Day One

It was travel day, and since it was also Throwback Thursday, as I waited at Heathrow for my ten-hour flight to Las Vegas, I started thinking about my first trip there for a DJ show, and my first Marbecca workshop with Mark and Rebecca Ferrell. Even though the show didn't start until Monday, I always got there early to hang out with friends and take workshops. These workshops, especially Marbecca’s, have been a huge part of my DJ success.

When I landed at 6.20pm, it was raining – yep, in Vegas! It doesn’t happen often, but it was a wet taxi ride to the South Point Hotel & Casino, off the Strip, where my good friends Bill and Greg were waiting in the lobby.

After a quick refresh, it was dinner time, and Vegas dinners are perfect for relaxing and networking. Keeping with the Throwback Thursday vibe, I remembered my first Vegas trip in 2010 and my first dinner with over 50 DJs at Buca di Beppo, an Italian place. I felt totally out of my comfort zone, but that’s where I met my DJ family, people like Bill Hermann and Jim Cereone, who have spoken at Pro Mobile Conferences and have been a big influence on me.

Day Two

I woke up early in Vegas, my body still on UK time, but at least it was a sunny day! It was Friday, Valentine’s Day, and I felt a little better knowing I’d left Anna Marie some chocolates back home. After a quick call, remembering the eight-hour time difference, I grabbed breakfast at the hotel.

Later, when my buddy Nigel Harwood got in from the UK, we were going to see Miss Behave’s Mavericks at the Plaza Hotel on Freemont Street – it’s a really cool variety show. Before that, I took a quick Uber to the Strip to soak up some sun and hang out with Bill and Greg. That night, Miss Behave and her crew put on an amazing show, a mix of comedy, circus and burlesque.

Day Three

Saturday morning, I was up bright and early again, and we had a late brunch planned. This time, we were meeting Mark and Rebecca Ferrell, the Marbecca Workshop folks, who have made a huge difference for tons of DJs, me included. This brunch has become a yearly highlight for me before the big show. Vegas is just crazy for entertainment – shows, concerts, clubs and big sports events. It’s impossible not to be blown away by all the choices. For us DJs, catching a great show or checking out a club is a must. This year, besides the burlesque show, we had tickets to see Barry Manilow at the Westgate Hotel and Casino. That’s the same place where Elvis did his legendary shows back in the day. Barry didn’t disappoint at all; at 81, he put on an amazing classic Vegas show, with incredible lighting, including this gantry that came down from the ceiling, and a killer performance of ‘Copacabana (At the Copa)’ to finish.

Day Four

Sunday’s always the day my American DJ buddies start rolling in. One of my favourite things is to grab a Starbucks near the lobby, find a comfy spot, and just wait for everyone to arrive.
It’s awesome to catch up with everyone and get hyped for the week. That night, Alan Berg and some of us DJs went to this cool restaurant he found. Alan always knows these great little places off the Strip. People think Vegas is crazy expensive for food, but it doesn’t have to be. You can go from McDonald’s to fancy steakhouses, and everything in between. We had a great meal at a Thai restaurant, and it only came to about $20 each (about £17). We were all stuffed!

Day Five

Monday was the big day, the start of the MEX/PBX Show. Usually, it kicks off at noon, so you can actually sleep in a bit, but not this year. I was at Alan Berg’s workshop, ‘From Ghosted to Booked: Sales Strategies for Wedding Pros That Work!’, to give him some feedback as it was his first time doing it. So, Bill and I were up early, skipping breakfast. The workshop, which lasted three hours and ended just before the show started, was packed with great stuff: turning reviews into sales, finding your dream clients, checking out the competition, and using AI to make your messages better.

I’d definitely recommend it, especially the AI part – that was worth it alone. Then, I rushed upstairs to the Ballroom to see David Miller’s ‘7 Lessons From A 7 Figure Photo Booth Company’ presentation, and the show was officially on! Even if you’re not into photo booths, you can learn a lot about running a business and keeping clients happy. At 3pm, they had the MEX/PBX Hall of Fame Awards, and they combined the categories this year. They honoured people who have made a big impact in their industries for over ten years, with ten winners in each.
Monday night, after dinner, we went to the showroom theatre for a party, and UK DJ Kel Sweeney from Video Geeks totally rocked it with his Video DJ set.

Day Six

Tuesday was the day when the show split up, with the PBX folks staying in the ballroom and the DJ seminars moving downstairs to the theatre/showroom. The DJ stuff started at 9am, but they had a pre-show event upstairs in the Ballroom with my buddy Scott Faver doing his ‘Breakfast With The Game Master’ – it’s always a blast. These pre-show events are perfect for grabbing some breakfast and getting a good seat. At 5pm, the Trade Floor opened up for everyone to check out the new gear, but I had dinner plans with my US friends at Capo’s, a cool gangster-themed restaurant off the Strip. It’s an old-school Vegas speakeasy with live music and amazing food.

Day Seven

Wednesday meant another early breakfast and then more morning seminars. At 11am, the trade show opened again, and this was my first chance to see what was new. The show floor is mostly photo booth stuff, but there’s still enough DJ gear to keep us happy, plus a couple of rooms with DJ gear and speaker demos off the main floor. For my last dinner, I headed to the Strip for a steak at Gallagher’s Steakhouse in the New York-New York Hotel and Casino. I’ve had some great meals there over the years, but it’s definitely not a place for anyone on a tight budget.

Day Eight

It’s Throwback Thursday, round two, or the second Thursday of my trip, anyway! Today was all about saying my goodbyes to friends I won’t see till next year and getting my travel sorted for the airport. So, I had some time to think. Like I said before, I’ve been coming to a Vegas show every year since 2010, from The Riviera (gone now) to The Tropicana (also gone) and the South Point Hotel and Casino for the last few years. Every time, it’s been a blast, and some of the seminars and workshops I’ve been to have really changed how I see my business and my life in general. But, mostly, it’s the people – the DJ friends from all over the world – that keep me coming back. Sitting here in the departures lounge at Harry Reid International Airport, I’m a little bummed the trip’s over, but then I smile because I know I’ll be back.