Christmas Party DJ Checklist.

December is the busiest month of the year for Brisbane DJs, venues and function managers. Most Christmas parties that go wrong musically don't fail because of the DJ's taste. They fail on logistics: no microphone for speeches, a curfew nobody mentioned, or a booking that fell through in the second week of December.

Here's the checklist we run through for every end-of-year function we book.

1. Lock the date early

Fridays and Saturdays in December go first, followed by Thursdays. If you have a date, send it to your DJ or agency now, even if guest numbers aren't final. Holding a date costs nothing; finding a good DJ for a Friday in mid-December at two weeks' notice is hard.

2. Find out what the venue already has

Ask the venue's function manager these questions before you book anything:

• Is there a DJ booth, or do we need to bring decks and speakers?
• Is there a microphone we can use for speeches?
• What time can the DJ load in, and where do they park?
• Is there a volume limit or a sound limiter in the room?
• What time does music have to stop?

Pass the answers to your DJ. A venue with its own booth saves you the equipment cost; a venue with a strict 10pm music curfew changes how long you need to book.

3. Write a simple run sheet

It doesn't need to be formal. Five lines is enough: guests arrive, speeches, food, dance floor, last song. Add times. Your DJ uses it to plan the energy of the night, so the music is relaxed while people are talking and builds when it's time to dance.

4. Book the right set length

Most office parties need four hours: an hour of arrivals and drinks, dinner and speeches, then a dance floor to finish. A drinks-only event might need three. A long lunch that rolls into the evening might need five or six. Book for the hours you actually want music, not just the hours you want dancing.

5. Brief the music

Your DJ should contact you before the event. Have these ready:

• The age range and mix of the crowd
• A handful of must-plays, and any never-plays
• Whether explicit lyrics are OK (for most office parties, clean versions are safer)
• How much Christmas music you want. One or two songs at the right moment usually lands better than a full hour of carols.

6. Plan speeches and awards

Decide who's speaking, roughly when, and who will tell the DJ it's time. The DJ can bring the music down, hand over the mic and bring the room back up afterwards. That handover is where a lot of office parties lose momentum, so agree on it in advance.

7. Name one point of contact for the night

Pick one person the DJ can go to with questions: whether to extend, whether the boss wants one more song, whether the bar is closing early. It's usually the organiser or the venue's function manager. Swap mobile numbers before the night.

8. Have a back-up plan

DJs get sick, double-book or drop out in December more than any other month. If you've booked directly with an individual DJ, ask who covers them if they can't make it. If you've booked through an agency, ask how fast they can find a replacement. Cancellation cover is one of the main reasons venues and offices book through an agency in the first place.

The short version

1. Send your date now.
2. Ask the venue about the booth, mic, load-in, volume and curfew.
3. Write a five-line run sheet with times.
4. Book enough hours (four suits most office parties).
5. Give the DJ must-plays, never-plays and a call on explicit lyrics.
6. Agree who cues the speeches.
7. Name one contact for the night.
8. Know who covers the DJ if they cancel.

Nocturnals manages DJs and background music for bars, restaurants and events across inner-city Brisbane. See our services or send an enquiry.