Meet DJ James Stephens - Your Multi-Genre Wedding DJ!

DJ James Stephens
May 13
9 min read

Skip to the 25 Quickfire Questions and Answers!

Hello! You've probably stumbled across this blog because you’d like to know more about me. It’s been a while since I last wrote a blog describing my DJ journey and why I love it so much - so I thought it was time for a refresh!

Photo credit: https://www.simonandkianaphotography.com/ — DJ James Stephens at Clevedon Hall. **Photo credit:** **https://www.simonandkianaphotography.com/**

Where it all began

It's the summer of 2012, and I was heading home in a taxi after a night out in town. The taxi driver had the radio on, and I absolutely LOVED what was playing. It turned out the song was 'Lost In Your Love' by Redlight. I couldn't get enough of its euphoric house feel - it had such an uplifting, energetic vibe! For the next few weeks (and possibly, months) it was on repeat.

It turns out Redlight (real name Hugh Pescod) was born in Bristol and began his DJ journey under the name DJ Clipz. Redlight had a monthly residency on Rinse FM, and I became a regular listener. The focus was on underground music, including deep house, bass house and UKG. I wanted to do what he was doing, so I decided to apply for a spot on my then-university's radio station, Hub Radio. I wanted to spread the word!

Joining me for the ride were 2 of my close friends, Josh (left) and Jon (right). We all loved Redlight's style of music. Our radio show, 'Late Night Beats', was born! Each week we'd focus on a particular underground genre, such as bass house, bassline, tech house, drum and bass, and much more. We threw in a few talk-show elements, but music was always the main focus. Soon after starting our show, we began mixing music live on air - which was where we really developed our DJ skills. Using just a basic DJ controller (Numark Mixtrack Pro), we began incorporating simple but clean transitions to make the radio show feel more professional.

During my radio station days, a friend of mine asked if I wanted to come along to one of his club gigs to DJ in front of a crowd. As soon as he asked, the anxiety (and excitement) kicked in. As a beginner still, I took my controller with me and it was a lot of fun to say the least! From then onwards, the owner of the club (big thank you to Mark) began to use me for his private events, such as birthdays and corporate events - and I still do to this day.

I also joined the university's DJ society, a weekly group of like-minded people who had a passion for DJing and wanted to improve their skills. We were fortunate enough to be taught by an older member of the group called Sam (massive shoutout to Spreads!), who helped us develop. We even got to host the smaller rooms of underground club events to give us even more experience. 'Room 2 - Hosted by UWE DJ Society' was a regular occurrence! These nights were invaluable.

As time went on, I was asked to DJ at lots of events. Not just underground music, but more commercial genres such as commercial chart and club music, cheesy pop, and throwbacks. It was around 2014/2015 at this point, and we were blessed with some fantastic house music from artists such as Duke Dumont, Disclosure, David Zowie, Route 94, Gorgon City, Oliver Heldens, and Julio Bashmore. It was great to see such artists in the mainstream, which meant nightclubs were also playing this sort of music. During this time, I was fortunate enough to DJ in many clubs across Bristol and Bath, including SWX (now Electric Bristol), Lakota, Motion, Basement 45, Gravity (formerly The Bunker - now closed), O2 Academy, Second Bridge, Komedia, UWE SU, Revolution and many more.

Click the image to watch me at Motion (a long time ago!)

I was enjoying mixing a huge variety of genres, which fortunately, opened the door to more opportunities. K-Pop, Hip Hop, House, Drum and Bass, Bassline, Cheese, Throwback, Disco, Motown...just some of the genres I was mixing at club nights! Because I was happy playing anything and everything, I decided to dip my toe in the mobile DJ scene. In 2017, I invested in a DJ booth, speakers and some disco lights, and I wanted to create a brand name that I could display on the front of my DJ booth. My mum came up with the name 'Feel The Funk Disco'.

My first mobile gig was mum and dad's 25th Wedding Anniversary at a local community hall.

My sister and I are making a speech to thank everyone for coming

One of the guests having a go at mixing!

My mum and dad's clubbing days were in the disco and funk era, so the night primarily focused on those genres. Everyone was up dancing and it was such a great night - all I wanted to do was DJ more gigs!

A few months later, one of my DJ mates (Tom) asked if I could supply my DJ equipment at The Heineken Lounge at Ashton Gate Stadium. The lounge was their hospitality suite for football fans who wanted to enjoy a meal and a few drinks in comfortable surroundings. Mine and Tom's job was to mix some pleasurable background music that enhanced the atmosphere. Our first set was a huge success, and the venue wanted to keep us on! We were officially DJ residents at Ashton Gate Stadium!

We were lucky enough to witness Bristol City's historic win over Manchester United!

We then began DJing for our friends' birthdays and weddings. We had some incredibly fun moments, and we even had a go at filming!

At this point, I decided to quit my full-time job and put my sole focus into Feel The Funk Disco. It was a big leap of faith, but it paid off. I was doing a huge variety of gigs - club, corporate, birthdays, weddings, engagements and anniversaries.

The Covid Effect

In January 2020, just before Covid hit, I DJ'd at Lakota for a disco and funk night. At the time, 70s Disco and Funk had a huge resurgence amongst university students in Bristol, and many clubs were hosting nights purely dedicated to these genres.

I was fortunate enough to be exposed to these genres through my parents. Their clubbing days were all about disco and funk, and I LOVED it! So it felt very natural for me to play this sort of music in clubs. It feels very strange looking back at this video, not knowing that just 2 months later we wouldn't be allowed to leave our homes.

