My first party of the new year, and indeed the new decade (eek), was one to remember!
Why?
Well, it was one of my FAVOURITE types of party – involving fancy dress, 80s music and the Retro Roadshow 🙂
I’d been looking forward to this one for a very long time.
It’s actually around 20 years since I last stepped into Arbury Community Centre, and wow…it’s changed from how I remember it!
I had a lovely big stage to setup on and plenty of room to move around behind the setup….always a big bonus in my book!
The playlist requirements were simple….any music played MUST from from the 1980s (well…with a couple of exceptions as you’ll see from the playlist later on).
Something I like to do with 80s themed parties is to provide cassette-themed request slips.
They tend to generate a lot of interesting requests from guests and when that happens, it leads to a lot more dancing!
And dance they most certainly did!
In fact, Frances herself describes the evening perfectly:
Wayne recently did my 40th birthday party. I had an 80’s themed disco and it was magical! I absolutely loved it! cannot thank Wayne enough for making my night extra special!
He’s so engaging with my guests and provided cassette themed request cards which went down really well with my guests.
If Wayne is still DJing when I am 50, I will happily book him again
The only downside to the evening was the strangest sound limiter I’ve ever worked with.
I’m used to working with these devices, which have the effect of cutting my power should things become too loud. They’re fitted for a reason and I work with them as it’s part of the venue’s entertainment license.
This particular beast though seemed to pick up vocals, as in speech, which curtailed my usual banter on the microphone that’s normally used at these parties somewhat.
Never mind….it still worked a treat 🙂
So, to the playlist
The vast majority of the music from the evening was requested by the guests, and this always makes for the best parties.
Reading the list below, it might not always seem to flow or make sense….you have to be there on the night to understand properly how the event flowed
- A-Ha – Take On Me
- Kenny loggins – Footloose
- Culture Club – Karma Chameleon
- Wham – Wake Me Up Before You Go Go
- Bucks Fizz – Making Your Mind Up
- Richard O’Brien – The Time Warp (Request from Frances)
- Black Lace – Agadoo (Request from Frances)
- Cindi Lauper – Girls Wanna Have Fun
- Bananarama – Venus
- Whitney Houston – I Wanna Dance With Somebody (Who Loves Me)
- Michael Jackson – Billie Jean
- Human League – Don’t You Want Me
- Kylie Minogue – I Should be so Lucky
- Madonna – Like a Prayer
- Frankie Goes To Hollywood – Relax
- Duran Duran – The Wild Boys
- Micheal Jackson – Smooth Criminal
- Huey Lewis & The News – The Power Of Love
- Whitney Houston – How Will I Know?
- The Weather Girls – It’s Raining Men
- The B-52’s – Love Shack
- Queen – I Want to Break Free
- Dexys Midnight Runners – Come On Eileen
- Chesney Hawkes – The One And Only
- Bon Jovi – Livin On a Prayer
- Guns N Roses – Sweet Child O Mine
- Europe – The Final Countdown
- Kylie Minogue – Locomotion
- Tiffany – I Think We’re Alone Now
- Madness – Baggy trousers
- Madness – One Step Beyond
- Adam & The Ants – Stand And Deliver
- The Communards – Don’t Leave Me This Way
- Diana Ross – Chain Reaction
- Dolly Parton & Kenny Rogers – Islands In The Stream (Request from Frances)
- Robert Palmer – Addicted To Love
- Soft Cell – Tainted Love
- Depeche Mode – Just Can’t Get Enough
- Eurythmics – Sweet Dreams Are Made Of This
- The Jam – Town Called Malice
- Journey – Don’t Stop Believin’
