Few DJs would think to cut through Florence, Italy and New York City in order to get to Fort Lauderdale. Then again, few DJs have proven the logic of a circuitous route quite like Dean Michaels. In fact, it appears that Michaels is so intent on spinning his way straight into ubiquity, he doesn't care how many rotations it takes. And who's to argue with that?
But after arrivals, soon or later come departures, and after seven months Michaels made his way back across the pond. This time Michaels went to to the Big Bad Apple, where he landed a spot as an intern at the powerhouse radio station Z100. Soon, he was handling marketing and promotions, and by the end of two years, he found himself spinning Z100's All Access party at the Hammerstein Ballroom, an event that remains a highlight to his DJ life.
These days Michaels still handles the odd live action for WMIA, as well as the odd event for folks like New Times (see last week's Pairings). And he's also got four residencies in three different locations, including Lauderdale's uber hip W Hotel, where he hold court weekly at both the Whisky Bar and Wet.
Basically a hybrid outfit that includes marketing and promotions, talent and management, event production, and fan services, Your DJ promises to be everything to everybody who gets involved. A fledgling promotions company might find itself teaming with Your DJ for an event, and then featured on its site. A group of travelers may want their night on the town to be handled from pick-up to drop-off, and Your DJ will do it for them. A band might be looking for gigs, an artist looking for an exhibit, a designer looking for a soundtrack to his or her next runway show, and Your DJ will make the connections necessary to achieve each desired result. Currently Michaels customizes music for the designer Kariza, and Kariza, presumably, shows to a much better beat.
Tuesdays at Kitchen 305, Sunny Isles Beach
Thursdays at Blue Martini, Fort Lauderdale
Fridays at Whisky Bar at the W, Fort Lauderdale
Saturday afternoons at Wet at the W, Fort Lauderdale. djdeanmichaels.com