Opt for a Band or a DJ - why not both?

 

This is a question that has been on many folks minds and it's one we regularly hear, my advice is if you can afford it, go for both! but then we're DJ's so we'd always say that wouldn't we - well there is good cause for us to suggest that if you can squeeze both in your budgets then this will work really well. Let me explain why.

In the years DJSPACEBAR has operated, we've been fortunate enough to work alongside several great bands from beatles tribute bands, celidh bands, abba tribute bands and rock star look-alikes - all have resulted in favorable results. Hiring the two teams (bands & DJ's) to work together and share a single stage will ensure your evening runs as smooth and timely as expected.

The advantages of hiring a DJ working with the band is that you don't have dead air before, in-between or after the band has completed their sets. knowing the fact that the DJ is also very flexible and could supply virtually any song requested makes for an evening that all guests will appreciate. Professional DJ's also tend to act as coordinator and emcees (MC) and keeper of the time line in addition to entertainment duties.

The advantages of hiring a band in addition to a DJ are, bands can take a song and play a live version of that song that helps create great distinctive sounds with their style of music and an exciting atmosphere of hearing live music itself with performing artists.

As mentioned before we've worked alongside many bands before. Depending on the band, they all have 1 or 2 sets during their performance. This is something that you have to find out with your guys.

Here are 2 scenarios we've been in before with having a DJ working alongside a band with 2 sets.

Scenario1: Band with 2 set.
6.00pm: Band and DJ arrive to setup location
7.00pm: DJ ready to play background music until band is ready to start
7.30pm: guests arrive, grab a drink and mingle,
8.30pm: Band starts, introductions from DJ or band member Start of 1st set
9.15pm: Band stops for break/interval, DJ takes over and continues to play background music (remember the crowd have had a boogie so will want to
recharge)
9.45pm: Band starts for 2nd set
10:30pm: Band ends, depending on audience reaction might request one more song...
10:45pm: band completely stops, DJ takes over and ends the night.
12:00: Evening close

Scenario2: Band with 1 set.
6.00pm: Band and DJ arrive to setup location
7.00pm: DJ ready to play background music until band is ready to start
7.30pm: guests arrive, grab a drink and mingle,
8.30pm: Band starts, introductions from DJ or band member, Start of set
9.45pm: Band finishes, depending on audience reaction might request one more song...
10:00pm: Band completely ends, DJ takes over and ends the night.
12:00: Evening close

So what you might want to check first is what would the swing bands times be? Do they have 1 or 2 sets and do they have a rough timetable of their timings and events. It’s also important to understand when your evening buffet comes out too. If it comes out at the wrong time, guests will favor food than dancing and they will need to be fed somewhere in the evening.

We'd also want to make your venue look nice too, so we'd bring some ambient lighting to make your room have a nice warm feeling. The band will have minimal lighting so we have lent our lighting to help build the color atmosphere.

Click here to see what an example of our color wash lighting. You don’t need too much flashy lighting to create a great environment, things can be done subtly http://www.djspacebar.com/Site_Popups/Lighting.htm#Colorwash_-_What_does_that_mean..._

So in your case, we can be clever and mix in certain slideshows at appropriate times during the evening like playing childhood memories before the bands 1st set, during the break when it’s the resting phase (while people are munching on some food) having friends and memories being played and then the final one when the band finishes which will give the band some time to clear up.

The other clever aspect of this is we could be playing all your guests music at parts of the evening, for example, imagine you get 50 or 50 requests coming back from your guests. We could take that list and pick out the ones that would be appropriate to play before the band starts, at the break and the fast music ones to finish the evening off - of course, we have experience in the right music to play but we'd consider your music as the priority.

 

 

 

We only get one chance to impress you! We will not let you down!