Category Archives: Wedding Entertainers

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!

Engagement party ideas

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Your journey has now begun and you are both on your way to being Mr & Mrs. but before you walk down the aisle or have that romantic first dance, you need to have the ever so popular engagement party! The engagement party is the time to get all your friends and family together to celebrate the brilliant news. Many questions surround engagement parties such as who organises the party, how close after the engagement should the party be, who should we invite etc. Well, here are some ideas…

Set the date- This is the most popular question… When is the right time for an engagement party? Well firstly, when you are engaged is a good start, but I figure you already know that! So the most popular time frame for an engagement party is within the first 4 months of your engagement. This is because there will still be such excitement and this is the calm before the storm of wedding planning. Go show off that new engagement ring, dance together as an engaged couple and enjoy the planning of the engagement party.

The Guest List- Firstly, do not invite guests to the engagement party who will not be invited to your wedding. This has happened before and can be quite rude. So make sure that the guests at your party will also be partying with you on your wedding day. The guest list can be as small or big as you like. Many future brides and grooms prefer for the engagement party just to be close family and the full bridal party. Others want all their loved ones there, which can be very fun as you can then decide who is going to be that crazy friend at the wedding, which uncle will do the embarrassing dance first and which mum will cry first… yes these are some of the things to look forward to.
Invites- State clearly that is an engagement party, and not your wedding! You would be surprised at how often this happens. Also tell your guests the venue, time and dress code if applicable. Your engagement invites should represent what you and your fiancé are like as a couple so if you are having a formal engagement party, your invites should portray this. But if it is non-formal and more of a knees up then your invites do not have to be as formal. I know I know, but it is the small detail which makes all the difference!
Decorations- This is the part you can have loads of fun with. You could go and buy some engagement banners and balloons and have the balloons filled with helium for table centre pieces. These can be found very easily from any party store. You could also print out loads of photos of you and your fiancé from the day you met to the present day and place them around the room, your guests will love looking at these and it will bring back some beautiful memories. You could choose a theme for your engagement party and play on this. Even get your guests to dress up so your party really will be unique.
Entertainment- Your engagement party is overall the first steps towards your wedding and therefore it is a reflection of your wedding day. Your entertainment can be kept simple with a DJ and a few fun family games or you could go all out and hire a live band. Live bands are a great source of entertainment at an engagement party as they can talk to the crowd and really get them involved. You could also find some unique entertainment ideas such as a fun casino, caricature artist, a magician and even hire out a photo booth. The world is your oyster when it comes to your engagement party entertainment.
Overall just enjoy it all. This is you and your fiancés first official party as an engaged couple and that is all that matters. It is all about celebrating this massive milestone in each other’s lives and also spending it with your friends and family.

Questions to ask your hired entertainment…

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We know that many of you have never planned a party before. Perhaps you’re planning a wedding or your husband’s 40th Birthday Party. This list is a product of many years of providing private event entertainment (but this list is applicable to most forms of entertainment). These are the questions you should be asking your performers before you sign on the dotted line. 

1. Where (and for whom) do you do the majority of your shows?
What you are trying to find out is how experienced and equipped the performers are for working private events. Many bar performers represent themselves as event entertainers but may not have the experience working with venues and professional event planners, or they may lack the equipment or insurance that is necessary, especially for larger venues.

2. Can you show proof of insurance?
While I’m not convinced that this is always necessary for event entertainers, this speaks to the professionalism of the entertainer. If the entertainer does a lot of private events in nice hotels and country clubs, they will be more likely to carry liability insurance, as many of the higher-end venues require this. If you entertainer is not insured, then perhaps they are not working many of these venues, which could mean that they are not attracting the top end private event clients.

3. What is the cancellation policy?
Most entertainment acts will penalize you for cancelling a performance that has already been contracted. They look at dates on the calendar as inventory. If you reserve your date, they can’t sell it to anyone else. So if you cancel, they may not be able to rebook. It’s similar to how event venues or photographers view their calendars. If you think there may be a need to cancel or change your date, discuss this with the entertainment BEFORE signing a contract and see if there is any flexibility on their policy. I’ve written contracts for clients that allowed them to cancel up to 4 weeks after entering the contract to suit a particular situation. 

4. How much is the deposit and is it refundable?
This goes hand in hand with the previous question. Usually deposits are not refundable. This serves as incentive for a client not to cancel or reschedule. A common deposit structure is 50% upon signing and 50% upon arrival at the venue. 

5. Do you bring stage lighting?
A pretty standard thing for entertainers to supply, but some of the smaller groups won’t have this, and some of the higher-tier entertainers may expect that this would be supplied by an outside production company. You should ask. 

6. How long do you need to set up?
Make sure you coordinate this with your venue. If the venue is using your space for another client prior to your time slot, you want to ask the venue ‘what is the earliest time that the entertainment can load in’.  Then verify that this is sufficient with your entertainment.

