Tag Archives: hiring

Soul, RnB or Motown?

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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 Cook, 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: Smoky Robinson and The Miracles, Diana Ross and The Supremes, the Four Tops, Gladys Knight & the Pips, the Jackson 5 and Steve 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!

What to look for in quality Soul, RnB and Motown bands.

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 RnB also-rans?

Check their Profiles First, check out the artist and band Profiles here at Red Masque Directory. Their sample tracks and demo videos that’ll give you a good idea of what the band sound like. Is your toe tapping from the very start? Does the vocalist nail their notes and make it sound effortless too? That’s a good act. If you’re up and dancing around by bar eight, that’s a great act!

Wide range of repertoire Look for artists with a wide range of music in their playlist (it’s at the end of their Profile). 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.

What space will my soul, RnB or Motown band require?

As you might have gathered by now, the space required depends largely on the type of band your booking. 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 on stage 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.

What does Christmas mean to you?

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What does Christmas mean to you? From the first day in January to the last day in December, not a single day goes by where you’re not dreaming of mince pies, planning your festive wrapping paper or writing your wish list to Santa. So it’s pretty safe to say we at Red Masque are passionate about what we do! Because here at Red Masque we love Christmas, which is why your party ideas are here on our website.

The office Christmas party is a tradition looked forward to by many and is a great way to say thank you to your staff for all their hard work over the year. Whether you’re looking for an exclusive fully themed extravaganza, a table at an awe inspiring shared party where you can mingle with other groups or a selection of Christmas party venues where your staff can enjoy nibbles and a few drinks! We only advertise the most trusted and respected acts and suppliers, you’re safe in the knowledge that your party is going to be one to remember. 

Throughout the year we always keep abreast of any new event industry trends and we take great care in making sure that current acts, and suppliers always are rated with the level of excellence that we believe clients deserve. We’re continuously looking to source new suppliers, entertainers and venues for our website; ensuring that our themes and offerings are new, fun and fresh every year.

Exclusive events give your employees a chance to really bond with each other. Think about organising a bespoke party which can see personal touches and your own branding brought to life in an event just for you. 

Best time to book a Christmas party

If you want to book the perfect Christmas party then it really is best to book early, particularly if you plan to go bespoke. We recommend booking in the summer months.  Now we know that sounds early, especially when it’s BBQ season and sunny, and we know that during the summer, Christmas events are the last thing most people think about but it really is the best time to book: you get first pick of all the new packages and themes. Long story short, the sooner you book, the more choice you’ll have and the more perfect your party will be!

Throw and Black and Orange Halloween party

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Looking for a festive and fun kids Halloween party theme this year? Throw a black and orange themed party, complete with pumpkins, spiders and witches – oh my! Here are few tips on how to get started:

Invitations: Send perfectly themed Halloween invitations that feature the black and orange colour scheme and will appeal to kids. Don’t forget to remind your guests to wear their costumes! Free online invitations are the easiest, fastest way to invite guests to your party.

Treats: Serve up some delicious black and orange snacks and desserts that kids will love! Make pumpkin shaped Rice Krispies treats with orange frosting, Oreo cookie spiders using thin pretzel sticks for legs, or dark chocolate-dipped apple slices.

Drinks: No Halloween party theme entertainment is complete without a signature punch! This black-coloured punch goes well with the overall black and orange party theme, and can be served over dry ice for an extra spooky effect. Try this quick recipe to impress all your witches and goblins!           

Witch’s Brew Punch

• 1 can grape soda
• 1 can frozen orange juice
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 litre of ginger ale
• 2 pints of cold water

Mix all ingredients together, and serve over ice in a large punch bowl.

Games: Incorporate black and orange themed games into your Halloween party! Play Pumpkin Ring Toss, Pin the Spider on the Web, or have a Monster Mash costume parade around your neighbourhood or garden!

Decorations: Use creative Halloween decorations that complement your colour theme. Pumpkins are a natural choice to incorporate orange into your party, and they provide both decoration and an activity. Encourage guests to decorate them with markers, paint, glitter glue, and more. No carving needed! You could also draw spooky faces on orange and black balloons with black and white paint markers! Place them around your party space at various heights for an easy way to decorate.  If your party is in the evening, hang orange glow sticks from the trees for a creative backdrop to all the fun!

