Reidy Creek Elementary School Father/Daughter Dance

Reidy Creek Elementary School in Escondido, California put on a father/daughter dance attended by close to 200 girls and their dads/uncles/grandfathers. These dances are a great experience for these grade school kids who love dancing and singing with their friends, yet still enjoy holding their dads close and tight.

It’s also fun for me, because my own grade school age daughter comes along and helps me by fielding the many, many requests that are always a part of these types of events. And yes, she still enjoys holding me tight too.

My daughter assisted me at the Reidy Creek Elementary School Father/Daughter dance. 

Reidy Creek elementary school dance.

Marissa takes request at the Reidy Creek Elementary School Father/Daughter dance.

Here’s a look at the setlist, most of which were requests fielded by my daughter.

• Pentatonix - Can't Sleep Love
• Taylor Swift - Style
• Ingrid Michaelson - Boys Chase Girls
• Frank Sinatra - The Way You Look Tonight
• Temptations - My Girl
• Silento - Watch Me
• Taylor Swift - Shake It Off
• Cupid - Cupid Shuffle
• OMI - Hula Hoop
• Florida Georgia Line f./Luke Bryan - This Is How We Roll
• Justin Bieber - What Do You Mean?
• Quad City D.J.'s - C'mon 'N' Ride It
• Bobby Helms - Jingle Bell Rock
• Katy Perry - Roar
• Taylor Swift f./Kendrick Lamar - Bad Blood (Promo Only Intro Edit)
• DJ Snake, AlunaGeorge - You Know You Like It (Select Mix Remix)
• Major Lazer, DJ Snake, MO - Lean On (Select Mix Remix)
• Beyonce - Single Ladies
• Fifth Harmony f./Kid Ink - Worth It
• Echosmith - Bright
• Michael Jackson & Justin Timberlake - Love Never Felt So Good
• OMI - Cheerleader (Felix Jaehn Radio Edit)
• Shawn Mendes - Stitches
• Casper - Cha Cha Slide
• Otis Day & the Knights - Shout
• Katy Perry - Firework
• One Direction - What Makes You Beautiful
• Ariana Grande f./Zedd - Break Free
• Clean Bandit, Jess Glynne - Rather Be (Select Mix Remix)
• Stevie Wonder - Isn't She Lovely
• Grover Washington Jr. - Just the Two of Us
• Selena Gomez - Who Says
• The Chainsmokers f./ROZES - Roses
• Silento - Watch Me
• Elle King - Ex's & Oh's
• Macklemore & Ryan Lewis - Downtown (Promo Only Clean Edit)
• Michael Buble - Everything
• Walk The Moon - Shut Up And Dance (Select Mix Remix)

Review of Chroma Caps from DJ Tech Tools

Chroma Caps Bring Style and Life to Your DJ Mixer

NOTE: For my complete video review of Chroma Caps, scroll to the bottom of this article. 

Chroma Caps from DJ Tech Tools are a great way to dress up your mixer while also adding practical functionality to your DJ performance. 

A dimly lit DJ booth or dark corner of a ballroom is a scene quite familiar to DJs. Without proper lighting over a mixing board, those stock knobs and faders -- with their dark black and gray colors -- can be hard to see. Also, since they are mostly made of plastic, the tactile feels isn’t great, something that DJs underestimate. When you consider how much we grab these things, several times throughout a gig, comfort should be a concern.

If you want to view your mixer in better in low light situations, while also customizing it so it’s unique when compared to all the same mixers out there, look no further than Chroma Caps from DJ Tech Tools.

What are Chroma Caps?
Chroma Caps are replacements for the factory stock knobs and faders that are installed on DJ mixers. They are designed to be slightly larger to enhance grip, and in a multitude of colors with wider position markers to enhance visibility. They are also a great way to “pimp” out your mixer while adding some practical use to it as well.

