How to Hire a Band
Some things you should know before booking live entertainment
Booking a live band for your special event is
always a solidly great choice. Live music
adds atmosphere to any gathering, and is
capable of turning any party into an event that
will be remembered for a long time. Try this
test: Ask yourself how many office parties
you’ve been to where there was nothing special
going on other than the same people you see
every day at work: everyone puts in an
appearance, socializes for a while, then goes
home. Now ask yourself how many live
concerts or shows you’ve been to? Think about
the excitement in the air at a concert. Think
about the audience: everyone cheering, dancing,
and having a great time. It’s a good bet that
some of these concertgoers even save their ticket
stubs to put in a scrapbook when they get home.
Wouldn’t it be great to have a similar level of
excitement at your event? A live band can help
you give your guests an evening to remember!
However, hiring a band for a special event is
sometimes intimidating for those who have never
done so before, and it does involve additional
planning and expense that should be taken into
consideration well in advance in order to
minimize any last-minute “surprises” that
otherwise might come up. It helps to be as
informed as possible when negotiating a price
with the agent or bandleader, and it is especially
important to communicate your expectations to
the bandleader so that the musical portion of
your event goes off without a hitch. Bandleaders
may also have some expectations of their own; it
is a two-way street, and like any business
transaction the objective is to create a win-win
scenario whereby you, the band, and your guests
can all call the evening a success.
This article will focus on how best to achieve
that win-win scenario, so as to make your event a
memorable one that will achieve its desired
goals. The first section will provide some ways
to help you plan your event to include live music
as a centerpiece, the second section will provide
some information that everyone should know
before starting to negotiate a fee with the
bandleader, and the third will focus on the actual
day of the event. The information in this article
will help make your event a Dream Come True
and not a Nightmare!
The Planning Process:
Plan your event: The first thing on anyone’s todo
list should be to come up with an overall plan
for how you want your event to flow, and where
you want the band to fit in to this equation. Will
there be dancing? Will there be quiet dinner
with background music? Will there be a cocktail
hour? The answers to these questions will
determine what type and size of band will suit
your needs. (fig.1) Having a 17-piece Big Band
for your dinner hour would be too loud for your
guests to hold a conversation, but having an
acoustic jazz trio for a crowd of dancers is also a
mismatch. Assess your needs realistically, and
hire a band that meets those needs. Be sure to
communicate those needs to the bandleader too;
he/she needs to know what you’re expecting.
B
Fig. 1: Some successful musical matches:
Cocktail/Dinner music: ……………………….………Small, acoustic Jazz trio or quartet
Wedding Ceremony: ……………….Pianist, organist, Classical Duo/Trio, Brass Quintet
Swing Dancing:…………………..……..…Large band with a drummer and lots of horns
Disco Dancing:……………………….………….……………Variety band with a vocalist
Many bandleaders will be able to work with you to accomplish all of your goals. For
example: it’s not uncommon for a large swing band to divide up into a smaller jazz unit to
play during dinner and then have the full band assemble in force for dancing after dinner.
Consider the logistics of your venue: Along
these same lines, it’s important to make sure that
your location fits your needs. If you’re hiring a
large band, make sure the stage area is large
enough to hold them all comfortably. (it doesn’t
even need to be an elevated stage, just an area
where the band can set up and hold court). If the
event is to be held outdoors, the stage area
should be covered in case of inclement weather,
as should the sound system. If it’s going to be an
evening event or after dark, make sure there is
adequate power for lighting on stage. It is
helpful to provide as much of this information to
the bandleader beforehand as possible too.
Consider the visual impact of your event, and
choose music that’s right for that theme. A good
band will always entertain your guests, but a
good band in a well-decorated room will
transform your guests and bring them into an
entirely new world for a night.
Hire Professionals: Sure, you might be able to
save some money by getting so-and-so’s brotherin-
law who played in a band in college to come
jam with his friends at your party, but ask
yourself: isn’t your event important enough to
give your guests the best? Professional
musicians do this for a living! They will take
your event seriously, work hard to entertain your
guests, and will work with you to suit your
event’s needs instead of just hanging around
playing their instruments for their own
gratification.
Budget Accordingly: Remember that most
professional musicians have a great deal of time
and money invested in their abilities and their
equipment. A Journeyman-level musician
typically has had as many years of schooling and
practice on their instrument as a doctor, lawyer,
or dentist. Many professional musicians have
degrees in music, Bachelor’s, Master’s, and
sometimes even Doctorate degrees in the
Musical Arts. Many are also music educators in
public schools or privately. Musicians who
teach privately usually earn anywhere from
between $30 to $80 per hour teaching, and often
they are giving up some or part of that income to
work in bands. Musicians usually work as
independent contractors, which means they’re
responsible for their own health insurance, selfemployment
taxes, retirement plans, and other
expenses that the rest of the working world gets
through their employer.
