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Originally Posted On: https://acemusicbookingagency.com/live-music-how-to-make-your-summer-party-the-best/

If you are within that 15%, it is time to start planning a summer full of exciting events and activities right in your hometown. With 93 days filled with sun and fun, summer is the perfect time to plan a party with live music that everyone in your social circle will be talking about for months.

So, whether your summer plans include fun pool parties, soirées, or other fun events, you’ve come to the right place. Read on to learn about some of the top live music options and which would be better for your plans.

Party Bands

Party bands are the ideal option if you are looking for live entertainment to keep your guests dancing the night or day away. As their name suggests, these musicians will get the party started!

Although these bands can range in size, many feature various musicians, so they are the ideal entertainment option for bigger events. For example, they make a great addition to summer weddings, large beach parties, pool parties, backyard parties, or something similar where you have a lot of space for the performers.

Party bands will play many different songs from an array of genres, ensuring a good time with every performance.

DJs

DJs are an entertaining and cost-effective way to bring all of your favorite music to your summer events. This type of live music entertainment brings lots of flexibility and versatility because DJs have the power to play any music you hope to jam to at your parties.

DJs are experts in making any party fun, but they are especially perfect if planning a pool party, night-time house party, or themed party. DJs are a great live music option for summer events because they have a long history of knowing how to get the party started!

A big advantage of hiring a DJ is that they don’t need much space or equipment to bring your party to the next level. So, if you are working with limited space, a DJ might be a fantastic live music option to elevate your event.

Top 40 Bands

If you love hearing current tunes at your events but prefer to hire live musicians instead of a DJ, hiring a top 40 band might be the way to go. Top 40 bands consist of teams of musicians that attend your event to play covers of popular songs.

Although you can ask them to perform songs that are currently popular and on the radio, you can also request them to perform songs from other eras and genres. Overall, these bands provide very flexible entertainment options and will work with you to ensure that the live music at your event is exactly what you want.

This entertainment option is perfect if you hope to have your guests dancing and singing at your party. Top 40 bands feature incredibly talented local musicians, including singers, guitarists, drummers, bass players, etc. So, it is the ideal entertainment for garden and backyard parties, cocktail hours, bank holidays, 4th of July parties, etc.

Keep in mind that a band does require more space. So, consider hiring a local top 40 band if you are hosting your event at a venue that allows enough space for a band to set up.

Pianists and Pianist Singers

A pianist or a pianist singer might be the ideal entertainment choice for a more relaxed environment where you wish to have live music in the background. These musicians can bring sophistication to any event. If you are hosting a summer brunch, soirée, cocktail hour, or dinner party, hiring a pianist can make the event feel more elegant and luxurious.

You can hire a local musician to entertain your guests with songs solely performed on the piano or add a little more to the entertainment by having them sing while they accompany themselves. Both options are perfect for a relaxed and upscale evening. It is a great way to bring live music to your party while simultaneously creating an environment where your guests can talk and enjoy each other’s company while witnessing a beautiful live performance.

Pianists can perform classical music, original songs, and acoustic covers of popular songs. Because of their talent and expertise, these musicians are capable of making any song you can think of sound elegant and sophisticated!

Guitarists and Guitarist Singers

Like pianists and pianist singers, guitarists and guitar singers are a fantastic live music option to hire if you want elegant and sophisticated live entertainment. However, guitarists often need less space to perform than pianists (think of the difference in the size of their instruments). Therefore, a guitarist or a guitarist-singer is a fantastic option if you want to add elegance when planning a party within a smaller space.

This entertainment option is perfect for smaller dinner parties, intimate cocktail hours, moonlight soirées, and other types of similar summer night-time events. In addition to being a space-efficient and elegant live music choice, guitarists bring a unique sound to your party.

Guitarists can perform anything from classical music to popular anthems. You can ask them to add some of your top-pick of the current music to their setlist or ask them to surprise you and add in some of their original work. Because of the beauty of their instrument, anything they play will completely elevate your event and make everyone excited about witnessing their performance.

Saxophonists

If you are looking for a musician that can make any song sound smooth and sensual, you should consider hiring an experienced saxophone player. Although they are usually experts in playing classical music and jazz pieces, sax players can turn any song into a magical accompaniment to any summer event.

