Booking event entertainment: how to choose acts that actually work

The type of entertainment depends on your event, your audience and your goal.

Staff party: a cover band, DJ, or a combination. Interactive acts as an icebreaker. A spectacular show as the highlight.

Client event: an acoustic duo during dinner, a jazz trio for atmosphere, a speaker or entertainer who combines substance with humour.

Conference or kick-off: an opening act that sets the tone, energizers between sessions, a musical moment that reinforces the message.

Gala or awards: a live band for dinner and the party, spectacular acts, a DJ for the after-drinks.

At Live Impact we advise on entertainment that fits the concept and the audience. No standard list, but a tailored choice.

The best events use entertainment not as filler, but as a strategic tool. It reinforces your message, creates emotion and steers the energy of the evening.

Opening: set the tone with an act that grabs attention straight away. Guests know immediately: this is going to be special.

In between: use entertainment to connect the different parts of the programme. A musical interlude, a short act, or an interactive moment.

Highlight: build the programme towards a climax. The main act at the high point of the evening.

Closing: end with a moment that sticks. A confetti moment, a shared song, or a surprising finale.

Audience: a band that works perfectly for a young team can fall completely flat at a client event for directors. Know your audience.

Venue and technology: not every act suits every venue. Check the space, the sound, the power supply and the stage size.

Timing: popular acts are booked up months in advance. Book early, especially in autumn.

References: ask for videos of previous performances at corporate events. An act that works at festivals doesn't automatically work at a corporate event.

Direction: entertainment has to fit within the bigger programme. A good show director coordinates all the acts and ensures smooth transitions.

Costs vary enormously depending on the type of act and how well known it is:

DJ: €500 to €2,500.
Acoustic duo/trio: €1,000 to €3,000.
Cover band (4 to 8 members): €2,500 to €8,000.
Spectacular act/show: €3,000 to €15,000.
Well-known artist: €10,000 to more than €50,000.

At Live Impact we work with a selection of artists and acts we know inside out. We know what they cost, how they perform and which audience they work best with.

At events with several entertainment elements, a show director is indispensable. The show director coordinates all the acts, the technology and the parts of the programme. They ensure a smooth build-up, the right timing and a professional delivery.

At Live Impact we work with experienced show directors who run the whole evening. That means: smooth transitions, the right energy at the right moment and no surprises. Except in the programme.

At Live Impact we advise on and book entertainment that fits your concept and audience, within the available budget. From an acoustic duo to a full show: we know the acts that work at corporate events.

Call us on 085 401 40 14 or email hello@live-impact.nl. Or fill in the brief form. Seriously fun.