Category Archives: Launch Party

7 Main Magic Tricks

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Did you know that there are only 7 different types of magic tricks? That’s not to say that you will only ever seen 7 party magic tricks in your life and that all of the others are the same, but like film genres, there are widely acknowledged to only be 7 categories that magic tricks will fit into, though naturally there will be some crossover (and a few people disputing this belief).

Below, we’ve compiled the 7 types of magic tricks explained them a little. Magic!

Vanish

As you might expect, this is the art of making something disappear. A popular close-up magic trick will normally use a coin or a card, whilst David Copperfield went so far as to make the Statue of Liberty apparently disappear. (We say apparently because last time we checked, it’s still there…)

Appearance

One could argue that this is how the Statue of Liberty returned! That wasn’t televised. Often seen when a event magician creates cards from nowhere or perhaps with doves and candles, as seen in this mesmerising Lance Burton magic trick. Wow.

Levitation

Be it a matchstick, a car or even yourself, audiences around the world have been mystified by various objects defying gravity for years, dating all the way back to the Indian Rope trick. Later versions include David Copperfield’s ‘Flying’ and of course, the street levitation that made David Blaine famous.

Penetration (oi!)

Stop blushing. You have no need to blush! You at the back. Focus. Come on now. The penetration is a classic that we’ve all seen before. A pen passes through a playing card or a coin passes through an iPad. Frankly, they’re all mystifying and deserving of an audience. In this clip, ‘magician’s magician’ Eugene Burger passes a cigarette through a card, somehow leaving the card intact once the magic trick is done. Huh

Transportation

“If you’d just like to check your back pocket, sir…” The transportation is a staple of card top magicians worldwide, managing to shoehorn the 8 of Hearts into anything from a pair of trousers to a lemon, or even a sealed tin of spaghetti. This type of magic trick was the main thinking behind top film, The Prestige featuring Hugh Jackman and Christian Bale, where the main characters were transporting themselves. Impressive stuff. (Again though, David Copperfield did it years ago…)

Mind Reading

The incredible abilities that made Derren Brown and Uri Geller famous, mind reading, is a tremendously impressive feat of psychological showmanship. To his credit, Derren Brown admits this. Uri Geller though, passes it off as gospel. Often seen at live magic shows, it’s sure to impress. How did they know?

Restoration

Whether it’s your bank note, a card or even your ludicrously expensive watch, magicians love to tear or smash up your property before returning it to you a few minutes later completely unharmed (in theory…) Strangely they call this entertainment. As long as it doesn’t go wrong, it’s great.

If you’re looking for a magician for your event, feel free to get in touch using the information below.

We all love a bit of Marianne Cheesecake

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We would say that everyone cannot fail to love a bit a burlesque; they are provocative and humorous and very sexy but in a very classy way, and that is where Marianne Cheesecake comes in:

Marianne’s origins are from Hong Kong, but was born and raised in Canada. She has that special something that will make you mesmerised from the moment you set eyes on her.

She adds a little twist to her act (still in keeping with her burlesque roots) she reinacts memorable shows which is inspired by silver screen film characters from the 1920’s – 1950’s. Think of a Hollywood starlet or a glamour girl from that era. She has been inspired by the legends themselves and likes nothing more than to dedicate her acts to Charlie Chaplin, Josephine Baker, Anna May Wong and Kiki de Montparnasse.

Marianne will engage and indulge her audience with glamourous styles and delectable vintage wear. Acting out small part enactments of Hollywood classics and silent films.

She is a trained classical performer with over 15 years of theatre and creative dance experience. She has beautiful choreography and armed with her beauty and stage presence she will tantalise and tease and above all definitely entertain!! She is a master of burlesque party entertainment in her own unique classic way.

Marianne is hugely popular and has done many collaborations with others in this field at prestigious events.

A truly wonderful entertainer; she takes her work very seriously indeed and to her this is her life, which she lives and breathes and most importantly loves to entertain her adored fans.

