Tag Archives: parties

NYE Ancient Rituals

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The celebration of New Year is one of the oldest annual rituals, observed globally for thousands of years by all the ancient civilizations from the Egyptians and Mayans to the Chinese and Maoris.

It is possible to take part in a New Year celebration almost every month of the year as our own western observance of New Year’s Day on January 1st only came into practice around 400 years ago.

Most of the older traditions base their new year around important social or astrological activities; the Egyptians celebrated the feast of Opet during the Nile’s inundation, the Mayan New Year varies, Chinese New Year changes annually, while the Celtic celebration of Samhain is held around Halloween.

Did you know? The first people to make resolutions were the ancient Babylonians over 4000 years ago, in the belief that whatever they did on the first day of the year would affect their entire year. The ancient Babylonian New Year was dated to the first new moon (visible crescent) after the vernal, or spring, equinox (usually March), so if you need an excuse to party.

Most New Year celebrations incorporate the ideas of fertility and good luck with reviewing the past year whilst hoping for a better year ahead. The customs we follow in the UK stem mainly from old Scottish traditions of Hogmanay, whose roots date back to the pagan mid-winter practice of sun and fire worship which later linked with the Roman winter festival of Saturnalia, a decadent and uninhibited feast of food, wine and fun.

New Year’s Eve Party Ideas
If you’re prepared to travel it’s well worth a visit to Edinburgh’s Hogmanay celebrations. Because most pubs and restaurants get rammed to the rafters, many people prefer to throw a private party. If you hire a party venue it pays to book well in advance, (12 months or more!)

Live Music
For a rocking party, you could book a live band. “Ceilidhs” are perfect for NYE parties and work well with the Scottish Hogmanay theme. Hire a band with a caller to shout out the dance moves and you’re away!

Other popular choices include rock and pop function bands, ratpack / swing bands, soul bands or rock n roll/swing jive bands to keep your guests dancing all evening long.

Also traditional for the strike of midnight, book a Bag Piper!

Fireworks & Event Suppliers
It’s now become traditional to set off fireworks at midnight on New Year’s Eve. Arrange a professional fireworks show from around £1500 or you can buy DIY firework kits from reputable suppliers

Anniversary Party Planning

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Live Music For Your Anniversary Party
With music being one of the most important aspects of any party you might think about a themed band or DJ to play music from the era of your wedding. For example why not book a swing band or jazz quartet for your 50th or 60th wedding anniversary party or a traditional rock and roll band for all you 1960’s or 70’s newlyweds.

Many of our tribute bands for hire will perform in costume which can lead to even greater amusement if you make it compulsory that all your guests must dress up in gear that was trendy in the year you were married, especially if any of them still have original items of clothing from those days!

Maybe you were married abroad, be it Ireland, the Caribbean or Greece so why not provide a band who will perform music traditional to that country; a Ceilidh band to get everyone jigging, or a top class steel band to re-invoke the sound of the sea and the swaying palms you enjoyed on your caribbean wedding day.

A Night To Remember
If you’re asking guests to wear fancy dress then your room should be decorated in a similar theme. Use high quality party suppliers. From balloon displays to historical memorabilia, unusual cocktail ideas to table decorations or fireworks.

For a personal treat you should ask all your friends to bring photos, anecdotes and tall tales about your years as a married couple. You can later compile these into an album to look back on a savour for years to come.

What Makes A Great Party?

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Ask most of your guests and they’ll say they had a great time if they were up dancing all night to the music they love. But how do you know what music they’ll love? Surely everyone has varied tastes?

When guests decide to get on the dance floor at a party, there’s a certain process involved of losing their inhibitions as they escape into the exciting world of music & lights. Memories and emotions can be ignited by the DJ’s choice of music and songs, often taking people back to their youth. What a great journey this can turn out to be if the DJ perfectly judges all the right tunes to play for your guests.

A good DJ can read the crowd to ensure a full dance floor

A good DJ should have a passion for all genres of music so that he can predict the response of people in the room when he plays certain classic songs from his collection. It is important for a DJ to read his crowd and he should instinctively know what kind of music will get people dancing.

If you are providing a DJ with a playlist, it is advisable to allow the DJ some discretion to choose which tracks to play from your list and at what time to play them.

It can be quite a challenge for a DJ to get guests dancing, especially early on at a wedding where many of the guests might not know each other. Sometimes interaction over the microphone is required to help people feel more relaxed, and occasionally a little encouragement can be given to help create that essential party spirit.

There are a variety of different techniques which can be used and this is where DJ’s have varying styles and approaches. Some people like a DJ to be vocally interactive with their audience, whereas others prefer the more modern approach of minimal talking with the focus mainly on good music and taking requests.

When to book a DJ
If you leave booking a DJ for a party to the last minute then it is likely that you’ll end up with a less experienced DJ. The best and therefore most popular DJs get booked well in advance. If your event is on a Friday or Saturday night you should look to secure your DJ around one year in advance.

Swing and Jive

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Why not hire some great entertainment for your corporate event or private party, for the best music, Swing and Jive performers make for the best entertainment..