Chroma Caps come in 12 different colors and multiple sizes:

• Fader (channel and crossfader)
• Super knob (typically the smaller knobs found in EQ or gain sections)
• Fatty knob (slightly larger than the super knob, works well for filters
• Encoder (same as the fatty knob, but without a marker position; works well on knobs that have an infinite turn such as browse or loop functions)

You may think swapping out perfectly good knobs and faders is waste of time and money. But overhauling your mixer this way can also improve your workflow and performance.

For example, the Rane 64, four-channel mixer that I “chroma capped” now has a better, more categorized layout. If you look at the stock layout, there are three types of knobs (three different colors) and the black faders. The gray knobs are primarily used for equalizer functions, but also for different volume controls.

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I reorganized, using the Chroma Cap colors as a visual cue. Now, all of the volume functions on my mixer have a red knob or fader. Equalization or pan knobs are blue and filter knobs are gray, using the larger “fatty knob.”

My favorite modification I made to the mixer is using the Encoder as my new ‘browse’ knob while keeping the stock smaller ‘loop’ knob.

Those two knobs are spaced close together that often times I was grabbing/pressing the wrong one. I was looping when I meant to load; and loading when I meant to loop. Now I know which one I am touching based on feel.

By the way, if you’re looking to overhaul a Rane 64, there are 40 replaceable knobs and four faders. Unfortunately due to the construction of the crossfader, that is not replaceable. The breakdown on my mixer is as follows.

• Faders: 4
• Super knobs: 27
• Fatty knobs: 5
• Encoder knobs: 2

I did not replace the FlexFx browse knob, session in, session out or balance knobs.

Conclusion
I would highly recommend a swap of your knobs and faders. They are great way to improve performance and also stand out from the crowd -- not that that matters, but it’s kinda cool anyway.  

A look at Chroma Caps by djtechtools.com and how I applied them on a Rane 64 mixer.

Do Mo Yoga - Mission Brewery San Diego

This isn't your typical yoga space. Mission Brewery in downtown San Diego was the venue for a Movember Foundation fundraiser featuring a yoga flow led by Lauren Padula, with live music spun by DJ Justin Kanoya. 

Lauren Padula leads a yoga session to benefit the Movember Foundation. 

A couple of months ago, my friend and San Diego fitness community leader, Lauren Padula, contacted me about an event she was putting together to benefit the Movember Foundation. The event, Do Mo Yoga, took place on November 7, 2015. The plan was to invite both men and women into Mission Brewery in San Diego for a morning of yoga, followed by a post yoga flow party. Sounded like a pretty good time and I'm always up for to DJ a yoga party.

Mission Brewery proved to a great venue for this event. It was well attended, raised significant funds for Movember and for me was fun seeing many of my November Project San Diego friends (another fitness group that Lauren leads every week). 

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The Do Mo Yoga brought out my facial hair faced yogi's ... of all genders. 

Here's the setlist:

Arrivals

• Mat Zo ft Rachel Collier - Only For You (Extended)
• Vanilla Ace - Follow Me We Can Go (Clean) (Extended)
• No Way Back ft Mike Beatz - Doin It Well (Clean) (Extended)
• Beyonce - Love on top
• Janet Jackson - No Sleeep (Strobe Insomnia Bootleg) (Clean) (Short Edit)
• Disclosure - Holding On (Armand Van Helden Remix) (Clean) (Extended)
• Ciara ft Missy Elliott - 1,2 Step (Genisis Remix) (Clean) (Short Edit)
• Dr. Dre ft Nate Dogg - The Next Episode (Tuner & Ill Remix) (Extended)
• Angelo Ferreri - Friendly Gang (Clean) (Extended)
• Cosmo Klein ft YNOT - When Doves Cry (Clean) (Extended)
• DJ Dan & Diva Danielle - I Got A Man (Clean) (Extended)
• Lika Morgan - Hit Me (Clean) (Extended)
• Ed Sheeran - Photograph (Westphal & Whyman Remix) (Clean) (Extended)
• S.W.V. - Right Here (Human Nature Radio Mix)
• Naughty By Nature - Feel Me Flow (Intro Clean)

