The Age Old Question: Band Or DJ?

Before deciding on what style of music you are after, there are a few more general points to consider when booking musical entertainment.

Venue Size

Thinking about this in the first instance will help you gauge how much space your chosen act has to fill with their sound. Most bands and DJ's will have amplification equipment to fit most small to medium sized venues, but there may be acts out there that would require extra equipment to fill a larger space. And on the other hand there will be larger acts that would overwhelm a smaller venue. 

Stage/Performance Area Size

Your chosen act needs to be able to fit all of their equipment, plus all of their members, comfortably into the space you wish them to perform in. If they turn up at the venue and they only just fit in the space it could effect the way they are able to perform. It may also infringe on their setup time, which could delay the whole event. If in doubt, speak directly to the artist as they may have been in your venue before and understand the space already. 

Sound Limiter:

Not all venues make it clear that they have a sound limiter, far less informing the client how it will effect their musical acts ability to perform. Most acts will have worked with a sound limiter before and should be able to adapt to whichever level it is set at but this is one area where DJ's definitely have an advantage. Controlling live sound is much trickier than controlling the set volume of a PA System. 

Live Music Licence

Find out when your venue is allowed to have live music performed until. Usually this is midnight but some venues have licences which allow live music until 1am or later. This may not matter if you know you only want your event to run until midnight but it can be a good thing to know if you want the party to keep going.

Once you have considered all of the above, you'll probably have a good idea about whether having live music or a DJ is the best option for your event.  Let's have a think about the benefits for both Bands and DJ's.

Band Pros

• The energy of a live band/music is often more palpable as they are physically producing the vibrations that are getting your party going. 

• The visual appeal of having live musicians makes a great setting to any dancefloor and very obviously indicates to your guests that a good time is coming.

• A band can often make adjustments to songs that DJ's wouldn't be able to do. If you want a slowed down version of your favourite pop song for your first dance, for instance. 

• The band will often be able to get the crowd going by connecting with them on a personal level.

DJ Pros

• The most obvious one is that most DJ's have access to any music you can think of, as long as the wifi at your venue is solid. If your tastes are varied and you like surprises, a DJ could be the right option for you. 

• DJ's tend to take up a lot less room than a band. Even a 3 piece band will take up quite a bit more room than a DJ, so if your stuck for space, a DJ is the way to go. 

• Usually, DJ's bring a larger lighting rig. Their smaller set-up allows them to bring extra lighting that a band may not be able to fit in their vehicles due to instruments etc.

Whichever way you choose to go, Band or DJ, you will now be able to make the decision knowing you have taken as many factors into consideration as possible. Have a great night celebrating with whomever you choose!