Category Archives: Corporate Event Entertainment

Ideas for Corporate Events

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Planning a corporate event? One of the most challenging aspects of corporate event planning is coming up with an idea. The event theme is the driving force behind every other aspect of an event, from the invitation to the selection of entertainment and food. Before you get busy with any other part of the corporate event planning process, first find out the goal of the event.

The best corporate event ideas take that business objective — after all, corporate events have business objectives — and use it as the springboard for the event theme and the overall atmosphere of the event.

Corporate events can set the stage for presenting information regarding a company’s upcoming product launch, a new approach to corporate training, or simply for conducting team building exercises in a fun, engaging environment.

Is the purpose of this corporate event to reward a sales team for exceeding targets by providing a retreat focused on rest and relaxation? Is the goal to bring employees of two different companies together due to a merger, with the priority resting on connecting people and building relationships?

Whether the purpose of the event is business or pleasure or a combination of the two, the right corporate event idea can meet the objective and deliver a successful event.

For many employees, reporting to work every day at the same time, dressed in the same business attire, with the same people, becomes a bore.

While they may enjoy the work itself and their colleagues, the predictability of it all gets old quickly.
Why not mix it up?

Take a corporate meeting to another venue, away from the offices and cubicles. Even if employees must spend the day poring over reports or sitting in meetings, the change in surroundings can be refreshing.

A few suggestions:
Change the dress code for the event, allowing employees to dress comfortably
If weather and venue permit, schedule part of the event outdoors
Skip the standard meeting sandwich platter and offer an assortment of foods from local restaurants or made-to-order food service stations
Schedule a fun, interactive activity during the mid-afternoon slump
On the last day of the event, and earlier than the usual going home time; they will appreciate getting out of work early

The key to having a productive corporate event is to take employees out of their usual work routine. Changing the attire, location, and overall vibe can change their interactions and re-energise staff, even if they are staring at annual report figures all afternoon.

Corporate Event Christmas Songs

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When it comes to your works Christmas party, there can be a lot of heated debate over which songs to play. Do you want to play pop hits or simply whack out the Christmas classics from start to finish?

Of course these suggestions may not be in your top 5, but here a list of some very well known songs..

1. Driving Home for Christmas – Chris Rea
Nobody is doubting that it’s a fine Christmas ballad, but top nip into the top 5? Well done Mr. Rea! Perhaps this got extra votes due to its brilliant use in the very festive Gavin & Stacey Christmas special.

2. Last Christmas – Wham!
Wham!’s song managed to make it to number 9 in our poll, though it did take on a bit of a sad note last year when George Michael tragically died on Christmas Day. We’ll continue to listen to the song this Christmas and raise a glass to George in his absence.

3. The Fairytale of New York – The Pogues
The Fairytale of New York is a great tune but does it make you feel optimistic for the future and bring out the party atmosphere? Perhaps not!

4. Santa Claus is Coming to Town – Jackson 5
Many people wrote down only the name of the song and not the band as well. At least one guest might favour Bruce Springsteen’s effort but we’ve decided that the Jackson 5 version is perhaps the most Christmassy.

5. Do They Know It’s Christmas? – Band Aid
If The Fairytale of New York isn’t necessarily a party banger that is sure to fill the dancefloor, surely Do They Know It’s Christmas? isn’t either? Even so, Band Aid’s heartfelt plea to give money to charity is a Christmas staple and has pushed it to number 5 in our chart.

The right entertainment is Key

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Entertainment is hugely important in corporate events. Different calibres of individuals are usually invited for corporate meetings and occasions. They deserve to be entertained all through the event. If you’re hosting an important corporate event, you need to plan everything concerning entertainment very well. You need to keep your guests happy and satisfied.

If you don’t want to use an entertainment directory, you can go ahead to hire a band by yourself. You have to create time to locate a reliable band. You need a band that has the best musical instruments. Such a band should also have the best artists. You need a band that has experience in covering different kinds of corporate events. You can be sure of entertaining your guests when you find such a band. Of course Red Masque has done all the hard work for you and you will find excellent artists just waiting to be picked by you.

Again, you can decide to hire a DJ for the corporate event. The DJ will play popular recorded music at the event. You can choose the specific musical pieces that will suit your audience. You must sit down with the DJ to arrange all the songs. You have to avoid playing songs that will not be suited to certain guests.

The first step you can take is to engage a reliable entertainment directory. Such as Red Masque our website will help you organize every aspect of the entertainment required for the event. Our portfolio can help you choose the best music band to entertain your guests. They will save you the headache of making choices by trailing through the internet as we have the best entertainment in one place. They will also save you time since we understand exactly what you need.

