On the seventh day of planning, my planners found for me…
It’s day seven of our “12 Days of Planning,” and we are discussing LIVE MUSICIANS! We cannot stress enough how important it can be to hire a DJ or live musician for your event. Music is what helps set the tone for the entire occasion, and the DJ or band you decide to work with can help with just that!
While a DJ or MC is a wonderful option for ANY event, let’s discuss some reasons for opting to go with live musicians for your particular occasion.
- Guest Interaction: When you were younger and attending your very first concert, did you ever get the sense that the artist was singing to you, and only you, while staring deeply into your eyes?…Maybe it was just us, then. Either way, when attending a concert or hiring a live band to play at your event, guest interaction is pretty much essential. As a musician, your main goal is to entertain, and that’s exactly what you will get when hiring these musical experts for your occasion. As entertainers, they know exactly how to gage an audience and keep them immersed in the music.
- Visual Entertainment: Not only do they possess the skills to engage and interact with a crowd, but musicians are also visually entertaining. It doesn’t matter if you are musically inclined or not, live musicians and bands have that magic touch that allows guests to stay captivated in the music, as well as what’s happening on stage.
- Authenticity: Let’s face it, there’s nothing more authentic than hiring a live musician or band to play at your event. How many times have you seen your favorite band or artist play in concert? And each time you saw them, was it the exact same performance you’d seen before? Probably not. As stated above, live musicians and bands know how to gage an audience and are likely to interact differently to each crowd, based on the mood, as well as the type of event. Nevertheless, you’re pretty much guaranteed a high quality, unique, and authentic performance that guests will be raving about for years to come!
Now that we have discussed some reasons as to why you might hire a live band or musician for your event, let’s examine some of the factors to consider when determining what musical entertainment to go with.
- Budget: Knowing how much you are looking to spend on a DJ or live band will aid in finding those vendors who can accommodate you and your budget. As planners, we can assist in helping manage your budget, as well as prioritizing the most important elements of your event.
- Size of the Venue: Knowing the size of your venue will tell you how much space you have to fit a live band or DJ. When looking for musical entertainment, it’s important to consider how much equipment and/or instruments the artists will be bringing, as well as the number of musicians in the group.
- Musical Style: Lastly, when choosing the DJ or live band that is right for you, we suggest examining the type of event and musical style you are going for. Searching for some string players to play at your backyard BBQ? A bluegrass band might be the perfect fit for your event! How about some bells for a staff Christmas party? Maybe a bell choir is just up your alley. No matter what you choose, your event is bound to be exciting!
With all things considered, let’s end on a fun “note.” Get it?
We at Queen City Planners have prepared a list of five unique live musician ideas that you just might consider for your next event.
- Bluegrass Band: How do you know when you’ve found a quality bluegrass band? Well, do they know how to play “Devil Went Down To Georgia?” In all seriousness, if you are looking for an acoustic-style band, specializing in brisk rhythm and some pretty gnarly double stop action, you might just be obliged to hire these guys for your next event!
- Mariachi Band: Tired of the same old, same old that you see and hear at every event you go to?Thinking that if you hear “Uptown Funk” one more time, you might just explode? Boy, do we have a solution for you! If you are looking to spice up your musical selection and add some fun new flare to your event, might we suggest hiring a Mariachi Band? While treating them to the beautiful sounds of Mexico, your guests will likely be swooning over these guys’ extraordinary musical talents.
- Barber Shop Quartet: Ever received a singing telegram from your secret admirer, and a Barbershop Quartet showed up? Boy, do these guys really know how to make someone feel special? And, we guarantee they’ll make your guests feel exceptional, as well. With four angelic voices, this group of musical geniuses can harmonize and carry a tune without any accompaniment, whatsoever. Talk about impressive!
- Harpist: Here’s a unique musical entertainment option for your next event! Whether it’s “Toxic” by Britney Spears, “Despacito” by Luis Fonsi & Justin Bieber, or “The Office” Theme Song, the harp can make ANY song sound heavenly. And, just as it was “love at first sight” for Cupid, guests will fall “head over heels” for this stringed instrument.
- Brass Band: Remember standing in the student section at your high school’s football games and screaming at the top of your lungs when the brass section would step onto the field? If so, you know what was about to go down. What great memories. Well, now you can re-live those memories by hiring a brass band for your unique event! Not only do these musical sensations bring a crowd to its feet, but they’re also expert improvisers who can deliver one powerful punch.
We hope you enjoyed our unique selection of live musician options. While whatever you choose for your special occasion is bound to be a great one, don’t be afraid to step out of your comfort zone and examine other alternatives!
