Disc Jockeys Archives | Rock The House

RTH Signature Event: The Duve Wedding

December 29, 2016/in All Posts, Disc Jockeys, DJ Akron, DJ Cleveland, DJ Columbus, DJ Pittsburgh, DJ Toledo, DJ Youngstown, Gay Weddings, Industry Professionals, Weddings /by mhadder4561

Rock The House makes dream weddings a reality for hundreds of couples each year. However, it’s not every day that one of those couples is a member of our team! A few weeks ago we had the pleasure of helping our own Marketing Manager, Nick Duvé and his husband, Stephen Duvé, celebrate one the best nights of their lives in one of the greatest weddings productions we’ve ever put on.

As a former DJ and Host at Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida and a connoisseur of ‘Fairytale Weddings’, as well as his time spent with us at Rock The House, Nick has seen just about any wedding possibility you could think of. That all being said, Nick had gathered plenty of ideas for his own wedding throughout his years in the industry… and he had all the resources to make them happen. With the help of Meredith Masaveg of Rain Wedding Planning, Nick and Steve began planning their big day.

“This wedding was much more then just about Steve and I. It was about celebrating all of the friends and family who have helped us along our journey. We wanted to give them an experienced they will never forget and with the help of some very talented vendors, and I think we accomplished that”. – Nick Duve

The Duvés decided that the Akron Art Museum was the perfect location for both their wedding ceremony and reception to take place. An already stunning venue, Rock The House provided full production and lighting work throughout the museum, while our sister company Selective Sound Entertainment provided ceremony services, with Vice President “Jay R.” Rich as the officiant and first DJ. Chairs the wedding and reception were provided by Be Seated. After the ceremony guests were invited onto an outdoor dancefloor for cocktail hour, before stepping inside the newly-transformed art museum for the dinner reception.

A beautiful ceremony is only complimented by an unbelievable reception, and that became no clearer to guests than when they first stepped inside the building. After a 5-star dinner provided by Driftwood Catering and frosty desserts brought by Mason’s Creamery, guests were personally invited once again onto the outdoor dancefloor by Nick and Steve for their first dance and formalities. However after a short time of dancing, guests were stopped by RTH MC Sparky B. and invited back inside the building for a very special surprise from Nick and Steve. The Duvé’s weren’t done quite yet.

When guests arrived back inside, they were in awe to see a Vegas-inspired dance club, which had been in plain view the whole time, but simply hidden behind a wall of drapery! The perfect light show was coordinated by an RTH lighting designer as Sparky B. continued to hype up the crowd! Lights were only the beginning, as the Duvés surprised their friends and family with music by celebrity DJ Brian Dawe of VH1 & MTV! The night to remember was all captured on film by Matt Reisinger of Elite Entertainment, and still-frame images were shot by Marc Anthony & Tony Ryan Photography. Special thanks also go out to L’Nique Linen Rental, Nikki’s Perfect Petal Designs, Paul Mitchell the School: Cleveland, and Justin Campbell from the Akron Art Museum, who all did their part to make the day a success for the Duve’s! You can find more pictures, and videos from the Duvé Wedding by following the hashtag #HereComeTheDuves.

Want Rock The House to make your dream wedding a reality? Contact our team of event professionals today to see what we can do for you! Photos courtesy of Marc Anthony & Tony Ryan Photography and The Rock The House Photo Archive. Videos courtesy of Rock The House and Matt Reisinger of Elite Entertainment.

RTH Signature Event: Sam’s ROCKING Bar Mitzvah

November 1, 2016/in All Posts, Bar / Bat Mitzvahs, Disc Jockeys, DJ Akron, DJ Cleveland, DJ Columbus, DJ Pittsburgh, DJ Toledo, DJ Youngstown, Industry Professionals /by mhadder4561

Cleveland has been deemed as “The Birthplace of Rock N’ Roll” ever since Alan Freed first coined the phrase in the 1950s. While that may have already been 60 years ago, the spirit of the music still lives on just as it always has in our great city. Young Sam Heller couldn’t help but feel the same way, and decided the only true place he wanted his bar mitzvah was not only in the rock and roll city, but at the epicenter of it; The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. Take a look at how we at Rock The House were able to ROCK Sam’s Simcha, providing him and his guests with an evening full of incredible fun and great memories!