This classic Halloween theme allows for a lot of creativity as your plan your child’s next Halloween party.  Use these spirited ideas to help bring your party theme to life, and enjoy the haunts and thrills with your little ones this Halloween season!

Tips for the perfect children’s party

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Plan a blowout birthday bash for your little one — and stay sane while doing it! These simple children’s parties tips and tricks are guaranteed to turn any event into THE party all the kids will be talking about on the playground. Watch the video and read the tips below to get the party started.

Send out Invitations;

Hand make them or if your child is arty let the make their own.

Schedule it around the kids and keep it short;

Pick a time that works around a child’s schedule: avoid parties late in the day or during naptimes. And keep it to two hours max — short and sweet so children don’t get restless.

Base the cost on the head count;

Figure out the number of children you want to invite, then pick the location, and food based on the head count.

Pick a party helper;

Designate a close friend, family member or babysitter to help you during the bash so you can have fun with your child on his or her special day.

Make the activities do double (or triple!) duty;

Plan activities that can work as decorations too — for example, set up a photo booth or create a craft station.

Choose child- and parent-pleasing food;

Offer a mix of healthy snacks, not just pizza and cake.

Remind your child to say thank you — and keep a gift list;

Talk to your child beforehand about being polite … and keep a list of gifts for thank-you cards.

Capture and share the memories;

Take plenty of pics and video, then organize and share them with a photo- and video-sharing app

Send digital thank-you cards after the party;

For thank-you messages, refer to your list of presents and personalize the thank-you card with a photo of your child and the friend from the party!

Bond party ideas

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Are you a fan of Bond, James Bond?

If so, you will be well aware that the new 007 film, Spectre, is hitting the big screen in just a few weeks’ time.

With that in mind, here’s our guide to throwing the ultimate James Bond party to celebrate!

Dress Code

Asking guests to dress to fit the James Bond theme will really help give your party that special secret agent atmosphere.

Of course, there is the obvious choice of the classic 007 look with the tuxedo but there are more options available. We have met many villains over the years including the infamous Dr No in his classic grey suit, so if your guests don’t have a tux tell them not to worry and remind them of the vast array of outfit choices!

Of course for the ladies, there are a fair few Bond Girls to dress up as. Most of your female guests will have a simple and elegant red or black dress which is ideal, or if anyone’s extra brave they can don the Halle Berry bikini!

Decoration

Good party decoration can really make a party. From a grand entrance and red carpet to flame lights lighting the way to the big event, your guests will enter the party ready to really embrace the night and have a great time.

The Bar

It goes without saying that the bar should be well stocked for vodka martinis, shaken not stirred but champagne / sparkling wine will also go very well with the James Bond theme.

Games

It wouldn’t be a James Bond movie without some suspect looks exchanged across a casino table, so the likes of Blackjack and Roulette are a must. Just remember not everyone will be clued up on the rules of card games so a Wheel of Fortune, Play Your Cards Right or Horse Racing are all great fun and a good laugh. 

Music

Background music is vital at any party whatever the theme. There are of course some obvious choices for music including the classic theme song “Live and Let Die” or “You Only Live Twice”, but you’ll need more than two songs to play throughout the evening. Start thinking about a playlist well ahead of the party so that all you need to do on the night is plug in the speakers or PA system and press play!

Halloween Event Ideas

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Halloween use to be a one night only excuse to dress up in your favourite costume and get together with friends and family while indulging in sugary treats and watching a scary movie. Today however, the traditions of Halloween have extended far past October 31st and now tend to encompass a months’ worth of costume parties, haunted houses, and scary movies on TV & in theatres.  Red Masque directory have several Halloween event ideas and tips to help make your next Halloween event become the talk of the town. From unique costume parties for kids and adults to cocktail parties at the office (after hours of course) and creating the scariest house on the block, we can make your dreams a reality.

Planning a costume party can be a daunting task however with a few simple tips you can become a pro.

Pick a day – Halloween this year falls on a Saturday, which gives you plenty of options to have the event as close to Halloween as possible. To ensure your guests will be available to attend, planning the party on the weekend before or after Halloween is always best.

Select your venue – Be sure to ask about any restrictions with using atmospheric effects such as smoke machines. Smoke or haze in the venue adds a great “spooky” effect and increases the visibility of the lighting used. Of course, hosting the event at your home is always a great choice as you will have no restrictions on decorations or effects used.

