Exceptional Entertainment for Sensational Events
Seven Key Tips on Choosing Live Entertainment for Your Next Event

Planning a special event for your VIP clients or overworked staff? Making plans for a sensational Christmas Party? Already thinking about bringing the New Year in with a bang?

Selecting the right live musical group for your event will make all the difference!
Before scouting around for the right talent, ask yourself two very important questions:

• Why should I choose live entertainment?
• How do I choose the right live entertainment?

Live Entertainment Makes Your Event More Enticing and Memorable
Music is a universal language and is a wonderful gift for the heart and soul. Music will help your guests and delegates relax, release their creativity, socialise and enjoy themselves.

So why not inspire your guests and delegates by taking them on an inspirational musical journey? They are more likely to have a great time and talk about your event if they have been moved by your choice of live entertainment. You can also use music to create the right mood and reinforce the theme and messages of your event.

Choosing the Right Live Entertainment
Selecting the right entertainment need not be a big drama. Here are some key questions you may be asking yourself and corresponding tips to help you select the best live entertainment for your special event.

1. What kind of live entertainment do I want for my event?
2. How do I locate a live band or musician?
3. How do I choose a suitable musical group?
4. Will the musical performance match my expectations?
5. What details need to be organised?
6. How much should I spend to engage professional musicians?
7. When do I need to book the entertainment?

1 - Have a Vision
Imagine the ambience you would like to create at the occasion. The mood will need to suit the style of your event. For example, you may wish to organise a daytime cocktail party, an elegant lunch or an evening party with cocktails, dinner and dancing.

Here are some examples of the types of moods you may want to create;

• sophisticated background music during cocktails,
• beautiful vocals during meal times to inspire and entertain your guests,
• a party atmosphere in the evening to have your guests dance and join in the fun.

If you would like to achieve all of the above, look for a musical group which is flexible enough to deliver cocktails, dinner and dance music. This will be more cost effective than hiring more than one live musical group. Decide whether you would like an instrumental band or male and/or female vocals.

2 – Know Who to Contact to Organise Live Entertainment
There are many different options for booking live entertainment. Understanding these options will give you a head start in your search. Here are a few of them. You can:

• Book directly with the musical group. Make sure you speak with the Band Leader and ask to have a single point of contact throughout the entire planning and implementation stages of the entertainment.
  
  
• Book indirectly through an Entertainment Consultancy. These organisations can be helpful in putting together a complete entertainment package for you and they usually offer a wide variety of musical groups for you to choose from. They do charge a fee for their services.
  
  
• Book indirectly through an Event Management Company. If you are planning on hosting a significant event and would like someone help you plan and organise your event, an Event Management Company is a great solution. They will also be able to recommend entertainment for you. They do charge a fee for their services.
  
  
• Book directly or indirectly via your chosen venue. If you have decided on a venue, ask your venue contact about great entertainers who have performed there in the past. They will either give you the band’s contact details or suggest you book the entertainment as part of the venue’s own event package. In some cases venues are represented by Entertainment Consultants or Entertainment Booking Agents and they may refer you to these organisations.

3 – Select A Musical Group Which Offers Flexibility
Organising an event takes a lot of thought, planning and creative flair. It is realistic to change your mind about the style of your event during planning stages and even at the very last minute. It is therefore important to work with entertainers that can offer you great flexibility regardless of how your event pans out.

Flexibility comes in many forms;

• styles of music wide enough to cater for cocktails, dinner and dancing,
• presentation of the band to suit the theme and style of your event,
• musical styles to suit all age groups,
• line-up of musicians to include a variety of different instruments and vocalists,
• large or small sized musical groups all able to produce a full band sound in case of space restrictions or a limited budget.

If dealing directly with the entertainers, the band may supply it’s own suitable sound equipment. You will need to ensure it caters for the size of your event including the venue and the number of guests. For larger or elaborate events, you should seek the services of an Audio and Visual Company. Band Leaders can refer you to organisations which can organise a total audio and visual solution for you. Alternatively Entertainment Consultants and Event Management organisations can coordinate this for you.

