Tag Archives: entertainment

The History of the DJ

Posted on by

Whilst everyone knows what a DJ is, few people know the rich history regarding the rise of the DJ over more traditional forms of live music and entertainment. What most readers definitely aren’t aware of is that the history of the DJ goes back to the 1800’s before radio’s were even invented.

The precursor to the DJ was the invention of the phonograph, the first device ever invented to play music. Invented in 1877, it was closely followed by the gramophone records in 1892. Soon after, these records went into commercial production and marked the first time ever the public was able to purchase music.

The tipping point happened in 1906, when the first ever radio transmission was sent. This was not only a defining moment in the world of the DJ, but in human history itself.

1909, however, was the year in which the 1st ever DJ spun a record. Ray Newbie from California is officially recognised as the 1st DJ to ever hit the airwaves (and that is a pretty cool name to have by 1909 standards.) Although just 16 at the time, Ray or “DJ Newbie” used to pump the music, as him and his team kept the music going 7 days a week, with the exception of a bit of downtime during World War I.

It wasn’t until 25 years later, however, that the term DJ or Disc Jockey was ever coined. Prior to then, the guys behind the scenes were called “record men” instead of DJs.

Up until this point, the DJ was in charge of selecting music, not mixing it. What brought the DJ out of the shadows and into the mainstream however was the growth in bars, nightclubs and discotheques, as well as the fact turntables and DJ equipment became cheap enough for average people to afford.

Shortly after, DJs were transformed by the Hip Hop culture by Afrika Baambaata who invented the 5 pillars of hip hop music and culture, of which DJing and turntablism is one. (For those who aren’t aware, the 5 pillars are DJing, rapping, breaking, graffiti and knowledge.)

Today, however, the best DJs are from the electronic music genre, in particular trance music with DJs such as DJ Tiesto, Armin Van Buuren, and Paul Van Dyk.

Wanna your track to be heard by thousands of people? Club Dance Mixes gives you the opportunity to promote your music!

Planning New Year

Posted on by

New year is that time of year when we start to reevaluate our lives, think about what the year has brought us and how we can smash the next with bigger and more exciting adventures. Whether you are having a small New Year party with close family and friends at home or planning a huge blow-out ball Red Masque have entertainment to suit all event shapes and sizes. So, we thought we would put together a list of fabulous acts up grabs for the 31st, that will really make your night shine…

Want to leave your guests begging for more? Busking Bellas are an exceptional, and are completely unplugged and acoustic who can get mingle with your guests on the dance floor by recreating some of your all-time favourite songs with flare, creativity and excellent fluidity.

Caricaturists are a brilliant way to entertain the guests and to salvage some memories from the year. They can work the room quickly and smoothly producing 10-12 full-body caricatures per hour, while you guests are chatting and soaking up with atmosphere. No matter what your event is celebrating, ensure your guests take home a memorable free gift from you. Caricatures for corporate events, weddings and parties. We highly recommend extremely talented artists for guests entertainment,

Get together enough people to fill a dance floor – then book Swing Patrol and we assure you – they will do the rest! The talented team of swing dancers can bring exciting floor shows, fun and friendly dance lessons or just a great group of dancing couples to social dance and add atmosphere to your event.

Calling all Dancing Queens! Abba’s Angels reproduce the original vocals perfectly whilst performing professional choreographed dance routines just like the real ABBA! Featuring some incredibly talented singers and musicians they offer one of the most captivating and authentic tributes to one of the greatest bands of all time.

Christmas party drama

Posted on by

It’s meant to be the highlight of your work calendar, but planning the office Christmas party doesn’t always bring the festive joy it promises. Most of us have had the occasional cringe-worthy moment. That said, it doesn’t have to be a disastrous or embarrassing evening.

Here are some tips to help you have a great corporate or private party Christmas event

The biggest disasters usually happen after one too many Christmas tipples, so it’s a good idea to pace yourself. While the party might have kicked off at 3pm, it’s not mandatory to guzzle beers for the rest of the night. Make the most of the buffet, drink slowly and alternate your alcoholic beverages with a glass of water. You’re less likely to embarrass yourself or wind up with a terrible hangover. It’s win/win.

It’s easy to stick with what you know at the Christmas party and spend the entire night with the same group of friends. So make sure you chat to as many people as possible throughout the evening, and spend time with different colleagues. As well as showing that you’re a real team player, you’ll have a fun night getting to know everyone.

The party is a chance to put on your glad rags and let your hair down, but it’s also a chance to get to know some of the senior staff in your organisation. If you feel like there’s a lot of corporate executives attending or it’s going to be held at a high-end venue, it might be a good opportunity to network. You’ll have a drink and a great time, but you’ll also get the chance to meet new people and get noticed.

It’s easy to be dragged into office dramas when you’ve had a few drinks. But no matter how much fun you’re having, you’re still at work and the usual politics apply. Save the bickering and moaning for your family festivities and keep things light with colleagues.

