Why Should I Book A Live Band And Not A DJ?

You’re organizing an event –a wedding, a corporate function, or a charity ball – and when the formalities are complete you want your guests to let their hair down, have a great time and dance the night away.

So there are two ways you can provide music for your guests to party to – you can either book a live band or a DJ.  Now on the face of it, this decision would appear to be a no brainer.  DJs have so many advantages over bands that it’s blah blah blah.

So What Are The Advantages DJs Have Over Bands?

Here’s a quick list off the top of my head:

  • 1)   A good DJ is cheaper than a bad band.
  • 2)   DJs take up less space than a band.
  • 3)   DJs usually set up quicker.
  • 4)   DJs have a ‘repertoire’ of thousands of songs.

And yet at the end of the night which would you prefer to happen: the guests be shouting and stamping their feet for more, or politely say goodnight to each other and drift away.  You won’t get that from a DJ.

Because they don’t have the ‘Wow’ factor.

So What Is This ‘Wow’ Factor?

This ‘wow’ factor is composed of several different elements.  Firstly there’s the energy.  From a musician’s point of view there are things you can do when you play songs that make them more dynamic, more exciting, more damn right irristable to a guest and literally pulls that guest to the dance floor.  About the only thing a DJ can do with his songs is to change them if something’s not working.

Secondly a good live band’s performance is symbiotic with an audience.  The way the deal works is this: the band give their energy to jump start the evening and then when they attract the audience onto the dance floor the band then feeds off the audience’s energy.  And this keeps the audience dancing – and it becomes a self sustaining cycle.  And whether they’re consciously aware of it or not – the members of the audience FEEL this relationship, and in a strange way become part of the performance.

Thirdly this symbiotic relationship with the audience leads to a performance that is unique to that audience and that event.  Songs can be taken down to their bare bones and the audience encouraged to interact by singing.  Or forming a circle and having dance offs.  Or the groom can leap onstage and sing a chorus with the band.  Or the vocalists will interact with members of the audience.

And This ‘Wow’ Factor Makes The Difference Between An Average Event and A Great Event

I’ve played at over a thousand weddings and I can tell you from experience that the band’s performance is what will make the guests remember the wedding as just a wedding, or a great wedding.

But don’t take my word from it, here’s some quotes lifted from thank you letters and emails I’ve received over the years:

“The food was poor.  It rained all day.  And yet we had a fantastic wedding – all thanks to the band.”

“My only complaint is that everyone was so preoccupied with dancing that no-one came out to wave my husband and I off on our honeymoon.”

“Since we’ve returned from our honeymoon ever single ‘Thank You’ note we have received – bar none – has raved about the band’s performance.”

Surely As Long As A DJ Plays Music That Gets People Dancing There’s Not Much Difference

Listen, there’s nothing wrong with a DJ.  But here’s an acid test for you: take a straw poll by asking your friends and colleagues a question.  Here’s the question: how many events have you been to where the music was provided by a DJ, and how many events where the music was provided by a live band.

And then the kicker question: how many events can you and your friends remember where the event ended with the audience stamping their feet and yelling for more?  And of this new subset of events I’m willing to bet that not one – not even a single, solitary one – was the music provided by a DJ.

You only get that effect from a live band.

Unless you’re a professional event organiser you don’t organise events more than once or twice in your lifetime.  If that’s the case wouldn’t you want to give yourself the greatest chance of that event being unforgettable for all your friends, families, colleagues and guests?

If you answered yes to the last question then make sure you book a good live band to provide the music at your event.

If on the other hand you’re more concerned with saving money and want a nice, safe evening then there are hundreds of DJs waiting for your call.

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