Northern Lights DJ and Live Music Entertainment

DJ, Live Music, MC, Up Lighting

$800 starting price

San Antonio, Texas and surrounding area

Service area

AWARD WINNER (1X)

Thanks to recommendations from couples on The Knot

My name is Russell Barbee, owner and operator of Northern Lights DJ Services (DKA Productions LLC). I am a wedding DJ and musician who performs frequently in the San Antonio area. My specialties include wedding ceremonies, receptions, parties, and cooperate events. I am often recommended to couples planning their weddings and receptions. I am a professionally-trained musician and DJ who offers highly-personalized services to couples who desire the ideal musical touch for their wedding ceremonies and receptions. With a digital music library of over 70,000 songs, parties are always a great success! My music is clean edited and appropriate for all occasions. Other services I offer include MC services, a customized playlist, consultation sessions, and all the necessary equipment.

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Prices & packages

Details

Equipment

Sound Equipment

Music Genres

Bluegrass

Caribbean

Classical

Country

Dance

Disco

EDM

Hip-Hop

Jazz

Latin

Pop

R&B

Rock

World Music

Music Services

MC Services

Recorded Music

Sound Equipment

Wedding Activities

Rehearsals & Parties

After Party

Wedding

After Party

Ceremony

Reception

Awards and Affiliations

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Availability

4.9

out of 5.0

43 reviews

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Review Summary

This AI-generated summary is a snapshot of this vendor's ratings and feedback.

Northern Lights DJ received overwhelmingly positive feedback for their DJ services at weddings. Reviewers praised Russell's professionalism, attention to detail, and ability to keep the party going with a well-crafted playlist. Russell's dedication to understanding couples' preferences and enhancing their special day was evident, making Northern Lights highly recommended for those seeking a seamless, energetic, and memorable wedding experience.

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Bianca E

Highlighted review

1/01/2025

We had the pleasure of working with Russell for our recent event, and we couldn’t be more pleased with the experience! From the very first interaction, he was incredibly personable and easy to communicate with. He took the time to understand our vision and made sure to tailor the music to fit exactly what we were looking for. During the event, his energy and professionalism were top-notch. He really nailed the vibe we wanted—perfectly in line with the playlist we had requested, but also reading the crowd and adjusting as needed to keep things flowing. Would highly recommend him to anyone looking for a talented, easygoing, and reliable DJ. Thanks again!

Tanesia W

6/21/2025

From our very first conversation, we knew we were in great hands. Russell was the complete package: incredibly personable, genuinely attentive to our needs, thoroughly professional, and an absolute blast to work with! Planning a wedding can be overwhelming, but Northern Lights DJ made everything so easy. They took the time to get to know us as a couple, listened carefully to our music preferences, and crafted a playlist that perfectly reflected our style and vibe. Every detail was thoughtfully handled. On the big day, Russell was a total pro. Punctual, polished, and prepared, they seamlessly guided the flow of the evening, kept our guests engaged, and made sure everything ran smoothly. But most importantly, they knew exactly how to get the party started and keep it going. The dance floor was packed all night, and we’ve lost count of how many guests told us it was the best wedding they’ve ever attended. If you’re looking for someone who is not just a DJ, but a true partner in making your day special, we can’t recommend Northern Lights DJ highly enough. Their warmth, energy, and expertise made our wedding unforgettable.

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Julie H

5/01/2025

Russell provided superb DJ/MC services on our special day. During the final planning meeting before our wedding, Russell dedicated himself to fully explaining how the event would go and working with us to match exactly what we wanted. He even edited several of our requested songs to match the timelines and vibes that we were looking for. We're so happy that we chose Northern Lights for our wedding entertainment; they really are top-notch!

Rachel L

4/25/2025

William was amazing! The music was super fun and energetic. He was very professional and kind to work with. 10/10 would recommend!!

Melissa S

3/16/2025

Super professional, friendly, thorough! Overall an amazing experience! Super easy to work with. Everything went super smooth, and they really helped our timeline move smoothly and was also super informed already about our venue which was super helpful. They were amazing, and would absolutely work with them again in the future.

Jordan B

1/28/2025

I cannot say enough good things about Northern Lights and Russell! He was so helpful during the planning process and brought up things I would’ve never thought about. He was also so helpful the day of the wedding and I will forever be appreciative of him! I highly recommend Northern Lights and Russell for any important event!

