Rich Ellis
Big Time Bat Mitzvah Party At Elysian Ballroom
It was a great night for Yael, her friends and family at her bat mitzvah party on Saturday, March 3, 2018 at the Elysian Ballroom in the historic Pythian Building in downtown Portland, Oregon.
Arriving guests gathered in the cocktail lounge for drinks and appetizers and the kids entertained themselves in the photo booth or got a henna tattoo, or both.
About 30 minutes before dinner, the kids joined me in the main ballroom for some games. The dance floor is a large stage in this room, so that is where I broke the ice with ‘Name That Tune’ before organizing a limbo and musical chairs.
Dinner for everyone was also held in the main ballroom where I played a mix of light selections from Jack Johnson, OneRepublic, Imagine Dragons and more, as requested by the family.
Near the end of dinner, guests were treated to a video that was created by Yael’s father Daniel. I then invited everyone up to the stage to dance to ‘The Hora’ and celebrate the bat mitzvah girl and her family with the traditional chair raising.
With just shy of 200 guests in attendance, space on the dance floor was at a premium, but no worries as they formed a train and danced around the entire room.
This Saturday night dance party was raging as the floor was packed for nearly every song from start to finish and friends and family brought the energy for the big hit songs, ‘I Gotta Feeling,’ ‘Uptown Funk,’ ‘Can’t Stop The Feeling’ and more.
Mazel Tov Yael and thank you Daniel and Shari for again choosing PRO DJs. I had the opportunity to perform at their son Elias’ bar mitzvah in 2015.
Post Event Satisfaction Survey:
“Thanks, Rich for making Yael’s Bat Mitzvah a real blast.” -Daniel Raider… “Rich really helped us with the flow of the evening and his advice was excellent!” -Shari Raider (Yael’s Bat Mitzvah)
- Event Date: Saturday, March 3, 2018
- Event Type: Bat Mitzvah
- Event Location: Elysian Ballroom
- Event Staff: Rich Ellis
- Quality of Customer Service via Telephone: Excellent
- Quality of Customer Service via Internet: Excellent
- Quality of Customer Service at Event: Excellent
- Friendliness of your Entertainer: Excellent
- Promptness of your Entertainer: Excellent
- Professionalism of your Entertainer: Excellent
- Entertainer’s Performance: Excellent
- Entertainer’s Appearance: Excellent
- System Appearance: Excellent
- Sound Quality: Excellent
- Overall Volume Levels: Excellent
- Music Selection: Excellent
- Incorporation of Your Requests: Excellent
- Lighting Effects: Excellent
- Equipment Appearance: Excellent
- Overall Customer Service: Excellent
- Planning Assistance: Excellent
- Entertainer’s Cooperation with Other Vendors: Excellent
- Overall Performance Rating: Excellent
- Would you recommend this service to others? Yes
January Beach Party At Vancouver WA Hilton
With available meeting space and DJ availability at a premium before the holidays, more and more corporate holiday parties are taking place in January instead of December.
On Thursday night, January 11, 2018, I was at the Downtown Vancouver WA Hilton Hotel for a Vancouver based construction company party. This was part of a weekend conference where right before the doors opened, most of the 250 attendees were still in their business attire. They were quick-change artists though, returning a short time later in summer clothes for the beach party theme.
Each corner of the Heritage Ballroom featured old school arcade games, as well as foosball tables, air hockey, and giant dartboards, but the most popular events were right in the center of the room… Cornhole and the mechanical surf board were a big hit.
With all the other activies, I surveyed the crowd to gauge when they may be ready to dance. They were having a good time just visiting with each other and playing games, but we had a few interested in dancing when I opened the floor just before 9pm. It was hour later though when things really picked up and the song that did it was ‘Uptown Funk’.
It was a great run until we wrapped at 11pm. Recent hit ‘Despacito’ was well received, as well as now classics, ‘Dynamite’, ‘Low’, ‘Sexyback’, ‘Cupid Shuffle’ and more.
Six days earlier at the MAC Club in Portland, a small group (25 guests) from a Portland Chiropractic office blew the roof off of the Kamm Room at the very end of the hall upstairs.
My contact for this event informed me at the start that she didn’t expect many to sing karaoke and they really wanted to just dance. They did do that, but there were also 11 karaoke performances mixed in as they sang everything from the Backstreet Boys ‘I Want It That Way’ to Britney Spears, Paula Abdul, Usher, the Spice Girls and more.
Karaoke is a popular party option for parties scheduled outside of the holiday season. PRO DJs provides over 6,000 song titles, multiple microphones and lyrics monitor. In addition, we can blend both karaoke performances and regular dance music seamlessly to keep the energy consistenly up and guests having a great time. Please Click Here to learn more.
