Show up and show out!
$2,000 starting price
NORTHERN CALIFORNIA
Service area
Richard Gintowt
OWNER
Typically responds within 24h
AWARD WINNER (10X)
Thanks to recommendations from couples on The Knot
Music is everything. It’s your history, your identity, and your joy. It’s what moves you on the dance floor and what moves you to tears. Quite simply: it’s the most important decision you’ll make at your wedding.
All Ears DJ is a premier Bay Area entertainment group that boasts a crew of highly-skilled DJs and musicians. Don’t settle for anything less than a DJ who can wow audiences with perfect blends, mashups and song selections. Talent matters, and All Ears DJs have shown up & showed out at more than 1000 weddings all over Northern California during the past decade.
Owner Richard Gintowt is an accomplished club DJ who can also perform live acoustic as a singer/guitarist for cocktail hour. He also offers a unique *vinyl* option to spin stax of wax on two turntables. New for 2025: photobooths & late-night karaoke!
All Ears DJ boasts a diverse roster of performers who celebrate core values such as inclusivity. All Ears DJs regularly spin at legendary Bay Area parties like Motown on Mondays and Fresh Jamz and late-night end-ups such as For the Record, Monarch, Legionnaire, Make-Out Room, Neck of the Woods, Madrone Art Bar, Bar 355, Ruby Room, Phonobar, Tupper & Reed and Pop's The All Ears squad even writes and produces original music and has notched production credits with buzzworthy artists like DJ Mustard, Jidenna & The Flaming Lips.
All Ears built its five-star reputation on exceptionally detailed preparation and flawless event coordination. Once you match with your DJ of choice, you’ll share playlists to collaborate on the perfect mixtape. Your DJ will also act as your entertainment director and help design an ideal event flow that lets you live in the moment without stress.
If you love music and won’t settle for anything but the best... hire All Ears DJ and make it a night to remember!
Prices & packages
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Details
Equipment
Audio/Visual Equipment
Sound Equipment
Music Genres
Dance
Disco
EDM
Hip-Hop
Latin
Pop
R&B
Rock
Music Services
MC Services
Recorded Music
Sound Equipment
Wedding Activities
Rehearsals & Parties
After Party
Wedding
After Party
Ceremony
Reception
Awards and Affiliations
Any questions?
Meet the team
Richard Gintowt
Owner
Richard Gintowt is a DJ and singer/guitarist based in Oakland, CA who has performed at 1000+ weddings. He started All Ears in 2010 to offer an alternative to cheesy wedding DJs. Richard delivers one-of-a-kind DJ performances featuring high-level mixology. He performs regularly in Oakland and SF at Bar 355, Ruby Room and Merchants Saloon and he plays shows with his band Hidden Pictures. His corporate client list includes Louis Vuitton, Virgin Airlines, Docusign, Startup Grind and Airbnb. A former music journalist & radio personality, Richard's love for music and performing runs 20 years deep.
Reviews
4.9
out of 5.0224 reviews
Your trust is our goal. Our community relies on honest reviews to help you make those big decisions with ease.
Review Summary
This AI-generated summary is a snapshot of this vendor's ratings and feedback.
All Ears DJ, particularly Richard, received glowing reviews for his exceptional DJ services at various weddings. Reviewers praised Richard's professionalism, organization, and responsiveness during the planning process, as well as his ability to cater to diverse musical tastes and keep guests of all ages dancing throughout the night. His attention to detail, flexibility, and talent in creating a fun and energetic atmosphere were highlighted by multiple couples, making him a highly recommended choice for weddings.Review photos
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Chelsea P
Highlighted review.
5.0
11/25/2024
Richard was helpful and respectful throughout our entire wedding planning process. He worked flawlessly with me, my partner, and our wedding planner to pull off an incredibly fun reception.
Richard did an initial call with my partner to discuss the general vibe we were looking for, and we knew immediately he would be a great fit for our wedding. Richard gave us a helpful questionnaire to fill out key songs and general musical interests (and do not play songs). Richard was also happy to jump on calls with us to talk through our questions and hopes for our big day.
I especially appreciated that Richard was able to play some German songs for some guests who had flown in from Germany, as that got even some of our older relatives on the dance floor. People were partying all night thanks to Richard! Richard catered to our wide age range of guests, and even gave us a couple of bonus closing songs that were the perfect conclusion to the night. We could not have asked for a better DJ.
Hannah S
5.0
11/09/2024
Aaron was great at our community party! We hired him through All Ears DJ and he was super receptive to what we wanted and made sure everyone had a good time. All Ears was easy and professional to book with and it went great!
Any questions?
Indigo H
5.0
11/07/2024
Richard was a wonderful DJ at our wedding. He played all our favorite songs and kept the dance floor moving. He created a really fun and spooky atmosphere between the songs and the lighting for our October wedding. We were very happy to have hired him.
response 11/07/2024
Thank you Indigo, had a great time with ya'll and wishing you all the happiness!
Stephanie C
5.0
7/22/2024
Highly highly recommend All Ears DJ! Richard is great to work with and went above and beyond when DJ'ing our wedding.
Throughout our entire process from our intro call to our wedding day, Richard was very professional, responsive and organized. We really appreciate how it was so easy to work with him.
Richard went above and beyond to make our wedding fun. He created a unique mashup for the groom/mother dance and helped feature a special performance from the bride's cousin. We wanted the dance floor to be fun and packed all night, and Richard definitely delivered the fun energy! Our dance floor was crowded all night and the guests loved the vibes that the DJ brought. One of our guests even said he felt like he was at a nightclub in Miami.
