NYLA | MITZVAH

“We had a great time. Your crew was beyond awesome! Ben was fabulous. The kids and the adults loved him and the dancers. The kids want them for their graduation next year! My daughter’s bat mitzvah is in 2018 and we will be reserving you all for that event too. Thanks again!”

JP | GROOM

"My wife and I got married in July 2019 at Waverley Country Club and had Higher Ground MC the whole event (dinner, speeches, etc.) as well as DJ the reception. Ben and Mason were OUTSTANDING!!

The dance floor was electric and everyone had a great time. They were able to read the room perfectly; with the beginning of the dancing including music the older generation enjoyed dancing to, but smoothly transitioned to music more geared to the younger crowd and kept the party going late into the night! The dance floor was so fun that we asked them to stay later than initially planned.

My wife and I are in the stage of our lives where our whole summer has been filled with weddings. Ours was the first of our friend group this year and we continue to hear from our friends how great the DJ was.
Big thanks to Ben & Mason for all their hard work!"

MICHELLE | BLOCK PARTY

"Higher Ground had an easy-going, hassle-free approach to planning. From conceptualization to implementation, they helped us put together a game plan for our daughter's party. When the big day finally arrived, they even showed up with the ice!"

BARBARA COHEN | BLC EVENTS

"As a wedding and event planner for 20+ years in the high-end market, I look for a DJ that can not only pack a dance floor but do it with professionalism and style. Higher Ground Entertainment does just that. They are my number one pick for the best wedding, corporate, or private event DJ in the Pacific Northwest. Ben and his team are a young, fun group of entertainers that will put in the work and bring out the best of any dance floor. Do yourself a favor and book Higher Ground for your next event!"

MARIAM | LULULEMON

"I am delighted to recommend Ben’s services to any corporate or private events. Ben not only understands how to connect with a crowd through his charisma, but also understands how to read his audience and adjust accordingly. I have hired him over seven times in a corporate setting for events I hosted with Lululemon Athletica over the course of 3 years. He always came prepared and punctual, and would work hard regardless of the hours. His taste in music is refined, his energy is infectious, and he understands multiple genres.

When people leave any of our events, they don’t remember the food we provided, or the clothing they bought -- they remember the experience that Ben created while fostering wonderful connections."

ASHLEY | BRIDE

"Ben is a wonderful Dj and MC. He kept our crowd on the dance floor ALL night. We had only a few requests in music during cocktail hour and dinner but we left the rest up to him! He certainly did not disappoint. Ben was fantastic and I’d highly recommend him for your next big event."

TONY | STUMPTOWN BOOTH

"Ben and his team virtually guarantee that your event will be a success. I've never met a harder working group in 6+ years of doing events. We work with them several times a year and I can honestly say that I love it when I know that they're going to be a (BIG) part of the event. Ben is a master Master of Ceremonies and his team provide a level of energy that everyone feeds off of. We love them so much we'd hire them for our very own event. I know from personal experience that you're in amazing hands with Higher Ground and Ben. Cheers!"

KITTA BODMER PHOTOGRAPHY

"Unbelievable!!! Unbelievable!!! I was a photographer over the weekend at a bat mitzvah at Castaway. All night long, as I was running around taking pictures, I was blown away by the energy and exciting vibe of Higher Ground Entertainment. It made my job easier since the guests were having a blast. Made for great pictures. If you need a Portland event DJ, run to book them!"

STEVEN

"I did want to quickly say that the party Saturday night went extremely well and that Ben and the rest of the team did a fantastic job. Leila had a great time, as you can perhaps glean from this photo of her with Ben and Emily. More soon, but wanted to initially say what a memorable night it was."

GENE

“Ben and the team were great. All the guests had a wonderful time, the evening flowed well, the energy level was high and positive throughout, and we would have no hesitation about recommending this team to others. Ben was wonderful, gave us heads-up when we needed it, kept the kids involved, and kept the flow going throughout the evening. I don’t recall there being any lulls in the evening, which speaks to the skill of the team because avoiding lulls can be difficult. The music selection was also great, as attested by the fact that somebody was dancing or engaging in some activity on the dance floor the entire evening (again, no lulls). The kids, as they were walking out, seemed truly jazzed. I imagine Ally will be hearing more of this at school today. I’ll let you know if she hears anything different from the above. All in all, great job to everyone!”

LINDA

“We were very happy with Ben and the DJ and the dancers. They were great with all the kids. The dancers even helped me with my centerpieces when I needed to go home and get dressed for the party. I REALLY appreciated that! I have nothing negative to say about Ben or how the evening went! It was perfect! Thank you so much!”

