As professional mobile
DJ's, we are often asked to work alongside musicians
and live bands at many events. We have the utmost
respect for these folks, there
really isn't nothing quite like having a live music
band to really create an atmosphere which is
exciting, interesting and building a dynamic impact.
A live band makes people take notice.
We
created this article to let our customers know some
of the areas & feedback we have experienced in the
past with clients who have opted to choose a live
band for their event. There are pros and cons with
any service (as well DJs) but this is simply a
general list to generally ensure you have everything
covered. If you are planning a live wedding band or
a big band then here are some tips....
The pros of hiring
a live band:
Coolness - having a live band well we admit is
quite cool.
They can play live music really well.
They can bring a lot of energy into the room.
They can do medleys and extended jam sessions of
songs.
The cons of hiring
a live band:
Cost: you could be looking to pay around £1000 for a
4 piece band.
They will play your favorite songs "their way", not
the way you remember them.
Their songs and styles of music may be limited.
They need to take breaks throughout the
reception.
They commonly allow "dead air" between songs as they
determine what will be played next.
Many have little experience serving as master of ceremonies, which means that their
announcements are not usually of a professional
caliber.
They typically do not coordinate the reception
events for you.
You'll be feeding at least three or more additional
mouths.
Their prices are usually much higher than what a
professional Disc Jockey would charge.
Dance floor space may
be limited in the venue that you have chosen.
Noise: A respectable
band will use their equipment "friendly"
Space - talk with band
to find out how much space might be needed
To give you an idea of
what you can expect for timings for your reception,
here is a timeline or guideline of events that you
might want to follow if you decide to opt to have a
live band as well as a DJ for your event.
Bands either have 1 or
2 sets during their segment, here is an example of
our last event working alongside a band.
Timetable of events
when using a DJ and Live Band together:
| |
6:00pm |
DJ is all
setup and ready to go, playing light hearted
music for when guests arrive.
|
|
| |
7:00pm
|
Guests start
be arriving as well as settling in |
|
| |
7:30pm
|
Band kicks off
part 1 of their set |
|
| |
8:15pm |
Break (DJ can
play some pop stuff) |
|
| |
8:45pm |
Band kick off
part 2 of their set |
|
| |
9:45pm |
Expectant time
to finish but band will probably allow
15mins more, DJ would normally start playing
some music |
|
| |
10:00pm
|
Band
completely finished by then and are packing
up, DJ plays music relevant to this time in
the evening, dance music |
|
| |
12:00pm |
DJ close
down. |
|
The above is a rough
idea of the timings that you could use for your
event. Of course DJSPACEBAR would work closely with
your band and venue to ensure smooth transitions
between timings and the bands music.