7. Ask the venue if there is specific wording they require on the performer’s insurance certificate.
Some venues just want to know the entertainer is insured, but many require that they, the venue, (and sometimes the parent company) are listed on the entertainer’s insurance certificate as Additional Insured. 

8. Ask for space (and staging) requirements from your entertainers. This includes length, depth, height and placement. Verify with the venue that this can be accommodated. If it can’t, find out how flexible your entertainers are regarding these dimensions and placement. Many performers can do their show with no staging platform at all if necessary but they will all need a certain amount of space to set up. Know what this is.

A brief history of the Harp…

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Find the best harpists available for hire in the UK today. The harp is known as the ‘instrument of the gods’ and dates back to ancient times. The magical ‘fairy tale’ sound of the harp will enchant any audience and it is capable of transforming a ‘run of the mill’ event, into an elegant, emotional experience. 

The harp is one of the oldest musical instruments in the world. The earliest harps were developed from the hunting bow. The wall paintings of ancient Egyptian tombs dating from as early as 3000 B.C. show an instrument that closely resembles the hunter’s bow, without the pillar that we find in modern harps. 

The angled harp came to Egypt from Asia in about 1500 B.C. It was built from a hollow sound-box joined to a straight string-arm at an angle. The strings, possibly made of hair or plant fibre, were attached to the sound-box at one end and tied to the string-arm at the other. The strings were tuned by rotating the knots that held them. 

During the middle Ages the pillar was added to support the tension of extra strings. Stiffer string materials like copper and brass were used and these changes enabled the instrument to produce greater volume and a longer-sustaining tone. Paintings of these harps appear in many early manuscripts and their shapes hardly differ from those of the Celtic harps that are still played today. 

The earliest known depiction of a frame harp in the British Isles is on an eighth century stone cross. Music was an important part of life in ancient Ireland and the harp was an aristocratic instrument, played in the courts of kings and before the chiefs of clans. Harpers were required to be able to evoke three different emotions in their audience by their music: Laughter, tears and sleep. With the Anglicisation of the Irish nobility, the traditional harpers became minstrels and street musicians reciting poetry and singing folk songs to the accompaniment of their harps. 

The single action harp achieved great popularity throughout the rest of the 18th century as was evidenced in the French Court by Marie Antoinette; perhaps, the most famous player of this instrument. The harps of this period were magnificently decorated with relief carving, lavishly gilded and hand painted. Besides being musical instruments they were undoubtedly prized as object d’art when displayed in the gilded salons of the era. 

As music evolved it was also necessary for the harp, if it was to maintain its popularity, to move with the times. Instead of only being limited to eight major keys and five minor keys, it had become vitally important for the harp to be able to play in all keys. As a result of this need, Sebastian Erard obtained a patent in 1810 for the Double Action pedal harp. 

This ingenious invention revolutionized the harp and is still in use today. The harp has since continued to evolve and has had many significant improvements made to it over the past two centuries. In the late 1800’s Lyon and Healy, a Chicago based company which is still building harps today, began building harps in America with greatly strengthened frames and many important improvements to Erard’s double action mechanism. 

The 21st century holds great promise for continued popularity of the harp as is evidenced by the myriad festivals, conventions, societies, harp builders, music, performances and career opportunities available to harpists. 

From Medieval to Modern, from Classical to Jazz, from Acoustic to Electric. The harp is an instrument steeped in tradition yet open to change and for many it is more than a mere instrument, it is a calling.

Is it edge of your seat entertainers you’re after?

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Jugglers today can juggle almost anything from fire to dangerous objects with their complex routines that has been practiced and practiced over and over again.  Have you ever wanted to learn the art of juggling? If you needed a juggler for a children’s party or a grown up event then look no further than our choice of fine jugglers that are very professional and can put on a good show for your special event.  You could be launching a new product, having a private party, corporate affair which will get the attention your event needed to be a success.

Ariel Performers are a master of grace, (making it look easy) but in fact these trained professionals have put many hours in perfecting this unique and breath-taking act for any event that you had in mind. They can perform as a solo act or in a team using ropes, ribbons or hoops. Perfect for a Wedding reception to entertain your guests. A little more graceful than ‘edge of your seat’ but none the less quite an art. 

A Knife thrower is very entertaining and if you were thinking that this would be a good way to get rid of your boss at this year’s annual party – think again as we have the most professional Knife Throwers advertised with us here at Red Masque party and event entertainment directory. This act is terrifyingly dangerous and you will have one eye open when you see the Knife Thrower in action.  ‘

A sword swallower is the most jaw dropping, show stopping, act that you could possibly see but nonetheless we still want to see it – it’s extremely clever and obviously well practiced and these guys are obviously a master in their field. From regurgitating, to swallowing razor blades we find it almost impossible to comprehend but ever so fascinating to watch.

