Today we’d like to introduce you to Wes Riechmann and Dom Sagona.
Wes and Dom, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
So, Dom and I (Wes talking here) co-founded Good Mood together some time ago, but we’ve actually been friends since 7th grade. Back then music was a huge part of our lives and we were both brought up on an unhealthy amount of Aretha, Queen, James Brown, The Stooges, Dre, Biggie, Bowie, and Beastie Boys to name a few. After graduating 8th grade, we became a version of “those kids” in our respective high schools. We skated to music, we made music, we played music, we edited skate videos of ourselves with music in them, and then talked more about music.
When we graduated high school our paths went in different directions. Dominic became a professional skater (not surprising) and a committed DJ. I went on to play in a number of indie bands (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n7jeJboB1xI). While Dominic’s touring schedule was exposing him to DJ scenes in Korea, Germany, and France, my music projects were placing me in close proximity to many of LA’s talented producers and DJ’s. Looking back it’s funny how primed things were for what was to come.
Around 2013 a friend asked if I wanted to make some extra money helping out a DJ outfit in Los Angeles. I was a little apprehensive at first, I had band engagements and an album to finish, but I ended up saying yes. That’s how it started. To make a long story short, I had a knack for DJ’ing private parties, and within a year of my first gig I had become one of the most requested DJ’s at the company…
A few seasons later Dominic dropped me a line. He knew what I was up to, and he wanted to take a break from the constant skate tours and spend more time with music. He joined the fold shortly thereafter. Day by day, we honed our craft, DJ’ing (movie premiere parties, galas, corporate events, weddings, charities, and private parties) for clients who loved music but didn’t know how to put it all together in a way that would capture the right tone and feel. That’s where we came in — handcrafting soundtracks to reflect our client’s tastes – that was what we were good at.
The dance floors rolled into the wee hours, our reputations began to take shape, and things fell into place. We launched Good Mood in 2018 because we saw that we could do something really unique – build a soundtrack around a handful of our client’s favorite artists, and at the end of the night, craft a dance party around that same vision with live mixing, beat-matching, mashups, and unexpected runs. Our clients tend to be people who place a lot of importance on music, and who care about getting the right vibe and feel at their event – wether its a wedding, premier party, or rooftop get-down.
Has it been a smooth road?
Honestly, some of the most difficult moments for us involved a calculator and bank account. For that first year, we just didn’t know what amount of engagement we’d get. Would we be able to pay rent? After rent could we afford groceries? Gas? HBO?
Every morning felt like a slow-moving, generalized panic attack – and that was a before checking the bank account. In hindsight, the fact that everything worked out is still a huge source of pride and gratitude for us. After we launched, each month brought us more happy clients, more packed dance floors, and more consistent encouragement from the industry taking notice around us.
At the close of our first year, we’d beaten every one of our initial goals, and our second year is shaping up to be even better. That feels pretty nice… Obviously we worked our asses off, but we couldn’t have done it without every single happy client who trusted us with their event, and spread the word like Good Mood missionaries afterwards. It’s cheesy to say, but the letters and Yelp reviews they’ve written make my heart swell like an Ennio Morricone soundtrack.
So let’s switch gears a bit and go into the Good Mood story. Tell us more about the business.
Well our clients tend to be people who place a lot of importance on having the right vibe and feel at their event, they’re people who care about the music. They also need someone who can deliver a curated party and perform as a professional from start to finish. But a DJ like that can be a tall order – especially when it comes to Weddings. I’m sure everyones heard the horror stories.
But the first time clients talk to us on the phone, and listen to a few mixes, they’re relieved to find out we’re different. We’re not those guys. No cheesy announcer voice or rattling off jokes in the middle of dinner. We’re not playing the Macarena or Chicken Dance. We’re not everyone’s cup of tea, and we like it like that.
If I had to sum up what makes us different, it’s collaboration. Collaboration is at the heart of GoodMood. Every event is different, and every client is different. That’s why we want to know what music you’re excited about, which artists mean the most to you, what albums you grew up on, and what songs you have to hear. Then we translate all that into a soundtrack that brings out all the best in your tastes. Honestly, we love DJ’ing around our client’s preferences because it keeps things fresh and constantly evolving. For us, it’s each client’s personalized love of music that makes what we do so interesting and challenging. It’s the biggest part of Good Mood.
Pricing:
- Our rates start at $2,000
Contact Info:
- Website: www.ThisIsGoodMood.com
- Phone: 413.801.0545
- Email: info@thisisgoodmood.com
- Instagram: @thisisgoodmood
- Facebook: @thisisgoodmood
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/good-mood-echo-park
Image Credit:
Steve Steinhardt Photography, Gina And Ryan Photography
Getting in touch: VoyageLA is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
