Story by Greg Curran, photos by Ronald Mungo
The DJ Expo 2021 was a lot different from past expos. I should know because I have been going every year since 1998 except for 2020 because of Covid closure obviously. The first thing you notice is their rebranding to DJX for the 2021 show’s rebirth in the Covid era. The floor was small compared to past years and it correlated unfortunately with the low vendor turnout. The vendors that did attend with Pioneer and Chauvet having the largest presence were treated to a pretty nice sized DJ turnout each day which was surprising and pleasing to see. Since the expo was also expanding its reach, there were some new vendors like Dino Luzzi (an energy drink from Italy) to a company called Tribe XR, a cool company taking the VR virtual DJing thing to the next level.
Monday was a big day for the seminars since the main floor was not open and attendees were treated to some excellent seminars with great DJs like DJ Jess, DJ Neek Nyce and Sean “Big Daddy” McKee. The seminar continued until Wednesday where I was lucky enough to have a seminar myself with The DJ Entertainment School and my special guests that included Hugh Riley (C.E.O. of The Pros DJs), Anthony Sojo (Co-Founder of The Senate DJs) and Ross (DJ Throdown) Volpe (2X DMC scratch battle champion). Special thanks to DJ Times Editor Jim Tremayne for making this happen for myself and the DJ Entertainment School.
I was also stationed with The Senate DJs at the Reloop booth this year where there were always available turntables, controllers or gadgets for DJs to play on and sample. Reloop also showcased some of the hottest DJs from not only The Senate DJs but all over. The nightlife was also not a disappointment. There were many great events you could attend. I was able to take in a bunch of them and I was also honored to be able to MC and spin at The Senate DJ purple party at Landshark Bar & Grille on the beach!
In closing, I would like to send congratulations to Artie Branigan of Artie’s Parties in Waretown, NJ who was the ultimate DJ giveaway winner. I also would like to say that every time a DJ asked me if I was going this year even if the vendors would be light, I explained that I was going to simply “Hang with my HOMIES!” see my friends who are mostly either DJs or business owners who are vendors at the show and network like I teach at my school. Networking is one of the most important things a DJ can do to further their career, expand their knowledge, and lead them on a path to make more money by getting more events. I was quoted on the website and DJ Times magazine as saying:
“DJX is valuable because it provides all DJs the opportunity to see the newest equipment, but it also allows everyone to get educated from the seminars and workshops. Plus, there’s the education that’s gained by networking.” – Greg Curran, DJ Entertainment School, Abington, Pa.
All of this is a learning experience, so pay attention folks! Some of the best education you can get through networking with others in your industry is by learning from their mistakes so you do not make them as well and by learning what works for them so you can adapt it into what you do so you can become more successful! Stay tuned for more information for the DJ Expo 2022 at Hard Rock in Atlantic City, New Jersey August 8 to 11, 2022. In the meantime, check out images from DJ Expo 2021 below!
