Last night I was delighted to be working in such an historic location - an auditorium adjacent to Canterbury Cathedral - where I was Wedding DJ to Tom and Theresa, on behalf of En Masse Productions. As ever I arrived in plenty of time and whilst waiting for the room turnaround Canterbury Cathedral beckoned! There are worse places to wait! Cathedral and First Dance photos below courtesy of Ben @ Benjamin Toms Photography
My set up for the night was simple and effective, utilising a brick wall behind me for a couple of uplighters and then the beautiful starlight booth to the front. For room lighting I utilised a couple of barrel scanners and two wash lights, changing colour to the music.
Theresa had supplied a list of preferred tunes, an equal balance of Motown classics and modern chart music. But first it was the First Dance, a not so well known track but from a group that is a personal favourite of my own The Guillemots, the track was Made Up Lovesong #43! Probably the first and only time I'll ever be asked for that one, a lovely track.
The guests, both young and old really responded well to the older Classics - how can people in their 20s know them so well? Fleetwood Mac's "Go Your Own Way" was the biggest floorfiller of the night, and they also had a good singalong to Toto's "Africa". Theresa was happy to go with the flow, and most unusually relatively little modern music was played.
As a DJ, as in any occupation, it is always satisfying when the clients are delighted and both Theresa and her father (the man paying the bills!) made a point at the end of commenting as to how delighted they were with the entertainment - "You were excellent tonight. Brilliant. Thanks very much!" Here's the playlist.
Fink - Maker (Mario Aureo Acoustic Sunday Sofa Edit)
M.I.A. vs Lorde - Royal Planes(DJ Mike Biggz Mash Up)
Jessie J - Price Tag (feat. B.o.B)
Emeli Sandé - Next to Me
Smokey Robinson & The Miracles - The Tracks Of My Tears
Stevie Wonder - My Cherie Amour
Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons - Sherry
Randy Crawford - Street Life
Marvin Gaye - I Heard It Through The Grapevine
Odyssey - Native New Yorker
Shalamar - I Can Make You Feel Good
Cee Lo Green - Bright Lights Bigger City
Stevie Wonder - Do I Do
First Dance and Specified Second Dance to Follow
Guillemots - Made-Up Lovesong #43
Dizzee Rascal - Dance Wiv Me (feat. Calvin Harris)
Reception Party
Daft Punk ft. Pharrell Williams - Get Lucky
Stevie Wonder - Signed, Sealed, Delivered I'm Yours
Sister Sledge - We Are Family
Michael Jackson - Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'
Deee Lite - Groove Is In The Heart
Ce Ce Peniston - Finally
Rosie Gaines - Closer than Close
Bobby Brown - Two Can Play That Game
Moloko - Sing It Back
Spiller Ft Sophie Ellis Bextor - Groovejet
Sophie Ellis-Bextor - Yes Sir, I Can Boogie
Martha Reeves & The Vandellas - Third Finger, Left Hand
Martha Reeves & The Vandellas - Jimmy Mack
Four Tops - I Can't Help Myself (Sugar Pie, Honey Bunch)
Ben E King & The Drifters - Saturday Night At The Movies
Jackie Wilson - Your Love Keeps Lifting Me Higher
Phil Collins - You Can't Hurry Love
Sam Cooke - Twistin' The Night Away
The Beatles - Twist and Shout
The Trammps - Disco Inferno
Gloria Gaynor - I Will Survive
The Jacksons - Blame It On The Boogie
ABBA - Mamma Mia
The B52's - Love Shack
George Harrison - Got My Mind Set On You
Paul Simon - You Can Call Me Al
Earth, Wind & Fire - September
Wild Cherry - Play That Funky Music
Joe Tex - Ain't Gonna Bump No More
Robin Thicke - Blurred Lines (feat. T.I. & Pharrell)
DJ Cassidy ft. Robin Thicke & Jessie J - Calling All Hearts
Daft Punk - Get Lucky (Radio Edit)
Rizzle Kicks & Ollie Murs - Heart Skips a Beat
Katy Perry - Roar
Fun - We Are Young (feat. Janelle Monáe)
Blue - All Rise
Beyonce - Countdown
Sigma - Nobody To Love
Black Box - Ride On Time
Robin S - Show Me Love (Stonebridge Edit)
Fleetwood Mac - Go Your Own Way
James Brown - I Got You (I Feel Good)
EMF & Reeves & Mortimer - I'm a Believer
Madness - Baggy Trousers
Mark Ronson Feat. Amy Winehouse - Valerie
Rihanna - We Found Love (feat. Calvin Harris)
Rick Astley - Never Gonna Give You Up
Abba - Dancing Queen
Martha Reeves & The Vandella - Dancing In The Streets
Four Tops - Reach Out I'll Be There
Jackson 5 - I Want You Back
The Supremes - Baby Love
Luther Vandross - Never Too Much
Toto - Africa
Spice Girls - Wannabe
Wham! - Wake Me Up Before You Go Go
Frank Sinatra - Theme From New York New York