Category Archives: Artists

Keeping it unique on your Wedding day

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They say your wedding day is the most important day of your life. For many brides this is most definitely the case, but the reasons for this may go beyond professing their love for their partner and agreeing to spend the rest of their lives with them.

Brides are a competitive group of people. Many Brides have been planning their wedding day since they were a little girl, long before they find their “Mr Right”. Each bride hopes their day will be better than any other wedding they have been to. They hope it is unique and memorable, and will dream for years in advance about it.
And yet, despite all of this, most wedding days follow the same pattern and structure:

Ceremony > Photographs > Arrivals > Meal > Cutting of Cake > Speeches > Evening Entertainment

For your wedding guests the time gaps between the Ceremony and Meal, and the Meal and Evening Entertainment involves a lot of waiting around. Most Brides who plan wedding entertainment, will not go far beyond the traditional Wedding Band or DJ. This generic wedding structure rarely changes much from wedding to wedding, and guests who have attended many previous weddings can now do it in their sleep!
But if you are to have a truly unique, memorable and wonderful wedding day (That stands out from the rest of your friends), you must look beyond this traditional robotic sequence of events. How about spicing things up a little and taking your experienced guests out of their comfort zones? Need to fill the long, boring gaps in the day? There are lots of wedding entertainment ideas which you probably haven’t considered. The quick guide below gives you some ideas of how to avoid the long gaps and gain the competitive edge!
Cocktail Artist – how about hiring a cocktail artist to make your drinks reception unique? A cocktail artist will be able to create exciting drinks for you and your guests to enjoy and will provide an added touch of glamour to your big day. The artist will be able to interact with your guests and put on a show while mixing the cocktails themed with your wedding

Magician- what about having a magician at your wedding to wow and entertain your guests? The magician could mingle with your guests and keep the kids entertained. They may even be a good idea for an ice-breaker for your speeches.

Balloon artist – maybe thank about having a balloon artist? You may not have considered this as an option but balloon artists can be very creative and entertaining. The artist could be particularly useful for keeping the kids amused.

Caricature artist- have you considered a caricature artist? They could create an image in under five minutes which will provide a comical souvenir for your guests. You and your new husband could even have an image done for a more light-hearted representation of you on your big day.

Comedian- I know what you’re thinking, a comedian for my wedding, are you serious? But it may not be as crazy as you think. As long as you get the right one and explain that their act must be tasteful, then a comedian could be a great asset to your wedding reception. They could be used to keep guests entertained before their meal or even as an ice-breaker prior to the speeches.

Mini Crazy Golf Course- how about a mini golf course as something different for entertaining your guests? This would be of obvious interest to your younger guests. But the young at heart will also enjoy it, especially after a glass of champagne or two.

Starlight LED Dance floor – how about going beyond the simple, traditional dance floor? A starlight dance floor will make your first dance even more special as well as providing your guests with a great place to enjoy the music.

Photo booth – should you use a photo booth to capture some memories of your guests at your wedding? Whilst you are having your professional photographs taken your guests will be kept entertained by posing for their own photos. These however, will be much more light-hearted and will provide you with some fun memories.

Bouncy Castle – how about hiring a bouncy castle to keep the kids entertained? It can be very difficult to keep the kids entertained at a wedding but a bouncy castle may be a good way to do this. Some bigger kids may even want to join in the fun!

Wedding Fun Casino – how about hiring a casino to add some fun to your wedding as well as a touch of class? The fun casino could be a great ice-breaker for your guests, and create a unique wedding experience. Guests will compete to see who can gain the most chips, with the winner receiving a prize at the end!

Wedding Hypnotist- for something really different at your wedding, why not hire a comedy hypnotist? This could be perfect for the after-dinner segment of your evening and is sure to get your guests laughing as well as creating good interaction.

Wedding Music Ideas

Now that you have got some different wedding entertainment Ideas, you may need some wedding music ideas. You will probably be planning to hire the traditional wedding band for the evening reception, but there are many other options that will enhance your big day.

Maybe you would like some sophisticated music in the background of your Drinks Reception or a Bag Piper to add a traditional touch to your wedding. Let’s take a look at some of the Wedding Music options you may not have considered:
String Quartet- how about hiring a string quartet? A string quartet could be an excellent accompaniment to the religious service, where music can play an essential role. The quartet could also be used for the evening reception, playing background music for the drinks reception, the meal and at any other times where you feel a gap may need to be filled
Jazz / Swing music – a jazz music act could be used during your wedding to maintain a relaxed environment at any stage of the reception. Jazz acts range is sizes but a jazz trio could be perfect for your wedding day.
Wedding DJ – many weddings now include a DJ after the band. As a result many of the better bands are now offering a Band and DJ package. This will ensure the DJ will already have a feel for the audience as well as being able to use the same sound equipment to avoid any delays or gaps
Bag Piper – looking to add a traditional feel to your big day? How about hiring a traditional Scottish bag piper. The bag piper could be used before, during and after the ceremony as well as for entertaining your guests while the photographs are being taken. They can also welcome guests to the wedding reception and to introduce the bride and groom to the reception.