It’s important you decide on the best attire for the DJ or the band you’re hiring. Corporate event requires corporate attires. The band or the DJ must appear cute on the very day of the event. They have to entice the audience by their appearance.

Meanwhile, you need a good MC for the corporate events. You can hire a professional MC that renders quality services. You can also engage a DJ that also serves as an MC. This saves you some cash in the process.

Beach Blanket Babylon

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Is a decadent venue in trendy Shoreditch perfect for exclusive events and celebrations with an impressive capacity of up to 800 people. The venue has a number of opulent event spaces on offer that lend themselves perfectly to stylish corporate networking events, cocktail receptions, corporate event dinners, gala events, conferences and fashion shows.

The Champagne Lounge is ideal for private parties of up to 300 guests with rich wooden surrounds, decadent mood lighting and unique decorations. The Gallery offers a versatile self-contained space, with rustic wooden floors and white walls it is the perfect blank canvas for conferences and exhibitions and can hold up to 175 guests. The Mezzanine and The Bar are both gorgeous spaces; The Mezzanine elegantly holds up to 70 guests while the vibrant cosmopolitan bar holds up to 250 guests.

To complete the look and enhance the atmosphere Red Masque entertainment have a few Swing and Jazz bands on our books from London provide standout musical entertainment that will.

The Floating Cinema
This is one of London’s top 8 coolest art venues in 2013, the floating cinema is now available for private hire offering a unique event space for product launches, corporate away days, film shoots and special occasions.

This intimate venue has a capacity of 12 passengers when cruising and 20 people standing while static. The Floating Cinema is a purpose-built wide beam barge with a flexible ‘whitespace’ auditorium that offers a unique and original experience for guests. The space can be easily reconfigured to accommodate meetings and team building sessions. As a cinema it offers state of the art high-spec lighting and surround-sound facilities, a fully equipped cinema auditorium space and a stunning central viewing deck from which guests can enjoy a new perspective of London’s most iconic views.

The Warner Bros Studio in London
Home to Harry Potter film sets – offers an exciting event space not just for fans of the Harry Potter franchise. Corporate event organisers can choose to host exclusive dinners and award ceremonies in the Great Hall, sip cocktails and tankards of butter beer in the Three Broomsticks, and host networking events in Dagon Alley.

What better entertainment to accompany a corporate event in the place where Harry Potter was filmed than a string quartet that will create an atmospheric setting fit for the Harry Potter films and could even play the film franchise’s iconic theme tune!

Intimate dinner party acts

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Cello

The cello is the perfect sound for a classy dinner private party amongst a few choice guests. It has a sound that many people absolutely adore, its low timbre fitting perfectly with a number of other instruments or in a solo setting.

Violin

The Violin is popular entertainment for private parties and corporate events, no matter intimate or otherwise. Mixing a Cello and a Violin are extremely popular which fits for virtually any occasion. Another act combination that people enjoy for intimate dinner parties is violin and…

Harp

The harp is a gorgeous, gentle instrument that many adore but rather interestingly, rarely get to experience live. It could be because it’s a rather bulky instrument for a child to play, so many performers actually learn when they’re adults. Perfect as an accompaniment to dinner, the harp is also great in combination with strings or woodwind.

Pianists

Pianists are fantastic for creating mood and providing a soundtrack to your evening, no matter the function. Providing a repertoire of modern and classic hits, they tend to provide a fun and informal atmosphere for a whole host of events including dinner, drinks receptions or a small networking function.

Classical Guitarist

What is there to say about classical guitarists that hasn’t already been said (or assumed)? Well, for starters it’s not only western styles of music that are often booked; flamenco is extremely popular whilst many prefer a slightly different sound to what they ordinarily listen to as it promotes a sense of occasion for the evening.

Magician

Now you may be thinking that a magician wouldn’t fit in at all at your intimate soiree but they can be extremely effective for engaging a room and have been proven to be great for informal networking events. For dinner parties, there are some brilliantly parlour magicians that can sit with you at the tables.

As ever with these things, it’s all about finding the right entertainment for you.

Music for corporate events

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Music is an important element of any event, whether it’s in the form of a playlist, DJ or live performance. We’re not just talking about parties and product launches: conferences can benefit hugely from music.

It’s probably not the main type of event you associate with music, but entertainment during seminar breaks and background music played in exhibition areas are both popular choices.

To help you use music as effectively as possible at your next conference we have collated a list of the most popular songs, and will also talk you through how to use them to your advantage.

