Help! Old People's Home Disco??

[DiscoPete]

Help Everyone!

I've been roped into doing an 'Old Peoples Home' Disco.!!!:bang:

I've NO IDEA what to play... HHHHEEEEELLLLPPPPP!!

I've been given the advise already of 'play anything ... they wont hear it!'!!

Thanks for your advice in advance!!

T1gger.....

[djgordyp]

Depends who it's for, residents or staff (if you can tell the difference :) )

Haven't really got a clue myself but my thoughts would have been the following:

Big band music (Glenn Miller etc)
Max Bygreaves, Frank Sinatra (Crooners (or is that moaners))
Jazz
Patsy Cline
Daniel O'Donnell
Dominic Kirwin
Plenty of waltzes
You could also try some comedy clips.

Of course the best idea would be to ask the owner or person who booked you, what music the residents listen to

I'm sure you will get better suggestions as the day goes on.

As for lighting, I would use mood lighting rather than scanners/barrels etc

Hope this helps :D

[axeman]

Again depends on who attends, but one of the mastermix (i think) cds has an old time singalong mix, ive used it twice in my life and it went down well both times, lol, it was knees up mother brown - roll out the barrell that sort of thing - Ill see if i dig it out.

[Corabar Steve]

Why not try & get them to get the residents to give you their favourite songs as advance requests? That way you'll have some idea, without going in blind (so to speak)

[axeman]

its called - LETÕS HAVE A KNEES UP
ROLL OUT THE BARREL - Traditional
I’M HENRY THE EIGHTH - Traditional
DON’T DILLY DALLY ON THE WAY -Traditional
IT’S A LONG WAY TO TIPPARARY -Traditional
I DO LIKE TO BE BESIDE THE SEASIDE -Traditional
PACK UP YOUR TROUBLES IN YOUR OLD
KIT BAG - Traditional
BABY FACE - Traditional
LAMBETH WALK - Traditional
I’M FOREVER BLOWING BUBBLES -Traditional
RUN RABBIT RUN - Traditional
I’VE GOT A LOVELY BUNCH OF COCONUTS -Traditional
ANY OLD IRON - Traditional
MY OLD MANS A DUSTMAN - Traditional

[DiscoPete]

Thanks for all your replies so quickly!!!

Anymore ideas??

[BeerFunk]

I wouldn't patronise them too much by playing 40s/50s/60s all night..

Easy-going stuff like Nolans, Bee Gees, Wham!, Erasure might go down well - and even Scissor Sisters - I Don't Feel Like Dancing, for example? :)

[colinm345]

Help Everyone!

I've been roped into doing an 'Old Peoples Home' Disco.!!!:bang:

I've NO IDEA what to play... HHHHEEEEELLLLPPPPP!!

I've been given the advise already of 'play anything ... they wont hear it!'!!

Thanks for your advice in advance!!

T1gger.....

We did a karaoke some years ago in an old peoples home together with a bit of a disco the residents were in two lines when one side fell asleep the other side woke up including my mother who resided there at the time:) :) :) :)

Last year we did another ,disco only and the type of music that was most popular was Glenn Miller and Hits of The War Years,hope this helps

[Corabar Steve]

Bare in mind that "pensioners" start at 60 this age group included my mother, who has been buying chart records since the 1950's & is still buying current music.

Of the top of my head I know her collection includes :

Elvis Presley & other Rock 'n' Roll
the Beatles, Rolling Stones, the Kinks & other similar 60's
Slade, the Sweet, Rod Stewart & T Rex
Boney M, Abba, Chic, Bee Gees
the Boomtown Rats, Blondie
the Cure, the Psychedelic Furs, Big Country, U2
Ultravox, Kaftwerk, Culture Club, Human League
James Blunt, Jack Johnson,
the Fureys, the Dubliners, the Pogues
Scissor Sisters, Beonce, McFly,
&
Indie, Soul, Rock, Goth, Folk, Disco, Rock 'n' Roll, & R&B compilations

If you're unsure & have enough time I would say try my suggestion above, you may be suprised by the results.

[Corabar Entertainment]

I know pensioners start at age 60, but that age group is unlikely to be in an old people's home: the average age is more likely to be around the 80+ year old mark

[Corabar Steve]

They aren't all ancient (granted a lot will be).