Yoga Flow with Lauren Padula

• Sunlounger - Spiritual Hideout (Chill Version)
• Sunlounger - Aguas Blancas (Chill Mix)
• Notorious B.I.G. - Biggie Tribute Medley
• A Tribe Called Quest - Bonita Applebum
• Sunlounger - Heart Of The Sun (Chill Version)
• Jack Johnson - Breakdown
• Taylor Swift - Wildest Dreams (Dj Mike D Remix) (Clean) (Extended)
• Adele - Hello (Dustin Que Remix) (Clean) (Extended)
• Sunlounger - One More Day (Chill Version)
• Charlie Puth & Kehlani - Hotline Bling (DATHAN Flip) (Clean) (Radio Edit)
• Kyla La Grange - Cut Your Teeth (Kygo Radio Edit)
• Sunlounger - Another Day On The Terrace (Chill Mix)

Post Yoga Happy Hour

• Kygo f./Parson James - Stole The Show
• Mariah Carey - Heartbreaker
• De La Soul - Ring Ring Ring (Intro Clean)
• The Weeknd - Can't Feel My Face (Select Mix Remix)
• Charlie Puth, Meghan Trainor - Marvin Gaye (Select Mix Remix)
• Tori Kelly - Should've Been Us (Lost Kings Remix) (Clean) (Radio Edit)
• Kid N Play - Ain't Gonna Hurt Nobody (Select Mix Remix)
• Hailee Steinfeld - Love Myself
• Avicii ft Zac Brown Band - Broken Arrows (Intro Clean)
• Demi Lovato - Cool For The Summer (Suraci Radio Mix)
• DJ Cassidy - Calling All Hearts (Radio Edit)
• Alesso - Heroes (Basic Tape Remix) (Clean) (Extended)
• Nicki Minaj f./Drake & Lil Wayne - Truffle Butter (Clean)
• Eazy E - Eazy Er Said Than Dunn (Intro Clean)

Photos courtesy of Alex O'Nelio and John O'Nelio. 

Old Town Academy Father/Daughter Dance - San Diego

Old Town Academy, a kindergarten-8th grade school in San Diego was putting together a father/daughter dance and called on my services to lead in the music and entertainment. With an elementary aged daughter, as well as serving as the DJ at a few of her school events, this was a party meant for me to be at. In fact, with that daughter of mine being nine years old, she was the perfect assistant.

Elementary school dances can be tough, as kids are not shy about requesting songs … a lot of songs.  And they want them played right away. Tending to those requests while operating DJ equipment is quite a task, even for the most skillful multi-tasker. I was so happy to bring my daughter along, and she had a great time talking with the girls, taking their requests and communicating everything to me. We were the perfect team.

The dance was 50s themed, and many of the dads and daughters were dressed to fit that theme. I started playing music from the era, while slowing moving into 2015 pop stuff all those girls were waiting to hear, which of course started with an early playing of Watch Me (Nae Nae).

Here’s the setlist:  