Thank you so much, All Ears DJ!
response 07/22/2024
Thank you Stephanie and it was a blast! Now I want to DJ a nightclub in Miami...
Julie H
5.0
7/16/2024
We had a fantastic experience with DJ Richard at our wedding! He absolutely nailed our taste in music. Richard is not only an excellent DJ but also a talented acoustic and guitar player, adding a special touch to our day. We got so many comments from guests how great he was! While he brought great energy and professionalism. Although we hoped that he checked in a little more during the wedding, we understand that some things were not in his control. Overall, Richard is a wonderful DJ who truly made our wedding memorable. Highly recommended!
response 07/16/2024
Hi Julie, congrats and glad I could come through for you!
Lauren B
5.0
5/13/2024
Richard was great. He had a form that we filled out about a week ahead with music selections and do not plays. It was very thorough. He responded quickly when we reached out to him with questions. The music selection was mostly on me because my husband generally listens to instrumental. I listen to a wide variety of music, so I left it pretty open ended, which I was a little nervous about, but Richard pulled it all together. An eclectic mix, yet cohesive. We had a much smaller turn out than we were expecting and even more dropped out last minute, my guess is because of the weather. It was an outdoor venue and was rainy and cold all day, but managed to burn out by the time the party started. Only raining briefly after dinner (we had umbrellas for everyone). The music selection was great and everyone rallied and had a good time. The last song was All You Need Is Love and a kick line formed with the remaining friends and family. It was ridiculously amusing. 10/10 would recommend Richard to anyone. I spent a good amount of time listening to his mixes on Mixcloud and have really enjoyed them.
response 05/13/2024
Thank you Lauren and Brian, so glad the rain cleared up and we could have a killer dance p...
arty. Best of luck to you two!
Brian M
5.0
5/13/2024
Definitely recommend for your wedding or any event. Richard was great to work with and knows how to read the audience.
Vanessa T
5.0
5/08/2024
Richard was the perfect DJ for our wedding, the dance floor was never empty and the vibes were impeccable. Our guests commented on how much they liked our DJ and Richard made our special day one to remember. Thank you!
response 05/08/2024
Thanks Vanessa and Dalton, had a blast with ya'll!
Ming Y
5.0
4/22/2024
Richard is easy to talk to, responsive and he gets what we want immediately. He brought his own set to the venue which has been tremendously helpful. On our wedding day, he warmed up the crowd with his great taste in music and charismatic personality. We are relieved to work with Richard, he is great!
response 04/22/2024
Appreciate that Mingmin and best of luck to the two of you!
Sam W
5.0
1/02/2024
There aren't enough good things I can say about Richard. He was the MC/DJ at our wedding last year and made everything run seamlessly. Planning was simple and breezy, he took our extremely chaotic and at times difficult requests and turned them into the best night ever. He also pulled off an incredible Eddie Munson cosplay (it was a costume wedding)
Thank you Richard!
Rebecca K
5.0
12/04/2023
So grateful and ecstatic that we got to work with Richard on our wedding. He was truly so easy to work with: professional, responsive, prepared, enthusiastic, and upbeat. He completely understood the vibe we wanted with our music. We danced for literally three hours thanks to Richard! We would wholeheartedly recommend him to anyone who is looking for a DJ.
Matt R
5.0
10/11/2023
Richard was awesome. He was super responsive throughout the process and had great energy for the entire wedding. We talked to him a few times leading up to the event to work out some ideas and I sent him a quick playlist I drew up and he said he would take it from there. He nailed exactly what we were going for and people had a great time all night. The guitar set he played at cocktail hour was perfect as well.
Eric M
5.0
10/09/2023
The best vendor we worked with at our wedding. The music was great, but even more importantly the microphone logistics and ceremony went off perfectly. Plus we requested an hour of karaoke to end the night and it was provided seamlessly. All Ears DJ made our night memorable.
Ali V
5.0
9/05/2023
Richard was great at our wedding. It was great choice picking him he had a greater vib and knew what songs to play to keep the mood great! Loved the uplighting he brought it added to the great atmosphere. Overall wonderful Dj
Sean S
5.0
7/26/2023
Picking a proper DJ for my wedding was probably what I was most nervous about, but I’m glad we found Richard because he killed it. We strayed a bit from the stereotypical wedding songs and instead went straight into party mode after our first dances. Richard kept the dance floor shaking until 1 am and blended our suggestions and “must plays” seamlessly with other bangers from his repertoire. If house, disco, booty bangers, and crowd pleasers is your jam, Richard has you covered. His communication was also always prompt leading up to the event and delivered the professional you’d expect.
response 07/26/2023
Thanks Sean, enjoyed collaborating with you on the playlist! Appreciate the opportunity to...
spin a creative and unique mix of songs and everyone was very kind. Cheers!
Lora J
5.0
5/07/2023
Richard was great! He was easy to work with and helped us pick out our song list. He played the songs we wanted but also built upon our requests with his own ideas which were perfect! He read the room and the energy of our wedding and played songs that got people dancing. Almost every guest was on the dance floor all night! Highly highly recommend Richard!
response 05/07/2023
Thank you Lora and Alan, had a great time with your rowdy crowd and you were so kind to me...
!
