Tags: Walk-on, songs, darts, Adam Warner, PDC, Walk-on songs
By Joseph Gainsford
Let’s rewind over the last few months, as a certain 16 year old has taken the darts world by storm, from the World Darts Championship final to the PDC Premier League. In December at the World Championships, the fairytale was not quite to be in the end as Luke Littler lost in the final to world Number One Luke Humphries seven sets to four.
Yet, the kebab-loving teen grabbed the attention of millions and really did give the United Kingdom some serious ‘darts fever’. The 2024 PDC World Championship Final became the most watched non-football event in Sky Sports history with 4.8 million viewers. Not only did this bring amazing revenue on all darts products but it also comes with a complete appreciation and love for the culture of darts and especially its music. Whether that is playing Planet Funk’s ‘Chase the Sun’ whilst practicing a few arrows or copying the moves of Peter Wright’s fan favourite walk on song, Pitbull’s ‘Don’t Stop the Party’, before a game of 301 in the garage against your brother, it is hard to ignore the strong connection between music and the world of Darts.
Amongst all this hype, it’s time we focused in on the importance of music and, better yet – the walk-on song. Turn the spotlight to a man who is climbing the world rankings, a man with a natural talent for darts who has only made it a priority as of the summer of 2021 following on from lockdown. Now recognised by the Professional Darts Corporation as a professional darts player, Adam Warner.
“My name is Adam Warner. I am 26 years old initially from Worcester, which is where I was born and grew up, but I later moved to Sheffield for University which is where I started to play darts competitively.”
Adam is no longer a student despite still being mainly focused around the Sheffield area still. During and after his time at University he became recognised as one of the strongest darts players yet was only successful in securing one minor title along with many latter stages exits from amateur tournaments and leagues. After his degree Warner trained as a teacher for a year and then following that worked in a school for one year.
Despite only surfacing in the professional darts scene fairly recently Adam thinks it would be unfair to describe him entirely as a late bloomer.
“I used to play quite a bit at home when I was growing up however, I hardly ever played in any serious organised tournaments.
“My first memory of playing is having a board put on the shed in the back garden and going out there in all weathers, although any level of wind would make it difficult to play. This was all just for fun though really and I was never encouraged, nor wanted to play competitively at that stage.
“So, the University darts experience of playing competitive matches but also, making many friends and having good days out, definitely set me on the way to deciding to put the hours into practice and give bigger amateur tournaments a go at the beginning of 2022.”
Warner is a prime example and template for those climbing through the amateur darts ranks who want to make it to the top as he now ranks 87th on the PDC ProTour order of merit list only just one year after earning his PDC tour card. He has very much so put the Amateur Darts Corporation on the map and has shown events such as the Modus Super Series to be just as viable a route to becoming a professional darts player as any other.
Rounding up on his background and career in darts Adam said: “My greatest achievement in darts so far would have to be qualifying at a Riley’s qualifier 6 weeks after starting proper practice, winning a week on the Modus Super Series in December 2022 and then winning my 2-year PDC tour card in January 2023.”
Before we indulge fully into Adam’s own personal music connection with darts; it is important we understand the full magnitude that music holds in the universe of darts. To do so we need to travel back to the 1990’s. The nineties were when the Professional Darts Corporation was formed and with this came the birth of the walk-on song. Players were allowed to choose their own music to enter the stage to before a match. Darts has not looked back ever since with certain songs becoming an immediate parallel with the sport. Although, many people may find this odd as darts requires such precision and concentration surely it is only off putting to come out to a well-known anthem, right? Well, not so fast.
Despite it always causing a topic for debate, sport is entertainment. Therefore, things like this only add viewers and a better experience to the game. In addition, they celebrate a player’s arrival and give the crowd a real buzz and lift to get behind them whilst also holding even greater value to the players specifically who can use things like walk-on songs to market themselves and create a trademark that in turn can increase sponsorship and consequently overall funding for the sport as a whole which is only incredibly beneficial.
First, let’s rewind over the last month, when a certain 16-year-old from Warrington had millions of households gripped at the edge of their sofas each night as he took centre stage at London’s Alexandra Palace. The fairytale was not quite to be in the end as Luke Littler lost in the final to world Number One Luke Humphries seven sets to four. Yet, the kebab loving teen grabbed the attention of millions and really did give the United Kingdom some serious “Darts Fever”. The 2024 PDC World Championship Final became the most watched non-football event in Sky Sports history with 4.8 million viewers. Not only did this bring amazon amazing revenue on all darts products but it also comes with a complete appreciation and love for the culture of darts and especially its music. Whether that is playing Planet Funk’s ‘Chase the Sun’ whilst practicing a few arrows or copying the moves of Peter Wright’s fan favourite walk on song, ‘Don’t stop the party’, before a game of 301 in the garage against your brother, it is hard to ignore the strong connection between music and the world of Darts.