Getting home after the party can be challenging- especially if you’re strapped for cash. Pre-plan your journey in advance by booking a cab or setting an alarm on your phone for the last train. When the alarm buzzes, make sure you leave in plenty of time to pick up your coat and get to the station.

Exhibitions & Trade Shows

Posted on by

You go to a Trade Show or Exhibition to expose your products and services to as wide an audience as possible, to generate sales and to collect data on potential customers. To be successful at a tradeshow, you need to attract the maximum number of people to your stand rather than your competitors’, and keep them there until your brand has worked its’ magic.

One way to pull people in is to put on some high quality and engaging Trade Show Exhibition entertainment. Red Masque Directory advertise a wide range of options for Trade Show and Exhibition entertainment, appropriate to and supporting your brand and marketing messages.

For example, space is always limited, so the ideal Trade Show and Exhibition entertainment must pull people to your stand without using up all the available space. Hiring close up Magicians are a good, space-efficient draw, and so are solo musicians or singers who can grab the crowd’s attention and engage the audience, keeping them in situ for long enough to absorb your messages.

A Caricaturist is an innovative and engaging entertainment option – drawing caricatures of your potential customers, on media bearing your brand. This is fun for the sitter, who gets to take away a highly personalised branded memento, and fun for the onlookers who can enjoy the spectacle.

Fun Corporate Event Ideas

Posted on by

Rewarding employees with a fun corporate event should be just that – fun! For these types of events, look for something more interesting and creative, a change from the standard “golf outing and dinner” routine. If your event is a company-wide event, then your venue will need to be large enough to accommodate all the employees and their mode of transport, if they are traveling individually. Some fun corporate event ideas include:

Company picnic with food produced from local farms, music, and games. Bring both blankets and chairs for seating.
Plan a trip to a sporting event for an early afternoon game, complete with scarfs, hats and hot dogs.
Wine tasting day out and winemaking demonstration followed by a picnic outdoors on the grounds for a real day away from the office.
A River Boat cruise complete with sightseeing commentary and lunch.
For a small group, a trip into a nearby major city for a live show and dinner.

Whatever the choice, keep the staff in mind when planning event entertainment. If employees consider this outing just “one more work event” they have to attend, you will have missed the mark.
Keep the employee demographics and the office atmosphere in mind when planning a corporate event of this type.

Corporate Event Christmas Songs

Posted on by

When it comes to your works Christmas party, there can be a lot of heated debate over which songs to play. Do you want to play pop hits or simply whack out the Christmas classics from start to finish?

Of course these suggestions may not be in your top 5, but here a list of some very well known songs..

1. Driving Home for Christmas – Chris Rea
Nobody is doubting that it’s a fine Christmas ballad, but top nip into the top 5? Well done Mr. Rea! Perhaps this got extra votes due to its brilliant use in the very festive Gavin & Stacey Christmas special.

2. Last Christmas – Wham!
Wham!’s song managed to make it to number 9 in our poll, though it did take on a bit of a sad note last year when George Michael tragically died on Christmas Day. We’ll continue to listen to the song this Christmas and raise a glass to George in his absence.

3. The Fairytale of New York – The Pogues
The Fairytale of New York is a great tune but does it make you feel optimistic for the future and bring out the party atmosphere? Perhaps not!

4. Santa Claus is Coming to Town – Jackson 5
Many people wrote down only the name of the song and not the band as well. At least one guest might favour Bruce Springsteen’s effort but we’ve decided that the Jackson 5 version is perhaps the most Christmassy.

5. Do They Know It’s Christmas? – Band Aid
If The Fairytale of New York isn’t necessarily a party banger that is sure to fill the dancefloor, surely Do They Know It’s Christmas? isn’t either? Even so, Band Aid’s heartfelt plea to give money to charity is a Christmas staple and has pushed it to number 5 in our chart.

The Chinese Dragon

Posted on by

Just like the Chinese lion dance, the Chinese dragon dance dates back well over a thousand years. Rather than having just two performers, the Chinese dragon dance requires many performers to manipulate the serpentine body of the mythical creature, ideally making the dragon appear quick, powerful and mysterious. Although it may look easy, the dragon dance requires an exceptional level of acrobatic skill and a lot of practice with those involved training for many years in the craft.

Although the Chinese dragon dance is an ancient tradition, you’re far more likely to watch a Chinese lion dance this New Year simply because of the sheer space that a dragon dance requires. Performed by a troupe of circus acrobats who lift the dragon above their heads on poles, movements are carefully coordinated so as to appear seamless, which makes sense when you consider just how long the dragons can be. The shortest are generally 80 feet long, the average length is 100 feet and the world record lists a dragon that spanned 3 whole miles – that’s a lot of acrobats! The Chinese dragon tends to follow a pearl of wisdom – held by one of the performers – which it ‘chases’ through the streets of the procession.