4 – Ask for Proof Of Musical Quality
You need to have the confidence that the band has a history of successful performances. After all, you will be the one complimented at the end of the event if the entertainment is a big success!

Your peace of mind is important. Be confident with the decision you have made by asking for proof of quality. Whether you are booking the band directly or indirectly via an Entertainment Consultancy or Events Company, you should have access to the following material;

• testimonials or a letter of recommendation from previous clients,
• an invitation to see the band perform live. This is the best option as it allows you to judge their professionalism first hand, their musical talents, their stage presence and their appearance as a team,
• a biography with details on the band members and their credentials,
• a song list to enable you to judge whether you will enjoy their repertoire,
• a written price schedule with all costs detailed accurately,
• a demonstration CD,
• a web site with audio samples and photographs of the band,
• details of when the band was created and the number of events at which they have performed.

5 – Be Prepared for a Successful Entertainment Experience
Preparation and organisation is the key to any successful event. This applies to both parties; yourself and the entertainers. If you are booking directly with the musicians, ask to speak to the Band Leader. He/she plays a major role in ensuring the entertainment at your event will be successful. The Band Leader should be prepared to:

• take a pro-active approach and discuss your objectives, the purpose of your function, your audience, your chosen theme and any special requirements you may have,
  
  
• work through a run sheet with you to ensure performance times are maximised during your event,
  
  
• make contact with your Event MC to ensure that the event runs smoothly.
  
  
• make contact with a selected member of staff at the venue to discuss details such as sound acoustics, type of equipment required for the size of the room, access to the function room, set-up and sound check times prior to your guests arriving
  
  
• work on a full time basis whilst your event is taking place to ensure everything is
  running to plans and is meeting your expectations.

The entertainers must be professional in every sense. They must:

• arrive early enough to be set-up and be ready to perform at your specified time,
• be suitably dressed in a manner which suits the occasion of your function,
• be well behaved during their breaks and not take advantage of free flowing alcohol,
• be sensitive to sound volumes and musical tastes of the audience.

6 – Negotiate a Price That’s a Win For Both Parties
In order to negotiate a fee for the entertainment it is important to understand how costs are compiled. Costs vary based upon:

• the quality and experience of the band,
• the number of musicians in the line-up,
• the duration of their engagement,
• whether they will need to hire equipment,
• the location of the venue,
• expensive hotel parking fees,
• whether the band charges GST,
• unusual travel fees such as water taxi’s,
• accommodation where applicable.

If you have a limited budget or space restrictions, find a musical group which can perform with smaller numbers and still produce a rich sound. This is a great compromise as long as the musicians are first class entertainers.

Ask for a written confirmation including the details of what they will be offering you on the day; for example, the number of performers, engagement time, GST charge (if applicable) and their payment terms.

7 – First In Best Dressed – Book the Entertainment Early.
Great musical groups are in demand, therefore you should book the entertainment as early as you can, to ensure you have a better chance of securing the musical group you want for your event.

As soon as you have a date in mind for your event you should begin your search for entertainment. Most entertainers will take a booking based on a secure date for your function. Location will play a part in their quoted fee therefore it would help if you have an idea of the geographical location of your event.

Conclusion
As you can see there is a lot that goes into making an event successful. At the end of the day, you want to work together with professional people who will make you look good and give you peace of mind from the moment you make contact with them.

© Copyright Diane Hirlian 2002

Credits
Written by Diane Hirlian, Diane Hirlian Entertainment

The ‘Diane Hirlian Band’ is a professional Sydney based musical group specialising in first class live entertainment solutions for weddings and corporate events. Diane Hirlian offers a sensational repertoire ideal for cocktails, dinner and dancing including a flexible line- up, ranging from a two-piece to a five-piece band. Musical styles include Jazz, Latin, Soul, Pop and Disco.

For further information please contact Diane Hirlian
Phone: (02) 9488 9890
Mobile: 0409 810 913
Email: music@diane.com.au
Website: www.diane.com.au
ABN: 36 437 515 039