16 Party Occasions & The Perfect Entertainment To Match

Your celebration deserves to be the shindig of the century! And there’s nothing better than live entertainment to kickstart your party, set the right mood at your afternoon soiree or slow things down during an elegant dinner.

Booking live entertainment really isn’t as scary as it sounds. It’s surprisingly easy with the help of the Entertainment Nation experts! We’re here to help you every step of the way as you find the entertainer or entertainers who tick all the right boxes for your occasion.

However, your next question is probably something along the lines of, “What type of live act should I book for my event?”. Again, we’re happy to help!

With so many stunning entertainment options to choose from, it can be a little overwhelming. Much like your venue and decor, certain styles of acts lend themselves to specific event themes. So, we’ve created this handy little guide to help you become the host with the most… fantastic entertainment to wow all your guests!

 

Wedding Reception

 

For your wedding reception, you will inevitably want EVERYONE on the dance floor! How do you create an irresistible party mood? With a live band who’ve got the skills and showmanship to keep the energy up, the sing-alongs frequent and the impromptu dance moves popping!

A whimsical trend that’s been winning hearts for many years now is the festival-folk wedding band, complete with rustic vibes and upbeat acoustic-style versions of all the hits you know and love.

   
 

Wedding Ceremony

 

Let’s paint the picture of your dream wedding ceremony. We’re thinking elegance, class and a romantic atmosphere that’s completely untouchable and uninterrupted as you glide down that aisle. A string quartet can provide exactly what you’re looking for.

String quartets are more versatile than you might think: they play the gorgeous classical and more traditional pieces you’d expect, but also perform perfectly arranged renditions of current songs, combining the sophistication of a quartet with the modern flavour of your fave hits.

   
 

Birthday Parties

 

A birthday party is a chance for everyone to let their hair down and celebrate with you! You’ll be looking for a band with a repertoire that caters for every generation – think oldies but goodies, current chart-toppers and a sprinkle of everything in between.

Pop and rock bands offer just that! Their versatile repertoire means they do it all, but you can also give them an indication of exactly what you want to hear, so that they focus on the right decades for you, especially if it’s a big birthday.

   
 

Christmas or NYE Party

 

Christmas can be calm, collected and civilised, OR it can be the one time of year that you just go big or go home! A band with a full-sounding horn section is our front-runner to make your year finish with a bang.

Party bands will often offer either their standard line-up with a horn section included or have options to build the line-up to suit your preferences. For a layered and show-stopping sound that’ll bring you into the new year singing loud and proud, a pop and rock band is an ideal choice.

   
 

Afternoon Tea/Garden Party

 

Keep the atmosphere bubbling at your afternoon garden party with a suave and sophisticated duo. Adding chilled, live-lounge style covers of well-loved pop songs and old classics for good measure, an acoustic duo adds a light-hearted talking point that’ll blend perfectly into your celebrations.

Duos can come in many different forms, but the most popular is an acoustic guitar and vocal duo. Keep your guests chattering away to the sound of toe-tappingly good music with one of our wonderful duos!

   
 

Festival-Themed Party

 

Festivals are a highlight of summer! Enjoying the sun, music and time with friends is something that you just can’t replace. Dance like no one is watching and be in the moment. A roaming band really can be in that moment with you!

Roaming bands are so unique and personable. They’re able to perform free from wires and quite literally roam through the crowd and get everyone involved in their performance. They encourage interaction as well as sing-alongs or can simply deliver an easy-going backing track to your party.

   
 

Corporate Award Show

 

The stage is ready. The dance floor is waiting. Make a statement to celebrate a year of triumph with a show-stopping band for your awards show.

A bright, sparkling show band with multiple vocalists will impress your guests and have them all shouting for more. Usually, larger bands are kitted out with a full rhythm section, vocalists, horns and sometimes percussion too. Most line-ups will also be interchangeable so you’ll be able to get the vibe just right for your crowd.

   
 

Retirement Party

 

Nothing says retirement like a nice groove! A slide, a booty-shake and a shimmy are exactly what you need when you shake it off at your retirement party, and nothing beats a soul and disco band to bring the action.