What’s more, the physical effort of playing an
instrument is very demanding. Medical studies
have shown that a concert violinist burns as
many calories during a typical day of practice (4
to 6 hours) as an athlete training to run a
marathon. Most working musicians carry their
own gear to and from the job site, ranging from
at least two or three brass instruments to a full
set of drums. Musicians are prone to RSI’s
(Repetitive Stress Injuries) and other job-related
maladies. All of this contributes to added
medical costs and higher insurance premiums for
which the musician must bear the cost.
And let’s not overlook transportation costs!
These days, fuel expenses are significant,
especially for the larger-sized vehicles most
musicians must drive in order to transport their
equipment.
All of the above factors contribute to the band’s
Cost of Doing Business. (fig.2) You should
expect to pay these musicians fairly for their
time while they’re performing at your event.
That being said, you don’t have to break the
bank to get the band you want. Come up with a
realistic budget for live music based on the size
of the band you want (number of musicians) and
the appropriate costs involved for each musician.
total musician wages)
Agent Fee Additional percentage taken by booking agents for the work they do in booking the
band. (typically add 15% to total musician wages)
)
Cartage: Bonus paid to musicians who carry large instruments or equipment, such as drum
sets, keyboards, amplifiers, etc., to and from the job site. ($45 per large instrument)
Doubling: Bonus paid to musicians who must learn and maintain skills on more than one
instrument in order to perform an engagement with the band ($25 per add’l
instrument)
Mileage: Bonus paid to musicians to cover fuel costs to travel to and from the job site (45
cents per mile for engagements outside Metro area)
Travel Time Premium: Bonus paid to musicians who are required to travel more than 30
miles to perform an engagement. (usually $12.50 for each 50 mile increment)
Sound System: Covers the cost of professional sound reinforcement, including the use,
cartage, and maintenance of sound equipment and a professional sound engineer to
operate it. ($200 to $800 depending on needs and size of room)
Stage Lighting: Covers the cost of use, operation, and maintenance of professional stage
lighting. ($50 to $150 depending on stage needs)
Payroll/Employment Tax: Covers all Federal, State, County, and Municipal taxes and fees
associated with Contractor wages as reported on IRS Form 1099-MISC (add 20% to
musician wages)
Insurance: Covers musical instruments and equipment against loss, damage, theft, or other
unforeseen circumstances (cost varies depending on individual rates and policies)
The bandleader will have considered his/her cost of doing business when providing a price quote. If they
haven’t, they either don’t care whether or not their business loses money, or they are too inexperienced to
consider all of the factors involved and will be looking for ways to earn additional money later on. Either
way, you should expect to budget accordingly for the band you plan to hire. The table above will give you
a ballpark idea of the costs involved when budgeting for a band.
The Booking/Negotiation Process
You’re now ready to begin negotiating. Having
planned your event’s overall flow, being
informed about what the bandleader is likely to
charge, and having budgeted and planned
accordingly, you’re now ready to bring the band
into the equation. Arrange a meeting with the
bandleader or agent. Meeting in person is best,
but taking care of business over email is
acceptable too. Email is often better because it
leaves a written record of all of your
correspondence, which makes it easier to look
back and find out what’s already been discussed.
Watch out for extra fees: An ethical bandleader
will not try to add in additional costs, but once in
a while you’ll get a leader who tries to charge a
more than realistic amount. Although some
leaders may not be willing to share information
on how they pay their musicians, fortunately you
can use the above table to figure out if you think
they’re charging an unreasonable amount for
their services. As always, though, the
cornerstone in this business is communication: If
you feel you’re being charged an unreasonable
amount, you can always ask the bandleader to
explain why he is charging so much. If he gives
you a reasonable explanation for his fee, then it’s
probably legitimate.
Get a contract. A written contract is more than
just your assurance that the band will perform
their duties in a professional and timely manner.
It is also the band’s assurance that they will be
paid at the end of the night. Having a legally
binding document outlining terms of service is a
sensible and recommended part of any business
dealing, and dealing with a band is no exception.
The contract can contain anything you both agree
to, but it does need to have a few key items: at
minimum, your contract should contain: Your
name and address; the name and address of the
signatory musician; the location and time of the
performance, and the amount of compensation
agreed to. Beyond that, there are some terms the
bandleader will probably insist on, such as the
fact that no commercial recordings will be made
of the performance without written release, etc.
