DJ Pete H
Pete’s DJ history
Hi, I'm Pete H aka Decksteria. I’ve always had a passion for the entertainment industry right back to my school days where I learned to play the keyboard, and took a keen interest in operating the stage lighting desk for several live productions!
The spark that ignited my dj career was going clubbing in the 90s. I lived in Maidstone at the time and the town was renowned for its night life. Any excuse to go somewhere and enjoy the tunes; I was there, typically up the front dancing my socks off and absolutely loving it! From the flourishing dance music scene (ClubClass, Ikon, Source Bar, Zoots, Gabriels, Banks the list goes on), to the cheesy party venues (who could forget the legendary Strawberry Moons and Jumping Jaks!?).
I began DJing in the mid 90’s - it was actually my sisters 21st and it was just a small gathering at home and I just jumped on my stereo and started rolling out the tunes - no decks, no mixer - it was truly a cherished moment for me to play for my sister & her friends - everyone loved it and I knew DJing was my calling; I've never looked back.
I started playing weekly roller discos via an agency for a local scouts group, which then led to more mobile disco work for private functions typically birthdays and pub gigs, then progressed onto regular bookings at a working mens club! I then built up relationships with other local djs, agents & venues and soon found myself on the resident DJ roster at Top Banana nightclub in Sheerness playing party and pop hits; that's where I met Dan! The high street bars & commercial nightclubs aspect of my dj career grew and since then I played regularly at Jolsons & PartyBar in Folkestone, the Somerset Arms, The Grove, Kings Head, and Factory Club & Market Bar (all in Gravesend!), Hustle (since rebranded as Cameo) in Ashford, the MooMoo nightclub chain (I played the Fever party room) in Tunbridge Wells and Gillingham.
I learned the art of radio presenting through volunteering at HRM - Hospital Radio Maidstone and hosted a show there for several years. I then co-hosted a weekly FloorFillers show on Romney Marsh FM which also went out live. I then stepped away from the radio studio and onto online podcasting for a while uploading regular mixes, proudly achieving several hundreds of thousands of downloads. I took a step back from then as live DJ events were just taking up my time.
When I decided to push more into the weddings market in addition to my private mobile disco work, I found myself playing regularly at Cooling Castle Barn covering for their resident DJs. I then held a residency with an agency for a number of years playing mostly weddings at Rowhill Grange. In 2013 I began a Wedding DJ residency at Mountains Country House in Hildenbourgh playing hundreds of events there until it closed due to lease expiry in 2019, very fond memories. In 2016 I joined the resident DJ team at The Gardens in Yalding, which is now run by Glow Events; who then added The Orangery Maidstone & Castle Westenhanger to their venue portfolio. I am proud to manage their resident DJ team across all their venues. The residency keeps me busy as you can imagine, but there's always space to take my mobile disco out for private bookings - I have played weddings at many of the well-known & established venues across Kent.
Pete’s Questions & Answers
Why do you DJ weddings? “On millennium eve (31/12/99) I played a house party for my family, where my sister got engaged! I then felt compelled to expand into Weddings and have loved them ever since. I've played a lot of weddings over my DJ career, it is in the thousands (seriously), but make no mistake; it is a privilege and honour to play for each and every Happy Couple, their families & friends, and I would sincerely love the opportunity to play for you too!.”
What type of music do you play & what is your style of Djing? “I am an open format DJ - I'll play literally anything that will fill your dance floor including (in no particular order) House, Disco, Club Classics, Garage, R&B, Hip Hop, Drum & Bass, Rock, Pop, Party Cheese...the list goes on. I don't have a specific stand out favourite genre. In more recent years weddings have evolved - with couples becoming quite prescriptive in the vibe & musical choices for their big day; which of course I endeavour to accommodate & deliver upon their vision.”
Is there any style of music you’d like to play more of at weddings? “I'd like to play more of the club classics, house & disco vibes.”
Do you DJ other events? “Yes absolutely. I'm a big fan of the Christmas festive party season (I once held a contract to play a hotel in London for every night in December - that was phenomenal!). I do play private events - including adult birthdays, anniversaries, engagements and so on. I'm happy to work with bands & vocalists (where I'll dj in between their live performances!). Of course I'm still partial to the odd bar & nightclub too!”
Most important piece of DJ equipment & why? “My decks aka controller; enables me to play, manipulate & mix the soundtrack to your party! I'm currently rocking the Rane Four and I love it..”
Do you take requests when DJing? “Absolutely. I thrive off the interaction with the live audience. Technology has progressed so much now that it's quite common to be sent playlist(s) of requests well in advance of the event. They are great reference tools to give an idea of what is expected from the DJ performance, but I love talking to people during the actual event!”
What is the most important skill a DJ needs? “ Interpersonal; vitally important for a DJ to possess the ability to communicate, interact, empathise & collaborate with people!”
Where are you based, where do you cover? “Medway in Kent. I cover the whole of Kent, occasionally venturing into South East London, Sussex, Surrey and perhaps beyond.”
Pete’s Pricing
Pete’s services start at £400 for weddings Monday - Thursday. From £530 Friday- Sunday. This is based on an evening set up and playing for up to 5 hours.