Michael Coombs
your Private Event DJ
I grew up in Scarborough (a suburb of Toronto) and as a kid, I used to spend hours in my basement playing records on my Mom’s old stereo. She had such an amazing collection of music from the 50’s and 60’s, from rock & roll to Motown, mostly on 45’s.
I really fell in love
with the music from that era, especially anything with a hard beat.
It had such a “rawness” to it. The way the vinyl crackled, and the sound the needle would make as it kept jumping once the song had finished and it hit the label in the middle. One by one I would play a song. Manually removing each record and placing the next on the turntable. Hours and hours I would listen, and loved every minute of it.
The first time I ever heard a DJ mix was at my Grade 8 graduation. The legendary Toronto house music DJ, Matt C (RPM, Industry NightClub) was a former student and played the event for us.
It was so amazing to hear one song blend into the other with such precision and ease, and to watch how the dance-floor continuously moved, almost like the waves of an ocean.
It was surreal. The energy level was epic and I came out of that party soaked with sweat. I had never heard or seen anything like it. Yet, this isn’t what got me hooked. In grade 9 I attended Agincourt C.I. on Midland Ave. in Scarborough. Matt C was a student in his graduating year and during one of the schools spirit assembly’s, he got on stage, with two technic 1200’s and tore up Technotronic’s “Pump Up the Jam.” I still remember how he broke it down. He went back to back on the two turntables starting with the chorus:
Pump up the Jam
Pump up the Jam
Pump up the
Pump up the
Pump up the Jam
Pump up the Jam
Pump
Pump
Pump
Pump up the Jam
The place went NUTS!
Hands were in the air, kids were jumping out of their seats, girls screaming, it was pandaemonium! I had never witnessed such excitement! I said to myself, “I want to be that guy!”. I was hooked.
At 17 I scraped up enough cash from doing odd jobs, cutting grass and raking leaves and bought my first pair of turntables. I practiced day & night until I was talented enough to start playing school dances and house parties with my high school friend Paul Jones (nicknamed Jester). I was known as “Prodigy”. Paul’s uncle ran a small wedding / event DJ company called “Jay-Dee Productions” and because we could mix and needed somewhere to play, he brought us on board to cater to his younger clientele. For two summers, every Saturday we would be playing weddings. The money was good for a high-school kid ($200 an event) yet the last place either of us wanted to be on a hot summer night was at a wedding. We wanted something more.
We got word that the University of Toronto radio station, 89.5 CIUT, was desperate for volunteers. So, we threw our hat in the ring and started volunteering at the station on St. George St. in downtown Toronto. We started off as receptionists. I would handle Monday’s, Paul would handle Wednesday’s and our job was to answer the phones and do whatever menial jobs the station staff needed. We did that for about 6 months, and through that time we got to meet and connect with the station manager, the sales team and most importantly the program director, Mopa Dean.
Six months into our stint as receptionists, we got word that someone couldn't make their show the following Monday morning. We immediately told Mopa that we could fill in, and he said yes. So the following Monday, we got there early, carrying our turntables and records up three flights of old creaky stairs, and set-up in the studio. I was attending Seneca College for Radio and TV Production, so I was already comfortable running the board and speaking on the mic, and I knew what to say and when to say it.
Once the show was done, we were extremely happy with how we performed, but we could have never even imagined what happened next.
Mopa Dean stepped through the door and said “that was amazing! One of the best shows I’ve ever heard! We’re in the process of changing the schedule and want to add some more shows, and you’re going to be one of them.”
Paul and I were shocked! We were getting our own show!
It was like a Made for TV Movie; we couldn't believe it!
About a month later, we were on-air and “Worldwide” was born. The exposure from “Worldwide” opened up a world of opportunities, with myself eventually holding some high-profile nightclub residencies in Toronto’s downtown core including Powerbar/Envy, Jet, G-spot and Berlin, performing in-front of 800-1000 people nightly. And playing at concerts and record release parties for the likes of International recording artists, Shaggy, Wyclef Jean of the Fugees, Busta Rhymes and many others. After about 5 years on Worldwide I heard that there were auditions for a new urban radio station in Toronto, Flow 93.5. With my background in radio, having graduated with honours from Seneca College's radio / television program, and having studied voice and improv at Second City, I thought I would take a shot.
I landed my dream job!!!!!
Flow received over 500 demo tapes, and out of those 500 I was chosen as one of the top four personalities and was hired to be the primary host for their morning show. I was ecstatic!!!!
