fecMusic SK8 Mixes - October 2016

October has been very tough for many skating centers over the last few years. On those unfortunate sessions, the skaters that do decided to spend their free time at your facility deserve a quality experience.

These mixes, one set with voiceover announcements and the other set is music-only, are designed especially for your rink. The announcements are geared to drive business toward birthdays, fundraisers, private rentals and skate and concession sales.

It wouldn't be October though without some Halloween standards included, like "Thriller," "Ghostbusters" and "The Monster Mash." Get ready for a great skating season just around the corner.

Industry entertainment leader Steve Earley programs monthly Megamixes geared to specific sessions for fecMusic SK8 subscribers. You will find the Steve Earley Megamixes in the Infotainment/Megamixes section of your fecMusic SK8 player.

FEC MIXES OCTOBER 2016

MIX 1

Roar - Katy Perry
Heathens - 21 Pilots
Closer - The Chainsmokers
Single Ladies - Beyonce
Roses - The Chainsmokers
Work from Home - 5th Harmony
Stayin Alive - The Bee Gees
Into You - Ariana Grande
Hollywood Swinging - Kool & The Gang

MIX 2

Cold Water - Major Lazer ft. Justin Bieber 
LUV - Tory Lanez
We Don’t Talk Anymore - Charlie Puth ft. Selena Gomez
One Dance - Drake
Let Me Love You - DJ Snake ft. Justin Bieber 
Needed Me - Rhianna
Just the Way You Are - Bruno Mars
We are Family - Sister Sledge
Poker Face - Lady Gaga

MIX 3

Don’t Let Me Down - The Chainsmokers
Side to Side - Ariana Grande
Send My Love - Adele
Treat You Better - Shawn Mendes
Gold - Kiiara
Can’t Stop the Feeling - Justin Timberlake
Bounce, Rock, Skate Roll - Vaughan Mason & Crew
Too Good - Drake ft. Rhianna
Thriller - Michael Jackson

MIX 4

Just Like Fire - Pink
Cheap Thrills - Sia
Sit Still, Look Pretty - Daya
My House - Flo Rida
Style - Taylor Swift
Hide Away - Daya
The Heart Wants What It Wants - Selena Gomez
PYT - Michael Jackson

MIX 5

Kill ‘em with Kindness - Selena Gomez
Here - Alessia Cara
This is what You Came For - Calvin Harris 
Ghostbusters - Ray Parker Jr.
We Found Love - Rihanna Feat. Calvin Harris
All About That Bass  - Meghan Trainor
Monster Mash - Bobby Pickett
C’mon Ride the Train - Quad City DJs
Dangerous Woman - Ariana Grande

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In 1989, Steve acquired his first position at a roller rink and quickly discovered his passion for session programming and the art of skating entertainment. He has worked and managed several skating centers throughout the United States for a majority of his life. Steve is currently the Director of National On-Site Marketing for Sure Grip International and spends his time traveling the country visiting skating centers.

5 Great Music Mixes for July, 2016

Now that your skating center is in thick of summer, most operators are focused on reducing their labor costs. The FEC mixes (one with overlaid announcements or the other that is music-only), are created to provide your guests with a professional DJ experience while freeing up an employee to be available where you need them.

The FEC Mixes also provide a safety net during the unforeseen summer camp or group arrivals. These surprise visits can leave your staff scrambling, but with one click, the music is set up for two and a half non-stop hours.

Each of the five mixes this month are crafted to include the biggest pop songs and standard party favorites. The goal is total customer entertainment and with the FEC Mixes, you can be assured that the music selection is to your high standards. 

Industry entertainment leader Steve Earley programs monthly Megamixes geared to specific sessions for fecMusic SK8 subscribers. You will find the Steve Earley Megamixes in the Infotainment/Megamixes section of your fecMusic SK8 player.

