Tired toes and titillating memories bring down the house when the perfect disc jockey plays precisely what the crowd needs at a wedding, event or special occasion.

Music is a must at almost any event. But the wrong disc thrower can toss a party into emotional turbulence and downright doldrums if the tunes aren’t right.

That goes for any wedding, corporate event, birthday party or nightclub.

“I’ve seen more than one disc jockey ruin a perfectly good evening,” says Sally Allegro who owns a southern California restaurant and nightclub which is often leased for special events.

If few other activities are planned such as speaking, presentations or live music, then music may be all an event has to offer its guests as entertainment.

At a special fund-raiser for a Catholic school, although the waiters sang classic Italian music during dinner breaks, it was the disc jockey that kept parents and supporters dancing until well after midnight.

The right disc jockey will also know which music is best for the audience. Even if a funk or soul song may be the hottest on the Billboard charts, it may be completely inappropriate for a crowd of parents who may not be familiar with it.

A wedding, for instance, is especially challenging because generally a variety of age groups and people from economic levels if not geographic locations attend.

The disc jockey may indeed become the emcee for the entire event, introducing the bride-and-groom to the audience, the bridal party and help introduce the best man and maiden of honor to give toasts.

Usually, the disc jockey can follow a schedule of events, but the bride and groom or wedding coordinator need to work closely with him or her in order to make the sure the afternoon or evening flows.

When the disc jockey introduces the bride and groom for the first time, they must have clarified with him what their favorite song is, and which one should follow if the bride is to take the second dance with her father or if the bridal party is to join them on the dance floor.

When hiring a disc jockey, it’s best to have a referral from friends who have had positive experiences. Most disc jockeys have a general fee for a certain period of time – three to four hours. But some may tack on an hourly fee if the party extends beyond their usual sets.

Also, most disc jockeys provide their own equipment. If they don’t have their own equipment, then it will be necessary to check with the location of your event or nightclub to be sure that they can provide proper sound and playing equipment.

Then the bride, the groom and the disc jockey should go over a potential play list for the event. The same is true of a corporate event or birthday party.

And even if the DJ shows that he/she has a large library of music, and promises to play whatever you want, a plan should still made in advance of the event.

“Sometimes it’s difficult to know what mood the crowd is going to be in,” says Janis Smith, an events coordinator in Missouri. “The disc jockey needs to be a little bit of a psychologist.”

Knowing the crowd’s mood may not be enough either. The DJ may have to pump up the volume a little or motivate the crowd on to the dance floor.

In addition to knowing if Frank Sinatra or Frank Zappa is appropriate, the disc jockey should have a flair for games. The bunny hop is still a classic get-out-of-your-seat dance that can help a good portion of the audience to some old-fashioned huffing and puffing.

If a disc jockey has been hired for a corporate event or at a nightclub, many elements are the same.

Again, the disc jockey should be able to read the audience, discern what music is best to get the crowd loosened up, then follow suit with romantic tunes to music that will bring down the house.

If a disc jockey is truly talented at what he or she does in any situation, the crowd won’t want to leave the event or nightclub until the lights go up.

“A live band doesn’t bring in half as many people on a regular basis as a great disc jockey,” says Ian Basille, a Southern California night club owner. “The crowds depend on a good disc jockey to give them what they want.”

That means that when the music starts the crowd is shifted slowly from a relaxed dinner mentality to getting a little more revved up. And as the nightclub gets more populated, the music may shift into a higher gear.

A nightclub may be host to all sorts of groups – girls on a bachelorette party, colleagues out for a drink, guys on the hunt for a new date…but ostensibly the purpose is to have fun.

A disc jockey must know exactly when to turn down the volume for some soft romance should couples start to pair off for a slow dance. At the same time, if a group of girls are crazed to dance then some hot rock may put a little jive into their hips, and their purses on the floor.

By the end of the night, if a disc jockey has been successful, almost everyone will be reluctant to leave whether it’s a nightclub, wedding or corporate event.

“What you want is for the last guest to leave exhausted and having had a great time,” says Janis. “You don’t want people to leave before the party is over, or before the night is done.”

So as easy a disc jockey may be to hire, the right one may take time, research and the right price.

A disc jockey, whom once played records primarily, must have an ample array of CDs with a very wide range of music to appeal to every member of the crowd.

And if he or she are adept at what they do, they should be able read the crowd, its action, its interactions and its basic underlying culture.

A family reunion of primarily Hispanic folks won’t necessarily appreciate Irish folk music, but some trendy Mexica bands and a little swooning from salsa king Marc Anthony may compel the crowd to the dance floor.