Post Event Satisfaction Survey:
“Rich did great. We will definitely book him for future events.”
-Ashton, Graffeo Chiropractic Clinic – Portland, OR
- Event Date: Saturday, January 6, 2018
- Event Type: Company Party (Karaoke)
- Event Location: Multnomah Athletic Club
- Event Staff: Rich Ellis
- Quality of Customer Service via Telephone: Excellent
- Quality of Customer Service via Internet: Excellent
- Quality of Customer Service at Event: Excellent
- Friendliness of your Entertainer: Excellent
- Promptness of your Entertainer: Excellent
- Professionalism of your Entertainer: Excellent
- Entertainer’s Performance: Excellent
- Entertainer’s Appearance: Excellent
- System Appearance: Excellent
- Sound Quality: Excellent
- Overall Volume Levels: Excellent
- Music Selection: Excellent
- Incorporation of Your Requests: Excellent
- Lighting Effects: Excellent
- Equipment Appearance: Excellent
- Overall Customer Service: Excellent
- Planning Assistance: Excellent
- Entertainer’s Cooperation with Other Vendors: Excellent
- Overall Performance Rating: Excellent
- Would you recommend this service to others? Yes
PRO DJs Portland 2017 Events Review
Reflecting on 2017, PRO DJs has put together video slideshows of the many weddings and events we have performed over the past year.
WEDDINGS:
This video features photos taken by PRO DJs and some local area photographers at the following weddings: Devon & Brandon (5/6/17 at Inn at Langdon Farms Golf Club in Aurora, Oregon), Barb & John (5/20/17 at McMenamins Edgefield in Troutdale, Oregon), Gina & Blake (6/24/17 at Camp Angelos in Corbett, Oregon), Megan & Patrick (7/15/17 at McMenamins Sand Trap Bar & Grill in Gearhart, Oregon), Alexandria & Matt (7/22/17 at a private residence in Grand Rhonde, Oregon), Deborah & Zak (7/23/17 at Mt. Hood Bed & Breakfast in Parkdale, Oregon), Lanie & Tyler (8/5/17 at Horning’s Hideout in North Plains, Oregon), Leslie & Rick (8/19/17 at Mt. Hood Bed & Breakfast in Parkdale, Oregon), Gabrielle & Kevin (9/2/17 at Gray Gables Estate in Milwaukie, Oregon), Katie & Devin (9/3/17 at Bridal Veil Lakes in Corbett , Oregon), Suzanne & Zak (9/4/17 at The Troutdale House in Troutdale, Oregon), Erica & Sean (9/9/17 at Leftbank Annex in Portland, Oregon), Kelly & Keith (9/16/17 at Fort Vancouver Artillery Barracks in Vancouver, Washington), Leah & Eric (10/1/17 at Mt. Hood Organic Farms in Hood River, Oregon), and Ashlei & David (11/11/17 at Abernethy Center in Oregon City, Oregon).
BAR MITZVAHS & BAT MITZVAHS:
This video features photos taken by PRO DJs and some local area photographers at the following events: Daniel’s Bar Mitzvah (1/14/17 at Mittleman Jewish Community Center in Portland, Oregon), David’s Bar Mitzvah (2/11/17 at the Benson Hotel in Portland, Oregon), Jacob’s Bar Mitzvah (6/10/17 at the Sheraton Portland Airport Hotel in Portland, Oregon), Anita’s Bat Mitzvah (7/1/17 at Congregation Beth Israel in Portland, Oregon), Nathan’s Bar Mitzvah (7/8/17 at the Salem Convention Center in Salem, Oregon), Mazzi’s Bat Mitzvah (8/12/17 at Langdon Farms Golf Club in Aurora, Oregon), Callie’s Bat Mitzvah (9/2/17 at Multnomah Athletic Club in Portland, Oregon), Heshy’s Bar Mitzvah (10/21/17 at Mittleman Jewish Community Center in Portland, Oregon), Estelle’s Bat Mitzvah (11/4/17 at Coopers Hall in Portland, Oregon), and Jack’s Bar Mitzvah (12/16/17 at Urban Studio in Portland, Oregon).
Click Here for more photos and event recaps.
Jack’s Urban Studio Portland Bar Mitzvah
Jack was fired up for his Urban Studio Portland Bar Mitzvah held on Saturday, December 16, 2017.
As the adults gathered in the bar area above the main room, I played about 45 minutes of background music before entertaining the kids with games, including ‘Name That Tune’ and two wild rounds of the scavenger hunt. Jack did a great job judging each item and keeping his friends in line.
Dinner followed in the main room and after the kids finished eating, they followed me to the bar area for more games. I didn’t have my music or a microphone, but the small space allowed for a fun balloon stuffing contest and the limbo.