FEC MIXES JULY 2016

MIX 1

My House - Flo Rida
No - Meghan Trainor
Blank Space - Taylor Swift
I Need Your Love - Calvin Harris ft.Ellie Goulding
This is what You Came For - Calvin Harris 
Pillowtalk - Zayn
What Do You Mean - Justin Bieber 
When I Hear Music - Debbie Debb

MIX 2

Never Forget You  - MNEK & Zara Larsson
Ride - 21 Pilots
Don’t Let Me Down - The Chainsmokers
Send My Love - Adele
Hit the Road - Ray Charles
Can’t Stop the Feeling - Justin Timberlake
I Know What You Did Last Summer - Shawn Mendes
1999 - Prince
Cake By the Ocean - DNCE

MIX 3

Roses - The Chainsmokers
Love Yourself - Justin Bieber
One Dance - Drake
Middle - DJ Snake
Wild Thing - Alessia Care
Just the Way You Are - Bruno Mars
Can’t Keep My Hands to Myself - Selena Gomez
Rapper’s Delight - Sugarhill Gang

MIX 4

Stressed Out - 21 Pilots
Cheap Thrills - Sia
Return of the Mack - Mark Morrison
Company - Justin Bieber
Hide Away - Daya
Diamonds - Rhianna
Kung Foo Fighting - Carl Douglas
Work from Home - 5th Harmony

MIX 5

7 Years - Lukas Graham
Don’t Stop Believing - Journey
New Romantics - Taylor Swift
Bulletproof - La Roux
Me Too - Megan Trainor
PYT - Michael Jackson
Moves Like Jagger - Maroon 5
Can’t Touch This - MC Hammer

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In 1989, Steve acquired his first position at a roller rink and quickly discovered his passion for session programming and the art of skating entertainment. He has worked and managed several skating centers throughout the United States for a majority of his life. Steve is currently the Director of National On-Site Marketing for Sure Grip International and spends his time traveling the country visiting skating centers.

“The only song more important than the one you’re playing now, is the one that comes next.”

Let’s get something straight right off the top: Aside from having an appropriate venue and enough skates to rent to all your customers, there is absolutely nothing that is more important to your rink than music.

Consider what would happen if your rink’s main amplifier failed and your DJ was left with just a radio or an iPod and his own microphone/amp to pump the tunes out? Your skaters would abandon the rink pretty quickly (maybe a few stalwart dancers and kids taking advantage of the extra room on the rink will stay), and they’ll either head to the restaurant to grab a snack—or they’ll just pack up and head home.

No music means no fun!

At your rink, your DJs are probably your greatest asset, and if they’re any good, they naturally have a sixth sense for reading the mood of the crowd and responding by playing a complementary music selection or knowing when it’s time for a lights-out dance. They know when to pick up the tempo and when it’s time to slow it down—and they know that the right songs, played in the right order, make for a great presentation. There’s an old adage among DJs that goes, “The only song more important than the one you’re playing now is the one that comes next.” A good DJ uses music to bring all the elements of your rink together, creating an entertainment experience that will bring people back to your venue over and over again.

Crafting a Playlist is a Strategic Process

From start to finish, playlists are crafted, not stumbled upon. When music is used to create an entertaining user experience, crafting a playlist becomes a strategic process, especially when your venue hosts different groups with different ages and themes. Your Family Fun Skate playlist will be very different from the playlist you craft for your 80s Night Glowstick Dance!

Click here to download the Family Fun Skate Playlist!

Understand Your Audience and Build Your List Appropriately

1. Identify your target demographic: All other factors being equal, your playlists have the potential to either attract customers (“I love the music they play!”) or drive them away (“The music was all over the place and I just couldn’t get into the vibe.”) For each type of skate session you host, identify the likely music tastes of the average customer you want to appeal to, and build your different playlists appropriately.
2. Plan for your wave: Roller skating is clearly a physical activity—it’s “fun you can feel.” Early in the session, you start to slowly get everyone warmed up, advancing the tempo of the music to get the skaters moving, then later lowering the tempo so your skaters don’t get exhausted. Use your music to manage flow and intensity of the skating. Your customers will thank you for it, and will more often stay at your rink for the whole session.
   
   Tip: In the FEC sk8 player, you can use all of the information provided for each song to help you make appropriate selections. A song rating (PG, Mom-approved, Adult, etc.), beats per minute (BPM) value, energy rating, song length, and the categories the song belongs to are examples of the information that’s available.
3. Plan to mix up the music: Themed skates appeal to all groups! An unexpected song can mix things up for your skaters, while injecting them with a renewed sense of fun. For example, a Frank Sinatra tune plugged into a typical Teen Skate playlist might seem out of place, but for those 16-year-olds who are trying to learn how to be romantic, it might create an “Unforgettable” moment they’ll remember forever. Plus, who says you can’t waltz to Coldplay or One Direction!
4. Entertain, educate and… influence: Incorporating promotional messages in your playlists let people know about upcoming events, food or drink specials at your concession, and help introduce the different segments of your skate session. Ideally, you want to help guide your customers through their skate and serve them appropriate messaging throughout. At the start of the skate, schedule safety messages and operating principles, then move into food and beverage messages at about 30 minutes into the session. Schedule “upcoming events” messages closer to the end of the session.
   

