Merry Jackson Everyone!

Last night myself and the crew from "The Michael Jackson Experience" a King of Pop Production headed up to Newmarket to perform a Christmas surprise performance for a super fan of Jackson as a gift from her spouse. 

Kevin, myself, Bishop Soul & Dean.

I've seen this show many times and it doesn't matter if this MJ impersonator is performing at Casino Rama, arena shows across the country or your private house party these guys know how to put on a show! 

What makes it so special is Bishops Soul and his dancers ability to interact with any crowd, in this case a family and a few neighbors, and just make a party out of nothing! 

Of course it helps when you are playing music from a catalogue as large as MJs countless number ones all of them which make you wanna move your feet. 

Here is the set-list from last night:

Wanna Be Starting Something
Working Day & Night
Smooth Criminal
Billie Jean
Human Nature
Beat It
PYT
Thriller

If you have to step out for a few hours from personal Xmas eve festivities might as well do it hanging out with Michael Jackson!  Watching this show is always a treat and seeing the clients blown away always makes for a fun evening.

For more information on this show contact Alan Lamothe at King of Pop Productions  416-876-8936

Merry Xmas!

Hoe Down in Kelowna

Late last year, I had a rare opportunity to fly out to Kelowna for a corporate gig. Along with my wife Tasha (who was hired to help as on site coordinator) we set out early on a Saturday morning to Pearson to meet up with the rest of the Hollywood Heaven entourage. There was Shania Twain, Garth Brooks & Alan Jackson - look-a-likes of course, Tammy the line dance teacher, Jena & Breanne - the cowgirls, Hector the Caricaturist and Brothers of Soul - a live 6pc band.

The Entourage arriving in Kelowna!

Now I have never had to fly to DJ a party so it was a learning experience on how to pack! Luckily West Jet allowed two carry-ons and with Tasha by my side I was easily able to pack my Laptop, Traktor Kontrol X1, Ecler Nuo4 DJ mixer, headphones and all cables to connect them up.

Kelowna resides in the beatiful province of British Columbia in the heart of the Okanagan region which made for a beautiful getaway for myself and Tasha...sans kids I might add! We stayed at the same hotel the event was being held, the Delta Grand Resort a 5-star sitting right on lake Okanagan. The area offers some great wine tasting opportunities and skiiing in the winter months. If you ever find yourself in Kelowna make sure to go to RauDZ for dinner...a superb restaraunt serving local foods. Oh and the Bohemian for breakfast...

My Gear in between the sound board & light controller

Guests were greeted by Jena & Breanne - the Cowgirls!

This event for a local credit union had over 400 guests. With the event's usually themed, this year country was in order which of course was fitting... we were in God's country! Cocktail hour and dinner music was a large selection of new and old country favorites. The awards ceremony was hosted by Shania Twain & Reba look-a-likes who also performed along side Alan Jackson and Garth Brooks.

Alan Jackson starting off the night!

Garth Brooks rocking "Friends in Low Places"

After the live performances, Tammy took over to teach the locals to line dance proper! I met Tammy last year at another Hollywoodheaven event - she is awesome! Both Breanne and Jena joined the dance floor to help with the teachings.

Myself with Tammy the linedance teacher...

Jena at the front of the class!

After all the country music during dinner, country music performers, and line dancing...it was time for me to take over the dance floor - however a change up was in order and I started off with "Moves Like Jagger" by Maroon 5. The dance floor rammed up quickly and I followed that track with a half hour of dance floor favorites to warm up the crowd for The Brother's of Soul.

Getting the Crowd going with "Moves Like Jagger"

Brother's of Soul performing Live!

In all it was a great time. Got to see a beautiful new place in this massive country of ours. Had a mini vacation with my wife, and met some wonderfull people. Once again...if you are looking for some of the best look-a-like entertainment around visit Hollywood Heaven's website at www.hollywoodheaven.ca

Longrun Fundraiser

Once again I teamed up with Hollywood Heaven this time for an event at Woodbine Racetrack. Every year the "Longrun Thourobread Retirement Society" hosts a fundraiser to help find homes for horses that are no longer fit for the raceway. Check them out at http://longrunretirement.com/

This year's gala spared no expense when it came to the entertainment line-up! Hollywood Heaven supplied some of the best look-a-likes the company has on offer with Shania Twain, Tina Turner, Young Elvis, Michael Jackson (with full band backup and dancers) and Lady Gaga all performing throughout the night.