If you are having an event which would be worthy of such an act then we have the best Sword Swallowers, Knife throwers and Jugglers on our books which is guaranteed to be talked about for many months to come.

If you wanted to mix it up a little but still incorporate juggling and sword swallowers a tightrope walker can sometimes do this whilst balancing above your head!!  

So go on dare to be different and hire some fantastic acts like these.  You have to admire their courage and sheer determination to enable them to do what they do.

Bands from every era…

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60’s bands and tribute acts are very popular, from Beatles to the Rolling Stones, most of us even if we were not born in this era have heard of the ‘swinging sixties’ where the miniskirts and beehives were all the rage. Why not have a 60’s evening where everybody can get involved young and old and have fun dressing in the sixties clothes of that bygone age, we are sure granny has some ‘get up’ still in her closet and if not she can advise as to what to wear. Then comes the fun part, where your 60’s band or tribute act comes alive on stage to make your 60’s party complete, all are extremely professional and will have everybody dancing the whole night away.

The funky 70’s where soul and funk was everywhere and the dress was bold, bright with lots of glitter, the Jackson 5 to Motown to name just a few, the music today is just as popular and dressing the 70’s way is a scream!! If you wanted a 70’s act or Tribute band then look no further then Red Masque entertainment directory. We have only the best advertised which are all very professional. Each act is able to work out with you to arrange your perfect 70’s event.

The 80’s are defined by lots of different genres of music, more commonly we remember Wham, Madonna, Aha, Bananarama  to name but a few. We all remember the dodgy hairdos and very strange fashion, but we cannot deny the music from that era was unforgettable. You could be having an 80’s party or a school reunion where 80’s music would be very nostalgic to your event which will take you back to being a spotty teenager again drooling over Adam Ant or Blondie.

What defined the 90’s with music?  Well, it seems that you were either into Rock Bands like Blur or Oasis or you were into Rap with the likes of Tupac or Jaz Z or R&B when it got a huge boost from talented singers like Whitney Houston and Mariah Carey, or bubble-gum ruled the latter-half of the decade thanks to the Backstreet Boys and Britney Spears.

So if you were thinking of hiring a 90’s act or Tribute band you have so many genres to choose from depending on your taste of that era.

All you really need to know is that you will be booking the best bands from any era that you choose that will transport you back in time and make it an event to remember.

Rock on!!!

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Why not hire an awesome line up of jaw-dropping musical talent that has graced the biggest stages in the world, from Wembley stadium to London’s West End! The greatest music from your favourite classic rock bands rolled into one incredible, guitar-shredding, drum-thundering show! Rocktastic hit after hit of the biggest and best guitar rock anthems!

Furious fun fused with powerful audience participation, gives you permission to rock, mosh and head-bang till you drop! You’ve been waiting to feel this good again and now the wait is over – rebel and be prepared to rock your socks off! Your Rock Band performs a pulsating, plethora of pounding rock. Unleash your inner Rock God (or Goddess) to the songs that have become the backdrop to your life.

If you’re having a theme Rock night then a Rock band will be the icing on the cake if you hire from Red Masque party entertainment directory. All extremely professional that have been highly acclaimed you will be guaranteed an amazing event.

Rock & Roll music was born in the 1950’s from a fusion of electric blues, country and gospel music. Confined to the Rhythm & Blues charts early in the decade, rock crosses over to the Pop charts from 1955 onward. Electric Blues, R&B, Doo Wop, Rockabilly…. 

In the sixties rock music comes of age and dominates the popular music charts. Rock diversifies with new styles such as soul, surf, folk rock, the British Invasion, psychedelic and hard rock. Television becomes a factor as prime time variety shows feature rock… 

The early seventies are marked by the deaths of Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin and Jim Morrison. Psychedelic music declines, but morphs into hard rock, progressive rock and heavy metal. Touring bands move from playing clubs and theatres, to playing sports arenas…

Brazilian Carnival Dancers

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With the carnival fever fast approaching isn’t it better to hire these amazing dancers early? You wouldn’t want to be disappointed, after all Carnival dancers are the icing on the cake!

These gorgeous dancers will carry a feeling of elegance and prestige providing a very energetic performance with a modern twist featuring spectacular costumes and choreographed routines which will dazzle your guests getting everyone off their feet and onto the dance floor! The show will give the audience an authentic taste of the Latin & Brazilian dance experience including Samba, Salsa, Cha Cha, Lambada, Axe’ and much more!

Dancing to up tempo Latin & Brazilian songs as well as Latin pop and contemporary charts, be assured that these Brazilian Carnival Dancers will create an exciting party atmosphere!

You will deal with experienced artists who have been performing not only in the UK but all over the world. Their reputation has grown significantly over the years making them becoming the Capital’s leading show business dedicated to this kind dance.

