The DJ vs. Band Argument

The DJ vs. Band argument from a former Bat Mitzvah

My seventh grade year was by far the best of my middle school career.  And no, it was not because I had finally made it half way through the three most socially awkward years of my life, it was because each weekend I had an excuse to put on my heels and favorite dress and dance to my favorite songs with my best friends.  In other words, it was the year of the Bat and Bar Mitzvahs.

Any teen, including myself, who has attended enough of these record hops, luncheons, fancy parties, and black tie affairs can easily tell you that some parties were far more memorable and fun than others. And I’ll let you in on a little secret…it was not the mozzarella sticks or kids table decorations that made a difference. What was important, however, was the music. In other words, did the party have a band or a DJ?

When planning my Bat Mitzvah, my parents immediately called several well known bands in the city, met with each of them, and then hired the one that they liked best. When I asked why a band instead of a DJ, they told me that there is nothing like live music for people to dance to.

In the end, my Bat Mitzvah was one of the best nights of my life. But, if I could have changed anything about it, I would have hired a DJ instead of a band. And here is my list of reasons why.

1.      DJs play artists original songs. In other words, there is no chance of your band’s singer putting his or her own spin on a song and singing it in a way that it is not meant to be sung. It is somewhat of a let down to a crowd when they are excited to dance to their favorite song and it just does not sound how they were expecting it.

2.      DJs have far more selection and can therefore take more requests. If your guests want to hear a certain song, they can simply ask the DJ to play it. They don’t have to worry about the band being unfamiliar with it, especially if the song is band new.

3.      DJs can interact more with the crowd. This pumps everyone up and makes it a better time for all.

4.      DJs take far fewer breaks than bands. This means more time for the crowd to be engaged with the person you hired to play your music.

So as you can see, I, the very experienced Bar and Bat Mitzvah goer, enjoyed parties with DJs more than parties with bands. And although my parents and I did not agree on the decision to hire a band, we did agree on something else; when the kids are having fun and dancing nonstop, the adults have a better time too. Do your party a favor and hire a DJ. It will be a night to remember for sure!

-Sydney Fenkell

Sydney is a former employee of Cutting Edge Entertainment, and is currently a student at the University of Pennsylvania.  Obviously, Syd’s parents did not use our DJ services for her Bat Mitzvah but in their defense they used one of the Philadelphia area’s most prominent and prestigious bands (Marc Rose), but they did use Cutting Edge Entertainment’s services for the Mitzvah of their second child.

-Craig