Hayley W
5.0
5/02/2023
Richard always delivers 100% of the time! I've worked with him a few times now throughout the Bay Area, and he always knows how to bring the party while still maintaining a strong level of professionalism. Thanks, Richard!
Alexis & Richard W
5.0
11/03/2022
DJ Richard was amazing from the start, super funny & easy to work with. Many of our guests commented on how great our music was. He was super accommodating with everything. He handled everything from the ceremony music, to a jazzy cocktail hour, to keeping the dance floor full through to the end of the night. Thank you again Richard! (great name btw)
Cameron M
5.0
9/14/2022
Richard was a fantastic host and DJ for our wedding. He was professional and had great equipment and I would recommend the light package if you book him for your upcoming events! Richard performed an acoustic version of Pink Floyd's "Wish you were here" which was absolutely beautiful as a tribute to my father who passed several months before the big day.
Thanks again Richard!
Amber B
5.0
9/12/2022
Richard was amazing to work with! We actually booked him after our first DJ stopped responding and I am so glad that we did! Richard helped us make our day go perfectly! The photobooth was the highlight of our wedding and everyone loved taking pictures! I cannot say enough good things about All Ears!
Alexander T
5.0
9/01/2022
DJ Mike (Cochran) absolutely nailed it at our wedding. He was extremely professional and handled all of the audio for the ceremony part of the wedding (to the point that no one had to think or worry about it - exactly what you want), and then kept us dancing all night long. We gave him a fair amount of guidance on what songs to play, but every was super impressed at his timing, sequencing, and most of all those transitions. Wow! Everyone was raving about DJ Mike. 100% would hire again.
Catherine W
5.0
8/18/2022
Richard brought his whole self to our wedding, and we are so glad that he was our DJ. He performed a beautiful acoustic set during cocktail hour, which included a Taylor Swift song which we had requested and he had learned for us. It was very special, and gave us the ambiance we wanted during cocktail hour. He also performed his MC role perfectly, and even led everyone in an impromptu rendition of a traditional Polish celebratory song (he gave us a heads up that he knew it and we were totally on board for him to sing it).
He was able to get our group onto the dance floor, many of us not really the dancing type, and kept the energy high right up until we had to wind down. Richard was professional throughout, knew how to read the crowd, and delivered what we needed. Thanks Richard for a special night!
response 08/19/2022
Thanks Catherine, gonna keep that T Swift song in my repertoire!
Augustin B
5.0
8/06/2022
We hired Richard for our wedding, and he was amazing! He was easy to work with and professional, yet super chill. He did everything perfectly even though we had lots of requirements (live acoustic guitar, DJing, and speeches during our long outdoor cocktail time as well as DJing and more speeches during the reception and open dancing time) and managed to create exactly the vibe we had in mind for the wedding. You should absolutely hire Richard for your wedding!
response 08/06/2022
Thank you Augustin and had a blast with ya'll!
Hannah M
5.0
8/05/2022
Richard was super helpful and easy to work with! He has lots of experience and was a great MC/DJ for the night!
response 08/06/2022
Appreciate you Hannah!
Maiya H
5.0
8/03/2022
Richard was great to work with for our wedding! I would definitely recommend him for your next event. What we loved:
1. Communication -- Richard answered our emails and text very promptly. Even if the answer was he was busy working, he would acknowledge our message and get to us when he could which was a lot better than some of our other vendors!
2. Music -- the music was great and aligned well with what we put on the reception form he gave us. He really watched the crowd and played a variety of songs people liked. Also, if something didn't seem quite as popular he would quickly pivot as needed so the dance floor was always lively!
3. Energy -- Richard had great energy on the day of. He was attentive, made our guests laugh, and was generally a great time. He cracked jokes here and there as the night went on but also wasn't overbearing, so there was a great balance
Overall, we loved having Richard perform at our wedding. The day went so smoothly with him there!
response 08/06/2022
Thank you Maiya, ya'll were too kind!
Ashley C
5.0
1/23/2022
We hired Richard for our wedding, and he was amazing! Easy to communicate with, he was professional, and did a great job! My husband is super to music and wanted to make sure we didn't have a typically 'cheesy' DJ at our wedding.
Richard played amazing music, taking the list of songs we wanted and creating a the perfect vibe for the entire wedding.
I highly recommend hiring Richard for any event you have!
response 01/23/2022
Thank you Ashley & Pablo ! Ya'll were a joy to collaborate with! And I even got to kick ba...
ck and watch a mariachi band.
Katey T
5.0
12/20/2021
Richard and wife, Jalyn were the power couple when it came to booking them for our wedding (DJ & Photobooth expert). The brought the party, listened to all our crazy requests and read the crowd. He didn't skip a beat when the mariachi ended - he picked a split second after they finished their set. The dance floor was crowded the entire time. Richard was super easy to work with, very responsive and it was an absolute pleasure to work with the both of them!
Mariah C
5.0
12/14/2021
Jayson and the team at All Ears DJ helped to make our wedding reception incredibly memorable for us and our guests! I loved working with them from start to finish, and enjoyed that while I did provide some guidance on music selection, he brought in so many more perfect songs to keep the dance floor packed all night long. I lost track of the number of guests who told us that Jayson had the best music selection! I would highly recommend them for anyone looking for a DJ to help elevate their wedding reception and bring the energy all night!
