazon.com/shop/djbrianbofficial
DJ Event Planner: https://www.djeventplanner.com/signup.php
Brian B's Coaching: https://www.thdjscreativeedge.com
39 min
August 19 We Hit 100 Episodes And Here Is What We Learned
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We just hit 100 episodes, and we’re not pretending it happened by accident. We talk about what two straight years of weekly drops teaches you about consistency, momentum, and why the audience often finds value in moments we barely remember recording. Then we turn the milestone into something you can actually use: a giveaway for the Melanair SD2, a full rack-mounted in-ear monitor system that can seriously upgrade how you hear yourself and perform at weddings, corporate events, and private parties.
From there, we get into the ecosystem around the show: the Patreon Back Room community, what we’re putting behind the paywall and what’s happening with DJ Collective in Raleigh this year. We also announce a new general session speaker and talk about why we’re excited for an AI session that focuses on real workflows with tools like Claude, not the same recycled “ChatGPT for DJs” surface-level stuff.
And because we’re DJs, we argue about music. We run through song of the summer contenders and land on a pick that may or may not surprise you, plus the real-world question behind it: does a track count if you need an edit to make it playable at a gig?
We close with a listener question that hits a nerve: what do you do when well-known, higher-priced DJs in your market are honestly not good anymore? We unpack the ethics, the business angle, and a practical move that helps without starting drama: invite someone to shadow you, then go shadow them too.
Subscribe, share this with a DJ friend, and leave a review so more booth heads can find the show.
Support the show
RESOURCES & LINKS
Presenting Sponsor: LeadExcess AI https://leadexcessai.com/
Beyond The DJ Booth: https://www.beyondthdjbooth.com/
Book Joe Bunn: https://bunndjcompany.com/
Book Brian B: https://djbrianbofficial.com/
Joe's Amazon Gear: https://www.amazon.com/shop/djjoebunn
Brian's Amazon Gear: https://www.amazon.com/shop/djbrianbofficial
DJ Event Planner: https://www.djeventplanner.com/signup.php
Brian B's Coaching: https://www.thdjscreativeedge.com
37 min
August 12 High-End Wedding DJ Playbook
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A wedding reception with a breakaway screen entrance, a merch table, a sax player, and RFID wristbands sounds like a flex until you’re the DJ responsible for making every moment hit on time. Brian B and Joe Bunn pull back the curtain on a full luxury wedding day, from travel and load-in to the last song, after Joe comes to Florida to shadow the entire “Brian B show” in real time.

We walk through how a modern couple’s vision gets built, especially when it’s heavily influenced by social media wedding trends. From a strolling cocktail hour that flows straight into dancing to a cake decorating moment and a re-entry tied to a specific track, we talk about what makes these ideas work and what can quietly derail them. You’ll also hear the real-world challenges of event production, including venue constraints in an old church space, vendor coordination, sound checks, and how the smallest logistics can drain your energy before the party even starts.

Then we get nerdy about the music: must-plays, do-not-plays, using string versions to solve timing, managing BPM and energy, and building “routine pockets” that keep the dance floor moving without feeling pre-programmed. We close with a question every DJ and creator is wrestling with: how do you navigate endless online content, avoid the noise, and stay focused on couples instead of drifting into education?

