The Mission
Your boss turns to you and says ‘We need to find a fantastic band to provide the music for our upcoming corporate event… and, I want you to organise this please.’
Yikes…! Big responsibility… where do you start? There are so many bands out there but how do you know which ones would be suitable to hire for a corporate event?! After all, you don’t want to let your colleagues and especially the boss down by hiring a ‘pub’ band that turn up in jeans and t-shirts… and, well, aren’t very good.
Where do you start?
The Solution
Well, panic not! Warble Entertainment have been booking corporate bands for events throughout the UK and Europe for a long time and are here to help. We have provided a little bit of info to help out below with where to start and some things to think about. But, please feel free to contact us directly for any questions or help and advice you may need in picking the right band for your corporate event.
Getting Started
When it comes to finding a corporate band the first thing you will need to ask yourself is what kind of event is it and what kind of guests will be attending? For example, maybe the event is a black-tie event and the age range is varied with everyone from the company in attendance on a scale of 20 to 60 years old. If this is the case you want to lean towards a band with a wide ranging repertoire and who will also look the part. Now wouldn’t be the time to hire a contemporary indie rock covers band who only play music from the last 15-20 years and exclusively wear jeans and t-shirts.
In addition, if the event is specifically themed i.e. a James Bond Ball or a Gatsby Glamour event, it is always a good idea to make the music match. Luckily, there is pretty much a band out there to match any occasion or theme. At Warble we have corporate bands that can provide themes for those already mentioned as well as Disco, Rock n Roll, 80s, The Swinging 60s and Wartime, as well as any other kind of theme you can think of. Plus, we have a wide-range of professional bands that specifically perform Jazz or Soul, Latin or Irish and even Swing music.
It is also worth thinking about how many guests will be in attendance and what the size of the venue is. Quite often, for large corporate events, sound reinforcement is required and the bands will bring in companies to help out with their sound and lighting. This is to ensure that the band will not be too quiet, which can obviously happen if the space is very large.
Once you have looked around and managed to narrow down your choice a little you should examine the bands to see how much experience they have. Have a look and see if they have played for many corporate clients previously and if so do they have testimonials or feedback to back this up? Whilst some bands are still fantastic they may be the kind of band who will only really work well for a wedding or a birthday party and on a corporate platform they may not translate as effectively. So, be sure to examine references and see what kind of bookings the group has had before.
Whilst checking this there’s no harm in finding out if the band has any videos of them performing that you can watch. Being able to do this will help you get a flavour for exactly how they perform live.
Once you have narrowed your search down even further have a think about availability and costs. Obviously, you will need to check that the band is available for your date and will come in at a price that the boss will be happy with. However, try not to base your decision on price alone. It’s sometimes worth paying that extra £50 to ensure you get the ‘right’ band, with the best experience, as this will ensure the best possible event.
Once you have picked a band that are available and come within budget it’s time to get the date secured. The best way to do this is to have a booking contract that outlines all the details of the event. For example, the location, the timings, the start time, finish time etc. this way you will leave very little room for error and anything going wrong.
As part of any contract a band will normally require a few small bits for their rider. This is made up of basic requirements to make sure that they are looked after and can perform to the best of their ability. Normally, the rider will include soft drinks, light refreshments, adequate parking and somewhere to change after they have set-up and soundchecked. Some bands will be require more than others and so always check their rider requirements to ensure you fulfill your end of the contract.
And, whilst it might sound obvious always make sure that the band will have adequate power near their performance are and also enough space for them to actually perform in.
Then, you’re ready to go! Sit back in the interim and then get ready for a party to make your boss proud and earn you that promotion or payrise 😀
Checklist
- What kind of event is it? Is there any theme to the event? Who will be attending and what is their age range?
- How many guests will be attending and what size is the venue?
- How much experience has the band got that you are thinking about hiring?
- Is there a video or showreel that you can see of the band?
- Find out the bands cost and availability.
- Secure the band and ensure that there is a booking contract in place that outlines the event details.
- Be sure to check the bands rider requirements and provide everything they need to enable a straightforward event.
- Make sure that the band has enough power and space to perform in.
A Little Bit About Warble
Warble is a live music and entertainment booking agency that has established a reliable, trustworthy and professional reputation within the entertainment sector. We have previously provided live bands and entertainers for companies such as Amazon, Coca-Cola, Sky, BMW, Barclaycard, American Express, Tesco and many other additional blue-chip companies.
Published by Warble Entertainment
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