Chicago DJs from Fourth Estate Audio - Frequently Asked Questions
"There is hardly anything in the world that someone cannot make a little worse and sell a little cheaper, and the people who consider price alone are that person's lawful prey." - John Ruskin
How do your Chicago DJs dress?
Black tuxedo, or your choice.
What kinds of music do you play?
Whatever you like. We have large collections of rock, R & B, swing, pop, hip hop, Latin, country, Big Band and alternative, plus ethnic favorites.
Do you play dinner and cocktail music, too?
Of course. We have everything from classical to cocktail piano to light jazz. Or we'll be happy to play your favorite music.
Can you provide music for a wedding ceremony?
Yes. We do that often.
If we have some of our own music on CD or cassette, can you play it?
Yes.
Do you take breaks, like bands?
No. We play non-stop, unless our clients want to make special presentations.
We're going to have a live dance band, in addition to a Chicago DJ. Is that a problem for you?
Yes. A big one. This one pops up a lot at class reunions. A popular garage band from high school decides to reassemble and give the old classmates a thrill. They practice one or two songs. But when they get a taste of applause, their egos take over, and they press on by butchering 5 or 6 other songs they didn't practice. While your Fourth Estate Audio DJ is interested only in serving the client, bands tend to be more interested in their own personal glory. They'll try to play the rest of the night, while your guests only want to dance. So they blame the DJ for not playing enough music. We have a more than 99% customer satisfaction rating, the highest in Chicagoland. And we won't jeopardize it, over something beyond our control. A band-DJ combination is a train wreck waiting to happen. Just ask anyone who's tried it. If you plan to do it anyway, we wish you the best. But we can't be part of it. Sorry.
What if the band just plays during cocktails and dinner?
That's fine. We do a lot of parties where a jazz band, or string quartet, or harpist plays during the early part of the evening. And we're happy to provide music if they need to take a break.
We're nervous about speaking on a microphone. Can your DJ handle our announcements and introductions?
Certainly.
Do you have a page with all your Chicago DJs' pictures, so we can pick our DJ?
No. You didn't pick your doctor based on his looks. And a professional DJ is no different. The "cutest" DJ may have musical tastes entirely different than yours. So he/she may not be a good fit for your party. Be assured, you won't get some high school kid, or an aging hippie with a pony tail. We'll ask you the right questions to determine which of our music professionals is just right for you, your guests, and your event. Then, if you'd like to meet your Chicago DJ, we'll be happy to arrange it.
Wow, you have everything! Will this cost us a fortune?
Of course not. Our fee for up to 5 hours of music is just $650 ($750 for events in downtown Chicago). Additional time is just $75 per half hour. Here's a table of our pricing; and unlike other DJ companies, we don't jack up our prices for clients who book at the last minute.
Price / Service
$650 -- Up to 5 hours
$75 -- Each additional half hour
$100 -- Add for events in downtown Chicago
$125 -- Add for light show (no lighting with basic package)
$100 -- Add for events that require us to carry equipment up stairs
$100 -- Add for events that require setup to be finished 60+ minutes prior to performance
New Year's Eve pricing starts at $1000 for 5 hours
We're just starting to shop for a DJ. Can we meet with you?
Yes. But first, spend more time on our web site. View our video clip. Call our references. Drop in on a live performance if you like. Play around with our online song list. As our video greeting says, "do your homework." If you're getting married, make sure your fiancee sees our site, too. Then, when you're ready to make your buying decision, call us for a face-to-face meeting. If you show up and start asking questions that are already answered on our web site, you're just wasting your time and wasting gas money. It's a little like the woman who goes to the mall to buy a pair of shoes, and finds the perfect pair at the perfect price at the very first store -- and then shops at 16 other stores, and forgets where she found the shoes she liked. When we meet with you, we'd like you to be prepared to hire us if we're "the right fit at the right price." Sound reasonable?
We're just looking for the cheapest price. Do you give discounts?
