What to Look for When Hiring an Entertainment Agent

Always use a reputable Entertainment Agency

Your wedding will most likely be the biggest social event of your life, and you want everything to go smoothly. Experts in weddings and event planning will all come together to assist the bride and groom with the arrangements. Choosing a beautiful dress, selecting a caterer to prepare the delicious food, and finding an exquisite location, all need to be done so you can enjoy the big day with family and friends. The reception is the time to celebrate - choosing the right entertainment agency can truly make your wedding reception a memorable celebration.

As with all other aspects of your wedding, you rely on experts. Then do the same when choosing an entertainment agency. They all do not provide the same services and of course, the fee they charge can vary considerably. Be sure the agency is a full service agency that actually has a staff and can offer you a wide range of bands and entertainment to choose from. There are agencies representing themselves as a full staff agency, but you will find out their “agency” is a one man show ran from a kitchen table. It takes a knowledgeable staff to provide all services an entertainment agency does to assure your wedding reception has talented entertainment. A full staff agency with years of experience will research all bands and entertainment they book to assure they are top notch. Their reputation is hard earned and they would not risk having a poor band ruin their credibility as an agent. An involved agent will help connect you with a band that fits your genre and taste, not try to make a band fit you. The agency will have vetted bands first, has a profile of them, testimonials of those that have had the band at their event, and usually audio and video samples of them. The agency should also be able to provide you a listing of gigs the band has played and where they will be playing in the future, should you want to listen to them in person.

Be wary if an entertainment agent says over-confidently, “You won’t even have to talk to the band”.  He must not want to know what the band actually is. After you have chosen the band, a good agent will let you correspond with the band to coordinate special songs and sets. He will take care of necessary details such as being sure the venue will be ready, the electrical needs of the band are arranged, and the necessary insurance is in place for liability. The agent is there to support any issues you have. There are agents that will provide 24 hour support in case there is something out of the ordinary that happens.

A reputable entertainment agency represents talent that will showcase their booking services. The website or literature about their agency will show the quality of their agency and services, but be sure they can actually provide what they portray. A visit to their office in person, will give you a real feel regarding their reputation, their ability to serve you, and of course that you will be investing in someone that can make your wedding tremendous. The most expensive agent is not always the best either, so compare agencies in price, services and talent they offer. The band or entertainment at your wedding will the highlight while you celebrate – choose wisely so you’re not disappointed or frustrated. When seeking an entertainment agency, it is not just getting what you pay for. Shop wisely for an agent, and get more for what you pay.

The Humble Guitarist....

Andy The Hampshire Guitarist has a Contemporary Setlist

It very much used to be the case that if you hired a guitarist for a wedding reception or a wedding ceremony you were almost certainly looking at them either being classical or Spanish in style. Don't get me wrong, every now and then you would almost certainly find an accomplished guitarist who was more than happy to perform The Beatles in their finger-picked style.

However, zooming forward to, erm, well... now, there are a lot more options with regards the type of guitarists available. Of course, there are still the much-loved and favoured classical chaps and chappesses who will play lots of Stanley Myers (the 'Gallery' theme from Take Hart, or, as it is genuinely known, Cavatina, the 'Theme from Deer Hunter'), Prelude number ?!, the Wedding March, etc... and lots of Spanish Rodriguez-type things. But, nowadays, there is a new breed of guitarist and I am happy to say they are not based too far away from Dorset! BINGO!