Using our pool of professional artists, we sent out a questionnaire to 1000 bands, DJs and acts asking if they had played at a conference in the last 18 months, which songs they played, and if any of the songs had been requested by the organisers.

Here are the Top 10 songs played at conferences

Happy – Pharrell Williams
Get Lucky – Daft Punk
Rather Be – Clean Bandit Ft. Jess Glynne
Treasure – Bruno Mars
You’ve Got the Love – Florence + the Machine
Forget You – Cee Lo Green
Sex on Fire – Kings of Leon
Uptown Funk – Mark Ronson ft. Bruno Mars
Locked Out of Heaven – Bruno Mars
Signed, Sealed, Delivered – Stevie Wonder

So, how can you use them to create a great atmosphere at your conference?

Live entertainment during breaks can be a good energy booster for conference attendees. Chart toppers like the ones in our ‘most played’ list can work well in this environment, and can easily be played over an in-house speaker system at a reasonable level.

Hiring a live band or DJ can really add something to your event. Stay clear of big sounds and opt for a smaller set-up, as delegates still need to be able to network and recharge for their next seminar.

Using music in large exhibition halls can be a great way of creating a good vibe. At the same time the room is likely to be very noisy from all the delegates networking with each other and talking to exhibitors. The latter of course, is exactly what you want.

Out of all the areas of your conference where you might add music, this is definitely where your delegates will be most relaxed, and might even venture out on the dance floor.

After parties are all about networking and having a really good time. This is also where the ‘most played list’ will feel most appropriate. You can have a superb party band or DJ who incorporates them into their usual setlists, or you could go for a more tailored option.

Entertainment for team building

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Augmented Reality Treasure Hunt
AR or augmented reality is all the rage thanks to the launch of Pokémon Go. It’s a simple enough technology that even the most technophobic of guests will be able to understand. The virtual reality game makes use of your GPS and camera on your phone to create fun photos and make it appear as though you are not alone in the room. It’s not just Pokémon or solving clues that the technology is limited to either. As the photo shows, you could hold an entire band in your hand!

Virtual Reality Team Building
The VR stands for virtual reality, which is similar to augmented reality, but a lot more immersive. Anyone who is involved in the experience must wear a headset in order to take part, which instantly transports you to another building or world, where you have to work together in order to get ahead. Imagine being teleported inside a video game and that is a perfect way to explain the entertainment you’ll get from a virtual reality team building experience. The technology has already been hailed by Facebook and HTC and there have even been corporate events specially created where you get to defeat zombies as a team. What fun!

Interactive Tiles
Dancing is great fun but there are always a few guests at an event who don’t really fancy getting involved as everybody else does the Macarena. The solution? Some interactive tiles of course! Perfect for an enhanced dance mat experience or put in place as a competitive game, interactive dance tiles can be used to ensure that getting fit is a bonus at your party. The more feet the merrier (perhaps the more steps, the bigger the prize?); this is an event installation you won’t want to miss. And yes, you can totally recreate that scene from the Billie Jean music video.

Cycling Competition
This is a fab form of interactive entertainment that allows two guests at your event to compete and see who gets the best time. Wonderful for events or parties where you have a few prizes to give away and the best bit is that there are no bikes endlessly coursing in and around your event. These two pedal powered beasts are attached to a small plinth to take up a minimum of space at your venue. Just plug in and go!

Valentine’s day entertainment

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Whether you’re planning a private party where you get to play Cupid or perhaps a romantic offering for those already coupled up, Valentine’s Day can be a great party theme and here are some brilliant ideas (and one novelty one) to get you thinking and keep the fun flowing throughout the night.

If you missed out on valentines this year, why not think about planning something amazing for next. Like it or not, and if you’re single then it’s probably a day you loathe, Valentine’s Day will be on again next year and numerous love hearts adorn the shelves at pretty much every shop you walk into.

Chocolate
Chocolate fountains are brilliant for corporate or private parties as the melted chocolate just keeps coming and an assortment of fruit and marshmallows are always available to dip into the goodness. And when you’re done with that, why not wash it all down with some carefully selected wines, learning about what to look for in a good bottle of plonk? Your partner or future partner is sure to be impressed!

Colour Profiler, Numerologist and Graphologist
Let’s say you’re flying solo at a Valentine’s Day party and thinking to yourself that maybe you should update your dating profiles as you swipe over yet another questionable person on Tinder. A colour profiler and numerologist can help narrow down exactly who you’re after by telling you a little about you! Determining your aura and discovering which numbers are important to you could well help you out en route to a satisfying relationship. A graphologist is also able to be booked; often used in criminal cases, a graphologist also has a capacity for romance – they might even be able to tell you who else at the party has handwriting that suggests a perfect match with you!

