TUESDAY OPEN DECKS: FAQ & GUIDANCE
Each week has a different genre. Check Skiddle or Resident Advisor to see which week fits your style and grab a free participator ticket. You can also invite friends to attend using the audience ticket.
On the night, head to the iPad setup on the bar to enter your name into the randomly selected draw.Each DJ set lasts for 30 minutes. We’ve found half an hour is the perfect balance long enough to build a vibe and tell a story with your music, but short enough to keep the night flowing and give multiple DJs a chance to play. It also means the crowd gets to experience a wide range of styles throughout the night, which keeps things fresh and exciting.
We’ve got a full professional club setup ready for you, so you can focus on enjoying your time in the booth. Our standard setup for the Open Decks includes Pioneer CDJ-3000s paired with a Pioneer DJM-900NXS mixer, which is the industry standard kit you’ll find in clubs and festivals worldwide.
This means you’ll get hands-on experience with the same equipment used by professional DJs across the scene. From time to time, if a unit is away for maintenance, we may swap in CDJ-2000NXS's or XDJ1000MK2 to make sure everything runs smoothly. We handle all the technical setup and monitoring throughout the night, so all you need to do is plug in your USB, connect your headphones, and focus on your 30-minute set. If you’ve never used this gear before, we'd advise watching some basic videos online to get yourself familiar.All you really need is a USB stick loaded with the music you want to play. We strongly recommend using a reliable USB 3.0 stick, as they tend to perform faster and more consistently with Pioneer CDJs. To avoid any issues on the night, it’s best to prepare your tracks in Pioneer Rekordbox – this will make sure your music is properly analysed, your cue points are saved, and everything is ready to load smoothly when you plug in.
Don’t forget to bring your own headphones with a standard 3.5mm jack, as you’ll need them to cue tracks. It’s also a smart idea to bring a spare USB as a backup in case there are any problems with the link connection or your first stick. That way, you’ll be fully prepared to step up and get straight into your 30-minute set.Open Decks takes place every Tuesday from 11PM until late however sign ups start from 10PM
The night is split into two sign-up windows: the first draw happens at 10:45pm for sets running between 11pm and 1am, and the second draw takes place at 12:45am for sets between 1am and 3am. We always aim to keep the music going as long as there are DJs ready to play, so if both draws fill up, we’ll keep the basement open until the early hours. On quieter nights, if there are fewer sign-ups and some slots go unclaimed, things may wrap up a little earlier but you’ll still get a proper chance to play and enjoy the space.When you arrive on the night, the first thing to do is head to the bar and let the team know you’re here for Open Decks. The duty manager changes from week to week, so rather than looking around for someone specific, just mention to whoever’s behind the bar that you’d like to sign up and they’ll point you in the right direction. They’ll guide you to the iPad where you can add your name into the draw, answer any quick questions you might have about the process, and make sure you know where to go when it’s your time to play.
If you’re new to the space or it’s your first time on a club setup, don’t be shy – staff are there to help and want to make sure you feel comfortable and ready to enjoy the experience.
Once the draw has taken place, the selected DJs and their set times will be clearly displayed on the iPad at the bar, as well as written up on the whiteboard in the basement so everyone can see the running order. If there are ever any issues with the iPad or the draw system, our staff can step in and run the selection manually to make sure things keep moving as planned. On the night, it’s important to stay nearby around the draw times (10:45pm and 12:45am) so you don’t miss your name being called. If someone isn’t around when their slot comes up, that slot will be forfeited and re-drawn for another DJ from the list – this helps us keep the schedule running smoothly and ensures every slot is filled.
Yes! Open Decks is designed to give DJs of all levels a chance to experience playing on a professional club system.
We’d love to give everyone a turn, but it really depends on how many people put their name down on the night. Each Tuesday we run two random draws: one at 10:45pm and another at 12:45am. 4 acts are picked for each draw. If the number of sign-ups is greater than the slots available, not everyone can be selected, but the draw is completely random to make sure it’s fair to everyone.We’ve also introduced this system to help cover for anyone who can’t make their slot on the night, so the lineup always runs smoothly. If you don’t get picked this time, you’re always welcome to come back.
Yes. Each night focuses on a specific genre so the flow of the evening works for the crowd. Please only sign up on nights that match what you play.
To do this, both of you must enter the draw as a duo. Just keep in mind the set is still 30 minutes total.
Absolutely and we actively encourage it! The more people who come down to dance, support, and create an atmosphere, the better the night becomes for everyone.
Free tickets are available online in advance, and they’re split into two types: Performer tickets (for those who want to put their name down to play a set) and Audience tickets (for friends, supporters, and anyone who just wants to come and enjoy the music). This helps us make sure we’ve got enough space for both DJs and party-goers, and it means your mates can secure their spot without worrying about the door. So round up your crew, book your tickets, and come get involved. The more energy on the dancefloor, the more fun it is for the DJs behind the decks.