Meet Toni
Toni McVey is a familiar face around the Edinburgh Funk/Soul/Disco scene bringing her grooves to venues all over the city with regular slots at The Jazz Bar, Uno Mas, Panda & Sons, Hoot the Redeemer and Paradise Palms.
With a passion for Northern Soul, old school funk and disco bangers, Toni knows how to fill a dance floor and keep it bopping all night long.
Get to know Toni while giving her floorfillers a listen!
Where does your love of music come from?
I’ve always been around music my whole life as my parents have spent their lives collecting records and going to Northern soul nights to dance. My dad’s also a drummer & DJ and so I get a lot of my inspiration from him.
Can you remember the first album you ever bought?
Marvin Gaye ‘In Our Lifetime’. I bought it from a charity shop when I was about 17. The album cover drew me to it and I’d listened to Marvin Gaye since I was very young but had never heard this album. My fave track from it is ‘Love me now or love me later’ it has such a groovy beat throughout it. I still have the album framed in my living room to this day!
Favourite artists?
The gap band, The Roots, Gwen MacRae, James Brown, The Whispers...
You moonlight as a session drummer, and often tour with the likes of (the completely brilliant) Joesef! Does your drumming style influence your DJ work?
Both my drumming and DJing influence each other a lot. The music I’ve always been drawn to, listening and playing, is funk/soul/disco. They feature groove and feel heavily which is how I’d describe my drumming. Therefore, when I decided to start DJing, it only felt natural expand my love for this and naturally gravitated towards building a record collection of these genres.
What do you find most rewarding about DJing?
Sharing a fun experience with people I’ve never met before through music and a dance floor!
What’s your secret to keeping people bopping all night?
I enjoy reading the room and working out what tunes people gravitate towards. Having a constant beat for people to dance to, and then changing the vibe up and letting people listen to something they never knew they needed!
What’s the most unusual request you've received, and did you play it?
The Mr Blobby theme. I did! The group of people had it on a 7” record with them so I had to see what all the fuss was about!
What excites you most about being part of the Miss Mobile Disco team?
Working alongside people who share the same passion for the music that I love, and getting to share and spread that amongst others.
What can couples expect from you as their wedding DJ?
Couples should expect a friendly fun face upon arrival with no need to worry about having the dance floor filled from start to finish!
