DJ Blog 2019

Hello! Since 2014 I've moved my regular updates to my Facebook page which can be viewed here: https://www.facebook.com/djhirebristol

Village Hall Wedding in Somerset, September

Whilst I love DJing in a mansion house or other grand building there’s nothing like the down to earth and informal feeling you get at a village hall Wedding.

Wedding disco, Folly Farm September

As you know I love DJing Weddings. There’s something about that special day that makes the build up to the party in the evening extra exciting. Being in charge of the final formalities is always an honour, especially when people have travelled many hundreds of miles to share it with the happy couple. All of this took place in the beautiful setting of Folly Farm’s converted barn.

Wedding disco Avon Gorge Hotel, August

Despite playing at many venues in Clifton over the years The Avon Gorge Hotel had eluded me. Luckily Matt & Beth booked me to DJ at their Wedding reception on a beautiful day in August and I got to see this stunning venue for myself.

Wedding disco, Clifton Pavilion August

Many of the Wedding discos I play are at the Clifton Pavilions so I don’t tend to post blogs about every one of them. However this particular Wedding reception was different as most of the Bridal party and guests were from South Africa. Their different take on Wedding reception music was certainly refreshing!

Wedding disco, Wedmore Golf Club, July

Wedmore Golf Club was a new Wedding venue for me - despite being based not too far away in Wells I hadn't had the pleasure of a providing a disco there before.

Wedding reception disco at Wick Farm near Bath, July 2014

This was my first visit to Wick Farm near Bath, one of a growing number of converted barns and great Wedding venues in the South West. The excellent Sam Eason had already been entertaining everyone through the early evening and, as always, had warmed up the Bridal party and guests a treat.

Wedding disco, Coombe Lodge nr Blagdon, July 2014

It's always a pleasure to visit Coombe Lodge, especially in the summer when the views over Chew Valley are at their best. This was the Wedding of Chris and Lori, who's 30th birthday party I'd DJ'ed at a few years before in Halo on Gloucester Road.

Wedding disco, Guildhall, Bath April 2014

This was my first visit to the Guildhall in Bath and it didn't fail to impress me. The shear size of the room meant that there was ample space for both The King Swingers band and my Wedding disco set-up to sit side-by-side.

Wedding disco, Wick Court nr Bristol 22/02/2014

For my second new Wedding venue of the year I went to Wick Court, in Wick, just outside Bristol. The venue has two distinct parts - a beautiful old manor house and a series of studios/workshops where the evening reception was taking place.

There is definitely a lot of rustic charm at this venue and it added to a the relaxed atmosphere during the evening. I was also asked to include extra uplighting in my Wedding package which I think transformed the room as you can see in the photo below.

Wedding disco - Tortworth Court Four Pillars Hotel, 20/12/13

My last Wedding of 2013 was a big one - and a new venue for me. It was inside the stunning Orangery at Tortworth Court, a Four Pillars Hotel. I'd already visited the venue with the Bride and Groom a few months previously so knew where to set-up my equipment and when the music needed to finish (ie. bang on midnight). The room looked great in the day but even better at night.

90th Birthday party - Ex-serviceman's Club, Weston, Bath 29/11/13

I must admit I was a initially a little unsure as to what would be expected of a disco at a 90th Birthday. The family of the Birthday boy knew that a little entertainment in the form of some disco lights and music would be good to keep a medium sized room of guests happy - and who was I to deny them this.

70th Birthday disco, Bristol Manor Farm FC 21/09/13

Who says that 70th birthday parties have to be quiet affairs?

14th Birthday party disco, Flax Bourton Village Hall 20/09/13

So here is what I'd call the perfect teenage disco.

Wedding disco - Holcombe Inn near Wells, 7/9/13

The Holcombe Inn was a bit of a revelation to me as a Wedding reception venue. As gastro pubs go this is right up there and more importantly it's retained it's local feel. They only have a handful of Weddings here a year so I consider myself very lucky to have DJ'ed in such a gorgeous little venue.

