DJs - Chris Romero
- Business: Cutmaster Music
- Location: Albuquerque, New Mexico NM
- Experience: 17 Years
- Profile: Cutmaster Music
- Website: cutmastermusic.com
1. Introduction: What's your story?
Hi everyone! I’m Chris. I’m the founder and Lead DJ with Cutmaster Music. I love creating one-of-a-kind events and working with couples to build their dream wedding experience. My passion for DJing starts with the music and creating soundtracks that are unique to every event we do. This is why I love weddings! Each one is different and it allows me to get creative. There's nothing like the "oohs & ahhs" that happen on the dance floor when a DJ can magically transform the vibe of an event.
2. What's your experience as a wedding DJ? How many weddings have you done?
I have been in the wedding industry since 2003 and have thousands of events under my personal belt. It all began DJing one of my best friend's wedding and I was hooked since! In 2013 I took my hobby and turned it into a full-time wedding machine. We've been lucky enough to cultivate many relationships among local industry vendors and are one of the most highly referred companies in Albuquerque.
3. How far in advance do couples need to book your services?
If you would like to book our services, peak season (April-December) should be booked at least a year in advance. Due to Covid, we're already booking into 2023 as well.
4. What's your rate? What does that include?
Our rates vary, based on DJ experience. The average wedding is typically around a $3000 price tag and we customize every package based on the couple's needs and the venue space. Packages range from a simple sound and lighting experience, to Silent Disco, Large TV/Media experience, Glow-Sticks, LED Tube lighting, and more. We really try to tailor the event experience for our couples.
5. Are you available to travel if needed?
I am available to travel outside of Albuquerque. I can fly to your city or we travel with our experiences to the greater surrounding Albuquerque area, including Santa Fe.
6. How would you describe your style?
My personal DJ/Emcee style is to be flexible on the DJ decks, mixing all styles of music as an open-format DJ and also have the ability to add the club DJ element with beatmatching, scratching and spinning on vinyl. I adjust to the event and what the needs are based on song-selection and vibe. On the microphone, I am trained to be eloquent and professional, but I hate the sterotypical "Wedding DJ" that loves to hear himself talk. I'm not the DJ that plays silly games at events, I don't have a radio-DJ voice and I don't take away from the vibe we're trying to create. I make all announcements as needed, will stand out in front of everyone as a face for the event. But when it comes time to get down on the dance floor, I let me mixing of the music do the talking.
7. What's your backup plan if there's an equipment malfunction? Do you bring backup equipment?
We ALWAYS have backup equipment on hand. We have extra speakers, lighting, laptops, etc. You only get one shot to get this right and accidents can happen at events. This is also one of the reasons we like to stay close to home for our events. In the event something major or catastrophic happens, we are typically only a few miles away from our warehouse to get emergency gear wherever it is needed. This is also why we ALWAYS have two people at an event and a DJ on call for backup. We take measures to make sure every event happens, no matter the circumstances.
8. What's your sick day policy?
Pre-covid, there was no such thing. I think we'd have to be on our deathbed to miss an event. Things have changed over the last year and now we have backup DJs and assistants on hand. We have actually cut back on how many events we will do on a given Saturday to make sure we have backup staff in place, just in case someone shows signs of illness.
9. How do you motivate a shy crowd to dance? What do you do to motivate the crowd if nobody is dancing?
I think one of the problems with the DJ stigma is that your event isn't a success if nobody is dancing. I don't view a successful event that way. Sometimes people don't dance. Why would you force anyone or try to do gimmicky things and be "that cheesy wedding DJ?" If we have an event that just won't dance (super rare by the way), I just make sure people are tapping their feet, nodding their head to the music, or sub-consciously the music is hitting them as they have a conversation. At the end of the day, I want everyone to enjoy themselves to the fullest. Now, if I know we have a dance crowd and a song clears the floor, then having the ability to beatmatch and mix is a huge skill that can quickly build up a dancefloor in no time. I pay attention to what people are vibing to during cocktail hour and dinner and typically will throw out a few different genres within the first 15 minutes of open dancing. This allows me to get a great idea of our vibe for the night and which direction to go. At the end of the day, it's about having fun, whether you are a dancer or not.
10. What is your cancellation and/or refund policy?
The retainer fee is half the event cost and it is non-refundable. In the event of cancellation, you lose that retainer fee. Our inventory are dates. This is an investment and you are retaining the date for our services. In the event of postponement, we gladly move everything over to your new date without penalty.
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