16 Tips For Entertainment at
your function
Acoustic artists, Bands, or DJ's are essential elements of your corporate
function/party and getting it right can make or break your event!
There are so many different varieties of bands, entertainers and DJs available.
What should you be looking for when choosing Your entertainment ?
Often, a DJ or musician will act as the MC of an event, which means you'll need
them to be entertaining , friendly, and charismatic.
On many occasions, less time is spent on choosing the entertainment than any
other aspect of the function - this can be a disappointing mistake!
Overlooking this aspect of your planning is easy to do.
However, choosing the right band is crucial to the success of your special event
and these tips and ideas should help you accomplish this:
How much will your DJ / band cost?
Everyone has one eye on their budget and wants to keep their costs down, but
make sure that you are not selling yourself short by employing a bargain-priced
DJ - or el-cheapo band, you might be paying for what you are getting in this
instance!
Don't fall into the trap of thinking that you are paying over the odds for your
musicians/DJ because all that they are being paid for is to play music for 3 or
4 hours!
Professional bands and DJs will have invested a lot of time in your event prior
to the actual show.
Typically they will be spending between 10 to 20 hours consulting with you,
purchasing the music, learning songs, rehearsing, setting up the equipment,
packing up the equipment and other administrative tasks.
Prices can vary enormously and it is important to realize that a lot of
organisers say in hindsight that they wished they had spent more of their budget
on the entertainment.
How much time will your DJ / band need for setting up?
Bands can take up to 2 hours to set up their equipment at the venue.
Check with your DJ or band whether this will be sufficient time for them
beforehand and let the venue know if they need more time.
Always meet your DJ or Musician in person
Once you have whittled down your choice to 3 or 4 prospective
bands and/or DJs, it is highly recommended that you meet each one in person.
This way you can check out their personality and general appearance, something
you can't do properly over the phone, or via a website
By meeting with them in person you get an indication of whether they are
punctual. You might find in some instances that the artist fails to show up for
your meeting.
It is better to find out if they are unreliable in the planning stages rather
than find this on the day!
During your meeting with them , watch them to see whether they are paying
attention to your specific requirements for your wedding music. Are they taking
notes?
Professionals always have a pad and pen with them to jot down notes about what
style of music is going to suit your function.
Discuss your song play list
Is it your intention to have a musician, band or DJ that will be proactive in
getting the dance floor full right from the beginning of the evening ?
Or is a more laid back approach more your style for your event?
Ask the entertainment for a consultation a month or so before the evening and go
over your song preferences with them in detail.
Ask them if they have a list of their set list or music collection and if they
would object if you highlight a few tracks that you would like them to play
during the evening.
A professional will take note of which songs you want to hear as well as which
songs you don't want to hear.
And make sure that your band or DJ knows the key moments throughout the function
so that he can keep up with what you have planned..
Usually your Band or DJ will be working for approximately 3 hours and each song
is 4 minutes long - that is a total of 45 songs .
Whilst you will want your special songs to be played, you should be able to rely
on the DJ or musicians to determine the best musical taste to get people on the
dance floor.
They will know songs that have worked at events in the past.
An experienced entertainer will know when to play which kind of music.
They should take note when your guests arrive of what type of music suits the
crowd.
Does the DJ or Band Leader perform emcee duties?
If you want the DJ or musician to make announcements, and act as an emcee during
the evening , be sure to check that they are comfortable doing this.
Some people will charge you extra for this, and some simply don't do it.
For a function you need to choose someone who has a fun personality and a
professional delivery for announcements.
Ensure your entertainers knows the dress code
Always ask about how they intend to dress on the day of your event.
Your Band or DJ should always dress in a manner that is appropriate for the
occasion. Whilst this does not mean that he must wear a penguin suit , you do
not want the other extreme of him turning up in shorts and thongs!
Essentially they are a service provider on the day, so should always be neatly
dressed.
If you are having a themed evening make sure you have informed your DJ or band
so that they can fit in as best they can .
