“My husband and I had an absolutely amazing experience with Jamie DJing our wedding a couple of weekends ago! We had a good feeling from the beginning - he hosts indie dance nights at a bar near our apartment and his sample playlists perfectly matched our tastes - and he totally exceeded our expectations.
The most important part first: Everyone had an amazing time at the event! Jamie covered the time before our ceremony, flawlessly handled music and audio during the ceremony, and kept the party going from the cocktail hour all the way through last call. He chose the perfect music for all the different parts of the evening, and managed to appeal to all the generations that were there. I knew he would nail it with the indie music, but he also did an amazing job getting up to speed some on some of our lower-brow pop favorites, which our friends loved.
Bigger picture: Jamie went above and beyond to help with our music. We did not have a wedding planner, so were stretched pretty thin at times. A less involved DJ might have all the music you want, but it will end up on you to spend a lot of time choosing exactly which songs you want to hear and when. All we had to do with Jamie was tell him our general concept, pick a few of the important songs, and mark the artists we liked in his catalog, and then he handled it all from there. I'm sure it was a lot of work for him, but we were immensely grateful that he was able to take vague direction from us and create an unforgettable musical experience.
I will be recommending Jamie to anyone I know in the Bay Area who is looking for a DJ! He does a fabulous job and is also a very nice person who is a lot of fun to be around!” - Patrick Malloy
”Jamie did such an amazing job with everything for my wedding a few months ago in San Francisco! He was super easy to communicate with leading up to the event, and did a great job working collaboratively with my husband and I to figure out music that would both feel distinctively like us but also appeal to all our friends and family – he’s so knowledgeable about so many genres, I got the impression he could work with pretty much anyone’s musical taste. He covered everything with day-of set up, did our sound during the ceremony, edited specific verses out of our recessional song – he was willing to step up and do basically anything we asked to help the event run smoothly (a really big deal, as we had no planner and were not familiar with event planning ourselves!). And above all, he did an incredible job getting our reception party started, keeping everyone dancing until it was time to shut down the venue. I’d enthusiastically recommend him and Ceremony DJs to anyone who needed a DJ for any event, and especially a wedding -- his music and all-around service was a huge part of what made the day so special for me, my husband and all our friends and family! (A sample text from a friend the day after about our wedding music: “THAT WAS LITERAL BLISS FOR ME”.)” - Diego Ruiz
Best of The Knot
One down, four to go. Hall of Fame 2021 here we come.
Best of Wedding Wire
End of our first official year. Check out our reviews here.
Sandy Knoblach and Scott Smith Wedding
"After a year of planning, searching for the perfect vendors, location, the perfect suit and perfect dress, the perfect food getting ready for the perfect night... after everything was said and done, two things are said to us about our wedding. People say it was an amazing party,and that we had the best DJ. I'm not making this shit up. Not just our friends either, my Mom. My mom, who listens to Pitbull (Im not kidding) loved the music. Here's what makes Jamie the best DJ ever. He cares. He simply cares about you, your big day, the job he's doing, everything. It was important to my wife and I that we found someone who got us, our style, our music, etc. Jamie was the perfect guy for the job and we wouldn't have had it any other way. Besides, he's cool as all hell and a pleasure to work with. Also, he has impeccable taste and has a crazy vinyl collection to back it up. YAY for Jamie, the best DJ a couple could ask for. Just reach out to him, meet up with him, talk music, you won't regret it." - Scott Smith
"The only enjoyable part of wedding planning for me was finding Jamie and talking music. My husband and I were thrilled to find a vinyl DJ who understood us and our style of music. Jamie was pleasure to work with and cool guy to get to know. Our guests LOVED the music and complemented us on his skills. I highly recommend Jamie's services and wish we could do it all over again!" - Sandy Knoblach
Craig Daniel and Rob Delamater Wedding
"James DJ'd our wedding reception at the de Young Museum this Summer and it could not have been more perfect. James took the time to really get to know us and our tastes in music (we are both huge music fans) and used that to tailor a set list that both met our expectations but also surprised us and packed a lot of unexpected joy. The dance floor was smoking. Throughout the entire experience James was personable, organized and enthusiastic. He made himself a trusted partner in our wedding plans. Press "play" for James and his deep record collection and knowledge of music. A wonderful fellow." - Craig Daniel
Amanda Lawrence and Tommy Good Wedding