Erin H
5.0
11/18/2021
We had Mike Cochran as our DJ and he was amazing! All our friends loved him and he was super easy to plan with. He was super independent with setting up and didn't need any attention from us on the actual day (which is amazing), helped our officiant get set up without us having to ask, and was super easy to reach leading up to the event. He's great at communicating with you before the event and finding out things you want out of the music/lights/anything. We had asked him to use his judgement on song requests from our guests and felt he did a great job. Thanks Mike!!
Chelsea Rose E
5.0
11/17/2021
Richard was amazing, there really are not enough good things I can say about him and his sweet as can be wife Jalyn. They were so easy to work with and listened to all our requests. They were punctual and organized and completely professional. Everyone had a great time dancing the night away and taking fun photo booth pictures. Richard kept the flow of the wedding going with ease, leaving us so happy with how everything went that day. We are so thankful we had these two at our wedding!
Highly recommend to anyone looking for their wedding DJ and a fun photo booth : )
response 11/17/2021
Chelsea! Stop it! Go give that big beefcake a kiss on the cheek for us!
Lexie H
5.0
11/07/2021
Richard was the best DJ we could have asked for for our wedding! His laid back personality made it easy and fun to work with him throughout the planning process and day-of. He worked with us to play custom recordings of my brother-in-law on the violin (who couldn’t travel to our wedding due to COVID restrictions) and went with the flow during the cocktail hour to set up in a different location last-minute. His can-do attitude throughout was so appreciated! And above all else he definitely knows music - all music! Highly recommend Richard - you won’t regret it.
Sunny & Alex K
5.0
10/15/2021
Richard was great - from our first contact with him we felt very at ease that our music and emceeing was in good hands. He was willing to meet us where we were at - if you know every song you want on your playlist, he'll do that! Have no idea? He'll build one for you. Have a few ideas but need his professional guidance? (That was us.) He's your guy. He played beautiful acoustic music at the ceremony and cocktail hour, then crushed it on the dance floor - we had people pouring on the floor as soon as music started and the floor was packed through the last song, which is exactly how we hoped it would go. Richard was also very responsive during the planning process and ultimately was very low-maintenance and ran the show perfectly. We'd recommend him.
response 10/16/2021
Thank you Sunny and Alex! Such a pleasure to see it all come together beautifully.
Morgan N
5.0
7/23/2021
Working with AllEars was a fun and easy experience. Richard is an extremely talented musical professional and he made our wedding “the best wedding I’ve ever been to” -- according to a lot of our guests (which was not expected!). We sent him a playlist of about 50 songs, and he seamlessly wove them together throughout the evening beginning with a cocktail hour vibe, and then moving into a fun party-dance vibe. He seems super flexible and able to go with the flow of requests without making things sound abrupt, and he comes free of corny jokes like some DJ’s I’ve experienced :) Richard really made an already wonderful night more wonderful, and I would 100% hire him again for weddings, anniversary parties, or birthday parties. The value of having a DJ on the wedding day was huge: we had someone to announce the speeches in a way that made everyone pay attention, we had someone responsible for keeping the energy up throughout the party, and we had someone with great taste choosing songs. I highly recommend a DJ for a wedding, if you want to kick back and let the guests have a great time!
Jaymie F
5.0
7/11/2021
My husband and I had the pleasure of working with Richard and his wife, Jalyn, for our wedding this past June. Richard was awesome to collaborate with, is passionate about music, and has a great overall vibe. He made wedding planning during a pandemic feel like a breeze with his attention to detail, patience, flexibility and organization. I loved how thorough and intentional Richard was about understanding our music tastes/preferences – he even created an “audition mix” for us which was bomb! Another bonus is that he created a short mix for my bridesmaids and I to perform to on our wedding day. During the wedding day, he helped things run smoothly with his MC skills and kept the party going on the dancefloor. Additionally, we loved being able to use their Funktown Photobooth services (which was COVID friendly), and his wife, Jalyn, ran it so smoothly! She was really friendly and helpful in assisting guests with their photos, especially when managing larger groups. In general, our guests had nothing but great things to say about Richard and Jalyn, so I highly recommend them for your next event!
response 07/12/2021
Thank you Jaymie and Jose, your friends and family were so kind and good-hearted that it w...
as easy to rock with ya'll! Hit me up to discuss a collaboration on your upcoming yo-yo performances ;)
Kerry-Ann S
5.0
6/02/2021
Richard was incredible! He was a pleasure to work with and really made our wedding come alive. Would highly recommend!
response 07/12/2021
Thank you Kerry-Ann! So glad we could roll with the punches and finally pull it off. It wa...
s especially fun to interact with your family on the acoustic set and vibe about Wilco and other groups we grew up with. And I didn't even fall in the pool! ;)
Brandy S
5.0
5/26/2021
It was a pleasure working with Richard at All Ears DJ! Coming out of a pandemic he really made the process super easy. Everything for the ceremony and reception flowed perfectly and at the exact pass we wanted! Richard was very accommodating to our friends and family and managed the hefty play lists we provided like a pro. Our day was wonderful and he truly contributed to its success! Thank you!!
response 05/26/2021
Thank you Brandy and Sean, it was a pleasure to kick off the big comeback (from Covid) wit...
h ya'll!
Julie S
5.0
5/05/2021
Richard was an awesome dj! He was easy to work with from start to finish, and really impressed us on our big day. He did a good job of nailing the vibe we were going for with our music, and made the night flow smoothly. We loved that he was able to play acoustic for our ceremony and then quickly transition dj. Also he did a great job with up lighting our outdoor area. I absolutely recommend All Ears DJ!
