This article is about a one-off BBE record store party with 80s music on a Wednesday evening.

The BBE store is a well-renowned record shop in London, known for its unique vinyl music collection and for hosting regular DJ sets from UK and international talent.

We are retaining the names of the DJs in this article as they are highly regarded and respected hip-hop, 80s soul, and funk geniuses, and are likely among the world’s best DJs. 

While we are not disclosing their names, many of you will recognise them as they are famous figures who prefer to stay out of the limelight. They are true musicians, collectors, and contributors to the UK music scene, and have been for many decades.

The party took place on a random Wednesday evening in mid-April at around 6 PM. Many guests had just come from work and enjoyed the lovely back garden, where food from the adjacent store could be purchased and eaten al fresco. With temperatures reaching 24°C and beers in hand, it truly felt like summer.

The first DJ was spinning some 80s soul and smooth grooves on the Pioneer CDJs 3000 and the Pioneer V10 mixer, utilising an incredible custom sound system, complete with a pair of KV2s as monitors. You can gauge the quality of a venue by its phenomenal sound system—it cannot compromise on sound quality, especially when you sell records.

The party really kicked off around 8:30 PM when tracks like Pet Shop Boys’ “West End Girls,” Prince’s “Kiss,” and David Bowie’s “Club Tropicana” came on, one after another. It was full swing from there, all on vinyl.

Next, we moved to the next DJ (worldwide DMC champion globally respected), who played mainly 7-inch vinyl and an 80s hip-hop set featuring classics from Run-DMC, Sugar Bear, De La Soul, and many other 80s hits.

Two classic vinyl DJs performed absolutely crystal-clear mixing and scratching throughout a high-energy party set. These guys used to dominate the UK West End scene in the 90s, and they haven’t lost their touch—if anything, they are even more in tune than before.

Then came the final set, this was the ultimate 80s DJ Set. It didn’t have to be vinyl; the MP3s were on a USB, and the track selection was spot-on. New Jack Swing classics like Bobby Brown, Jade, and “Got This Feeling” were followed by an unexpected throwback—Kariya’s “Let Me Love You.” The crowd went wild, and towards the end, Phil Collins made an appearance, along with Thelma Houston’s “Don’t Leave Me This Way.” We couldn’t have asked for a better set on a Wednesday night.

This article is penned as a guest of the event, who thoroughly appreciates the DJs’ craft. We are not promoting these DJs, as they wish to keep their private lives separate and do not book private events. A heartfelt thank you to the BBE store for their hospitality; we love the 80s and frequently host 80s parties for our clients. This time, we had the privilege of stepping off the decks to dance and celebrate with the UK’s finest original DJs, even better now than ever.