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This is Nuts!

Every wedding we do is pretty special, but sometimes one comes along that is a truly wonderful affair. This boho beach ceremony is an example of such an occasion, and we weren't the only ones to think so - we are proud to announce this lovely event has just been featured on Style Me Pretty! It's amazing to see our name up there with some of the best and hardest working wedding vendors the TCI has to offer. It's a big moment for us! 

Britt and Troy were a really awesome pair, and we loved being part of their big day.


“The memories of dancing barefoot with my new husband, friends and family under the stars on a Caribbean beach by a bonfire is a feeling we all will hold onto for life.” 

                        ~ Brittany

There were so many really special touches to this wedding - the little welcome fans for guests, the cookie favors by from Scratch that were shaped like their golden retriever (so he got to be a part of the day!) - but one of the vendors we have grown especially excited to work with over the last year is Coco Vibes. If you are looking for a way to add something truly fun, delicious and made in Turks and Caicos to your big day you need not look any further than Jonathan and his coconuts. It's a simple but wonderful idea - fresh coconut milk served direct from the nut itself - with the added bonus of a touch of rum for special events! They started up a couple of years ago and have just gone from strength to strength, creating beautiful custom made coconuts for birthdays, anniversaries, weddings and any other occasion you could imagine! They were once even used in a marriage proposal! You can catch the guys every Thursday down by the Fish Fry if you want to get a little taste of their cool Coco Vibes. Check out some of their beautiful designs below or head over to their Facebook page to get in touch. 

POSTED: FEBRUARY 27TH 2016

Images by: Brilliant Studios

A Little Rakin' and Scrapin' 

One thing we love about being a destination wedding DJ is the amazing array of cultural traditions and customs that people bring with them to their wedding day. What we especially like is when couples choose to add a real streak of "TCI" to their big day by adding some of our own Caribbean fun and flare to the event. It can be as simple as a little late night Junkanoo or as we saw with a recent wedding at the Seven Stars - a full blown Turks treat for all your guests to enjoy!

This super fun couple - Inara and Daniel - had our very own island legend and former cultural minister: David Bowen, host a mid reception dance lesson for all their guests!  Using traditional socca moves and music the Bride and Groom got down to the beat of some real island rake and scrape, and introduced all their loved ones to a taste of true TCI culture. What fun they had! 

click to see the fun!

POSTED: FEBRUARY 17TH 2016

Sharing is Caring

Last night's tapas opening at the Gansevoort was Superb. Admittedly, I initially had some doubts when I was told about the new concept - how could you not, the party nights we threw last year were rocking! 

But after sitting down with some friends between songs and trying the tapas, the concept was clear; this is a night about connecting through sharing. It's almost like a dinner party but you're really having a night out. The tapas; which is excellent by the way, is shared with whoever you invite to your table. The drink too. 

A lot of people picture sparkling fireworks when they think of bottle service. This isn't some South Beach style birthday cake that screams "LOOK AT ME". Instead, the bottle service at Stelle is a sophisticated social currency. Shared and enjoyed with the people you want to spend your time with. In all honestly, there is far more substance in a night like this than getting dumb faced in the dark and dancing to the same song you've heard a million times before.

Which segues perfectly into the discussing the music. I began my set at 8pm, while everyone is still eating dinner. I could have played background music for an hour, but instead I gambled and went straight for my newly organized Dub/Reggae file (#thelanding) and jammed to a few feel good tempos. Totally paid off. By the second hour, I was running into funky territory. Early 90's, funk infused, hip hop/lounge crossover hybrids that got the thumbs up from the GM. This got me excited and around 9.45, I lost track of who I was and mixed in some afro beat house music. At this point a group of caribbean women stepped inside the lounge area and ordered a bottle of sparkling wine. I transitioned into some classic 80s. Whitney Huston's "How Will I know" and Prince's "Raspberry Beret" played back to back and set the tone for the 3rd hour. The forth and final hour was feel good summer house. Admittedly, by this point, I was bouncing between the decks and a couple friendly tables. 