Brianna S

11/15/2024

Russel provided excellent DJ services for our October 2024 wedding. He was so patient and helpful during the whole process of selecting music and figuring all those little details. No matter what questions we had he took the time to talk us through them which helped make our wedding day so special. I would HIGHLY recommend using Northern Lights DJ services for your next event!

Mr. & Mrs. G

5/29/2024

Mr. Russell and Mr. William did a fantastic job working with us on our 30th anniversary celebration. It was a unique situation, and they took time to communicate and go over every detail for the event to be successful. Thank you so much!

Madison G

5/13/2024

Russell was amazing during the process of planning and the day of plan execution. My groom and I selected Russell to DJ and live saxophone, with Xavier on the trumpet. Their jazz duo during the cocktail hour was a huge hit. They both were amazing, their classic Jazz set was one of my personal favorite parts about my wedding day. It made my venue come alive. Russell was amazing with all timing, ceremony, announcements, reception. Incredibly flexible and knowledgeable. Do yourself a favor and book with Russell. If you have your own ideas or looking for someone to provide ideas. Seriously. Russell is amazing.

Evan M

5/06/2024

Extremely flexible and professional. Very fun and easy to work with. Very reasonable pricing.

Josh S

4/22/2024

Great service! Arrived on time, had a great pre-wedding checklist and did a great job at the wedding!

Vivian S

12/18/2023

Russell created a seamless blend of music and announcements, keeping the energy high throughout the night. His ability to read the diverse crowd and adapt to the vibe made the wedding unforgettable. Highly recommend!

Christina R

11/01/2023

Russell was WONDERFUL to work with, very patient with me, even though it took me a while and last minute to get him my songs, he was kind and understanding throughout all of it. Best DJ I could have ever asked for!! :D

Bryce H

8/11/2023

Russell with Northern Lights was amazing to have out at our wedding. He was super easy to work with, very professional and organized, helping us navigate events of our ceremony we didn’t even consider. All of our guests came up to us throughout the night to compliment the music selection, and he did an awesome job at matching the vibe of the guests and event as the night progressed. Couldn’t have asked for a better DJ to make our night special, I know we loved having him out, and hearing our families continuously compliment him was constant reassurance that we made the right choice when booking Northern Lights!

John H

5/15/2023

We booked Northern Lights DJ from a recommendation from a friend and could not have been happier! Super professional, and easy to work with. I have never met a DJ that really got to know his clients in order to prepare a set list! He kept the music going for a banquet of 300 guests, of all ages, and everyone was very happy with the music. He even provided music that kept over 120 high schoolers engaged (took song requests) and dancing for two hours!!! His music library was very extensive! Highly recommend!!!

Heather F

2/03/2023

Russell was so easy to work with and did a fantastic job at our wedding! We had the DJ package and I had no complaints during the entire time of planning with Russell and the day of. My guests continued to compliment how great he was and how nice he was. He did a great job with the MC duties as well as his music selection, my husband and I were so happy with him. You will not regret going with Russell!

Felicity W

10/18/2022

Russell did a fantastic job making our daughter’s wedding day special. We had one consultation and everything went great! He was in tune with what the crowd wanted, was professional and on time. Thanks for helping make the day wonderful!

Lexie G

6/15/2022

Russell did such an incredible job for our wedding, we very highly recommended him. He was extremely organized so that he knew exactly how we wanted the evening to go/sound. He gave us a call a month or so prior to the wedding to really get us on track and get everything finalized. He was very kind and had great energy the entire wedding. Our guests even would come up to us to compliment how excellent he is. He went above and beyond to make sure the flow of our timeline was going according to plan. He really paid attention to the guests to make sure they were enjoying the music and having a good time. I would hire him again in a heartbeat and we are so happy that we chose him!

Daniel D

4/05/2022

Russell was great, he was punctual, communicative, and made sure we had the right playlist for our wedding. He filled in any extra space with similar music to our tastes so it worked out wonderful. He also brought us a large projector to show a video on during our wedding which was a huge bonus. Would highly recommend!

Cortney J

3/07/2022

Russell is a great communicator. He listens to your vision for the day and is happy to make suggestions if you get stuck in the planning. We enjoyed having him as our DJ.

