Speakers… Or Are They?

Blog number 2 in the cynical, tongue in cheek life of a DJ is about speakers.

I’m really proud of my sound system / PA. It’s a 2400 watt bad boy, with beautiful bass tones. Having a good sound system is really important to me, I truly believe it can make a huge difference to the quality of the night.

I’ve mentioned in previous blogs about how accessible DJing is, with a plethora of ‘DJs’ opting for cheap speakers from Maplin.

Yes, the speakers take their toll on my back, but it’s worth it for the well-rounded sound.

As much as I love my PA, I feel like I’ve been a little short-sighted when spending my £2,200 on it. However, many guests at parties have spotted the error of my ways and found another usage for them.

With such a lofty price tag, the speakers really should serve more than one purpose. The other function for them… a drinks stand!!!

Genius, I’m equally disappointed and astounded with myself why I didn’t think of this. In fact, it’s a little bit ignorant of me not to supply coasters as well.

You can imagine my joy when the rumbling bass tones cause a glass to topple over. I don’t think you can beat a bass bin that smells like lager, red bull and vodka!

Play This, Everyone Will Love It!!!

I’ve decided I’m going to post a few blogs about the life of a DJ, shedding some light on the little intricacies of the job that keeps it interesting.

The first topic is… quest requests that threaten to destroy your full dance floor.

Part of the skill of a DJ is being able to read a crowd and play the correct genre of music. It’s always my goal to get as many people on the dance floor as possible. I also like to play as many requests as possible.

And herein lies my dilemma!

Let’s take an example; I might be playing some good old rock music. Everyone’s got their air guitar out and loving the tunes. Someone comes up and asks, ‘can you put on some scooter?’ Not only do they want Scooter, but also want it next!

Now, as much as I appreciate the evocative lyrics and melodic beats of Jumping All Over the World, it’s not exactly my natural choice when considering what might mix well with a Slash solo or a John Bonham beat.

It’s difficult to explain this, especially when the guest insists that the other guests will love it and will all dance to it. Sometimes, in these circumstances, you need to take their word for it. After all, they know the people at the party better than me.

So, you can literally see my face drop when you played the said request and… everyone sits down, including the person who asked for the song!

Sometimes you have to trust your DJ in what will and will not work. Sometimes it’s a matter of building to a different genre, using bridge songs that make the transition smoother.

The Bentley - Next time I’ll bring the camera!

I was back in the Bentley Hotel Motherwell at the weekend. Unfortunately I wasn’t in DJing as I’ve been on a short self-imposed sabbatical from spinning the tunes, which will officially end on Friday!

I went in to set-up mood lighting for a wedding there. In a previous post I spoke about how much I’d always wanted to DJ at the Bentley. Well, the same can be said for Mood lighting it.

I finally got the opportunity to Mood Light it, and… forgot my camera!

I was gutted, but I hope I’ll have the opportunity to mood light it again soon. In fact, I hope to be working with the Bentley a lot more next year and beyond.

Joy, the manager their, is a joy to work with. Please excuse the pun there!

If you’re thinking about having a wedding in the Lanarkshire area, it’s well worth going to check out The Bentley in Motherwell. You get fantastic value for money, delicious food and super efficient and friendly service.

Next time I’ll bring the camera!

Memories Matter

Fiona & David's Wedding - Alona Hotel Lanarkshire

I was having a look through some pictures from last year's wedding disco's and I stumbled upon the one above.

It was taken at the Alona Hotel in Strathclyde Park Lanarkshire. It really is a beautiful venue, especially the marquee, which we were in that night. The white walls of the marquee lend themselves ideally to Mood Lighting.

The picture got me thinking about my caption / company slogan - Memories Matter, which will feature more heavily of the new Disco Therapy website.

I take great pride and put a tremendous amount of time, money and effort into ensuring Brides and Grooms have a wedding reception to remember for all the right reasons.

However, Fiona & David's wedding was particularly memorable for me too. We had a fantastic night from beginning to end, going through the genres. From The Time Frequency to The Time Warp, it was just a fantastic celebration of a wonderful couple.

I'm delighted to say I'll see Fiona & David again at Caroline & Dougie's wedding at the Parkville in Uddingston next year.

Get you dancing shoes on and your glow sticks ready!

Tonight Your DJ Is...

My good friend Stephen McCann, AKA Flatsteve recently got the below snap of me when I was DJing at a wedding. The wedding was in Largs, which is just outside Glasgow and just inside civilisation!

The picture captures me in full flow during the party. As you can tell, I'm certainly not a DJ who stand motionless behind my decks.

My ethos is, if I'm not enjoying myself then nobody else will.

Feel free to print the picture off to keep the kids away from the fireplace! 

Pretty in Pink - Stunning Mood Lighting

Just a quick Friday afternoon post before I go off to DJ at a wedding in Lanarkshire tonight.

This beautiful Mood Light / Uplighting picture was taken at Pamela & Alex's wedding at the Lounge in Largs.

If you'd like to find out more about our Mood Lighting and DJ /  Disco packages, please do not hesitate to contact us.

stephen@discotherapy.com
www.discotherapy.com

How Important is Your Wedding Entertainement?

I was exhibiting at the Tinto House Hotel Wedding show on Sunday. Having DJ’d / entertained, provided Mood Lighting and been a guest there, I feel I’m in a good position to make the comment… it’s a beautiful venue with really friendly and efficient staff.

Whilst there on Sunday, a bride & groom to be commented that they hadn’t booked their entertainment yet, it was the last thing on their list!

Of course, as a DJ who specializes in Weddings, I’m of the opinion that your entertainment should be near the top of your list.

A DJ or a band plays such a huge part of your big day. Your dream first dance can quickly become a nightmare. The vivacious party you envisaged your guests having has the potential to be a damp squib. The success of your reception is a huge responsibility for your band or DJ.

It’s vital that you choose carefully and book in advance. We often take bookings for 2 and 3 years down the line. We’ve even got 2 bookings for 2016!

At Disco Therapy, we are fully aware of how important our role is in your big day... and we don’t take that responsibility lightly! 

If you’ve taken the time to read this, thank you! And, we’d love to hear from you, please leave your comments.

Have you had a great or terrible DJ or Band?

http://www.discotherapy.com
http://www.tintohotel.co.uk/