Services

We believe it's important you have the correct information to help you make informed decisions to ensure the success of your event so here is just that, some useful information and things to consider when choosing live entertainment:

Plan Ahead

Popular venues and acts are often booked well in advance so it's a good idea to work on your event as far in advance as possible.

Schedule

Plan timings around all the entertainment, catering, guests' arrivals etc... Most live acts will need some time before the event starts to get their equipment in, set up and sound check. Only one act can sound check at any one time so organisation is vital to ensure the event runs smoothly. It's very common for events, weddings and functions to run late so it's important to have a back up plan and be prepared.

As far as actual playing times are concerned, in our experience it's always best to leave live music (particularly party style, high energy, dance music) to later on in the evening. We would always suggest no earlier than 9pm. This gives guests time to chat and catch up with other guests, have a few drinks then they are ready to dance the night away!

Then there are the set times. Some bands/shows work in various formats, for example, 1x60mins, 2x45mins, 1x90mins etc... You may wish to have two sets and have a buffet in between where 2x45mins would work well or you may want to go with a 'Show' feel and have a straight 90mins high impact 'Main Event'. Whichever you choose, it's always good to talk to the act to discuss what will work best for your event as every event is unique.

The Venue

When choosing a venue, it's important to think about a number of things:

• Access - most acts prefer ground level straight into the venue which, for a lot of venues designed for live music, is often the case. If there are stairs, corridors, narrow walkways etc... to get into the venue, extra time needs to be allowed and it's a good idea to let the act know in advance to avoid any hassle when they arrive.
• Space in the Venue - it's important to make sure there is enough room for the live act to set up their equipment and perform in. If a stage is supplied or being set up, make sure you have liased with the act so that the stage is the right size for them to work on.
• Power - another important aspect of the set up. Most acts will have a minimum power requirement so it's a good idea to ask the question and make sure the venue has adequate power supply.
• Sound Restrictions - Does the venue have a licence for Live Entertainment? Are there any sound limiters or time restrictions on live music? If the venue doesn't have a license and you really want live music then you are better off finding another venue. A live act needs to know if there are sound limiters as often there are ways around it, for example using an electric drum kit or choosing a different line up that doesn't require live drums.
• Staging - Does the venue have a stage? Does the live act need a stage? What size should the stage be? Different sized bands require different sized stages or stage areas, this is another area to discuss with the act you choose.

The Band/Show and their equipment

PA - Watts/Makes/Models... It can be a mind field with so much different information supplied in various formats. As a rule, we recommend you not be frightened by the number of watts or the size of the PA system. Generally speaking, more watts doesn't necessarily mean really loud. If a band has a good quality system with high wattage, chances are the actual sound quality will be much better than smaller speakers with less power that have to work much harder which in turn affects the sound quality in a negative way. You want to hear things clearly and not be listening to a distorted mess. It's much easier to obtain that if the power is there to begin with. Experienced band members and sound engineers will know the right levels for the room, occasion and the time of the day.

Each of our shows at PX Productions Ltd will need space/stage/stage area dependant upon line up and production options. Call to discuss your requirements.

All of our shows at PX Productions Ltd have access to a 8800 watt, state of the art Turbosound concert sound system which produces an excellent quality of sound and is adequate for up to 500 guests. We also have a smaller Mackie system adequate for up to 120 guests and a combination of Mackie and Turbosound system adequate for up to 200 guests should the main Turbosound rig already be in use.

Lighting - Some live acts have basic lighting to light the stage and sometimes the dancefloor, other come with lighting rigs, trussing etc... some work on a stand alone basis activated by sound, some are controlled on stage or off stage with a lighting engineer and some are computer programmed to run in sync with the show. Depending on what is being used affects how much space is needed so this is a good topic to mention to the live act you are considering.

Our shows at PX Productions Ltd use a variety of the above depending on which show is booked and various other factors so just chat to us about your requirements and we'll make sure it works for your event.