It was the direction of the Joe Mineo Creative team that really brought the night to life, transforming the Rock Hall into the party of the year! Sam’s celebration started with one of our rockstar DJs and one of our signature Ultimate Video Dance Party setups, with wireless LED uplights, strobe lighting, 70″ monitors, and truss structures transforming the dance floor into an ocean of light and sound. Guests were kept entertained both on and off the dance floor with a series of multiplayer, interactive games; Including RTH favorites such as Rockshots, RTH Game Show Mania, and even giant versions of classic games such as Jenga, Connect 4, Pick-Up Sticks, and Scrabble. Another hit attraction was the new RTH Coinless Claw Machine, which allowed guests to test their skills and attempt to win themselves an additional party favor! Rock The House also provided a custom photo opportunity, bringing in one of our professional photographers to take beautiful portraits of the guests. As the night continued on, guests enjoyed musical entertainment courtesy of The Pella Singers, and some fine cuisine catered by the 5-star staff from Executive Caterers.

Throwing parties for a living may seem redundant after a while, but never for us at Rock The House! It brings us quite a bit of joy to be continually called upon to provide great celebrations for Sam’s family. The 2nd in his family to have their Simcha ROCKED, we always enjoy the challenge of thinking up fresh and exciting party options to create the best night possible for the family. We also love working at a premier Cleveland venue such as the Rock Hall, and working with their fantastic event staff! Last but not least, a big thanks goes to Event Source, Aable Rents, and Be Seated for helping with select item rentals, and Marc Golub Photography for taking some incredible pictures of the night!

From Simchas to weddings, there’s not an event out there that our team can’t ROCK! Contact our team of event professionals today to see what we can make possible for your next celebration!

Your Guide To A Hauntingly Good Halloween Party

October 4, 2016/in All Posts, Disc Jockeys, DJ Akron, DJ Cleveland, DJ Columbus, DJ Pittsburgh, DJ Toledo, DJ Youngstown, Industry Professionals, Lighting & Drapery, Photo Booth Rental /by mhadder4561

With the leaves falling from the trees and the summer heat drifting away, it can only mean one thing; Fall is finally here! With Fall comes pumpkins, football games, flannels, and of course, Halloween. As the days get shorter and the nights get longer, Halloween is the perfect time to throw some of the craziest parties of the year. As your friends and neighbors prepare by decorating their houses and making fun costumes, here is your guide to throwing a spectacularly spooky soiree they won’t soon forget! Putting on a Halloween celebration may seem like a monumental task, but really it can be broken down into three main facets: Lighting, Special Enhancements, and Entertainment. Luckily, Rock The House is not only able to provide you with all of these things, but we’ll even walk you through each step of the planning process! Here are a few of our ideas, if you dare to dream big!

Lighting:

Lighting is a very powerful tool for any event you may be throwing because it allows you to not only transform the look of any space, but also the mood that is set by that space. Orange uplighting on a bare wall is a great way to give your guests a mysterious feeling as they arrive, or use it on some white drapery to make your own wall! Black lights are also known to set an eerie tone, and can be a great addition to any room’s design. While these lights are used to set the room’s general atmosphere, there are also advanced lighting options that will help bring your party to life after it kicks off! Strobe lights, hazers, and blinders are all great ways to turn your average room into a full-fledged Halloween production. Freedom sticks and gobos are some other good additions that can really bring a space together nicely.

Special Enhancements:

Once you’ve got the lighting in place, it’s time to polish off your production with some extra flare. Fog machines are a great accent to our advanced lighting choices, or you can add some chandeliers to give the room a touch of aged elegance! Also don’t forget about any of our fantastic extra entertainment options, such as Rockshots, LED Ping Pong, Giant Foosball, and more! Our selection of games and extra activities are a great way to ensure that guests will stay entertained both on, and off the dancefloor!

