Advice to bands

[MartinHarper]

So, it's looking like the band I'm in will be booked for a "dinner dance" around Easter, at a village near Worcester. We don't know what sort of dancing will be happening yet - all very sketchy.

My question for people here: what makes for a good live band at a dance event? Conversely, what can a live band do to make your night go badly?

[El Salsero Gringo]

So, it's looking like the band I'm in will be booked for a "dinner dance" around Easter, at a village near Worcester. We don't know what sort of dancing will be happening yet - all very sketchy.

My question for people here: what makes for a good live band at a dance event? Conversely, what can a live band do to make your night go badly?

Not mucking around with the beat, would be high on my list.

[Night Owl]

Just play good dancable music with few breaks in between to keep it going. the worst thing i find is when the band stops between tracks every one sits down and the the flow is broken.

[Missy D]

*decides not to comment on this band/dance stuff after the upset caused with The Jive Aces*

Ok cant resist I have to say it! Just let me know where and when you are playing so I can avoid the event. Bad rep me if you want

[David Bailey]

My question for people here: what makes for a good live band at a dance event?

Like any communication, the first point is ensure you target your audience correctly.

Find out who you'll be playing to, and that should determine what musical style you'll be best with.

For example, is is a general "Village dance" thing, all ages? If so, probably provide a wide range of familiar songs to match.

Or, is it a sports-related function (e.g. rugby club)? If so, I'd avoid the tango and waltz-y numbers - "Piano piano" may be your friend

Conversely, what can a live band do to make your night go badly?

Play 20-minute tracks because they only know 3 songs.
Play the wrong type of music for me (e.g. too fast / slow).
Play too much drums to drown out the vocalist.
Etc.

Fussy, moi?

[David Franklin]

My question for people here: what makes for a good live band at a dance event?

Er, a traffic jam on the route they're taking to the venue?

Sorry, but I very rarely see this work well - in my experience the best you can hope for is that it's no worse than a DJ playing CD's.

For some more serious advice, I don't know if you're already aware of Iconoclast's How to play for dancing page. I don't agree with all of it, but it's a good resource.

In personal experience, bands that "specialise" in playing Jive/Swing music are usually to be avoided. My preference is for a good jazz band. Never seen one play at a "dance" event though.

Conversely, what can a live band do to make your night go badly?

I'd say the three common problems are:

• playing too fast
• playing too loud (DJ is spot on with the drummer comment as well)
• playing too long (6 minute 180bpm tracks are, um, bad)

Avoid those three and you're already ahead of 95% of the game...

[philsmove]

Some time went a group of us went to a nightclub in Bristol with a live band

There was space and the band was playing a danceable track, so we got up and danced

The band continued to play danceable tracks all night and we has great time

At the end of the evening the bandleader told us he had not been expecting any dancers and apart from the first track, had not played any thing he had originally planned

A really good dance band will decide what to play on the night
And choose the next song according to mood of the floor