Darby Events | DJ + Piano Combo

so blessed all these years but unfortunately that day arrived and you were that couple. For the first time in my career I wanted to refund every penny and more just to get out of the situation, but I would never do that - no matter how bad it was or how unpleasant and unreasonable a client was. If this was an honest, somewhat accurate review I would really take it to heart because I put my heart and soul into my business and my couples. However, what you are writing here is just as unbelievable and bizarre as what occurred the evening of your wedding. I’m very resilient and incredibly accommodating but there is always a point when behavior and actions have just gone too far. We reached that point. Let me begin by saying that I took this booking because I absolutely love the planner you chose. I had never met either of you until the day of your wedding and if I had, I’m almost certain I wouldn’t be having to respond to this right now. That being said, I feel it is so important to provide a very detailed response to you and anyone else reading this after what myself and the other vendors experienced. Every vendor you hired made a point to express how terrible you both had treated them and that you were extremely confrontational and difficult to deal with. Regardless of what you write here, you complained about everything and anything all evening long. I also feel it is very important to include the details you chose to omit from your review given how strange and unusual everything was that occurred. I’ve seen a lot in my 9 year career but this was truly surreal. -COTTON EYE JOE- Your comment about me playing the song “Cotton Eye Joe” needs to be addressed first. Having to play that song make my ears bleed and completely devalues all of the hard work I have put in to provide a high-end experience. I am a classical pianist and seasoned DJ and what I do is the absolute opposite of songs like that and every vendor and couple I have worked with over the years can attest to that. I would never in 100 years play that horrible song at any of my weddings unless I did not have a choice and was told to do so. At your wedding, I was quickly approached by an immediate family member who was intoxicated, aggressive and insisting I stop all the music to play that song. She waived her finger in my face and wouldn’t stop until I played this song. This was also backed by her telling me you wanted it to be played. Your wedding had 25 people at it. If a direct family member approaches me in that fashion, also telling me the bride wants to hear a song, I’m going play it. Especially with 2 dozen guests in attendance. -YOU BROUGHT A KARAOKE DJ- The other HUGE part you left out is that you brought a friend of yours who was a karaoke DJ to be involved in your wedding. You sent me a message asking if your friend could bring his equipment, laptop and microphone to play and sing ONE song. I agreed to accommodate this and even arrived early to help him sound check his stuff. This “one song” couldn’t have been further from the truth as half way through the reception, your karaoke friend hi-jacked the wedding and decided to take over as the DJ. He walked up to me said he was going to “play a little something” and proceeded to sing karaoke through my sound system, off his laptop, with the microphone he brought. He walked up to my table, turned on his equipment and just started playing music over mine. Just picture this scenario from my perspective. What would your reaction be? As you said, he certainly “MC’d” - if that is what you want to call. However, if screaming “HEY,” “LETS GO,” “LETS GET IT,” over and over is your idea of great MCing at a wedding, then we have polar opposite ideas of what is considered “great.” I even took videos of it all simply because it was so unbelievable and I had some concern that something would come of it. Everything he did was what I stay a million miles away from. Just as I did at your wedding and the hundreds before that, when MCing I make all introductions and announcements and direct the procession of the evening. Elegantly. To suggest I did not MC your wedding, or at least attempt to before this guy forced his way in, is just untrue. Yelling into a mic like a cheesy hype man and getting on the dance floor leading dances is not my style as an MC. Regardless, you granted your friend the opportunity to sing a song and then went on to tell him he could do as he pleased. -MUSIC SELECTION / PLAYING THE PIANO This review says you were excited to have something different because I played the piano. Just to recap, my business is listed as “DJ/Piano” combo. My entire website has pictures of me playing a piano and hours of video content I have created all utilizing a piano and the ways I am not an average DJ. The point being - as you can see, I play the piano while I DJ. You gave me no direction other than to play “Sinatra-like” music for dinner. Normally this is great because I have awesome music selections I play on piano during dinner that guests love. At your wedding, I played ONE song on the piano that was the same genre, but NOT by Frank Sinatra. The groom came running up frantically asking me to change the song and not to play any other songs on the piano. He said I could ONLY play Frank Sinatra songs because that was your “vision.” So as he asked, I proceeded to play 19 Frank Sinatra songs in a row, back to back. Why on earth would you hire me if I CAN’T do what I advertise and play the piano? How would you be excited for something “different” if I wasn’t able to use my skill set and was required to play 19 songs in a row from the same artist? Needless to say, myself and every other vendor there was completely dumbfounded. It’s further disappointing that I spent hours making you custom edits of music for your wedding , gave you a discounted rate through your planner and allowed your DJ friend to utilize my equipment - all free of charge. I attempted to DJ your wedding like every other I have done for almost a decade. The same thing people hire me for and the same reason I have hundreds of great reviews from amazing, appreciative couples. In 9 years: - I’ve never been told to stop playing the piano in the middle of a song - I’ve never been asked to play 19 songs in a row all by the same artist - I’ve never been bashed on the internet for playing a song that a family member requested on the brides behalf - I have NEVER EVER had a couple bring their own DJ to take over my job and equipment You put me in an impossible situation and then went further by bashing me online. After all that had happened, I simply could not believe that you sat down to write a review like this. But honestly after meeting you both and having experienced what we did, it shouldn’t be surprising. The way you both embrace and enjoy confrontation just made this review the final jab after your wedding. When you asked me to go above and beyond to accommodate someone bringing equipment to sing one song through my sound system, then deliberately allow and even encourage this individual to take over and do as he pleased, is unlike anything I have ever dealt with in my career. To further write a review suggesting I did a poor job and your friend had to “step up to the plate”…. well frankly, it is pretty sickening. Thankfully I have never dealt with anything close to how bizarre and miserable this was but as I stated, I knew this day would come. All in all, I look forward to providing more kick-ass music and dance parties for all of my wonderful couples and hope I get another 9 years under my belt before I have another wedding like this.