Tag Archives: hire

Best-selling songs of the 2000s

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If you hire a party and function band for an event and they can play most of these then you should be certain of convincing a large crowd to the dancefloor.

1. Happy – Pharrell Williams

With 1,813,000 copies of Happy sold, you’d probably expect a function band to play this song from 2013.

2. Anything is Possible/Evergreen – Will Young

You might find it a little harder to find a function band that have this Will Young classic in their repertoire even though it sold 1,790,000 copies in 2002. That being said, if you’re looking for a band or a solo singer to play this hit then you can always request it, thereby making sure that your wedding or party is as special as it can possibly be.

3. Blurred Lines – Robin Thicke feat. T.I. and Pharrell Williams

To be involved on two of the top three best-selling songs of the 21st century must bring in a pretty packet and this one sold 1,630,000 copies. Alas, when it comes to this song, the writers were forced to shell out a lot of profits to Marvin Gaye’s estate. Even so, it’s a song that is sure to have people on their feet and dancing and we know of a good number of bands who can sing it.

4. Someone Like You – Adele

Is there a better song to sing when you’re thoroughly on course to drink the bar dry? We think not. Adele is a hugely popular star and this song in particular is requested by huge amounts of clients. Perhaps more popular with bands who specialise in ballads, we still think you’ll have no problem finding this in an act’s repertoire.

5. Moves Like Jagger – Maroon 5 feat. Christina Aguilera

If you’ve ever wanted to dance and sing along to having the moves like a famous Rolling Stone, then this is the song for you. It’s probably our favourite on the subject. Maroon 5’s song is a proper dance floor filler. Interestingly, this is the only song on this list that never reached number 1 despite spending 64 weeks on the chart.

6. Uptown Funk – Mark Ronson feat. Bruno Mars

Do you remember when this song was everywhere? You could barely escape it even after turning off the radio because your flatmate would be singing it through the walls.

7. Somebody That I Used to Know – Gotye feat. Kimbra

We haven’t heard it a lot recently but if you request it, we’re certain it’s probably etched in the recesses of the minds of any party function band.

8. Wake Me Up – Avicii

Swedish DJ Avicii may have retired but his music lives on in the form of this fab hit from 2013. Wake Me Up has to be slightly tweaked for function bands to play it – it is a song by a DJ after all – but it works brilliantly when played live and various corporate events and parties have been seen dancing to this throughout the last few years.

9. I Gotta Feeling – The Black Eyed Peas

Tonight’s gonna be a good night if you hire a function band who can play this classic from 2009. Considering just how big a hit Where is the Love? was, it might be somewhat surprising to find that this is the one that makes the top 10. Not every function band has it currently in their repertoire but like Somebody That I Used to Know, it’s fair to assume that they’ll be able to play it if asked.

10. Get Lucky feat. Pharrell Williams and Nile Rodgers

The drinks are on Pharrell! Three songs in the top ten?! A huge hit from 2013, Get Lucky has amassed 1,436,000 purchases and continues to be popular at events today. A perfect hit for the summer, we’re pretty confident that it’ll be played by at least one band at one of our events in the next week. If we’re wrong, we’d be very surprised!

How to best remember your event

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Be it a corporate event, private party or wedding there are a number of ways to look back on your event that don’t include photography. Here, we run through some brilliant ways to remember your event!

Caricaturist

If you’re looking to hire a caricaturist for an event, then you have got to make sure that you are fine with having your eyebrows accentuated and your nose looking a little larger than in real life. But that’s all part of the fun! A good caricaturist knows how to drawn a cartoon-style representation of their subject without causing offence and the best part is that with modern technology being what it is, you can take home a paper or digital version.

Silhouette Artist

The heights of the vaudeville era are in full display in the form of a silhouette Artist, who can snip your profile into a piece of black card in the space of a matter of minutes. The best bit about this incredible form of entertainment is that you can go home and frame your silhouette later, with each individual creation being stuck onto a quality back lining.