"To start, we want to say that Jamie was an absolutely amazing DJ. We found Jamie through our wedding photographer (who we also had a wonderful experience with), and were immediately impressed. After very promising email correspondence, we had an hour-long video chat with Jamie where he asked us all about what we wanted in terms of music for the wedding ceremony, reception, and everything in between. He then went on to ask about each of our favorite songs, bands, and genres, as well as what our family and friends liked. This may seem like a simple step, but it's far removed from what we experienced with the other DJs we interviewed - his interest in our musical taste and how to cultivate a great experience for our guests was incredibly genuine. He clearly took time to listen, take notes, and think about how to create a wonderful experience. It's obvious that Jamie didn't simply take the music that we and our friends liked and make it into a simple playlist. He very clearly dove into the genre and came up with a killer soundtrack informed by our input and interests. We had at least three people stop us the night of the wedding, and more since then, to compliment him on his playlist. If you're looking for a non-cheesy, fun DJ who will listen to what you, your friends and your family like to hear, and take the time to build a playlist you will love, we highly recommend Jamie. If you're looking for a cheesy wedding DJ, we suggest you go elsewhere. If we were to do it all again, we couldn't imagine a scenario where Jamie wasn't our DJ." - Tommy Good
"Jamie was the best DJ! We were planning our wedding from afar, so we had a call with Jamie just to chat with him and understand his vibe and his services and he was hands down the best DJ we spoke with. We had several other calls with other DJs and the all sounded like yourtypical, cheesy wedding DJ. Jamie is completely the opposite. It was so clear to us how much Jamie loves music and cares about what he does, so it was a pretty easy decision to decide to book with him. Once we booked, we had another call with Jamie to go over our musical tastes, what our friends and families like, and the overall feel we wanted for our wedding. Then we went through his insane list of music that he has, marking off what we liked. He took so much time to really understand what we liked and craft the most perfect soundtrack for our wedding. The wedding day was perfect. Jamie’s music was exactly what we hoped it would be and more. Our friends and family still talk to us about how great the music was. I’ll also note it was about 107 degrees the day of our outdoor wedding and Jamie was a champ setting up all of his equipment in the horrible heat. You really could not find a better DJ so just save yourself some trouble and go with Jamie!" - Amanda Lawrence
Shayna Rader and Michael DiGrande Wedding
"If you’re looking for a thoughtful, professional, and an unbridled showman—stop reading this review and hire Jamie as your DJ. But if you’re here for the review, I’ll elaborate. Thoughtful – Jamie provides the kind of attention that can’t be replicated. He gets to know you and what your expectations are for your event, and he lets that inform the structure and vibe. For my wedding, we told him to focus on Motown, 60s rock, power-pop and 90s hip-hop. He then worked with us to connect the dots, to experiment in finding a way to make these moods track seamlessly throughout the night. In a way, it felt like we were sculpting the vibe with him, rather than rely on some Spotify algorithm. His encyclopedic knowledge of music is unmatched—he finds a way to suggest things that will surprise you—and is unafraid of getting creative. He brings you into the process because he’s thoughtful in a way most DJs won’t be. Professional – Jamie brings his own gear and he * knows * his gear. He arrives earlier than early and keeps everything above board with venue staff. Jamie may have a laid-back demeanor, but he’s hyper focused on the details (you know, where the devil lives). And when the show’s over? He’s gone. Like a ghost. Our venue staff noted how efficient he is when it comes to set up and teardown. He won’t leave you in the lurch. Jamie’s prepared for every contingency. Showmanship – I’m not a dancer but Jamie had me on the floor all night. It is a non-stop party when he’s spinning. And when the mood changes, he changes with it. When our folks and family got tuckered out, Jamie skewed contemporary, which give our wedding about 5 different lives of its own. The result? We all left exhausted. Jamie had us on our feet all night and kept things moving as the night went on. tl;dr I saw my 62-year old father dance to Lil Jon…and love it. Thank you Jamie. I hope you can give someone else a memory like that." - Michael DiGrande
"Jamie did an absolutely amazing job at our wedding!! We had a pretty specific idea in mind of how we wanted our evening to play out, and some of the genres of music we picked were a bit unfamiliar to him, but he dove headfirst into researching and compiling a fantastic playlistfor us, including some songs I’d never even heard of but totally fit with the vibe. He kept our guests up and out of their seats (even the old folks!) and we got SO many compliments on our music. Jamie is an artist and a veteran of the club circuit in SF, so he puts a lot of thought into curating an entire evening for you and making sure it flows, rather than just taking Top 40 requests all night long. There are plenty of DJs that can do that—if you want something unique and memorable, you should contact Jamie and the team at Ceremony. Worth every penny." - Shayna Rader
SF Weekly Mix
Giving Reality Bites the Soundtrack It Deserves
For Debaser's 9th anniversary party this Saturday, DJ Jamie Jams has put together a booming alt-rock mix.
