Category Archives: Bands

Getting the right entertainment

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So, you have been planning your private party for ages and now the moment has come… the big day is now in sight! Of course, you already have an idea about your venue type, colour scheme, decoration and considered the entertainment

Ensuring you have the right event entertainment can be the difference between a ‘good’ party and an unforgettable one! It’s important to keep your guests entertained throughout and it’s important you get it right… including picking the right venue to suit your plans.

Whichever entertainment you decide on, you need to make sure your venue can accommodate. Whether you have ideas on a party band, or dance troupe you need to ensure the venue suits the entertainment.

We have come up with several foolproof tips to help you make the right venue decision to compliment your entertainment plans. From picking the right sized venue to ensuring you have the correct facilities to work with, we can make your planning a little bit easier.

Space

Ceilidh bands are always a great form of entertainment as they can work as a brilliant ice breaker and really help to get your guests on their feet and dancing. If you have a Ceilidh band in mind, you need to ensure not only that there is enough space for the band to perform,but plenty of space for your guests to get up and dance. If you were planning to have a dance performance, space is crucial and you need to ensure there is enough room for the performers and the spectators.

Other forms of entertainment such as closeup magicians or caricaturists only need space to move freely around tables, whereas more exotic forms of entertainment such as a fire dancer will need a large area for safety reasons.

Stage
Some venues will have a stage or something similar, such as a raised part of the room. These are quite useful particularly if you want musicians or entertainment acts to be seen clearly by your guests.

The size of the stage is also important. If you planned on having a dance troop come and perform, you need to make sure the stage will be large enough to accommodate their routine and numbers.

Accessibility
Checking that your venue is accessible can sometimes be the make or break for your choice. It’s important your venue can be accessed by all. If you’re having a twelve-piece band but your venue is on the top floor of a building with no lift, it’s certainly not ideal for a band to carry all their instruments up. You need to make sure that any equipment or props your entertainment may need can be easily transported to your venue.

Acoustics
Checking the acoustics of the venue before you book is also important, particularly if your entertainment plans involve music. Also take note of the different materials around the venue- if you are planning to have a marquee, remember that material absorbs sound.
If you have no idea about acoustics, check with your entertainment what sort of room or material would be suitable. You should always ask your venue as well.

Curfew?
When viewing your venue option, ask if there is a curfew for loud music or entertainment. You’ll find that quite a lot of venues have this in place, particularly hotels with other guests. If the curfew is ten o’clock and you always imagined you’d be partying through the night, perhaps find another venue that will be able to accommodate late celebrations.

We hope you take this advice on board when you are in the first stages of picking your venue. Remember, if you are completely set on a form of entertainment, you need to make sure it’s doable before you finalise your venue! If you’re still looking for ideas for your event, we have plenty to browse through on Red Masque.

Music entertainment to book

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Life and Soul

The great sound of Motown and Soul are always a crowd pleaser – be it young or old you cannot fail not to love the old Motown grooves that will definitely have Auntie Eileen dancing the night away!!

If you are planning to have a party and think that having a ‘soul night’ is something for you then Life and Soul would be perfect for a night to remember. Red Masque has some of the best Motown and Soul entertainers like Life and Soul and are guaranteed to always be professional.

A themed night wouldn’t be complete without that era’s music so think about the finer details, for example you wouldn’t want your guests dressed up in 70’s gear and then have up-to-date music playing, get them in the mood to have some fun and remember the nostalgia of the 60’s, 70’s or 80’s!

Undercover Superstars…

Good singing surprise acts always has a great appreciation from guests – but music comedy acts can be even funnier especially when you’re not expecting it to be funny.

If you want a comedy evening with a difference then why not book a Undercover Superstars that will be a talking point for a long time to come.

