Hiring the right entertainment for your events starts with the type of entertainment. Live bands and DJs provide totally different experiences at different price points. Both are equally capable in providing guests with a compelling evening. Let’s dive in to this age-old question and work through the real considerations.
Your Event Profile
Imagine your ideal event. Think of your guests, the overall vibe and feel that you want to achieve. Picture the level of entertainment you want to provide. Live bands bring an excitement and energy to events for many reasons. The talent on stage, the crowd interaction they orchestrate, the contagious energy from a real performance, and the unforgettable song selection. Think of the mashups and medleys live bands deliver that take guests on a journey through the best party music ever written. Nothing compares to live music in terms of guest engagement. The excitement guests feel from experiencing a live band creates a whimsical, lavish, and authentic ambiance. If your taste in music is heavy on today’s highly-produced Rap, R&B and Pop hits, a DJ could be a front runner. If you and your guests are interested in hearing timeless classics replicated from every decade, a live band would be the right choice.
Budget
Live bands will typically cost more than a DJ depending on the number of musicians in the band. Choosing a DJ could help save funds for catering or venue selection, but might leave guests wanting more on the entertainment front. Budget is a very real consideration when booking event entertainment, but is just one element of the decision.
Just Say “Yes”
Bands deliver the party. Musicians performing on stage provide a compelling performance and lure people to the dance floor. Bands deliver class. Nothing is able to dress up an event better than live music. DJs definitely deliver the after party. Today, many events feature live bands during the main part of the event, then transition to a DJ for late night dancing and an after party vibes. Doubling up on a band and DJ is a surefire way to engage your guests and throw an unforgettable event. Bands often partner with DJs for this very situation and entertainment agencies like East Coast Entertainment will be able to provide resources and guidance for doubling up with a dynamic duo of entertainment. At the very least, once your band wraps up, they can definitely “Press play” on a high-energy playlist (that you’ve approved). Their speaker system is already set up and running, so while they get organized and begin to break down, playing a little extra music is easy! You will want to set this up with them beforehand, but it is worth discussing. Why not extend your party and provide a tasteful cool-down to the evening’s revelry?