Patrick McMichael
The dude travels north.
He's a So. Cal transplant who is stoked to be up in No. Cal's clean and green. His roots are the mean streets of East Los Angeles. Today he can happily smile and shake his head about his wild times as a teenager.
When his uncle made the move up north, he said there might be work for Patrick in his transportation company (he also through that in No. Cal girls were much nicer than So. Cal girls). Patrick didn't hesitate. His uncle promised him the ocean and it's waves would still be available a la norte -- a big selling point as Patrick finds his mojo in the mosh of the ocean's whitewash.
What his uncle didn't mention was the bone-chilling water temperature, or the rocks off the secret spot in Capitola. Patrick left a pound of shin flesh (and a good portion of his brand new wet suit) after eating it on a particularly heavy set.
Nasty scar in tow (nothing makes the chicks "oooh" and "ahhh" like a good scar), his hustle made him an instant favorite at his transportation job. He shot up the ranks from file boy to the front office in no time. He also moonlighted at Applebees, waiting tables to make a few bucks and meet a lot of people -- thankfully for us at D&D, one of those people was staff DJ Jason Ruderman. Jason liked Patrick's style and told him to come check out a showcase. Though Patrick didn't know Jason from Adam West, and was wary of the potential Amway Scamway, he gave us a peek. Hook, line and sinker.
At D&D we often say the music is the easy part -- the person with the personality is the gem that we're looking for. Patrick's a rare one, shining with the mic in his hand, coordinating games & dances with guests, and running behind the scenes with vendors at the same time. He loves getting lost in what could feel incredibly chaotic to others.
"It's like catching the set wave, getting completely barreled and making it out," he says with the trademark So. Cal smile. "It's sick."
"Sick" is So. Cal lingo for "great". You can take the boy out of the 'hood...
GoTo Links:
"WoW! What a great party we had thanks to the D&D team! We cannot thank you all enough for your enthusiasm and energy to make the evening a night to remember. The best part was looking in the dining room throughout the evening and not seeing a person sitting around the table unless they were eating. Patrick, thank you so very much - you are a superstar. As you are well aware Sarah had the time of her life. And the rest of us, you know we also loved the evening. You get a break from the Feinberg's until April 23, 2011 then get ready to rock the house again!"
- Jenna Feinberg, Lake Merced Golf Club, August 22, 2009
"Now that all the relatives are gone and I can catch my breath, I wanted to let you know what a fabulous party you and your crew created for us at Alex's Bar Mitzvah celebration last Saturday. Everyone had so much fun and the people we saw throughout the rest of the weekend (because, of course, there were a few more gatherings/parties) raved about you especially.
I will definitely post my feedback at Denon & Doyle's Facebook link, but I also wanted to tell you personally how memorable our party was because of all of you. Thank you, again."
- Linda Schneit, Temple Isaiah, August 15, 2009
"I'll just get straight into it. Patrick was freakin' amazing! He worked the crowd in such a way that all we've been hearing is how fun the wedding was. Dennis and I even had fun and were able to enjoy the reception. He timed everything perfectly and read the crowd perfectly. Both our parents have been getting calls to comment how much fun they had and we know that it was partly due to Patrick. My sisters have both said that when they get married that they want Patrick to do their weddings, and I don't blame them. Please let him know again that we appreciated his work and thanks for making our wedding day be the best that it could be."
- Sara Travis, Martinelli Event Center, July 24, 2009
"Patrick, Ellis, Mark, and Nicole ROCKED THE HOUSE! They were beyond fantastic that even my 2 year old son, cried when they shut down at 11pm. Everyone stayed to the very end, that we even had to pay the shuttle drivers to stay to take guests back to the hotel. Arielle has been doing the Bat/Bar Mitzvah circuit now for several months. The pick up time is usually 10:00pm and most of the kids are calling their parents for pick up at 9:15pm, waiting outside, talking on their cell phones. At Arielle's party, the kids didn't want to leave the dance floor. We had parents waiting for probably 30 minutes until Patrick closed down at 11pm. It was great for the really little ones, bigger kids and adults. Everyone stayed until the very last minute, because of Denon & Doyle, and mainly Patrick. We can't thank you enough for this incredible experience. Many people asked for you as referrals. Even our photographer was rocking out! We are so appreciative. Patrick, Ellis, Mark and Nicole worked incredibly hard and everyone is still talking about it and will continue for a very long time."