Because of the sophisticated nature of the instrument, saxophonists are a great addition to night-time events such as cocktail parties, dinner parties, small summer weddings, and other events alike

In addition, this is another great live music option to hire if you are hosting your event at a small venue. Because saxophones are portable instruments, the live musician will not need much setup space and can accommodate your party even if the area for them to perform is limited.

String Quartets

If you are hosting an elegant summer event such as a wedding, cocktail party, brunch, dinner party, or something similar, you will absolutely love the elegance and sophistication that a string quartet can bring to the table. String quartets are made up of four string instruments, usually including two violins, a viola, and a cello.

Because of the elegant nature of each of the instruments within this quartet, this live music entertaining option will bring a soothing and enchanting vibe to your summer event. These musicians can play covers of your chosen popular songs, as well as some of the most intricate and beautiful classical pieces.

The instruments within a string quartet work together to combine many beautiful harmonies, making them a unique live music option. Because the instruments alone bring so much charm, string quartets usually do not feature singers.

Keep in mind that quartets do need a little bit more space to perform than solo musicians, so make sure your venue can accommodate four instrumentalists.

Steel Bands

Steel bands can bring a very fun element to your outdoor summer event. Especially if you are hosting a beach party, pool party, casual get-together, 4th of July extravaganza, or casual backyard event, these live musicians can really elevate the environment.

These bands consist of a few musicians playing an array of steel drums. Because of the rhythmic styles these instruments bring, these performers create a very exciting environment bound to make all of your guests want to dance. Many steel bands also feature singers, making them a great option if you are looking for a unique blend of rhythm and lyrics.

Steel bands require some space to perform comfortably, so keep that in mind when planning your event.

Tips for Booking Live Music For Your Event

Hiring local musicians through a trusted company like Ace Booking Music Agency is a great way to ensure a successful event. In addition, following these tips can make the booking experience smoother:

Set a Budget

Although summer is a great time to go big with your events, it is important to determine a realistic budget before contacting any live musicians. Knowing exactly how much money you are willing to spend will make it easier to find a local band or musician to perform at your event. In addition, your budget will help you be more efficient throughout the search process and will ensure that you don’t waste your time.

Consider Your Venue

As you’ve read throughout this article, some musicians and bands require particular space accommodations. Besides setting up themselves and their instruments, musicians might also need space to put up their sound systems. Therefore, make sure to take this into account.

It is very important to consider your venue to determine which types of live musicians would fit best for your summer party. In addition, as a rule of thumb, make sure to check for venue rules and regulations so that you don’t run into any roadblocks on the day of your event.

Even if you are holding the event at your private property, it is always a good idea to check for noise curfews, parking regulations, etc., to make sure that your hired musicians can do their jobs and you and your guests can enjoy your party without running into any issues.

Knowing all of this venue information will make it easier to communicate with your hired musicians and help you and them determine if they are a good fit for your event.

Listen to Demos

Once you find some musicians that fit your budget and venue specifications, ask to see examples of their work. This can come in the form of recorded demos or videos of their performance.

With either format, consider:

• Their style
• Their energy
• Their repertoire

If you feel like an artist’s demo does not match the energy of the party you are planning, continue your search! For every party, there is a perfect band or musician out there.

Meet With the Musicians

Once you find a local musician that you’d love to work with, set up a meeting. Meeting with musicians before your party is crucial to ensure that you are all on the same page.

In the meeting, take the time to discuss important things like:

• Your desired setlist
• Your most loved styles
• Styles and songs that you wouldn’t want to hear at your party
• The theme of the party
• The venue and space available

In addition, make sure you are all on the same page regarding performance time, compensation, attire, etc.

These meetings are very important, as they can help ensure that everything runs smoothly on the day of your event.

Hire the Best Live Music for Your Event

Now that you know some of the best live music options for your summer event and some great tips for the hiring process, you are ready to plan the summer party of your dreams. Whether you choose a DJ for your pool party or a string quartet for your intimate summer wedding, we hope that this guide gave you clarity on the process.

Ready to hire a musician for your event? Place your request and get a quote today!