About Benjie Hughes

I'm founder and CEO of Backthird Entertainment, a Chicago-area DJ and live music company, and of Backthird Audio, a membership recording studio. I arrange music and and play piano and guitar with our Twin Strings ensemble. When I'm not writing or making music, I'm reading history and theology or seeking out great stories in books, graphic novels and video games. My wife and I live on the Fox River in downtown Aurora, Illinois, close enough to walk to Backthird Audio.

Chicago’s top 18 wedding DJ songs in September

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A little bit country; a little bit rock and roll. Plus club, pop, disco and straight-up old-school boy-band. That was September for our wedding couples and their guests. Which songs were biggest on Chicago wedding DJ dance floors last month? We ask our team that question every week. Here were some of their top plays for last month, September 2018. […]

What were August’s top Chicago wedding DJ songs?

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Hot outside. Hot on the dance floor. That was August for our wedding DJs, with couples all over Chicago partying with their guests to – well, to a little big of everything. Which songs were biggest on Chicago-area wedding dance floors last month? That’s what we ask our DJs every week. Here’s what guests were loving at their parties during August 2018. […]

That’s your wedding DJ’s problem. Even if it’s not his fault.

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Did you hire a DJ to run sound at your outdoor wedding ceremony? Here are three things that can go wrong with that: Your DJ forgot to change the batteries in your officiant’s wireless microphone. It’s dead. No one can hear your wedding now. Your officiant turned her wireless microphone off after soundcheck. When your ceremony started, she forgot to turn it back on. No one can hear your wedding now. Your officiant’s wireless microphone worked great at soundcheck 30 minutes ago – and nothing has changed since. So why is the microphone behaving in a totally different unexpected way now that your wedding ceremony’s started? Could be radio interference, or gremlins, or the 200 guests with cell phones in their pockets that just showed up. We honestly can’t say for sure. This one’s a mystery. All we know is that – you guessed it! – no one can hear your wedding now. The first problem above is your DJ’s fault. The second one is NOT your DJ’s fault. The third one? Hard to say. But either way, you’ve got one problem now: Your guests can’t hear your wedding.   […]

Chicago’s top 15 wedding songs for July 2018

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July is crazy month for DJs, with couples all over taking advantage of the warm weather and summer schedules to plan their wedding bashes. This year was no exception – but which songs were the biggest on those wedding dance floors? Each Monday, we ask our Chicago wedding DJs that very thing. Here are the songs they told us were hitting big at Chicago weddings all through July 2018. […]

What should you do if your DJ has an emergency on your wedding day? (Answer: Nothing.)

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When the unthinkable first happened, it was early on a Saturday and I’d just woken up. “Benjie, it’s Nate,” the voice on my cell phone said. Nate and I were working an important wedding in about 8 hours. It was his last wedding with us for a while; we’d left a big hole in his work schedule this year because his wife was due to have a baby in 6 weeks. So I already knew exactly what Nate meant when he said what he said next: “The unthinkable has happened.” […]

June 2018’s top Chicago wedding DJ songs

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Something old; something new. If you’re anything like this month’s Backthird DJ couples, it’s not just a description of your wedding attire – it’s also your reception’s dance playlist. Each Monday, we ask one question of our Chicago DJs: Which songs killed it on your dance floors this past weekend? If June’s dance hits are anything to go by, you’ll want to load your own playlist with some goodies from every era. […]

What were Chicago’s top wedding DJ songs in May 2018?

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Summer at last! If you’re a Chicago wedding DJ, there’s no question – celebrations are in full swing and the crowds are dancing like crazy. But what songs, exactly, are they dancing to? Each Monday, we ask one question of our wedding DJs in Chicago: Which songs killed it on your dance floors this past weekend? If May 2018’s answers are anything to go by, Chicago wedding crowds are into… well, a little bit of everything right now. […]

Why we’re proud to work at same-sex weddings

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Because you love each other. Because you’ve found the person you want to spend every day with, and that’s so worth celebrating. Because if I’m not gay, then someone I love is.  […]

What your DJ must know before your wedding at the Haight in Elgin

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The Haight in Elgin has become an overlooked gem for Chicago-area weddings. With an urban loft look, an intimate “family dining” feel and a host of quirky features to discover (see below), a Haight wedding has a flavor all its own. But those quirky features mean some unique challenges for a DJ, too. Here’s what your entertainer can do to make sure your wedding at the Haight is all it ought to be. […]

Two Brothers Roundhouse wedding? Here are 4 things your DJ must know.

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The Roundhouse is like a second home for our DJs; we’ve been working events there since the start of Backthird Entertainment. This downtown anchor is a hotspot of Aurora, Illinois, and a fabulous place to get married – provided your DJ knows how to make the most out of the Roudhouse’s unique spaces. Whether it’s the history, the architecture, or – let’s just be honest here – the fabulous craft beer that’s drawing you to a Two Brothers Roundhouse wedding, it will take more than that to make sure your guests stick around all night and have a stellar time. Here are 4 things your DJ can do to make your party unforgettable. […]