Creating a Theme – Adding a theme to your costume party is a great way to get your guests to be a bit more creative. Some great Halloween costume party themes include: Famous couples, western, and decade specific costumes such as 60s/Mad Men or 20s/Great Gatsby. Tying in drinks from your theme will really bring it all together. 

Incorporating Decorations – After picking a theme, decorations will fall into place easy. Ghosts, mummies, and witches are always great go to items for any Halloween party but expanding off your theme and colours will help bring the event together. Adding accent lighting around the venue or home is always a safe bet and utilizing low flying smoke will give your guests the added wow factor of “floating in the clouds” or “walking through a scary movie”. Utilizing strobe lights flashing at specific rates along with ambient sound FX throughout the venue will really step up the “fear factor” of the venue.

Cool Magic

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There’s no doubt about it, 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.

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.

 IPhones have now become an integral part of any illusionists 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 and even Corporate Events 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.

All about the Bride

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The big day is almost here and things can get a little stressful and hectic. Planning a wedding can take up months of a bride’s life and can leave her feeling more relief to get the day over with than excitement for the day to come. Because of this, it is important for the bride to take a day off. A day to relax, eat cake, spend time with friends and family, play games and receive some gifts. Throwing a great bridal shower will be just what the bride needs to regain some of her sanity after months of wedding planning. Red Masque has everything you need to help you plan the perfect Bridal Shower. 

Plan Ahead

Usually the maid of honour, bridesmaid, mother or sister will be responsible for throwing the bride her bridal shower. It does not all have to fall on one person though. It is actually a good idea to have two or three people assist in the planning and covering costs. You should allow yourself about 6-8 weeks to plan the shower. Some of the first things you need to work out: What kind of party will this be? Formal or casual? Where will it be hosted? Your home, someone else’s home, a restaurant, a park, etc.? Will there be a theme? Sometimes it can be fun to have a gift theme; such as, lingerie, travel items or kitchen ware. Once you have these basics nailed down, send out the invitations as quickly as possible. Purchase generic ones and fill them out or have specialty invitations printed that match the theme or colours you have chosen. This is a special day to be shared with people that are special to the bride, so have her help with the guest list. 

Entertain (and Maybe Embarrass) Her

Primarily, bridal showers are about both relaxing and getting gifts that are both fun and useful for the bride and groom. However, it is also important that everyone, both the bride and the guests, have a lot of fun. The most popular form of entertainment for a bridal shower are games. There are lots of resources online with lists and lists of different games to play. It’s important to choose games that match your bride’s personality. If she’s a shy person by nature, don’t pick the games that will embarrass her and make her uncomfortable. If the bride does not want games at all and wants the shower to be more of a party, then book entertainment. For a larger party, you might want to hire a jazz band classical ensemble or strolling violinist to provide background music as your guests mingle. It would also be interesting to hire an impersonator of one of the bride’s favourite celebrities for a meet and greet and to take photos with the guests. If the location for the shower is appropriate for it, perhaps you could hire a comedian or hypnotist to put on a short show for the guests. 

For a smaller bridal shower with just a handful of guests, you might instead want to consider something other than a party. Take the bride and small group to the spa for the day, go antique shopping or maybe even plan an entire weekend out of town somewhere the bride loves or has always wanted to visit. Really, it all comes down to what the bride wants, so it’s a good idea to keep her involved. 

Filling in the Details

No matter why time of day you have chosen for the shower, you must provide refreshments. Of course, the most important food to be present is the cake. Hire a cake decorator to design a cake that matches the theme or wedding colours. If the time of the shower lands between meals, then cake may be all you need in regards to snacks, but be sure to provide beverages as well or an alternative treat for those crazy guests that might not like cake. If budget allows, have the shower over a meal and hire a caterer to plan the menu and a waiting staff to handle all the work involved. If the caterer does not provide a bar service and you do want drinks provided, you might want to hire a bartender to serve cocktails, wine or champagne. Or to spice things up a little, hire a cocktail waiter! The guests can be entertained by juggling, flipping and magic tricks while also enjoying professionally mixed drinks! 

