Our DJ Took Over the Decks at Bar Arriba — Olympia Kensington's New Rooftop Hotspot
Corporate Event
- Location: Olympia, 2b Emberton Walk, London W14 8FJ
- 18:00-23:00
PA & DJ Set Up (Provided By Venue)
- DJ Set Up: 2xCDJ3000 & Pioneer DJM A9
Bar Arriba: Part of Olympia Kensington's £1.3bn Project
There are gigs you turn up to, and there are gigs you remember. Playing Bar Arriba — the brand-new rooftop Mexican bar perched high above Olympia Kensington — was firmly the second kind. Sun blazing, drinks flowing, and a 150-strong crowd with the West London skyline as a backdrop. Here’s how the night went down, and what it’s like to be the Bar Arriba DJ for the evening.
Inside Bar Arriba: What Makes This Rooftop Bar Special
If you haven’t heard of it yet, you will. Bar Arriba opened in spring 2026 as one of the jewels of Olympia’s new rooftop destination, sitting at the top of a £1.3 billion regeneration that’s reshaping this corner of West Kensington into one of London’s most talked-about cultural quarters. Think well crafted tuna taco and crab tostadas, chicken tacos, rainbow bowls, signature cocktails, and a retractable roof that throws the whole space open to the sky.
It’s bright, it’s buzzing, and it’s exactly the kind of high-end, good-times venue that’s made for music. So when the opportunity came to supply the DJ for a night at Bar Arriba, we said yes to the Small Band Company (SBC) without hesitation.
The Brief: An Open-Format DJ Set Built for the Rooftop
Bar Arriba isn’t a one-genre room, and the crowd isn’t either. The brief was open format — read the room, keep it classy, keep it moving — so that’s exactly what we delivered.
Over the course of the set I wove together:
House to keep the rooftop groove rolling
– Afrobeats for that warm, sun-soaked bounce that suits an open-air terrace perfectly
– Modern-day R&B and hip-hop for the singalong moments
– Party classics to land the big, hands-in-the-air payoffs
The beauty of an open-format set is that you’re never locked in. You can drift from a smooth Afro-house groove into a current R&B anthem and out into a party classic everyone knows the words to, without ever breaking the vibe. For a crowd mostly in their twenties and thirties, that mix is the sweet spot.
The Setup: Pioneer CDJ-3000s, DJM-A9 & Serato
For the music nerds — and we know you’re out there — here’s what the night ran on. A pair of Pioneer CDJ-3000s paired with the flagship Pioneer DJM-A9 mixer, all running through Serato. It’s the same industry-standard, club-grade rig you’ll find in the world’s best venues, and it gives you the headroom to mix cleanly, layer tracks and react to the crowd in real time. On a rooftop where the sound has to feel crisp and full in the open air, having a reliable, pro setup isn’t a luxury — it’s the whole game.
Reading the Room at 35°C on an Open-Air Rooftop
Here’s the honest part, and it’s the bit that separates a jukebox from a DJ. It was a scorcher in June — around 35°C . Early on, a lot of the crowd were doing the sensible thing: sipping cold drinks finding the shade, and soaking up the views rather than hitting a dance-floor as it cooled down in later hours.
Instead of forcing peak-time energy into a 35-degree afternoon, a smoother, groove-led selection — Afro-house, classic sunkissed funky soulful house, mellow R&B, feel-good rhythms that matched the lounge-in-the-sun mood. As the sun dropped and the heat finally eased, the tempo went up, rolled out the party classics, and watched the terrace come alive. That’s the craft of an open-format rooftop set: you don’t fight the room, you guide it
Why a Rooftop DJ Night Like This Is What We Do Best
Rooftop bars, Mexican cocktails, golden-hour Afrobeats and a crowd that just wants a good time — this is exactly what Party Night London does best. We’ve been supplying DJs and full event entertainment across the capital since 2013, from corporate galas and weddings to fashion shows, private parties and high-end venue nights like this one.
Bar Arriba has quickly become one of the most exciting places to be in West London, and we were proud to bring the soundtrack to a night up on that roof for that one particular corporate event.
Hire an Open-Format DJ Like the One at Bar Arriba
If you’re planning a rooftop party, a venue launch, a private celebration or a corporate night and you want an open-format DJ who reads the room, runs a pro Pioneer setup and keeps the energy exactly where it needs to be — we’d love to play for you.
Book your DJ with Party Night London — tell us about your event and we’ll do the rest
Who supplied the DJ at Bar Arriba, Olympia Kensington
Bar Arriba has its own DJ company. The manager requested the Small Band Company (SBC) to supply an independent DJ for this corporate event. We went as white label unbranded on behalf of the SBC.
What kind of music is usually played at Bar Arriba?
Bar Arriba hosts weekend evening DJ sets – expect smooth beach house, Afro house, melodic techno, and minimal tech house perfectly suited to a relaxed, cool rooftop cocktail crowd.
Where is Bar Arriba
Bar Arriba is a rooftop Mexican bar and restaurant at Olympia, 2b Emberton Walk, London W14 8FJ, part of the £1.3 billion Olympia Kensington regeneration. The nearest station is Kensington (Olympia).
What DJ equipment was used at Bar Arriba
The set ran on a pair of Pioneer CDJ-3000s with a Pioneer DJM-A9 mixer – a professional, club-standard setup
Can I hire a DJ like the one at Bar Arriba for my own event
Yes. Party Night London supplies open-format DJs for rooftop bars, venue launches, weddings, corporate events and private parties across London. Get in touch to check availability