Kelly G

12/23/2021

Russell was our DJ for our wedding and we could not have been happier! From start to finish Russell was great to work with. He was quick to respond to all of our questions, and made sure all of our song requests were perfect. We met in person before our wedding to finalize our plans, and he made it easy and fun. He kept the party going all night, and was more than kind when we had to make last minute weather adjustments. Many of our guests complimented our great DJ, and we hope to work with him again in the future!

Jessica R

12/14/2021

Absolutely had a great time and was a fantastic dj! So glad the dj I had I got to experience before he retired. Had some complications in the middle of contract because the owners switched but things got squared away. Very professional and great communication.

Dezerae C

11/05/2021

Northern Lights DJ came recommended by our venue and it was the best decision in hiring them for our wedding! The communication from the initial contact to the days leading up to was prompt and continuous. Russell, the owner had no issues at the last minute, making a couple changes. He was supportive, understanding, and more than accommodating! Our family and friends still talk about the great service and professionalism that Russell provided, especially during the shoe game that he emceed at short notice. During the reception, multiple requests were made and honored without any hesitation, for instance, my uncle requested to sing “Wonderful Tonight” and Russell set it up for him immediately! It was absolutely perfect and we couldn’t have asked for a better vendor! We highly recommend Northern Lights DJ and Live Music Entertainment for you will be guaranteed to get the best of the best in the business! Mr. Russell has the absolute best personality and we all felt like he was a part of the family by the end of the night.

Tony S

10/29/2021

Very professional and not cheesy like some DJ's can be. Played our entire playlist we created and took special requests from guests. Did a fantastic job!

Vanessa S

10/19/2021

Working with Russell Barbee was a great experience! Communication was great, service was functional, and DJ skills were exceptional! Our wedding guests had a blast!

Jenna S

9/27/2021

What can I say? Russell from Northern Lights was the best DJ we could ask for. He was responsive, helped make sure everything was on time, played great music and was open to last minute requests from my dad and mom. Thank you so much for an incredible night. Thank you for playing amazing music from start to end. I highly recommend Northern Lights!!! Thank you again!

Pam M

9/21/2019

Northern Lights is by far the best DJ around!! Fran is amazing to work with. Questions were answered immediately and he was always incredibly helpful. My husband and I hired Northern Lights for our wedding and could not have been happier!! The music they played was perfect. We’ve gotten tons of compliments that are music was awesome and our guests loved dancing all night! Northern Lights truly helped make our wedding so special! If we could give them 10 stars, we absolutely would!!

Alexis F

6/07/2019

Very personable and professional! Loved the music picked and knew how to keep the dance floor going! Was great at announcements and keeping the flow of the day. Highly recommend.

Alysha M

10/23/2018

My wedding was the past September, and Northern Lights DJ was my favorite vendor that day. We had met with Fran several months before the date and he was organized, friendly, and professional. He and his partner arrived on time. He played exactly the songs I requested, and his live music hour with the piano and sax was sensational. He even worked with me to blend together a unique Father-Daughter dance song. You won't regret hiring Northern Lights!

Casey M

4/06/2018

They were great! Played all the right songs at all the right times! The DJ was upbeat and fun and made sure to play music to get everyone up and moving!

Lacie P

7/08/2017

I was extremely happy with the service we received from Fran! We had a fairly unique song list, but he was able to accommodate and found all our songs! I was so happy! Fran worked with our wedding coordinator and made announcements to keep our guests informed of the current events. He helped my fiance and me to guide us through the evening along with our coordinator. All the songs that were played kept people on the dance floor! There was never a moment that the floor was empty! I would highly recommend!

Brooke H

7/25/2016

Fran did an amazing job at our wedding! He did the ceremony and reception music. We were so happy to see all our friends and family having a blast on the dance floor! It was an amazing night with no flaws!

Sara L

2/08/2016

Fran was so wonderful to work with, and he really made me feel at ease by making sure all the important parts of the reception were done. The music was a very good combination of all of our guest's different tastes, and everyone seemed like they had a good time!!

11/11/2015

I'm so happy with our experience with Northern Lights. Fran was so responsive to my inquires and truly made the night wonderful! He provides you with a detailed spreadsheet of what you would like him to play when, and fills in the rest with wonderfully selected music. The up lighting he provided was beautiful, and really added a lot to our venue. I would highly recommend him to anyone.