- Beth, Gregg, Arielle, and Cody, Palo Alto Hills CC, June 13, 2009
"Everything was amazing!!!!!! Patrick out did himself. He was on! Natasha and the girls were amazing as well. He was excellent with communicating with me where he was at, and giving me plenty of time to prepare for the next segment of the night. Everyone was blown away by them. They made the party! I don't think the dance floor was ever empty! The Green Screen was really a great add on. I can't wait to see those pictures. I am already trying to come up with a reason to have another party before Charlie's Bar Mitzvah - to have Patrick again. :) Your company has impressed me every step of the way. I will definitely recommend you and use you guys as often as possible. Especially, since all of my friends with Mitzvahs coming up were asking me to help them plan theirs. There is not one thing I would have changed. They all nailed it! Please send my regards to all of them. Have a great summer."
- Andrea Price, Lafayette VeteranÕs Memorial Hall, June 6, 2009
"Hi Patrick, I am still coming down from the high from Saturday night, but did not want anymore time to go by without thanking you again. You and your team (I am so sorry I cannot remember their names at the moment of those wonderful young ladies) did such an AMAZING job. You far exceeded our expectations, I cannot begin to tell you.
You totally made the party a complete success. You knew exactly what to do when and how to not only read the entire crowd, but also Harrison as well. He had the time of his life and one that I am pretty confident changed him forever in the most positive way. You made him feel like a star, and in a way that he was totally comfortable and at ease with. And if that isn't enough, the music you played, the games, the pacing, the taking stress off my plate are all just some more examples of how great a job you did.
We keep hearing from everybody that was there how they loved the DJ and how they had the best time ever. Please let me know if there is anyone else at D&D that I can let know what a perfect job you and the Ladies did, and please tell them how grateful we are for their awesome job as well. You are all truly masters at making a party a true celebration, and that is something I will always be grateful for. Needless to say I will refer you to anyone and everyone and if you and/or D&D every need a referral or testimonial please do not hesitate to call on me."
- Sally Friedes, Lake Merritt Hotel, May 30, 2009
"The reviews are in and EVERYONE raved about you -- from 7 year olds to 14 year olds to 50 year olds. The kids are saying best party in the last 3 years of their middle school lives."
- Ann Harrison, Private Residence, May 29, 2009
"The team was absolutely fabulous, they made the party. There were at least two or three guests who inquired about Patrick and want to have D&D at their next function. Rachel had the time of her life, as did we. Patrick was very helpful in assisting me in resolving my own technical issues with my presentation. Overall, a great event and team. Couple of very minor things if you want them: I didn't remember seeing any haze effect/machine which I believe was part of our package. There were a few songs Rachel really wanted played that didn't happen. A great evening. Best, Jeff"
- Jeff Simon, Sequoyah Country Club, May 2, 2009
"WOW! We have been hearing non-stop raves about Rachel's Bat Mitzvah party Saturday night, all thanks to the incredible work of Patrick, Rachel, Natasha and Kelsey. Everyone, from the 5 year old cousins to my 78 year old aunt loved the music, dancing, games and energy! Rachel's friends will be talking about it for weeks to come. We really could not have imagined a better party. Rachel is still on Cloud 9. She woke up Sunday morning and said "It seems like it was all a dream." Thanks for making her dreams come true!"
- Lisa Merkadeau, Martinelli Event Center, April 4, 2009
"Patrick and Quinn were fantastic. They are pros in making an unforgettable and joyous occasion. Many many thanks and huge kudos to them."
- AmyMetxenbaum, Seafood Peddler, March 7, 2009
"Everything was wonderful. Patrick was GREAT and I loved how he brought out Nathaniel's personality! Nathaniel wished the evening would have never ended. I've heard the party has been the talk about school! I had many many compliments from the adults at the party. They loved how the kids were all engaged in the games.. they were so entertaining for the adults to watch too! Everyone loved the music... lots of adults dancing with the kids, so that was so much fun! I'm thrilled that everyone, all ages, had a fabulous time that evening!