Solo musician- a solo musician could be a great idea, particularly if you are having an intimate wedding. A harpist or a pianist, for example, could be used to create an ambient atmosphere on your big day.
Professional gospel choir – a gospel choir could be perfect for your big day, particularly if you are having a church wedding. Your choir will provide a beautiful sound for your wedding and could perform at any stage of the service.

So there you have it. Your guide to different entertainment ideas worth considering for your wedding day. Every bride wants their day to be the most special wedding they or any of their guests will ever see.

So make sure you do everything to make sure your guests are happy and provide them with entertainment they will love.

The best way to Rock a party…

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Rock Bands are very exciting and will bring that ‘edge’ to your event which you wanted and will definitely get everybody ‘rocking’. Top party bands are able to engage their audience and captivate them with their amazing sounds. Everybody loves to do a bit of ‘air guitar’ on the quiet, so why not hire your very own Rock Band and make your event that extra bit special.

Red Masque have the best Rock Bands for hire in the UK and they are very easy to book. You will find a list of Rock Bands in the music section; once you have chosen your favourite party entertainment you can book there and then using our online booking form and your chosen performers will be in contact with you to discuss dates etc…

All of our acts are hand picked and we follow a very selective process to ensure that our clients always get a first class, professional service and the very best entertainers available. We offer our clients the ultimate in event entertainment with only top, highly talented and unique artists and performers, guaranteeing amazing and memorable experiences every time.

Piano Man

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A professional pianist is second to none. There is no other sound quite like a Grand piano. From classical to contemporary you will be in awe of your pianist and at Red Masque entertainment directory we have the very best pianists for hire in the UK.

If you are looking for a pianist for your wedding, event or launch party and need softly playing music in the background then look no further than the selection of solo pianists available here at Red Masque. If you want to book please look at our available pianists and click on your chosen one. You can call your performer directly or fill out the online booking form found on their profile. You will be directly in contact with your chosen act and as there’s no middle man here at Red Masque, there are no extra hidden costs and fees, ensuring you get the best possible deal available.

If you are having a Wedding and wouldn’t mind the sound of a top pianist playing when you walk down the aisle or as background music at your reception, the pianists for hire on Red Masque party entertainment directory could be just the sound that you have been searching for. The emotional, calming music is guaranteed to complement your event.

 

Music Comedy

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Good comedy acts always have a great appreciation from guests – but musical performers can be even funnier especially when you’re not expecting it to be funny.  Remember Les Dawson who was actually a trained pianist – it was took quite a skill to play the wrong notes to a tune that was familiar.

If you want a comedy evening with a difference then why not book a Music comedy act that will be a talking point for a long time to come. You could be having a private party, product launch, corporate party or any event that would benefit in such an act. It’s a guaranteed crowd pleaser and will make even the dullest party come to life.

Booking is very simple, just find the performer that you like to hire and fill out a booking form along-side. Your chosen comedy act will be in contact with you to arrange your specific requirements soon after. From singing waiters to musical comedy shows, we have them all here at Red Masque.

Jugglers aren’t boring

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Chris Marley
A brand new act, Chris is a highly trained expert juggler and loves sharing and discovering new ideas. Many of which are connected by his interest in Yo-Yo, juggling, circus, skeptical thinking and performance.

He has set a few records juggling (yet to be beaten). Arron performs in lots of different shows all over the place, suitable for different party venues and occasions. Arron is sure to be a crowd pleaser for any occasion.

Jason Maverick
When you think of booking a juggler for your event, you’re probably thinking of something very similar to Jason Maverick. Able to juggle with a whole host of props from juggling balls to cubes you’re sure to be impressed by his ability! Having trained at the National Centre of Circus Arts, you can be safe in the knowledge that you have booked a true master for your event. A gentleman juggler with a contemporary twist, you can’t go wrong with Jason

Crystal Wizard
What do you get if you combine an acrobat with a juggler? As you might expect, the result is the wonderfully named Crystal Wizard, using LED lights and crystals to wow and entertain your guests with a juggling light display. A clever act which will amaze.

Contact jugglers
A little bit different to juggling in the traditional sense of the word, contact jugglers have an incredible ability to make balls apparently levitate in the air. Well, not ‘levitate’ exactly, but making it appears as though a silver ball or two has a weightless quality. Very difficult to describe but just as hard to ever forget, hiring a contact juggler is one of the finest decision an event planner can make if they want an unforgettable experience for their guests!