They work together with you to hide professional vocalists ‘undercover’ at your event as waiters, chefs, bar staff…even guests! We’ve also arranged firemen and other emergency services, army officers, rather random country walkers, terrible-at-public-speaking seminar hosts, and all sorts of other wonderful characters. At the given moment, after having fooled everyone at the event into believing they are working at the party, they shock everyone and burst into song!

Undercover superstars is one such act that you definitely should hire. You could be having a private party, product launch, corporate party or any event that would benefit in such an act.

Soprano Bella

Opera singers are very moving even if you didn’t understand the language you can guarantee that is would get the hairs on the back of your neck to stand up. These trained singers are very talented and breath-taking.

Soprano Bella is able to bring the best of both worlds to your event, from Abba to Opera they will please all ears. Soprano Bella are specialists in providing the most fantastic and original entertainment for an important function.

You may be organising a theatre production and want an Opera performer, a funeral where you want your favourite piece of music to be sung for your loved one.

Funky City Party Band

If you’re ever organising a party then a party band is a must – the live ensemble of instruments being played is quite unique and sounds fantastic. Party bands are able to play all genres of music that will guarantee to get your guests on the dance floor.

Funk City are a 100% live band and there are no backing tracks involved. They have performed as venues all over the UK and for every type of event and the live music they perform is suitable for any age group for 8 to 80.

There are many types of music entertainment to hire, you will see a vast array of professional and highly acclaimed artists on our directory. We are sure you will find the perfect artist to suit your event.

Cheesy Party themes

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What’s Cheese? Well, it can mean totally different things to different people, but here are a few cheesy songs we’ve come up with.

Top 10 Requested Cheesy Tunes

MC Hammer – U Can’t Touch This
Dancer-cum-rapper Stanley Burrell (aka MC Hammer) is as famous for his harem pants as he is for his music! U Can’t Touch This is a must-play classic in any 80s set, loved by the boys as well as the girls. The song featured Rick James’ Superfreak riff.

Aqua – Barbie Girl
Popular late 90s / early 2000s pop band Aqua are best remembered for their global hit Barbie Girl, popular with the younger age groups even today. Follow-up number one singles Doctor Jones and Turn Back Time helped them become the best-selling Danish band in history.

Chesney Hawkes – The One and Only
Chesney’s 1991 hit single The One and Only still results in a rousing anthemic sing-along today, if carefully judged and played amongst the right tracks for the specific audience. Although he did have a few minor chart successes, Chesney was a bit of a one-hit-wonder.

Dexys Midnight Runners – Come on Eileen
A British pop group with soul influences, Dexys are best remembered for their hits Geno and Come On Eileen which has become a “love-it-or-hate-it” yardstick defining the “Cheese” category! Jackie Wilson Said was another popular early 80s track by the group.

Abba- Dancing Queen
Possibly the most commercially successful act in the history of pop music, Abba have several “Cheese” tracks in their catalogue … arguably the most requested being 1976s Dancing Queen which can be heard at private parties across the land every weekend!

Rocky Horror Show – Time Warp
One of any cheese-fest’s top action dances, Time Warp is taken from the 1973 rock musical Rocky to this song and are first on the floor when the opening bars are played!

Village People – YMCA
This costumed disco group formed in 1977, quickly scoring a number of disco and dance hits many of which have action sequences, including party favourites YMCA, Macho Man, In The Navy and Go West. They tour even today and are a popular addition to any festival line-up!

The Weather Girls – It’s Raining Men
Now comprising two daughters of one of the original band members, The Weather Girls tour today, singing early 80s hits including the dancefloor-polarising It’s Raining Men. Always a big hit with the ladies at any family party, this cheesy classic works well with any 80s set.

Whigfield – Saturday Night
The summer hit of 1994, Danish-born Whigfield’s Saturday Night is still a popular dance floor filler, with its easy-to-learn routine popular with ladies of all ages. Cue the blokes heading off to the bar!