Subscribe, share this with a DJ friend, and leave a review if you want more real breakdowns like this.
Support the show
RESOURCES & LINKS
Presenting Sponsor: LeadExcess AI https://leadexcessai.com/
Beyond The DJ Booth: https://www.beyondthdjbooth.com/
Book Joe Bunn: https://bunndjcompany.com/
Book Brian B: https://djbrianbofficial.com/
Joe's Amazon Gear: https://www.amazon.com/shop/djjoebunn
Brian's Amazon Gear: https://www.amazon.com/shop/djbrianbofficial
DJ Event Planner: https://www.djeventplanner.com/signup.php
Brian B's Coaching: https://www.thdjscreativeedge.com
28 min
August 05 A Great DJ Tells a Story Not A Playlist
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A great DJ doesn't build a playlist - they tell a story. That idea came from a listener question asking why some wedding DJs command more than double the average rate, and it sparked one of our favorite conversations in recent memory.
We unpack why premium DJs aren't being paid for song selection alone. They're hired to create moments people remember, make smart decisions under pressure, and understand what an event is trying to say...not just what songs it should hear.
Along the way, we share what we learned from a confidential celebrity wedding, a SeaWorld event built around nostalgia, and performing on some of the world's biggest stages at the World Cup. Different audiences. Different objectives. The same lesson: every successful event has a story, and the best DJs know how to support it.
That conversation naturally extends beyond the dance floor. We welcome Vince K from August & Light to the DJC Recharge Raleigh 2026 team and discuss why storytelling (not flashy recap videos) is what creates memorable brands, stronger content, and deeper connections with clients.
We also talk candidly about showing up professionally when life behind the scenes is anything but easy, and why that mindset is just as much a part of your value as your music knowledge.
If you've ever wondered why one DJ earns the average rate while another commands more than double, this episode might change the way you think about your role.
Support the show
RESOURCES & LINKS
Presenting Sponsor: LeadExcess AI https://leadexcessai.com/
Beyond The DJ Booth: https://www.beyondthdjbooth.com/
Book Joe Bunn: https://bunndjcompany.com/
Book Brian B: https://djbrianbofficial.com/
Joe's Amazon Gear: https://www.amazon.com/shop/djjoebunn
Brian's Amazon Gear: https://www.amazon.com/shop/djbrianbofficial
DJ Event Planner: https://www.djeventplanner.com/signup.php
Brian B's Coaching: https://www.thdjscreativeedge.com
40 min
July 29 Is Your DJ Business Built To Run Without You?
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What happens if you step away from your business for a week? A month? Forever?
In this episode, we dig into one of the biggest questions every DJ business owner eventually faces: Is your business built to run without you? Inspired by the ideas in Built to Sell, we discuss creating systems instead of dependencies, using pricing strategically, building a team you can trust, and what it really takes to create a business that can survive (and even thrive) without the owner being involved in every decision.
That conversation naturally leads into one of the biggest roadblocks to building a scalable business: communication. Joe shares why personal DMs should never become your customer service department, how multiple DJ companies stay organized without sacrificing great service, and the simple systems that keep problems from falling through the cracks while protecting your personal time.
We also explore a practical wedding enhancement using ESSTART Instant Spotlight, allowing guests to upload photos via QR code that appear on screens throughout the event. We cover setup, moderation, coordination with planners and venues, and why this can be an easy value-add for the right client.
Finally, we have a little fun talking about the latest TikTok trends, viral meme edits, and internet moments finding their way onto dance floors. Which ones actually work? Which ones kill momentum? And how do you balance giving clients what they ask for without turning your dance floor into a scrolling social feed?
Whether you're a solo operator looking to grow or a multi-op refining your systems, this episode is packed with ideas to help you build a stronger business—and maybe one that doesn't need you every minute of every day.
Subscribe, share this episode with another DJ, and leave us a review if you're enjoying the show.
Support the show
RESOURCES & LINKS
Presenting Sponsor: LeadExcess AI https://leadexcessai.com/
Beyond The DJ Booth: https://www.beyondthdjbooth.com/
Book Joe Bunn: https://bunndjcompany.com/
Book Brian B: https://djbrianbofficial.com/
Joe's Amazon Gear: https://www.amazon.com/shop/djjoebunn
Brian's Amazon Gear: https://www.amazon.com/shop/djbrianbofficial
DJ Event Planner: https://www.djeventplanner.com/signup.php
Brian B's Coaching: https://www.thdjscreativeedge.com
42 min
July 22 How Private Event DJs Stay Ready For Anything
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You can do everything right and still get hit with the one problem nobody schedules for: getting sick right before a wedding. We talk through the real-world backup plans that protect your clients, your reputation, and your paycheck, whether you run a multi-op team or you’re a solo DJ who needs a reliable sub at the last minute.

Along the way, we hit a quick pop culture minute on wedding trends we’re seeing more of, like interactive cake moments and late-night snacks with bold branding, plus why those “non-DJ” elements can still wreck or elevate the dancefloor if the timeline is messy. We also recap a packed run of travel and gigs, including cross-country flights, conference energy, and the little details that keep you sane on the road.

