A full-time reliable and experienced entertainments company based in Reading, Berkshire offering:
- Mobile Disco - attentive, personal, professional
- Karaoke - talented comperes, big screen
- Quizzes - fun and interesting quiz nights
- Corporate - events, away-days, parties
- Hire Service - PA, Dancefloors, Uplighting
Solitaire Entertainments - Staff Biographies
Solitaire Entertainments was established as a mobile disco and DJ hire company in 1984 by Darren Thomas who had always wanted to be a DJ because of his love of music.
Meet The Crew
Darren is the founder and director of Solitaire.
Now in his 26th year as a DJ and still enjoying every moment, though hoping to be more office based in the next year or two and let the 'youngsters' carry on the good work!
Darren is very versatile with excellent musical knowledge, carrying tunes from the 1920s upwards. More specialist in 80s soul and funk plus early 90s indie, but also loves his 70s disco.
Darren prides himself on his excellent microphone technique and can act as Master of Ceremonies as well as the ability to 'beat-mix' when the party and mood is right.
He co-owns and runs an internet forum and listings site for DJs and was a member of the working party that helped negotiate licences for working DJs. He is also a member of NADJ, SEDA and the FSB.
Darren's usual rig includes Pioneer mixer, RCF sound, Martin lighting and a S&H booth. He uses Virtual DJ and a Denon HD2500 as main playout.
Married with 2 kids, Darren enjoys football, cooking, TV and the occasional beer...
Az is in his 11th year as a professional DJ, but helped out for his dad for years previous to this!
His musical tastes are very wide but he specialises in 90s Dance, Alternative Rock and modern chart sounds.
Az's favourite types of functions include 18th & 21st Birthdays, University & School Proms and events, Corporate events and Christmas Parties.
His usual rig includes a custom PC based system driving Mackie SRM450 cabs and bass bins, MAD/Abstract lighting tailored to the occasion and lasers.
Az loves his gadgets, computers, music, cars, sport and is currently single. He is also responsible for maintaining the computer systems for most of the DJs having completed a full set of university exams.
Our oldest and most experienced DJ, Rob really has been there and done it! He pre-dates most historical records; best estimates suggest pre-Roman era!
Rob loves a party and has a 'big personality'. If you like a lively, chatty DJ then Rob is your man!
With a wide musical taste, Rob has a particular interest in Soul, Classic Rock, Disco and Pop. He's most comfortable playing anything from the 50s through to the 80s including Rock & Roll and the old crooners.
Rob's favourite types of functions are 40th & 50th Birthdays, Anniversaries or older weddings.
His usual rig includes a laptop-based system driving Mackie cabs, MAD lighting tailored to location, lasers and a star cloth.
When not performing Rob is interested in trains, live steam, music, modelling and is married with two sons. Rob is responsible for the safety testing and maintenance of most of the DJs' kit.
Nick is Solitaire's longest service DJ, having worked on functions for over 10 years.
Nick's love of music attracted him to DJing and he is comfortable playing music from the 50s right through to the latest R&B and Dance tracks. He is a versatile DJ who performs at functions from teens parties right through to older anniversaries with his favourite music being 90s dance.
Always with a smile on his face, Nick loves to get involved with your party showing a high level of interactivity if required and quite often wearing fancy dress for various theme nights.
Nick uses a Mackie sound system with the latest in LED lighting topped off with a starcloth surround.
He enjoys sport and spending time with his family. As a trained vehicle technician Nick looks after the servicing for many of the DJs' vehicles.
Having DJd professionally for around 8 year, Sam started out with a set of CD decks in his bedroom. His first real gig was at a friend's wedding and then he was asked back to do a summer BBQ a couple of months later and that's how it all started!
Sam's system comprises Mackie sound, Abstract lighting, Pioneer CD players and PCDJ Red Mobile with a Denon controller.
Sam is a very versatile DJ happy to work at teenage parties, weddings, anniversaries, birthdays, Christmas and corporate events.
He enjoys a wide range of music from 50s Rock & Roll through the decades to modern chart music and has a particular taste for 90s Old Skool dance.
Sam is married and enjoys cycling, cars and DIY. He would love to build a house of his own one day.
Lee has been DJing for 6 years and started off in local pubs and private functions until starting to work for Solitaire around 4 years ago. He enjoys not only the DJing, but the whole industry and the technology & personalities involved in it.
