A vintage gramophone DJ is perfect for entertaining your guests as they arrive and grab a drink at your party. We provide music to dine or dance to and create a nostalgic atmosphere. We also provide a touch of elegance to your event in a unique way.
A Gramophone DJ brings the sound, style and theatre of another era to your event, with music played from an extraordinary collection of original 78rpm shellac records.
Rather than repeatedly playing these increasingly precious records on traditional wind-up gramophones, we use vintage turntables fitted with specialist styli designed for 78rpm shellac records. This allows the original music to be enjoyed while treating the records with the care they deserve, helping preserve these remarkable recordings for generations to come.
Available for weddings, corporate events, parties, museums, heritage venues and special occasions throughout the UK.
Original 78rpm Records. Vintage Turntables. Music Preserved for the Future.
Our Vintage Gramophone DJs create authentic soundtracks spanning the 1920s, 1930s, 1940s and 1950s, from jazz, Charleston and swing to rhythm & blues, calypso and early rock ‘n’ roll.
While traditional wind-up gramophones are wonderfully evocative pieces of history, their playback systems can place considerable wear on fragile shellac records. Every play matters when you’re dealing with recordings that may already be approaching a century old.
That’s why we take a different approach.
We use vintage turntables fitted with specialist stylus designed for playing 78rpm shellac records, allowing us to combine authentic analogue music with a more sympathetic approach to preserving the collection.
Guests still experience the theatre of a DJ selecting physical records, examining labels, placing each record onto the turntable and bringing music from another era back into the room, but without unnecessarily sacrificing the records themselves in the process.
It’s an approach that reflects what Decadent Times is about: celebrating the past while helping preserve it for the future.
Hire our Vintage Gramophone DJs
There are few ways to make an event stand out quite like hiring a vintage gramophone DJ. We provide more than just playing music. This is about creating a unique experience. It combines the charm of the past with the energy of a live performance. Our gramophone DJs bring the music but also the atmosphere. Consequently we set the tone with equipment that instantly captures attention and sparks conversation.
We play incredible authentic tunes from original shellac records from the 1920s to 1950s. Our authentic shellac records and vintage equipment enhance the overall atmosphere and nostalgia of your event. It also creates a unique experience for your guests.
It is niche, but it is also perfect when you have the right event. Weddings, vintage-themed parties, and corporate occasions, are all instantly special with a gramophone DJ. When you want to offer something completely different, that is when you should call us. Transport your guests back to a golden age of music. They will hear swing, jazz, big band, and early rock ’n’ roll to set the mood. Moreover, the tactile, hands-on nature of playing records adds a sense of theatre. Every track we play is an event in itself. The music feels alive in a way that streaming can never achieve.
What we provide for your event
Our Vintage Gramophone DJs have an impressive hand-picked collection of 78 rpm records. We call them ‘Shellacs’. Highlights include classics such as “The Charleston”, “Ain’t Misbehavin’”, “Teddy Bears Picnic”, “Minnie The Moocher”, Peggy Lee‘s version of “Fever”, Elvis’s “Jailhouse Rock”, contagious Calypso, Rhumba, Rhythm & Blues, and Swing Era Classics.
Gramophones evoke an era when music was played from shellac 78s, filling the room with a warm, authentic sound that digital systems simply cannot replicate. The sight of classic turntables, polished horns, and retro styling becomes a talking point in itself. This sticks in the memory of your guests. Therefore we provide a beautiful focal piece that adds real character to your event space.
With us, modern technology meets vintage style. We combine state of the art sound systems with authentic gramophone records. The overall effect is very eye catching, and sounds great. A Vintage Gramophone DJ is the perfect choice to entertain guests at weddings, vintage events, private and corporate parties.
This isn’t just about nostalgia. We blend historic charm with modern flexibility, mixing classic records alongside more contemporary sounds. Everything is tailored to your specific requirements and so every Vintage Gramophone DJ presentation is unique. We listen to you and curate the perfect vibe for your event, whether that’s elegant sophistication or upbeat vintage fun.
Our themes are tailored to your event as well with music and attire to suit your brief. This incudes visual descriptions such as 1920s Decadence, 1930s Cool, 1940s Dapper, 1950s Rock ‘n’ Roll, or 1960s Chic. These are all creative ideas that we conjure with.
What Music Does a Gramophone DJ Play?
Our collection of original 78rpm shellac records spans several remarkable decades of recorded music. Rather than working from a digital playlist, our Gramophone DJs select physical records to create a set around the era, atmosphere and character of your event.
1920s
Jazz · Charleston · Hot Jazz · Blues · Dance Bands
1930s
Swing · Big Band · Crooners · Blues · Dance Music
1940s
Swing Era Classics · Rhythm & Blues · Blues · Wartime Favourites
1950s
Early Rock ‘n’ Roll · Rhythm & Blues · Calypso · Popular Classics · Blues
Hire our Vintage Gramophone DJs
When you hire us, you’re not just booking a DJ, you’re booking a complete experience. We provide the gramophones, the records, and the expertise to make your night unforgettable. If you want your event to be remembered for all the right reasons, a vintage gramophone DJ is the perfect choice.
A full event service
You should also know that everything we do is provided by our registered Community Interest Company Decadent Times CIC. It is fully registered and carries full insurance. This means you are dealing with professionals who take your requirements seriously. We also have the slogan Party With A Purpose which guides everything we do.