Friday, August 27, 2010

Bands To Hire: Saving Your Event

By Abi Swinton

Everyone wants to make their event special and memorable. Whether it's your wedding day or a reunion, you want people to be talking about it, in a good way, a week later. Rather than getting a couple extra sweets for the spread, why not find live bands to hire? Not only will it add to the general atmosphere, but it will get people tapping their foot and out of their seats. You might even get a standing ovation as the host or hostess.

How do you make this a reality? First you must assess the event for which you need music; there are few things worse than background music that doesn't fit the mood. If you need music for a wedding reception, consult with both the bride and the groom for their preference. Also get an idea of the guest list and general feel of the ceremony so you can find music to match. Someone may have to compromise for the good of the event, but there are so many different types of bands that finding one to please everyone shouldn't be difficult. Live music, especially at receptions, will bring to the ambience what recorded music cannot.

If the event is any type of party, reunion or otherwise, try to keep it up-tempo. Anything that has a dragging beat will surely bring the energy of the party down and won't be memorable. There will more than likely be a variety of people attending which makes it difficult to peg the type of music that would be the greatest hit; if that's the case, go with classics. A jazz combo that does standard tunes or a small band that specializes in eighties hits will ignite smiles from the attendants as they recognize song after song. You want them to sing and dance along; think karaoke but live.

If the event is specialized and there's a certain style of music that will make a statement, don't be afraid to stick with what you know. If it's your 30-year class reunion, hire a band that plays hits from the years you're celebrating; bands that inflict nostalgia are the biggest successes. If there's not a specific theme, create one centered around the music you'd like to hear. Parties with themes feel more organized and the music will tie it all together.

How can you find the band you want? First, look in your own community; they won't have to travel far, and you'd be surprised at the number of musicians in any given area who are willing to play their music. Search the internet; certain social websites contain rare musical talents, and they usually put a couple of songs up so you can hear their sound. Go out into the community and see what you can find; bands will do what they can to promote themselves by posting posters and word of mouth. Also stop by any local agencies as some bands, even local ones, have agents; these will give you the details you need.

A while before the actual event takes place, make sure to do some sort of audition so there's no chance of a mistake. Without this step of the process you run the risk of being surprised by something unexpected coming out of the band; the day will be busy enough without an error like this occurring. Also check out the image of the band; tattoos and piercing from head to foot may not be what you'd like to see at a formal wedding. Once you have these details covered, you've found your band.

There are pluses when you hire a professional group. Although typically more pricey, older musicians have more experience to work from. Chances are they've played many different types of events and will therefore have a more put-together sound; this shows in their performance and the audience will notice. Professional musicians also are more flexible with the songs they can play; if you are going to have a lot of different musical tastes, these bands can pick up just about anything that is requested.

Although it's a little more expensive to add live music to a special event, the outcome often exceeds expectations. Given you follow the steps in hiring live music, the party will have exactly the extra something it needs to lighten the mood and create an open and friendly atmosphere. It will be refreshing to hear music as it happens rather than the recordings heard all the time. You could even start a trend among your circle of friends once they see the difference live music makes and what it brings to every special occasion. - 40725

About the Author:

No comments:

Post a Comment