When I got the position, I thought “this was it! I’ve finally made it! I’m BIG TIME!” I was living the high life. I was being driven around in limousines, had parties thrown in my honour and made the front page of the entertainment section of the Toronto Star newspaper. But, I stopped doing all the things that enabled me to land my dream job in the first place. Within the first week of being on-air, my co-host was fired and my show cancelled. I was offered another job at the station with the possibility of getting back on air, but me being young and stupid, I couldn’t handle the initial rejection, so I quit. Not just the station, but DJ’ing. I sold my whole record collection, well over 3000 pieces, my 2 pairs of technics 1200 turntables and all my mixers. I was done.
8 months into my retirement, I was sitting in a catering office at a hotel with my fiancé, about to sign the contract for our wedding.
My future wife looked at the vendor list and noticed that there wasn’t a DJ represented. Then out of the blue she said to the manager “I noticed there’s not a DJ’s on this list. He’s a DJ, and if you want us to sign this contract right now, you’ll put him on your vendor list. Otherwise we walk”. I was in shock! What was she doing??? I don’t DJ anymore! But, what was even more shocking, is that the catering manager said “Ok. We’ll add him on the list”. Coming full circle, I returned to the Toronto private event industry and founded “Prodigy Entertainment” in 2002. Since then, I’ve been recognized as a leader in the field, not only becoming the first DJ in Canada to be a certified wedding planner from the Wedding Planners Institute of Canada (WPIC), but having also won the inaugural DJ Leadership Award from the Canadian Professional DJ Association (CPDJA), the Toronto Events Industry Leadership Award from the International Live Event Association (ILEA), was named “Wedding DJ of the Year" by the Wedding Planners Institute of Canada and was awarded "Canadian DJ of the Year" 3 times at the Canadian Wedding Industry Awards (the only DJ to ever win). I’ve been interviewed and mentioned in Toronto Life, the Globe & Mail, Today’s Bride, Weddingbells and Wedluxe Magazine. But even with all the accolades, I simply love what I do and can’t wait to go on a musical journey with you.
Started DJing for Jaydee Productions - Wedding and Event DJ company
1993
Purchased my first set of turntables
1992
MY TIMELINE
Official DJ "When Disaster Strikes" - Busta Rhymes Canadian Record Release Party
1997
Started "Worldwide" Radio Show on the University of Toronto Radio Station 89.5 ClUT
Back Catalog Music Buyer - HMV Music Store - Scarborough Town Centre
1996
Worked at Virgin Records Canada - Marketing Team
Official DJ for Canadian Urban Music Conference Afterparty with Wycleff Jean of the Fugees, the Beatnuts and Shaggy
Began voicing nationally run TV & Radio commercials for Sony, Virgin and BMG music for artists including: Destiny's Child, Oasis and the Armageddon movie soundtrack
1998
First Morning Show Host on Flow 93.5
2001
Prodigy Entertainment is born
2002
First DJ in Canada to become a Certified Wedding Planner (WPICC)
2005
Canadian Wedding Industry Awards Winner Year 1- Canadian DJ of the Year
2007
Canadian Wedding Industry Awards Winner Year 2 - Canadian DJ of the Year
2008
Inaugural DJ Leadership Award - Canadian Professional DJ Association (CPDJA)
Official DJ NHL AIl-Star Game Pregame Party - Montreal
2009
Official DJ MLS Cup Visa Pre-Game Party - Toronto
2010
Prodigy Entertainment becomes Michael Coombs Entertainment
2011
Event Industry Leadership Award Winner - International Live Events Association (ILEA)
Canada's Favourite DJ Year 1 - Canadian Special Event Expo
2012
Canadian Wedding Industry Award Winner Year 3 - Canadian DJ of the Year
2014
Official DJ for Weddingbells Magazine 25 Year Anniversary Party
2015
Official DJ for Joe Carter Celebrity Classic with Naughty By Nature, Shaggy, Cedric the Entertainer and George Lopez
2016
Wedding Planners Institute of Canada Awards Year 1 - Canadian DJ of the Year
WedLuxe Magazine Exclusive Fashion Show DJ
2018
Official DJ Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) Gala for Meryl Streep, David Foster and Joaquin Phoenix
WedLuxe Magazine Exclusive Fashion Show DJ
2019
Official DJ Fairmont Royal York's TIFF Kick-off Fashion Show Event
TIFF (Toronto International Film Festival) Official DJ VIP Opening Night Party
2022
Official DJ Fairmont Royal York's TIFF Kick-off Fashion Show Event
TIFF (Toronto International Film Festival) Official DJ VIP Opening Night Party
TIFF (Toronto International Film Festival) - UK Films Event for Great Britain, BBC Films and Variety Magazine
2023
FEELING LIKE I'm YOUR PEOPLE?
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Let's create your Emotionally Charged Dance-Floor.
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This DJ’s got Skillzzz! One my all time fav’s, he’s a great MC and even better behind the decks. He knows how to entertain a crowd!
MO GOVINDJI
OWNER
MANGO STUDIOS PHOTOGRAPHY