DJ

Booking the right DJ for your event is key to good memories and making sure that the DJ plays your perfect playlist. A good DJ knows how to communicate with the crowd and knows how to get your guests up on the dance floor. We have many DJ’s advertised on our site that our just right for you.

Screen Printing

Whether you call it screen printing, letter pressing or something completely different, these fabulous contraptions can have you created your very own work of art in no time! Popular at Somerset House every summer, you too can discover the art of the print. Remember not to limit yourself to paper or card; should you so desire you can create your design on a T-shirt. Wear your creation and remember that party in style!

Get up and dance!!!

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Dance floor are perfect for any occasion when you want to get up and boogie! You wouldn’t have a wedding party without a dance floor, a corporate event or a private party. You may be having a talent show night and want the perfect dance floor to stage it. From light up dance floors to chequered dance floors or romantic pretty ones the choice is yours.

Wow your guests with your amazing choice of dance floor. You can fit these dance floors into almost any venue, be it a marque, hall or if you can think it, we are sure our dance floor hirers will have all the solutions. We are sure you will agree a dance floor is the perfect accessory for any up and coming fun event.

Dance floors are very advance nowadays you could have a dancefloor with LED’s which can change colour, mirrors, or even rotating ones. You could have an elevated dance floor, there are so many to choose from all personalised for your particular taste and party. A dance floor will make a venue come to life and your guests will be happy that there is somewhere to get up and dance!!!

Hiring a dance floor is easier than you think, simply scroll down our Red Masque Directory page and see which dance floor takes our fancy. If you need any advice you are always welcome to give us a call and we will be only too happy to help, but we think that the booking process is very simple, just fill out the online booking form and it will go straight to your chosen one. The dance floor hirer will be directly in contact with you to arrange finer details and dates.

Have fun with a Bucking Bronco

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Bucking Broncos are a very wild way to have at your event or party. They can be booked for a number of events. It could be a way to generate income at a fete or carnival – the one that stays on the longest wins a prize!! It could be that you would like to have a bucking bronco for your private party which will amuse your guests no end, when drinks are flowing even the shyest of guests will participate!

You may have a Wild West themed party with cowboy and cowgirls and having a bucking bronco would tie your theme altogether. You may have a new business that has just opened and having this attraction will definitely draw a crowd or want a saucy night at a new night club opening! The possibilities are endless.

Most Bucking Broncos for hire are used in nightclubs where after a few glasses of bubbly, inhibitions go out the window and your best friend Tracey hitches up her skirt to see whether she can stay on for more than 30 seconds. Great for videoing and putting on Facebook!!

Bucking Broncos could be hired for an Office Party where staff at the annual Christmas Party get a bit wild and of course there will be a lot of embarrassing photos taken. It is just a bit of fun, and great fun at that!!

To book this guest pleaser we are sure that you will find the perfect bucking bronco for your event. You will find situated an online booking form within the website where you are able to fill out your requirements to your chosen ‘bucking bronco’. Once information has been received the hirer will be in contact with you direct to finalise all details.

Who wants a bit of bubble, smoke or even snow?

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Bubble machines can be hired for any special effect that you had in mind, it maybe for the theatre, private party, Christmas magical make believe land or even a night club.

Children love bubbles and hiring these machines could be just what you are looking for. Children will play with bubbles for hours frantically trying to catch them, you can definitely can’t have too many bubbles where children are concerned.

Smoke and Snow machines can be hired for the same reasons as above. Smoke can make a dramatic entrance for a ‘baddy’ at a pantomime or a launch night at a new night club, or used in a magician’s trick to create ‘misdirection’.

Snow machines are great for creating that winter wonderland scene, you may need some snow in the middle of summer when filming or it could be for a Father Christmas grotto, where snow is very unpredictable in England and it would be worthwhile ‘hiring’ some artificial snow.