Most swing and jive performers have a deep-rooted affection for the music they perform and it shows in every moment of their performance. Many have a signature style of performance too, whether it’s pared-back skiffle versions of classic tracks or retro-arrangements of contemporary pop anthems.

Nearly all swing and jive bands will have a distinctive look, incorporating vintage fashions, authentic period instruments and some of the coolest haircuts.

One of the key features of swing and jive bands is that their sound is immediate, energetic, almost raw, as opposed to the overproduced sound of carefully-tweaked pop album tracks. It’s this upfront, energetic sound that makes these kinds of bands so great for live events, as guests pick up on the band’s energy and your party suddenly gears up a notch or seven!

What music do swing and jive bands perform?

These bands draw their music from the rich legacy of tracks from the 1930s onwards, including authentic 1940s arrangements, 1950s classic rock n roll, 1960s crooner classics right up to contemporary tracks with a retro twist.

For Jive Bands think:

1940s – up-tempo Glenn Miller Band, Count Basie, The Andrews Sisters, Cab Calloway
1950s – Bill Haley, Elvis, Frank Sinatra, Chuck Berry, Jerry Lee Lewis
1960s – Nina Simone, The Rat Pack, Aretha Franklin

Have a fire party

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Party guests love a good fire act. Fire acts and performers know how to get a corporate party going and instantly provide a warm atmosphere to proceedings. If you’re looking to hire fire acts then you know where to come. You’ll see something that is entertaining, safe and perfect for all guests to enjoy. .

Way back in 1658, a nearby volcano erupted and laid siege to all in its wake. Incredibly, the town of Nejapa managed to avoid most of the destruction when the lava stopping just short of the local church. According to folklore – and it is a bit hazy – the town’s patron saint, San Jeronimo, wanted to douse the area in fire to get rid of the Devil or saved the town by stopping the lava from reaching the sacred building that bears his name. Whichever way you look at it, locals believe that San Jeronimo saved the town in some form so to celebrate they chuck fire at one another. That’s probably the only part of this festival that isn’t disputed.

So how do you set up the world’s most volatile festival? First, you soak rags in kerosene for a month before the matches and lighters are brought out. Wearing Halloween costumes – we know it’s starting to sound a lot like The Purge – participants then wear protective gloves and chuck fire at each other. That’s it. That’s the only rule. Even if you’re only watching, you’re still allowed to be hit so maybe observe from affair. Not only do people chuck the fire at each other, they even engage in hand to hand combat. It’s chaos..

Few serious injuries have been reported, although what denotes serious is never explained. You can rest assured we’ll never advertise this form of entertainment for your event but it’s certainly a fascinating fact.

Air Festival event ideas

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There’s nothing that signals summer like a beachside air show! Whether you’re going to be attending Bournemouth or Clacton, here are the ideas for you to ensure that when the planes stop flying, the party doesn’t come to an end!

Fantastic Fireworks!
Many people who attend air shows don’t just turn up for the afternoon to watch planes loop the loop; many attendees love to stay for the evening’s entertainment, long after the sun has gone down and boy do we have some party entertainment ideas for you. Fantastic Fireworks offer a Wow factor every time which will keep your guests entertained well into the evening…

Cirque du cabaret
Another act that looks stunning against a night time backdrop, Cirque du cabaret performers! That alone should be enough to convince you of the show’s quality and those in the crowd can expect special effects and stunts. We love all vintage forms of entertainment and try to pay homage where and when ever possible. These performers shows change current cabaret, circus and vaudeville formats as you know them, pushing the existing boundaries to create new parameters!

Red Masque are proud to be a source of unique kinetic cabaret sights, sounds and delights and we hope we can entertain and impress you with our amazing and talented performers.

Jenson Production
Jenson Production combines airborne entertainment with the circus as an aerial artist performs this modern show includes powerful and elegant parts of aerial and ground acrobatic in combination. These singular, modern presentations can be combined to a strong & elegant air-to-surface acrobatic, which can be realized and/or used in almost all kinds of shows! You can choose from a number of disciplines for the acrobat to perform including silks and hoop, giving a true feeling of bespoke entertainment.

Rob Roy
Many air festivals take place by the coast but as the night time rolls in, many people tend to avoid the sea and enjoy a warm summer’s eve.Rob Roy combines comedy, escapology and acrobatics, there is a perfect blend of laughter, danger and excitement. Improvisation, quick witted wise cracks and crowd participation create a unique atmosphere that leaves audiences both in amazement and hysterics and this highly polished show has made Rob a favourite among all ages and nationalities.for the ‘night air’ element of summer air shows.

A party that caters for all

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When it comes to organising a Christmas party, you want something that caters to all. Some will absolutely love the holiday season whilst a select few would rather it never arrived at all. Ensuring that you cater to every Christmas elf as well as to the Scrooge in your office can be a tricky balancing act but if you hire the best entertainment for Christmas parties, then you shouldn’t go too far wrong. Here are a few choice suggestions across numerous key entertainment genres!