Here are some pics from the event...

 

Shania starts off the night!

With horses comes country music and what better way to start up a night with Canada's favorite Shania Twain singing some upbeat tunes such as "Up" and "Party for Two!"

 

 

Tina!

I have worked with this Tina Turner impersonator on several occasions.  She's got a powerfull voice...can dance...and oh and definitely has the legs...

 

Gino as "Young Elvis" has entered the building...

I met Gino for the first time.  He is an Elvis perfectionist...you have to be especially if it is your full time job.  If you are looking for an Elvis impersonator that is as authentic as they can be...look no further.

 

 

 

The MJ Experience with full band and dancers!

 

Bishop Soul and his dancers performing "Beat It"

What can be said about the Michael Jackson experience.  This group of performers has it down packed singing favorites such as Rock With You, PYT, Shake Your Body, Billie Jean, Beat it and Thriller.  You can find them regularily performing at Stage West and who just recently performed at the Woodbine Casino.  This act has travelled the country keeping the legacy of Michael alive!

 

Lady Gaga

 

Lady Gaga track list included all the hits...Bad Romance, Born This Way, Paparazzi amongst her other favorites. 

 

This night was all about live performaces and my part was to play the backing tracks to all of them  apart from MJ.  After Gaga, I took over the dance floor to finish the night off DJing.  It was a great night!

 

For more information check out www.hollywoodheaven.ca for some of the best look-a-like entertainment available!

An Evening with Patrick Chan

Whenever I watch Team Canada Hockey...Olympics...Worlds...I don't have enough finger nails to chew on.  My heart races, I'm on the edge of my seat and can barely watch.  If Canada scores I jump off my seat so fast that my cat hits the ceiling nails dug in upside down.  Kids cry from being so startled and my wife yells at me...

Then there is figure skating.  Months of practice...pressures at an all time high resting on the shoulders of one individual who has to spin multiple times in the air and land on a blade 4mm wide...oh and by the way lets combo that with another insane aerial acrobat...and heaven forbid you don't land smoothly let alone fall! I can barely watch...in fact most of the times choose not to.  Can't handle it!

This past Friday night I had the pleasure of providing audio for an "Evening with Patrick Chan" a fundraiser to help support the current 2011 World Figure Skating Champion. Not only did the Ottawa born figure skater win the world championship in Moscow he did it by smashing three world records in the process!

The event was held in Richmond Hill at the Premier Banquet Center.  Roughly 500 guests showed up at the $130 per plate event in support of Patrick, including coach, Christine Krall, mayor of Richmond Hill, Dave Barrow and Donald Jackson 1962 World Champion (first to land a triple lutz in competition).  PJ Kwong and Scott Russel both commentators for the CBC were there MCing the event. The night included a silent and live auction which had an autographed Wayne Gretzky Edmonton Jersey (that sold for $1700), latin dance performances and what seemed to be a never ending multiple course meal of Chinese dishes.

Premier Banquet Hall In Richmond Hill

My gear along side Bernard of WPI Events

I worked along side Bernard of WPI events who ran two video screens used to show videos of Patrick's past performances and a training video blog put together by Patrick's best friend.  Coupled with my normal set-up a whole bunch of other equipment was added to fill the cavern that was the Premier Banquet Hall.  Here is what I used:

• 2x Yorkville NX75P - 750watt mains on the dance floor.
• 2x Yorkville NX55P - 550watt mains mid room.
• 2x Yorkville NX25P - 250watt mains at back of room to cancel out echo.
• 2x Yorkville NX720P - Subwoofers on the dance floor.
• 2x Line 6 XV-70 Wireless Mics.
• Shure SM 58 Hard Mic.
• Mackie DFX-6 Mixer (for Mics and DJ mixer input).
• 2x Denons DNS3500 CDTT with Ecler Nuo 4 Mixer.
• Laptop with Traktor Scratch Pro and Traktor Kontrol X1 midi controller.

