Filed under: Birmingham, Blogging, Brockencote Hall, Disco, DJ, Ettington Park, Forest Hotel, Hogarth's Hotel, Moxhull Hall, Nailcote Hall, Warwickshire, Wedding, Wedding DJ, West Midlands
Just had a look at the ol’ blog and realised that I have neglected the poor thing over the last few months. I’ve worked out that since the turn of the year, I have performed at no less than twenty seven events! Whoever said that there are less weddings in 2014 because of the World Cup needs to learn how to count, in my opinion.
“So where have you been?” I hear you cry! Well, here’s a run down of some of the events that I have performed at in 2014!
(FYI, there are some shaky cam pics and videos in this post. I think I should stick to being a Professional DJ and leave the photography and the videography to the men and women who know what they are doing!)
Brockencote Hall
Now this only happened last week, but it was one that I was rather looking forward to. I’ve never worked at Brockencote before (and if you’re wondering, it is pronounced ‘Brock-un’ and not ‘Broken’ – glad I double checked that before we got started!), but it’s always great to go to new venues and leave a good impression with the people that work there. And to say that we left an impression would be an understatement! Amy, Rob and co filled that dance floor all night long.
The bride and groom love their commercial indie, but were worried that it wouldn’t go down that well. They told me a story about how a friend of theirs hassled a DJ at a wedding to play Oasis and when he finally did, it cleared the dance floor and that is a shame because they really like Oasis.
“Don’t worry.” said I…with a cheeky grin. 😉
It’s not very often that I get to play Fat Lip, Pretty Fly For A White Guy, Heaven Is A Halfpipe, Teenage Dirtbag, Buck Rogers as well as a whole host of other great tunes but when I do, it’s always worth the wait.
Moxhull Hall
It seems to be a yearly tradition that I end up at Moxhull Hall at some point. No more than once a year, but every time it is a memorable night. This year, I was there to be Caroline & Greg’s Professional DJ for their big day and what a storming night it was! Ready for the fuzzy picture?
Professional lighting that helps Moxhull’s marquee look even more amazing.
Forest Hotel, Dorridge
This lovely venue is where I entertained for Katie, Anthony and all their guests. They wanted to have a wide mix of music to please all tastes, but also throw in something that they love too – Dubstep and Hard House. Well, I managed to jam it all in there and it became a night that the lovely couple will never forget.
I know what you’re thinking: PHWOAR! What a great haircut, Benny!
Nailcote Hall
Nailcote has a great marquee to hold the evening entertainment for weddings. I was here for Donna & Darrell’s wedding and what a great night that was! Reggae took up a sizeable chunk of the night, but we did manage to spare a few minutes so Donna and Darrell’s daughter can sing Tomorrow from Annie. I just wish I thought to video it!
The most amazing picture of a first dance that I have ever seen.
Like all couples, Donna and Darrell were nervous but they looked great for their first dance.
As you can no doubt tell, these pictures are not my work and were taken by a pro! Andy Doherty was kind enough to allow me to use them for this blog and he can photograph your wedding expertly. Visit his website, or give him a call on 01676 523639.
Hogarth’s Hotel
I have been at Hogarth’s so many times over the last few months that the staff there know that I like a cup of black coffee at around 10:30 in the evening, and they bring it to me without me having to ask. If I can find a woman that will do that for me, I would be a very happy man!
Louise, James and all their guests having a cracking time!
I did warn you that I’m not a pro at this photography lark!
Boom! The first dance looks stunning!
Always great to see people have a genuinely amazing time!
But of all the weddings that I have worked at Hogarth’s, Sarah and Andy’s will stay in my mind. Really nice young couple with an amazing group of friends and family who all knew how to have a laugh. The singing and dancing was great but on top of that, there was a lot of fun banter too. In fact, so much so, that by the end of the night my voice became rather horse. I actually started to sound like Mr. T!
At the end of the night, Sara wanted to have Take That’s Never Forget as the final song. Who am I to say no to a bride on her wedding day?