MIRIAM

“OMG, Ben was awesome and so was the whole team. What a great party! I really appreciate Ben’s skill with the kids, his genuine love for what he does, the way he stayed in close contact with me during the party to check in about various things and the way he managed the whole evening. After the first set, things were going really well and I felt like we were in good hands. Ben got who we are and how we like to do things and that made a huge difference to me. It was not the kind of LA showy stuff I grew up with, not by any means. So even though we were running a little late on our timeframe plan, I told Ben I was happy to turn the party over to him to keep things moving as needed. My son and his friends had a wonderful time (and so did the adults)! I have already sent a referral to you from one of his classmates’ parents who asked about how to contact Ben. Will be happy to do so again. Thank you again we were so delighted with all of your work. All the best!”

SPENCER

“The event was awesome. Ben was a rock star and we greatly appreciated having him there. We will definitely be using you guys again in the future- our experience was smooth and stress free so thank you.”

SHERI

“It was a fantastic party! There were so many people that said it was the “best party ever”! Everyone had a great time. I was surprised that many adults stayed until the end. Ben, David, Samantha and Emily were terrific. They *made* the party. There was an electricity to the night that was so exciting and they made Anna feel like a princess. I appreciated Ben checking with me on certain song requests – and then downloading the song. My 18-year-old son marveled that Ben was able to get all of the 13-year-old boys to participate, instead of trying to be too cool. Thank you for a fabulous evening. Anna (and others) will remember the party for their entire lives.”

JULIE

“I want to thank you for such an amazing party! You guys provided such a fantastic atmosphere, with non-stop energy! Every detail was perfect! I couldn’t even believe how incredibly kind and polite every single member of the group was! Such a nice group!!! What an amazing group of young people you have working for you, Dan! I wish them all wonderful things in life. What a great group!
I can’t even tell you how thankful I am for their commitment to being the utmost professional, polite, cheerful, helpful group. Any recommendations I can ever give any of you please let me know. I can’t tell you how many compliments we received for all of you.”

JULIA

“Ben – heartfelt thanks for making each of our kids’ b’nai mitzvahs truly amazing! After the outstanding time, everyone had at our son’s event, we were thrilled you could return to recreate the magic at our daughter’s event. Once again, you guided my family seamlessly through the planning stages, helping us choreograph the evening while finding just the right music and games. During the party, you kept the crowd happy, moving and engaged with one another the entire time. It’s rare to see every guest, young and old, up on their feet and dancing the whole night. Besides a quick dinner, our seats were empty with people dancing non-stop. You were truly amazing, with the help of your able crew. We feel lucky you were part of making our events the ones to remember. Thanks for everything!"

ALISA

“Ben and David were a great team. Ben was on top of every detail, a total pro at working with our caterer and photographer so that we could relax, and everyone said they had a wonderful time at the party. We’ve already forwarded Ben’s name to a couple folks who liked him at the party and are looking for a DJ for their own events. We would definitely use you again, and wholeheartedly recommend all of you.”

LISA

“We and all our guests did indeed have the BEST time ever!!! Ben and the crew were perfect – so much fun. Ben really “got” what Sophie wanted. Everyone from age 3 to 80 loved the party and couldn’t stop talking about it. I will send more comments soon — still have family in town and still tired out from everything — but I wish I could go to that party every day. One of the fun parts about it was that our whole crew of helpers was having as much fun as the guests. And it was great that Sophie already knew Ben.”

LAURIE

“Last night was amazing, and it was in large part to [Ben] and [his] team! The 4 of [them] worked so hard and the party was over the top! I want to thank all of you for making the night such a memorable and fun time. The energy and enthusiasm was contagious! Everyone had a wonderful time, and there was not one kid who didn’t participate. Watching them all together was such a joy and the compliments I had were continuous. Looking at the photos today, it was such a delight to see adults having as much fun (if not more) and seeing the dance floor filled all night. Thank you for your professionalism and for helping out when the catering staff had fallen down on their job. I really appreciated how [they] all stepped in without being asked and allowed me to return to my guests. I have already had several parents contact me to tell me that their kids said it was the most fun Bat Mitzvah ever. I am singing your praises so I know that we will be seeing you again at an event soon! You truly made the party and we will be forever grateful!”