Meeting Patrick was a treat.  He is very small in stature...almost seems fragile....that's what I was thinking anyway when we shook hands.  But the power needed to do what he does on a pair of skates tells you what he really is...a super athlete.  He may be small but he probably has the biggest smile ever.  He must have posed for litterally 500 pictures that night and in every one his smile got larger.  During his speech he talked about his performance in the Vancouver Winter Games and the lessons learned.  He claimed his perspective had changed since and he was enjoying the skating a lot more leading up to Moscow.  If that directly coorelates to the size of his smile I am sure it helped win the judges over...that and landing a few quads in the meantime.  He was super humble and showed his appreciation for everything that went on that evening and from what I can tell it was a great success!

Patrick asked for a picture...I said sure! :)

CBC's Scott Russel & PJ Kwong along side Patrick Chan

With all the nights festivities going late - there wasn't much time for me to get the dance floor going.  It was all about Patrick.  For those that were left what was more important was some last minute autographs, pictures and some personal time speaking to him.

At the end of the night I joked with him as we talked about online gaming I found out to be one of his passions.  He is a young man after all.  He mentioned "Left for Dead".  I haven't played that game personally.  I then spoke to him about the wonderful World of Warcraft, a highly addictive, super time wasting game he has yet to try.  I urged him not to....but if he does and his career takes a sudden down turn in the near future it's not my fault!

Ohhh...and I also spoke briefly to the mayor's wife.  Unfortunately she couldn't do much to help reduce the amount of traffic in Richmond Hill on my way to work.  She said she couldn't help me cause I lived on the "other side of Bathurst"...aka Maple... :)

In case you missed it here is his long program performance!

A special thanks goes out to Carmen James of the Richmond Training Center for recommending me for this gig.  I met some wonderfull people that night!

Lady Gaga and Rihanna!

A few weeks ago I had the privilege of being in both Lady Gaga's and Rihanna's band!

No...not the real Lady Gaga or Rihanna...and no...not really in the band.  But I did provide backing music to two unbelievable look-a-likes!  Hollywood Heaven (check them out at http://www.hollywoodheaven.ca/) is an elite entertainment company providing some of the best look-a-like talent in not only the GTA but probably Canada! Some of the great acts include Shania Twain, Marilyn Monroe and of course the aforementioned two female superstars.  Hollywood Heaven can accommodate the smallest of parties all the way up to huge arena shows with stage set-ups and full bands to back up some of their best performers. 

This particular event was the birthday of two twin girls who both loved Lady Gaga and Rihanna.  Having the actual performers I bet would be pretty expensive and of course you would have to coordinate the birth date of these girls with busy tour schedules...so therefore two fabulous look-a-likes would have to do! 

Both performers were backed up by four super talented dancers with some great choreography just making the shows that extra special.  Although Lady Gaga lip-syncs her "extreme" wardrobe (there were multiple outfit changes throughout) and her uncanny resemblance more then made up for her inability to hit the high notes of Gaga herself.  Rihanna on the other hand used her voice and at times I had to take my headphones off and blink a few times....was that the real Rihanna??? 

Well what was I doing there?  Providing the PA equipment for the backing music.  The setup was in a backyard and 2 Yorkville NX55p and 1 Elite Yorkville LS700p subwoofer was enough oomph to allow the neighbors to watch and hear the concert unfold.  My Mackie DFX-6 was used to mix the audio CD (using a Denon DNS3500) and the wireless mics used for the show.  One Yamaha stage monitor was used to help with the performers placed behind the speakers.  Here is the set list:

Lady Gaga:

1. Intro / Love Game

2. Paprazzi

3. Pokerface

4. Bad Romance

5. Just Dance

6. Monster

7. Born This Way

Rihanna:

1. Intro

2. Please Don't Stop the Music

3. Umbrella

4. Disturbia

5. Only Girl (in the World)

I missed taking some pics of the Lady Gaga act but was able to capture some of Rihanna during the show.  Check 'em out:

Hollywood Heaven's Rihanna Look-a-Like & Dancers

Hollywood Heaven's Rihanna Look-a-Like & Dancers

If you are looking for entertainment for your next event be sure to call Hollywood Heaven...trust me you won't be disappointed.  Just tell Zahava that John made the recommendation ;)