Professionalism is our game

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It’s never an easy thing to organize an event no matter how small the size. The event may be a wedding reception, concert, corporate event, fundraising and the like. You need to entertain the guests if you really want to make them happy at the event. You can’t do it all alone. You need to engage the services of an entertainment directory such as Red Masque.

You can be sure of proper accountability when you engage a reliable entertainment directory. Red Masque will give you accurate details online regarding the entertainment aspect of the event.
There are reasons for engaging an entertainment directory. In the first place, you may not have time to make the right choice when hiring a band or a DJ. We at Red Masque entertainment agency will have the perfect choice for you on our website. We can link you up with the best bands in town. You are sure to find a reliable DJ that can handle your event.

Often at times, some entertainment agencies offer band and DJ services. They do have artists who specialize in different areas of music. Such an agency can offer DJ and band services at affordable price. They also have MC’s that can make people happy at events. All you need is to get in touch with the right agency like Red Masque that can tailor make your special event.

Professionalism is our game and trusted services when you engage with us. Your guests will be thoroughly satisfied with the acts you have chosen. You don’t need to suffer sleepless night once you have one of Red Masques entertainment acts at your corporate event or private party.

Indeed, there’s a lot to gain when you hire from a reputable entertainment directory. You don’t have to be in a hurry when searching for the very best. Now that you have found us we will guarantee that you will not book from anywhere else. Once you have chosen your entertainment you are able to contact direct. You are able to ask the officials some questions, and get it right first time.

Ventriloquism Museum

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We head over to the USA to take in a curious museum that you certainly won’t see on the streets of London. Dubbed as ‘The World’s Only Museum Dedicated to Ventriloquism’, Vent Haven in Kentucky is certainly a place that you won’t forget in a hurry.

How does one start a museum of ventriloquism? The answer of course is that you have to have a passion for the art and that was the case with William Shakespeare Berger, a businessman from Cincinnati and amateur ventriloquist. Having amassed a vast collection of memorabilia and merchandise related to ventriloquism throughout his life, he eventually set upon the idea of opening a museum in the heart of Fort Mitchell, Kentucky, just five miles from where he initially made his name.

Unfortunately for Shakespeare Berger, he died in the same year that Vent Haven opened – 1973 – but that hasn’t dampened the museum’s success with numerous photographs, posters and other merchandise being donated the premises over the last 45 years. Although these items undoubtedly improve the offering of Vent Haven, the real jewel in the crown is of course the 900+ retired ventriloquist dummies in their possession that have come from more than 20 countries around the world.

To a ventriloquist, Vent Haven is guaranteed to raise a smile but for those who find even one ventriloquist’s dummy a bit creepy, over 900 of them is sure to have them running for the door. Who knows upon which stages these dummies have been used? Or do you look at these specimens and only think of films like Annabelle, a horror movie about a family being terrorised by a vintage doll?

Whichever side on which you sit, one can’t deny that the museum is of great historical importance considering the various types of ventriloquist dummies on display. Although some wouldn’t be out of place on stage today, others are profoundly darker, harking back to a time when racism was commonplace and often ignored by the masses.

Ventriloquists will absolutely love a visit to Vent Haven and the best bit is that they even hold a convention each and every year, which is brilliantly stylised as the Vent Haven ConVENTion. Over 400 ventriloquists turn up to celebrate and we can only imagine the tales they must tell!

Scottish Rap

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When it comes to facts or interesting stories, this is a great one. How do you get taken seriously as a rapper in the music industry? The answer for two young men from Scotland was to pretend to be two American rappers from the West Coast. A brazen move, the lie was soon out of control but it makes for a great story…

Gavin Bain and Billy Boyd had met at college in Dundee and loved rap. They wanted to be the next big thing in the industry but due to their accents were derided by executives as ‘The Rapping Proclaimers’. Despite the fact their demos were good enough to earn them record company meetings, within 20 seconds of performing their first track live they were laughed at because ‘real’ rappers did not come from Scotland.

Heartbroken but undeterred, Bain and Boyd decided to fix their image and have another go. Within just a few weeks they were now going as Silibil N’ Brains (Boyd and Bain), two obnoxious rappers from Huntington Beach in California, who had met over a rap battle contest in San Francisco. Playing up their invented personas, the two men became monstrous, obscene and egotistical, which the industry absolutely loved, seeing them a new version of The Beastie Boys or memorably describing them as ‘”Two Eminems”.