Discover how you could indulge yourself and your guests with a dazzling and classy party entertainment! With many dancers available, the group can satisfy any request and cater for any budget, no matter how small or large!

Hire Brazilian Carnival Dancers to cater for Corporate, Galas, Weddings, Bar Mitzvah, Cocktails reception, Product launch, TV Commercials, Casinos, Theatre Production, Award ceremony, Themed Event, Office party, Fundraisers, Festivals, Venues and more.

You may need a Brazilian Carnival singer. As well as Carnival Dancers, it would be good to provide a Brazilian Carnival Singer who will entertain your audience singing up-tempo Latin & Brazilian songs in Portuguese, English and Spanish as well as Latin pop and top charts to quality backing tracks.

The singer can also perform a background music set featuring a classy repertoire of smooth Latin jazz and Brazilian bossa nova. This would be ideal for wedding reception or to delight your guest while dining. Please look on our Red Masque directory for more details.

Thinking of hiring a ballet dancer?

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A ballet dancer is a wonderful thing her movements are faultless and seamless.  Even if you were not a fan of the beautiful art you must appreciate the work involved to get there; hours upon hours of training which is quite gruelling. Hiring a ballet dancer or a group will certainly go down well with your guests making it a very classy affair.

A Ballet dancers dream would be to train at the Royal Ballet School, for a ballet dancer; the most sought after place to be:

The Royal Ballet School was founded in 1926, when Dame Ninette de Valois opened her Academy of Choreographic Art. Inspired to create a repertory ballet company and school, she collaborated with Lilian Baylis, lessee and Manager of the Old Vic Theatre.

When Lilian Baylis acquired the Sadler’s Wells Theatre, de Valois moved the School there in 1931 and it became The Vic-Wells Ballet School feeding dancers into The Vic-Wells Ballet Company. In 1939 the school was renamed The Sadler’s Wells Ballet School and the Company became The Sadler’s Wells Ballet.

In 1946 The Sadler’s Wells ballet moved to a permanent home at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden. A second company was formed, The Sadler’s Wells Theatre Ballet. In 1947 the School moved from Sadler’s Wells Theatre to Barons Court and general education was combined with vocational ballet training.

The first five younger years of the School moved to White Lodge, Richmond Park in 1955/56 and became residential, combining general education and vocational ballet training. The final three years of study for more senior continued to be based at Barons Court.

The Royal Charter was granted in October 1956 and the School and companies were renamed The Royal Ballet School, The Royal Ballet and the Sadler’s Wells Royal Ballet (later renamed Birmingham Royal Ballet following its move there in 1990).

From that time the School has become both the leading classical ballet school in the United Kingdom earning government support and an international institution which attracts the very best ballet students worldwide. The calibre of students graduating from the school is self-evident.

In January 2003 the Barons Court campus moved to new premises in Floral Street, alongside London’s Royal Opera House in Covent Garden. The state-of-the-art studios are now linked to The Royal Ballet by the award winning Bridge of Aspiration, fulfilling Dame Ninette’s dream to have Company and School side by side in the centre of London.

All the fun of the fair

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A fair is a gathering of people to display or trade produce or other goods, to parade or display animals and often to enjoy associated travelling carnival or travelling funfair entertainment. It is normally of the essence of a fair that it is temporary; some last only an afternoon while others may last as long as ten weeks. Activities at fairs vary widely. Some trade fairs are important regular business events either where products are traded between businesspeople, as at the Frankfurt Book Fair, where publishers sell book rights in other markets to other publishers, or where products are showcased to consumers, as for example in agricultural districts where they present opportunities to display and demonstrate the latest machinery on the market to farmers.

Fairs are also known by many different names around the world, such as agricultural show, fete, exhibition, or state fair, festival, market and show.  Flea market and auto shows are sometimes incorporated into a fair.

Fayre is an archaic spelling of fair, used mostly from the 15th to the 17th century. This spelling is now confusingly used for both fair and fare, the latter in the sense of ‘food and drink’. In itself, the word means a gathering of stalls and amusements for public entertainment .The alternative spelling is an old-fashioned affectation and is used in order to remind revellers and participants of medieval fayres and markets. It is mainly used for fairs that are essentially leisure rather than business events such as trade fairs and rides.

The fair is an ancient tradition and many communities have long had dedicated fairgrounds; others hold them in a variety of public places, including streets and town squares, or even in large private gardens. Fairs are often held in conjunction with a significant event, such as the anniversary of a local historical event, a seasonal event such as harvest time or with a holiday such as Christmas.

Now anybody can hold a fair, it could be a few fairground rides or a grand affair.  At Red Masque directory you are able to choose from a range of fairground rides and stalls.  Let your imagination run wild and hire at much or as little as you’d like.  Amaze your guests with the ‘fun of the fair’.