Smith Wedding

Congratulations Greg and Mari!

GREAT JOB!

Testimonial ~ "We highly recommend Conrad Hayes – Rad Rock DJ Service for any event you need music entertainment. Conrad was very accommodating with the music the crowd wanted played. He kept them dancing and having a good time. He provides an awesome light show with his music. Conrad is very reasonably priced and will play the hours you need him. He is very easy to work with. Thanks Conrad for the GREAT JOB!!" ~ Jill H. JP Cools

We Were Very Pleased With His Service

Testimonial ~ "This recommendation is in regards to Conrad Hayes. My wife and I employed Mr.Hayes as the DJ for our wedding reception on Sunday, September 4, 2011. We were were very pleased with his services for the ceremony. He provided music that fit our musical tastes and styles, without needing a comprehensive list of songs. In providing music that did fit our wants, he also played specific songs that we and other attendees requested. The music flowed freely throughout the night and really kept the reception going. From the moment the music started, the dance floor was never empty or dull. My wife and I found ourselves dancing more than we thought we ever would! Many of our guests stayed until the very end of the reception. I recall a group of guests who traveled to Champaign from Chicago just for the wedding day and were heading back that evening stay until the very end of the reception at midnight. In addition to the music, the DJ also served as an MC for the reception. Mr.Hayes served as an MC with great enthusiasm and excitement. He announced our wedding party at the beginning of the reception and announced key moments in the ceremony (first dance, mother/daughter & son/mother dance, bouquet & garter toss, speeches, etc…). Overall, we were very pleased with his service. He created a great atmosphere for the reception, he was very professional, and timely. Throughout the planning process he was helpful in explaining the services he would provide and addressing everything upfront and in documentation. He gave us items of things to consider months before the reception, and most importantly gave us time to make decisions regarding the music without pressuring us. He was also available anytime throughout the planning process if we had any question. There were no complaints in regards to the music selection for us or any of the guests. I would strongly recommend Mr.Hayes for any further events. If you have any further questions, please do not hesitate to contact us*." ~ Mr. and Mrs. James Brown       * Email DJ Rad-Rock for contact info for the Browns.

I Am Happy To Recommend Conrad Hayes

Testimonial ~ "I am happy to recommend Conrad Hayes for DJ services at your next event. I had the pleasure of listening to Conrad's work at my son's wedding on Saturday, June 19 at the City View Illinois Champaign Terminal in Champaign. He was able to to quickly adapt what music style he was playing to fit the mood of the crowd. Conrad deserves serious consideration as a potential music vendor and I recommend him highly."

The Locketts' Wedding

Conrad Hayes Puts On A Fantastic Show

Testimonial ~ "We have now contracted Rad-Rock Ltd. Promotions for a number of middle school dances in our district. Conrad Hayes has been the disc jockey for each event. We have found him to be punctual, courteous, and thoroughly professional at all times. His concern for age-appropriateness is evident. He weeds out those songs of questionable content and/or language. Everything that I have heard him play has been edited, as necessary. I have heard only compliments from parents. Conrad Hayes and Rad-Rock Ltd. Promotions put on a fantastic show and I would recommend them highly to other schools and organizations looking for a professional service."

Aryn & Morgan's Wedding

Ramey-Peters Wedding

Absolutely Tops

Testimonial ~ "Conrad is an incredible DJ who did an appropriately incredible job DJing our wedding in November. He worked perfectly with the specific playlist we wanted played (vintage 40s,50s, and 60s dance music) and knew when to play the fast numbers and when to slow it down. His positive attitude carried through from the first time we contacted him until our most recent communications. We'd definitely hire him again. Bugbee's DJ was a preferred vendor for our venue, and we liked that each of the DJs presented a bio on their site; Conrad's specified that he was knowledgeable about the musical decades we were looking for, so he was our first choice all the way. He kept in good contact through his song-finding process and worked with us ahead of time to come up with a good schedule for our wedding. Absolutely tops, with our highest recommendation!" Thanks again! ~ Ethan and Meghan

I Highly Recommend Conrad To DJ Your Wedding

Testimonial ~ ""I highly recommend Conrad to DJ your wedding. We had a fairly specific list of songs that we wanted to play, and he made sure he had every song on the list--even if he had to go out and buy them! He also did an excellent job mixing the tracks to keep the party going. When the lights came on at the end of the night, no one wanted to stop dancing! People are still commenting how much fun they had at our wedding. Conrad was also very accommodating to last minute requests. Our reception was outdoors, and we decided only a few weeks before the date that we should mic the ceremony, and Conrad agreed to bring extra speakers, wired, and wireless mics for a very reasonable price. Overall we were very happy with the service he provided." ~ Johnny Felts

Your Professionalism Was Unparalleled

Testimonial ~ "Thank you very much for being a part of my wedding celebration. I enjoyed working with you in preparation for my big day. You showed me a nice balance of listening to my requests and making appropriate suggestions when needed. I sincerely appreciated your suggestions. Your professionalism was unparalleled. You did a great job scheduling meetings with my reception vendor when necessary, you were in contact with me with needed items prior to my event, and at the event you were set up and any setbacks were handled promptly. I definitely recommend your services to my friends and future brides in the area! Thank you very much for a great evening." ~ Carla Hunter

Thank You So Much

Testimonial ~ "Thank you so much for a fun evening at our daughter's wedding reception. We all had a lot of fun and your professional sound and lights made for a great time! One thing that we really appreciated was your communication before the wedding. There were no surprises, the music was pre-arranged and very high-tech. Thank you for the emails during such a busy time for us, something so important as the music at the reception kept us on task to make sure all details were taken care of. Your new fans!"

