We continue our Song and Dance series this week by looking at one of the many successful corporate events that we have had the pleasure of providing entertainment for. Corporate parties are such a blast for us, because we get to create a fun and energetic environment for a bunch of people to let loose and have a great time with each other - even Suzy from accounts receivable, who doesn't get out very much.
As we mentioned in our blog "3 Big Questions to Ask the Band for Your Corporate Event or Party" providing entertainment for a company party is an entirely different task than performing for a wedding or other event. There are many moving pieces that have to work together to create an exciting event that flows seamlessly, so communication is key. One of the most rewarding parts of participating in an event like this though is the feeling of accomplishment after the entire team sees the fruits of all the planning and preparation that went into it.
Let's get into it!
Who was the client?
Our client was Polycom - a tech company specializing in tele-conference based communication.
WHERE did the event take place?
The stunning Opryland Hotel in Nashville, TN
WHICH TMCS ENTERTAINMENT PACKAGE DID THEY CHOOSE?
They decided to choose our Deluxe 10-piece band package. This is our most popular package, especially for corporate events because of the energy it brings.
SPECIAL SONG REQUESTS?
The client hired us to act as a “house band” of sorts for their annual award ceremony. They needed us to cover play-ons and play-offs for the award show, perform a few dance sets, as well as re-work some classic hits into completely re-written (by some of the employees) songs dedicated to their company partners as they were receiving their awards. This was a fun twist for the group and added a truly unique aspect to the show. Our guys are super talented and can cover many styles, and everyone had a great time preparing the new material. We set up an open rehearsal with executives from the company a week before the event to make any final changes. Normally with events that are super customized, it’s always great to have a rehearsal or two to really tighten things up, and make sure the client's vision for the event is achieved.
WHAT KIND OF QUESTIONS OR CONCERNS DID THE CLIENT HAVE?
The clients main worry was being able to cue the band from off stage to work through transitions, or to make any sudden changes if the program went another direction. We solved this setting up a communications line to the director. Since our entire band uses in-ear monitors, communicating with the program director was a breeze, and we had the ability to easily react and change things up on the fly to avoid any awkward transitions.
DID THE CLIENT HAVE ANY SPECIFIC SONG REQUESTS?
The client wanted us to change the lyrics to roughly half a dozen classics with new lyrics that the company had written. It was a lot of fun to rework some of those legendary songs. They also had a few requests for us to learn for walk offs and ons.
LEADING UP TO THE EVENT, HOW DID WE PREPARE?
Communication is key! Many emails, phone calls, conference calls were required to iron out all of the details that go into a special night like this. When everybody involved is proactive about making sure that we are all on the same page and all of the details are discussed and on the table, it gives the program so much more energy and polish. When everyone is prepared and confident in the role they are to play, then that gives everyone the real opportunity to shine and do what they do best! We love that!
THE BIG NIGHT... HOW DID THINGS GET STARTED?
Preparation paid off big time. Everything went smoothly and stuck to the timeline!
WERE THERE ANY CHALLENGES OR UNEXPECTED CHANGES?
The only problems we faced where when the speakers and presenters either missed their cues or wanted to make a few last minute changes to the orders of awards. Because we had a direct line of communication to the event director, however, those changes were clearly communicated to us and we were able to adjust our performance accordingly and on the fly without skipping a beat!
HOW DID THE NIGHT COME TO A CLOSE?
After the award show, we did what we do best and performed two high energy 45 minute dance sets. This was a great ending to the night and got everyone in the room on the dance floor to celebrate and enjoy their time together.
Wrapping it up
There are a lot of details that go into these nights...communication is key. And when hiring a band, it’s important to have an open line to bounce ideas off of. The ability of a group to be customized and adapt on the fly shows a high level of professionalism and is a must when organizing an event like this!