LISA

"Great party and everyone had a wonderful time and loved Ben and the crew. Ben was very tuned into the kid's energy and is just such a nice guy! We also really appreciated that he came all the way in from Tahoe and is so supportive of our family. Also, we’re so glad we went with your TV set-up. It was expensive but it was worth it and looked great. We had it running off to the side but very visible throughout the party and everyone really enjoyed it. I also heard a couple of comments that Bella did a great job getting kids onto the floor once the dancing got going. I like your way of enticing rather than pushing. Plus the boys were up on the stage doing their thing for a while and that was very cute. MANY KUDOS!!!!!!!!!!”

DANYA

“I had to write to tell you what an amazing time all of our guests had last night. And when I say “all” of our guests, I mean that literally. Everyone from age 4 to age 80 was up dancing for some or all of the night. Joel, Ben, Alex (and forgive me, I did not get the other dancer’s name…could you please tell me? ) were an absolutely INCREDIBLE team. They made sure we got EXACTLY what our vision was for the party (a dance party where kids and adults would be involved and having a blast). So thank you and please thank every member of your great team that helped us out last night. Can we please book those 4 for our son’s bar mitzvah in June? He says he wants “the exact same thing” ( :”

MIKKI

“Ben and his crew did an amazing job! From getting there early and having everything set up to checking in with me all night! They were beyond excellent and made the party better than I expected. The guests had a great time and didn’t want it to end. Ben and his team were very professional but still personable and even willing to help at the end of the night with loading my car. I can’t even thank them enough for the wonderful job they did!”

STRI

“I just want to thank Ben and his team (DJ, Photobooth person and motivators) for a FABULOUS job on Saturday, Jan 12th for my daughter Ari’s bat mitzvah…I’m ready to book you for my next daughter’s Nicki’s bat mitzvah! Ben and his team did a fabulous job. I didn’t have to worry about the party flow…the kids were dancing for 4 hours non-stop. I’m glad you suggested the father/daughter dance. Both Ari and her father had lots of fun with it.”

ANETTE

“We love Ben he is great, can’t wait to have him on another event! The party was a success, thanks again!”

PETER

“I meant to call you and tell you in person everything was absolutely Awesome. We have people calling and telling us they had the best time. Most importantly, we enjoyed it very much. I truly think it could not get any better. Everything was very professional and coordinated. Thanks for making it go very smoothly. If you ever need a recommendation , you can share my contact info. You can also share music selection with your future Russian customers :)”

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DEBORAH

“Thank you so much for all you did to make sure Sarah’s Bat Mitzvah party was fabulous. From the moment we started to the final dancing song, everyone was inspiring both kids and adults to play, dance, sing, participate and generally have a good time. Sarah was thrilled and we’re glad we worked out the Photo Booth and the Tattoos as well. I am recommending you to all of our friends now planning their B’nai Mitzvahs as well. And of course we’ll talk in the Spring about the 8th grade blow out graduation dance at MVMS. Appreciate everything. You guys are the best.”

COURTNEY

“Wow, that pretty much sums it up! What a fantastic evening!! Thank you for making Paulina’s bat mitzvah celebration so very special. Our guests from the oldest down to the youngest had a super time. Your team were even able to convince our shy daughter to participate in the games on the dance floor during cocktails and then got her back on the dance floor for actual dancing(!) later in the evening. A first!! The professionalism, enthusiasm, sense of timing, and sixth sense for knowing what the crowd wanted was superb. Your entire team from Ben (the true master of ceremony) to the motivators (so fun!) to the photo booth attendant were so charismatic and energetic that there was no way our group was not going to have a special time. Thank you!We would not change a thing!!”

CATHY

“Ben and Joel were GREAT!!!!! The kids were all saying that they were the best deejays ever! We were all very happy with the party. Ben was engaging and fun and genuinely engaged with the kids. They couldn’t get enough of him. They were all clumped up as close to him as they could get dancing in a big huddle. It was pretty funny! THANK YOU for everything. Ben and Joel really made the party!”

EMILY

“Ben, Thank you SO much! You guys were absolutely fantastic! Everyone had such a wonderful time last night – you engaged the kids and the adults, played great music, had fun games, kept everything on schedule (and were even willing to be flexible on the fly with the schedule – moving the slideshow up to accommodate some guests that needed to leave early) and everything went more smoothly than I could have imagined. You really did an amazing job and we are very grateful. Everyone there was extremely impressed with you and your team and I am sure you will be getting some business out of it!”

ALICE

“I am not exaggerating when I say I could not have been more pleased. Everything was so great. Your staff was amazing, you provided more than we expected and you made the party amazing. I have only heard great things. There is no doubt that your staff and your business considerably enhanced the party and made it an memorable experience.”