There are usually also some legitimate concerns
bandleaders have about the band’s working
conditions while onstage. (fig. 3)
The bandleader most likely already has a
standard contract boilerplate that he/she usually
uses; this is normally very straightforward and
shouldn’t pose any problems. Any aspect of the
contract can be discussed and worked out to your
mutual satisfaction; it’s just a matter of sitting
down and talking about it.
Communicate your needs to the Bandleader, up
front. If you’re going to need the band to play
Calypso music for half of the night and then
Polka music for the other half, communicate that
at the time of negotiation, not later on. If you
have a favorite song for the Bride/Groom dance
and would like the band to play it, the bandleader
needs to know early on so he/she can prepare and
arrange the music, and rehearse it if it’s not
already in the band’s repertoire.
Allow the Bandleader to communicate his/her
needs to you. Remember that these musicians
are accustomed to being treated professionally
while on the job. This doesn’t necessarily mean
you need to lay rose petals at their feet or
separate all of the green M&M’s out of the bowl
in their dressing room, but you should treat them
like respected business colleagues. As with any
business negotiation, it is a two-way process.
Remember that the musicians are performing
their job in a different location each time they
perform, and as such they will be very conscious
of their work environment and working
conditions being up to certain standards.
Fig. 3: Working Conditions for Working
Bands: Here are some of the things that a
bandleader may ask for as part of the band’s
jobsite or working conditions:
Safety: Make sure the area where your
engagement is to take place conforms to
building codes and is safe for occupancy.
Breaks – the band will not be able to
maintain their energy level if they are
required to play solidly for 3 hours straight.
Most bands divide the time up in 1-hour sets
with 15 minutes of break-time in between,
although this is usually flexible based on
your event’s needs.
Setup: the band will need some time, ahead
of time, to set up their equipment on stage.
It is best to allow at least 3 hours prior to the
arrival of guests, so that the heavy
equipment can be loaded in without being in
anybody’s way,
Refreshments: The bandleader may request
that water pitchers or bottles be available to
musicians while onstage. Even if they don’t
specifically request this, it’s a good idea to
offer it.
Food: The band usually needs to eat
something – and it’s usually quite disruptive
if they have to send out for pizza during
their break – so it’s common practice to
provide meals for them. They don’t have to
eat at the same time as your guests,
especially if they’re contracted to play
during dinner, but they do need to eat
sometime during the evening.
Sound System: if the band’s price includes
the sound system, make sure the bandleader
and/or his sound engineer has a chance
ahead of time to get to know the acoustic
properties of the room. If the sound system
is being contracted separately from the band,
make sure the sound company has a chance
to check out the room ahead of time. This
small amount of preparation will make all
the difference in the world.
Whenever possible, make sure working
conditions are discussed and put in writing in the
contract. This will protect you from potential
liability later on if any accidents happen.
Deposits: A bandleader will usually ask for a
deposit to reserve the date. The amount varies
from one individual to another, and will usually
range from as small as $100 to as large as 50%
of the total engagement fee. The bandleader
usually holds the deposit in a special bank
account until the date of the engagement.
On The Day of the Event:
You’ve planned the event. You’ve hired the
band, paid the deposit and signed the contract.
Here are some things to keep in mind on the day
of the event:
Have the business items prepared in advance.
Make the check out ahead of time so you can
hand it to the bandleader smoothly. If you’re
planning on reporting the event as a business
expense, make sure you have the bandleader’s
social security number or Tax ID number for
your 1099-MISC,
Have a liaison or contact-person available at
the venue location early enough to let the band in
so they can start setting up. Allow the musicians
plenty of time to get the heavy lifting out of the
way so they can take a few moments to relax
before having to be at the top of their game when
the music starts.
Give your bandleader the cell phone number and
contact information for your contact-person so
they can call if they have any questions or
problems. Having the means available to solve
minor issues before they turn into major ones
will make all the difference!
Don’t micromanage: Chances are, you’ve got
enough to worry about the day of the event
without worrying about the band. Fortunately,
you’ve hired professionals! Let the bandleader
do the job you’re paying him to do. He will
make sure the musicians under his employ will
conform to whatever conditions you have
discussed with him ahead of time. If you have a
favorite song, it’s acceptable to make a request,
but there’s no need to dictate the band’s entire
song list to them – let them do their job!
Expect the Unexpected. Live music is unique in
that it takes place in the moment. No two live
performances are ever exactly alike. Each
musician is constantly striving to make every
performance unique and wonderful. Don’t
expect your band to sound exactly like the
recording – expect them to sound better! Expect
them to interact with the audience a little bit, let
them “work the room” and personalize their
show for you.
Enjoy the music! Remember that live music is
the best way to turn an ordinary party into an
Event (with a capital E).