Mud – Tiger Feet
The UK’s best-selling single of 1974, Mud’s Tiger Feet goes down a storm with party guests – perfect to follow a few jive classics, a twist, or in amongst a selection of 70s glam rock classics. Mud went on to have several minor hits throughout the 1970s.

Anniversary Party Planning

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Live Music For Your Anniversary Party
With music being one of the most important aspects of any party you might think about a themed band or DJ to play music from the era of your wedding. For example why not book a swing band or jazz quartet for your 50th or 60th wedding anniversary party or a traditional rock and roll band for all you 1960’s or 70’s newlyweds.

Many of our tribute bands for hire will perform in costume which can lead to even greater amusement if you make it compulsory that all your guests must dress up in gear that was trendy in the year you were married, especially if any of them still have original items of clothing from those days!

Maybe you were married abroad, be it Ireland, the Caribbean or Greece so why not provide a band who will perform music traditional to that country; a Ceilidh band to get everyone jigging, or a top class steel band to re-invoke the sound of the sea and the swaying palms you enjoyed on your caribbean wedding day.

A Night To Remember
If you’re asking guests to wear fancy dress then your room should be decorated in a similar theme. Use high quality party suppliers. From balloon displays to historical memorabilia, unusual cocktail ideas to table decorations or fireworks.

For a personal treat you should ask all your friends to bring photos, anecdotes and tall tales about your years as a married couple. You can later compile these into an album to look back on a savour for years to come.

What Makes A Great Party?

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Ask most of your guests and they’ll say they had a great time if they were up dancing all night to the music they love. But how do you know what music they’ll love? Surely everyone has varied tastes?

When guests decide to get on the dance floor at a party, there’s a certain process involved of losing their inhibitions as they escape into the exciting world of music & lights. Memories and emotions can be ignited by the DJ’s choice of music and songs, often taking people back to their youth. What a great journey this can turn out to be if the DJ perfectly judges all the right tunes to play for your guests.

A good DJ can read the crowd to ensure a full dance floor

A good DJ should have a passion for all genres of music so that he can predict the response of people in the room when he plays certain classic songs from his collection. It is important for a DJ to read his crowd and he should instinctively know what kind of music will get people dancing.

If you are providing a DJ with a playlist, it is advisable to allow the DJ some discretion to choose which tracks to play from your list and at what time to play them.

It can be quite a challenge for a DJ to get guests dancing, especially early on at a wedding where many of the guests might not know each other. Sometimes interaction over the microphone is required to help people feel more relaxed, and occasionally a little encouragement can be given to help create that essential party spirit.

There are a variety of different techniques which can be used and this is where DJ’s have varying styles and approaches. Some people like a DJ to be vocally interactive with their audience, whereas others prefer the more modern approach of minimal talking with the focus mainly on good music and taking requests.

When to book a DJ
If you leave booking a DJ for a party to the last minute then it is likely that you’ll end up with a less experienced DJ. The best and therefore most popular DJs get booked well in advance. If your event is on a Friday or Saturday night you should look to secure your DJ around one year in advance.

Get down and boogie!

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When it comes to dancefloor classics you just have to have Motown on your playlist as a party wouldn’t be a party without some soul!!

These types of bands play music that is like the soundtrack of your life; up beat at one moment, soulful and heartfelt at another, but always delivered with style!

Rhythm and blues (R&B or RnB) originated from adding a strong beat to jazz and adding lyrics about life, love and freedom. Now it’s a genre of soul music that stretches from funk to ska, to hip hop, and encompasses artists as diverse as Michael Jackson, Stevie Wonder, Whitney Houston, Elvis, The Rolling Stones, Tina Turner, and Mariah Carey.

Soul music is the love child of rhythm and blues and jazz, with American gospel as an auntie. Born in the late 1950s, soul music combines irresistible rhythms and powerful, heartfelt vocals that have defined pop music and funk alike. Think Little Richard, James Brown, Sam Cooke, Jackie Wilson. Otis Redding and the queen of soul, Aretha Franklin.

