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Silence isn’t golden, it’s RED

By Nicci Brighten

www.red-restaurant.co.uk

Music, it seems, can be as fickle as fashion. This was certainly the case last Saturday night, when revellers headed down to RED in Weybridge for the launch of Hedfone Party. Originally the brainchild of two Dutch DJs, the concept that was little known outside the festival circuit is fast becoming a major craze in the bars and clubs of South East England.

Hailed as the “ultimate silent dance floor experience”, partygoers are given pairs of wireless headphones to wear with two different music choices and are then left to party the night away in what appears to be utter silence.

I caught up with Hedfone Party founder, Stephen Stanton, who has taken the idea to the next level. His is the only UK based company able to supply the complete package of up to 2000 headsets with the facility to run more than one event per night. But that’s not the only thing that sets Hedfone Party apart from the competition. “We can either supply you with the music or you can choose to use your own DJs, or both. And we’ve got three channel headphones coming out soon, so you’ll even be able to have a live act like an Elvis tribute, a sports event or film playing on the big screen, all at the same time”, he enthused. “There are so many possibilities”.

RED owner Darren Allen told me he expected the night to “go down like a storm”. “We tried it for a few hours before Christmas and the place was packed out. There was a lady at the bar singing right at the top of her voice down to everyone dancing round the whole place! I expect tonight to go the same way”, he added.

Later on in the evening, during the Michael Jackson half hour, I met up with pals Raj and Franko. “It’s good fun. We’re having a whale of a time!” they told me, whilst getting down and showing everyone their best rendition of the Moonwalk. “We’re loving the MJ. It’s been the best bit of the evening so far. If you had a whole night of it the place would be jammed!”

As well as partying your heart out on the dance floor, you can even take the tunes into the toilets. This is where I found Hilary. With the headphones on you might be forgiven for thinking that partygoers could get a little lost in their own personal music vibe. But she assured me that “it’s surprisingly sociable”. “It’s quite an experience – a good one. I’d never been before,” she told me. “It’s a bit strange at first but it’s actually great fun once you let yourself go completely”, she added.

The silent disco concept certainly brings a whole new meaning to the term quiet night out. The power is in your hands as you control the volume and set the headphones to mute if you want to have a conversation. This feature was a hit with Sarah, who was on a night out with the girls. “It’s great not having to shout over the music”, she explained. “You can actually have a chat with your mates without losing your voice by the end of the night”.

Perhaps the only downside to soundless partying is being able to hear the tone deaf amongst us who feel, somewhat mistakenly, that they have been blessed with the voice of Beyoncé. But this has entertainment value in itself. If you don’t fancy taking part then watching from the sidelines can be just as much fun as you witness everybody sing and shimmy along whilst your friends play guess that tune. That’s exactly what Jonathan and his buddies were doing when I found them. “There’s something in it for everybody”, he told me. “We just came out for some drinks and didn’t really feel like wearing the headsets, but watching everyone is hilarious!”

RED is holding several more of these events over the coming months. Darren has a packed social calendar planned for the weekends with resident DJ Igor playing live music on Fridays and various other club nights scheduled for Saturdays, like the upcoming Soulmates.

When I asked him how the venue holds up against its competitors in the area, Darren answered confidently that he thinks RED “fits the market extremely well”. “We tend to have a more upmarket clientele. Sullivan’s Wine Bar is the closest to us, but we offer a lot more. We’re more trendy and they haven’t changed their style”, he told me. “Holding events like Hedfone Party makes RED unique and exclusive to Weybridge”, he added.

It’s not just the great entertainment that’s helped RED make a name for itself in the community but all the wonderful food and drink on offer as well. Indeed, the Bar Diner has certainly earned its reputation for fine dining in the area. The food is fabulous; top quality chefs provide a wide selection of mouth-watering dishes for every occasion, whilst the drinks menu has a great selection of wines and cocktails. However, the remit doesn’t stop there.

A few years ago, Darren set up events management company “How Can We Help You?” The one stop hospitality service caters for everything from buffets to banquets and already boasts an impressive client list, which includes Berkshire’s Bird Hills Golf Club, The Tour of Britain cycle race and Kate Moss’s mum. It would seem that whether you’re looking for a place to party, hold a business meeting or organise a private function, then RED is the ideal choice.

Darren has big plans for RED. He now intends to transform the venue into a stylish cocktail bar and brasserie. With a planned bar refurbishment coming up in March, updated website, brand new menu and Chef, when it comes to trend setting, RED is definitely the new black.

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