When you’re planning a special event or wedding, finding exciting ways to engage and entertain guests can be a little daunting and frustrating. Platforms like Pinterest and WeddingWire.com generate tons of fun ideas like the Wheel of Fun (it’s super creative)! There are also some of our other fellow vendors that offer other forms of entertainment like photo booths and Chinese Fan Dancers. While the opportunities are endless, ideas like these can only keep guests entertained for a limited amount of time (can you take photos in a photobooth for the full four hours of an event? We think not.) Knowing this, it is important to plan to have multiple forms of entertainment during your event.
Music is always the leading option for being the core of the entertainment aspect of a special event. Hiring a DJ or live band will give your event the edge it needs and it allows you to have an experienced professional to help guide your event and even serve as a focal point throughout the night. If you’re trying to decide between hiring a DJ or live musician, the ultimate decision should depend on your personal taste or the format of your event. Make a list and you can use these top three reasons as a guide to why you should choose live music for your event.
Live Music Creates Excitement
If you’ve ever attended a live concert you can probably attest to the fact that live music brings a stunning level of energy and excitement. Finding the right live musicians can take your special event or wedding reception to another level. Your guests will get a chance to experience the music and feel like they are right in the middle of a real concert. If you have a theme for your event, live musicians can tailor the music to your theme. If your guests start off a little shy, live musicians are the masters of getting people comfortable enough to get out on the dance floor and party all night long. Professional musicians and agencies also know how to add a little “pizzazz” to the show by adding extra lights to the dance floor area. At your request, the musicians can also stay in line with your theme by dressing in fun and cohesive attire. Visually, these things add to the excitement of the music and are just a few of the many reasons live music is great for any wedding or special occasion.
It’s Unique
Live music creates a unique experience that is unmatched. People love to listen to music, but it’s a different experience to see and feel live music. Live music can bring life to a song with added dance steps and improvisation. It can also bring people together. At a corporate event or company Christmas party, sometimes the love of music can make a CEO let his hair down, dance, and seem more relatable to his employees. Music can help an organization find a sense of commonality and camaraderie across departments. Live music at a wedding reception can bring different generations of people together. Imagine an aunt and niece both dancing to the latest Bruno Mars tune — it’s a beautiful way for them to connect! Weddings also mean new in-laws and live music can help to bridge gaps between those new family members as well.
Creative flexibility
Live musicians can adapt to the different segments of your event. If you’re hosting a cocktail hour before the main event, live musicians can play soft music that is more appropriate to serve as background music. If you’re planning a wedding and want a live singer to sing a special song, you have a great 2 for 1 option. At Entertainment Exchange, we’ve booked many of our bands for wedding receptions and have offered an “add-on” to have a singer perform at the ceremony. This is often a major cost and time-saver for clients!
There is also a level of creative flexibility in live musicians being able to make songs their own. If you’ve ever heard a musician’s song on iTunes and then attended their live concert, you may hear additional instrumentation or the singer may sing the song a slightly different way. This is always exciting for fans because they may be familiar with the actual song enough to sing along, but there’s also an element of surprise for fans when they don’t know what the artist will do. Hired musicians and cover bands can do the same thing — and sometimes they’re even better than the original artists! That creative flexibility is also a benefit for clients — if the conga line at your event goes on longer than its original 4:30 recording, live musicians can extend the record to keep the party going!
Live music will always be a great entertainment option for special events. Work with an experienced booking agent to assist you with finding the best live music experience. Best of luck!