You’ve got the venue reserved, the caterers selected, the menu picked. But wait a moment – what about the music? You could hire a D. J., or plug in your iPod to a sound system. But have you considered a live band? The music that you select will create the ambiance of your party. No matter what your party is in celebration of – a wedding, a reunion, a Bar or Bat Mitzvah, or a corporate affair – a live band will make your even memorable and special for all.

One advantage of a live band is the band’s ability to interact with the audience. A good event band can gauge the mood of the audience, making adjustments in their presentation and repertoire to keep those in attendance smiling and dancing to songs they are familiar with. The energy of a live band simply cannot be equaled by a D. J., who can only play the songs exactly as they were recorded, and no changes in presentation are possible.

During a typical 4 hour party, approximately 60 or 70 songs will be played; while a D. J. May have thousands of songs to choose from, in reality few of those songs will be played. A band typically knows many more songs than this, and many bands focus on specific types of events, and know many songs for that specific type of party.

Music played using your iPod or other MP3 player is limited in the same way as music played by a D. J., with the additional problem of there needing to be someone responsible for making adjustments in song selection and volume during the wedding or party? Even the most experienced iPod user knows that volume fluctuation between songs can be rather dramatic. In short, managing music on one’s own during an event may well end up being a fulltime job, and neither guests nor those participating in more active roles at an event are likely to be able or willing to spare the time to do so.

There are additional advantages to using a live band. Typically, one of the members of the group will have experience as an emcee, and would be willing to host your event. The band is usually more than happy to allow the use of its sound gear for toasts, speeches, and the giving of awards, as well as to provide recorded music during the band’s breaks.

When you choose a band to play at your party, try to arrange to hear them play live at a club, county fair, or other community event. Most bands work whenever possible; musicians love to play live, for the most part. Another option is to ask for DVDs or CDs of live performances the band has given in the past.

Alternately, you can ask the band for a video or CD of a live performance.

Sit down with the band and figure out the playlist for the event long enough before the event so that there will be time to make changes and refinements. Working with a live band will make your event more inspiring and more memorable!

Ben Shergar is one of the founding members of Soul Desire who writes for the http://www.souldesire.co.uk site. Hiring a specialist Live Band will make all the difference to the success of your event. Find out more about hiring an amazing Wedding Band Hertfordshire from this site.