All these special effects can make your event even more spectacular and magical, bringing the whole scene you had in mind ‘come to life’. We at Red Masque entertainment directory have a wide range of all these machines for hire, which we are sure you will be happy with your selected choice.

Booking is very simple, you just need to decide whether you’d like, Bubbles, Smoke or Snow machines? It maybe all three!! You can enter you details on an online booking form situated within our website. The form goes straight to the hirer and they will be in contact with you direct. Red Masque will answer any questions regarding filling out your form if you need.

Charity event tips

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Tip 1- The purpose – You should decide what the purpose of your charity event is and confirm this early to start initial planning. Is this full a fundraising event? Or does it have other goals in mind such as gaining awareness, publicity and to reach out to a new network of people. Many charitable events have more than one goal and these need to be decided before any further action takes place. Confirming and planning the details for your charity event will depend on knowing what goals you are trying to achieve.

Tip 2- Date, Time & Venue – Give yourself plenty of time to organise any type of event. At least 3 months in advance. You don’t want this to be a rushed job so ensure that all aspects are planned to perfection. Your venue is also entirely up to you, yet should reflect your theme, your purpose and your charity. If you believe that your house can hold the demand, then feel free to do so but for a large event then a venue such as a hotel may be better suited. Ask the venue for some freebies, if you don’t ask then you will never know.

Tip 3 – Budget Plan – Every fundraising event plan should contain a detailed budget plan of all of the expenses that will be required to hold the event.

Your budget plan should include staff, invitations, venue, catering, entertainment, utilities, and anything else that will be required to make the event successful. Your budget should take into account your fundraising goal, ensuring that you raise that amount above and beyond all expenses. Top tip for your budget is to always have a spare amount, you just never know when an emergency will appear and that extra bit of cash could really help you out

Tip 4 – Round up your troops – For your charity event to be a true success you will need a strong workforce behind you. This could be family and friends, volunteers of the charity or even try and recruit some new volunteers to help. Your team could help you in so many different ways such as helping you with the planning, collecting money outside supermarkets, selling tickets for the charity event and also on the day of your event it is always great to have a spare pair of hands.

Tip 5 – Read All about It – You have to let the public know
about your charity event, or nobody will know anything about it. Ask the charity to help by putting up the information on their Facebook page, create some simple flyers and leave them in shops in your area, create an “event” on Facebook and invite people, go and speak to your newspapers and get them to interview you about the charity event and if possible ring your local radio station and get a small interview slot. The more people know about the charity event, the more of a success it will be.

Tip 6 – Entertainment is key – Your entertainment has to be fresh, exciting and fun. Why not hire a fun casino which is great fun and also brilliant for fundraising? Or a magician who can walk about the room and make your guests “wow” in amazement. You could even hire out a crazy golf course;
you may even have the next Tiger Woods in your mists. The event entertainment needs to be organised quite early on in the planning process if you don’t want to be disappointed.

Tip 7 – Stick by the law – I would advise anybody to always go and research the laws and regulation when organising any event, especially a charity event. There are certain guidelines which need to be put in place to surrounding fundraising in public areas; you would need to speak to the local council about these. They are only small regulations so should not be anything too serious to worry about, but always check and get support from your local council

Tip 8 – Collecting the money- On the night of your event, you have to collect s the money if it is a fund raiser. You could collect the money by walking around the room with a branded bucket, have a raffle and collect the money when selling tickets or you could place an envelope for each guest
at their table where they place their desired amount into and you collect at a designated time of the night. There are so many options on how to do this, but these three seem to be
the most effective.

Tip 9 – Mind your manners! – Always remember to say Thank You both straight after the event and in the days that follow. Your guests, volunteers and sponsors need to be appreciated. They have taken time out of their lives to help with your charity event. Make a small speech simply thanking everybody for coming along, send a personal email again thanking them or even send them a moment of the night. Take a group photograph of everybody who attended and print these out for each volunteer and sponsor. A simple thank you on the back is all that is need and it gives your event that personal touch.