Motown is a type of soul music named after the Motown record label, based in Detroit USA. The Motown sound fused soul and fledgling pop into a string of massive pop hits that have filled dance floors and discos alike ever since. You’ll know the sound when you hear it and you’ll certainly know the Motown artists: Smokey Robinson and The Miracles, Diana Ross and The Supremes, the Four Tops, Gladys Knight & the Pips, the Jackson 5 and Stevie Wonder.

These types of bands play music that is like the soundtrack of your life; up beat at one moment, soulful and heartfelt at another, but always delivered with style!

Soul, R&B and Soul can be in all sizes, from stunning solo vocalists to full-on soul party bands and everything in between. So, how can you tell the soulful stars from the R&B also-rans?

Wide range of repertoire Look for artists with a wide range of music in their playlist. The range and choice might sound a bit odd at first, as many mix modern and classic tracks in their sets. Actually, that’s a sign of great musicianship and will ensure every one of your guests has something they’ll
know and love in each set – and want to dance to.

As you might have gathered by now, the space required depends largely on the type of band your booking to hire. Since these acts specialise in providing a visual show as well as superb dance music, chances are they’ll need a larger space than comparative bands in other genres, such as jazz. What’s more, the more players and equipment they bring, the more space they will require both onstage and off. Also, don’t assume just because you booked a soloist they will come with just a small speaker and microphone. Chances are they will come with some very high-tech sound equipment for their backing tracks, to make sure they sound at their very best.

Swing and Jive

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Why not hire some great entertainment for your corporate event or private party, for the best music, Swing and Jive performers make for the best entertainment..

Most swing and jive performers have a deep-rooted affection for the music they perform and it shows in every moment of their performance. Many have a signature style of performance too, whether it’s pared-back skiffle versions of classic tracks or retro-arrangements of contemporary pop anthems.

Nearly all swing and jive bands will have a distinctive look, incorporating vintage fashions, authentic period instruments and some of the coolest haircuts.

One of the key features of swing and jive bands is that their sound is immediate, energetic, almost raw, as opposed to the overproduced sound of carefully-tweaked pop album tracks. It’s this upfront, energetic sound that makes these kinds of bands so great for live events, as guests pick up on the band’s energy and your party suddenly gears up a notch or seven!

What music do swing and jive bands perform?

These bands draw their music from the rich legacy of tracks from the 1930s onwards, including authentic 1940s arrangements, 1950s classic rock n roll, 1960s crooner classics right up to contemporary tracks with a retro twist.

For Jive Bands think:

1940s – up-tempo Glenn Miller Band, Count Basie, The Andrews Sisters, Cab Calloway
1950s – Bill Haley, Elvis, Frank Sinatra, Chuck Berry, Jerry Lee Lewis
1960s – Nina Simone, The Rat Pack, Aretha Franklin

A party that caters for all

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When it comes to organising a Christmas party, you want something that caters to all. Some will absolutely love the holiday season whilst a select few would rather it never arrived at all. Ensuring that you cater to every Christmas elf as well as to the Scrooge in your office can be a tricky balancing act but if you hire the best entertainment for Christmas parties, then you shouldn’t go too far wrong. Here are a few choice suggestions across numerous key entertainment genres!

Music Acts
What’s a party without a music? Well, it might be an event but it certainly won’t be a party. With this in mind, you have two options. Booking a function band for a Christmas party is a low-risk option because bands tend to play three sets over the course of your event. Any band worth their salt will be able to play a Christmas set once December arrives, or you could ask them to intersperse the pop and rock classics with an occasional hit from Slade’s back catalogue. Another approach is of course to go with a choir. Christmas carollers are ‘back in vogue’ this year and although you might not want to hear O Come, All Ye Faithful for the umpteenth time, there will undoubtedly be Christmassy renditions of more modern festive hits. Doing the party on a budget? A Christmas DJ is also a hugely entertaining option.