It’s your time to celebrate the years you’ve spent working hard and now’s the time to play hard, so why not let loose with a soul and disco band? Typically paired with a horn section, a funky soul and disco band will deliver all the hits to show off that brass, from the likes of Stevie Wonder, James Brown, Earth, Wind and Fire and more!

   
 

Teen Party

 

Modern tracks are famed for the sampling of dance classics and epic tunes from the past, as well as the use of contemporary electronic sounds, to create a mesmerising club vibe that compels you to party.

To tie in that DJ club feel and the live musician element we all crave so much, a DJ live band is your ticket to entertainment success. Bringing a current setlist, a professional DJ, sax and often options to add percussion, guitar, vocals and more, a DJ live band is a fresh, modern option for your party entertainment.

   
 

Engagement/Anniversary/Vow Renewal

 

If you’re planning a smaller shindig for your engagement, anniversary or even renewing your vows, a duo or trio bring upbeat, sunny vibes to fill the room with energy.

Whilst being on the smaller side, a duo or trio can still create a full band sound. They often provide layered rhythms via loop pedals or even with backing tracks to ensure you get the party atmosphere you’re looking for. Larger band options are also available for your party – there are endless choices for venue of all shapes and sizes!

   
 

University Party

 

At uni, you’re living your best life with your friends, and the night is always young. You can’t replace the feeling of rapping or singing a whole verse and/or chorus with your besties at the top of your lungs, and so, we’d say your top choice for live entertainment should be a contemporary band who’ll have hit after hit.

Both old and new songs feature on setlists meaning nostalgic 90s numbers, as well as corkers from the 00s and 10s, will make an appearance.

   
 

Cocktail Party

 

A sophisticated and suave party spells jazz and swing band! The delightful bebop styling of a swinging sextet or a terrific trio sends you back in time whilst you sip your cocktail.

Cocktail parties range in size, but you can be sure that a jazz band will fill the space provided with remarkable music that’ll have everyone jiving. Jazz and swing bands will often offer traditional and well-known jazz favourites from Ella Fitzgerald, Nat King Cole and Louis Armstrong, but will effortlessly blend in some contemporary hits with a post-modern jukebox-esque flair.

   
 

Private Bar Drinks Reception

 

Picture this… a private bar, glasses clinking, chatter bubbling and in the background, keeping the atmosphere free-flowing, is a wondrous pianist delivering a polished performance of pop, jazz, classical and gentle romantic pieces. Sounds great, right?

Trust us when we say that a pianist can really add a layer of finesse to your gathering. With talent overflowing from their fingertips, it’s no wonder that pianists are so highly sought after.

   
 

Fundraiser

 

A fundraiser is a brilliant way to get everyone together, raise money for an amazing cause and celebrate the hard work done by your whole team. Your event is all about togetherness, so why not include that ethos in your entertainment?

Let us introduce bandeoke, if you’ve not heard of it before! Providing instrumental versions of the biggest and best pop, rock and soul songs, bandeoke bands require you, yes YOU, to be the star of the show, providing the jaw-dropping vocals. You needn’t be shy, the whole point is for everyone to enjoy themselves and make memories, and in your fundraiser’s case, make money too!

   
 

Hen Do/Stag Do

 

A party with all your nearest and dearest for either your stag do or hen do is something you’ll remember for your whole life. So, you want to make sure it’s a hit, right?

A DJ is a sure-fire way to hear all the songs you love, you can even create your own playlist for the DJ to work from to ensure their genres and style choices are in line with yours. With incredible music and a professional DJ who’ll seamlessly blend your favourite anthems together, enjoy your night with the girls or evening with the guys and let your hair down!

   
 

Themed Party

 

Twist and shout the night away with a vintage style band to celebrate your themed get-together!

Whether you’re looking for a thrilling 80s show-stopper, a dynamic 50s or 60s rock’n’roll band or a roaring 20s Great Gatsby band, there’s someone for everyone.

   
 

We hope that we’ve given you some food-for-thought, some guidance when it comes to choosing entertainment, and some inspiration to get planning!

Still not sure where to start? That’s fine too! We’re available every day via email (info@entertainment-nation.co.uk) or phone (0800 53 000 35), so feel free to give us a bell and talk to one of our friendly entertainment experts.