1st Class Discos

I am a DJ with over 25 year’s experience. I have worked the pubs and clubs, but nowadays only focus on private parties. I have done the New Year party at the same venue for many years – this is about the only pub type function. However, even this is an upmarket event, with entrance only for a limited number of people who have purchased tickets. This is at The Armoury in Shrewsbury. My main clientele are people having weddings and large parties. I have done Hunt Balls for several of the Shropshire Hunt Balls on many occasions. I have also done centenary celebrations for a cricket club.

I have enough equipment to entertain parties of as few as 30 or as many as 1000. The last hunt ball I did had 925 guests in February 2007.

The equipment includes:
Numark CD players
Sinclair mixers
Wireless microphone for speeches
Lead microphone
Laney amplification - total amplification 3Kw
2 Peevey speakers of Hx4
4 Peevey Black Widow bass speakers 18”
Computerised lighting (all 12 volts, if all in use 1400 watts)
Laser lighting
UV lighting
Mist machines

Russell Sanders Royle

The most common question is:

"That price is a bit steep for playing records"
This is often the first reply when I quote. Well, I don't just turn up and play music. For example, if an evening event is due to start at 7:30pm, this is the basic agenda:

2:00pm Check all equipment is working
4:00pm Load equipment into vehicle
5:00pm Shower and change
5:30pm Set-off to event
6:00pm Unload equipment
6:20pm Start setting up
7:00pm Sound and lights check
7:15pm Equalise the room
7:20pm Chat to organiser and venue management to confirm evening timetable.
7:30pm Event start.
11:30pm Event finish – or the time arranged with the client
11:35pm Take down equipment
12:00am Start loading vehicles
12:30am Say farewell to venue management and leave.
1:00am Arrive home put the kettle on!
1:10am Start unloading vehicles - quietly.
2:00am Lock up
2:15am Get to bed.

The client doesn't see, and sometimes fails to appreciate all the time involved. These twelve hours don't include the hours spent preparing for the night - drawing up a set-list, sourcing music, communicating with venue management and event organisers, organising transport, spare equipment and clothing. On top of all this are expenses such as petrol, wear and tear, CD's, equipment costs - a combined cost of about £10,000.
Good insurance is a must and that doesn't come cheap either.
When you consider all this - you realise that we DJ for the love of it and definitely not for the money.

The next most common question is:
“Why are you more expensive at Christmas, New Year and weddings?”
There are different reasons for these examples. Christmas and New Year fall into the supply and demand category - everyone wants a disco for their festive parties but there are not enough good DJ's. The result is basically an auction with the highest bidder winning - Christmas and New Year is the only time the DJ comes out on top financially.

Are we taking advantage? Of course! But remember, we are giving up our holiday and time with our families as well. Would you want to work in the night & at weekends?

Weddings are a completely different matter. The preparation for a wedding is intense - telephone calls to venue, bride, bridegroom, parents of the happy couple, etc. I will spend more time at the venue to ensure everything goes like clockwork on the day and liaising with best man.

I am a mobile DJ with over 25 year’s experience. DJ entertainment for New Year ,Christmas, weddings, private parties ,of as few as 30 or as many as 1000.