40th Birthday Party, Arnos Manor Hotel Bristol 16/08/2013

Ok, so I guess I was in my element for this party. Being 40 always helps when DJ'ing at a 40th - and as the birthday boy was a massive fan of Depeche Mode we couldn't think any more alike when it came to music for the night.

Young Farmers disco in a barn, near Wells, Somerset 27th July 2013

So, something a little different on the wet Saturday at the end of July. Taking a break from plush hotels and other fancy venues I found myself in a working cattle barn in Emborough, near Wells. This wasn't a party or Wedding but a disco for the local Young Farmers.

Wedding disco, Kilver Court Shepton Mallet, 19th July 2013

So, on one of the hottest days of the year so far it was off (the short distance) to the lovely Kilver Court in Shepton Mallet for the Wedding reception disco of Sam & Shaun.

Wedding disco, Wookey Hole, Somerset, 8th June 2013

Despite Wookey Hole Caves being right on my doorstep I hadn't had the pleasure of DJ'ing there until Chris & Holly kindly asked me. The Wedding reception was being held in the aptly titled 'Big Top Restaurant' and this was decorated beautifully.

Wedding disco, The Clifton Club, Bristol 1st June 2013

I'd visited the Clifton Club before - not as a DJ but as a guest at a networking event many years before. I remembered how beautiful it was then but I must admit I'd forgotten just how stunning it was.

60th Wedding Anniversary disco, Portishead, 25th May 2013

I must admit that when I was first asked to DJ at a 60th Wedding Anniversary I was a little worried at how well a disco would go down. However I soon realised that it would be a lot like a Wedding - many different age groups from Great Grandchildren to Grandparents.

30th birthday party disco, Knowle Golf Club, 5th May 2013

It's not often I end a party with The Prodigy's Smack my bitch up. It's not often I get it requested either. But with the musical brief from the birthday boy being 'songs from the 90s up until modern day' it was fair game. And one of his mates was very insistant that I play it last. Very insistant.

Wedding disco - Webbington Hotel, Somerset, 13th April 2013

With little time to recover from the previous nights wedding disco at Coombe Lodge, it was off to the Bleadon Suite of the Webbington Hotel in Somerset for Emma and Mike's Wedding reception.

Wedding disco with a band, Coombe Lodge near Bristol, 12th April 2013

So this was my fourth visit to the beautiful Coombe Lodge in the past 12 months - and as usual I was sharing the bill with a band. Not a ceilidh band this time but a rock covers band known as 'The Jacks'. The band were playing the couples first dance so I only had to set-up, play some background music until everyone was ready and then sit back enjoy the show - first the first hour at least.

Wedding reception disco, Leigh Court Bristol 2nd March 2013

So what are the chances of being booked independently two weeks in a row at one of my favourite wedding venues? Pretty slim I reckon. So here I am again, this time in the morning room at Leigh Court near Bristol.

Wedding disco, Leigh Court 23rd February 2013

It's been a couple of years since I've DJ'd at Leigh Court. Last time I set up in the Library room, this time I was in the Salon at the rear of the building. To be honest it doesn't matter which room I was in, I'd forgotten how much I loved the place. I'm a sucker for huge beautiful National Trust type properties and this is one of the best I've played.

Wedding reception disco at Homewood Park near Bath, Friday 15th February 2013

When I went to vist the Bride and Groom almost a year ago it was evident that they both had very different tastes in music, so their Wedding reception was always going to be a night of different musical genres.

Wedding disco, Coombe Lodge, Bristol Saturday 29th December 2012

Short and sweet. No, not me, far from it. I'm talking about Rachel & Jon's wonderful wedding disco at Coombe Lodge in Blagdon near Bristol.

50th Birthday party disco, Shepton Mallet FC, 12th January 2013

So here was my third surprise 50th birthday party disco in the past 6 months, this time at Shepton Mallet Football Club, a cracking little venue just perfect for these sort of events.

Corporate Christmas party disco, Holiday Inn, Bristol 24th December 2012

I like a challenge, especially when it involves getting a whole room full of mainly men up and dancing after a big lunch at 3pm on Christmas Eve. Naturally most people want to head straight home after these events, but the management of Hotcha, a rapidly expanding chain of Chinese takeaway restaurants obviously had other ideas, and it was up to me to help enforce them as best as possible.