For example, check this for a set-list:

• Make You Feel My Love – Adele
• Someone Like You – Adele
• Thousand Miles – Christina Perri
• Just The Way You Are – Bruno Mars
• Chasing Cars – Snow Patrol
• Fix You – Coldplay
• Yellow - Coldplay
• Red – Daniel Merriweather
• Don’t Wanna Miss A Thing – Aerosmith
• Tears In Heaven – Eric Clapton
• Over The Rainbow – Eva Cassidy
• Fields Of Gold – Eva Cassidy
• Wherever You Will Go – The Calling
• Sunday Morning – Maroon 5
• She Will Be Loved – Maroon 5
• Home – Michael Buble
• Use Somebody – Kings of Leon
• Cannonball – Damian Rice
• The Blowers Daughter – Damian Rice
• I Wont Give Up – Jason Mraz
• Love The Way You Lie – Rhianna
• Wonderful Tonight – Eric Clapton
• Summer of 69 – Bryan Adams
• Heaven – Bryan Adams
• Everything I Do (I Do It For You) – Bryan Adams
• Gravity – John Mayer
• Put Your Records On – Corrine Bailey Rae
• Only Exception – Paramore
• More Than Words - Extreme
• Man Who Can’t Be Moved – The Script
• Rule The World – Take That
• You Make It Real For Me - James Morrison
• You Give Me Something – James Morrison
• Run – Snow Patrol
• Lego House – Ed Sheeran
• True Colours – Eva Cassidy
• Cavatina – John Williams
• Quatro Valses Venezolanos (No. 1) Asturias – John Williams
• To Greater Pastures – Andrew Jarmin
• Whispering Hearts (Instrumental) – Andrew Jarmin
• Tonight (Instrumental) – Andrew Jarmin

Pretty cool huh! Well, this is the repertoire from Hampshire based guitarist Andy (see photo). And, I'm happy to say that he isn't the only great guitarist of this kind of ilk based in the Dorset / Hampshire region. Check out more examples here: http://www.warble-entertainment.com/live-music/musicians/classical-guitarists-in-dorset

If you have a look at the link above you will find a good few options for guitarists who have performed at venues in Dorset, such as: Sandbanks Hotel (Poole), Sherborne Castle, Christchurch Harbour Hotel, Crown Hotel (Blandford) and many more...

Have a listen to their audio clips as well because some of them are mesmerizing!

A Great Photo(n) Opportunity...

Hire The Photon Glow Show in Dorset

Something a little different for wedding entertainment or for a corporate event that I recently stumbled upon is the 'Photon Glow Show'. These guys are available to hire at www.warble-entertainment.com exclusively and the prices start at nearly £1000. Now, that may sound expensive, but the great thing about this entertainment is that it can provide a fantastic WOW factor for a wedding and can even include logos for corporate events, which is a unique way of getting your brand across to customers or potential clients.

Also, where the Photon Glow Show comes into it's own is that unlike fire performers where performing indoors can often be problematic, it is easy for these entertainers.

But, what is the Photon Glow Show? Well, here's a little video to give you an idea:

Basically, it is 2 performers wearing custom-made Glow suits, which are programmed to 0.01 of a second, that allows them to react to the glow performer and music to create a stunning visual feast.

Having looked into the act a little more I can see that it appears their fee is pretty much set as standard and wherever they perform in the UK it remains the same. In the Dorset area the quote is around £980. Apart from the price, here's a few other questions answered for you as well....

Q. How long does the performance last?
A. The show is up to 10 minutes in length.

Q. So, you can use my company logo in the performance?
A. Providing the booking is made in good time the Photon Glow Show guys are able to air-write it in the air with lasers and also develop laser animations.

Q. Can you perform at weddings and parties as well?
A. Yes! Just let the guys know a few details and they'll be happy to make some laser animations to suit. 

Q. So, what are the logisitcs? I.e. what do I need?

A. Basically, a dark (the darker the better) room and standard plug sockets. And, that's it!

The Photon Glow Show is a unique entertainment idea for pretty much any kind of event (although, it may be a bit lively for a funeral?!) and will add something different that probably nearly all of your guests would not even know existed.

Quick On The Draw

David the Caricaturist

Back to something a bit different...