Photo Opportunity:

Another special enhancement that is a must-have for any Halloween party is one of our many different photo opportunities! Photos booth options have become a new staple piece for guest interaction, and can be very appealing to those who may be a bit too shy to put their dancing shoes on. Not to mention that if you’re throwing a costume party, your guests will be itching to get a picture of themselves in their new attire! Add social media sharing, and guests can easily share their photos directly to Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or even have their pictures sent to them instantly through e-mail or text message.

Entertainment:

When all the lighting and production work is done, you’ll still need to entertain your guests! Whether you prefer live entertainment or a good old-fashioned DJ, Rock The House is always ready to make your party ROCK! Our masterful DJ/MC pairs are trained to play for any kind of crowd, and our in-house, award-winning party band Rock The House LIVE is able to play a wide variety of genres from funk, to rock, to today’s biggest hits. No matter which option you prefer, you can be sure that all your guests will be out of their seats, enjoying themselves the entire night! As you can surely see by now, trick-or-treating isn’t the only fun thing you can do in October. Now’s your chance to throw a party so good, even ghosts from last Halloween will want to attend! Contact our team of event professionals today to get started, and mention this article and receive 5% off your Halloween event. Images courtesy of Google Images and the Rock The House Photo Archive.

10 Wedding Apps To Consider When Planning Your Wedding

August 1, 2016/in All Posts, Cleveland Wedding Venue, Disc Jockeys, DJ Akron, DJ Cleveland, DJ Columbus, DJ Pittsburgh, DJ Toledo, DJ Youngstown, Gay Weddings, Weddings /by mhadder4561

In case you haven’t noticed, the 21st century has brought about a whole new world of technology. From picture-sharing to finding the perfect place to tie the knot, our event professionals here at Rock The House have put together our top 10 wedding app suggestions for your big day!

1. Wedding Spot

Whether this is the first place you look to find a venue, or you’re just trying to compare a few different places, you can’t go wrong checking out the Wedding Spot. With the ability to search for locations based on capacity, location, budget, and more, Wedding Spot is your one stop shop when finding a place to say “I do”. In addition, they offer exclusive discounts and deals you can’t find anywhere else!

2. WedPics

A super easy way to see your wedding from the eyes of your guests, WedPics allows anyone attending your celebration to share their personal pictures of your day using a custom ID you create. Once you create your personalized wedding ID, you can invite your guests via text message, email, or even through Facebook! After that, sharing is just a simple upload away. Perhaps not a reliable substitution for a professional photographer, WedPics is still a great way to collect some nice candid pictures from your wedding day.

3. Fitocracy

If the pressure of wedding photos has you wanting to shed a few pounds before you tie the knot, or you just want to squeeze into that tuxedo or dress one size down, Fitocracy is a great tool to help you meet your weight loss goals. In addition to its fitness assessments and customized workout plans, Fitocracy also helps with nutrition and dieting to help you stay on the right track up until the big day! Your personal coach will also help give you the motivation you need, so that you’re sure to never miss a beat.

4. Fun Wedding

Perfect for formality dances and finding songs you know you want to hear at your wedding, Fun Wedding has lists of the most popular songs for everything from the first dance with your significant other, to Mother-Son and Father-Daughter dances. Whether you can’t think of a good tune, or just can’t find one that truly expresses how you feel, Fun Wedding is an app every engaged couple has to check out!

5. Wedding Happy

Is planning a wedding more complicated than you originally thought? No worries; Wedding Happy has everything you need to stay organized! With a full task calendar, budget tracker, and reminder alerts all right on your phone, Wedding Happy will make sure your wedding tasks are handled with time to spare, without having to put the rest of your life on hold.

6. BrideScan by Today’s Bride

A great tool for wedding planning, BrideScan by Today’s Bride allows couples to find vendors and keep in contact with them. Used by scanning codes at any of our sponsored Today’s Bride wedding shows, BrideScan takes the business cards out of your wallet and keeps all your vendor contacts organized by role right on your phone. You can even connect with other couples to exchange ideas, information, and more!