They were quickly signed up by Jonathan Shalit, the man who had discovered Charlotte Church. From there they were signed to a record deal with Sony who negotiated for them to appear on channels like MTV, got them attending the BRIT Awards and had them supporting Eminem’s rap super group D12 on tour. The only problem with the plan was that Bain and Boyd had to keep up their act almost 24/7, lying to fans, fellow musicians and all of the business people they came into contact with.

Silibil N’ Brains managed to keep going for three years, a few times almost coming unstuck in their lie, most notably being when they saw Proof and the rest of D12 for the first time. Having previously bragged that they were friends of the rapper, and with all eyes on them, they went straight in for a hug when they saw him, explaining how great it was to see him again. Suitably confused and not wanting to be rude, Proof went along with everything because hey, maybe he had met them before?

As with any lie, the longer it went on the harder it was for the duo to maintain their deception. They absolutely hated the characters they had created, even if some in the industry thought they were the next big thing, and the understandable stress of being someone you aren’t each and every day began to take its toll. Incredibly even Bain’s Texan girlfriend never suspected a thing.

When Sony’s merger and subsequent job losses left them strung out to dry – with their first single being delayed by six months – Boyd decided to call it a day and return to his wife in Scotland, where he was expecting a child. Bain continued for a little while but also finally called it a day, revealing the hoax. That wasn’t the last of the rappers however; they reunited for The Great Hip Hop Hoax, a documentary of their story in 2013, and released an EP to celebrate the film titled Dirty Rotten Scoundrels.

Blue Jokes

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As anybody who likes comedy will tell you, you’re in for an interesting night when the comedian starts doing their ‘blue’ material. A blue joke is referred to when the comedian says something a little risqué or dirty, but where does the term come from?

So far as we can tell, the term originated in the 20th century, so it hasn’t been on people’s lips for too long. As with so much of entertainment, we can be justly proud that the phrase originated in the UK, primarily under the performances of Max Miller, a comedian that was widely known as ‘The Cheeky Chappie’ and revered by many to be the greatest stand-up comedian of his generation.

Brighton born and bred, Miller made films, toured music halls and sang and recorded his own original comic songs. Known for his charm and flamboyance, he was often in trouble with the censors of the time for his controversial risqué material, which is where the blue joke comes from!
The laws on censorship were strict during the years that Miller was performing; he was hugely famous in the 30s and 40s and died in 1963, so his material could only be approved by the Lord Chamberlain in London and local watch committees in other parts of the UK. However, if he left out the last work in a naughty rhyme or used innuendo, he could get away with much more saucy material than he otherwise would have been allowed.

Impressively, he proudly announced during his career that he had never once told a dirty joke onstage, presumably believing that if you leave out the last word, it’s all in your head (in fact he’d often say “I know exactly what you are saying to yourself, you’re wrong, I know what you’re saying. You wicked lot. You’re the sort of people that get me a bad name!”

So where does the ‘blue’ joke phrase come from? In one of Miller’s acts, he’d take out a white book and a blue book, asking the audience to pick which one he should use for jokes that evening. The white was full of pure jokes with an innocence to them. Conversely, the blue jokes were full of risqué material. As one might expect, they most often voted for the blue material.

Black History Events

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Why not hold an authentic event which celebrates Black culture, and add a few artists and party suppliers?

Poets.
Poets: take social, political, emotional, and historical issues and form them into powerful poetry. You can speak with them ahead of time to see if they have material that fits the message you’d like to convey, and some may even be able to create new material for your students. These speakers would probably work better with older students, such as junior high or high schoolers, since the performances can be intense or contain complex symbolism.

Tribute Artists
There’s no doubt that history is filled with amazing musicians and singers from the last several decades, so why not highlight them during your event? Hire a tribute artist for your students and let them experience some “new” music! In the days where iTunes rule, a tribute performance can bring the past to life for them. Shake up the usual routine with a tribute to the “Velvet Voice of Our Time” Nat King Cole, the king of soul Ray Charles, or the power of Diana Ross. Your students will definitely find inspiration in the legacy that these artists have left behind.

African Music and Dance/Carnival
If you’re looking for something that’s more captivating and engaging, try including an African Music or Dance group in your school assembly. Many traditional African musicians use drums and/or koras (a 21-stringed instrument made from a large gourd) to create beautiful and fascinating music. Some groups enhance the experience with griots, which are West Africans musicians, poets, and storytellers.

Storytellers
Professional storytellers have the unique ability to take a subject and weave it into a tale that grabs the audience and doesn’t let go. Most children love hearing stories, and you can add an historical twist with the right storyteller. Bring your event to life with a storyteller that can share about the inspirational lives of Rosa Parks, Martin Luther King, Jr., Frederick Douglass, Harriet Tubman, and more.