Amongst all this hype it’s time we focused in on the importance of music and better yet the walk-on song. Turn the spotlight to a man who is climbing the world rankings, a man with a natural talent for darts who has only made it a priority as of the summer of 2021 following on from lockdown. Now recognised by the Professional Darts Corporation as a professional darts Player, Adam Warner.
“My name is Adam Warner. I am 26 years old initially from Worcester, which is where I was born and grew up, but I later moved to Sheffield for University which is where I started to play darts competitively.” Adam is no longer a student despite still being mainly focused around the Sheffield area still. During and after his time at University he became recognised as one of the strongest darts players yet was only successful in securing one minor title along with many latter stages exits from amateur tournaments and leagues. After his degree Warner trained as a teacher for a year and then following that worked in a school for one year.
Despite only surfacing in the professional darts scene fairly recently Adam thinks it would be unfair to describe him entirely as a late bloomer. “I used to play quite a bit at home when I was growing up however, I hardly ever played in any serious organised tournaments.
My first memory of playing is having a board put on the shed in the back garden and going out there in all weathers, although any level of wind would make it difficult to play. This was all just for fun though really and I was never encouraged, nor wanted to play competitively at that stage.
So, the University darts experience of playing competitive matches but also, making many friends and having good days out, definitely set me on the way to deciding to put the hours into practice and give bigger amateur tournaments a go at the beginning of 2022.”
Warner is a prime example and template for those climbing through the amateur darts ranks who want to make it to the top as he now ranks 87th on the PDC ProTour order of merit list only just one year after earning his PDC tour card. He has very much so put the Amateur Darts Corporation on the map and has shown events such as the Modus Super Series to be just as viable a route to becoming a professional darts player as any other.
Rounding up on his background and career in darts Adam said: “My greatest achievement in darts so far would have to be qualifying at a Riley’s qualifier 6 weeks after starting proper practice, winning a week on the Modus Super Series in December 2022 and then winning my 2-year PDC tour card in January 2023.”
Before we indulge fully into Adam’s own personal music connection with darts; it is important we understand the full magnitude that music holds in the universe of darts. To do so we need to travel back to the 1990’s. The nineties were when the Professional Darts Corporation was formed and with this came the birth of the Walk-On song. Players were allowed to choose their own music to enter the stage to before a match. Darts has not looked back ever since with certain songs becoming an immediate parallel with the sport. Although, many people may find this odd as darts requires such precision and concentration surely it is only off putting to come out to a well-known anthem, right? Well, not so fast.
“I wanted my walk-on song to be popular, something that most of the crowd recognise and can sing along to so I can build up a good rapport and connection with them.”
Adam warner
Despite it always causing a topic for debate, sport is entertainment. Therefore, things like this only add viewers and a better experience to the game. In addition, they celebrate a player’s arrival and give the crowd a real buzz and lift to get behind them whilst also holding even greater value to the players specifically who can use things like walk-on songs to market themselves and create a trademark that in turn can increase sponsorship and consequently overall funding for the sport as a whole which is only incredibly beneficial.
Warner’s Walk-On
“My walk-on song is ‘Can’t Take My Eyes Off of You’ by Frankie Valli. Personally, I wanted my walk-on song to be popular, something that most of the crowd recognise and can sing along to so I can build up a good rapport and connection with them. This is because I think and have learnt from playing darts professionally that having the crowds support, or at least not having them against you, can make the world of difference in a close match and can sometimes be the reason that pushes you over the line to win.”
Adam hopes that Valli’s timeless classic can stick and become a trademark to him like many other songs have for darts professionals out there. After seeing fellow PDC darts player Stephen Bunting storm social media over the Christmas period with chants such as “Let’s go Bunting Mental” and also his music Warner is aware that he could be on the verge of such a trademark being made between himself and his walk-out song courtesy of darts. A relationship which could be argued to be especially unique and cliquey to this sport more than others.
“Music is huge in darts with several of the most famous players, (Michael) Van Gerwen, (Phil) Taylor and (Raymond) Van Barneveld come to mind, being recognised immediately from their songs. I do not know for certain, but this must attribute parts of their marketing and other income streams.”
Adam touched on darts anthem ‘Chase the Sun’ saying how it had become so widely known because of the sport that it had become synonymous with darts and that all sports fans across the world hear it and straight away think of 180’s, big checkouts and an audience which is a sea of fancy dress.
Warner agrees that walk-on songs are absolutely quintessential to darts. In any sport it is important to have a strong connection between the fans and the players and this is more than definitely achieved in darts. A walk from the middle of the crowd whilst dishing out high fives on the way to the stage with YOUR song playing so creates a feeling and bond like no other with the fans. For those who have unfortunately never been struck with a case of major ‘Darts Fever’ it is comparable to the anthem of a football club before a big match – take ‘You’ll Never Walk Alone’ at Anfield on a European night as an example.
“One particular moment that always sticks with me is after I’d done my walk-on at the European Tour Event and then Michael Smiths’ song started playing. That was the point it became real, that I was about to play the World Champion on a stage.”