Happy Birthday To Zoo

[goodknightdj]

Saturday was the celebration of the Maryland Zoo's (formerly Baltimore Zoo) 130th birthday and we were their choice for a DJ.

This was an outdoor event. The thermometer said it was 43 but the wind chill made it less. Regardless, hats, gloves, and a fairly warm Baltrimore Area DJ Association jacket made it bearable for my wife and I.

We were supposed to perform from 12 to 2 but they asked us to provide sound for the Governor's talk and he was due to arrive at 10. We were originally going to be in at 9 for security but we ammended that to 8. We're members of the zoo and know that the budeget is tight, so we didn't add to the price; we'll get it back in referrals because lots-o-business cards were handed out.

We actually arrived at the stage at 8:30 and were up and running by 9. Both Bose were in use for this. The truck was parked in the security area and we were ready to go.

We started off with some Jazz by Down To The Bone. People were arriving by 9:30 and we started to get some requests for "warm" music. We went into some Buffett and Beach Boys and then I started rolling thotugh some of the Party Request Series. I had a dancxe floor in the middle of thjis field.

Governor Ehrlich was on hand by about 10:15. Louie Louie was the last piece before the speeches started.

Amazingly, the speeches didn't last long. By about 10:30 the Governor, Miss Maryland, Mrs. Baltimore, and a few others were ready to cut the cake. I cued up Happy Birthday to You and the cake was cut.

I rolled back into it with Shout and we had some dancing again.

The Governor was asked to do a PSA and we were asked to yurn down the music until he was done. We were at a low level for about 20 minutes.

When we got the high sign that the PSA was done, I pumped it back up and rolled into the Arrow Version of Hot, Hot, Hot. A conga line formed. Next up was Shaggy's Angel and the people from the conga line stayed. Club Nouveau's Lean On Me got a dance Jam going and it continued for about an hour while worked through some Hip Hop.

The crowd from the dance jam asked for some MJ and I through up Billie Jean and Beat It.

I wwnt back to the Party Request Series and kept the crowd.

We ended the day at 2:00 through a disco and rock set into Last Dance as the last song.

The gate at the Zoo was close to 10,000 people. All of them got by the stage area at one point or another. We handed out nearly 300 business cards. We also offered our services to the Governor as a political contribution.

During the event we also did the YMCA. Three of the local TV stations captured a few seconds of my wife leading our six volunteers.