Once you have all your ideas and plans in place, it is time start putting them into action. Set the scene with some great decorations that match the theme you’ve chosen, or if there is no theme, then just decor or flowers that match the wedding colours. It is also a good idea to provide some sort of party favours to give to the guests as a thank you for their attendance and contribution to the bride’s special day. Some good favours for a bridal shower would be candy, candles, picture frames or for smaller gatherings, something personalized for each guest. One fun idea is to have each guest take a picture with the bride-to-be and have a copy of the picture for both the bride and for the guest. You could have the photos printed on the spot, perhaps in a photo booth style set up, or just have them printed after the shower and the bride can send each picture to the guest with their thank you card. You can handle all the picture taking yourself, assign it to another guest, or for a bigger event, you may want to hire a photographer to be there so that everyone can focus on the fun and no one has to worry about capturing it all through a lens. 

If all of this sounds like a lot to take on, you could always hire a party planner to handle it for you. However, with the right resources, and maybe a little help from friends, you can do it yourself and have a lot of fun doing it!

Booking entertainment

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Booking entertainment is a very important decision as it can make or break your event. Here are 10 things that you should consider when booking entertainment:

1. Type of entertainment for your event

What type of event are you hosting? There are different types of entertainment to suit different kinds of events. Booking the right type of entertainment is essential.

For example;
A Dance music DJ would be suitable for an 18th Birthday party but wouldn’t go down too well at a 70th birthday (Unless they are young at heart!).

Whereas a Country Band would be perfect for a 70th Birthday party but would not be suitable for an 18th party!

Make sure that the entertainment you book matches the theme and requirements of your event so that everyone can have a good time.

2. Plan Early 

Make sure that you plan and book your entertainment early. Don’t leave it to the last minute as the most popular Bands, Entertainers and Acts have bookings 2 – 3 years in advance (especially with weddings). Avoid disappointment and start looking for entertainment as soon as you have your venue booked. 

3. Location of Entertainer 

When searching for the perfect Entertainer for your event, try to find someone local which can save your precious budget instead of paying travel expenses. If you book an entertainer located over 200 miles away they are obviously going to charge extra for travel, or even an overnight hotel stay. One exception is when you are booking a completely unique entertainer that you won’t find in your local area. 

4. Date of event 

Be mindful of the date of your event. You may find that your entertainer charges a smaller fee for midweek gigs. Also consider that most entertainers charge more for events like New Year’s Eve and Christmas Holidays.

5. Experience 

How much experience does your entertainer have? Are they full-time entertainers? Have they previously performed at events like yours? Ask for testimonials – Every good entertainer should have them!

6. Setup Requirements

Different entertainers require different setups. Some bands will need a large stage area to fit their sound and lighting rig, while solo acts can stand in the corner of your room with just an instrument and microphone. Make sure that you plan the layout of your room and discuss setup arrangements with your entertainer. Ensure enough time for your entertainer to set their equipment up and sufficient access to load equipment into your venue. 

7. Contract

Does your entertainer use a written agreement or contract? If they don’t, how do you know that they will turn up on the event? Start late? Finish early? Charge you more? A written contract is essential when booking entertainment, as it guarantees that your entertainer will provide the service that is specified on the date and times you require. The contract should also specify the fee for the entertainer. 

8. Public liability insurance 

Booking an entertainer without public liability insurance can end up being an expensive mistake. Firstly some venues and hotels require entertainers to produce a PLI certificate. If your entertainers cannot prove that they are insured, the manager won’t let them in! Imagine you have a room packed full of guests attending your event and your entertainment is not allowed in… What a Disaster! Secondly you may be liable for the costs if the entertainer you have booked causes damage to individuals or property in the venue. What if your entertainer had equipment that fell on top of a guest or member of staff? For peace of mind; make sure your entertainer has Public Liability Insurance. Don’t take a risk! 

9. PAT Testing 

If your entertainers use any electronic equipment, they are required by law to have it PAT tested (Portable Appliance Test) for electrical safety. It is a UK legal requirement for your entertainer to have their equipment tested annually, to comply with The Electricity at Work Act 1989. PAT testing is also necessary to meet the requirements of the entertainers PLI policy. Does this matter to me? Yes, as some venues and hotels also won’t let your entertainer perform without a valid PAT certificate. 

10. Price 

When booking entertainment, don’t always go for the cheapest entertainer. Why? Because booking entertainment isn’t the same as looking for the cheapest TV or the best Insurance quote. Your entertainer needs to be of a professional standard and have the experience to entertain you guests. Their equipment needs to be of a professional quality, so that it doesn’t break down on the night. Also their service needs to be professional so that you are happy with booking. Notice the word professional is used a lot? 

