{"id":1924,"date":"2020-01-30T14:30:13","date_gmt":"2020-01-30T14:30:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/partywizz.com\/blog\/?p=1924"},"modified":"2020-02-12T17:22:10","modified_gmt":"2020-02-12T17:22:10","slug":"booking-a-band","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/partywizz.com\/blog\/general\/booking-a-band\/","title":{"rendered":"Booking a Band For an Event – The Definitive Guide"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Booking a band will liven up any event. Live music creates\nan atmosphere that cannot be rivalled by recorded tracks. It\u2019s engaging,\nentertaining and mesmerising all at the same time. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, finding a good band to book can seem daunting.\nEspecially if you\u2019re starting your research \u201ccold\u201d. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

To help you out, in this article we\u2019ve listed everything there is to know about hiring a band. The advice we give here is relevant for a small family event, a wedding or even a big corporate event. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The golden rule<\/strong> is to start looking for a band as early as possible! A band can only do one performance per day and there is a limited number of bands on the market. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you want to be able to choose, start planning as early as possible. This is obvious advice but it generally gets overlooked. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

1. Hiring a Music Band \u2013 The Basics<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Before you make a list of all the bands in your area, make\nsure you understand\/agree on the basics. This is especially important if you\u2019re\nplanning the event as a team.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s all about understanding your event needs and then\nfinding a band that can meet these criteria.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Who is the audience? <\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Good bands won\u2019t go down well if they\u2019re playing in the\nwrong setting. It\u2019s key that you find a band that suits the tone of your event.\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For example, a wedding will have a very different feel to a corporate event. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Consider who your audience is, why they are there and what atmosphere they will feel the most comfortable in.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

What genre of music do you want?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Rock? Blues? Jazz? Decide what type of music your audience will enjoy the most. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Once you\u2019ve established the atmosphere you want at your event, you should have a  general sense of what your guests will like. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

You can\u2019t make everyone happy, just take an educated guess. Don\u2019t overthink it either. Most professional bands will often play songs from a variety of genres to cater to everyone in the audience. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

As long as the atmosphere is right, the music genre will naturally fit in. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Fun tip:<\/strong> If want to discover new songs you like, check out Gnoosic.com<\/a>. It\u2019s a website that helps you discover songs based on your preferences. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

What type of band do you want?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Bands come in all different shapes and sizes. It also\ndepends on how\nyou classify bands<\/a>. Rather than making an exhaustive list, we\u2019re\ngoing to group them into 3 categories. One option isn\u2019t better than the rest,\nit\u2019s all about what appeals to you and your future guests.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Regular bands<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

When you think of music bands, these are the ones that come to mind. Usually, they have 3 or 4 members usually with a lead singer, such as tribute bands.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Big bands & Orchestra bands <\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

These are bands with a larger number of people. Usually 6 plus. They often play a broader variety of instruments than small bands do. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Solo singer & One-person bands<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

As the name implies, you can book a singer rather than an\nentire band. Most often, the singer will sing over a backing track.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

What is Your Budget For Hiring a Band?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Bands aren\u2019t cheap. You\u2019ll need to plan a budget for it. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

When you book a band, you pay for the performance but you also pay for transport, the set-up and the rehearsal time. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

All else being equal, bigger bands tend to charge more than solo singers as they have higher operating costs. However, the reputation of a band is usually the most important factor in the price. Experts charge more. It\u2019s as simple as that. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

To get started, scope out your area to get an understanding\nof what the price range is. For example, here in Ireland, prices range from \u20ac400\nall the way to \u20ac2000+ for 2 hours of live music. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Most platforms don\u2019t operate with price transparency but you don\u2019t need to find an exact price yet, just an estimate. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you\u2019re based in Ireland, on PartyWizz<\/a> you can see the prices for the different singers and bands directly on their profiles. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Photo by Peter Okwara<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