Tip 10 – HAVE FUN – You have done your planning, you have done your research and you have everything in place. Now it’s time to have fun. Mingle with your guests and have a laugh, if they see you relaxed then they will also feel relaxed. And remember it’s for charity, so no matter what you do you are making a difference.

Surprise!!!

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Surprise parties are great, but not for the surprise party planner. Trying to organise your event entertainment, invite guests, get your catering sorted and make sure the whole event goes off without a hitch (while keeping everything under wraps from your VIP guest) can be a real headache! Entertainment Ideas is here to help you take the mystery out of booking entertainment online by promoting only the acts we know and love and can personally guarantee.

The key to a great surprise party is to keep it just that. Sometimes when the person whose party it is for has inkling there may be a party planned for them you can actually tell on their face; the whole element of surprise will be forced.

Here are some tips to try and keep that party a secret. Make sure you do the entire organisation yourself and keep it under wraps then invite your guests at the very last minute. Telling your guests, a long time in advance can mean that someone will let the cat out of the bag. Obviously if you’re inviting people from abroad you will need to get your invites out as soon as possible.

You could also pretend to potential guests and your VIP guest that you are having a family get-together for Aunty May who is going away. Your unsuspecting VIP guest will be well surprised that the family get together is actually just for them!! Of course Aunty May would have to be someone who can keep a secret and is very good at keeping Mum, (there’s always one member of the family who is extremely discrete and you can trust them implicitly)

So now it’s time to hire performers and entertainment to really get the party started. Red Masque directory artists advertised are always vetted and approved. Ready to party? Fill out our online enquiry form to book your entertainment. We’re ready to help you get your party started!

Happy Birthday sweet 16

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Sweet 16 is a time of coming of age and celebrating it in true style. Many 16th birthday parties are becoming quite similar these days so why not make your 16th birthday party one to remember.

We’ve chosen a 16th Birthday, but this could be for any Birthday, just tailor to the age.

Firstly, choose a venue; this could be your own house. Secondly choose a theme. Trust us, this will make your 16th birthday party that extra bit more unique and give your guests the excitement leading up to your party.

Finally, your party entertainment… make your 16th birthday party stand out from the crowd and have some of the most interesting and lively entertainment. Underneath is a variety of 16 birthday party entertainment ideas to help you!

DJ – Every party needs great music. You will not need to worry about changing songs over on your IPod when a DJ can do it all for you by using the latest technology. You can tell the DJ exactly what music you would like played so your music can be catered specifically for you!

Photo booth – Why not keep a little memory of your 16th birthday party night by hiring a photo booth. Your guests will have so much fun trying on colourful props and overall having fun in the photo booth. Instant photos will be available for your guests and you will receive a DVD of all photos taken on the night.

Themed nights– Give your party that Vegas feel by having your very own fun casino. Spin the wheel, place your fun bets and have a laugh with all your guests. The Fun Casino is a great way to get your friends having a laugh and the style of entertainment is top class. Nobody else will have a casino at their 16th!

Magician – A walk around magician is perfectly suited to a Sweet 16 party. The magician will stun your guests with various tricks that will definitely catch them out. The magician could also be a comedian on the side, so Dynamo mixed with a bit of Lee Evans will go down a storm at your 16th birthday party.

Fish and Chip Van – If you are unsure of the catering you would like for your party, then why not hire out a fish and chip van. The food caters for everybody’s tastes and your guests will enjoy their very own freshly cooked food. You can tailor the food to your requirements as well, burgers, sausages, goujons… whatever you want you can have!

Overall, enjoy your 16th birthday party. This is your big night; it’s not every day you take that step from a childhood to adulthood. Your 16th birthday party will be all about you, show it off, and make sure to get the perfect entertainment for your party. But the best thing you can do is smile and create some amazing memories and plan the best 16th birthday party ideas right here!

Have some BBQ fun

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The sun is shining; the radio is turned up to full volume and the smell of BBQ’s start to fill the summer air.