I was at a party a couple of years ago and saw a bit of a crowd gathering in the corner of the room. The crowd stayed all night and only seemed to get bigger.... and bigger.... and bigger... So, I decided to mozy my way over to see what all the fuss was about. When I got there I could see a caricaturist busy drawing away on his easel while guests watched and queued waiting for their turn.

Now, I've seen caricaturists when I have been abroad in tourist hot spots and whilst they seem steady as far as work goes they never seem to be inundated. But, stick a caricaturist at an event or party and it seems that the guests go 'mad for it' (to coin a good old Northern phrase)!

The caricaturist who was working away that night was a young man called David who I discovered is based in Sussex. But, he told me he travels throughout the whole of the UK pretty much and does some pretty cool corporate events as well for folks like IKEA, Goodwood, Samsung etc... he did say that he is popular in Dorset and works a lot in Blandford Forum, Dorchester, Poole, Bournemouth, Weymouth, Wimbourne, Lulworth and other places too...

I managed to track down some web info on David and you can check some examples of David the Caricaturists work here. I even managed to get some video footage of David in action:

After chatting to David it seems that caricaturists are extremely popular for weddings and they work really well during receptions (afternoon or evening) and work as a great way to break the ice for guests. It provides a talking point apparently to entice guests who have never met before to interact and start chatting.

After I went over and witnessed David in action it has to be said that it is quite a hypnotic process to see. To watch a blank sheet of A3 be turned into a piece of art in front of your eyes... and in a very short time! That's one thing to remember... these caricaturists are expected to hit the mark in a very short amount of time per person because although they don't get paid per sketch/drawing/caricature, they are put under a lot of scrutiny from bookers who want to ensure they are getting their money's worth.

But, yep... in short, a great idea and addition to any kind of party or event. There are lots of artists out there so it is worth looking to see what sort of style you like, becuase, some caricaturists can be a little 'sharper tongued' with a pencil than others.. if you get my drift ;) IE. they can make you look particularly grim! Not that this is a problem for everybody though and apparently some bookers like to have the worst brought out in their guests as it makes for great fun. I suppose this is where an experienced caricaturist will come into play as they will perhaps be able to gauge who is and isn't 'up for it' so to speak.

Anyway, for caricaturists in Dorset, get yourself on Google and see who you can find, what styles you like and what the prices are (as these can very quite a lot as well).

And that's it for today! Have a blast :)

When A Band Has No Singer...

Hire a Bandeoke Band to get your Party Rocking!

Does anybody remember the phenomena that was karaoke? I know a lot of people still enjoy it but it does seem a little yesteryear these days. But, what if you had the chance to do karaoke with a live backing band? Oh, to feel the power of the bass and the kick of drums whilst wrapping yourself over the guitarist in a Jagger and Richards style pose... Oh, that's just me... OK.

Well, another idea that I love and have tasted first hand is this new breed of karaoke... bandeoke!

There are a good few bandeoke bands out there these days so you shouldn't have any difficulty in finding one but, the things to look out for are how each one handled the singer. It's all very well saying that they have top of the range equipment and lighting to make you feel like the real deal. But, if you are singing from a folder on a music stand then it all looks a little bit naff and takes away the 'performing with a live band' vibe that you should be giving off.

These days as well with technology as it is there is no reason that triggers and stuff like that (technical hey?!) can't be used to scroll the words in a similar fashion to good olden times karaoke. iPads and things like that are bound to have some kind of useful app for lyrics and the like so it shouldn't take too much by way of imagination for a bandeoke band to sort it out and lose the flip chart.

The other thing to look out for is what I like to call the 'genuine rockstar experience' - see what exactly the band can provide to allow your guests get taken up in the moment. Great lights? Smoke Machine? Anything that might add to the atmos and make you really give it your all will surely help.

My little experience of bandeoke was performing with this great band one night in Poole, Dorset. It was a fancy dress party and so I was already slightly hidden in my costume and had a lot of Dutch courage as well. But, after deciding to sing Back in the USSR by The Beatles I took to the stage and the band began to play... they were awesome, the lighting was awesome, the sound was awesome, the crowd were awesome... I was just a bit rubbish. But, I had a total blast! And, after doing it once, believe me you will find it hard to keep guests off the stage... Once bitten and all that...

