Today we’d like to introduce you to Tony Liebetrau and Ian Gotler.
Tony and Ian, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
We met in the BFA Acting Program at USC. Fast friends and roommates, we bonded over a shared love for music and started attending raves and dance parties on the weekends. We became enamored with DJ culture, purchased four turntables of our own, and did what most beginning DJs do… converted the dining room into our own personal club and practiced practiced practiced. At first, we’d DJ for free at raves, campus art parties, the fraternity/sorority row, clubs, bars, restaurants and anywhere else that would have us.
A few years after graduating, we folded into a DJ company based in Orange County and were introduced to DJing private events. At that time, there weren’t too many DJs working weddings and corporate events that combined professionalism and collaboration with top-notch technical DJ skill and the ability to read a floor. The market was filled with all the stereotypes that people have come to fear when hiring a mobile DJ. The fly-by-nighter who uses weekend DJing as a way to supplement his or her income with questionable equipment and will cancel on you a week before if something “better” comes along. The cheesy, over-the-top emcee who spends most of the telling recycled jokes and then goes down a playlist of the cringe-worthy weddings songs you’ve come to hate. The club DJ who is too cool to take requests, introduce the toasts, and has trouble mixing outside of the genre they specialize in (hip hop, EDM, etc). We realized that we could provide a unique service to an industry that was ready for something new. We got a small loan from Tony’s parents, set up shop in a single car garage and RedShoe was born.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Honestly, 12 years in, it has been pretty smooth. One of the key ingredients is the collective of DJs that we’ve trained and surrounded ourselves with. Their skill and attention to detail is second to none and they provide our clients with exceptional service. Solid technique, a friendly disposition and in-depth event experience makes for an easy “sell” to folks looking for a great DJ for their parties.
You never know how a friendship will alter when business enters the equation. It feels like we got lucky on that front. We have complementary skill sets and find resolution relatively easily. Any challenges that have presented themselves along the way have always galvanized us as friends and co-founders. Rather than drive a wedge in the relationship, we use setbacks as a chance to grow both personally and professionally.
Please tell us about RedShoe.
RedShoe is a DJ collective that specializes in creating unique, memorable, and collaboratively-crafted soundtracks for public and private events. We’re known for our ability to get people on the dance floor, and keep them there, without resorting to cheesy DJ tactics or overplayed songs. We also supply top-of-the-line equipment so that the sound of the music is as impressive as the way it is mixed.
Customer satisfaction is paramount and we’re constantly pushing ourselves to find new ways to give our clientele the best experience possible. There’s no better feeling than getting a group of people dancing. Giving them a chance to forget about their troubles for a bit and just belt out the chorus to their favorite song all starts with attention to detail, good communication and passion. That’s what sets us apart – the combination of professionalism (which includes a willingness to collaborate with our clients) and superior technical skill.
What do you like best about our city? Like least?
We love the creative energy and spirit that surrounds LA and how it inevitably seeps into every corner despite how vast the county is. Our least favorite thing about is, of course, the traffic.
Pricing:
- Starting at $1500
Contact Info:
- Website: www.redshoedjs.com
- Phone: 323.784.4843
- Email: info@redshoela.com
- Instagram: @RedShoeLA
- Facebook: /RedShoeLA
- Twitter: @RedShoeDJ
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.