One thing I just loved was at the end of the evening how we all gathered in a circle for Nathaniel to have the opportunity to go around and hug people and say a quick "thanks" as he went around the circle. It was great closure and no one was missed in a "goodbye"."
- Julie Stern, Congregation BÕnai Tikvah, February 28, 2009
"Unbelievable! Patrick and his team were the best! They really brought the party together ..... every music selection, every movement, they were so upbeat and really set the perfect tone. We couldn't be happier. Patrick is a sheer joy to work with. He is a master at what he does. He handled everything beautifully. His energy is limitless. He is truly an outstanding performer. He is able to engage all age groups for the entire evening. And he really connected with my son, who now wants to be a Denon and Doyle DJ too. The evening was truly memorable thanks to your team ....... simply flawless."
- Lois Lawrence, Temple Emanu-El, February 21, 2009
"We would like you to know how extremely pleased we all were with the music and entertainment provided by you, Patrick, and Natasha, Ashley and Paige. We absolutely loved our celebration at Round Hill and appreciate the huge impact the music and entertainment had on everyone's experience. We received countless compliments from our guests. Everyone from thirteen to eighty plus had a great time and felt included in the celebration -- one of our main goals as you know. The music selection was superb and had everyone on the dance floor. The kids loved the Game Show, dancing, and other activities. Quite a number of Sam's friends and ours as well told us that the party was one of the best they had ever attended. Patrick, everyone loved you!! Compliments for you included -- he is so handsome, he has boundless energy, he knows how to keep people of all ages engaged, he knows how to handle a large group of young teens, etc. I guess the best compliment of all is that a number of our friends want to have a party just so that they can hire you, Patrick, to MC their events."
- Linda Berg, Round Hill Country Club, February 7, 2009
"Everything went great! AJ, Patrick and Ari did a terrific job. All of the kids were saying it was the best party they had ever been to and the adults had a fantastic time too. AJ really kept the kids entertained and kept everything moving and high energy. It was a great idea to have the kids eat first and have an adult dance set while the kids were eating. We will definitely recommend you to our friends!"
- Emily Nozick, Mira Vista Country Club, January 24, 2009
"We were very pleased with Patrick McMichael. Prior to booking, we were told to check out Patrick for ourselves, and in a matter of minutes, felt more than confident that Patrick was the perfect DJ. He and his crew showed up on time, were very friendly, and made everyone feel welcome. He organized original games for the kids and had them on the dancefloor till close. All the same, he kept up the energy and interaction, and had the adults going till the end and loving every minute of it. We considered adding additional performers and never went through with it, and wow are we glad we didn't. Patrick was the highlight of the show - full of enthusiasm and passion for DJing and entertaining. With Patrick and his excellent crew, there is no need for anything else to make the party a memorable one. We now know who to turn to for future events to make the nights ones to remember forever - DJ Patrick McMichael."
- Miri and Avner Hassine, Crowne Plaza Cabana, January 10, 2009
"The party was great and all our friends were amazed with Patrick; he and his team did a phenomenal job! We couldn't have asked for a better DJ! It was the perfect balance between keeping the kids entertained and letting them do what they wanted to do, and also between running the party and checking with me on what needs to happen. I had a feeling like I did not have to do anything, but at the same time I felt informed, involved and to some extend in charge. The evening was perfect! Thank you for making our daughter's Bat Mitzvah party so memorable."
- Gracie Lieberman, Astaria, December 20, 2008
"As usual, D&D was AMAZING! I must say I have head nothing but positives from all of our guests -- young and old. You and Patrick listened to exactly what I wanted and set the exact mood and tone for the evening that I was looking for. It was fun and energetic, but totally controlled and organized beyond belief -- especially with that many kids and guests. There is nothing that could have been different or better. They nailed it!!"
- Rachel Goldblatt, Crow Canyon Country Club, November 8, 2008
"Everything was wonderfull. Patrick is a great entertainer and everyone at the party had praises for him. Thank you again from the Torbati's"
- Daniel Torbati, San Mateo Marriott, October 25, 2008