Dance Acts
When one thinks of dance at Christmas, it’s often a Winter Wonderland-inspired ballet, perhaps from Tchaikovsky’s The Nutcracker or Swan Lake. This truly is a beautiful form of entertainment that isn’t too Christmassy for those who’d prefer to stay in during the holiday season! Another stunning idea for booking a Christmas dance is to simply provide Christmas costumes for professional dancers. Whether you’re after Jack Frost or one of Santa’s elves, there are many ideas that could work together to create the ultimate Christmas party! Add in some fake snow and a few festive tunes and you have a Christmas party to remember!

Circus Acts
You might not immediately think of hiring circus entertainment when looking into hiring acts for your Christmas party, but these are fabulous acts to bear in mind. If you’re wanting to turn heads when guests first arrive, there are a whole host of Christmas themed stilt walkers available to hire. Whether you’re wanting a Snow Queen on stilts or even reindeer stilt walkers , there’s sure to be something that will fit in perfectly with the party you’re envisaging. This truly is one of the best pieces of entertainment for Christmas parties that has been extremely popular over the last few years so get in quick!
Ultimately, there are a variety of superb acts that are sure to fit in at your Christmas party so if you’re looking to make it the best ever, then make your choice from the entertainment acts on Red Masque and celebrate Christmas in style!

Marching Bands

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When you’re looking to hire a band for your event, you might rush to find a covers band that are adept at running through the classics from the 1950s right through to the modern day. That’s not a bad option at all, but what if you want something with a bit of gravitas, what if you want to hire a band with a wow factor? Booking a military marching band might just be the answer!

When you book a military marching band, you aren’t just hiring them for the music. You’re hiring them for everything they represent – the history, the smartness of the costumes and the sheer impressiveness of the spectacle. That’s what you’re booking.

A military marching band is a very popular form of entertainment for both parties and events but in the summer, corporate events often look to this unique form of musicianship in order to impress a multitude of guests. From a humble office worker to the CEO, there’s nothing quite like a military marching band to entertain!

When it comes to the music, you’re sure to enjoy a spectacular show. It isn’t just the playing of the instruments that will get you going however, but also the precision drill performance! Military marching bands are high impact entertainment for anybody looking to inject a bit of majesty and wonder to their party with their exceptional choreography.

Next time you look to book a music act for your event, just pause and ponder whether a military marching band is really what you are after. Able to go from a small number of performers right up to huge numbers!

Birthday Party Entertainment!

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How do you plan a Birthday Party that will really make an impression? How do you make it a special event that will stay in people’s memories for all the right reasons?

A Brief History Of Birthdays

The tradition of holding a party to celebrate the anniversary of birth began centuries ago in Europe when it was feared that evil spirits sought out people on their birthdays. To protect them from harm, friends and family would gather around to bring good thoughts and wishes. Giving gifts brought even more good cheer to ward off evil spirits, and candles were placed on cakes to transport the birthday wishes directly to God.

Initially, only royalty was deemed important enough to have a birthday celebration, but the tradition soon spread with the introduction of the children’s party in Germany, the Kinderfeste.

For the trivia buffs amongst you; the lyrically astounding ‘Happy Birthday to You’ song was written in 1839 by sisters Mildred and Patty Smith Hill!!

Birthday Party Ideas

Birthday party fancy dress themes work really well, such as James Bond, Hawaiian, Phantom of the Opera, The Godfather, Alice in Wonderland, Hollywood Oscars Night or Wild West Theme.

It’s good to ensure there are plenty of attractions to keep guests talking and mingling so you could also consider casino tables which can tie in nicely with a James Bond theme, for example, and create a space for guests to meet, mix and break the ice. You could also hire some mix and mingle acts who will work the floor & get people talking.

For a rocking party, you could book a party band to play songs fitting to that theme or just a general rock and pop, ratpack / swing, soul or jive band to keep your guests dancing all evening long.