Corporate Function tips


The Ultimate Wedding & Party Band


		Phone: 07962 444 574

	smoothcriminals@live.co.uk


	Corporate Functions

	We at The Smooth Criminals know that anyone planning a corporate function has enough on their plate without having to worry about organising the band. We can call upon on our years of experience as a professional function band to ensure everything runs smoothly. We offer free unbiased advice as well as being happy to liaise with venues, event organisers, AV companies and other entertainers. We know that good communication can be key to a successful event.

	Things to consider when choosing live entertainment

Plan ahead. All the best venues and acts are booked up in advance. Choose the most suitable venue considering the space the stage is going to take up. Installed stages could make your job a lot easier, but you’ll need to make sure that the stage is going to be big enough for both the band, comperes and other entertainment.

Create a schedule. This can be the most important aspect of an event. Most entertainers will require time to set up and sound check. The more acts you book, the more time you need to allow for set up. Remember only one act can sound check at any one time. In our experience these events often run late, be prepared with a back up plan. Additionally, if all the acts are bringing their own equipment, there is also the question of floor and stage space.

We can help by offering extra entertainment services such as DJ’s and live dining music, we also have many contacts for a whole host of other recommended entertainers. This way we can minimise space usage and organise the transitions between acts smoothly and efficiently. This considerably reduces set up times and floor space requirements as well as eliminating any technical issues.

Technical requirements:

Are there any noise restrictions or sound limiters? How accessible is the stage area? Are there any stairs to negotiate (bands sometimes have very large and heavy equipment that may be too bulky to carry up a flight of stairs)? How much space does the band need to set up in? Look into the size of the bands PA (as a rule, a 2000Watt PA is adequate for parties of up to 250 guests and a 3200 Watt PA would be adequate for up to 350). Also, does the band provide a full lighting rig to light the dance floor as well as the stage area?

The Smooth Criminals can provide a suitable PA & lighting rig to meet the requirements of most venues. Inevitably, the amount of musicians and size of the PA will largely dictate the total amount of floor space required to stage


	the band. The Smooth Criminals offer a varied selection of PA’s & Lighting rigs, appropriate for venues of all sizes. Suitable recommendations can be made once we have a better understanding of the event requirements.

Repertoire:

Consider the average age range of your guests before deciding what might be suitable, what may be your favourite style of music may not suit all your guests. If possible ask questions, especially if this is an annual event.

Our versatile band options offer an extensive repertoire, offering in many hours of live material and comprising of a versatile mix of soul, funk, disco, rock, modern pop, blues, jazz and swing classics.

Safeguards:

Many venues require the artist to have Public Liability Insurance and to have been recently PAT tested. This is especially important when large amounts of alcohol and partying is involved!

Many bands try and get away with having individual Public Liability Insurance but this only covers the individual and not the whole band. The Smooth Criminals carry full band PLI insurance to the tune of £5,000,000 and all our equipment is thoroughly PAT tested ensuring everything is as safe as possible.

Announcements

All functions will require a number of announcements to be made. In most circumstances an independent sound & light company will be used but if required we can arrange for our PA system and microphones to be used to ensure everyone can hear what’s being said, aswell as playing recorded music in the breaks between entertainment where required..

Piece Of Mind

We want you to be completely happy with our services and have piece of mind when booking us. If you choose to go ahead with a booking we’ll draw up a professional contract for our services, then request a small deposit to secure our services. We usually ask for the remaining payment on the night so you can be sure we’ll turn up and give it 100% without excuses of some less professional function bands.

Our management team will be happy to discuss your requirements with you in person. Simply email us at smoothcriminals@live.co.uk and we’ll will respond to your enquiry within 24hrs. For a more immediate response, we can also be contacted by phone – 07962 444 574.