KATE

”Everyone is so happy about Saturday. As I expressed to Ben, people came up to me during the party and these past days commenting on everything from the way they engaged all ages in the crowd to the amazing lighting and effects.It was a pleasure to work with both you and Ben. You really listened to what we wanted and never pushed us to do anything Kiara was not comfortable with. Whenever I thought of something, Ben was already there taking care of it. Thanks for everything.”

LEAH

“I think the exact quote I have heard from just about everyone was that Ben was the ‘best DJ we have ever seen.’ The whole crew was great. This was a very energetic group and they all matched that energy. The adults loved that they played older music to start and we pretty much never stopped dancing! Kids and adults! The kids never stopped and it was obvious how much fun they all were having! The flow was perfect. Thanks again!”

DEBBIE

“Ben did a fantastic job last night and it was just a fabulous time. Thank you for everything!! Natasha thought Ben was awesome and she felt bad that she did not get to say good night and thank him for all his hard work!! We were thrilled with everything.”

MIKKI

“We did have the best time ever! Ben, Justin and Stina were amazing. They really got the kids dancing for HOURS! The music was perfect and the games were fun. I can’t think of anything they could have done better. Thanks.”

GAIL

“As I had expected, Ben and Joel were FANTASTIC. They kept the crowd motivated, spun great tunes and we all had fun. THANKS.”

SUZANNE

"THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU! Abby’s party at Piatti’s was off the charts fun for her, the kids, our huge extended family, and Gary and I, too. We had a magical day and could not have done it without Ben and his team. Ben has the perfect personality, warmth, energy and enthusiasm to run a bat mitzvah and we are so grateful. He did a tremendous job! Of course, you have adoring fans all over the Bay Area but I’m always happy to be a reference. With our sincere thanks."

MONICA

“Everything was great! Ben was amazing to work with and everyone had a blast. I will continue to recommend you with much enthusiasm! Thanks for making a stressful time much easier for me.”

SARAH

“No words. There are no words. Ben and Joel did a phenomenal job last night! Everyone, I mean everyone had a blast! Daniel will carry the fun and love of that special evening with him always. I told mike to go with you; that you get what you pay for and our expectations were exceeded! Mike thanked me for encouraging him to go with you. So from the bottom of our hearts, thank you, thank Ben and Joel for making such a significant evening so so meaningful and special. The look of pure joy on Daniels face as he was lifted in that chair, doing the horah, the circle created at the end to hold Daniel, the mother son dance, the games, giveaways etc are memories to carry for a lifetime! So thank you!!!”

LISA

“FUN FUN FUN!!! Just wanted to let you know that Ben did a great job! The silent disco was FANTASTIC!!! OMG – better than I even remembered it from the first time I saw one. Everyone loved it. The whole thing was perfect. There you have it. LOVED the night! Great lights, Great energy, Great music!!!"

JONI

“You should know what a big hit Ben was at Maia’s bat mitzvah Saturday night! We had to turn on the house lights and kick people out at 10:30– no one wanted to leave! Great credit to Ben for connecting with the kids, being age-appropriate AND cool, for being flexible and authentic. He is a great asset to your company. Thank you for sharing him with us for Maia’s most special day.”

LESLIE

“Thank you! The party was fantastic thanks to the amazing work of Ben, Jake, Alex and Anthony. They were all such a pleasure to work with and worked hard all night to ensure the party was a success. Thank you!!”

CHERYL

“Ben and crew did a fantastic job and we would have no reservations in recommending them to our friends. They were very professional, very prompt, very helpful and did a great job at keeping the energy going for the party all night long. They did a wonderful job with the kids and games during the cocktail hour. They did the right amount of Jewish dancing. However, they were not overbearing on the guests. I had a wonderful time and got many compliments on the DJ from my guests.”

ALLISON

“Wanted to let you know that Mason, Ben and crew did an awesome job! Everyone had a blast!! The dance floor was never empty which I think is a great sign. What a nice crew you have, I hope they thought everything went well.”

ESTEE

“A big huge thanks to all your team for doing a stellar job on Saturday at Rachel’s Bat Mitzvah! With 85 kids, your team ended up being even more important than we realized, and Ben was amazing, keeping everything flowing and endlessly fun for kids and adults alike!”

DORIS

“Ben and the crew were incredible. Isaac, who never expresses his feelings, went on and on about how much he liked Ben. He said his friends all had a great time. The adults were all impressed as well. One cousin’s son just had his Bar Mitzvah celebration 2 weeks ago in New Orleans. His mom went on about how incredible the crew was. When I picked Isaac up from school yesterday, he said the kids were still talking about the party. Can’t get a better review than that!”