Archive for July, 2012

« Older Entries

Toronto Beaches Jazz Festival

Friday, July 27th, 2012

 

Toronto All Stars

Toronto Beaches Jazz Festival 2012

There won’t be so many blogs over the next week or so as Live Music Managements chief blogger (that’s me!) is away on holiday in Canada. However music obsessives that we are we have timed our holiday to coincide with the Toronto Beaches Jazz Festival which for our money is one of the best free music events in the world.

This great festival is held over three days in the Beaches neighborhood in Toronto.Queen Street closed to traffic at six pm last night and around forty bands set up outside the shops down a mile or so strip. The jazz description is a bit loose with regards to the street festival as there are RNB bands (both old school rnb and new school) , swing bands, jump jive, trad jazz and rock n roll acts.

A highlight for Live Music Management last night were the amazing Toronto All Stars which features members ranging in age from thirteen up to nineteen,all of them exceptional jazz musicians.The Toronto All Stars band have been favourites of ours for over ten years now and , of course, we have seen members come and go but last nights band were as good as any line up we have seen and one of the three Andrews Sisters style singers had real star quality .As ever the band were playing outside Swiss Chalet and our night began watching forty minutes of brilliant swing music.

Another favourite of LMM’s is God Made Me Funky a brilliant funk soul party band playing brilliant funk rock versions of chart and rnb tunes (think Black Eyed Peas doing a street gig outside Starbucks.)

Besides the above ,whose sets we watched in total, we managed to catch little bits of dozens of other acts.

The atmosphere was brilliant (the torrential rain stopping just shortly before the event started) with thousands of people strolling down Queen Street with a coffee in hand and crowds gathering at each band stage.

Tonight we shall be down there again checking out the action and comparing the acts with our own brilliant party bands back in the UK.If I get two minutes over the next few days I will post a little review.

Tags: , ,
Posted in Random stuff we salute you! | No Comments »

Can I Book Lady Ga Ga To Play At My Wedding?

Friday, July 20th, 2012
lady ga ga

lady ga ga

There was a recent online campaign by an American groom to get US alt rock band Ben Folds Five to play at  his wedding. The gist of it was that the enterprising groom wanted Ben Folds to play and rather than forking out top dollar he was going to harness the power of the Internet and shame Ben Folds into appearing. So far as I am aware it didn’t work!

There is, however, a simple way of getting major stars like Ben Folds , Lady Ga or The Rolling Stones to play at your wedding or party. It’s pretty simple really. You have to be super rich and offer them bundles of cash.

Deutches Bank payed The Rolling Stones a reputed £2.6 million to play at their corporate bash back in 2007 and the Stones have also played mega bucks parties for the likes of the Sultan Of Brunei. Both Beyonce and Nelli Furtado have taken big wonga from the Gadhafi family in the days before the Libyan Governments fall (although, admittedly, Beyonce donated her fee to the Haitian earthquake appeal) and both Usher and Mariah Carey played similiar parties for the bad boys of Middle Eastern politics. Elton John played at Rush Limbaughs wedding. Both 50 cents and Aerosmith have played Bar Mitzvahs in recent years.

Live Music Management have had some experience of booking these high end artists for private events. The main criteria is how much money does the client have? A recent call to the Live Music Management office was from a guy wanting to book Pink Floyd. He had a budget in mind that he thought was adequate.It was around £100, 000. A considerable amount of money by many standards but ,of course, nowhere near enough to tempt the Floyd to get back on stage for his wedding.

If you are looking to book a major act for your wedding you need to be thinking six figures plus expenses (private planes to and from event for the act and crew, top quality PA equipment and rider etc etc.) No major stars advertise their prices for these events and , indeed, the event itself will probably have a no publicity clause attached to it. It’s likely that you will enter into a blind auction to book the act of your choice but one thing is for sure and that is that all acts have their price.

Can I book Lady Ga Ga to play at my wedding? Live Music Managements answer is “probably but only if you are stinking rich!”

Tags: , , ,
Posted in WEDDING ENTERTAINMENT | 2 Comments »

Not All DJs Are The Same!

Wednesday, July 18th, 2012
DJs for events

DJs for events

For anyone booking a DJ for an event, party or wedding it is certainly worth having in mind that not all DJs are the same. As a major supplier of DJs to the night club and hotel industry for the past decade Live Music Management are well aware of the strengths and the limitations of our DJ team.

