The Jambar

Issue date: 10/8/09 Section: Features

Media Credit: Jennifer Tomerlin / The Jambar

Music has the ability to control emotions, moods and physical behavior. Mike Romeo understands the power music has over people, and the power people have over his music.

A Youngstown native, Romeo is the house disc jockey at Pal Joey's on Midlothian Boulevard in Youngstown. He began when he was in the 8th grade. "I had a lot of money saved up. So it was either DJ equipment or a fancy car," Romeo said. Once he got his equipment, he began to DJ school dances in Struthers until Youngstown State University presented him with a life-changing opportunity.

Romeo was training for YSU Parking Services when Gary DiLisio, a member of the Alpha Phi Delta fraternity at YSU, asked him if he could DJ one of their parties that was coming up. That was the opportunity Romeo needed to open the door to his passion. "That really motivated me. It was like whoever could flip the coin the highest; I wanted to be the best at it," Romeo explained.

Romeo remembered the Monday after the party. He described how people he had never met were coming up to him and saying "Hey DJ," or "Great party Saturday!" His friends on campus really gave him the extra push to pursue and surpass all expectations. "People began to know me and recognize me. That made me want to be the best in this area," he said.

After becoming the DJ for the Alpha Phi Delta fraternity, he was approached by another fraternity brother to DJ his 21st birthday party at Pal Joey's. The very next day, the bar owner offered him a job. "I was paid $100. I didn't even use my own equipment, and it was just me and my laptop," Romeo said.

Being a DJ at a bar does come with certain responsibilities. The bar needs people to drink and Romeo knows the perfect solution to this problem. "I like the fact that you can control people. I want to make people dance and drink. So you have to play songs at the bar that make people stop dancing and go to the bar," Romeo explained. One of the songs that is played to get people off of the dance floor and into the bar stools is "American Boy" by Kanye West. It has a smoother, slower beat to it. The song played at 1:12 a.m. and it didn't even take more than 30 seconds before the dance floor was completely empty. To get the patrons back on the dance floor, the next song he played was the "Cupid Shuffle," an updated, hipper version of the electric slide with a hip-hop rhythm. The dance floor was immediately swarmed by people.

When asked what makes a good DJ, Romeo answered, "You have to be personal. You have to be able to relate and see people."

Being a DJ is only the beginning for Romeo. He plans to expand his business and pass the torch to a new, young DJ with a laptop and a dream. "You can't be 20 years old your whole life. I'm going to get done with school and start my life. Next five years, I want to pass it to someone," Romeo explained. Until then, he is currently enrolled in the police academy at YSU and is showing no sign of slowing down.

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