   
   Tip: Visits to your concession stand normally peak between 35 and 55 minutes into your session, so it’s smart to start promotions at the end of the first half-hour and keep them constant until about the 55-minute mark to maximize their effectiveness. Keep messages short and to the point, with a clear call-to-action at the end.
   

   
   Tip: In the FEC sk8 player, you can build both audio and video promotions into your playlist via the Schedule feature.

Your venue is a unique place and your specialty might be “Disco Saturday Night” or “Big Band Sunday.” Regardless, music is the one thing that brings it all together, creating an entertaining—and memorable—experience for your customers each and every time.

Pop and Classic Music Mixes: 5 Great Music Mixes for April, 2016

-          From Steve Earley, Blog Contributor

The overall consensus throughout the roller skating industry is that the first quarter of 2016 has been very profitable and many facilities have reported numbers that have not been seen in years. We want to make sure that your rink can continue the climb by supplying the best options for your session programming.

April's FEC Mixes are full of great current pop music intertwined with the classics for all of your guest's enjoyment. We suggest that your Program Manager (DJ) utilize the mixes that do not include overlaid pre-recorded announcements. This is a beneficial tool to allow the employees to focus on their own messages on the microphone while having professional flowing music.

For those sessions that may not have many guests or if your session is lacking a trained DJ, the mixes with announcements give those paying customers the experience they deserve.

Industry entertainment leader Steve Earley programs monthly Megamixes geared to specific sessions for fecMusic SK8 subscribers. You will find the Steve Earley Megamixes in the Infotainment/Megamixes section of your fecMusic SK8 player.

FEC MIXES APRIL 2016

MIX 1

Lean On - Major Lazer & DJ Snake

Diamonds - Rhianna

Love Yourself - Justin Bieber

Roses - The Chainsmokers

Hold On We’re Going Home - Drake

I Got a Woman - Ray Charles

Can't Feel My Face - The Weeknd

Bang My Head  - David Guetta

Can’t Keep My Hands to Myself - Selena Gomez

MIX 2

Never Forget You  - MNEK & Zara Larsson

Bang Bang - Iggy Azalea ft. Rita Ora

Stitches - Shawn Mendes

I Knew You Were Trouble - Taylor Swift

Hey Ya - Outkast

On My Mind - Ellie Goulding

Stressed Out - 21 Pilots

Pour Some Sugar on Me - Def Leppard

MIX 3

In the Night - The Weeknd

I Know What You Did Last Summer - Shawn Mendes

Let the Groove In - Justin Timberlake

Cake By the Ocean - DNCE

Double Dutch Bus - Frankie Smith

Sing - Ed Sheeran

How Deep is Your Love - Calvin Harris

Living on a Prayer - Bon Jovi

MIX 4

Good for You - Selena Gomez

Cheap Thrills - Sia

Boom Clap - Charli XCX

Out Of The Woods  - Taylor Swift

Jealous - Nick Jonas

My House - Flo Rida

Locked Away - Rock City ft. Adam Levine

Hide Away - Daya

Same Old Love - Selena Gomez

MIX 5

Here - Alessia Cara

7 Nation Army - The White Stripes

What Do You Mean - Justin Bieber 

California Gurls - Katy Perry ft. Snoop Dogg

When I Hear Music - Debbie Debb

Wildest Dreams - Taylor Swift

Timber - Pittbull ft. Kesha

This Old Heart of Mine - The Isley Brothers

Ex’s and O’s - Elle King

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In 1989, Steve acquired his first position at a roller rink and quickly discovered his passion for session programming and the art of skating entertainment. He has worked and managed several skating centers throughout the United States for a majority of his life. Steve is currently the Director of National On-Site Marketing for Sure Grip International and spends his time traveling the country visiting skating centers.