There are great party DJs who cannot mix dance music just as there are club DJs who are not comfortable on the microphone. There are DJs working for Live Music Management that would feel very comfortable playing a wedding with a music brief of 1950s through to 1970s and there are mobile DJs who specialise in music from the past decade.

When entering into the specialist areas of dance music or dub step then the strengths become even more apparent. At a recent twenty first birthday party Live Music Management were asked to supply a DJ that could play something for everyone but also at least an hour of dub step. It turned out that the younger guests were all experts in the field of dub step music. Luckily we had a DJ on hand tha knew the records they were requesting and who could play to this demanding audience. Likewise when Live Music Management supply DJs to the Rewind Bars where the DJ needs to play music from the 70s through to late 90s and early 00′s. The music style is cheesy pop and although on the face if it this is an easy brief it soon becomes apparent when a DJ that can’t work within this brief is placed in these venues.Luckily this doesn’t happen except on our audition nights!

In conclusion if you are looking for a mobile DJ for an event be certain to have a clear idea of what music you would like to have played. Speak to a reputable DJ agency like Live Music Management who will have a range of options. The hotel venue may not have much choice and speaking to an individual DJ may be misleading as they are almost certain to convince you that they are up to the job. Live Music Managements entertainment advice is free and you can speak to our team about DJs on 08454 900515 between the hours of 10am and 6pm.

Tags: , , , ,
Posted in Mobile DJs and Karaoke, Wedding DJ Agency | No Comments »

What Is A Sound Check?

Tuesday, July 17th, 2012
sound check

What is a sound check?

All bands need some kind of sound check in order to check that they sound as good as possible. This goes for the biggest band in the world playing at Wembley Stadium right down to a wedding band playing in a country house hotel. Without a sound check even the best band can end up sounding terrible.

All venues are different. They have different acoustics and any band booked for an event in a venue will need to have some kind of sound check.

This may be a  line check which means that the band will test all the instruments are going through their amplification okay but they won’t listen to the sound in the room . A line check causes minimal disruption to the people in the room but may not isolate and solve any problems that the band have with the rooms acoustics.

A full sound check enables the band to play the music through their PA system at the volume that it will be played during the concert.

Bands take different lengths of time to sort out their sound . A sound check in a concert hall for a ticketed band can take several hours. However most function bands will be able to sort out a decent sound in less than thirty minutes.

If you have any questions about sound checks you can call Live Music Management, the live music experts,on 08454 900515  .

Tags: , , ,
Posted in Function Bands For Hire | No Comments »

What Is A Sound Limiter?

Monday, July 16th, 2012
What is a sound limiter?

What is a sound limiter?

Many clients booking a live function band (or a mobile DJ) for their wedding or party may come across a sound limiter at the venue.

Put simply sound limiters are devices which register the volume of the band or DJ . There are two main types of sound limiter

1.A DB Metre or sound limiter which measures the volume of the function band

2.a DB metre or sound limiter which measures the volume of the band and then cuts the power source off if the band are louder than the limit which is set.

A sound limiter which suddenly cuts out the power to the band can cause damage to the band or DJs equipment.

If you are booking a band or DJ for an event and the venue tells you that there is a sound limiter in place then it is essential to mention this at the time of booking. A reasonable DB level to work within is 95db however the measurement of DB levels is complicated by the location of the sound limiter. The best way to work out if there will be a problem when your band or DJ turn up on the night is to ask in advance if the venue have had problems in the past. Have they ever had a live band playing and if so what type of band was it? Did the band have drums? Did the band play pop and rock music or was it a jazz or acoustic band?

If you have concerns about the presence of a sound limiter at your wedding venue then Live Music Management can possibly help either by telling you if we have had one of our bands playing at the venue in the past or by speaking to the venue on your behalf and working out the best way forward for the wedding band or DJ. It could be that we can offer a band with an electronic drumkit or a band that can play with brushes in order to meet with the sound limits set by the venue.

Tags: , , , ,
Posted in Wedding Band Hire | No Comments »

Entertainment For School Proms

Monday, July 16th, 2012

 

Grease school prom

School Prom

 

For many school students this week is the end of the academic year and many schools will be holding a school prom.