Jacob W
5.0
10/09/2020
We held our wedding in the midst of the pandemic, we’re one of the few Covid Weddings. Richard was nothing short of professional. He loves the funk music just as much as we do so his style fit in PERFECTLY with our vibe.
We included a live saxophonist for 2 hours and Richard integrated the live sax seamlessly. It was unforgettable and the videos we received after the ceremony from friends were truly incredible.
He’s thorough, organized, and incredibly helpful when asking questions during the planning phase.
Despite the pandemic drastically changing our plans, Richard remained a consistent part of our wedding and accommodated all of the last minute adjustments.
We’ll certainly be booking him again for our future events and anniversaries!
Christopher F
5.0
7/27/2020
We worked with Richard and All Ears DJ and he was extremely professional, timely, and skilled. We initially booked for a medium sized wedding in Big Sur, but due to current events we were forced to make changes and worked out an excellent compromise for our tiny minimony/elopement. Richard masterfully blended three one hour mixes for us to play on our little Big Day. We listened to them multiple times as we spent time with our family and they really fit the idea that we had for them. He incorporated our ideas into them as well as added his own personal touch. We are very happy with how everything turned out and recommend Richard/All Ears DJ to anyone looking for a special mix.
Andrea A
5.0
7/01/2020
My fiance and I were blown away by the services All Ears DJ provides from uplighting, small planning, photo booth, references for videographer he works with (who does amazing work), and a local photographer he knows of. The services were well priced and beyond fair for what they're providing. Richard showed interest in our lives which was a nice touch, our taste in music, and offered a lot of resources we could utilize to get to know him as a person and DJ. All ears is not just offering a service, they're offering an experience.
I *highly* recommend him to future couples who are looking for a kick-ass, knowledgable DJ who is passionate about his work and cares about the people he works with!
Cheers!
Midi F
5.0
4/12/2020
My husband and I got married in Napa, and we had the pleasure of working with Richard from All Ears DJ. Richard helped us with all sound-related elements for our rehearsal dinner and wedding, and we couldn't be happier with the turnout. We first found All Ears DJ through our wedding planner. After some research and comparison, we decided to go with Richard, given his price point and outstanding reviews. Richard and his assistant, J, were extraordinarily professional and pointed out a few things that neither our wedding planner nor I thought of! In addition to the music, All Ears DJ also offers other services such as photobooth, which our guest really enjoyed that fun activity. Finally, both Richard and J got terrific energy that they are not just your DJ but also someone you enjoy talking to and have at your wedding!
Jennifer C
5.0
12/08/2019
My husband and I were SO lucky to have Richard be the DJ at our wedding. Not only did he play acoustic guitar and sing during our ceremony, which was very very special, but he kept the party going during our reception and had the perfect combination of oldies and new music to keep us dancing all night long. His professionalism and readiness to work with our likes and requests was amazing. Richard definitely added that extra special spark to our day!
response 12/08/2019
Thanks Jennifer, had a blast with ya'll!
Michelle B
5.0
11/25/2019
From the moment I first spoke with Richard on the phone, I could tell his musical preferences meshed well with ours. He played a great mix of old-school funk and current hits that had our whole crowd dancing, from older aunts and uncles to our younger friends. We got compliments throughout the night on how great the music was! Richard was also laid-back, professional, and easy to work with, doing just the right amount of emcee-ing without being cheesy :) We hired the mirrorbooth through All Ears DJ as well, staffed by Richard's wife, Jalyn. Our guests loved it, lining up for photos all night. My husband and I love having copies of those mementos now in our shared home! Finally, both Richard and Jalyn were lovely people, and saying goodbye when they left felt like saying goodbye to our guests. I strongly recommend All Ears DJ if you want an awesome party!
response 11/25/2019
Thanks Michelle! One of our best/funnest weddings of the year :)
John O
5.0
11/18/2019
It was great having Richard DJ our wedding, play guitar and sing during cocktail hour, and run the sound during our ceremony. He took the time to figure out what kind of music we were into, humored us with our oddball song requests, and had great instincts about how to keep the dance floor lively and so much fun. He is a cool, funny guy, and we got compliments from guests appreciating his interjections during the party which enhanced things and were not annoying as some DJs can be. We also got compliments on the sound design during the ceremony, which might be easy to be overlooked. And his live singing and acoustic guitar during cocktail hour really elevated the occasion. He was surprisingly good. He also was happy to help out with making sure our (my wife and I accompanied by her uncle) live performance of a song we wrote for each other ran smoothly and sounded good (as good as can be expected for us). He was totally integral to making the day as special as it was, and we appreciate it greatly.
response 11/18/2019
Thanks John and Emma, had a blast with ya'll and your rendition of "In Spite of Ourselves"...
was cute as heck!
Allie R
5.0
11/15/2019
DJ Swang was exactly what we hoped for and everything more!! Our entire experience with All Ears was top notch. We recommend their business to anyone looking for a fun, hip, and well experienced DJ! DJ Swang was the backbone of our wedding and we are so pleased we found him!!
response 11/15/2019
So glad to hear Allie and appreciate the feedback!