Corporate Christmas party disco, Polish Club, Bristol Saturday 15th December 2012

Local company Films at 59 had booked me to DJ at their Christmas party and despite living in Bristol for many years I'd never visited the venue they'd booked - The Polish Club. However it's a great place with a decent sized stage, good dance floor area and really friendly staff.

Wedding disco Lord Poulett Arms, Hinton St George Somerset Saturday 8th December

Despite what some people might think couples do get married at Christmas time. I have two weddings in December, scattered amongst the office parties. Here was the first, in a beautiful little pub in Hinton St George in Somerset. When I say little, I mean a perfect sized pub, but fill it with around 70 young adults, seriously out to party and it soon gets a little 'busy'.

40th Birthday party disco, Bristol 17th November 2012

It's been six years since I last DJ'ed upstairs at the South Bank Studios in Bristol's Southville - coincidentally at another 40th birthday party. Since then the owners may've changed but its still retained the rustic qualities that make it feel both relaxed and informal.

Berwick Lodge wedding disco, Bristol 9th November 2012

So here I was for the first time at Berwick Lodge near Bristol's Cribbs Causeway, and very nice it was too. The wedding reception disco was in the Mews and not the main building, but it was really nice all the same and had a lovely intimate feeling.

Bristol Zoo Wedding disco, Saturday 3rd November

When I sat down with the Bride and Groom several months ago it was clear from the list of songs they loved that there was going to be a lot from the 1970's. They were both huge fans of David Essex and a lot of the rock'n'roll of that era - no problem, many of these include some great 'get up and dance' songs.

Coombe Lodge wedding disco and ceilidh, 28th October 2012

I must admit it took me a little while to get my head around a wedding reception disco on a cold and damp Monday evening at the end of October. I was worried that it might be the same for the guests too - but as soon as I walked into the room I could tell they were up for a good night as the atmosphere was really warm and everyone was full of smiles.

16th Birthday party disco, Burnham-on-sea, 27th October 2012

This was my second 16th birthday party disco in Burnham-on-sea in just over a month, and like the first one it went really well with lots of energetic dancing all night. Maybe its the fresh sea air?

Wedding reception disco, Aztec West Hotel, Bristol Friday 5th October

I must admit I was getting a little worried when it had gone a quarter to ten and we still hadn't done the first (very slow) dance. The evening was going to end up 'upside down' as I'd been keeping the younger guests amused by putting on several chart songs and people were really up for a dance. Still, we had until 1am so the night was still young.

Wedding reception disco, Winford, Bristol, Saturday 29th September 2012

This was an intimate wedding reception above the Prince of Waterloo in Winford which had been beautifully decorated to hide the fact that by day it was a sports bar. I was due to play background music until it was time for the first dance, but when I arrived the guests were hungry to get dancing so we were off before 7pm with some soul, funk and disco.

Rowing Club Annual Dinner/dance, Bristol Zoo, Saturday 22nd September 2012

A black tie annual dinner/dance for a rowing club at The Pavilion's in Bristol Zoo. I was able to supply both the speakers for their video presentation and a disco afterwards. I tried to take as many requests from the guests as possible and it turned out that they liked a fair bit of cheese as the video below shows.

Sweet 16th Birthday party, Burnham-on-sea, 21st September 2012

Sweet 16th birthday parties, like school Proms seem to be really catching on thanks to MTV and the like. Yes it's good news for DJ's but it's also a great way to celebrate a special occasion. 

40th birthday party disco, Racks, Bristol, Saturday 15th September 2012

I'm 40 myself in a few months time, so I would've been disappointed if I didn't 'ace' this double 40th birthday party at Racks wine bar in Clifton, Bristol. I'm pleased to say however it was a great night with loads of energetic dancing for over 2 and a half hours.

40th birthday 80s themed disco Cleve RFC, Mangotsfield, Bristol, Saturday 8th September 2012

Ask any of my friends which decade of music they associate me with and it would definitely be the 80s. Aged 10, my first record was 'Hey you the Rock steady crew'. Sadly this was closely followed up by 'Rat Rapping'. I think that sums up the 80s though, some of the best ie. Michael Jackson, and some of the worst ie. The Birdie Song. So when Jackie asked me to DJ her 80s themed 40th many months ago I'd been waiting excitedly ever since.