Why not find out a little bit more about this act by looking on Red Masque Directory and clicking on Marianne’s profile and seeing a short clip of her work.

Beatboxers

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Possibly the most common question we are asked at is what entertainment are we able to provide that is “different” or “out of the ordinary” for a wedding or corporate event? It could be you need something unusual for a big birthday, corporate night out or an anniversary party, but you’ve hit a stumbling block. Well, without doubt one of the most exciting and unusual acts we can offer is the outstanding Beatboxers. You probably want the lowdown but firstly we can safely say that this beatboxers provide sublime entertainment, ideal if you’re searching for totally original artists for your wedding or big event. So take a very worthy risk and wave goodbye to traditional entertainment, blow your guests away with Beatboxers! At Red Masque we suggest you embrace something so cool and modern that we really guarantee you will surprise and thrill your wedding party with something completely individual and extra-special. If you love Hip Hop then you have to check out Beatboxers – they don’t need any props and by that we mean no drums, no bass, no guitar and no piano because they are completely reliant on making music using their… mouths.

If you didn’t know, Beatbox is a phenomenon derived from Hip Hop that has been around for the past decade if not more and it continues to grow rapidly in popularity. It is an art, the ability to make music just using your mouth itself is pretty impressive – if you try it yourself you will see it’s very difficult! The performers can create the sounds of drum beats and other musical noises just using voice, lips and tongue. Famous Beatboxers include Schlomo, Beatfox, Beardy Man and Base 6 who are in good company with Doug E Fresh.

There’s so many different ways Beatboxers can entertain your guests… you need to picture the scene but how about a dramatic wedding entrance to “Get Lucky”. They’re well practised too as their talent spans over years of performing. It’s a brilliant way to stop people in their tracks, and will delight children and adults alike, whatever age because the way they perform is remarkable, so much so, guests are left open mouthed. Their set is incredible, full of energy and tremendous fun. If you want to know what type of songs they cover, well, you can make special requests for example Robin Thicke’s “Blurred Lines” and “Talk Dirty” by Jason Derulo not to mention Pharrel’s “Happy” to name a couple of excellent tracks. 

How about surprising your Bride, Groom or other party member with a blast from a Beatboxers talent? Conveniently, sets range from 3 x 20 minute sets to one hour long set or 2 x half hour slots. Imagine the beatboxers bursting through the doors of your venue and striding through while beatboxing “The One” (Swedish House Mafia) on their way to the Bride to serenade her in their unique style – you can’t beat that for cool! Or before you introduce the Disco or band let them warm up the revellers – they may even teach you one or two of their ingenious techniques.

One thing’s for sure, Beatboxers add some extra entertainment to your wedding or special event and you’ll be beatboxing clever.

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!

Wedding Entertainment Planning

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Choosing wedding entertainment is a very important part of your wedding planning process. Your guests may not remember the theme of your wedding centrepieces, the type of cars or even the design of the cake. The last memory of your wedding for you and your guests is having the most important people in your life having fun and dancing with all the new friends that they have made. If you don’t plan your wedding entertainment properly, your guest’s last memory will be how the wedding ended at 9pm!

Band or DJ?

There are advantages and disadvantages of having both. The pure sound of Live music with a wedding band can really bring a great buzz to your reception but will be more expensive than a DJ, and most bands stick to a set list.

A Wedding DJ can only play pre-recorded tracks which means that their sound isn’t as good as a live acoustic band, but the DJ can play any type of music, take requests and works out less expensive than a band.

Band & DJ package

You can have the best of both worlds with live music from the band and disco music with requests for your wedding. The live band can play the first half of the evening (from after dinner until the evening buffet), and the DJ can play the final half of the evening (from the evening buffet to the close of the bar).

Once you have decided this, there are so many questions: A swing band? A cover band? What type of DJ?