2. Establish What You Expect of the Band<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Now that you have a general understanding of the type of band you\u2019re looking for, it\u2019s time to clarify what you require of them. Remember, you’re booking a service. It needs to meet your needs. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

How long do you want the band play for? <\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Bands usually play for around 2 hours. However, this is just\na rule of thumb and it depends entirely on the band. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Clearly outline in your event plan, when you want the music\nto start and when you want the music to end. If you have speeches or other stage\nactivities, make sure you fit them in the planning too. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Making this schedule will help you hire a band that meets\nyour event needs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you have special requirements (for example if you want 2\nx 1h sets) it\u2019s worth chatting with the band directly about it. Some can be\nmore flexible than others. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

What service are you looking for? <\/h3>\n\n\n\n

1. Ambient music<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

This is background music for your guests to enjoy without having to actively listen to it. It\u2019s ideal for receptions and other similar types of events.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As a rule of thumb, booking a band for ambient music is cheaper than the other options. See the following section to learn more about the cost of a band. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

2. Ceremony music<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

This is music for a formal ceremony. For example, a wedding\nor a funeral. It\u2019s a very specific type of service which some bands and singers\nspecialise in. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

3. Party & celebration music <\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

This is when the band is hired as the main attraction of the event. It\u2019s a show. For example, bands are often hired to perform after dinner at weddings to get all the guests dancing. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s very different from ambient music. Depending on your venue, you might not be able to speak over it. It\u2019s a great way to get your guests dancing or to liven up the event. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Usually, bands are booked to perform this type of show later on in the evening. However, this is, of course, entirely dependent on your event. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

4. After-hours DJ services<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Once the band finishes their live act, they can be hired to\nact as a DJ for the rest of the evening. This is an add-on service that some\nbands provide as an extra. This means there will be no downtime once they\nfinish their set. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Don\u2019t take this for granted. If you\u2019re interested in this service, make sure it\u2019s something the band can actually do. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Otherwise, you can book a DJ specifically<\/a> for the late hours of the event. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

5. Can the band learn specific songs for your event?<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Many bands will learn a song for your event if requested. But it dependents entirely on the band.  Once again, start planning early! It takes time for a band to practice.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Some bands might charge an extra fee, depending on the amount of work required to learn these new songs. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you have a “popular song” in mind, it’s more than likely that they will already know it. Bands usually have a broad repertoire for that very reason.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Photo by Dan Burton<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

3. Searching For a Band to Hire<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Now you\u2019re ready to start looking for bands. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you\u2019re based in Ireland, you can check out the bands & singers we partner with directly on the platform. We group them in four categories: corporate events, weddings, private parties and family\/kids events. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Otherwise, do a local search and Google will give you a list of options. You\u2019ll need to manually sort them by relevance. It\u2019s time-consuming but as long as you live in a city, this should be easy. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Pro-tip<\/strong>: Add modifiers to your search phrase. For example \u201cBooking a band for a fundraiser in London\u201d as opposed to \u201cBands in London\u201d. Try different variations and keywords. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

If your event is in the middle of nowhere, you\u2019ll need to broaden your search and make sure the bands travel to your area. This information might not be online so you may need to call the bands directly. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Don\u2019t waste time making your list too long. As long as they meet all your criteria, 5 or 6 options should be enough. If possible, sort the list by order of preference. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Before you contact the bands, try to make sure they’re reliable and can deliver the service they promise (see the vetting steps in the following section). This will save you a lot of time! <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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4. Vetting the Quality of a Band<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

When you\u2019re doing your research remember that not all bands are created equal. You need to make sure they have the skills and the equipment required for your event. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

To vet the quality of a band we recommend you take the\nfollowing steps: <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Try to See Them Live<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Ultimately, the best way to vet the quality of the\nentertainment is to see them first hand. This isn\u2019t always possible but if it\nis, don\u2019t miss the opportunity. Keep an eye out for:<\/p>\n\n\n\n