Proms, Graduation Balls and End-of-Year Parties in Scotland: How to Plan the Music

Choosing a prom DJ Scotland-wide is easier when you start early, because May, June and July are the busiest months of the year for school and student celebrations. Proms, leavers’ dances, graduation balls and end-of-term parties all land within a few weeks of each other, and the venues and the good DJs go early. If you have been asked to organise one, this is for you.

We have been DJing in Scotland for a long time, and we have played for everything from a 200-strong school party at Fettes College to family graduation celebrations. The nights that work best are not the most expensive. They are the ones where somebody thought about the music in advance. So here is how we would plan it.

Prom DJ Scotland: start with who is in the room

A prom or leavers’ party has a very different crowd from a graduation ball, and both are different again from a family graduation lunch. Before you think about songs, think about ages and expectations.

• Proms and leavers’ dances: a young crowd with strong opinions about what is current. They want to sing along, so recent chart hits and well-known party tracks do the work, with a few older floor-fillers mixed in.
• Graduation balls: usually a slightly older, dressed-up crowd. A good night often mixes current tracks with the classics everyone knows, and sometimes a ceilidh set for a change of pace.
• End-of-year and family parties: often several generations at once, so you need a set that works for grandparents and teenagers alike.

We wrote about how a teenage crowd responds in our Fettes College party write-up. In short, a diverse crowd means diverse requests, and a good DJ builds the night around them.

Get the music policy agreed early

For school and college events especially, agree the music policy with the organisers before the night. That covers clean edits where they are needed, what is and is not appropriate for the age group, and how requests will be handled. It takes ten minutes to settle and avoids awkward moments later. It is also worth checking the music licensing, because the PPL PRS guidance for education covers discos and end-of-term parties.

In addition, once you book with us, you get access to our online planning system where must-plays, do-not-plays and special requests can be added at any time before the event.

Think about a change of pace

However, not every great party is a straight disco. For example, these three options work well:

• Ceilidh. A ceilidh set is a great way to get everyone, including the shy ones, onto the floor together. See our ceilidh DJ page or Ceilidhoke, which alternates ceilidh dancing with karaoke.
• Silent disco. Different music channels at once, so everyone gets the music they want. It also suits venues with noise limits. Take a look at our silent disco hire page.
• Sober daytime disco. Full dancefloor energy with no alcohol, and held in the daytime. It suits school, community and family groups. See Sober Daytime Disco.

The practical checklist

1. Venue and sound limits. Check the finish time and any sound restrictions with your venue early.
2. Setup time. Tell us about access, power and when the room is available. Because a school hall is often in use all day, it needs a clear plan for setup.
3. Equipment and safety. We are fully insured and our equipment is PAT tested, which is the kind of thing school and college venues ask for.
4. Microphone. One is included as standard for private party bookings, which makes speeches, awards and announcements simple.
5. Running order. If you have a presentation, a photo slideshow, a first dance or awards, agree where they fit so the music keeps its momentum.
6. Length. Most bookings are four to five hours of DJ time, and we can adjust to suit your venue and curfew.

When to book

May, June and July dates fill up, and venues for proms and graduation balls are often booked many months ahead, so lock in your prom DJ Scotland booking early too. If you are planning an event for next May, June or July, now is a good time to ask about your date, and the earlier the better.

Frequently asked questions

Planning a prom, graduation or end-of-year party?

Have a look at our private party DJ page or get in touch with your date, venue and numbers. We will come back to you with ideas and a quote.

James Veal Founder, owner and experienced DJ and presenter

James Veal is the owner and lead DJ of Premier Disco, a professional DJ and entertainment company based in East Lothian, Scotland. James performs personally as a mobile DJ, ceilidh caller and quiz host at the vast majority of Premier Disco events, bringing hands-on experience from a business that has been providing entertainment across Scotland since 1979 and has delivered around 6,000 events to date. He is a member of the Mobile DJ Network (MDJN), and all equipment is PAT tested and fully insured for weddings, corporate events, private parties and charity fundraisers throughout Scotland.

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