Holding a NYE Party: Our Top 5 Tips For Hiring Live Music for New Year’s Eve
November and December are crucial months for event organisers: one of the biggest nights of the year - if not the biggest - is around the corner and preparations to make it magical and unforgettable have begun.
The end of the year is always a great moment to review and celebrate what companies have achieved and reward employees, shareholders or providers for their contribution to the business’ accomplishments. It’s also an excellent opportunity for big venues to bring together a large group of people to give the New Year a great welcome.
As every year, our Entertainment Coordinators are receiving numerous enquiries from event organisers looking for live bands for New Year’s Eve. Experts nt making your life easier, we have put together our top five tips for hiring live music for New Year’s Eve to ensure nothing is beyond your control.
If your New Year’s resolution is to throw the best-organised New Year’s Eve party ever, then this is the checklist to follow.
5 Tips When Hiring Live Bands for New Year’s Eve
1. Music For All Tastes
There are as many different music tastes as guests, so any event organiser should take this into account when hiring live music for a New Year’s Eve party. A good way to approach this decision is by looking at your audience. Your guests’ age can tell you a lot about what they’re expecting from a party, and so can their location.
Extra Tip: Covers band appeal to audiences of all ages as they can fully customise their set list and their repertoire usually ranges from Top 40 music to 60s, 70s 80s music, rock, pop, swing, Latin music, etc.
Some Suggestions: Party Band: EV in New York, Get Funked Bespoke Band in London, Party Band Paris in France or Covers Band Dubai in the Middle East are some of the live party bands that can make your New Year’s Eve Party unforgettable with customised set lists and music of different styles and genres.
2. Book Live Bands for New Year’s Eve As Soon As Possible
Live party bands are one of the most requested New Year’s Eve entertainment options every year. Make sure you book a live band as soon as you know where you’re holding your NYE party. Booking entertainment for your big celebration as early as possible can get you the best deals, not to mention peace of mind.
Extra Tip: If you have left it too late, you don’t have to worry: our team of Entertainment Specialists are experts at dealing with last minute enquiries and can suggest a diverse range of last minute bands available!
3. Think About Timing
It’s always smart to think about the structure of the evening. Asking yourself some of the following questions might help:
• What time will the party start?
• Would you like the party to end shortly after the countdown?
• Does the band offer a Djing service after midnight?
Make sure you also think about the entertainment between sets and ask if the band can provide music to play over the PA system. Otherwise, a DJ is always a good idea.
Extra Tip: Most bands offer two sets of 60 minutes or three sets of 45 minutes, and they usually start playing around 9:30pm and end by midnight.
Some Suggestions: This International Party Cover Band not only offers fully bespoke set lists in many different languages, but they are also available with a DJ. Designed so that everyone enjoys their performances regardless of their personal music taste, these performers can fill in times between sets and the group’s DJ can get people dancing until early hours in the morning.
4. Theming Your New Year’s Eve Party
Have you chosen a theme for this year’s party? Many live party bands are more than happy to customise their set list to go in accordance with your theme and even create a brand new one especially for you! On top of that, most musicians are also happy to dress up or adapt their style for the occasion. If this sounds like something you’d like to explore a bit more, check our 5 Themes for NYE article.
Extra Tip: Alternatively, a themed party band or a tribute act might be the perfect New Year’s Eve entertainment option for your party. Motown, flower power, 80s, 90s, Elvis Presley tributes, Spice Girls, One Direction… There are plenty to choose from in our roster!
Some Suggestions: If Hawaii or the 60s are your chosen themes, then our surf Retro Surf Band could be the perfect choice for your party. Rat Pack tribute bands and singers are also a popular New Year’s Eve entertainment option, especially for parties in New York. If you would like your guests to dance to 90s music, then groups like this 1990s Tribute Band or this Spice Girls Tribute Band will transport people back to the girl power years!
5. Choose The Best Way To Announce The Midnight Chimes
The midnight chimes are the most eagerly-awaited moment of the night. Ensure your New Year’s Eve party is an unforgettable experience for everyone by having the band involved. The lead singer or the group’s spokesperson can become the night’s host and announce the big moment with a special song, making this instant live long in your guests’ memories through music.
Extra Tip: The music choices for this moment will probably be what your guests will remember and talk about the most, so let our Entertainment Coordinators advise you on what the most successful and requested songs are for this very special midnight. They speak from experience!
Some Suggestions: Bands can get a little jazzy with Ella Fitzgerald’s ‘What Are You Doing New Year’s Eve’; A bit more funky with the Eagles’ ‘Funky New Year’ or can get people; or a bit nostalgic with a version of ‘Happy New Year’ by Abba.
Some of our most in-demand live bands for New Year’s Eve have fully customisable set lists and are also happy to perform songs on request. It’s the case of this Live Function Band, whose vast repertoire covers all the different genres and songs you can think of.
Hire New Year’s Eve Entertainment For Worldwide Parties
Big cities such as New York, London, Paris, Tokyo or Dubai are famous for holding some of the biggest New Year’s Eve parties in the world. Scarlett Entertainment offers live music for New Year’s Eve celebrations in these and many other locations worldwide. Use our website filters to explore the broad range of options available or contact our Entertainment Coordinators for further New Year’s Eve entertainment ideas.
Explore more New Year’s Eve party ideas!
We are experts at providing high-end entertainment for New Year’s Eve parties. That’s why we analyise how to hold a NYE party people talk about for years to come in our article The Best New Year’s Eve Party - Money Is No Object. Exclusive party designers, carteres and, of course, entertainment. Don’t miss it!
Share the above five tips for hiring live music for New Year’s Eve and don’t forget to let us know what your favourite idea is by mentioning us on Twitter @scarlettent.