Jessie Schiewe Fri. May 26, 2017 12:17pm, All Shook Down
This year, Debaser — a monthly party at the Knockout dedicated to early ’90s alt-rock and led by DJ Jamie Jams — turns 9. For the party’s third anniversary in 2011, Jams concocted a mixtape of “odes to love and love lost” themed around Cameron Crowe’s film Singles, replete with vocal cuts from the movie. For its fifth anniversary, Debaser created a mix themed around Boyz n the Hood, with tracks by Cyprus Hill, EPMD, Grand Puba, Public Enemy, and more, and jokes from Ice Cube littered throughout.
In keeping with that tradition, Jams has just released Debaser’s third official mixtape, this time based on the iconic ’90s film Reality Bites, with songs by Yo La Tengo, Fugazi, R.E.M., The Lemonheads, My Bloody Valentine, and more.
“I wanted to take another stab at the ’90s rock era,” Jams says. “How can we distill it into its most distilled form? How can we get a concentrated dose of whatever je ne sais quoi there was about the ’90s?”
He’ll be playing the mix — along with an assortment of records, from the 12 crates of vinyl he’ll be bringing to the party — at the Knockout on Saturday, May 27.
“The idea is to create the feeling of being at the craziest rock show, but made out of all records,” he says.
We chatted with Jams about the mix, the particular songs he simply had to include on it, and why he chose Reality Bites in the first place.
Catch Debaser’s 9th Anniversary Party from 6 p.m. to 2 a.m., on Saturday, May 27, at The Knockout.
SF Weekly Interview
Hey, DJ: Jamie Jams
The San Francisco DJ talks about Last Nite, his Y2K indie dance party.
Christina Li / Thu. Oct. 13th, 2016 12:14pm / All Shook Down
There’s no question that the ‘90s are back and have been for the past few years, whether it’s clothing trends, TV remakes, or musical styles. When All Shook Down first interviewed DJ Jamie Jams over eight years ago, the indie music connoisseur was already foreshadowing the future by wondering, “When is everyone going to realize this ’90s business is the shit?”
To date, Jams is still running his ‘90s night Debaser, but he has also added a party celebrating the last decade of indie called Last Nite. We got a chance to catch up with Jamie Jams about the changing SF scene, his favorite ‘90s outfit, and what a good time means to him.
Last Nite SF Weekly Feature
Top Five Parties This Week Plus Notable Local Records
Chris Zaldua / Wed .Aug. 17, 2016 5:30pm / Some Thoughts of a Certain Sound
One interesting side effect of the unprecedented speed of life in our information age is that society’s nostalgia cycles have been compressed substantially. It used to be that what came 20-25 years before was fun, hip, and cool (in an ironic way) again; now, it’s more like 10 years and change.
Enter Last Nite, a party unabashed in its barely there nostalgia, which harks back to that early-mid aughts period when legions of punks discovered the wonders of disco, house, and dance music — nevermind that many of them scorned it in decades prior — and began trading guitars for synthesizers.
Friday marks Last Nite’s third anniversary, and they’re hosting L.A.’s Moving Units to celebrate. Moving Units have the look and the sound of 2005 down pat — their songs are short, bright, dancy, and catchy. A slew of DJs — Last Nite’s Jamie Jams and Rocky, Popscene’s Omar, 120 Minutes’ Marco, and The Queen Is Dead’s Mario — will be spinning tunes, retro and otherwise, to make you wistful for the days of George Dubya’s presidency.
Last Nite’s Third Anniversary featuring Moving Units at Mezzanine, 9 p.m.-2 a.m. Friday, Aug. 19. $10-$15; mezzaninesf.com
48 Hills Interview
The 2000’s are back! (And that’s OK)
BY MARKE B.
Sep 24th
The great Last Nite party celebrates two glorious years of resurrecting a decade some people would rather forget.
Pop music critics salivate over how Taylor Swift and Carly Rae Jepsen are bringing the ’80s back to radio (despite “’80s retro nights” being a joke older than ’90s bachelorette pit Polly Esther’s, RIP). Dance music critics roll their eyes at yet one more sample from ’90s R&B on a “deep house” record. Someone recently wore an Abercrombie and Fitch tee ironically to a gay party and I almost passed out. “Please, please don’t let the 2000’s be coming back,” I silently pleaded, paralyzed among a forest of perilous drag queen stilettos on the club floor. “Or at least if they are coming back, let them come back like the Last Nite party.”