I'm not suggesting you play any of the artists that I listed, just that you pay attention to your audience & if possible get advance requests from them to get a rough idea of what they like / want.

My grandfather was buying music up until he died & not just oldies. Just because somebody is old doesn't mean all they like is old music. If you use that theory wouldn't it mean that people of Darren, Myself, Angela & Pete, amongst others on here's age group(s) should only like stuff from the 80's / early 90's? (obviously this is not the case)

[Creature]

As they sit down go n have a talk to them and see what they like :):) usually works for me :):)

[Ricesnaps]

Ok,

I have consulted the wife - she has worked in old peoples homes for over 20 years. She says, forget the Glenn miller, forget the Crooners, they like a good old singalong - so the chap who gave the "my old mans a dustman" list, spot on - that's the way to go.

She also said, don't worry about glow sticks or lasers!

[Corabar Entertainment]

If it's a Christmas party, I should imagine that some good old-fashioned Christmas carols would go down well also :)

[Corabar Steve]

As they sit down go n have a talk to them and see what they like :):) usually works for me :):)
Exactly, communication is the key. Never stereotype your audience.

[TonyB]

My parents belong to a few "OAP" clubs that I have done music for (saying I done a disco for them would be an exaggeration!)

Different groups are into different types of music. One likes line dance and the other like Salsa. Sequence Dance goes down well at both and the Strictly come Dancing CD's go down well. Victor Sylvester and David Hamilton are pretty popular too. You have to announce what type of dance it is beforehand (the track listing usually says what it is).

Oldies that go down well are:

The Foundations - Build me Up Buttercup
Hermans Hermits - Silhouettes
Edison Lighthouse - Love Grows
Chris Andrews - Yesterday Man
Susan Maughan - Bobby's Girl
The Foundations - Baby, Now That I've Found You
Del Shannon - Hats Off To Larry
The Archies - Sugar Sugar
Lou Christie - I'm Gonna Make You Mine
New Seekers - Beg Still Or Borrow
Billy J Cramer -Little Children
Trini Lopez - If I Had A Hammer
Caravelles - You Don't Have To Be A Baby To Cry
Ivy League - Tossin' & Turnin'
Paper Lace - Billy Don't Be a Hero
Marmalade - Ob-La-Di Ob-La-Da
Mungo Jerry - in The Summertime
Petula Clark - Downtown
Crystals - Da Doo Ron Ron
Herman Hermits - No Milk Today
Love Affair - Everlasting Love
Jan & Dean - Surf City
The Turtles - She'd Rather Be With Me
Bruce Channel - Hey Baby
Johnny Tillotson - Poetry In Motion
The Fortunes - Storm In A Teacup
Neil Sedaka - Oh Carol
Vanity Fare - Early In The Morning
Hurrican Smith -Oh Babe, What Would You Say
Ivy League - Funny How Love Can Be
The Rubettes - Tonight
Bobby Vee - Rubber Ball
The Chiffons - He's So Fine
Gary Puckett - Lady Willpower
Chris Montez - Lets Dance
Christie - Yellow River
Bobby Vee - The Night Has a Thousand Eyes
The Chiffons - Sweet Talkin' Guy
Betty Everett - It's In His Kiss

At Christmas, I have a CD by Glen Miller called In The Christmas Mood which goes down well.

Add to that some cheese (YMCA, Birdie Song, Ferry Cross The Mersey etc) and a bit of Cliff Richard and they should be happy.

Only warning is that there are usually more women than guys and some of the glamorous grannies might ask for your phone number (and I don't mean so they can book a disco!!) :)

[colinm345]

Exactly, communication is the key. Never stereotype your audience.

Well we did not Glenn Miller went down just fine

However they do like a good old sing song as well ,including Underneath The Arches ,Yes Sir Thats my baby to name just a few:)

[Corabar Steve]

Would now be a good time to tell you that my 90 year old grandmother can't stand Glenn Miller?

[DJK Liverpool]

bang a bit of slayer & sex pistols on with a bit of acid house thrown in for good measure

that should get them rockin' ;0)