Meet Terry Lastoria of DJ T-Last in Entertainment DJ

Today we’d like to introduce you to Terry Lastoria.

Terry, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
Growing up I always loved music. I loved listening to all styles of music and finding the art in it. When I was 20, I was at a local club, Coach & Willie’s, where I witnessed the masterpiece in dj-ing – AL3. I was amazed by how he was controlling the crowd with music, and by how he would switch between songs and genres. I knew right then that dj-ing was what I wanted to do. I was in college at the time, and my parents bought me a small cd mixer for Christmas.

It was just something I could practice on to see if dj-ing was something I truly wanted to do. I would DJ small parties for family members and I started to get hired for birthday parties. Everyone seemed to love what I was doing so I knew I needed to get more equipment. I saved up some money and purchased two turntables and a mixer. I started doing more parties and an occasional wedding. In 2009 I was hired to DJ at an after-hours club.

Things were picking up but to improve my dj-ing, I needed more equipment. Equipment that I could not afford. My Dad made me a deal – he would loan me some money if I was dj-ing on a consistent basis. Six months later I fulfilled that promise when I was asked by Todd Shuler aka Mr. BlakSteel to team up with him to DJ his spin class at Core Balance studio.

I met Todd at the gym where I worked out. One day I noticed him going into the spin room to teach a class. I was curious as to what type of music he played so I stood outside the door and listened. The first song I heard was “Ice Cream Paint” by Dorrough. Ideas instantly starting spinning in my head, and I went home that night and made a mix for Todd. I guess he liked it because we soon became the first live DJ/spin class in town! The spin classes were a big hit and I started to DJ Todd’s classes at another spin studio – The Madison Improvement Club. The classes were booming and I began working with another great instructor at the Madison, Stephanie, as well as LifeTime Fitness, The Village, Fit Republic and Mountainside Fitness. I was becoming known as the “Cycle DJ” throughout the Valley.

In 2014 a good friend of mine who I met in spin classes, Dawn, helped bring me into a different style of fitness. She invited the owner of Amenzone Fitness, Amen, to a spin class so that he could hear me play. I soon became Amenzone’s resident DJ and I was invited to travel with Amen and his crew to DJ their Rebel tour. We traveled to Los Angeles and New York, doing events on Hermosa Beach Pier and in Central Park. This was such a great experience to be able to show my work in other cities.

I was getting more and more gigs and soon I was asked to be the in-house DJ at Let it Roll Bowl for their Friday and Saturday night Cosmic Bowling. Todd had also recently opened his own studio, BlakSteel Fitness, where I became the resident DJ, providing sounds for all types of fitness classes, not just spin.

I also DJ spin classes at Reformed Pilates, providing sounds for my good friend, Brooke. Because of her work in live radio, she has been able to provide insight into the business aspect of dj-ing. I joined up with an entertainment company, Shuffle House Entertainment. With them, I have done events for the Children’s Museum, a variety of high schools and different wedding venues. I am grateful for all the opportunities that I have had, for the friends that have supported me and am excited for the opportunities to come!

Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
I have learned that nothing in life is smooth. I learned at an early age that every path has huge bumps and canyons. My family was homeless when I was very young. You have no idea how scary that is – living with the uncertainty of meals, safety and life. These moments change you and build you. My drive for success and desire to help others began here.

Most recently, I encountered a few financial obstacles that forced me to go back to a 9-5 job. Doing this made me feel like I had failed at my dream and I even doubted my motivation in dj-ing as a career. These moments come. It is the thought of my love of music and the happiness I see when I DJ that keeps me going. I realized that I did not want to give up my dream and I am 100% committed to making this my full-time career!

Alright – so let’s talk business. Tell us about DJ T-Last – what should we know?
I love entertaining a crowd with the music I play. I specialize in all types of events including cycle classes, weddings, birthday parties, the bowling alley, different bars around Phoenix – you name it, I can do it. What I am most proud about is how my music makes people feel – when they are happy I feel that I have accomplished what I was hired to do.

Whether it is a wedding, birthday party, or fitness class, it is important to me to make it the best experience that it can be. I am never pre-set as a DJ. I always take requests and I do my best to mix everything seamlessly and can mix every genre of music.

Contact Info:

• Address: 3912 E. Camelback Road
• Website: djtlast.com
• Phone: 602-697-4083
• Email: contact@djtlast.com
• Instagram: @djtlast
• Facebook: T-Last Lastoria
• Other: Mixcloud: T-Last

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