An honourable mention must go to Vanessa and Tony’s wedding at Ettington Park, where I worked alongside a Band until 3am. The bride and groom had a dance routine sorted for their first dance, so with the use of professional sound editing software, I was able to slam together eighty seconds of Snow Patrol’s Chasing Cars with Black Eyed Peas’ I Gotta Feeling. A combination of the editing, the light show we used to accompany it as well as some dodgy dancing made for a great moment for Vanessa and Tony, and one I’m sure they will remember for years to come. No pics or video for this one, I’m afraid!
If you would like to hire a Professional DJ who travels far and wide to give you an amazing finish to your big day, then click here to hire Benny Smyth (just don’t hire him for the photography or videography!).
I’ve had a pretty epic year in 2013 that saw me travel to lots of great venues, both here and abroad, to entertain for some amazing people.
Needless to say, I was already smiling heading into 2014, but my grin became much wider when I saw that yours truly has been featured in the national magazine, Wedding Day Venues.
The wedding featured was the wedding of Laura & Trev at Shustoke Farm Barns last summer (take a quick scroll down to check out my blog entry on that!). It was a great day topped off by an amazing night and I am thrilled to have played a part in making it a day to remember. Enlarge the article below by clicking on it!
Thanks to Laura and Trevor for the kind words. This makes me so happy, I may even forgive them for spelling my name wrong. 😉
If you would like to hire a Professional DJ who can give you an amazing night as a fitting finale to your great day, then get in touch to hire Benny Smyth.
Filed under: Birthday, Corporate DJ, Disco, DJ, Random Benny Thought, Wedding DJ
I don’t often get the time to sit down and reflect on anything these days. I think that may have something to do with the fact that I have been running around like a headless chicken performing at events.
2013 has taken me to a variety of glorious venues, such as Somerford Hall, Ardencote Manor, Wroxall Abbey, Hampton Manor, Shustoke Farm Barns, Hogarths, Nuthurst Grange, Redhouse Barn, Moxhull Hall, Highbury Hall…and those are the ones I can riff off from the top of my head. It’s great being this busy, but it has all been a bit of a blur!
So after a break to Majorca where I caught up on my reading (or at least some of it), I am now back, fully recharged, sunburned like a prat and raring to go! It’s just a crying shame that I had to leave behind a friend I made on holiday. 😦
If you would like to a professional DJ, event host and broadcaster at your event who is at one with the animals and is currently covered in aloe vera, click here to hire Benny Smyth.
This is a very difficult blog entry for me. Not because I can’t think of what to write, but simply because the entire experience was so spectacular that I have no idea where to start!
Congratulations to Laura and Trevor who tied the knot recently and celebrated their union at Shustoke Farm Barns.
It was the first time that I’ve played at this gorgeous venue and the main room for celebration was (you’ve guessed it) a large red brick barn; the perfect location for my mobile nightclub lighting and sound system, and what a storming night it was! From the first dance to the final song, that dance floor was filled all night long!
But it’s not just the rowdy party goers that I’ll remember about this wedding. You see, Trev wanted to have some games and with his brother, Doug, acting as a gameshow host (fully equipped with a gold blazer and dickie bow tie) there was no way that I was going to miss the opportunity to add a bit of showbiz sparkle to the occasion.
So with a cheesy gameshow voiceover to introduce the host (I had been practicing all week!), stabs of music for entrances, spotlights for the host and all contestants as well as music for each of the games (which included a marshmallow eating contest), Laura and Trev’s reception will be remembered for one of three things – the fun games with showbiz glamour, the great party that had everybody dancing all night long and the lady who practically vomited up an entire mouthful of Flumps (and I am led to believe that there is photographic evidence of this happening – ewwwwwww!).
If you want to hire a Professional DJ who can add a showbiz touch to your event, then get in touch now!
All of these glorious pictures are used by kind permission of Darren Gair Photography and he is available to photograph you event expertly. Visit Darren’s website by clicking here, or call him on 07850 575 632.
Believe it or not, you did read that title correctly!
In July, I was delighted to provide the DJ entertainment for Christina and Leighton on a hot Summer’s night at the beautiful Ardencote Manor, and it is certainly a night that I’ll never forget.
