By Jake Klein
This year Mobile Beat Expo celebrated 21 years of being a must-attend source of information, networking, vendors, and products convention in Las Vegas drawing thousands of musically passionate DJs from around the world.
Driven by the desire to continue to bring this great Expo to those who need it, love it, and live for it, from the top business owners in the entertainment industry to bringing you the newest latest and greatest in sound lighting and everything having to do with our industry, mobile beat continues to be one of the top expos to attend.
Although Mobile Beat has been around for 21 years, for the last 10 of these years it has been run by a huge team of industry leaders, helpers, and volunteers: all under the supervision of Ryan Burger.
After every show, each year Ryan takes the time to listen to the comments from the vendors to the attendees to make the following year’s show even better. Ryan and his team work hard to make it run smoother, to bring you more content, to make things more financially justified for the vendors and he continues to try to raise the bar on the entertainment value of the show - not just the educational value. Mobile Beat has brought, through the years, some of the top entertainers. These include everyone from the Village People to this year’s bringing you Montell Jordan, Freedom Williams, and Silentó, with an incredible set topping off one of the night’s DJ legend in the nightclub and production industry, DJ Paul Oakenfold.
This year’s Mobile Beat opened up night one with its sixth year running the incredible DJ Takeover sponsored by Peavey Electronics. I was honored to play the role of Co-producer, Co-Host and Official Photographer. This year’s DJ Takeover brought you 11 incredible DJs in total. Eight of those DJs work from all around the U.S. and Canada, two of the DJs from right here in Las Vegas, Nevada - both with residencies at two of the top nightclubs in town.
Each day of Mobile Beat kicks off with some of the most incredible information from the top speakers and top money makers in the DJ industry in rooms capable of holding over 300 attendees. Several smaller up-close-and-personal classes by some of the top industry designers of DJ sound and lighting equipment are important to not only learn all about the equipment you’re spending your hard-earned money on but also to learn how it works best and give you a hands-on feel and the ability to hear and see what it is that these products can do. In each of these other rooms, there are DJ’s from around the world spinning so you really can hear see and feel the full experience of that equipment.
Networking is always a huge bonus at Mobile Beat from stairwells to exits to hallways you will find constant small groups of old friends and new friends mixing together in conversations, networking, making new connections and, let’s face it, talking shop with people who “get it” is always fun!
Doors to the expo floor opened day 2 with people lining up 30 minutes in advance to be the first ones in to get their eyes and hands on the latest and greatest in DJ technology. Mobile Beat 2017 brought you the top vendors: over 150 of them for two days to really get you to know the products you may be interested in purchasing, the newest products that you may not have even known existed, and the ability to talk directly to not only the vendors but their manufacturers. DJ associations are there as well to help you with things like equipment insurance, and vital information and tools to help you with your business. Décor backdrops, trussing, speaker stands, bags and cases for your equipment- there is a little of everything DJ related for you.
Why purchase from a dealer rather than online? At Mobile Beat, you get the opportunity to meet and talk with direct dealers. You build a personal relationship with them, and in most cases, can reach out to them with questions on your purchases and get a much faster response. Customer service from an unknown online source can never match customer service from a dealer you have met, talked with and learned hands-on from. Purchasing equipment is a big decision and the follow-up answers and advice you get from a company you know versus an online unknown is priceless!!
The entire idea behind Mobile Beat from day one has always been to have its attendees return to their homes, their businesses with not only the right equipment but the right knowledge that it takes to become successful and to provide for their families and live a happy life doing what it is they are so passionate about and they love to do.
Jake Klein, Lead Photographer/Videographer
Jake Klein Photography
www.JakeKleinPhotography.com