So just for fun this past summer I bought a Numark Mixtrack Pro DJ software controller, and I purchased an upgrade to Virtual DJ Pro 7:

http://www.numark.com/mixtrackpro - Mixtrack
http://www.virtualdj.com/products/virtualdj/version7.html - Virtual DJ Pro 7

I had told a few people about it, and evidently word got around. I was asked to DJ a friend's Christmas party. Now, I hosted plenty of college parties with iPod playlists, but this party had a diverse age range (teenagers to people in their 70's), so it demanded a good variety of music... that was the real challenge. Well, by the end of the night, the owner of the catering hall was asking for my business card. He said he hadn't seen a dance floor so consistently packed in a long time...

Anyway... I had used a friend's PA system for that party, but now I'd like to get my own full set of gear (I just have the laptop and Mixtrack deck right now).

I just don't have a feel for brand reputation when it comes to pro audio. I'm aiming for higher-end entry level stuff. I don't want something that will crap out after an hour of loud music, but I also don't need a concert-grade sound reinforcement setup.

Any gear recommendations for: Power amps, Mixers (or a Powered Mixer), Speakers, etc.? My goal would be to do some weddings, parties, etc on weekends for fun and to make some extra cash. That kinda thing.

And yes... this is the reason for my current avatar, haha.