Wedding reception disco above Jacks Brasserie, Bristol, Friday 7th September 2012

It was a beautiful evening and I was DJ'ing a wedding reception disco in The Pavilion, an unusual venue above Jacks Brasserie on Bristol's harbourside. I don't know of many places in Bristol to hire that have a wide balcony over looking the waterfront and this was definitely the evening for it.

Giglog Wedding disco in a barn near Frome, Somerset, 24th August 2012

This weekends wedding disco was slightly different to the usual venues I've played so far this summer season. It was in a horse stables/barn near Witham Friary, close to Frome, Somerset. It was an intimate and personal affair that included lots of home made touches and some of the best lamb burgers I've ever tasted!

Giglog Wedding DJ, Webbington Hotel, Somerset, August 2012

This was the first time I'd DJ'ed The Best Western Webbington Hotel in Somerset and hopefully I'll return one day. They have a resident DJ who was playing to a wedding reception party the other side of the hotel - I had a good chat with him, it's rare to meet someone who's doing the same job as you at the same venue!

Wedding disco in a marquee near Bridgwater, Somerset, Saturday 11th August 2012

I love weddings. People say "Don't you get bored doing the same thing all the time?" But I don't. Every one is different, every one is really special to the bride and groom who have thought long and hard and planned for months and months about how to throw the best party for their friends, their family and themselves.

A lovely thank you card from a bride and groom

I've just received a thank you card from a lovely couple who's wedding I DJ'ed a few weeks ago. As always I'm chuffed to bits to get such positive feedback.

Giglog Wedding reception disco, Bristol Zoo Pavilions, July 2012

Wedding disco in a marquee near Castle Cary, Somerset, Saturday 28th July 2012

As soon as I read through the playlist the bride and groom had given me I could see that they wanted a specific soundtrack for their special day. Revolving around the 80s, 90s and 00s, with only a few songs outside this, it was designed with them and their friends age group in mind. 

Wedding reception disco, Bristol Zoo Pavilion, Saturday 23rd July 2012

The Bride and Groom didn't give me any musical steers when I visited them for their consultation. There was nothing they didn't like and nothing that they especially wanted me to play, despite much digging from myself. This is never a problem though as I'm always flexible and quite happy to see what works best on the night.

Wedding reception disco at Coombe Lodge, Blagdon near Bristol, Sunday 15th July 2012

Sharing the wedding receptions evening entertainment with a ceilidh band is something I've done before - although possibly not as late into the night as this.

School disco, Somerset, Friday 13th July 2012

This was a school disco that kicked off at 6.30pm for years three and four for one hour followed by a disco for years five and six for another hour... with a 30 minute break in between for me to get some much needed fresh air.

5 and 7 year olds children's birthday party disco, Bristol, 8th July 2012

This is what I call the classic children's birthday party.

Surprise 50th birthday party Brislington, Bristol, 6th July 2012

Well it would've been a surprise if I hadn't got to the venue at the agreed time, found it locked up and empty and phoned the lady who's mother's birthday it was and left a message...

Julie's special 50th birthday party at Bristol Zoo, 23rd June 2012

When I say 'special' birthday party I really mean it. This reminded me more of a wedding reception than a birthday party and even included the cutting of the cake!

One persons cheese is another persons chicken

No I haven't gone mad, I'm not writing a cookery blog by accident, read on to see what I'm getting at…

Playlists for discos

One of the benefits of using Virtual DJ to play all my music from is that it automatically records a chronological playlist of the whole evenings songs. These playlists can be used afterwards to see what worked well on the night, what didn't work so well and what to change next time.

Playlist for Georgia's 21st birthday party, Somerset 2nd June 2012

So as you can see from the timings below this party started late and went on relatively late, and being in a marquee in the back of her parents garden this wasn't a problem. To be honest I think they would've liked me to continue playing until the sun came up...

Playlist for Julie and Richard's wedding, Bristol 6th May 2012