Ask the Band or DJ about public liability insurance
It is also really important that you check that your DJ or band has public
liability insurance.
If one of your guests trips over a cable that the hired help has not taped down
to the floor or if a speaker falls on top of a guest then it will be the DJ or
band they look to for compensation. Ask to see a copy of their insurance cover.
Does your DJ / band own quality audio equipment?
A professional band or DJ will generally have spent over $10,000 on their
equipment .
Proper equipment will give good sound quality that will not be disturbing for
your guests.
There is nothing worse than being seated next to a speaker at a function that is
producing poor sound quality.
Will your DJ / band be using a wireless microphone?
Wireless microphones work well at events and allow the emcee to roam the dance
floor without tripping over a chord.
Sometimes musicians prefer sticking with a chord microphone because they are
more likely to get interference from a wireless microphone.
If you have a preference discuss this with your DJ or band beforehand.
Has the DJ / musician worked at the venue before?
Do ask your DJ / musician whether they have performed at your choice of function
venue before.
Although this is not essential, the more familiar they are with the layout and
staff at your chosen venue the better.
If they have not played there before, it is best to meet your DJ / band at the
venue so that you can discuss the specifics of setting up the DJ table or stage,
dance floor location and speaker positions.
Who pays for your entertainers food?
Feeding the band or DJ is often overlooked but it is necessary if they are there
for long periods of time.
They are providing a service for you, so you should definitely feed and water
them during the course of the evening- you don't want them passing out halfway
through the evening.
You should arrange to provide the artist with a smaller meal that is quite
inexpensive, you can pre-arrange this with your catering manager and confirm
this with the artist. Alternatively, if you have a buffet in the evening you can
let the band or DJ know that they are welcome to help themselves.
Will your DJ or band provide a lighting system?
Most bands and DJs will be able to offer a decent sized lighting system
Typically most DJs and bands offer a basic lighting system within their fee but
if it is within your budget you could pay extra and upgrade.
Usually they will have plenty of options to tell you about.
Know what you really want in terms of music before you
begin looking for a band or DJ
If you are thinking of classic Big Band music, be up front about this the first
time you talk to the band or DJ.
People who specialize in rock and pop music may be great, but the play list will
be limited when it comes to what you want, and you'll be disappointed.
Ensure your entertainers music is up to date
Make sure that your DJ or band has a wide range of music including the most
recent chart songs.
Do provide Them with a list of specific songs which you want to be played at
your function so that they can source them out prior to the event, if they do
not have them in their current music collection or repertoire.
Ask about emergency arrangements
It is any DJ or bands worst nightmare that the sound system fails during a
performance.
It is really important that you ask them beforehand if they have any backup
equipment available for use in case there is a problem during your event.
Although it doesn't happen often, equipment can fail, and if it happens on the
night of your reception and it is the only set your DJ or band has, you may find
yourself faced with a night without music, unless the venue has piped music
available (in-house system).
Also, discuss what alternative arrangements will be made in the event that the
entertainment you hire is sick, or unavailable for your event.
Will they provide back-up that is suitable for the occasion?
References
Anyone who consistently pleases their clients should be happy to provide you
with contact details so that you can obtain recommendations from other satisfied
customers.
They should be recent, not five years old!
Additionally, if they have a website you should take a look at it to see whether
it contains any testimonials.
You want to be sure that they have a good reputation for overall conduct,
punctuality and ability to work alongside other service providers.
In an industry where any unqualified person can easily enter the profession, you
need to do research to ensure that you hire someone that will provide you with a
top quality service.
Ask Recent function holders for music recommendations . Do make sure that if a
friend recommends a DJ to you that you check that you and your friend's music
tastes and expectations of an entertainer are similar.
Another idea is to ask the band, musician or DJ if they can show you an example
of their work such as a video clip taken at another function where they have
performed.
Most performers these days will be able to provide you with an example of their
performance.
You must ask the artist(s) how much experience they have had.
These kind of questions will enable you
to determine whether they are the right person to perform at your event.
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