Vision & Theme

To avoid becoming overwhelmed consider your vision and theme for your wedding reception.

Close your eyes & imagine it. Talk it out. Different visions and themes call for different music: a swing band would be perfect for a Vintage themed reception, while a great cover band has something for everyone and Ceilidh band would be great for a Traditional Irish / Scottish themed reception.

Make sure that your wedding DJ has had experience, can take requests and has a good quality sound and light show. As with every industry there are good ones and bad ones… The bad ones are cheap and you certainly get what you pay for. So make sure the last thing that your family and friends remember is that great DJ that finished off your day with a bang!

Food for thought

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If you are selling food and drink at your fun day, make sure you look at the Food Standards Agency to follow their guidelines.

Raffles and Tombola’s

There are strict and complex laws relating to larger raffles and lotteries which you’d need to check the Gambling Commissions website for more details. We recommend selling raffle tickets on the day and drawing at the event to avoid needing a license. 

Council licences

You’ll need to apply to your local council if you plan on providing any of the below:

– selling alcohol

– Live entertainment

– holding a collection in a public place

Speak to the venue beforehand though as they’ll probably already hold a licence for you. 

Too many people think about what will happen after the event, as they’re so caught up with planning it. 

The follow up is just as important as the event itself. 

Make sure you send a thank you email to all suppliers and providers that helped to make the event the great fun day that it was! Also, send out a press release to local media for print and online.

We all love a great success story and it can have a big impact on brand awareness! Who knows, you may be asked to organise the event again next year. 

Arrange a surprise party

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Surprise parties are great, but not for the surprise party planner. Trying to organize entertainment, invite guests, get your catering sorted and make sure the whole event goes off without a hitch (while keeping everything under wraps from your VIP guest) can be a real headache! Entertainment Ideas is here to help you take the mystery out of booking entertainment online by promoting only the acts we know and love and can personally guarantee.

The key to a great surprise party is to keep it just that. Sometimes when the person whose party it is for has inkling there may be a party planned for them you can actually tell on their face; the whole element of surprise will be forced.

Here are some tips to try and keep that party a secret. Make sure you do the entire organisation yourself and keep it under wraps then invite your guests at the very last minute. Telling your guests a long time in advance can mean that someone will let the cat out of the bag. Obviously if you’re inviting people from abroad you will need to get your invites out as soon as possible.

You could also pretend to potential guests and your VIP guest that you are having a family get-together for Aunty Maud who is going away. Your unsuspecting VIP guest will be well surprised that the family get together is actually just for them!! Of course Aunty Maud would have to be someone who can keep a secret and is very good at keeping stum, (there’s always one member of the family who is extremely discrete and you can trust them implicitly)

So now it’s time to hire performers and entertainment to really get the party started. Red Masque directory artists advertised are always vetted and approved. Ready to party? Fill out our online enquiry form to book your entertainment. We’re ready to help you get your party started!

Casino Night…

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One of the most popular events we’ve seen used for corporate team building “entertainment” is a Casino night. Each attendee is given a set number of chips and one raffle ticket at the beginning of the night and at the end of the night they can trade their winnings in for tickets towards a raffle. The more they win “gambling” the better the chances are of winning a prize in the raffle. If there are sponsors of the overall event, you can ask them for raffle donations. Otherwise, corporate branded items, M&S Vouchers/Amazon gift cards, etc. can be used. I’d suggest one raffle item for each 10-15 attendees. They don’t need to be high value, although it’s nice to have one “grand prize” type item. Keep in mind if people have flown in for the event, size matters.

As you watch you’ll see alliances being formed and a lot of teamwork and coaching as more experienced players assist other players and players strategize with each other to defeat players deemed to be winning too often.

Sometimes there may be a few people not want to participate for religious/cultural reasons, and you should always have alternates for them–usually a couple of games suitable for two such as checkers and Uno to start, but they are always joined by people who have lost all their chips fairly quickly and you can have Pictionary with white boards set up for team play.

