meet martin, owner
Martin began DJing while in school at UNCW, where he earned a degree in English, and went on to hold long-term residencies at some of Wilmington’s busiest nightclubs. Jay, the founder of Active, saw potential, brought Martin on, and after years of working together, developed well-placed trust in Martin to carry on the Active name into the next generation.
As a DJ, Martin loves his craft, and it shows when he is in the mix. He loves being able to seamlessly transition through music quickly, in order to build energy, to touch on multiple genres and decades, and to ultimately keep a crowd excited and moving on the dance floor.
Martin and his wife fell in love with Wilmington while in school here, and think it’s the perfect place to raise their daughter and build their life together. In his spare time he enjoys exploring new places, and listening to his ever-growing vinyl collection.
meet shawn
After graduating from the University of North Carolina at Wilmington’s nursing program, Shawn landed a job at New Hanover Regional Medical Center. One weekend, he thought it would be fun to make some extra money by picking up a DJ’ing gig at a local club. Soon, he was fielding offers to work in several establishments. In 2001, Shawn traded in his stethoscope to DJ full-time — and he’s never looked back.
Shawn, who regularly plays clubs in and around Wilmington, Raleigh, and Myrtle Beach, has a wonderful sense of timing that strikes just the right tone at weddings. He enjoys tailoring the perfect mix of music for all ages as he works to make every couple’s big day unforgettable.
meet jesse
Jesse was born and raised in eastern North Carolina, growing up in the small town of Kinston. He attended South Lenoir High School and went on to earn his Bachelor’s in Business Administration from N.C. Wesleyan. From there Jesse entered the insurance industry and now works as a claims adjuster. His drive for success also led him to start and maintain a local real estate management company, of which he is a co-owner.
Before Jesse started DJing professionally, he was always the de facto music selector at every get-together he attended. His reputation as someone who could keep everyone entertained from his phone soon landed him his first gig as a DJ. Now, as the resident DJ at King Neptune’s in Wilmington, he’s perfected his skills as an artist and entertainer and continues to build his well-earned reputation.
Jesse’s love for music includes a wide range of genres; rock, classic rock, country, reggaeton, and hip hop are his specialties. Regardless of the size and demographics of your event, Jesse will be able to make your wedding, corporate gathering, or private party a truly memorable occasion!
meet craig m.
Although Craig is a newcomer to the Wilmington area, DJ’ing is nothing new to him. With more than 23 years of experience in the business, Craig has played hundreds of events — weddings, reunions, proms, birthday parties, conventions, and clubs — throughout the Carolinas.
Chalk up Craig’s seamless and creative mixes to his mathematical mind. He’s a graduate of Fayetteville State University, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in mathematics. Craig also teaches math and coaches tennis at Cape Fear High School.
meet kaleb
Originally from Morgantown, West Virginia, Kaleb brings over a decade of DJ experience to the Active team. Born into a musical family, he was originally a multi-instrumentalist and songwriter who was introduced to the craft of DJing by his freshman roommate at West Virginia University, where he graduated with a degree in Marketing.
While in Morgantown, he quickly went from DJing fraternity and sorority parties to holding residencies at four different nightclubs, supporting national touring artists, and providing music for corporate, private, and sponsored events. He’s able to cater to any demographic, and is comfortable with all genres of music — whether that means mixing Benny Goodman into Big Sean, John Denver into Drake, or Cameo into Kesha.
When he’s not DJing, you’ll most likely find him at Wrightsville Beach trying to score a few good waves before clocking in as a solutions engineer for nCino. Kaleb, his wife, daughter, and the growing vinyl collection are proud to call Wilmington home.
meet dan
Although he’s new to Wilmington, Dan’s club and mobile DJ experience spans a decade, having been a resident DJ in nightclubs and lounges in Buffalo, New York.
For most of his career, Dan held a residency at a premier wedding facility, bringing his high energy and fun personality to music and events.
Dan brings extra peace of mind to your wedding or event: he’s a paramedic for New Hanover Regional Medical Center by day and holds a third-degree black belt in karate.
meet mike
True Wilmington native and longtime understudy of Active’s own Shawn Booth, Mike has been DJing all over the East Coast for over a decade and has developed real notoriety in the DJ community for his impressive skills behind the turntables. Always having a special place in his heart for music, Mike knew this was something he loved from the first time he got his hands on some DJ equipment. In his early days, he searched out and played anywhere that would give him a chance to prove himself, and all of his hard work has paid off.
From house parties to corporate events, concerts to festivals, nightclubs to weddings, he’s done it all and is now comfortable handling a wide variety of demographics. Over the years, he has built a long list of impressive accomplishments, including sharing stages with a number of nationally touring artists, such as Ludacris and Marshmello, and is now the official DJ of the UNCW Seahawks.
In his spare time, Mike, his longtime girlfriend, and their two pups love entertaining at their home in downtown Wilmington, where in addition to serving their guests with great playlists, he serves some mouthwatering foods from the grill. With the ideal combination of experience and passion, Mike is sure to have your guests asking, “Where did you find such an awesome DJ?”
meet bobby
Bobby began DJing in the 6th grade, and by the time he was 18, he was a resident DJ at clubs in New York and New Jersey. In 2004, Bobby moved to NC to marry his childhood sweetheart, and brought his impassioned, high-energy style with him. He quickly garnered respect in the DJ community here, and landed residencies at multiple venues, including one of Wilmington’s most prolific nightclubs, Ibiza. In addition to DJing, Bobby loves to create his own remixes and mashups, blending music from different genres and eras, to keep everyone moving.
By day, Bobby is also well-respected in his corporate role, as Project Management Digital Lead for Verizon Corporate Finance, where he manages the development of new business technology.
Although his free time is rare, he finds time to surf, snowboard, and play multiple instruments. He’s not the only musically inclined person in his family. He’s been teaching his ten-year-old daughter to DJ, and we hope to have her on the Active roster in the future!
meet charles
Since 1996, Charles has DJ’d for radio stations, bars, nightclubs, corporate events, and weddings. That well-rounded, professional experience has helped him develop a unique style and sharp ability to read and entertain crowds.
He’s now one of the most sought-after wedding DJs in southeastern North Carolina.
Charles is a graduate of the University of North Carolina at Wilmington, where he received a bachelor’s degree in communications. He lives in Wilmington with his wife and two little girls.
meet jason, founder
Jason, one of Wilmington’s most prolific DJs, founded Active Entertainment in 2000 and made it into one of the most sought-after DJ and event-hosting services in southeastern North Carolina. After nearly 20 years at the helm of Active DJ, Jay and his wife Tara purchased the Brooklyn Arts Center, one of Wilmington’s premier wedding venues, and decided that it was time to pass the torch to the next generation.
Although Jay’s focus is on owning and operating the BAC, he’s remains involved as a mentor and an advisor, making sure the Active brand continues for another 20 years!