Twenty years ago the closest most British school kids would have got to a school prom would be watching American movies like Grease or Carrie . The school disco was a part of UK school tradition but the school prom takes it to another level. The male students have to be wearing  suits that parents would , ordinarily , never be able to get them to wear and the girls are dolled up in long dresses which are often not wearable in any other situation. Transport, for many , has to be in fancy limousines and the venue, for many schools, will be off school grounds in a function venue.

For some schools the event organising will be carried through right to the last detail and an appropriate live function band or brilliant DJ will be booked for the school prom but , sadly, some schools whilst recognising that Mr Chadwick from the History Unit will not suffice on the DJ decks do not investigate the possibilities for entertainment at a school prom.

Live Music Management would suggest considering the following.

1. Book a DJ who is used to working night clubs and Student venues. The fifteen to eighteen year old audience at a school prom is the most music savvy crowd possible. Do not accept that the venues resident DJ is capable of satisfying this crowd. It is likely that he/she is more used to playing to couples in their forties.

2. If using a live band then consider booking a professional function band used to playing to this age group. An older band with the wrong set list will not cut it. Likewise the school star band is a brilliant idea for a short support slot but limit this to twenty or thirty minutes. It is unlikely that they will be able to hold the crowds interest beyond this as they will not have had the experience.

3. Consider booking a multi tasking performer from Live Music Management for your school prom. LMM have great male or female stilt walkers who will also greet your guests with a spot of fire breathing and then possibly do some angle grinding on stage. This is a relatively low cost (around £200) entertainment for school proms that will wow your guests.

For school prom ideas call Live Music Management on 08454 900515 or email info@lmmuk.com

 

Tags: , , , , ,
Posted in CORPORATE EVENTS | No Comments »

The Present Party Band

Friday, July 13th, 2012


Today’s blog is about an individual band that have been causing quite a stir at the shows they have played over the past twelve months. Personally I hadn’t seen the band in the flesh until about six months ago (my colleague Alex had been raving about them for sometime after auditioning them in London and I had seen the videos.) My first taste of The Present live was at a VIP event on the Thames Embankment. They didnt have to play more than a few bars of Journey’s “Don’t Stop Believing” before I knew we had something special on our hands. The Present are a great party band

The Present combine great musicianship with superb vocals and stage prescence. Their experience of playing a variety of venues has provided them with the chops to turn any evening into a party and that’s exactly what they did on the evening that I caught them live.

The Present are one of Live Music Managements top wedding bands for weddings in the Essex and home counties. They are perfect for corporate events and feel as comfortable on a big stage as they do performing as a function band in a small venue. The Present have played for Prince William and supported a number of large acts like Westlife , Robbie Williams and Bucks Fizz.

Check out this great cover band if you are looking to hire a band in the near future. The Present can also be hired to provide an evening of Rockaoke aka Bandeoke or Live Band Karaoke.

 

Tags: , , , , , , ,
Posted in Wedding Band Hire | No Comments »

LMM Musicians Receive The Afhanistan Medal

Thursday, July 12th, 2012
afghanistan medal

afghanistan medal

We posted some weeks ago about the news that three of our musicians were to receive the Afghanistan Medal for services to the troops overseas.

The medal is issued to people who have accumulated the qualifying number of days in theatre and was awarded by one of the most senior member of HM Forces, the Chief of Defence Staff, General Sir David Richards at a special ceremony.

Paul Brown who currently drums with Brainscape and has also played drums for Electric Mayhem and One Night Standeoke Rockaoke Band will be receiving the honour along with Doll Hunt and Sam Wilcock from Electric Mayhem.

It’s a great honour for the musicians involved and for Live Music Management. The LMM acts who currently play for the troops both here in the UK and overseas are rightly proud of this work. The benefit to the soldiers is probably best summed up by the enthusiastic  comments we receive from troops via the feedback forum on the function bands page on the Live Music Management site. Thanks to CSE for these opportunities and to the bands for their hard work.

On Brainscape

“Brainscape played 3 times at Leatherneck and Bastion Camp recently – great set, tight sound and lively, heavy rock – talented bunch of guys with balls – can play to all sorts of audiences – this one – soldiers and marines in Afghanistan being particularly hard bitten! Great moshing at the end and body surfing! I’d hire them again tomorrow.”

-Rob

“Saw brainscape in cyprus for CSE show absoloutly amazing. All musical areas covered hope to see them in uk sometime.”

On Electric Mayhem

“The Band were awesome; as expected.

