Choosing the Right Band for the Right Event with Freak Music

Hello my little beams of sunshine! There's only 39 sleeps until Santa visits (I know, we nearly just fell off our chair too). Our Christmas Experts are busy little bees decking the halls with boughs of joy and we can't wait to share all our magical Christmas secrets with you over the next few weeks! In the meantime, we have a very special treat for you sunshines...we would like to welcome our guest blogger from Freak Music who has some top tips for you on how to choose the right band for the right event. We're going to sit back, grab ourselves a hot choc and take a read (we recommend marshmellows too) - enjoy my lovelies!

Whether you’re hosting a corporate event, a charity dinner, or just a party for old friends, having entertainment that helps to set the mood of the occasion is always worthwhile. Entertainment can of course cover a wide range of options, from comedians to magicians as well as live music acts or a DJ. What you choose for your event will depend on the atmosphere you’re looking to create, and in some cases you may even opt for several entertainment options.

Our focus here is going to turn to live music, and the considerations you might make when planning your event.

How Will Your Event Work?

There’s clearly a difference between holding a flat out party and say, an awards evening. What you need to think about is how you want to use a band in the context of your event.

Using the same example, if you’re hosting an awards evening then you might need to book a band that can play short interludes, and you will probably be looking at a jazz or string quartet. On the other hand, when you’re hosting a party you can pretty much go with whatever you want, but need to consider how a band will work within your party venue, and whether you want a specific set list or have different elements to your party.

That should give you a good idea of where to start when planning a band for an event. When it comes to choosing the right band for the right event, here’s an outline that may point you in the right direction for specific occasions.

Awards Evenings

Beyond a jazz or string quartet, having something different lined up for the end of the evening when it’s ‘party time’ is often worthwhile. You don’t need to go too crazy either, folk or ceilidh bands are often popular and ensure an enjoyable time for all.

Corporate Events and Dinners

If you’ve ever eaten at a Pizza Express restaurant that hosts live musicians throughout the week – or experienced the Pizza Express jazz club in London – then it’s easy to understand how music can be paired with the eating experience. Jazz or blues piano often works well at corporate events and at dinners, while if your company doesn’t take itself too seriously over the top cabaret acts or even singing waiters always go down a storm with audiences.

Post Team Building Events

Team building events and away days are growing in popularity all the time. While many attendees will just drift off to the pub – especially during residential team building excursions – you can bring your team building to a deliberate yet fun end by putting on an event and some entertainment for everyone to enjoy together.

What you choose here is very much dependent on the type of event you’ve held. Often doing something the opposite of what happened during the day works well as it sets a different mood and helps people to relax. After a high octane day even the best rock band can be deflating if there’s no energy left in the room.

Weddings

Another case where “it’s up to you,” but our golden rule here is a simple one:

Choose a wedding band to fit the theme of your day and your venue; a vintage themed wedding and a heavy metal band doesn’t make a good combination!

Choosing the Right Band for the Right Event

When it comes to music we are of course all driven by personal preference. When it comes to planning musical entertainment for an event of any type, it is down to you to ensure you get the band to fit the scene you are hoping to create.

Get in touch to tell us about your experiences with live musicians at events you have been to or planned – both good and band – or share your recommendations for superb event entertainment!

This blog was produced in collaboration with Freak Music, where you can check out a huge range of bands for weddings, corporate events, or other occasions, before guaranteeing your booking direct through their website.