If you’ve ever been to Las Vegas, you’ll know that Illusionists is a wildly popular form of entertainment that dovetails with the Casino party environment. This also works as an additional team building activity, as a good Illusionist show offers opportunities for group participation, and interaction both with the entertainers and among the participants.

Fantasy photos and booths for Hire

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Capture the memories of your event in the latest and most entertaining fun and unique ways. From photo booths and themed photo shoots to green screen systems that give you the unique ability to customize images to suit your event. Perfect for any occasion and a truly long lasting way to make your event one to remember.

Pictures Are Power

So much more than a photo booth…

‘Pictures are Power’ is a photo booth with a difference – walls have been broken down to create the ideal event entertainment centre piece.

Fantasy photo booths have beautifully designed background graphics, high quality props and Hollywood-style instant beauty effects, using state-of-the-art equipment and studio quality lighting to give breath taking photographs.

On site social networking service allows your guests to upload and share their photographs seconds after they have been taken, generating excitement and conversation whilst your event is still underway and encouraging thousands of people to engage with your brand.

Fantasy photo booths are all the rage at the moment, all weddings, birthdays and Christmas parties seem to have them. They come complete with props and costumes and will be a talking point for years to come.

What hilarious captions will you be able to make up when your guests have had a few too many sherberts?

Great fun and very popular, you could be having a launch party, corporate event or private party, whichever you choose these booths will be well received.

Find the one you like and your booth operator will do the rest, just fill out a form and they will be in contact.

Butler Facts;

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Find the best party butlers available for hire in the UK today. If you want a party that everyone will be talking about, then party butlers make the ultimate party accessory. Have the party that everyone’s talking about with some extra special service provided by professional staff. These guys are available to compliment your party, greet your guests, serve cocktails, top up your drinks and help you get your party started.

Here we have gathered some interesting facts about butlers and the private service profession for. The word butler derives from the old French bouteillier, and identified the cup-bearer or the one in charge of the bottles in large households. Bottle and the French equivalent both come from the Medieval Latin buticula, a diminutive of buttis, a cask, which is also the origin of the English word “butt”, given to large wooden container for liquid. The beer cellar in medieval times would have contained butts or wooden casks, not glass bottles.  So the buttery originally had nothing to do with butter but was the place for storing the butts. Only later was the word extended to mean somewhere that provisions in general were stored, perhaps because people mistakenly made that association

Through a complicated process that had to do with the loss of gentlemen servants and changes in social organization, the butler slowly rose to be in charge not only of the buttery, but also of the ewery (where the napkins and basins for washing and shaving were kept) and the pantry (where the bread, butter, cheese and other basic provisions were stored), and later still he took over the cellarer’s duties of looking after the wine. This eventually became one of his principal duties. By the middle of the nineteenth century, the role of the butler reached its full flowering as head of the male domestic servants, in larger households sometimes the butler was given a whole suite of rooms dedicated to his various functions.

The butler could also be taking care of the household accounting and creating household budgets, maintaining the wardrobe and clothing inventory for the gentleman, packing and preparing for the gentleman for travel, assisting with maintaining household security, staff hiring and firing and staff training. The butler is knowledgeable about wines and spirits and oversees the wine cellar and liquor inventory. Thus, the modern butler needs strong communication, organizational and management skills, and ability to multi-task.

Because of the many British TV series and movies featuring butlers, many people believe that butling is a “British thing”. This is an unfortunate myth, just like “British style butlers”. This notion comes from a rather overwhelming number of books, TV series and movies, all featuring a British butler. Due to the phenomenal success of Downton Abbey, British domestic service is yet again a trending topic.

The French invented the butler and the Americans invented the modern butler. Most butlers are employed in the USA and in the Middle East. Most successful butlers are Swiss. The best butler school in the world is located in The Netherlands. The best service in the world can be found in the Far East.