Then we get into DJ business systems: when it actually makes sense to start using a CRM for DJs, why we lean toward starting early, and how tools like DJ Event Planner help with automation, lead tracking, contracts, and the metrics that show your growth over time. If you want a DJ workflow that holds up under pressure, this one’s for you. Subscribe, share this with a DJ friend, and leave a review with your best “gig-day emergency” story.
Support the show
RESOURCES & LINKS
Presenting Sponsor: LeadExcess AI https://leadexcessai.com/
Beyond The DJ Booth: https://www.beyondthdjbooth.com/
Book Joe Bunn: https://bunndjcompany.com/
Book Brian B: https://djbrianbofficial.com/
Joe's Amazon Gear: https://www.amazon.com/shop/djjoebunn
Brian's Amazon Gear: https://www.amazon.com/shop/djbrianbofficial
DJ Event Planner: https://www.djeventplanner.com/signup.php
Brian B's Coaching: https://www.thdjscreativeedge.com
28 min
July 15 EDM Wedding Bangers That Never Miss
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Looking for EDM tracks that actually work at weddings? We share the edits we keep coming back to - from hooks-and-drops and chorus-first versions to mashups that bridge EDM with hip hop and rock so mixed crowds stay on the dance floor.
We also react to a viral video from a bride who says she regrets spending $2,000 on a wedding DJ and built an app to help couples DIY their music. It sparks a bigger conversation about what clients are really paying for, why playlists aren't the same as leadership, and where our industry could do a better job communicating our value.We also debate popular "faster setup" hacks like zip-tying cables, why presentation still matters, and how small workflow decisions affect your brand.
Finally, we answer a listener question about vendor trades and discounts, sharing when they make business sense and when they don't.
Support the show
RESOURCES & LINKS
Presenting Sponsor: LeadExcess AI https://leadexcessai.com/
Beyond The DJ Booth: https://www.beyondthdjbooth.com/
Book Joe Bunn: https://bunndjcompany.com/
Book Brian B: https://djbrianbofficial.com/
Joe's Amazon Gear: https://www.amazon.com/shop/djjoebunn
Brian's Amazon Gear: https://www.amazon.com/shop/djbrianbofficial
DJ Event Planner: https://www.djeventplanner.com/signup.php
Brian B's Coaching: https://www.thdjscreativeedge.com
36 min
July 08 What Actually Works At Gigs
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Every DJ has songs, transitions, and little tricks they keep coming back to because they simply work. In this episode, we're sharing what's consistently working for us right now at weddings, corporate events, and private parties: from current dance floor tracks to dinner music, walk-in playlists, and programming strategies that are getting real-world results.
We kick things off, however, with a fun challenge that turns into a conversation about instincts, pattern recognition, and why trusting your ears matters behind the booth.
We also drop a DJC Recharge (the event we both throw with Jason Jani in Raleigh this November 16–18), announcement of a speaker we're excited to welcome back to the DJC stage. Tom Gambuzza from EMG joins the lineup to teach the long game of building a healthier DJ business through financial discipline, leadership, hiring, cash flow management, and making decisions that position your company for long-term success.
From there, we dive into Annie's Playlist, sharing tracks and edits we're actually using at gigs right now, plus why certain songs are connecting, how long we're letting them play, and ways to keep energy moving without overstaying a moment.
We also swap stories from recent events, including adapting to challenging room layouts, returning to DJ for repeat families with sky-high expectations, and a growing issue facing event DJs as more venues crack down on CO₂ cannons. Finally, we answer a listener question about creativity and how to make room for it when your calendar is packed.
If you're looking for practical ideas you can take to your next event, this episode is full of them.
Support the show
RESOURCES & LINKS
Presenting Sponsor: LeadExcess AI https://leadexcessai.com/
Beyond The DJ Booth: https://www.beyondthdjbooth.com/
Book Joe Bunn: https://bunndjcompany.com/
Book Brian B: https://djbrianbofficial.com/
Joe's Amazon Gear: https://www.amazon.com/shop/djjoebunn
Brian's Amazon Gear: https://www.amazon.com/shop/djbrianbofficial
DJ Event Planner: https://www.djeventplanner.com/signup.php
Brian B's Coaching: https://www.thdjscreativeedge.com
38 min
July 01 When The Client’s Daughter Hijacks The Decks
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A packed dance floor can disappear in one song, and sometimes the person asking for that song is the one signing the check. We open with a wild high end wedding story where the playlist is a tightrope: a huge do not play list, a “keep it upbeat” mandate, and a room full of guests who do not share the bride and her daughter’s festival taste. When a Sophie Tucker request clears the floor, we break down what we do next, how we narrate it, and how we rebuild momentum without getting defensive or breaking trust.

Then it gets even messier. The bride’s daughter, who claims she DJs, walks onto the stage, leans into the laptop, questions whether Serato is “professional,” and asks for headphones so she can play tech house. We talk through the decision to let her take a turn, how to keep control of the booth, and why framing the moment on the mic can protect the vibe. If you work weddings, corporate events, or any private events, this is a masterclass in boundaries, diplomacy, and saving the night when the plan goes sideways.

From there we move into practical value: dinner music crate finds that actually work in real rooms, how we pace dinner and cocktail energy, and why a few “Shazamable” tracks can make you sound expensive. We also answer listener questions on DJ pricing strategy, raising rates with conviction, what matters on sales calls, and whether photo booths are a smart add-on once you factor staffing, transport, and risk. Subscribe for more private event DJ tactics, share this with a DJ friend, and leave a review if it helps. What’s the hardest client request you’ve ever had to play?
Support the show
RESOURCES & LINKS
Presenting Sponsor: LeadExcess AI https://leadexcessai.com/
Beyond The DJ Booth: https://www.beyondthdjbooth.com/
Book Joe Bunn: https://bunndjcompany.com/
Book Brian B: https://djbrianbofficial.com/
Joe's Amazon Gear: https://www.amazon.com/shop/djjoebunn
Brian's Amazon Gear: https://www.amazon.com/shop/djbrianbofficial
DJ Event Planner: https://www.djeventplanner.com/signup.php
Brian B's Coaching: https://www.thdjscreativeedge.com
40 min