For the first part of the evening, the guests were entertained by a traditional Ukrainian band and whilst they were playing, there were many Ukrainian traditions that were adhered to; my particular favourite was the kidnapping of the bride. I kid you not. However, saying that, I fear that Christina may have been the mastermind behind the whole operation. You see, I was close by when a sunburnt Christina and her “kidnappers” came outside, and when one of them was about to leave to deliver the ransom demand to the groom, it was the bride who demanded “Two grand cash, or I’m not coming back!” It was subtle, but my spidey senses did pick up on it. 😉
Leighton, however, is clearly a master negotiator as I heard that he only paid £1,000 and a bottle of wine. Good man!
After all the formalities were done and the band had played their last note, it was time for a tradition of mine – to keep that dancefloor jumping all night long, and what a great time that was had by all! With the professional lighting and sound system I use along with a selection of some great tunes by J-Lo, Justin Timberlake, Jason Derulo and Lady Gaga to name a few, Ardencote Manor was rocking until 1am!
Thankfully, photographer David Morphew was on hand to take some beautiful pictures of the happy couple and their guests, and was even kind enough to allow me to use a few for this blog entry.
For more information on David Morphew, click here or call 01926 420772.
Don’t let your big day end in a slump. Click here to hire professional DJ , Benny Smyth, and he will make sure that your big day is followed by an amazing night!
There’s a question I get asked quite a lot when I get enquiries: I’ve just got a quote from a guy in the Yellow Pages to work my wedding for £90. Can you beat that?
I love that question and I hear it so often, I already know how to reply. I tell them that it depends on what they’re asking. If you’re asking me whether I can beat the level of talent, the quality of the lighting, clarity of the sound and the level of overall service you will receive, then I dare say that I will beat it and rather comfortably too. If you’re asking me if I can beat the price, the answer will be no.
A wise man once told me that when it comes to hiring a DJ, you should use what he called the ‘Buffet Rule’. Let’s say you’re getting married and you’ve hired a DJ to entertain you and your (for argument’s sake) 100 guests. You’d be happy to pay anywhere between £7 – £12 a head for your buffet but if you took advantage of the quote I mentioned at the beginning of this blog, that means your DJ will be charging 90p a head.
Just let that sink in for a second. 90 pence a head. Now think back to all the weddings and events you have been to. Do you remember the buffet? Of course you don’t but I bet that you do remember the DJ – be it for positive or negative reasons.
Just purely out of curiosity, I asked who provided the quote and did a quick Google search. This was a picture from their own website.
Now scroll down and look at the pictures that I have taken of my lighting and sound system in previous blogs. It may very well be egotistical to say, but it certainly brings perspective to things, doesn’t it?
Last month, I was delighted to provide the entertainment for Simone’s 18th birthday party in Minworth. Normally I wouldn’t combine a blog about a gig with what I have already said, but when I sat down with Simone and her dad, Simon for the consultation, Simon told me something that is so apt. He said that he wanted to pay that little bit extra because a few weeks beforehand, the family attended a birthday party and the DJ had awful equipment and was not able read the room.
It was an investment that paid off, and it paid of big. Simone and all her guests had a storming night, they had that dancefloor filled all night and with my mobile nightclub, we made that room look and sound amazing. Happy 18th, Simone! I hope to be there for your 21st. 😉
The lady who made the enquiry that prompted this blog told me that she was going to go with the guy in the Yellow Pages. I hope for her sake that there is a drastic investment in the sound and lighting by the DJ because I would not want to be there at the very moment she walks into the room and is greeted by the above.
Professional DJ, Benny Smyth is available to make your night memorable, and for all the right reasons. Click here to get in touch.
Wroxall Abbey is such a glorious venue to get married at, whether you are upstairs in Sonnets & Wedgwood, downstairs in the Vault or outside in the marquee. Last month, I was delighted to be invited back there so I could provide the entertainment for Kelly and James’ wedding.
Kelly looked stunning in her wedding dress (James was rather dapper too!) and when they took center stage for their first dance, we were there to add a little sparkle to their moment.
Make your first dance perfect and ensure that your night is as amazing as Kelly’s & James’ was. Hire a Professional DJ to provide the entertainment for your wedding by clicking here.
The above photograph is used by kind permission of Jamie Burrell. Jamie can photograph your wedding expertly, so contact him on 0754 0049776.