Charmmie Park and Ryan Hendon Wedding
Tiffany Ishihara and Josh Compton Wedding
"Jamie was the DJ at my wedding and I cannot recommend him enough. I should mention that the music at my wedding was the the most important element to my husband and I; Jamie did not disappoint. He has a very extensive knowledge of all types of music and was able to curate a playlist for our very specific request - 1970’s Power Pop. Not only was he able to create a playlist we really loved, but he was super excited about it and made the process very easy. There was never a moment that we had to worry about what was playing. If you want a DJ that will put a lot of thought and energy into your big day, Jamie is the way to go!" - Tiffany Ishihara
Kate Garklavs and Micah Saul Wedding
"If you’re looking for a top-notch wedding DJ, look no further: Jamie is capital-A awesome. For years, Jamie hosted Debaser (excellent 90s dance party), and it was through Debaser that I got to know Jamie and his work. When my now-husband and I started planning our wedding, we aligned on what we were looking for in a DJ — someone with impeccable (and broad) musical taste; someone with the emotional IQ to cater to not just the bride/groom’s preferences, but also to honor both extended families’ wishes; and someone who can bring a rockin’ dance party. Jamie exemplifies all of these qualities. He spent several hours with us discussing the sort of mood we wanted to create and how we wanted our reception to evolve; he then translated this vision into a playlist that kept our guests on the dance floor all night (and into the morning). What’s more, he was extremely professional, handling all the tiny details that no bride or groom wants to deal with. You’d be hard pressed to find a better, more intuitive DJ than Jamie. " - Kate Garklavs
"Jamie kicked ass at our wedding ceremony and reception. We'd both known him for years through Debaser and other parties he'd DJ in the Mission, so when we decided we wanted someone for our wedding that'd get our guests to dance their faces off, we knew who to go to. Jamie was amazing to work with. We talked through the general them we were hoping for, he worked with us to come up with our lists of must haves, as well as some secret requests, and was just generally super attentive and responsive. The party, of course, was amazing! Jamie is incredibly good at reading the energy of a room and adapting his set to both feed on and feed that energy. We didn't have an emcee or a day-of planner or anything like that, and Jamie was able to direct the flow of the night using the music he was playing. And yes, we all danced our damn faces off!" - Micah Saul
Addie Evans and Adam Schnirel Wedding
"Jamie jammed out our wedding a few years ago and I loved his style. Jamie rocked the dance party and curated the dinner perfectly. I loved that he worked with us to learn our style and mixed the music accordingly. I also was excited that he brought records new and old.If you are looking for a fun DJ and want a custom, hard working, energetic and passionate guy, Jamie is for you!" - Adam Schnirel
Jessica Taich and Josh Levitz Wedding
"When planning our wedding we knew that we wanted to have a reception with music we actually loved. But finding a wedding DJ that got our taste was a challenge. We had attended a few of Jamie's Debaser nights at the Knockout and always had so much fun. On a whim we contacted Jamie to see if he would DJ our wedding - and luckily he was interested! We met for drinks and talked about the kind of music and vibe we hoped to have at our wedding reception. Jamie was extremely responsive and very excited to give us our dream party. On the day of the event Jamie was timely and professional and the dance party was incredible. Our friends 3 years later still talk about how Jamie was the best wedding DJ and love to reminisce about the playlist. Jamie and team are hands-on, passionate, and genuinely want you to have the best time at your wedding. We would highly recommend hiring Ceremony DJ's!" - Jess & Josh Levitz
Last Nite in the SF Chronicle
Do 415, Featured Tastemaker
Last Nite SF Weekly Review
Lost in the Night
Debaser's New Last Nite Party Takes Nostalgia Back to the 2000s
Posted By Derek Opperman on Mon., Apr. 15, 2013 at 9:06 AM
Growing up in the veritable golden age of cultural nostalgia that was the '00s, it never really occured to me that my own decade might eventually be revisited. Even now, it's surprising that anyone would care to go back and try to relive much of those days. If you'll recall, it was a pretty dark time under George H.W. Bush's presidency. The bleakness of the American situation created a kind of nihilism that seemed to seep into the club culture and music. In San Francisco, this found its expression via the emerging scenester clubs that first began popping up in weird places like the basement at LiPo Lounge and the loft at Edinburgh Castle, then later at bigger parties like Frisco Disco, Club i-D, and Popscene.
Last Nite SF Weekly Intro
Weekend Party Preview
The Top Five Parties in San Francisco This Weekend
Posted By Derek Opperman on Thu., Apr. 11, 2013 at 9:56 AM
Last Nite at Elbo Room
Friday, April 12. 10 p.m. $5-$10
Well, folks, the snake has officially reached its tail. The crew behind the '90s-themed Debaser party has gotten together to create "Last Nite," a brand new event that, much like its parent, is dedicated to reviving a specific moment in time. In this case, it's all about that brief period in the early-'00s when garage rock, dance punk, and electroclash all emerged and combined to form the soundtrack to the-then nascent hipster lifestyle. Resident DJs Jamie Jams and Em Dee will be on hand to take you back to the days when "deck" was almost an adjective.