Let’s give you an example of booking an Unprofessional DJ Joe Blogs decides that he wants to be a DJ. So he buys himself a laptop, some speakers and a set of lights on eBay. Joe doesn’t want to run his disco like a business so posts a free advertisement on gumtree. Linda is searching for a DJ for her wedding and comes across Joe’s ad on gumtree for a cheap Disco. It’s half the price of other quotes so Linda books straight away. Joe doesn’t ask for a deposit or signed contract and Linda just takes his word for it that he will arrive.

This is sometimes what you expect when booking unprofessional entertainment. A professional entertainer will know what to do and have lots of testimonials to back up their service. They will also have insurance, PAT tested equipment and offer you a written agreement. Professional entertainers will accept cheques as they pay income tax and offer great customer service. The old saying goes “the bitterness of poor quality lasts longer than the sweetness of a good deal”. Don’t book the cheapest entertainment as you get what you pay for!

Plan your Christmas Party now!!!

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It’s just over 4 months to go until the big man from the North Pole polishes off his boots and sets off on his epic journey to deliver thousands of presents across the world.

We are of course, talking about no other than Father Christmas!

It is almost that time of year when you dig out your fluffy jumper, drink mulled wine and enjoy the holiday with friends and families. 

Did you know that almost 11 million Brits will go to their works’ Christmas party this year? It is an annual event to let your hair down and have fun and what Christmas party would be complete without some embarrassing dancing?!?

If you haven’t yet started thinking about how you will celebrate this year, now is definitely the time to get brainstorming. Restaurants and venues will start getting booked up and before you know it, it will be just a few weeks away and you’ll have nothing planned. 

So without further ado, here are 10 fun ideas for your work party in 2015:

1. Santa’s Grotto

This can be a truly magical way to bring some fun into the office! Why not get the boss to hand out everyone’s Secret Santa presents in a grotto whilst dressed like Father Christmas himself against a Winter Wonderland backdrop?

2. Snow/Foam Machine

Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow!

Add some festive spirit to your event with fake snow. Activate it to sprinkle soft snow drops over everyone as they arrive to the party. Everyone loves snow and it can transform the venue into a magical wonderland 

3. Rodeo Reindeer

Who can resist having a go on a bucking, spinning and twisting bronco reindeer? Everyone in the office will have a barrel of laughs trying to stay on as long as possible. The question is, who out of the team will win?

4. Santa and Elf Hire

If you don’t want to dress up, why not hire the Santa and Elf characters? They are the perfect addition to your Christmas event and can help liven up the crowd to create a fun, memorable evening. 

5. Santa’s Thrones

What better way to surprise the boss than hire an Elaborate Santa throne? Fit for a King (or Queen), these beauties would look amazing in your office and definitely create a festive feel to get everyone excited for the holidays.

6. Christmas Prop Hire

If you just plan on throwing the works do at the office during work hours, go to town with Christmas decorations! We have a fabulous range of props that you can hire including a cute frosty snowman, beautifully decorated presents to put under the Christmas tree, reindeer ornaments and much more. 

7. Christmas Cash Grabber

Take your mind back to The Crystal Maze and ever wondered how you would do in the final trying to grab all that cash quickly? Well you could find out for real with our fun Christmas Cash Cube Grabber. And you decide what the flying paper targets are be it vouchers, funny money or stickers! They can be perfect for office promotions.

8. Photo Booth 

What better way to get all the staff together and have fun than in front of a festive background, wearing funny props and making fools of themselves? Hiring a photo booth can be the perfect entertainment idea and the staff can even record their own holiday cheer messages to each other with a video option. 

9. Casino Tables

From poker to blackjack to enthralling roulette, casino tables offer a thrilling and addictive experience that will leave the entire office wanting more! Even if gambling isn’t your forte, we guarantee everyone will have an amazing time and our authentic casino tables will definitely impress.

10. Christmas Tree Buzz Wire

Have you got nerves of steel to take on the Christmas Tree Buzz Wire challenge? Who in the office has the steadiest hand and who will crack under pressure? This simple but fun entertainment idea will have everyone biting their fingernails in anticipation. With the timer counting down and your heart beating out of your chest, will you be able to withstand the tension to come out victorious?

So there you have it; 10 sure-fire ways to make your office Christmas party that little bit different this year! After all, who wants just boring party with a DJ and food when you can have a bucking bronco reindeer and a photo booth?