Groove On Entertainment - Chicago DJs

What Groove On Entertainment - Chicago DJs does

Groove On Entertainment is a private DJ and event entertainment service founded in 1996, operating across 14 major US metropolitan markets including Chicago, Atlanta, Boston, New York, Los Angeles, Miami, Las Vegas, and San Francisco. The company provides professional open-format DJ services for weddings, Bar/Bat Mitzvahs, corporate events, school dances, and private parties, capable of serving events ranging from 10 to 10,000 guests. Its technology stack is built around established DJ and event production equipment — Serato DJ software paired with Pioneer controllers and/or Rane mixers, distributed via low-Z XLR cabling to QSC, EAW, JBL, and Mackie powered speakers and subwoofers — with optional add-on capabilities including LED uplighting, moving heads, lasers, gobo monogram projection, 360 and traditional photo booths, karaoke, and dance crew entertainers. Weddings are the primary use case, with dedicated ceremony services, MC support, day-of coordination, officiant services, and arch/aisle decor bundled for the wedding vertical.

The business operates on a direct-to-consumer model with a modular pricing structure: DJ service tiers range from $395 to $1,295 USD per event, with add-on services (photo booths, lighting upgrades, karaoke, dance crews) sold as incremental one-time fees. Customers reach the company through city-specific websites, localized social media (Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, Mixcloud), a WeddingWire storefront with verified reviews, and venue/vendor referral networks in key markets. Distribution is handled via a quote/request system plus phone and email inquiries routed to regional offices. The company is privately held, founder/owner-operated, with no disclosed institutional investors, funding rounds, or parent company. Reported headcount is 1–10, suggesting that DJs across the 14 markets likely operate as independent contractors or affiliates under the central brand.

Name

Groove On Entertainment - Chicago DJs

Legal name

Groove On Entertainment

Website

https://grooveondj.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1996

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Groove On Entertainment is a private, owner-operated DJ and event entertainment service founded in 1996, providing open-format DJ, photo booth, karaoke, lighting, and dance crew services for weddings, Bar/Bat Mitzvahs, corporate events, and school functions across 14 major US metro markets.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Event Entertainment Services

NAICS

Musical Groups and Artists (71113)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Party DJ, Music & Audio Services (HSACACAI)

Keywords

• Dj entertainment services
• Wedding dj services
• Event photo booths
• Karaoke rental services
• Event lighting production

Headquarters

HQ city

Atlanta

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices15 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. DJ Entertainment Services: Core revenue stream from providing professional DJ services for events including weddings, Bar/Bat Mitzvahs, corporate events, and school dances. Services are priced as one-time event fees with tiered options ranging from $395 to $1,295 USD.
2. Photo Booth Rentals: Additional revenue from photo booth rentals including 360 booth, traditional enclosed/open-air booths, step & repeat setups, and red carpet experiences. Can be bundled with DJ packages.
3. Lighting and AV Equipment Rentals: Revenue from LED uplighting, video screens (4' LED TV or 8' rear projection), gobo monograms, lasers, and truss lighting systems as add-on upgrades.
4. Karaoke Services: Karaoke services bringing interactive entertainment with wireless mics, lyrics display, and extensive song library.
5. Dance Crew Add-On: Dance crew entertainment for Bar/Bat Mitzvahs and events to motivate guests and lead dance floor activity.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Groove On Entertainment is a professional DJ entertainment company founded in 1996 that provides open-format DJ mixing, master of ceremonies services, sound systems, lighting and video displays, photo booths, karaoke, and dance crew entertainment for weddings, Bar/Bat Mitzvahs, corporate events, school dances, and private parties. Services are delivered on-site at customer venues across 14 major US metropolitan markets with tiered pricing from $395 to $1,295 USD plus modular add-ons.

