Bringing life to people through music makes St. Joseph resident Matt Walsh giddy.
As an entertainer with Party On Productions, Walsh gets to brings people, even crowds of people, to life.
“I light up when I talk about DJing,” he said.
Walsh left St. Joseph-Ogden High School in 1995 wanting to become a police officer. As he went through the process, he decided to also follow in his father’s footsteps and become a union carpenter.
“I’m still a carpenter 24 years later,” he said.
Walsh doesn’t mind, though. The day job is what led him to meet Clint McGraw, the owner of Party on Productions.
McGraw, a union insulator, was on the same job-site as Walsh during a build. They quickly realized that their two children were the same age, and attended the same daycare.
“Our kids became quick friends,” Walsh said. “They have sleepovers all the time.”
When Walsh realized McGraw owned a DJ business, he begged McGraw to let him be part of the organization.
“He was reluctant because he didn’t want our friendship to be a problem in the business,” Walsh said. “I told him I’ll gladly walk away from DJing to save a friendship. It’s not that important.”
Nine years later, Walsh has watched hundreds of people celebrate the biggest days of their lives.
“I took to it like a duck to water,” he said. “I just love it.”
While Party On Productions has its own rules and standards, Walsh has learned how to get a crowd to participate. He starts off with oldies to get people up and moving.
“I get requests for ’50’s, ’60’s and ’70’s music, even from millennials. Even at junior high dances. It baffles me that these kids know this music,” Walsh said.
He then moves onto some newer music, some slow songs and then begins to “ramp it up” from there.
“No matter what the song is, it takes you back to the first time you heard it,” Walsh said.
Walsh has even seen music bring generations of family members together.
He encourages them to find out what their parents’ song was.
“I encourage people to look back and learn things like that,” he said. “You learn so much through music. It will take you back to first dates; it’s like a time traveler when you listen to music.”
To understand a couple’s story, Walsh likes to meet with a couple before a wedding, or with a client before a party to understand what it is that they want or do not want.
“That way they know who I am and we can make sure personalities mesh,” he said. “I can get along with pretty much anybody. To be a DJ you have to be a people person.”
He offers a play and do not play list so that the client can tailor their event and makes sure that he creates a relationship with their guests during the event.
“We do what we can to facilitate their happiness,” Walsh said.
At events, Walsh and McGraw, alongside their team (currently six employees) have learned to expect the unexpected.
At one wedding, the bride and groom were an hour-and-a-half late to the reception. While the guests waited patiently, McGraw facilitated a scavenger hunt to entertain the people who had already arrived.
““It’s the little things,” Walsh said.
Although Party On Productions has a small team, McGraw has set up professional standards so that clients get the same experience no matter what DJ shows up on site.
“Of course we all have our own little flare, but you get the same service because there are certain rules that we follow,” Walsh said.
Party On Productions loves doing charity work: 5K runs, cancer walks, the St. Joseph Festival and the PTA Carnival.
“I like to help out the community. We all do. All of our guys go above and beyond,” Walsh said.
While most of the DJs Walsh works with stay close to home, Walsh has also had gigs that have taken him to North Dakota, Ohio and Wisconsin.
“For me, it’s not about the traveling. It’s more about the experience,” he said. “Someone is willing to drag me that far away from home to DJ; it honestly makes me feel good.
“Could they find a really good DJ in their area? Absolutely. They’re everywhere. There are probably half a dozen DJs in St. Joe alone. And they are all really good. But we all do our own thing differently.”
Working close to home, too, Walsh said that he has loved to connect with old friends, whether it be through getting to honor their special day or visiting with them at a local venue.
He loves seeing the people from his hometown at Roch’s for karaoke just as much as he loved helping Ryan and Abbie Rogiers, who Walsh grew up with, celebrate their wedding day.
St. Joseph holds special memories for Walsh. He used to ride his bicycle, skateboard and roller blades throughout town, he visited the drug store to buy nickel and dime candy, and it’s where he got his first job as a dishwasher.
“I love being around here because you get to see people who stayed, and inevitably, there are people who come back to see family. I constantly get to see good friends,” he said.
But most of all, Walsh said he enjoys sharing all of this with his children, who love to join him on gigs.
Jackson, 12, helped his dad entertain junior high students at the Prairieview Ogden Middle School dance on Friday
“I set up all of the equipment and had him make the playlist along with take the requests. With very little guidance he did an absolutely amazing job! I couldn’t be more proud of him and his love for music!”
