Conrad
Los Angeles
DJ & MC
For a 50th birthday celebration with 75 guests on the Alto rooftop at the Conrad Los Angeles, I delivered a curated open format set built around the guest of honor's own song list. The Alto rooftop sits on top of the Conrad inside The Grand LA, next to the Walt Disney Concert Hall, and it brings the kind of soft luxury feel that defines downtown LA's newer hotel scene.
Angela, the guest of honor, found me through a Google search and mentioned the YouTube mixes as part of why she trusted the booking. She sent her playlist ahead of time and flagged a concern that the 90s hip hop and punk tracks she wanted might clash. I was happy to reassure her that opposites attract throughout a DJ set and variety is what keeps the energy moving across a long night. The set was built around that idea before I ever set up at the venue.
Private celebrations inside luxury hotels carry a different rhythm than a private event in Beverly Hills or a venue buyout. The hotel staff are doing their job at a level the guests don't see. The bar runs clean and the catering team coordinates without drama. The DJ's job is to match that level, hold the room, and set the tone, not stand out in an otherwise composed space.
Private Event DJ at Alto Rooftop, Conrad Los Angeles
Photo by Ilene Squires
The Setup and Read of the Room
Angela wanted the DJ booth to be a moment, so the setup landed in the center of Alto on a server station, raised and visible across the rooftop. The records were olive colored to match her olive dress. The kind of detail a host notices, signals the night was thought through, and looks great in photos.
The bigger decision was the speakers. The instinct on a big rooftop is to spread the sound, by running a speaker across to the far side of the bar, to fill the space evenly so guests have a comfortable wash of music wherever they're standing. I held back on that. The call was to keep the speakers and sub flanking the booth, creating a clear sonic pocket on the dance floor side and letting the music carry softer toward the bar.
The right read confirmed itself within the first hour as tables were cleared away from the booth. Guests with drinks gravitated toward the music pocket. Even before anyone danced, the room had a center point.
The first three hours were cocktail format. Cool, California-leaning 90s hip hop to open provided music guests could mingle to without having to lean in to hear each other. That's the right opener for a rooftop hotel event. People need to settle into the space, get their first drink, find their group, before any DJ should be asking them to move. The K-pop request from Angela's sister landed mid-cocktail hour. A quick six-minute, four-song mix, then back into the playlist. Taking those requests well is part of being a part of the party, not behind a booth pretending to be above it.
The bigger decision was the speakers. The instinct on a big rooftop is to spread the sound, by running a speaker across to the far side of the bar, to fill the space evenly so guests have a comfortable wash of music wherever they're standing. I held back on that. The call was to keep the speakers and sub flanking the booth, creating a clear sonic pocket on the dance floor side and letting the music carry softer toward the bar.
The right read confirmed itself within the first hour as tables were cleared away from the booth. Guests with drinks gravitated toward the music pocket. Even before anyone danced, the room had a center point.
The first three hours were cocktail format. Cool, California-leaning 90s hip hop to open provided music guests could mingle to without having to lean in to hear each other. That's the right opener for a rooftop hotel event. People need to settle into the space, get their first drink, find their group, before any DJ should be asking them to move. The K-pop request from Angela's sister landed mid-cocktail hour. A quick six-minute, four-song mix, then back into the playlist. Taking those requests well is part of being a part of the party, not behind a booth pretending to be above it.
The transition out of cocktail hour was the cake moment. I provided a wireless mic for Angela and the other guests giving toasts. I record my DJ sets and was able to snip the speeches to an MP3 file that I sent to her the next day. Guests gathered around the cake for candles and "Happy Birthday". The moment the singing wrapped, "In Da Club" dropped at full energy. That song does the job on a 50th birthday floor that opened slow. It cuts through the chatter, signals the shift, and pulls everyone who was waiting for permission to dance. "Go shawty, it's your birthday."
The rest of the night ran on Angela's playlist. High energy across her selections, no resistance from the floor, and a crowd that wanted to keep dancing past the close. Alto runs a strict 10pm cut for noise out of respect for guests in the hotel rooms above. Working luxury hotels means honoring those rules cleanly. The set ended on time and the room ended on a high.
Cake, Speeches, and the Floor
The Conrad event staff held the line on professionalism all night. Water at the booth without being asked. Calm, poised handling of guests asking to extend past the cutoff. The kind of service that lets a DJ focus on the music instead of running interference. Working a private event at a hotel like the Conrad means trusting the team around me to do their job at the same level I do mine.
Following the event, the Conrad catering sales team added Frawleywood to their preferred vendor list and Angela left a five-star review.
Following the event, the Conrad catering sales team added Frawleywood to their preferred vendor list and Angela left a five-star review.
What the Conrad Team Brought to the Night
"Connor (Frawleywood) DJ'ed my 50th birthday party at the Conrad Hotel in downtown LA on the rooftop. He was so good, understood exactly the sound I was going for (90s hip hop), was easy to work with, made payment transactions secure and simple, communicative, prompt, and is a very nice person with a cool vibe. He used his professional judgment to mix in other songs so it wasn't just 100% one music genre. He also has enough content on YouTube so you can get a feel for how he is in a professional setting. Will definitely hire him again for the next event!"
Private event DJ and MC services for luxury hotels, milestone birthdays, and curated private celebrations across Los Angeles and nationwide. Downtown LA hotels like the Conrad sit alongside the Beverly Hills and South Bay hotel scene as some of the city's strongest rooms for private celebrations.
See more from the portfolio, including private celebrations in Beverly Hills, Four Seasons Beverly Hills weddings, and the full events list.
Private event DJ and MC services for luxury hotels, milestone birthdays, and curated private celebrations across Los Angeles and nationwide. Downtown LA hotels like the Conrad sit alongside the Beverly Hills and South Bay hotel scene as some of the city's strongest rooms for private celebrations.
See more from the portfolio, including private celebrations in Beverly Hills, Four Seasons Beverly Hills weddings, and the full events list.
A great end to another year around the sun