The BBQ Party season has started. That’s when you know it’s time to bring out the BBQ and host your own party. But why not make your BBQ party unique and fun by incorporating some BBQ Party Ideas in the form of entertainment and games throughout the day and evening.

Underneath are a few simple ideas to make your BBQ party the highlight of the summer.

BBQ Party Games

Become a child again at your BBQ party by hiring large outdoor games such as giant jenga, archery, giant connect 4 and even twister. This will keep your guests entertained throughout the BBQ party and will give them a chance to mix and mingle as well. Giant games are such an easy and effective style of entertainment that will definitely make your BBQ party the talk of the street. Other BBQ Party ideas could include bouncy castles, rodeo, or even bubble machines.

BBQ Drinks Delight

Beverages at a BBQ party are of high importance. Here are some BBQ party ideas to make your catering that little something different. To save you money and time ask your guests to bring their own drink. Or try out the new craze sweeping across the nation relating to beverage catering at BBQ parties, your very own Cocktail artist and bar. Hire a cocktail artist to greet your guests with some freshly made cocktails at your BBQ party. You could even name the cocktails to fit in with your summer BBQ. Trust me when I say this… you and your guests will love sipping on a cold cocktail in the warm sunshine.

BBQ Party Music

Every BBQ party needs music. But sometimes a playlist being played on a MP3 player can be quite monotonous and played out. So why not put that extra spark (pun intended) into your BBQ party and hire a musician or a DJ. A classical guitarist would create the perfect atmosphere at your BBQ party and give it that extra wow factor… seriously, how many BBQ’s have you been to with a professional guitarist playing just for you. Not many, so get on it. Also hire a local DJ to provide the evening music, this gives you the chance to mingle with your guests knowing that the music is in safe hands.

BBQ Party Ideas – Extra Tips

. Send invites 2 weeks before the BBQ party
. Make a note of any special dietary requirements
. Ensure you have all necessary equipment (plates, cups, cutlery, BBQ!!)
. Purchase the food the day before the BBQ party and prep as much as you can.
. Overall, have fun, smile and enjoy your party!

So kick off the summer season in style with a fun and lively BBQ party. Take some inspiration from our BBQ Party Ideas and enjoy the long evenings with your closest friends and family. Summer won’t last forever so if you’re going to have a BBQ party, have it in style.

It could be magic!!

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Using the latest technology and what’s around them to wow people is something that a good Magician will always look to do and with smartphones and tablets being everywhere nowadays, it’s a great way for magicians to further impress their subjects.

Magicians like Dynamo and Derren Brown made the art of magic very cool again. It’s an art that constantly re-invents itself with the best magicians always adding more complex and up-to-the minute methods to keep audiences mesmerised.

IPhones have now become an integral part of any illusionist’s act. Using it to create magic involving coins and other items adds an extra layer to their performance. There’s a whole host of occasions where this type of magic can be used – Weddings and Parties, Corporate Event entertainment or Product Launches where it can be absolutely relevant to a product that might be being promoted. Being able to take an item that people can see digitally on the device and transfer that into a physical item from nothing is a really popular form of magic to guests.

Using an iPhone is probably preferable to an iPad because the illusionist can keep it in his pocket while performing in a mix and mingle style with guests, however tablets are often used too depending on the event.”

Corporate and Trade Shows are proving particularly popular for this type of magic where there are hundreds of stalls all vying for attention and where there’s a real need to add something that will stand out. Digital Magic is clearly proving very popular.

Some magicians perform street magic on a London street, which involves use of the phone to magic items – including making the phone appear from a magazine advert. The reaction from passers-by shows the effectiveness of bringing the traditional styles of magic together with technical innovation is a concept that will remain popular amongst Magicians and the people that love to be in awe of it.

Like all forms of entertainment, each Magician is different. While not all Magicians have this in their performance routine, Red Masque has some of the UK’s most exciting magicians and can help to find the perfect magician for your event.