An After-Party Idea to Hear Less and Boogie More
By Barrett Baker
There is an old quote attributed to Mark Twain and author William W. Purkey that states, “Dance like nobody is watching, love like you’ve never been hurt, sing like nobody is listening, and live like it’s heaven on Earth.”
Boiled down, it basically means to live and express yourself freely, without fear of judgment or self-consciousness. But what if the music you’re dancing to violates noise ordinances, disturbs your neighbors, or could be upsetting to wildlife?
Enter the silent disco—a concept where people at late-night parties or raves can wear headphones that let them bust a move without violating the sound of silence.
According to Ryan Dowd, owner and creator of Silent Events, the founders of the Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival in Tennessee became acquainted with silent discos in Europe and wanted to do the same with their festival. Dowd is credited with being the first person to bring the wireless technology to North America, by creating and patenting headphones that not only offer users different “channels” they can listen to, the headsets have volume controls, and glow a different color for each channel.
This is a game-changer for after-wedding receptions. For one, the bride and her bridesmaids can create a playlist based on songs they enjoy and can dance to at the event. The groom and his crew can create their own playlist and tune in. A third channel might contain music for older generations to enjoy (such as Frank Sinatra or Jimmy Buffett songs, as a couple of examples).
Why is this important? First, you can have three different types of music (or more) playing at the same time. If someone doesn’t like a song on one channel, they can switch over to another. Two, the party and dancing can go later into the evening and even move outside without disturbing the neighbors. Three, if people at the party would rather have a nice conversation without trying to yell over loud music, they can simply take the headphones off.
One additional benefit: it’s affordable. For those who would want to take advantage of the silent disco idea, companies like Silent Events can provide enough headphones for a wedding reception or other types of events for about the same price as hiring a DJ. Of course, there are other packages available where lighting and DJs can be added to the mix, which is why Dowd and his team will work with clients to create exactly what you want. They ship the headsets, cabling, and all the instructions you need, and they provide return labels to ship everything back.
To get started, visit silentevents.com and click on “Get an estimate.” You provide the date of the event, how many guests, and what you want to do, and they’ll take care of the rest.
If you prefer working with someone local, you can reach out to Party Headphones in Norfolk, Silence Activations and Brave’s Portable Parties in Hampton, and others. Let’s get the party started! ⁄
Barrett Baker
