A few ideas from Yes on how to help keep the entertainment flowing nicely over the busy Christmas party season
Anyone who works in the meeting and events industry knows that Christmas is a time when every aspect of running events is stretched to capacity. With every events space in a venue filled for several nights during the busy Christmas party season it can cause stresses and strain that just don’t occur at other times of the year. The same is true from the point of view of the entertainers who can be involved in runs of up to 20 nights of parties. Each with their own complicated load in and set up. So here are a few points from the team at Yes Entertainment that we think will make everything run smoother for your Christmas party entertainment whether you are organising one party for your company or managing a run of 40 at your venue.
1. Book early to avoid disappointment, lower quality and higher prices
There are only a limited number of performers available in any category and clearly the closer you get to December the more performers will already be booked for the dates you need. Also, unlike seats on low cost airlines, not all performers are equal. The best performers, the ones that did the best job last year, get booked first (Normally by the same clients who they did such a good job for last year). So book dates as soon as you can to save stress later on.
2. Assist with loading
Most entertainers (except some of the roving acts, lucky blighters!) will need to transport gear, load in and set up. How quickly they can do this will depend on five main things 1. Traffic around the venue. 2. Parking for loading & parking after loading is finished 3. Where the set up area is in relation to the load in area 4. How many other people are trying to load in at the same time 5. How helpful the staff are at the venue.
Points 1, 2 & 3 are outside of your control obviously, but 4 and 5 can be influenced to positive effect.
We’re not saying carry speakers (although it is great when we do get help with that) but anything that can be done to assist with set up really helps. So keeping the pathways clear in the loading areas. Timing the set up of different suppliers so they don’t clash too much on loading. And sometimes providing hands to help in the event that performers are later than anticipated due to traffic.
At all the venues we work with regularly the staff are super helpful and can’t do enough to ensure that everyone is in on time and ready to go and it makes such a big difference to everything resulting in a better experience for customers as they arrive.
3. Store equipment overnight for consecutive events
Given the stress, strain and variables involved in loading, everything is infinitely easier if gear can be stored at the venue for runs of consecutive events. When we raise this we are often told that it can’t be done but then when it comes down to it space to store equipment is found.
The reality is the amount of space required is not huge, particularly for a basic DJ rig. Really you need less than 2 cubic metres of storage (vertically is fine) to safely pack away a full rig.
So if you need to book a run of consecutive nights try to free up a bit of storage space if possible, anything helps.
4. Provide at least an hour for set up
We have come across this a few times where we have rigs ready to load in across town from vans that then need to go somewhere else but they can’t access the room until 20 minutes before the event starts!
Well its OK we can set up in the time we have available but ideally most entertainers, whether DJs, casino tables, bands or other equipment heavy acts require approximately an hour to set up in a stress free way, with time to solve any problems.
It is of course difficult when you are looking to maximise the revenue from your rooms but having sufficient gap between bookings gives everyone time to set up and ensure they are fully up and running for the next event.
If you know that there is only 30 minutes gap between events it really helps if the performers can at least load in to the building and park. Then they are ready to move in to the room as soon as guests from the previous event depart.
5. Ensure the correct start time for the event
It sounds obvious but we quite often have either contracted for a start time which on the day turns out to be incorrect (check the start time on any contract you accept with us or anyone else as that is the time we plan around), or we are set up ready to go an hour too early because an earlier start time was given to us. Whilst this may not seem like a problem, early set ups carry additional logistical issues and costs such as extra traffic, harder parking, congestion charges etc so if early set up is not genuinely required it should be avoided.