An Amazing Party Band!
Come on! If you’re wallowing in the corner watching a couple dance a slow waltz around the room, then it’s time to get on up for the next song because the music is set to rock! Hiring a party band for your party is an absolute must and we have a whole host of amazing bands perfect for weddings and parties who know how to combine the romantic ballads with something a little heavier for those just wanting a good dance. No party is complete without one.

Entertainment Venues

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Your corporate event or private party has come to a close, the food’s finished and it’s time to crack open another bottle of bubbly and get the party started. Unfortunately, it’s not always that easy. Get a function in a town hall and you might not have anywhere to set up a party band; have an event in a hotel and you might find your night winding to a rather quick close when the music is turned off at eleven to accommodate the other guests.

Here are some entertainment venues that are perfect:

Smiths of Smithfield

This venue is perfect right next to the City of London it’s conveniently located in the bustling hub of the city. The restaurant’s two private rooms can be opened out for larger parties and – most importantly – it is licenced for live music right up until 1am, so you can keep dancing as long as you’d like. The restaurant is even a short walk away from some amazing London clubs so, if you really aren’t ready to stop, you can head on over to keep the night going.

Southbank Centre
Ideal for any celebration – This world famous multi-art centre is known for its unparalleled festival programme, reaching 6.25 million people a year and featuring 5000 events by world-class artists.
For those of you looking to use the centre for your wedding reception, the rooms to hire are just as well equipped for musicians as their festival halls. The Level 5 Function Room is the largest of their events rooms; it comes with free Wifi, a fully integrated PA system and can be opened out onto a balcony for incredible views of the London skyline.

The room is accessible by lift – so you won’t have to worry about lugging heavy speakers up and down stairs – and comes with a variety of optional hired extras. These include: A sound technician to set up, two radio mics, a plug in and play system for background music. The room is licenced for entertainment until 2am, so the party doesn’t have to end.

Bush Hall
The talking point of this venue is definitely the famous faces that have graced it in the past. The venue has hosted such music legends as Adele, Amy Winehouse and The Killers. The hall’s curtained stage is an ideal place for your band and, if you’re planning on using the stage during the wedding speeches, the backstage area is perfect for storing the band equipment until you’re ready for them to setup.

The hall was originally created as a dance hall and so designed for incredible acoustics that have been preserved throughout all the hall’s renovations and changes and remain to this day. They offer a wide variety of musical equipment for hire and even provide use of their Green Room for musicians to use as a dressing room. They do have a live music curfew of 11pm but there’s no reason why you can’t link your playlist to the speakers and keep the music going a little longer.

Gibson Hall
For those of you who would love an outdoor reception, finding one in London can be tricky – unlike an isolated country venue in London you run into the risk of the surrounding neighbours putting in a noise complaint and getting the party shut down. Fortunately, Gibson Hall, a former bank transformed into a beautiful venue for hire, boasts a stunning courtyard garden and no noise restrictions – you can host a magical garden wedding beneath the stars without having to worry that you’re about to get told to ‘turn it down’.

Venues to book in London for your corporate event

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Covent Garden

When you think of Covent Garden, you will think of two things – the world famous market and the litany of entertainment acts who draw huge crowds.

Covent Garden isn’t just about music though. You will find comedy acts, dancers and acrobats that you will find a fair number on pretty much all high streets of the UK. London and Covent Garden are no different and we think you’ll agree that that any performers you hire from Red Masque will be second to none!

You might think of magicians and circus performances drawing huge crowds of tourists. Their combination of acrobatics and juggling is filled with energy and dynamism will have guests breaking out in smiles. It will be truly a fantastic event and we urge anybody holding a party or evening this year to ponder going with a Covent Garden theme.

Tobacco Dock

When you book a venue like the Tobacco Dock, a grade I listed warehouse from 1811, it’s good if you know how to fill it. It’s a brilliant blank canvas for corporate events and private parties but it’s also quite large, so this is the sort of space that not only benefits from more than one piece of entertainment but also by making sure that the acts are mobile. At a large event or party, many might end up at the back of the room far away from the entertainment and not always able to move closer. When you hire walkabout artists however, the fun comes to you!

When one thinks of London, they might think of the Pearly Kings and Queens. Why not hire some walkabout artists – one King and one Queen – in complete costume to wow the crowd. Not only can they sing a few songs, they are available to meet and greet guests.