Filed under: Blogging, Disco, DJ, Random Benny Thought, Somerford Hall, Wedding DJ | Tags: dj, mobile disco, professional dj, somerford hall, wedding dj
As you can see over the last couple of blogs, I have been talking about the investment in my rig. Well, I think I have gotten to a place where I am very happy with what I’ve got. Take a look:
That photo was taken right before I provided the entertainment for Tori and Jack’s wedding at Somerford Hall last night, and what a night it was! From the first dance all the way until the end, that dancefloor was filled with guests having a great time to celebrate the union of the newlyweds.
(Fancy a guess what song was playing when the above pic was taken?)
Ensure that your night is as amazing as Tori’s & Jack’s was, and the best way to do this is to not take a chance with average entertainment. Contact Benny Smyth by clicking here and book your amazing night with a professional DJ.
Filed under: Blogging, Disco, DJ, Random Benny Thought | Tags: dj, lighting, lights, professional dj, professional lighting
I admitted in the last entry that I am a big kid when it comes to lighting. Well, following on from that, I have bought more lighting and it is very much an upgrade to what was already an impressive light show.
Most of my lighting now consists of moving head technology, which is the same sort of lighting you see on Britain’s Got X-Factor Whilst Dancing On Ice With The Stars (at least, that’s what I think the TV show is called!), but what does that mean? What it means is that any event I am providing the entertainment for will have that added ‘WOW’ factor to help make your night memorable. Let’s say you’re getting married and your colour scheme is Cadbury purple; can you imagine how amazing it would be to walk into the room where you will be holding your reception, and the room is washed with Cadbury purple? That is only a tiny taste of what I can do with my new toys.
Somebody, however, isn’t so happy with my new lights. Let’s call her ‘the lady I’m living with’ (remaining anonymous, and all that 😉 ). She was a bit annoyed when she came home from work and the living room was filled with empty boxes and polystyrene. She was even less pleased when she came home the next day to see that I had re-arranged the living room so I could set up the 4-metre trussing and put these lights up so I can programme scenes into my computer. To be brutally honest, I don’t think the smoke machine helped the situation either.
And, in hindsight, I should imagine it looked like quite the rave through the window from outside.
Still, all in a days work, eh?
If you want a hire a professional DJ with a new set of toys, then get in touch: benny@bsentertainments.co.uk
Filed under: Birthday, Blogging, Disco, DJ | Tags: birthday party, dj, mobile disco, professional dj
It’s 2am on Sunday morning. I’ve just got back from providing the entertainment for a fantastic 18th birthday party (more on that later) and I’m currently in bed with a hot cup of cocoa, so I thought I’d write a blog before I drift off to sleep.
There is a well known fact about us DJ’s: we are essentially kids. If we see something that flashes pretty lights, then we must have it, but it is here where we separate the men from the boys. Instead of buying gear willy-nilly like some mobile discos do (and believe me, an over-filled light stand with a random assortment of lights is hideous to look at), what I like to do is spend some time researching and then purchase lights that add something different to my setup. I pride myself on having very high production values that make any event and venue look amazing.
The most recent purchase was a very easy choice to make: something for uplighting. It is a very simple but glorious effect that adds to any light show. Just take a look at the quick pic I took tonight.
Like I said, it’s simple but doesn’t it look great?
So anyway, that photo was taken right before we kicked off a huge party for Charlotte’s 18th birthday. When I met up with Charlotte, as well as her mom & dad a few weeks ago, I was told that Charlotte simply wanted a club night and that’s what she got! Dance and R’n’B all night and with our mobile nightclub setup, Charlotte and her guests had an amazing time and it showed because they filled that dancefloor all night.
But, as with a lot of birthdays, there are opportunities to embarrass the guest of honour and Charlotte’s dad wanted to make sure that happened. As a result, towards the end of the night, I played the theme tune to one of Charlotte’s all time favourite TV shows: Barney & Friends! Bless her though, she did sing and dance along to it. Best of all, she assures me that she doesn’t hate me for it. Result!
It has to be said though that the venue was the warmest place I have ever been, and I have worked in Ibiza for a season! Sweat was dripping off my brow and my team of technicians started to smell a bit ripe come the end of it. I’d hate to think what it was like for all those dancers!
If you want a DJ who has high production values, a large collection of TV themes and some deodourant, then drop me an email: benny@bsentertainments.co.uk
B.S. Entertainments 