A 'young looking' 27 Lee still covers most of our teens parties, having a good grasp and knowledge of the very latest R&B, pop, indie and dance tunes. He is still involved with on-going training, but also has plenty of experience with weddings, birthdays and corporate events. If you want a DJ with a young, fresh outlook for your function, then Lee is your man.
Lee runs a Mackie system coupled with Denon playout and Martin lighting & lasers.
90s Old Skool dance is Lee's favourite genre, but he is equally at home playing classic party tunes from the 50s onwards and has good knowledge of the current charts.
Lee is single and is a very versatile member of Solitaire who also specialises in the installation of uplighting and PA hire systems.
Paul became a mobile DJ quite late in life but for many years harboured an ambition. He always had a big interest in all types of music and finally managed to realise his ambition of DJing professionally at the age of 45, some 8 years ago.
Paul's favourite type of music is 70s/80s soul & funk and also 80s electronic music, although he regularly plays tunes from the 50s through to the present day with confidence. His favourite functions are weddings and anniversaries.
Playout consists of RCF and a Studiomaster sound system with MC2 amplification, Denon mixers, Martin and Acme lighting coupled with the latest LED and laser effects.
Paul has 3 children, is a jeweller by trade but hopes to become a full-time DJ within the next few months and enjoys watching football and speedway. His favourite artists include Stevie Wonder, Queen and Barry White.
Simon is a versatile and energetic DJ with vast experience from over 20 years of entertaining and filling dancefloors - not only in the UK but also abroad - helping set up and promote many famous dance events.
He covers a variety of event types including Weddings, Birthdays and themed parties (especially 1980s themes where he specialises). Simon loves 18th & 21st birthday parties as he can show off his mixing skills!
Simon's rig includes Pioneer CDJs and mixer and he carries over 20,000 songs with him - so requests aren't generally a problem! His lightshow contains lasers and moving heads as well as different LED lights and effects. He plays out through an active RCF sound system.
His personal taste in music covers a wide range and he could probably pick a song he likes from every musical genre. His all-time favourite group is Depeche Mode.
Simon lives with his partner and young son and when not DJing he enjoys football, cricket, golf and tennis.
Steve is a highly experienced DJ who has been packing dance floors since the age of 16.
Although he focuses primarily on Weddings, Civil Partnerships and Corporate Events these days, he has entertained at a wide range of events from Birthdays to Divorce Parties and carries a wide range of music to suit all ages and tastes.
Steve has a particular fondness for Motown, 70s Disco, 80s Soul Funk & Groove with a sprinkling of 90s Old Skool classics, but carries hit tracks from the 40s right up to pre-release chart material.
Steve uses a high quality Dragonspirit PA system, Digital Amplifiers, Denon Mixer and CD Players and OtsAV to deliver the music whilst lighting is covered by various effects from Martin, EVL, American DJ and Acme. He also owns a very stylish S+H DJ Booth.
He regularly attends networking events, visits DJ forums and is a member of both NADJ and SEDA DJ associations.
Steve is happily married (according to his wife!) and has two young daughters. He enjoys sport (watching rather than playing!), messing around with technology and sleeping...
Kane started DJ'ing in 2005 whilst still at college, and cut his teeth on parties for friends.
His repertoire has now increased considerably, and Kane has covered events of all types right across the South of England, including Weddings, Civil Partnerships, Anniversaries, Corporate Events, Milestone Birthdays of all ages, School Parties and Proms.
Kane particularly enjoys parties for older teens and 21st birthdays as he gets to play plenty of his favourite genres - Old Skool dance and current chart pop material.
With an impressive equipment line-up, Kane travels with a Denon playout system, Denon Mixer, Moving Heads, Lasers, Scanners and a classy S&H DJ booth. Kane also provides Venue Uplighting (Mood lighting), Starcloth backdrops and Video Projection of music videos - and so he can cater for any event from a 'club' night to a classy wedding.
Kane has a very good knowledge of music across the decades and can cater for any function. An alarm systems engineer by trade, Kane also enjoys cars, music, watching Oxford United and socialising during his time off.
© Solitaire Entertainments Ltd. - Registered in England: Company Number 4567741 - VAT Registration Number: 921 0275 63
Registered Office: 10 Dashwood Ave, High Wycombe HP12 3DN - Administration: 17 Bay Tree Rise, Calcot, Reading RG31 4RG
Telephone: (0118) 943 3555 - Fax: (0118) 967 2498 - Email: info @ solitaireentertainments.co.uk - Director: D W Thomas