So, for another slightly off the wall idea of entertainment you can book in the Dorset area I would recommend checking out a bandeoke band becuase you really will have a great night with some amazing memories and brilliant photos.

By the way, check here to see the bandeoke band that I sang with... who, incidentally used iPads for the words and so made my job as the kick ass lead singer in a rock and roll band very easy :)

Cheers :)

Where There's Smoke....

Juggling Inferno will amaze your guests!

Next up is something a little bit different. And, there are a lot of event organisers looking to hire something different for their wedding or event, so hopefully this will help.

Whilst many folk are happy to go with fireworks as a grand finale to their big day or event some more forward thinking lovelies are now starting to opt for fire performers.

Having seen quite a few of these I would say that the best group I have come across is an act called Juggling Inferno. What Juggling Inferno offer is a choreographed, group or solo fire show that may include fire juggling, fire eating, fire breathing, staff juggling and more! But, the main difference to fireworks (well, apart from the fact the performer isn't shot 100 feet into the air!) is that the show is interactive. It is high energy entertainment provided by a professional fire performer who will joke and involve your guests.

The fire shows also come with the fantastic option of a pyrotechnic finale, which having seen myself I can say is totally worth booking.

So, hopefully that will give you a little food for thought when you reach out for the Yellow Pages looking to see who can provide fireworks for you... in fact, as far as health and safety issues are concerned as well, a Juggling Inferno fire performer is much easier to hire. They have all the relevant risk assessments and health and safety paperwork you will need and can advise you exactly what you will need to check with your venue. Sorry, suddenly jumped to that because I remember a friend who once hired a firework finale and it was a bit of a pain because they needed ordnance survey maps and aerial pictures of the venue etc.

Anyway, I digress... for something fun, different and an unusual entertainment idea, check out Juggling Inferno.

Thanks for reading :)

Could It Be Magic?

Right, as promised... here we go! First on the list of great Dorset wedding bands is The Magic Tones

Although based in Hampshire, for these guys that is a stones throw away in distance to Dorset and as hardened, professional musicians traveling is no issue anyway.  The band offer a couple of different line-ups to include either male vocals, female vocals or both and are a perfect option for weddings, parties or corporate events down on the south coast.

From the research I have done I can see that the band are available starting at around the £1050 mark, which is a very good price for such a well-respected and top sounding band. But, you may need to add travel onto this because as I say the guys are based in Hampshire.

The full line-up of the band is:

• Drums
• Bass / Backing Vocals
• Guitar
• Keys / Backing Vocals
• Lead Female and / or Male Vocals

And, the repertoire includes everything from Bruno Mars and The Kaiser Chiefs to Jackie Wilson and ABBA... so, pretty varied as well. In addition, the band has some excellent feedback from previous customers, which is always a good sign.

And, there you go... one of my favourite Dorset wedding bands for you to take a nosey at and see what you think.

Hope you enjoy them...

So... why Dorset?

The Wonderful Dorset!

Hello! I have decided to start this blog to wedding bands and wedding entertainment in Dorset for one reason... I can't see that much going on there! But, I know there is because Dorset has some amazing wedding venues and I have worked in a lot of them with some fantastic bands, musicians and entertainers.

So, let's see where this goes....

I'm going to be investigating and finding out just what is available in this lovely area of the UK and will be posting reviews, videos, audio etc. for everyone to have a nosey at.

Personally, I like the slightly quirky and different so there will also be some unique wedding entertainment ideas as well. Of course, I will also be showing straight ahead, proven track record entertainment as well... so, fear not! There will be something for all.

Anyway, grab a brew, crack open the Jaffa Cakes and sit back because I am about to begin...