By the end of the night (12am) - tables that started with 4 or 5 friends, had doubled. And that's the secret to Friday nights at the Gansevoort. Go out. Get comfortable. Share some food, drink and good conversation and you'll be rewarded with new friends (#socialcurrency) 


If you missed the opening, I'll be at the Gansevoort every Friday, spinning great music, for the next four months. Grab a couple friends, the more the merrier, and treat yourself to a bottle and some tapas. You won't be disappointed!

POSTED: JANUARY 9TH 2016

Papa's got a Brand New Blog

We are currently working on a brand new layout for our Dayoh Blog.

With so many gigs and events happening every week, we want to make sure we keep you all up to date with what we've got going on. The music, the people, the fun. Each gig is different and special in its own way, and we want to share it all with you. 

Hopefully this will become a place to check out photos from gigs you've attended, see what we have coming up on the calendar, listen to some new tracks and learn about the great artists we work with locally. 

All our posts will be linkable via our Facebook page so if you dont already follow Dayoh - get on it!

www.facebook.com/djdayoh

Keep tuned for more.

Posted: November 15th 2015

Blast from the Past

Looking back on 2013 and all the amazing events I got to be a part of, one in particular stood out for me that I haven't yet written about. The Sands Resort celebrated their 15 Year Anniversary with party a few months back and asked me personally to host the night for them. It was quite an honour to be asked as I hadn't yet done any events at the Sands but owner saw me spinning at the Aids Foundation Cocktail Party and was impressed enough to get in touch. 

It was an interesting gig, partly because they require that I play a whole night of only Caribbean Music which meant I quickly had to brush up my collection of decent soca and calypso and delve back into the worlds of Barres Hamond, Biron Lee and Tito Peunte, and partly because being back in the Sands brought back a whole lot of childhood memories for me. 

The event was set up as a beach award ceremony for the staff of the resort. The Hartling Group - who are responsible for a number of our most beautiful establishments on island, most notably the luxurious Palms Resort and the highly anticipated Shore Club - really pulled out all the stops to show their appreciation, with prizes such as flat screen TV's, Blackberry phones and even a trip to Parrot Cay. It was nice to see the hard workers behind the scenes letting loose and getting some recognition for everything they do to create an environment that tourists want to come back to time and time again. 

Personally, for me, it was a little trip down memory lane. I remember many a family day out at the Sands as a kid, particularly one hot summer ordering fried ice cream (which is still on the menu!) swimming in the pool and later venturing down the beach with friends to sneak into the all inclusive Beaches Resort for an afternoon of free video games and fun on the water slides. 

I bet everyone can remember where they were for the big Millennium New Year's - mine, I remember fondly, being spent at the Sands. I had ditched my dad to hang out with my friends, I was 12 at the time and the one thing on our minds was how we could aquire a beer to celebrate what could potentially be the end of civilization. I was nominated (probably by the teenagers) to get a beer from the bar. Bravely, (or perhaps with just a lot of bravado) I told the restaurant manager Terry (who still works there!) that I "needed a corona for my Dad" - unsurprisingly he wasn't fooled and sternly replied "I served your dad ten minutes ago, now beat it kid." 

There's nothing quite like revisiting the Caribbean music of my youth, I have hazy memories of my mother shaking her hips and climbing on tables with her girlfriends much to my embarrassment at the time, but it's a rhythm that brings out the fun in everyone. And it was nothing but fun on the night at the Sands 15th Anniversary. Bringing out the classics was just as much of a blast as dropping the latest trending tracks, it even got my hips shaking a little...

Enable Passion !

The Enable Passion Team's arrival was a highly anticipated event here in the Turks and Caicos. Six kite boarders had set off from half way across the world with one goal - to kite nonstop until they reached our shores. It was to be a world record breaking feat and it's a real privilege for our little islands to be part of something so epic!

