Brian Mahon is a junior Entrepreneurship & Technology Innovation major at the University of Delaware. When you’re out dancing at Klondike Kate’s or perhaps a mixer or formal, Brian is the one behind the controller making the magic happen.
Her Campus: When/how did you first start DJing?
Brian Mahon: It’s always been something I’ve been interested in since I was little, but I always listened to this Wilmington radio station that played electronic music. Two Januarys ago I bought my first controller, a Pinoneer DDJ-SR. I just taught myself while I was living in the towers how to use it and I had a friend who DJed at Deerpark Tavern who taught me the basics. I started putting ads on Craigslist the next summer and I did a bunch of graduation parties and even a super-low budget wedding and I think it went pretty well.
During my freshman year I was a bouncer at Klondike Kate’s and got to know all of the DJs and I started talking to one of the DJs I knew from there. I asked him to help me out learning how to DJ on a professional level. He asked me to play two different sets, one for a 70-year-old’s birthday party and one for a wild and crazy party at midnight on Main Street. For that entire summer I got to shadow every Friday at Klondike Kate’s with him. At the beginning of this school year I started doing it on my own and I’ve been doing Klondike Kate’s every single Friday for this entire year.
HC: How has your equipment changed as you’ve learned more and done more DJ gigs?
BM: It’s a lot of investment. I got a Macbook Pro because they run a lot better for DJing. I would also borrow equipment for the company but then they’d keep taking more money from me. I then bought my own speakers.
HC: What are some other events you’ve been able to DJ for?
BM: I’ve been doing a lot of bid day parties for sororities. Just as of recently I’ve been doing free music Mondays on the Harrington Turf from 5-8pm. A couple weeks ago I also got to DJ for the Polar Bear Plunge which was a fundraiser for Special Olympics Delaware which was pretty great.
HC: Where do you see your DJ career going?
BM: I got my friend to design a logo and I have a new website up. It’s really hard to make DJing a fulltime job unless you’re someone like Calvin Harris making millions a year. I think I want to make it a part-time job in the future so I can DJ on the weekends while having another job. I’ve gotten some new software recently and want to start making my own remixes and posting them on YouTube and my own website and getting a follow. I just want to keep growing and get new equipment that will allow me to get better.
HC: What kind of advice do you have for aspiring DJs?
BM: Just put yourself out there and test your market. There are always people organizing events that you might not know about. You’re more than just an iPod, you can control the tempo of the party. Don’t worry about experience or being in front of a crowd, you just have to do it.