1998 DJ Times International DJ EXPO By Mike Ferino Atlantic City It was that time of year again. Time for the annual migration for disc jockeys across the country and abroad, the converge on Atlantic City, New Jersey, for the annual DJ Times convention! This show features everything from entertainer showcases, to workshops, and classes, to the latest in dj gear, displayed by hundreds of vendors. This was my fifth year in attendance, and as always, I looked forward to seeing old friends, and making new ones! I believe that the show is much more about fellow professionals, getting together to learn from each other, and of course, blow off steam at the after-hour parties!  "The workshops, and classes are nice, but I learn far more just by talking to djs in the halls," remarked one dj I spoke with, in fact, that seemed to be the general consensus. "We learn so much from these professionals, who unselfishly give of their time and ideas for the advancement of our industry," remarked another dj I bumped into at lunch. The Classes Well, there was a lot of the same this year, and for the advanced dj, very little new to pick up on, but it was great to see the new kids on the block,"(I don't mean the group!) sitting in, learning the tools of the trade, that would eventually catapult them into the high-end dj market! There were many new djs this year. Some just starting out, and this show was a start in the right direction. I like to see so many new djs taking their work seriously. It ensures that the level of professionalism will continue to rise year after year. For the advanced dj/entertainer, I would like to see a "weddings 202, the next level." A workshop for the entertainers that attend the expo year after year, and need new fresh ideas, instead of the "weddings 101, intro to weddings," we seem to get every year. It is great for the new guys, but let's s not stagnate on the "same old same old!" I was very impressed with the Beatmixing workshop, hosted by Frank Garcia. Frank owns a dj school and was the perfect choice to conduct this very popular and very important seminar. Many djs would like to beatmix, however, it is not an easy task. In about 2 hours, Frank gave 20 years of experience condensed into an informative, and entertaining class! One of my other djs, who made the trip with me, attended the Latin music seminar. He is Latin himself, and walked away with valuable information. I was happy to see an effort, on DjTimes part, to provide, different seminars that we don't see every year. Speaking of every year, what would the expo be without the incomparable Randi Rae, hosting the Bar/Batmitzvah workshops, which have become, one of the highlights of the show! Go To Part 2