Things to Consider When Hiring a Party or Wedding Band

It is always great fun hosting a party for your friends and family. Nothing beats getting everyone together to enjoy great food and drink and the chance to dance the night away. Great memories are created at events like this, whether it's a special birthday, anniversary, wedding or something else.

If you are planning a special event hiring the right band will make all of the difference. Aside from looking through entertainment sites like Alive Network, the tips below will help you to do exactly that.



Choose an experienced party band

The band you hire needs to play together regularly. Vibetown of Leeds is a great example of the kind of band I suggest you consider hiring. They have plenty of experience and offer an extensive playlist.

See them play


If you can, take the time to go and see them play live. A lot of wedding and party bands play local venues during the week. Failing that ask them if they have videos and recordings of themselves performing live. All of the best bands do. Or you can check out their website, most Bristol wedding bands like Switch have a playlist of songs on their website.

Pre-agree the playlist

You need to sit down and put together a playlist with the band. If there are any special songs or family favourites that you want to be played, double-check that the band is able to perform them. Whenever possible, listen to them actually playing that track. This is important because every band interprets a song slightly differently, so knowing how they are going to play it in advance is a good idea.
Fraudio's Wedding Band Hertfordshire plays a mix of popular indie rock like Coldplay and the Beatles plus many more familiar songs to keep everyone on the dance floor all night. So it's important to see how they will sound on the night.

Ask the band for their input





It is important to include a variety of tracks. This ensures that the music being played will appeal to all of your guests, rather than just a few. That way, more people will want to get up and enjoy a dance. A good band will happily give you suggestions. They play a lot of events, so really know what tracks are the most popular with party or wedding guests. However, if you want another source of inspiration, just click the link. There you will find a list of popular songs that will get you started.

Agree on the price and the details


It is important to get a written quote that lists out exactly what is included in the price. Most bands will need to take a break during the evening. You need to know what time this will happen and for how long, so you can fill that time with either a DJ, speeches or another form of entertainment.

Check the venue rules

Before you can agree on some of these details you will need to understand the rules of the venue you are holding your party at. Most stipulate the hours between which music can be played and PA systems used. It is really important that both you and the band are aware of the rules and abide by them. You really do not want the police turning up to ask you to wrap your party up.

Make sure the band can access the venue early

You should never assume that the venue will open up early to allow the band access to set up their kit, always check. Usually, a band member will check out the venue in advance to make sure that they have enough space to set up their sound system, microphones and instruments.

Provided you follow these simple tips, your event should go well. Have you ever hired a band? 


*Collaborative post

8 comments

  1. This is such useful advice - hiring the right band can make or break your event!

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  2. If I ever got married, I'd love to have a band play, I already know who I'd want! x

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  3. On my 14th birthday party, my mum and did hired a town hall and my crush's band came to play. Haha, it was a quiet village and we ended up having to stop the band because the music was too loud for the elderly residents.

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  4. These are great tips! Thanks for sharing!

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  5. It's always great to have a band at a party or an event, it gives a much better atmosphere than having a dj.

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  6. I have not hired a band but i would consider it if and when my kids get married

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  7. I never had a wedding reception but I would have loved to have had some live music. You've provided excellent information that will be useful for others x

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  8. Great post. I didn't have a reception at our wedding, but there are so many details to consider when looking at big picture! Good info!

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