7. Etsy

Etsy is a one-of-a-kind online marketplace that is full of both the most common and unique of pieces! When looking for ideas for a wedding theme, Etsy can be a treasure trove of decor and pieces that can really bring your wedding vision to life. In case you don’t quite find what you’re looking for on Etsy, Pinterest and Wedding Wire are other great places to find wedding ideas.

8. Perfect365

If your wedding budget is slowly getting out of hand, Perfect365 is a great way for a bride to save some money and still look incredible on her wedding day. This free app is full of makeup and hair tutorials ranging from all levels of complexity, but instructions allow for a simple execution by anyone!

9. UStream

Don’t let distance keep your friends and family from enjoying your wedding day with you! Using the power of streaming, apps like UStream allow guests from all over the world to watch your wedding as if they were right there in person. Though UStream does require payment plans, you can take advantage of the free trial plan that includes 5 free broadcasts so that it won’t cost you a dime!

10. The Knot

If none of the apps above had a solution to your problem, you can most likely find it on The Knot. The ultimate wedding app, The Knot can help you with any aspect of your wedding from choosing a cake, to picking a dress. Whether you’re a day into your engagement or ready to plan the honeymoon, you can’t go wrong with The Knot.

Although these apps can make wedding planning go much smoother for you, nothing beats having one of our event professionals help guide you through the process. For more information on how we can help make your wedding celebration ROCK, click here! Images courtesy of Making The Moment.

ROCKstar of the Month of May: Nick Lockhart

May 9, 2016/in Disc Jockeys, Industry Professionals /by mhadder4561

For the month of May, our ROCKstar is none other than MC/DJ/Dancer Nick Lockhart. We have had the pleasure of working with Nick at Rock The House for the past 4 years. He never fails to bring energy and personality to every event he works at Rock The House.

Reliable, personable, humble, resourceful and always a team player, Nick never lets minor hiccups interrupt his ever-positive perspective on the work we do as entertainers. We are honored to call Nick a member of our RTH family.

Lets get to know Nick a little better now, shall we?

Nick, what is your favorite…

Guilty pleasure song? Take On Me by A-HA
Pre-event snack? Gushers
Post event snack? Chinese food
Cartoon character that best describes you? Gerald from Hey Arnold
Best part about being on the Rock The House team? Going on events and making people happy. Being able to get to dance and have a good time is what it’s all about.
Favorite event you have performed with Rock The House? The first Bar Mitzvah I ever Emceed. Everything seemed to go wrong, but it was a great experience and the client had no idea! Everyone had an amazing time.

Fun fact

It takes Nick 5-10 minutes to do his hair every day. However, he is always tending to it throughout the day to make sure it stays looking fresh. Nick has been rocking this hairstyle for 4 years now.

“Nick is an invaluable asset to Rock The House because of his ability to perform at ANY type of event. Whether he is asked to get the dance floor rocking with his DJ skills, dance skills, or rock his mic skills, he answers every time. It’s been a pleasure to see him grow from a talented but shy 17-year-old, to a talented and charismatic young man.” – Travis Rose, Talent Director

Do you want Nick to be apart of your next event? Contact our team of event pros to get started!

AAble Rents After Party Gets Rocked

May 4, 2016/in Corporate Production, Disc Jockeys, Industry Professionals /by mhadder4561

AAble Rents, known for its elaborate tent and event rentals, pulled out all of the stops with a little help from Rock The House, for its unveiling of LOFT1365 in Cleveland.

The AAble After Hours Party showcased a multi-million dollar renovation of AAble Rents headquarters. The event all went down after the WOW Awards, with more than 250 special event industry friends in attendance.

The theme of the night was a Miami nightclub, and that’s exactly what was created. Rock The House brought in 25,000 Watts of sound and provided a stunning and vibrant light show, video projection mapping, a Mirror Photo Booth, SocialCast, and a club-style DJ. You’d have to see it to believe it. Check out the video below!

Guests couldn’t even tell they were in a warehouse once the lights went down and the music started. The rest of the night, guests enjoyed food, including Barrio Tacos, a food truck, drinks, and plenty of music and dancing.