-Dave Mcquir German Armed Forces”

“I have been quite an Electric Mayhem ‘fan’ since my spontaneous guitar hero session onboard HMS Iron Duke in the Falklands with the guys a few years ago!  It was great to see them play again at a friend’s wedding”

-Amy

Tags: , , ,
Posted in MILITARY BALLS AND EVENTS BANDS AND DJS | No Comments »

Music For Corporate Tours

Wednesday, July 11th, 2012


LMM’s great party band, Lucas, have been confirmed for a tour in support of a new Disney movie. The tour will take in eight major cities throughout the UK and will coincide with the release of the film later in the year which features , amongst other things, a wedding band . Lucas are no strangers to music tours having provided back up for Neighbours star DR Karl Kennedy on several of his UK tours and backed Stingray from Neighbours for a University and night club tour. In addition to this Lucas regularly play overseas for military clients.

Contracting Lucas for this tour reminded me of one of my own first engagements in a professional function band.

The covers band I was playing in were contracted to perform ten dates around the UK as part of a corporate tour for British Telecom. This was the mid nineties and The BT Group were about to launch a partnership with an American telecommunications group. The message that needed to be sent to the staff at ground level was that team playing was required and although star players can go so far it is only by playing together that achievements will really be made.

As Sir Peter Bonfield, then Cheif Executive of the BT Group, made his speech various members of the band played solos. At the end of his speech Sir Peter was to comment that although the soloists made a decent noise it would only be by bringing the individual players together that the true sounds would be heard. He then uttered the words of the , then current, Bryan Adams song “We Cant Stop This Thing We’ve Started” at which point the whole band played the song and we got everyone in the audience clapping along.

Although we were only contracted to play the one song it turned out to be a tough tour in some respects as the stage was huge and with a seventy man crew and quick turn arounds we often had to sound check early on the morning or even in the middle of the night. The venues took us allover the UK from Belfast and Glasgow to Birmingham and beyond. It was the only time I have played a gig at Wembley, albeit it was Wembley Conference Centre and not the Arena!

Music for corporate tours? Live Music Management have over fifteen years experience of supplying live acts to this market place. Call us on 08454 900515 or email info@lmmuk.com

Tags: , , , , , ,
Posted in CORPORATE EVENTS | No Comments »

Reaction To Undercover Boss Featuring Oceana Boss

Tuesday, July 10th, 2012

 

undercover boss

undercover boss

Like many others with a stake in the Night Club industry Live Music Management watched last nights Undercover Boss on Channel Four, featuring Oceana/Luminaire Head Honcho Peter Marks ,with interest. Peter Marks came over as a reasonable, good humoured Chief Executive with concerns for his staff but the most telling part of the show was his reaction to the 80p drinks and three for one deals being touted in his Night Clubs. His claim to be surprised at these deals seemed disingenuous, at best ,as these kind of deals have always been on offer throughout the Luminaire estate (and wider industry) even prior to the current reccession. That his own young promotions guy down in Swansea said he felt ashamed to be offering 80p drinks just about says it all.

Peter Marks did make a good point though when he said that alcohol could be bought cheaper in any Supermarket. If you speak to any Live Music Management DJ they will tell you about “ front loaded ” punters getting out of taxis at midnight already sozzled from drinking vodka at home. This phenomenon began in earnest around the time of the smoking ban and the relaxation of the licensing laws which led drinkers to thinking they could go out later and still be assured of entrance to a late night venue. It has continued and increased during the recession.

The world would be a much better place if the Government would face this challenge by introducing a proper minimum pricing rule for take out alcohol. In fact if they were to introduce a law banning supermarkets from selling any cheap alcohol or indeed any two for ones on unhealthy foods and encouraged them to offer the discounts on fruit , veg and other healthy staples the UK would benefit in a massive way.

Nighclubs and pubs, at their best, are places of community where people meet to dance , chat , share ideas , forge new movements. They are vibrant , joyous places.Places where you can see great live music provided by quality bands and DJs. They shouldn’t be drinking barns where the battle to offer the cheapest deal is the only defining factor. They should be palaces of entertainment where our dreams are made and fulfilled not places where we go to top up on three for one shots after drinking half a bottle of vodka at home.

 

Tags: , , , , ,
Posted in Mobile DJs and Karaoke, Uncategorized | No Comments »

« Older Entries