• Drifters - Save the Last Dance For Me
• Me'Shell NdegéOcello - You've Really Got a Hold on Me
• Barry Mann - Who Put The Bomp
• Elvis Presley - Hound Dog
• Everly Brothers - Bye Bye Love
• Dion and the Belmonts - A Teenager in Love
• Beach Boys - Be True to Your School
• The Supremes - I Hear a Symphony
• The Temptations - Ain't Too Proud to Beg
• The Dell-Vikings - Come Go With Me
• Chaka Khan/Montell Jordan - Ain't No Mountain High Enough
• Olivia Newton-John & John Travolta - Grease Megamix
• The Temptations - My Girl
• Frank Sinatra - The Way You Look Tonight
• Earth, Wind & Fire - September
• Justin Bieber - What Do You Mean? (Select Mix Remix)
• Mark Ronson f./Bruno Mars - Uptown Funk
• Silento - Watch Me
• OMI - Cheerleader (Felix Jaehn Radio Edit)
• Taylor Swift - Blank Space
• Major Lazer, DJ Snake, MO - Lean On (Select Mix Remix)
• Justin Bieber f./Skrillex & Blood - Sorry (Promo Only Intro Edit)
• Shawn Mendes - Stitches
• Pitbull f./Chris Brown - Fun (Clean)
• Maroon 5 - Sugar (Clean)
• Charli XCX - Boom Clap
• Katy Perry - Roar
• R. City f./Adam Levine - Locked Away
• Casper - Cha Cha Slide
• Taylor Swift - Shake It Off
• The Weeknd - Can't Feel My Face
• One Direction - Drag Me Down
• Demi Lovato - Cool For The Summer
• Ellie Goulding - On My Mind
• Chubby Checker - The Twist
• OMI - Hula Hoop
• Sam Cooke - Twistin' The Night Away
• Beatles - Twist and Shout
• Cupid - Cupid Shuffle
• Macklemore & Ryan Lewis - Downtown (Promo Only Clean Edit)
• Psy - Gangnam Style
• Baauer - Harlem Shake (Radio Edit)
• Jason Derulo - Want To Want Me
• Timeflies f./Natalie La Rose - Worse Things Than Love (Clean Edit)
• Taylor Swift f./Kendrick Lamar - Bad Blood
• Isley Brothers - This Old Heart of Mine
• Stevie Wonder - Isn't She Lovely
• Walk The Moon - Shut Up And Dance (Promo Only Intro Edit)

2015 Miles for Melanoma 5k - DeAnza Cove San Diego

I’m a runner and have many half marathons, 10ks and 5ks on the soles of my running shoes. However this was the first time I got to set the vibe for a running event, serving as DJ for the Miles for Melanoma 5k pre and post race festivities.

This race took place on the shore of DeAnza Cove in San Diego California. It was facilitated by High Performance Movement, and raises funds for melanoma research. Melanoma is a type of skin cancer affecting more than 70,000 new people each year. For more information visit the Melanoma Research Foundation website.

I had a great time providing the upbeat beats and also working alongside the great HP Movement crew.

Here’s the setlist:

• Paolo Nutini - New Shoes
• Eric Hutchinson - All Over Now
• Paul Simon - You Can Call Me Al
• American Authors - Best Day Of My Life (Single Edit)
• Will.I.Am f./Justin Bieber - #THATPOWER (Single Edit)
• Carly Rae Jepsen - I Really Like You
• Pitbull f./Chris Brown - Fun (Clean)
• Jess Glynne - Hold My Hand (Chris Lake Radio Edit)
• Carly Rae Jepsen - I Really Like You
• Zedd f./Jon Bellion - Beautiful Now
• Jason Mraz - On Love, In Sadness
• Barenaked Ladies - Odds Are
• Jack Johnson - Sitting Waiting Wishing
• Icona Pop - Emergency (Super Clean Radio Edit)
• Clean Bandit f./Jess Glynne - Real Love
• LunchMoney Lewis - Bills (Promo Only Clean Edit)
• Maroon 5 f./Nicki Minaj - Sugar (Remix - Clean)
• Years & Years - King
• Flo Rida f./Robin Thicke & Verdine White - I Don't Like It, I Love It
• Ella Henderson - Ghost (Dave Aude Remix)
• Michael Jackson - Billie Jean
• Daft Punk f./Pharrell Williams - Get Lucky (Promo Only Intro Edit)
• Avicii ft Zac Brown Band - Broken Arrows (Intro Clean)
• Mark Ronson f./Bruno Mars - Uptown Funk (Promo Only Intro Edit)
• Paula Abdul - Opposites Attract (Short Edit)
• The Whispers - Rock Steady (Radio Edit)
• Ingrid Michaelson - Afterlife
• Flo Rida f./Sage The Gemini - GDFR (Goin' Down For Real) (Promo Only Clean Edit)
• Afrojack f./Wrabel - Ten Feet Tall
• Mariah Carey - Emotions (Select Mix Remix)

My friend Kylee Molloy finished first the race as the first overall female. Congratulations Kylee!

Kristen Albair shares her melanoma survival story with race attendees.