Rarely. If you're shopping for a price instead of a DJ, we'd rather not have you as a client. If you think the cheapest DJ is a good value, you have to start by assuming (incorrectly) that all DJs are equally good. Unfortunately, most people who "go cheap," and have a nightmare experience with their DJ, end up assuming (also incorrectly) that all DJs are equally bad. There are a few DJ companies in Chicagoland -- two in particular -- who get all their clients by offering dirt-cheap prices. And those clients learn too late just how awful a cheap DJ can be. Do your homework. Ask a DJ company to provide you with the names and phone numbers of its 30 most recent clients. If it refuses, RUN! Remember, if your DJ is bad, he's the only thing your guests will remember about your party, and all your careful planning will go to waste.
What do you charge for travel and setup?
Nothing, with two exceptions. If you require your Chicago DJ's equipment to be completely set up, and ready to play the first note of music, more than 60 minutes before his scheduled starting time, we charge an extra $100. Also, if we're required to carry all of our heavy equipment up and down a flight of stairs, we charge an extra $100. All of our basic service fees assume either ground level or elevator access.
How do you decide which DJ you assign to our party?
Each of our clients submits either a Wedding Reception Fact Sheet or a Party Fact Sheet. The form asks for some general guidance about the client's musical tastes. Typically, we assign a DJ with the same tastes, so he'll know a lot of songs that fit well with what the client has already requested, and he can ensure the appropriate pacing for the evening. Plus, he gets to listen to music he likes! And that means a more enthusiastic performance for you.
We'd like to pick all of our dance music, and not accept requests from our guests. Is that okay?
If that's what you'd like. But you can't hire us. Of the relative handful of dissatisfied clients we've had over our more than 40 years in this industry, practically all of them were couples who picked all of their music in advance. If you'd like your reception to be a concert just for the two of you, just burn a few CDs and rent a sound system. It's unfair to subject a DJ to a whole evening of abuse from your guests when they can't dance to the music you choose, and you won't let the DJ accept any of their requests. After enough of your guests complain about what a bad DJ you have, eventually you'll start to believe it, and blame him for your poor choice of dance music. Sorry, but you'll have to find someone else.
We don't have Internet access. Can we still hire you?
Frankly, no. Our completely interactive web site lets you research your DJ (online video clip, performance schedule, telephone references), check our availabilty, hire us (online service agreement), pay us (online credit card processing), and direct us on exactly how you'd like your event to proceed (online party itinerary, wedding party roster, interactive music library). By using the web to share and receive information, you're able to hire your DJ with confidence without holding 5 or 6 hours of meetings, searching through books of songs, and filling out all your paperwork in longhand. Other DJ companies that don't have our technology must spend their time in those meetings, too. That's why so many of them charge twice as much as we do. It's all wasted time that doesn't contribute anything to the quality of your DJ's performance. If you hired us, and we did it all the hard way, as they do, we'd have to charge you twice as much, too. While we're always available for a face-to-face meeting, holding multiple meetings with each client is just not an efficient or productive way to do business. So we cater only to Internet-connected clients.
Are you insured?
Of course. We carry a $4 million liability and personal injury policy, even though we've never had to file a claim (we're exceptionally careful about the placement of our speakers, cords and cables). We'll be happy to show you or fax you our Insurance Certificate upon request. Beware of any DJ who doesn't carry liability coverage. It's the first telltale sign that he's not serious about his business or his clients' safety.
What is your policy on tipping?
Are you kidding? We love it! It's an excellent way to reward a DJ who goes above and beyond, to make your party special (anything from $50 to $200 is appropriate). We don't put out a "tip jar," because it's tasteless. And we don't accept tips from your guests to play specific songs, because those songs may not be appropriate for your party. Tipping your DJ, if you choose, is your responsibility. It's just more professional that way.
Where did you get the name "Fourth Estate Audio?"
The "Fourth Estate" is a nickname for the news media (coined by the 15th century British parliamentarian Edmund Burke). And our founder and president, Jay Congdon, has been a newsman for most of his adult life. He's worked as a radio news anchor and reporter at Chicago stations WBBM, WMAQ, WKQX and WJMK, to name a few. He's also been a television news producer and writer. Now you know.
This availability checker is for evening events. If you're planning an afternoon event, and the checker says we're booked up, call us anyway. We can probably accommodate you.