A big shout out to our colleagues and friends who made the night a huge success! L’Nique, DonutLab, David Corey – Photography, Event Source, Superior Speedie Portable Services, Barrio Tacos, and Piccadilly Artisan Creamery.

RTH Gives Back: Giannathon presented by KeyBank

April 20, 2016/in Disc Jockeys, RTH Gives Back / Charity Work /by mhadder4561

Rock The House had the privilege to entertain at Giannathon – A family-friendly event which raised $25,000 for Alex’s Lemonade Foundation for childhood cancer research. The event honored the young hero, Gianna Andolina, and her amazing family who discovered Gianna’s leukemia diagnosis when she was only 3-years old.

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Tracy Geagan
Documentary & Lifestyle Photography

“Giannathon is the brainchild of Gianna Andolina’s parents, Julie and Adam. Gianna was diagnosed with leukemia on June 30, 2014 and began treatment on July 1, 2014. After making sure their daughter had the proper care at the Cleveland Clinic, Julie and Adam began researching childhood cancer to better educate themselves.”

The event, which was promoted as a “family friendly dance party,” was packed with youthful energy, love and support for Gianna and her family. We danced, played, and unapologetically celebrated life – just as Gianna has done through her courageous journey.

Tracy Geagan
Documentary & Lifestyle Photography

“We honestly could not have asked for more from Matt at Rock the House for our inaugural Giannathon. He was extremely engaging and had so many people on the dance floor throughout the event which is exactly what the event was all about — raising money for pediatric cancer and DANCING!”
– Jenna Zone Tucci (Gianna’s Aunt)

For more information about how to keep up with Gianna and her journey, follow Giannathon on facebook.

Tracy Geagan
Documentary & Lifestyle Photography

Thank you, Gianna, for the inspiration. Can’t wait til next year!

Photo Credit:Tracy Geagan Photography

5 More Mitzvah Concepts to Consider (Part 2)

April 13, 2016/in Bar / Bat Mitzvahs, DJ Akron, DJ Cleveland, DJ Columbus, DJ Pittsburgh, DJ Toledo, DJ Youngstown, Lighting & Drapery, Photo Booth Rental /by mhadder4561

As we explained in Part 1 of this series, choosing just one event theme may be limiting to families who have a variety of interests and passions. However, in our experience, a theme or concept can be used a tool to make decisions easier to make and schematics simpler to plan.

With that said, here are even more Mitzvah concepts that are sure to WOW your guests and celebrate your son or daughter!

Bright Lights – Big Cities!

Considering a “Cleveland” Theme? Choose an iconic landmark as your venue! We’d suggest MOCA Cleveland or the Rock Hall.

Large Cities (New York, Las Vegas, Paris, CLEVELAND, to name a few) are packed with iconography, fast-paced activities and characteristic atmospheres, food and people. Consider a city-themed event. This way, your son or daughter can celebrate their big day with their very favorite people… in their very favorite place.

Disco

The seventies brought us amazing music, daring dance moves, and best of all… the iconic disco ball. Groovy parents and crazy children alike will “totally dig” this far out trip through time.

Winter Wonderland

There are so many ways to recreate winter indoors with modern event technology. From winter-themed GOBOS, to bright white confetti cannons, your outdoorsy son or daughter will melt over this very cool Mitzvah Concept.

Just Dance!

From black-light parties to club-inspired settings, events that focus on packing the dance floor are sure to please any crowd. Worried about getting guests motivated and moving all night? Look no further than our Party Motivators who are sure to pump up the energy at any given event.

Thanks for reading about even more of our favorite Bar and Bat Mitzvah concepts! For more ideas about making planning an event that packs a lot of punch, follow us on social media! (links below)

For more Mitzvah Inspiration, subscribe to our YouTube Page.

Jewish Wedding Traditions Take a Modern Twist

April 7, 2016/in DJ Akron, DJ Cleveland, DJ Columbus, DJ Pittsburgh, DJ Toledo, DJ Youngstown, Gay Weddings, Lighting & Drapery, Weddings /by mhadder4561

As we prep for this weekend’s Jstyle Wedding Show, we reflect on some of our favorite Jewish Wedding Traditions that have stood the test of time. The history and depth of each culture is featured and celebrated during milestone events like weddings and Bar Mitzvahs. However, you don’t always have to do your grandma’s hora – there are ways to take these traditions and amp them up with a modern mark. Here are some ideas to help you highlight your Jewish wedding traditions.