Then, when Covid hit in March, all events (including weddings) were off. It was more than a year until I could start DJing again. But when that did finally happen, customers had to stay seated, and music couldn’t be too good, in case it encouraged people to dance - something that wasn’t allowed at the time. It was a very strange time for sure, and it permanently shaped the future of the club scene. We had all got comfy socialising from home, saving money, and finding other ways to socialise. This had an effect on the popularity of the club scene. Between June 2020 and June 2024, the UK lost 480 nightclubs with an average of around 10 closures per month.

June 2021 marked the end of Covid restrictions. Festivals and holidays abroad were prioritised over nights out in nightclubs. And if you did go out, bars (where people could chat and socialise) were the places to go. 'Gaming' bars like Boom Battle Bar, NQ64, Par59 and Flight Club have surged in popularity, whereas big nightclubs struggled. To this day, these trends are still in place. Going clubbing looks a lot different to 20 years ago!

Covid also affected the Wedding industry. All the weddings due to take place in 2020 and early 2021 got rescheduled to June 2021 onwards. This meant a lot of mid-week weddings took place, which have become more popular since Covid. One of the reasons is that venue hire is often cheaper. So you may find that the next wedding you go to might not be on a Friday or Saturday!

Since then, I've been fortunate to continue playing in nightclubs across the South West, as well as DJ at many weddings. I'm lucky to call my hobby my full-time job! I’ve continued to invest in top-quality DJ and disco equipment, always striving to deliver a 'wow' experience.

Q&A

Who's your favourite DJ? DJ EZ. His Boiler Room set is 3 hours of pure bliss.
What's your favourite venue you've visited? Printworks, London
What's your favourite venue you've DJ'd at? Motion, Bristol
What's your favourite song? Earth, Wind and Fire - September
What's your favourite album? Usher - Confessions
If you weren't a DJ, what would you be? Pilot!
What's your go-to dance anthem? Robin S - Show Me Love (Steve Angello and Laidback Luke Remix)
What do you enjoy most about DJing? When I drop a song in and I hear that euphoric roar from the crowd, it never gets old! And also when I tease a song and the crowd catches on, seeing then smile and dance with even more energy – that’s unbeatable!
What's your proudest moment behind the decks? Probably my first gig at my university's students' union. It was a big step in my DJ career.
How do you stay grounded during the busy wedding season? Coffee and walks.
What’s your biggest pet peeve at events? Mosh pits at concerts/festivals.
What's one song you never get tired of playing? Jackson 5 - I Want You Back (Dimitri From Paris Remix)
What's a piece of kit or gear you can't live without? Earplugs.
What’s a song you secretly love but don’t often play? Clockwork Hearts by Feint.
Is there a quote or saying that you try to live by? Stop talking, start walking
Have you ever had a major DJ fail? What happened? At a club, I was DJing on very old decks, and the song went into 'emergency loop mode', which meant the song just kept repeating the same eight beats. It sounds absolutely dreadful, and the only way to fix the issue was to power off and power on. This resulted in lots of boo's! Safe to say that nightclub needed to update its equipment.
What’s your go-to karaoke song? Despite listening to a lot of music, I am dreadful at remembering lyrics. But one song I know quite well is American Boy by Kanye West and Estelle...Tune!
What’s your go-to comfort food after a long gig? I am obsessed with Lindt Milk Chocolate. But I am currently on a diet so I haven't had it for a while.
What’s your biggest irrational fear or phobia? Being stuck in a really tight space. Those caving videos where they get stuck are horrific.
What is your DJ style (in three words)? Energetic, suspenseful and joyful.
What’s the best song to end a party with? There's a lot to choose from, but Freed From Desire by Gala never fails.
What’s one bit of advice you’d give to every couple planning a wedding? Don't forget that it's YOU who's getting married. Create a day that will make you happy, so prioritise yourself!
What’s a song that always makes you emotional? Here for You by Wilkinson and Becky Hill
What makes a dancefloor truly unforgettable? When those on the dancefloor are truly living in the moment, letting loose. There's no one making judgments from the side - everyone in the room exudes energy through the power of music!
Which three songs define your childhood? Love Generation (Bob Sinclar), Send Me On My Way (Rusted Root), Cry Me A River (Justin Timberlake)

A Few Final Thoughts

Being a DJ is so much more than just pressing play - it's about reading the room, creating moments, and adapting in real time. No two events are ever the same, and that’s exactly what I love about it. Whether it’s a 1200-capacity club night or an intimate wedding in the countryside, my approach is always the same: make sure every single person walks away having had a memorable night.

I often get asked how I stay calm under pressure - like when a playlist changes last-minute or a power cut throws the timeline off. The truth is, part of being a great DJ is keeping a cool head and knowing how to troubleshoot fast. You learn not to panic, to trust your instincts, and to lean on your experience. (Also, always pack backup USBs. Always.)

Outside of DJ’ing, I’m also a bit of a tech nerd. I love experimenting with lighting, sound design, and DJ software updates to keep everything running smoothly and looking slick. Whether it’s curating a bespoke first dance edit or syncing lighting to a big chorus drop, those extra touches make all the difference.

And finally, something people often forget - it’s not just about the crowd hearing the music; it’s about them feeling it. Hence, Feel The Funk. That name isn’t just branding, it’s a reminder of what the goal is, every single time: connection through music.