After the adults finished eating, we all returned to the main room for dancing that began with “The Hora” and chair raising.
The cool accent lighting and graffiti backdrop was conducive to a great party and most guests (adults and kids) danced the night away to the smash hits, such as “Uptown Funk,” “Cha Cha Slide,” “Can’t Stop The Feeling” and more.
Mazel Tov Jack and thank you mom Deborah for choosing PRO DJs.
Post Event Satisfaction Survey:
- Event Date: Saturday, December 16, 2017
- Event Type: Bar Mitzvah
- Event Location: Urban Studio
- Event Staff: Rich Ellis
- Quality of Customer Service via Telephone: Excellent
- Quality of Customer Service via Internet: Excellent
- Quality of Customer Service at Event: Excellent
- Friendliness of your Entertainer: Excellent
- Promptness of your Entertainer: Excellent
- Professionalism of your Entertainer: Excellent
- Entertainer’s Performance: Excellent
- Entertainer’s Appearance: Excellent
- System Appearance: Excellent
- Sound Quality: Excellent
- Overall Volume Levels: Excellent
- Music Selection: Excellent
- Incorporation of Your Requests: Excellent
- Lighting Effects: Excellent
- Equipment Appearance: Excellent
- Overall Customer Service: Excellent
- Planning Assistance: Excellent
- Entertainer’s Cooperation with Other Vendors: Excellent
- Overall Performance Rating: Excellent
- Would you recommend this service to others? Yes
Abernethy Center Oregon City Wedding
Ashlei and David were married at their Abernethy Center Oregon City Wedding on Saturday, November 11, 2017. It was a wet mid November day for their ceremony held inside the Abernethy Chapel across the street from the main ballroom. I setup two sound systems for this event to be able to provide music for the ceremony.
Abernethy Center Oregon City Wedding Ceremony Highlights:
- Bridal Party Entrance: The Piano Guys – A Thousand Years
- Bride Entrance: Canon In D (new romantic classical piano and violin duets)
- Bride/Groom Exit: Colbie Cailatt – I Do
Following the wedding, the rain held off for a bit to allow all guests to make their way across the street to the main ballroom for the reception, while the wedding party stayed behind for additional photos.
For background music during cocktails and dinner, I played a mix of familiar hit songs that featured artists such as Michael Buble, Queen, Al Green, Tim McGraw and more.
Abernethy Center Oregon City Wedding Reception Highlights:
- Grand Entrance: Colbie Cailatt – I Do
- First Dance: Sung Live by Family Friend (Donna) – Thinking Out Loud
- Cake Cutting: James Taylor – How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved By You)
- Father/Daughter Dance: Tim McGraw – My Little Girl
- Mother/Son Toss: Boyz II Men – A Song For Mama
Once the dance floor opened to everyone, we only had a short time left, but many guests took advantage by packing the floor for the opening and closing slow dances and all the fast songs in between. ‘Twist & Shout’ and ‘Uptown Funk’ were particularly well-received, along with line dance favorites, ‘Cupid Shuffle’ and ‘Cha Cha Slide’.
Their first dance was sung live earlier in the evening, so it felt right to end the night with the original ‘Thinking Out Loud’ from Ed Sheeran, so guests could dance with the newlyweds to their special song.
Congratulations Ashlei and David and thank you for choosing PRO DJs.
Post Event Satisfaction Survey:
“Rich outperformed our expectations! He packed the dance floor, came through for our every specified request, and maintained continual communication. Anyone who uses his service will not be disappointed, and I would recommend him in the future to anyone looking for a quality DJ!”
-Ashlei McGauvran & David Fylan
- Event Date: Saturday, November 11, 2017
- Event Type: Wedding & Reception
- Event Location: Abernethy Center, Oregon City
- Event Staff: Rich Ellis
- Quality of Customer Service via Telephone: Excellent
- Quality of Customer Service via Internet: Excellent
- Quality of Customer Service at Event: Excellent
- Friendliness of your Entertainer: Excellent
- Promptness of your Entertainer: Excellent
- Professionalism of your Entertainer: Excellent
- Entertainer’s Performance: Excellent
- Entertainer’s Appearance: Excellent
- System Appearance: Excellent
- Sound Quality: Excellent
- Overall Volume Levels: Excellent
- Music Selection: Excellent
- Incorporation of Your Requests: Excellent
- Lighting Effects: Excellent
- Equipment Appearance: Excellent
- Overall Customer Service: Excellent
- Planning Assistance: Excellent
- Entertainer’s Cooperation with Other Vendors: Excellent
- Overall Performance Rating: Excellent
- Would you recommend this service to others? Yes