The Chuppah

Whether you choose a classic cloth chuppah, deck it out with decadent flowers, or do something ultra-modern, the Chuppah is the focal point of many Jewish Wedding ceremonies and should really shine. Add drama to your ceremony by adding a chandelier, some uplights or even spotlighting your Chuppah. This way, guests can focus in on the couple they are there to celebrate.

The Ketubah

Before the traditional Jewish wedding ceremony, the bride and groom meet with their families to sign their ketubah. “The ketubah is a unilateral agreement drawn by witnesses in accordance with Jewish civil law” (Chabad.Org). Today, brides and grooms purchase Ketubot that display their personalities. Make sure yours really shines through your Chuppah by adding light to it.

See the beautiful, traditional wedding ceremony of Katie and Ethan in the video below:

2014-06-28 RTH DSLR Highlight from RTH Multimedia on Vimeo.

Breaking the Glass

As the Jewish Wedding Ceremony concludes, it’s traditional for the groom to break the glass by placing it under his foot and forcefully stomping down. Make sure this moment makes a big impact by utilizing the appropriate sound equipment. Ceremony sound systems are a modern-day product offering that ensures that every prayer, vow, and stomp is heard – loud and clear.

The Hora

The Hora, a traditional, celebratory circle dance is popular at Jewish weddings and throughout many cultures. The dance is a great way to kick off almost any event, as it gets nearly all guests on the dance floor. Today, some non-Jewish couples dance the hora at their weddings as it is the epitome of a crowd-pleaser.

According to our very own, Nick Duvé:

“Jewish receptions are rich with traditions that have gone back generations. I especially love the Hora. It instantly brings an energy to the crowd and sets the tone for an amazing celebration. We have so many different versions of the Hora that can mix withalmost any wedding vibe.”

Read more about RTH “Wow” Weddings by clicking on the photo above!

From the ceremony to the reception to the after-party, there are so many ways to enhance your culture’s traditions with modern event technology. For even more info about Rock The House Weddings, click here!

5 Bar/Bat Mitzvah Concepts to Consider This Spring

April 5, 2016/in Bar / Bat Mitzvahs, DJ Akron, DJ Cleveland, DJ Columbus, DJ Pittsburgh, DJ Toledo, DJ Youngstown, Lighting & Drapery, Photo Booth Rental /by mhadder4561

While choosing a theme or concept for your child’s Bar/Bat Mitzvah can seem overwhelming, thematic events can actually be simpler to plan than events with less focus. When you and your family choose a concept for an upcoming event, everything from the food to the photography instantly becomes easier to envision.

Read on for some awesome Mitzvah themes!

Sports

Sports themed Mitzvahs are sure to please the crowd. With so many sports-related activities to embrace, why not hit the ground running with this super fun mitzvah theme?

Beach/Pool/Cabana

Recreate paradise with a tropical event concept. From novelties to playlists and tiki bars to boot, there are so many ways to let the sunshine even in the middle of winter.

Candy

Your incredibly sweet son or daughter will absolutely crave a candy-themed party. From photo novelties, to candy bars and sweet-themed cocktails, your “peeps” would pay “100 grand” and love you too “pieces” after a candy-themed event.

Casino / Vegas

Raise the stakes and consider a casino theme for your son or daughter’s big day. With fun casino-style gaming stations, your guests are sure to win big on or off the dance floor.

Alice in Wonderland

Your guests certainly won’t be late for this, “very important date!” When you incorporate a nostalgic Alice and Wonderland Theme into the party. After all, “We’re all mad here.”

Hollywood

Lights, camera, PARTY! Take Hollywood glamour to a whole new level with a Tinseltown-themed gala, red carpet and all.

Carnival / Festival

Come one, come all and feel free to clown around at a Carnival Themed extravaganza featuring your son or daughter!