Product overview

Groove On Entertainment is a DJ and event entertainment service founded in 1996, offering a comprehensive suite of entertainment products. The core offering is professional DJ Services featuring open-format music mixing, MC skills, and crowd-reading capabilities. The company operates a modular add-on architecture where clients can bundle services including Photo Booths (360, Traditional, Enclosed, Open-air, Step & Repeat formats), Sound Systems, Karaoke, Lights & Video Shows (LED uplighting, video screens, moving heads, lasers, gobo projection, glow party lighting), Dance Crew, Mashup Mixes, and Wedding-specific services (ceremony sound, MC, officiant, day-of coordination, arch/aisle decor). The company serves 14 major metropolitan markets including Chicago, Atlanta, Boston, DC, Miami, Orlando, Las Vegas, New Orleans, Milwaukee, Los Angeles, Dallas, San Francisco, New York, Philadelphia, and Detroit, with pricing ranging from $395 to $1,295 USD.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• DJ Services (Cool DJs) Professional DJ entertainment combining open-format music mixing, master of ceremonies skills, and crowd-reading ability to keep guests engaged across genres and eras. Includes 20+ years of experience and the ability to bridge eras, genres, and cultures.
• Photo Booth Rentals Photo booth rental services including 360 Booth, Traditional Enclosed, Open-air, Step & Repeat setups, Prints/Strips, and Red Carpet experiences for event entertainment and guest engagement.
• Professional Sound Systems High-fidelity audio equipment featuring Serato DJ platform, Pioneer controllers, Rane mixers, and QSC, EAW, JBL, and Mackie powered speakers and subwoofers. Capable of supporting events from 10 to 10,000 guests with multi-zone wireless capability.
• Karaoke Services Karaoke entertainment featuring lyrics displayed on screen, wireless microphones, and an extensive song library for solo or group performances.
• Lights & Video Shows Lighting and visual effects including LED uplighting in any color, video screens (4-foot LED TV or 8-foot rear projection), moving head fixtures, lasers, gobo monogram projection, and ultraviolet black lights for glow parties.
• Dance Crew (Dancers) Professional dancers who teach and lead dance floor activities to motivate guests and overcome initial dance floor hesitation, popular for Bar/Bat Mitzvah and corporate events.
• Wedding Ceremony Services Wedding-specific offerings including ceremony sound system with lapel mics, processional music timing, cocktail hour playlist, professional MC announcements, and licensed officiant services.
• Day-Of Coordinator Event day coordination service to manage logistics and details, allowing clients to fully enjoy their celebration.
• Arch & Aisle Decor Ceremony decoration featuring a silk flower arch and 6 matching columns for visual enhancement of the ceremony space.

Named customers6 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered minor.

• Atlanta Event Vendors NetworkminorOthersMutual referral network of wedding and event professionals in Atlanta including event planners (Joyce Lee/SyS Event Planning), caterers (Stacey LeBlanc/Maggiano's), photographers/videographers (Ryan Lindsay/Imagine VP), and other wedding service providers who recommend each other's services to clients.
• Chicago Wedding VendorsminorOthersReferral partnerships with Chicago wedding venues and vendors including Maggiano's banquet locations and Officiant On Demand for ceremony officiant services.
• WeddingWireminorGTM or Marketing PartnerWeddingWire storefront providing verified reviews and vendor credibility. The Boston location maintains a 5.0/5.0 rating with 117 reviews on the platform, and venues have added them to preferred vendor lists based on performance.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Others

• Cvent: Event management platform for corporate meetings and association events; operates in the broader event-services ecosystem where corporate entertainment spending is sourced, making it an adjacent enabling company relevant to Groove On's corporate events segment.
• Eventbrite: Event ticketing and discovery platform used by event organizers including those booking entertainment for corporate and private events; an enabling ecosystem player that captures some of the same corporate and private-party event bookings.
• The Bash: Event entertainment booking marketplace (formerly GigMasters) connecting customers to DJs, photo booths, and entertainers; an alternative booking channel that competes for the same end customers and could compress pricing across the category.
• WeddingWire: Wedding vendor marketplace where Groove On maintains a storefront with verified reviews (5.0/5.0 across 117 Boston reviews); functions as both a customer-acquisition channel and a competitive discovery platform where couples compare entertainment vendors side by side.
• Thumbtack: Local services marketplace where event entertainers, including DJs, acquire customers via quote-based bidding; represents a structurally similar customer-acquisition alternative to Groove On's direct-booking website.
• GigSalad: Online marketplace specifically for booking entertainers including DJs, musicians, and photo booth operators; competes for the same end customers via a marketplace model and represents an alternative customer-acquisition channel for couples shopping for wedding entertainment.
• The Knot Worldwide: Largest US wedding planning and vendor marketplace, now part of the same group as WeddingWire; serves as a primary discovery channel for couples shopping for DJs and a comparison platform where Groove On must compete against local alternatives.

Direct peers

• DJ Connection: Multi-city Texas-based DJ entertainment service operating across multiple metros with tiered wedding and event packages; the most directly comparable US multi-market DJ brand to Groove On's positioning, geographic spread, and bundled service model.

Broad incumbents

• Live Nation: Largest global live entertainment company operating concerts, festivals, ticketing, and venues; does not directly compete in private wedding DJ services but dominates adjacent live-entertainment spend and could move downmarket into premium private events.

Emerging players

• Silent Events: Specialist in silent disco and headphone party events, an emerging experiential format that competes for premium wedding and corporate entertainment budgets with a differentiated hook; represents a new format that could sshare from traditional DJ services over time.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCyzKxWlVcI6qyKjW-rhcCfw
• Facebookfacebook.com/chicagodjservices
• Instagraminstagram.com/grooveondj
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/desmond-thomas-9a779a8

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Groove On Entertainment - Chicago DJs