Dieter A
5.0
9/26/2019
Working with All Ears DJ was a blast, from beginning to end. They made us feel at ease from the beginning of the process -- they clearly know their trade and they're really easy to work with (professional, responsive, fun, knowledgeable, etc.). DJ Aaron Francisco totally rocked it at our wedding; he made sure he understood what music we wanted, but also went with the flow and added a bunch of really cool songs throughout. We had a long reception (9 hours, not counting ceremony), and he did a great job setting the mood for all parts of it. Thank you Aaron, Richard and the entire All Ears DJ crew!
response 09/26/2019
Thanks so much Dieter and Eduardo, it was a pleasure celebrating with you!
Rachel S
5.0
9/21/2019
Mike Cochran was our dj for our wedding and he was amazing. I highly recommend him! Everything went smoothly from ceremony to reception. The music covered all ages and the dance floor was never empty. We got so many compliments on the music. He played our must-play list and created his own variance based on the crowd.
Libby S
5.0
9/19/2019
What a great experience! Ellen was awesome! She read the room and kept the party going! she listened to us and heard what was important to us as a couple. She wasn't dorky or cheesy~! great experience !
response 09/19/2019
Thanks Libby and so glad to hear Ellen saves the dorkiness for her everyday life! ;)
Amanda S
5.0
9/17/2019
Richard was absolutely amazing. He went above and beyond for our wedding and really set the tone for a fun wedding! Seriously do not hesitate, book All Ears DJ!
response 09/17/2019
Thanks Amanda and I had a great time with ya'll!
Chase F
5.0
9/06/2019
Richard was awesome at our wedding last weekend! The dance party he created was a true highlight. Everyone immediately jumped on the dance floor after our first dance and kept going until the end of the night. So many of our guests raved about the music - both during cocktail hour/dinner and dancing. We were blown away. Towards the end of the night, the cops showed up due to a noise complaint and Richard worked with the venue staff to make sure the party could keep going. He MC'd and made announcements throughout the night but not in the cheesy way some DJ's can MC. He incorporated our requests from before and during the wedding. We would highly recommend him!
Benjamin D
5.0
9/05/2019
Richard did a great job DJ-ing our wedding back in July. He was really easy to communicate with before the wedding. He showed up early to our venue to set up and was all ready to go playing acoustic guitar as our guests arrived. Richard set up a battery-powered speaker out on the bluff where our ceremony took place and he also provided a mic setup for our officiant during the ceremony. Richard essentially MC'ed the wedding reception, keeping things on track and moving everything along smoothly. He did get a few of the wedding party names wrong as we all walked in, but if that's the worst thing that happens on your wedding day you're doing alright. Richard did a great job incorporating our musical requests throughout the night and the dance party was excellent. We had a blast, our guests loved the music, and Richard seemed to thoroughly enjoy spinning funk jams for us. He did a great job mixing dance tunes and even provided us with a recording from the night, which was awesome. Richard was extremely professional and easy to work with and we would highly recommend him for your wedding!
Lily L
1.0
9/04/2019
Richard Gintowt was an ABSOLUTE NIGHTMARE and nearly ruined our wedding. This is just what happened (facts) at our wedding which took place in Sonoma on Aug 31, 2019.
Extremely Unprofessional - My wedding planner told me Richard was hostile and rude to staff throughout the wedding. My fiance (the groom) told me Richard was also rude to him. Two of our guests told me at one point Richard was so angry at our wedding, he had to go outside and people had to calm him down. When Richard lost his composure because he played the wrong daughter/father dance song, I told him to relax and calm down and Richard looked at me like he going to fight me (the bride). Numerous guests told me Richard was also extremely rude to and fought with our wedding performer (who is my father's best friend). He was drinking alcohol at our wedding and when my wedding planners told him not to drink, he cursed at them. I also heard Richard swear when his microphone had noise feedback with the speakers. I had guests constantly complain to me about the DJ throughout the evening. It made me on edge the entire night.
Unprepared and Disorganized - Despite several attempts of communicating with Richard and talking to him a week before the wedding and him confirming that he got, he used the wrong document. Didn't play a lot of songs I requested. Completely played the wrong father/daughter song. The slideshow wasn't set up when guests or the wedding party entered the reception. Our groomsman had to help him troubleshoot the slideshow well into the reception. We sent him a test clip of the slideshow a week before the wedding for you to test it with his equipment and he confirmed: "looks good". The slideshow at the wedding played was not full screen and everyone can see his desktop/other applications on your computer. The slideshow didn't even fit to screen size. It just looked ghetto. We asked him to loop the slideshow for the entire reception. It was not looped and the slideshow started late and ended early.
Low Energy and Disengaged - Richard's energy were low throughout the event and did the absolute bare minimum when it came to MCing our wedding. There were times where he should've stepped in to help with the transitions or inform guests whats going to happen, and he did nothing. For example, he played the wrong father/daughter dance. And when did finally played the right song, he didn't say anything to let us know the right song was starting. We had a dance routine and we were scrambling to find each other. Also, when the bridesmaids and I left to change outfits, my fiance told me the room was incredibly awkward. No one knew what was happening and was confused as to what is and what's going to happen, he did nothing to inform the guests or get people to dance.
Richard emailed me on the night of the wedding at 2am asking me for his tips. Later he emailed me admitting he didn't deliver and his grandmother recently passed. So I understand the low energy and disorganization. But what I don't understand is the anger and hostility towards everyone at the wedding. We spent over $70K on this wedding and I basically paid All Ears $2000 to almost ruin my wedding and get in fights with everyone. My wedding planning company had to pull in a third person last minute for my wedding solely to manage just Richard onsite. It was a disaster!