Music Acts
What’s a party without a music? Well, it might be an event but it certainly won’t be a party. With this in mind, you have two options. Booking a function band for a Christmas party is a low-risk option because bands tend to play three sets over the course of your event. Any band worth their salt will be able to play a Christmas set once December arrives, or you could ask them to intersperse the pop and rock classics with an occasional hit from Slade’s back catalogue. Another approach is of course to go with a choir. Christmas carollers are ‘back in vogue’ this year and although you might not want to hear O Come, All Ye Faithful for the umpteenth time, there will undoubtedly be Christmassy renditions of more modern festive hits. Doing the party on a budget? A Christmas DJ is also a hugely entertaining option.

Dance Acts
When one thinks of dance at Christmas, it’s often a Winter Wonderland-inspired ballet, perhaps from Tchaikovsky’s The Nutcracker or Swan Lake. This truly is a beautiful form of entertainment that isn’t too Christmassy for those who’d prefer to stay in during the holiday season! Another stunning idea for booking a Christmas dance is to simply provide Christmas costumes for professional dancers. Whether you’re after Jack Frost or one of Santa’s elves, there are many ideas that could work together to create the ultimate Christmas party! Add in some fake snow and a few festive tunes and you have a Christmas party to remember!

Circus Acts
You might not immediately think of hiring circus entertainment when looking into hiring acts for your Christmas party, but these are fabulous acts to bear in mind. If you’re wanting to turn heads when guests first arrive, there are a whole host of Christmas themed stilt walkers available to hire. Whether you’re wanting a Snow Queen on stilts or even reindeer stilt walkers , there’s sure to be something that will fit in perfectly with the party you’re envisaging. This truly is one of the best pieces of entertainment for Christmas parties that has been extremely popular over the last few years so get in quick!
Ultimately, there are a variety of superb acts that are sure to fit in at your Christmas party so if you’re looking to make it the best ever, then make your choice from the entertainment acts on Red Masque and celebrate Christmas in style!

Birthday Party Entertainment!

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How do you plan a Birthday Party that will really make an impression? How do you make it a special event that will stay in people’s memories for all the right reasons?

A Brief History Of Birthdays

The tradition of holding a party to celebrate the anniversary of birth began centuries ago in Europe when it was feared that evil spirits sought out people on their birthdays. To protect them from harm, friends and family would gather around to bring good thoughts and wishes. Giving gifts brought even more good cheer to ward off evil spirits, and candles were placed on cakes to transport the birthday wishes directly to God.

Initially, only royalty was deemed important enough to have a birthday celebration, but the tradition soon spread with the introduction of the children’s party in Germany, the Kinderfeste.

For the trivia buffs amongst you; the lyrically astounding ‘Happy Birthday to You’ song was written in 1839 by sisters Mildred and Patty Smith Hill!!

Birthday Party Ideas

Birthday party fancy dress themes work really well, such as James Bond, Hawaiian, Phantom of the Opera, The Godfather, Alice in Wonderland, Hollywood Oscars Night or Wild West Theme.

It’s good to ensure there are plenty of attractions to keep guests talking and mingling so you could also consider casino tables which can tie in nicely with a James Bond theme, for example, and create a space for guests to meet, mix and break the ice. You could also hire some mix and mingle acts who will work the floor & get people talking.

For a rocking party, you could book a party band to play songs fitting to that theme or just a general rock and pop, ratpack / swing, soul or jive band to keep your guests dancing all evening long.

Five Party Entertainment Ideas

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Red Masque has compiled a list of tips for planning the perfect party. Interestingly enough, each tip is affordable and easy to achieve, so there’s no excuse for putting off that next big celebration.

Choose A Great Event Venue That’s Easy To Access

If you choose a great event venue you won’t need to spend as much time dressing it up to look good. There are loads of interesting party venues out there to suit a wide variety of styles and themes. Check out the venues in your area and visit before you hire.

Remember that if guests are travelling from out of the area, it helps if the venue is easy to find. Consider how easy it is to find parking, and also how much accommodation is available near by.

Entertain Your Guests, Book A Live Band

Most people are happy to have a party DJ, but anyone who’s been to a party with a live band will tell you how much better the night was. We’ve even had brides tell us that the band ended up being the most crucial part of their whole wedding day, simply because they made the evening so unforgettable.

You need something to really get guests excited and live party bands do exactly that. They’re interactive, energetic and fun. Not everyone likes to dance, but with a great live band, performing the best classic and modern wedding party songs, even the most ardent anti-dancers will be rocking out, arm in arm, singing along on the dance floor with guests they only met a few hours ago.

Drinks On Arrival To Welcome Guests

It’s a small touch that really shows you care about welcoming your guests, and it ensures everyone feels positive as soon as they arrive. It’s your way to thank people for coming, and it gets people in the mood to party. In a practical sense, it also helps to alleviate the early queues at the bar, something which is sure to dampen spirits and cause frustration.

Some party event venues will arrange for a member of staff to personally serve drinks as your guests arrive, or you can choose to have a selection of drinks available on tables near the entrance.

Get planning for Valentine’s day..

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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.

An Amazing 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 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.

Chocolate

Chocolate fountains are brilliant for 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!