A read of their blog will show you the incredible amount of determination and passion they had to have in order to complete their journey. They struggled with low winds and shark issues - Mother nature was really not on their side - their original arrival date was pushed back by several weeks, but they never faltered. The air was literally electric the morning  of the arrival. Nearly 20 kiters from the TCI gathered at the Big Blue Dock to ride out to meet the journeyers as they rode into our waters. For some of them this would be their first time riding out solo into the open ocean but it was a chance to be part of something truly amazing. A few of my very close friends were part of the greeting group and to see them bubbling with excitement totally amped me up for what I knew would be a gig to remember.


The whole day was an incredible experience for me. To be up on stage welcoming those six riders after such a feat, was an honor. I got to interview them after the celebrations had died down and they were a blast! Such friendly people, and I guess they were pretty excited to see a huge crowd of people after 26 days at sea alone together. 

By the end of the night they were congratulating me on doing such an awesome job, which blew my mind - they just broke a world record! Amazing people, amazing journey, amazing day. I couldn't have asked for more. 

Images courtesy of the Enable Passion website

Trim the Tree

Last night's show at Brayton Hall was a joy to attend. The Annual "Trim the Tree" affair put together by the TCFAF showcases our local dance, drama and singing groups in a pretty spectacular way. Those kids have some serious talent. As usual, the Bowen Dance Academy triumphed with a number of ballet and modern dance pieces that awed the crowd and had parents out of their seats cheering. This year the Enid Capron Primary School performed a fabulous island inspired number that had the boys and girls paired up for a traditional hip shaking dance that really pumped some fun into the evening - the grins on their faces were enough to warm even the grinches heart. 

Blue Haven Resort & Marina Launch Party

Last weekend was cram packed full of fun for DJ Dayoh and the team. I set a new record of DJing 20 hours out of 40 for the epic Blue Haven Resort and Marina Opening Party! 


It was really great to be a part of such a massive community event that brought together so many different aspects of the TCI. The day was filled with the TCFAF's Annual Art and Crafts Fair, Kayaking comps organized by the Big Blue Team, the ever popular Fish Fry offering up a mouthwatering array of local tastes, the Middle Caicos Co-op, the Reef Fund Foundation, the TCIFA (Turks and Caicos Islands Football Association) youth teams battling it out for top spot, the list goes on and on. You would think, with so many activities happening on such a massive property that things would turn to chaos, but the staff of Blue Haven and Salt were super organized and did such a fabulous job of moving the crowds from one event and tent to another that the day flowed effortlessly and was a joy to be involved in.

I spent the day hosting the 2013 Budweiser Volleyball Competition and spinning some great tunes for everyone to enjoy. It was awesome to see such an eclectic and fun-loving crowd all vibing together - the sun shone, the beer flowed and everyone was down to party.

Saturday Night, the sun set and the festivities moved over to the luxuriously sexy new Fire and Ice restaurant and bar. People were pretty burnt out from two nights and a day full of partying so I took the opportunity to play a cool set of Deep House. The breeze picked up and with the party goers huddled round the fire pits, it was the perfect environment to play some loungey house beats. 

 

A Selection from the Arts and Crafts Fair - So Much TCI Talent

Christmas Cheer

We love this time of year in the Turks and Caicos - whoever says you can't get festive in a tropical climate is just plain wrong! There's so many Christmassy events going on this December we might be hard pressed to write about them all.


There are two nights in particular though that we are really looking forward to this year, to help get us in the spirit of the season.

2. This Christmas - a brand new and exciting sounding night down the docks! Turtle Cove is hosting a Boat Lighting competition, with a visit from Santa, Christmas carols and even hot cocoa! We can only imagine how beautiful the water of the marina will look with all the fairy lights twinkling away, it's sure to be a magical evening. We can't wait to see the effort each boat captain puts into their vessel - with free docking and fuel up for grabs we're sure they'll go all out! 

Turtle Cove Saturday 21st December 5pm - 7pm 



1. The Annual TCFAF Christmas Party and Show at Brayton Hall is always a cheery, fun night where the kids of the Edward Gartland Youth Centre get together to sing funky carols, awe the crowd with their latest ballet pieces and raise some much needed funding for the centre. We'll be there so if you can't be sure to check back here to see the pictures and hear all about it.