In Chinese culture, odd numbers are associated with good luck and being conducive to success, so you’ll never see a Chinese dragon dance performed with 8, 10 or 12 acrobats! Teams of 9, 11, 13 and 15 performers are the most common and if you’re wondering what the dragon symbolises, it’s similar to the lion; the longer the creature is, the more prosperity and good fortune will be attracted.

A Chinese dragon dance is a rarer sight than a lion but just as entertaining. Some would argue that it is the pinnacle of Chinese New Year entertainment with fireworks which adorn its segmented body throwing off sparks during the dance. Performers in both the Chinese lion dance and Chinese dragon dance are often martial arts students due to the stamina required for a performance, but by no means is it a requirement and anyone wanting to learn can get involved. Be warned though: the training regime is extensive, intensive and exhausting with a highly demanding schedule.

The right entertainment is Key

Posted on by

Entertainment is hugely important in corporate events. Different calibres of individuals are usually invited for corporate meetings and occasions. They deserve to be entertained all through the event. If you’re hosting an important corporate event, you need to plan everything concerning entertainment very well. You need to keep your guests happy and satisfied.

If you don’t want to use an entertainment directory, you can go ahead to hire a band by yourself. You have to create time to locate a reliable band. You need a band that has the best musical instruments. Such a band should also have the best artists. You need a band that has experience in covering different kinds of corporate events. You can be sure of entertaining your guests when you find such a band. Of course Red Masque has done all the hard work for you and you will find excellent artists just waiting to be picked by you.

Again, you can decide to hire a DJ for the corporate event. The DJ will play popular recorded music at the event. You can choose the specific musical pieces that will suit your audience. You must sit down with the DJ to arrange all the songs. You have to avoid playing songs that will not be suited to certain guests.

The first step you can take is to engage a reliable entertainment directory. Such as Red Masque our website will help you organize every aspect of the entertainment required for the event. Our portfolio can help you choose the best music band to entertain your guests. They will save you the headache of making choices by trailing through the internet as we have the best entertainment in one place. They will also save you time since we understand exactly what you need.

It’s important you decide on the best attire for the DJ or the band you’re hiring. Corporate event requires corporate attires. The band or the DJ must appear cute on the very day of the event. They have to entice the audience by their appearance.

Meanwhile, you need a good MC for the corporate events. You can hire a professional MC that renders quality services. You can also engage a DJ that also serves as an MC. This saves you some cash in the process.

Making the right choice

Posted on by

Red Masque will help you filter available options. You can get several options when thinking of hiring party bands, singers, musicians, comedians and other artists. You may be confused especially when you don’t know any of the artists in person. You can save yourself the trouble by ensuring that Red Masque only advertises the very best and whatever choice you make will always be the right one.

We understand exactly what you want. You are able to contact various artists of your choosing and meet if you so wish to choose suitable music or songs for your event.

With a reliable entertainment directory, you can get suitable price for hiring a band. You can also get the right price for other artists you may want to hire.

You can save enough time and energy when you engage a good entertainment directory in most cases, we have taken care of the brain work you would have carried out, and have the best unique and highly acclaimed artists in the business.

To locate us, you have to come online; which is the first step. There are several agencies offering unique services on the internet, but you need to consider some factors when looking for the right agency. You have to compare several agencies before making your choice. You can look on the reviews. Or you can also arrange a private interview with each artist. This will help you make the right choice.

Intimate dinner party acts

Posted on by

Cello

The cello is the perfect sound for a classy dinner private party amongst a few choice guests. It has a sound that many people absolutely adore, its low timbre fitting perfectly with a number of other instruments or in a solo setting.

Violin

The Violin is popular entertainment for private parties and corporate events, no matter intimate or otherwise. Mixing a Cello and a Violin are extremely popular which fits for virtually any occasion. Another act combination that people enjoy for intimate dinner parties is violin and…

Harp

The harp is a gorgeous, gentle instrument that many adore but rather interestingly, rarely get to experience live. It could be because it’s a rather bulky instrument for a child to play, so many performers actually learn when they’re adults. Perfect as an accompaniment to dinner, the harp is also great in combination with strings or woodwind.

Pianists

Pianists are fantastic for creating mood and providing a soundtrack to your evening, no matter the function. Providing a repertoire of modern and classic hits, they tend to provide a fun and informal atmosphere for a whole host of events including dinner, drinks receptions or a small networking function.

Classical Guitarist

What is there to say about classical guitarists that hasn’t already been said (or assumed)? Well, for starters it’s not only western styles of music that are often booked; flamenco is extremely popular whilst many prefer a slightly different sound to what they ordinarily listen to as it promotes a sense of occasion for the evening.

Magician

Now you may be thinking that a magician wouldn’t fit in at all at your intimate soiree but they can be extremely effective for engaging a room and have been proven to be great for informal networking events. For dinner parties, there are some brilliantly parlour magicians that can sit with you at the tables.

As ever with these things, it’s all about finding the right entertainment for you.