Kayla H

9/23/2015

This DJ service was great, I would recommend them to anyone. We had so much fun. There was a lot of variety of different music, which gave everyone in the room a chance to get up and dance. And ALL sounds were clean. He played everything we requested, which my little cousins enjoyed so much. There were just a few times when the music wasn't right for anyone and the dance floor was empty. Instead of continuing the song, I think for future reference the song should instantly be changed. I personally did not bother the DJ to change the music during those times, because those were the moments I was able to sneak away for a break, or to speak to a few guests. Other than the one little flaw, I really enjoyed Northern Lights.

Maria C

6/11/2015

Fran was soooo amazing through our year of wedding planning. We found him at a venue open house, and he was playing the saxophone. I instantly fell in love and my husband and I hired him on the spot! He didn't just provide amazing music for our wedding; he also gave honest and reliable recommendations on other vendors, which was a HUGE stress relief. His recommendations helped us chose our venue, caterer, and photographer-all of which we were completely satisfied with. It is also nice that he has one daughter who is a Day of Coordinator, and another daughter (and son-in-law) that owns a bartending company (both of which we hired and also loved!). I only wish I could go back to that night and hit the "slo-mo" button to relive it all again!

Clarissa H

1/23/2015

Fran and his assistant Luke were amazing! They kept our timeline in sync and really helped keep the party going. We didn't hire a day of coordinator and honestly we didn't need one, Fran really took care of everything for us. Before the wedding we met with Fran to go over our timeline and the music we wanted played and he was amazing. He helped us make changes to our timeline that made the evening flow better than we expected. We had picked some songs that he wasn't familiar with, but made sure he got them for us. He absolutely made our wedding a wonderful experience! It was great to see how much more he does than other DJ's. He went around to every table letting them know when to go ahead and head to the buffet line. All of our guests had nothing but wonderful things to say about Fran and Luke. I would definitely recommend them to anyone who needs a DJ.

Kristin H

9/05/2014

Northern lights provided our ceremony music, live music during the cocktail hour (and a half) and dj for dinner and dancing. he also provided beautiful uplighting for the venue Fran was receptive to all our requests prior to the wedding, and was very open to playing requests from our guest (he even came and personally asked me if it was okay if he played a song from my "dont play list" that had been requested several times by our guests.

Kelsie H

7/02/2014

Fran from Northern Lights was great! He really listened to our ideas and styles. We also had a specific idea about playing specific songs to identify which table to go through the buffet. Fran was open to the idea and put together the play list. Fran also MC'd our wedding and did a fantastic job. He engaged our guests and kept the wedding moving. Fran also provided uplighting for our reception which made our reception hall all the more beautiful. Thank you Fran for making our dream wedding a reality!

Michelle D

12/03/2013

This group is amazing! I really enjoyed working with Fran. He is a down to earth, very professional individual. He has a passion for music and is very talented! I loved the fact that he provided a variety of services, not just strictly DJ services. For my wedding, we had live music (by his partner, Kevin) and then Fran played the Saxophone during dinner. After dinner, the DJ music started. Lots of my guests were dancing from the beginning to end! Specific requests were played which was nice. They also helped my wedding coordinator with the releasing of tables for the buffet and the transitioning of activities throughout the night. I liked that they helped move things along. Great vendor and great experience!

Irene G

4/09/2013

Fran was great we had to find a last minute DJ, because our previous one backed out like 2weeks before the wedding. So I remembered receiving an email from him. Called him up had a great meeting and put everything together in five days. It was rush, rush, rush but he was awesome to work with very professional, patience, and price was very reasonable.

Jill H

3/21/2013

Fran provides so much more than just a DJ service! He did the lighting, music (even played the sax for the cocktail hour!), and moved things along throughout the night all for a great price. The ceremony music was great! It was digital, but you wouldn't have known. He played the sax while a friend played keyboard during the cocktail hour. We felt like it really added to the atmosphere! He provided uplighting at the venue which looked amazing. At the reception he helped move the night along by announcing the events when they were to take place. You would never be able to keep up with the schedule when you are enjoying time with your guests, so it's really nice to have someone there to do that for you. Most of all he played awesome music, and all of our guests had a blast!

Sara C

5/13/2012

Mr. Badrak is very nice and easy to work with. He suggested songs when I didn't know what song to play. I didn't give him a playlist, just a genre and it was great.

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(210) 701-1505

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