Split Second Sound's Blog

It is no secret that many members of the SSS family are from up north - New York to be specific. Steven Apostolo, Split Second Sound's LED Percussionist, comes to us from Queens NY and met Vinny in the summer of 2017. He is the one and only LED Percussionist for SSS and the only one in the Carolinas. A live percussionist is a very popular add on with DJs in the north, but in Charlotte, it was unheard of...until now. Steven says “Up north, the weddings are a staple. If you have a DJ, you add a percussionist,” but Steven had to start from scratch in the south. “The culture is different here. Not many people understand the percussionist concept, so having that live entertainment is key, and what sets me apart is the LED lights. It is visually eye catching,” Steven says. Steven custom built his LED kit to separate him from the competition. The drummer compliments the DJ and vice versa, but timing is so important. Steven prides himself on not only his marketing skills for expandin...

Emily Brandewie has been a Catering Sales Manager for The Ballantyne for four years. She, along with the dedicated team at the venue, strive to make the guest’s experience one that is unforgettable. “We do it all here at Ballantyne!” Emily says. “Whether it is a corporate event, team building, rehearsal dinner, glow-in-the-dark night putting, or wedding weekend, our team is ready to exceed expectations!” Since opening in 2001, Ballantyne Hotel boasts 199 rooms in the main hotel, a 35 bedroom mountain-inspired Lodge, and a 4 bedroom private Cottage. The property offers an 18-hole public golf course, full-service spa, award-winning restaurant and 22,000 sq ft of event space. Emily gave us the sneak peek on some upcoming renovations happening this summer and, let me tell you, it’s not something you want to miss. The expected completion date is mid-September, and we cannot wait to see it all! As part of her career in hospitality, Emily has worked in several different cities. To no ...

He is one of the original four DJs for Split Second Sound. He is in our Elite Series as one of the most requested & reviewed DJs in the company. He speaks Italian fluently and has been a part of many weddings for the same family. He is none other than Long Island native, Joey Verde. Joey’s love for music has been in his system his whole life, but the love turned into a passion when he was 15 years old. While visiting family in Italy, his uncle and a few of his friends started a local radio station. When Joey saw it all in action, he thought it was the coolest thing ever, so his uncle put him on air asking about his visit. The following day, Joey was back to watch the others. On the third day, the DJ on air was smoking a cigarette outside, and the song was about to end, so Joey stepped in to play the next song. One song led to a second and so on. After the fifth day, they decided to put Joey on air as the DJ everyday between 11AM and 1:30PM playing Italian songs along with his A...

Henry Connor Bost House is a property that once visited, nothing compares. Located only 6 miles from Salisbury and built in 1869, Henry Connor Bost House has been a family owned property since 1961, which they used as a vacation home. In 1993, the property was carefully renovated by Dr. and Mrs. Donald Lomax in order to move to the farm permanently, but the original heart pine floors, original woodwork, brickwork, and even some original glass in the windows still remain. With one parent deceased and the other in assisted living, Laurie, the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Lomax, decided to turn it into a venue about 2.5 years ago, which she partially manages along with her brothers and sisters. With 135 acres of land, this fully renovated land is private and protected by the Land Trust of Central NC, so the land can never be developed which allows it to always be a historic farm. It is also listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Henry Connor was an officer in the civil war,...

We are switching it up a bit today. Instead of a DJ Feature, we are taking it inside the Split Second Sound house for an Office Feature to showcase our Office & Operations Manager, Ron Schmidt. He has been a part of the SSS family for over two years now and handles overseeing the day to day operations, contracts, equipment, and payments. When it comes to payment due dates and contract changes, he is your go-to man. He also handles scheduling and managing the work of DJs and assistants. He claims he makes the office a fun place to work, and we guess we will give him that credit ;) Prior to joining SSS, Ron working in the television business straight out of college for 5 years, 3 of those being in Allentown PA and 2 being here in Charlotte NC for Channel 9 WSOC-TV as a photographer, editor, and live truck operator. It was a very cool experience that led him to meet some interesting people including Richard Petty, Elizabeth Dole, John Kasich, Greg Biffle, many city Mayors, US Se...

Something Perfect is the company name, but everything they do is perfect!  Organization, creativity, and all around sweet people, this wedding planning team is always a joy to work with.  Owner & founder of Something Perfect is Samie Roberts, and she is a pure talent in our industry.  She just welcomed her beautiful babygirl Chloe in March, and we know we have a future planner on our hands with Samie as her mom! Samie has been working in the events industry for ten years and worked in New York originally, but founded Something Perfect over four years ago.  Her journey began with a couple of internships for fashion designers in NYC where she also dabbled in PR work for publications and event planning.  From launches for big brands to fashion shows, Samie was able to experience many routes for six years before finding her true love and calling in wedding planning.  She says, “Coming from an agency, I have a professional background but also a caring p...

He got his first KISS album when he was just six years old. He would crank it as loud as the stereo would handle and jump around on the bed playing air guitar with his tennis racquet and singing at the top of his lungs. When people asked him what he wanted to be when he grew up, the answer was simple….A ROCKSTAR! He got his first start as a lead singer in a hair band when he was 15 and the rest, well, it has been history. Everyone meet Steve Bradle! Steve has a part of the Carolina Panthers Black & Blue Crew for 6 seasons and is even co-captain and one of the four flag runners when the Panthers score a touchdown. He is a full-time personal trainer with Camp Gladiator where he runs five outdoor workout locations for 60-70 people weekly. He has been a part of the Charlotte Hornets Swarm Squad and at one time was a professional mascot with the Charlotte Hounds lacrosse team. He has been backup to Chubby with the CHeckers, has danced in front of 72k people as Sir Purr’s mini si...

Our venue spotlight of the week is a hidden treasure that leaves couples breathless when entering. Whether the glistening chandeliers, the grand entrance staircase, or the instant homey feeling you get, Separk Mansion is a space many brides can picture hosting their big day. The mansion was built by the Separk family in 1919, but the current owners bought the space and after two years of renovations, this spectacular space has been hosting weddings for five years now. Their brand of southern hospitality makes everyone feel welcome from start to finish with their high level of service. Tim Clark is the owner of Separk Mansion while Brittanie Pate is the Manager. Her position entails overseeing all weddings and handling wedding coordination as well. Whether orders or staffing, her main goal is making sure all is running smoothly. A lot of people in this industry have like-minded values, so Brittanie says getting close with those she works with and the connections she makes allow...