Occasionally Carte Blanche get asked if they can play outside.
If this is something that you are thinking of for your wedding, corporate party, charity ball or event, most professional live bands will insist on the following three conditions being met so that they – and the guests – are safe.
These three conditions do carry a financial cost to you, the client, so if you are thinking of having your event ‘outside’ then you may have to factor the cost of these into your budgetting.
1. Some Kind Of Covering
The weather in the UK is unpredictable. Before any live band agrees to play outside they will want to know that there is going to be some kind of covering that will protect them from the elements should there be a chance of rain on the day of the event.
This isn’t because they’re precious about getting wet – it’s because most live bands rely on a good supply of electricity to power their equipment. And as you know, water and electricity are poor bedfellows.
2. Safe Provision Of Electricity
I wrote about this at length in an article on providing power to marquee weddings. Basically if you require a band to play outside, there’s a good chance they will be some distance from a convenient electricity supply.
Power options in these circumstances become either generators, or professional quality waterproof cables (most commonly these cables are IP44 cables). Read this article for further details:
The One Budget Saving Tip Not Recommended For Marquee Weddings
3. A ‘Flat’ Surface To Set Up On
Setting up outside invariably involves setting up on grass. Or some kind of surface that is not paved.
These surfaces – no matter how ‘flat’ – are irregular when it comes to setting up a band’s equipment. Especially the drum kit.
So you’ll need to give thought to provision of an adequate stage or playing surface.
Summary
Playing outside can be a great experience. If the sun shines it can be a great experience for both the event guests and the band. However you can’t assume the weather will be fine – and must prepare as I’ve outlined above for the eventuality that it’s not.