Archive for August, 2010

The importance of choosing the right music for corporate PR functions

Monday, August 30th, 2010

Important corporate functions which have as their aim the raising of an organisations profile amongst its business partners and key corporate customers, rely more on the right choice of music for their success than many realise.

It is crucial to remember that the entertainment an organisation chooses to hire at such PR functions, such as after-dinner speakers and live bands, will often have the power to either reinforce or undermine that organisations brand image. It is absolutely vital therefore that the speakers and live bands chosen strike the right balance between respecting the intelligence of corporate guests and simply amusing them.

Whilst even experienced organisers of such functions will often struggle to find the right personality to front the evening, many have discovered that the best band music they can bring to an evening should be based around the soul genre.

Soul music, being traditionally a fusion of gospel and jazz, relies on skilled musicians and talented singers to bring out its full potential. It therefore has a high degree of musical integrity. At the same time, soul music enjoys a genuine widespread appeal through the use of strong melody lines and catchy rhythms. Soul music of course also helps generate very strong positive vibes and that much sought after quality: the feel good factor.

At London Soul, we have one of the best and most experienced soul bands in the country ready to help associate your organisation in the minds of your guests with integrity, popularity, and positive vibes.

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Overcome works function fears with a professional live band

Saturday, August 21st, 2010

Organising a works function can all too often seem a poisoned chalice; not only is all the hard work down to one or two individuals but it is all too easy to blame them should things go wrong. Moreover, trying to keep everyone happy, from the very young to those nearing retirement age, can seem an impossible challenge.

Many seasoned party organisers have found that these challenges can be solved in one fell swoop: through the hiring of a professional party band.

The best party bands are fully accustomed to performing in front of both large and small groups of people, and are adept in being able to select from a wide range of material that will keep different types of audience happy all night.

Moreover, in addition to demonstrating their musical skills, live bands are usually able to offer full entertainment value by striking up a rapport with the audience and encouraging them on to the dance floor. By the end of the evening, the guests will usually leave feeling as if they have watched a show rather than sat through a mere string of musical numbers.

Perhaps the greatest advantage to the function organisers of hiring professional live bands, however, is that not only is the entertainment burden taken out of their hands but they know that it is they who will receive full praise from their colleagues and superiors afterwards.

At London Soul we are happy to let our band take on the hard work of providing a great evening of entertainment at your works function.

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What is it that makes the best function bands so popular?

Monday, August 16th, 2010

Those who book the best function bands know that they and their guests are always guaranteed an evening of sheer brilliance. What is it about these more popular live bands that distinguishes them from their less successful rivals?

Certainly talent and skill are essential prerequisites, both in terms of musical ability and also in being able to work together as a coherent unit. This, however, does not explain why many otherwise talented bands fail to make an impression on a crowd.

Perhaps one of the key reasons for success lies in the fact that many of the more popular bands will also try to tailor their act to the tastes of the audience. This can either be planned in advance through discussions with the party hosts, or can be picked up on throughout the evening by gauging the reactions of the party guests to specific tracks. It is certainly true that, at the very least, the best live bands will interact with their audience and spontaneously develop a positive rapport.

There is one final ingredient that is hard to quantify but simple to recognise when one sees and hears it: charisma. The best live bands are asked back again and again because people simply love them.

At London Soul our 12 piece soul outfit is indeed one of those live bands that people simply love; and we in turn regard each of our engagements as a privileged opportunity to get to know a new audience and to make sure they leave the function happy.

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Ways of making a wedding day special for your guests

Tuesday, August 10th, 2010

A wedding is a special event in that family and friends, who may not have seen each other for years, are for once all gathered in one place. It is also an opportunity for guests to put on their glad rags and feel special for one day.

Most couples who plan to marry acknowledge that their wedding is an opportunity for family and friends to come together and feel special; and the vast majority actively encourage this as a way of thanking those who have played such an important part in their lives.

One of the most effective ways of making guests feel special is to throw an evening party after the main wedding reception. To make a real impact however most couples find that this party should consist of more than just a few drinks and some pre-recorded music playing in the background. Choice of venue, and therefore comfort and atmosphere, is a crucial consideration, as is the choice of caterer.

One other sure-fire way found of making the vast majority of guests happy however is to hire live wedding bands. Professional wedding bands that are able to perform a wide range of modern pop music and timeless classics will often encourage a real feel good factor among the wedding guests, leading to a happy and fully-occupied dance floor for the duration of the evening.

Soul bands make particularly popular wedding bands. At London Soul we can explain how our 12 piece line up will provide your wedding guests with the best night they have experienced in ages.

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Some important checks before hiring live function bands

Monday, August 2nd, 2010

Live music is becoming the must-have entertainment feature for weddings and other functions. However, hiring wedding bands and function bands is not without complications.

When hiring a band it is essential, for example, to check that all technical issues are covered. These include the provision of a professional sound system and appropriate lighting. Where function bands are able to provide their own sound and lighting systems it is still important to verify that these are appropriate for the venue chosen and for the size of the guest-list.

It is also vital to check whether a band charges for any travel and transport costs, particularly if the venue is outside the bands local area. These can add considerably to the basic hiring rates.

In addition to these technical and financial considerations, it is also essential that customers are made to feel confident that their expectations and those of their guests will be met. Live bands can sometimes disappoint by inflicting amateur level singing and musicianship on the audience, or by paying too little attention to the mood of the occasion or the reactions of guests. Some have even been known not to turn up at all.

The best bands will be able to provide professional live audio tracks, photographs taken at previous performances and glowing testimonials in order to demonstrate not only their reliability and how well they look and perform, but also how successfully they interact with audiences.

At London Soul we have experience in successfully providing great value complete live music packages at a range of functions across the UK.

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