TCFAF Wednesday 18th December 3:30pm - 6:30pm

 

Jennifer La Maudite 

Artist, mother, designer, seamstress, and occasional boho DJ - Jennifer la Maudite is a woman of many hats. Last week we were lucky enough to be invited to one of her recent Art Shows at the trendy Italian restaurant Via Venetto to check out her work and mingle with 'collectors' of the TCI. 

Straight up, we love her artwork. She has a style that incorporates mixed media, realism, poetry and a touch of Photoshop work that just gives her pieces a completely individual look. Every one of her works of art, wether it be a simple beach scene or a tortured elegy to the dead poets - just pops with an energy that flows straight from the artist herself.

If ever there were a lady who epitomized the word bohemian - It would be Jen. Her cool demeanour, tousled hair and devil may care attitude to art and life, hide what I know to be an incredibly hard working and determined woman. 

Always with a new and exciting project up her sleeve - from handbags to hand made cards, from drift wood signs to bikini lines - we literally can't wait to see what 2014 holds for this creative mama. 
 

Potcake Place Fundraiser Quiz 

Last night some friends of ours dragged us along to the Sharkbite for the monthly pub quiz. This Fundraiser Quiz is held once a month in support for the Potcake Place - which is a Provo based dog rescue organisation dedicated to fostering, vaccinating and neutering our island strays.

In keeping with their latest success: The Free Spay and Neuter Program we called our team "Snip Doggie Dogg".


Now pub quizzes are by no means our forte but by the first round our team was ahead and we were presented with a bottle of wine to celebrate! 


We proceeded to drink our winnings merrily - which may or may not have contributed to answers such as "River Lamb" when asked what a baby beaver was called... Needless to say our early peak of success descended into a rather hysterical chaos. We came no where close to winning but it was a fun night and all for a worthy cause.


Potcake Place


 

Atelys Handcrafted Jewelery

One artist we are keeping our eye on this year is Atelys Adrian. Here is a name that is trending right now in the TCI, you'd be hard pressed to find someone who doesn't own a piece of her delicate artwork, her popularity has literally soared over the last year. Her handcrafted jewelery is exquisite; the custom stamping, hammered silver, and delicate use of freshwater pearls and swarovski crystal are all part of her signature, making her pieces recognizable even from a distance. 


Her Facebook Page is a treasure trove of her previous and present work and with the Arts and Crafts Fair coming up this week we can't wait to see what new gems she'll be exhibiting. Check her out: Atelys Adrian

Aids Awareness Cocktail Party

December 1st DJ Dayoh will be hosting the annual AIDS Awareness Cocktail Fundraiser at the Grace Bay Club. It's an exciting new direction for us, working with local charities is definitely something we want to start doing more. Giving back to the community through music is a huge part of what Dayoh is all about.

This year we will be teaming up with highly talented fashion designer, Kazz Forbes from Saint George's Fashion House and the ever benevolent Jeannie Savory - a lady who works harder than anyone I know each year to pull off this event and continue to raise awareness and support for an incredibly worthy cause.

The Turks & Caicos AIDS Awareness Foundation (TCAAF) is a non-profit organization that was formed to help combat the spread of HIV/AIDS in the Turks & Caicos. Mr. Galmo Williams founded the TCAAF on World AIDS Day in 2003, bringing together all the concerned members of our community who wanted to start taking proactive measures to raise awareness, compassion and consciousness for HIV/AIDS.

Fundraising is a vital element of the foundation and all of their fundraising efforts strive to also elevate awareness and increase education. Their most ambitious project to date: the building of the Edward C Gartland Youth Centre which provides the young people of the Turks and Caicos with a safe, fun place to spend their free time, develop hobbies and learn new skills, as well as participate in a number of educational programs. Annual events such as the World Aids Day Cocktail party are what help secure the funds necessary to support such amazing ventures. 


We are so looking forward to being part of an event that directly benefits our youth and our community; it's going to be a fabulous night. We’re already thinking that, perhaps the Youth Centre would be the perfect place to pass on our love of music...

Check back here soon for pictures of the night and more on our plan to educate and spread love with good music.