I would highly caution anyone who is considering using All Ears DJ especially Richard Gintowt for your big day!
response 09/05/2019
Hi Lily, I wish I was having nightmares, as that would mean I had slept well since your we...
dding last Saturday. Instead I’ve been paralyzed with night sweats because you continue to berate me with these ridiculous falsehoods and accusations.
The absolute nightmare was you. No one will tell you that in the gilded world in which you live in, but all the vendors at the wedding who weren’t being paid to appease you agreed wholeheartedly that you were OUR worst wedding of the year.
Before I dive into it, let’s start with the basics.
You never even said hello to me. Not once did you introduce yourself or thank me for DJing your wedding. Instead you hid passive-aggressively behind the veneer of your wedding planners. I hope you paid them an amount suitable for all the BS they had to choke down and vomit back up as smiles.
You never once expressed empathy for the death of my Grandma in the days preceding your wedding. I delivered the eulogy at her funeral on Friday, buried her and flew back to the Bay fully confident that I could nonetheless bring a good spirit and professional attitude to your wedding. My Grandma’s passing is NOT an excuse for anything that happened at your wedding, only an illustration of the fact that you were completely focused on yourself and insensitive to my needs and emotions as a human being.
You referred to me as “ghetto”, a detail that was not lost on my black wife as we sorted through the fallout from your barrage of mean-spirited emails in the days following your wedding. For you as an upper-class Chinese woman to use such terms indicates your complete lack of cultural sensitivity and frankly your ignorance and racism.
The only interaction we had on your wedding night was you berating me about playing a song for the father/daughter dance that you had chosen a month prior on our phone call. I apologize for not catching the revision, but with an almost-daily barrage of emails and changes in the month prior to the wedding that’s exactly the sort of thing that’s bound to happen.
You made no mention of the fact that your ceremony was executed flawlessly and your dance floor was packed for two hours. Are such things indicative of a one-star performance?
Now here are some things that did not happen at your wedding.
I was not “hostile” nor rude to your family, friends or wedding planners. There were a couple moments during the evening where I was exasperated and yes it probably showed. But I did not direct this energy at anyone in particular, I only occasionally took a minute to compose myself and come back to perform the job I was hired to do.
I did not consume alcohol at your wedding. Around 10pm I tried to get a beer (and boy could I have used one!), but your planner informed me that vendors were not allowed to drink because “it’s a liability”. Well frankly I’m 38 years old and I’m liable for own decisions, but I nonetheless left the beer at the bar and finished my set.
My energy was not “negative” nor “low”. I try to avoid being on the mic when it’s not necessary, and if I would have been on the mic more it probably would have been awkward. The timeline kept getting shifted around and I was receiving conflicting directions from your planning and catering team.
My DJ set was interrupted not once but TWICE by a Chinese street performer named Mr. Chunky. While I was more than happy to accomodate Mr. Chunky’s first performance, it became increasingly clear that Mr. Chunky wanted to be the star of the show. These interruptions curtailed any momentum we were building during the dance portion of the evening, as we had to kick people off the dance floor and turn all the lights on.
The only reason the slideshow was not looping for the duration of the reception was because you didn’t walk over to me and ask for it. I removed my projector and screen from the dancefloor during dinner at the request of the catering staff, but it could have been turned on at anytime.
This wedding is a classic example of what happens when a bride is so obsessed with her wedding being “perfect” that she barely enjoys herself and walks away resentful that her wedding fell short of the Disney movie she envisioned in her dreams. I guess someone has to take the blame and too often it is the DJ.
It should also be noted that despite my clear communication that your remaining balance was due prior to the start of your wedding, you withheld it for three days to spite me. I appreciate you finally paying it but this was a petty act on your part.
I hate that it’s come to this, but when you slander my good reputation I’m not the sort of business owner who is going to “cowtow” to you like the rest of the help in your life. You are accountable for the mud you fling and in this case you are way out of line.
PS: Sorry I didn’t play any Coldplay. They haven’t been good since their first two records and no one dances to Coldplay. Also, “Blurred Lines” is by Robin Thicke not “Alan Thick”.
Jenna G
5.0
6/10/2019
One word to describe this group would be UNBELIEVABLE! We have never been to a wedding where 90% of the people were dancing before AND after dinner until these guys! We were joking that people didn’t really eat our desserts, fill out our guestbook, or even remember to drop off their card because they were too busy breaking it down on the dance floor! Adding the live drummer was a unique experience and we had multiple guests (including a couple that wanted to use them at their upcoming wedding) tell us it was by far the most fun wedding they’ve ever attended and raved about the music. Perry brought a few extra guys for set up and they even joined in the fun by doing choreographed dances. We can’t thank you enough for keeping the energy up the entire night. And for any couples looking to check the DJ/live music box, look no further.
Corbin R
5.0
6/03/2019
Richard was our DJ for our wedding on May 18th. I would absolutely recommend him for any event. With the pouring rain and all, he made everything so simple and seamless. We gave him a playlist with types of songs we enjoyed and he took it all from there. Whenever my wife and I had a moment to stop and listen to the music that was being played we were happy with the song! He can read the room and mood very easily. The dancing portion was a blast and the songs kept people of all ages (this was important to us) on the dance floor. A few of the uplights in our venue went out at some point and he was kind enough to bring out a few of his own to keep the mood. Very helpful!