You Were The Best DJ

Testimonial ~ "I just wanted to let you know I appreciate the Great job you did at the reception. You were open to last minutes changes and kept everyone dancing all night long. I also appreciate you knowledge and having good quality equipment that had a great sound. You were so helpful on getting everything setup for the live performance at the reception as well. You are an actually DJ and not just a button pusher. You mixed the songs together to make cool, new remixes and everyone commented how much fun they had. I know that was because the music was great!!!! I have been in over 15 weddings and been to close to 40 and you were the best DJ I have seen/heard. Thank you for your attention to detail and great music." ~ Bryan Harter

Happy to recommend Conrad Hayes

Testimonial ~

"I am happy to recommend Conrad Hayes for DJ services at your next event. I had the pleasure of listening to Conrad's work at my son's wedding on Saturday, June 19 at the City View Illinois Champaign Terminal in Champaign. He was able to to quickly adapt what music style he was playing to fit the mood of the crowd. Conrad deserves serious consideration as a potential music vendor and I recommend him highly."

Rad-Rock Did An Incredible Job

Testimonial ~

Thank you Ethan and Meghan Kaye!

Homecoming Tailgate

I Want People To Have A Good Time

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by Clark Brooks, PhotoNews Media

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Back in the early 1980s, Conrad Hayes owned a lot of records. A self-described collector of the grooved plastic discs etched with music, he enjoyed dancing and liked the idea of getting other people out on the dance floor to have a good time. It was during that time he decided he would use music to bring joy into the lives of others as a deejay.

"I know people want to have a good time. It's a special moment in peoples lives and I like being a part of that special moment, "Hayes said, who started spinning records more than 28 years ago. "I feel blessed that they would choose me to be a part of a special time in their lives."

His mobile entertainment business, Rad-Rock Ltd. Promotions, provides high-energy, affordable priced music entertainment for wedding receptions and other special events.

Up until the late 70s most deejays would segue from one song to the next with a vocal introduction of the song or dedication of some sort from one guest to another, however Hayes quickly adopted the popular party style of New York and Chicago deejays and began mixing. Back in the day, mixing was the art of seamlessly transitioning from one song to another or creating extended versions of a popular dance song. The kings and queens of the art form were known as mixmasters, gifted spinners who used two turntables to perform techniques like beat matching, scratching, echoes, layering and repeats - now just a push of a button in a computer program today - to keep bodies on the dance floor jumping, bumping and grinding on the dance floor all night long, as Lionel Ritchie used to sing.

Back then deejays had needed a performance name. With the help of his girlfriend at the time, dictionary and some brainstorming, the first idea that was up for review was "Rambunctious Rad".

"I thought it was terrible," Hayes chuckled at his girlfriend's suggestion. After careful consideration and a few other derivations, he settled on the name Rad-Rock. "I tried it out at a Valentine's Day party. I billed myself as DJ Rad-Rock and it stuck."

Hayes was one the early pioneers (as well as the author of this article who was known as Cocoa B) back in the early to mid-eighties whose master and mega mixes were weekly features on in the Champaign-Urbana community radio stations. WLRW, WEFT and other stations whose target market segment were 18-30 year-olds, played cassette tapes supplied by him and other local mixmasters on Saturday or Sunday evening shows. In addition to spinning at University of Illinois black Greek parties, he spun records at Tritos Uptown, Bradley's and other clubs that have come and gone in the last quarter of a century.

"Talk to someone who has your best interest at heart. I can honestly say that there are some people in our market who think about what works for them opposed to what works for the client."

Today, in addition to providing music entertainment for wedding receptions, Hayes also offers entertainment packages for school dances, reunions, corporate functions, fraternity and sorority parties and athletic events such as 5K races. One of the things that he takes pride in is his immense music collection assembled over the last three decades. If there is electrical power available, Hayes can provide anything from the bumping beats of dance, hip hop or rap to the soothing light rock or jazz dinner music.

"That's one of the things I really take a lot of pride in. I have music from the 1930s, all the way up to today," said Hayes about his music collection. Obscure country music, chart toppers from the international pop music scene, or the latest club hit, Hayes has it to spin. "Any music genre that people would like to have for their particular event, I have access to and able to provide it."

On top of having a diverse music library and well over a quarter of a century of experience, Hayes points back to his days of spinning in nightclubs that separates his entertainment services from the rest of the competition in the area.

"I think that keeping the energy going for a long period of time is something special that I bring to my events."

When it comes to booking a wedding deejay to entertain guest at your reception, Hayes offers a few tips to brides shopping for a deejay.

"Talk to someone who has your best interest at heart. I can honestly say that there are some people in our market who think about what works for them opposed to what works for the client," he advises. While most entertainment companies have a set price list, Hayes prefers a personalized touch to help clients stay within their budget. "I am all about what the client wants. Whatever the client wants, if I can provide it, I will at that cost."

Next, look for someone who is personable. Get to know the personality who will be basically in charge of your reception. You really want someone who gets along well with the people, able to fulfill your needs and provide the music they desire he explained.

Another good reason to put your wedding reception or corporate entertainment in the hands of DJ Rad-Rock is he believes in redundancy. Like the old military saying, "two is one, one is none, three gets the job done", Hayes carries a backup piece of equipment and wire for every backup piece of gear he hauls to every gig. He regaled tales of changing out speakers, turntables, fuses and wires without missing a beat.

Unlike some of his competitors, he doesn't believe in 'nickel and dimming' clients for services and recommends brides avoid those who provide entertainment services that do.

"I have a complete package that I bring to all of my shows," Hayes explained. He does not charge by the light, by the number of speakers or turntables if you are old enough to remember what those were or seen them on Wikipedia. Rather than use a base price with add-ons, he strives to work with each and every client to bring them the best entertainment in a complete package - sound system, lights and music - within the budget the client has for their event. "It is all-inclusive for a rate that works for them."