Bernadette B
5.0
5/14/2019
I am a bit late on reviewing but better late than never! Our wedding was Nov. 3, 2018 and we had Mike Cochran as our DJ for cocktail hour and reception. He was absolutely amazing. My husband clicked with him the first time they met and new right away he would be great. we were able to give him playlists of songs we wanted to play and list of ones we did not. He kept the party going all the way to the very end and there was barely any time that people were not on the dance floor. I am still getting amazing feedback about how much they loved our DJ. Mike made our wedding that much more special! I could not have imagined it with any other DJ. He even took a few very random requests from people, which was so awesome. I would 100% recommend him to any one for their special event.
Derek O
5.0
4/27/2019
Richard was a true professional and a pleasure to work with! We went with the live singing and DJ services and he knocked it out of the park. He was able to adjust to the needs of our venue regarding sound and amplification and helped control the flow of the evening. We gave him a few ideas of DJ songs/themes/eras and trusted his expertise with creating a mix, and it flowed all throughout the night. Thanks again Richard! Would highly recommend.
Erin R
5.0
1/07/2019
My husband and I are so happy that we hired Richard as a DJ and to play live music during our reception and cocktail hour. He was perfect and just what we were looking for. The music and dancing portion was probably the thing my husband and I cared the most about and Richard delivered flawlessly. Having him play guitar and sing during cocktail hour was such a perfect setting and he is extremely talented as a musician. The songs he picked were perfect for the setting and it was great to have live music. We also knew that we wanted the dancing portion of the evening to last more than 5 hours and Richard kept the party going and the energy up the entire time and played a great range of stuff, while also playing all of our requests. He was great to work with, easy to communicate with and an excellent value. I would happily recommend Richard to anyone.
Annie C
5.0
11/04/2018
Richard did an amazing job at our wedding. We did not want a bunch of cheesy party games or call outs at our reception--just someone who would focus on the music and making sure our guests were dancing. We were also looking for someone who would make our ceremony feel special without resorting to a quartet or string ensemble. We looked at several DJs but didn’t really feel a connection with any of them. However, after we listened to Richard’s mixes on his website, we set up a meeting.
We met for an initial consultation and he immediately clicked with both of our musical tastes--hip hop and indie. He was game to play our processional song acoustically for the ceremony. Two weeks before the wedding, we got in touch with him, and he sent over his pre-wedding questionnaire (names, order of reception/ceremony, genres, etc). We added several more specific genres and examples of songs we liked. Richard was extremely accommodating.
The day of the ceremony and reception, he arrived on time and dressed perfectly for the occasion. Our ceremony was outdoors, and unfortunately we had some issues with wind. Richard was very accommodating and suggested a microphone setup that would minimize picking up wind for our officiant and speakers. He nailed the processional song, although it was a little hard to hear over the wind. He also suggested playing a recording of the recessional song instead of doing it acoustically which was a great suggestion. Overall the ceremony went off without a hitch. None of our guests complained about not being able to hear, and all of the microphones worked great off the bat.
Due to the weather, we had to shift the cocktail hour indoors, which Richard was accommodated easily and professionally. He quickly put on an outdoor mix as well as an indoor mix. The volume was perfect and it did not overpower our conversations. Both mixes were spot on--the exact vibe we were going for. We both loved going inside and outside and recognizing songs or artists we put on our list.
Richard was great with announcements. He introduced the bridal party without a hitch. He set us up to borrow the mic for a quick toast and thank you. His dinner mix was on point as well. He hit the exact mood we wanted. Again, the volume was perfect--just enough to be heard, but not hard to talk over.
For dancing, Richard really nailed it. He kept the dance floor hopping the entire night. He did just an impeccable job shifting between various genres and moods without any awkward pauses or floor clearing songs. We had several older guests at our wedding, and we were worried that the music might be too fast, but they were dancing all night long. Richard played a great mix of older and newer songs, and each song just felt like it belonged. He worked in songs we wanted as well as classic ones we didn’t know we wanted to dance to. We trusted him to put on a great show, and he absolutely did not let us down.
Overall, Richard was great to work with. We gave him guidance with our genre and song picks, but let him do his thing and he really nailed it. We asked him for a mix afterwards, and it was great listening back to it. Thanks so much Richard for a memorable time!
Chris H
5.0
10/30/2018
Tanner was a multi-talented star at our wedding, and a big part of what made it such a wonderful occasion for us. He provided acoustic accompaniment for the ceremony and cocktail reception, emceed the toasts, and kept the dance floor energy going with a great DJ set after dessert. All the while he accommodated our requests (he learned a new song on guitar for our ceremony and tailored the DJ set to our and our guests' musical proclivities). Last but not least, Tanner was extremely personable and a joy to work, with starting from our initial call 10 months before the wedding all the way through the event. We couldn't have asked for a better teammate for our wedding day!
Brittany E
5.0
10/29/2018
We could not have asked for a better DJ than Jayson! He was so great to work with and kept everyone on the dance floor the entire night! There wasn't an off moment. He played to the entire crowd of older family members and all of our younger friends and made sure he had a playlist that everyone would love. He was so organized and had a great template to help select the songs for each part of the wedding. He dealt with the 3 different setups we needed (ceremony, cocktail hour and reception) and pulled off everything so smoothly. I am so happy we went with All Ears DJ and Jayson! I could not have asked for a better DJ & have already received requests about who our DJ was and how they can book him!
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