E3 Group

Each month our booking agents are taking a vote on their most frequently recommended bands for hire. November is traditionally our busiest time of year for this type of booking and this year is no exception. An increase in requests for Swing bands has proved to our agents that Swing is, well, still in. Following it’s rebirth in the early noughties, thanks to artists to such as Robbie Williams, Swing has continued to be a popular style of music for corporate events and private functions. As a genre it exudes glamour, style and sophistication making it a perfect choice for slightly more formal occasions.

A particularly high-quality and versatile example is Swing Connection, voted by our agents as band of the month. This highly skilled collective features musicians who have performed with the likes of The National Youth Jazz Orchestra, The BBC Big Band, John Dankworth, Cleo Laine, Buddy Greco, Jools Holland and Jamie Cullum to name just a few. They create the ultimate “big band” sound aided by one of the UK’s finest jazz male vocalists. Scaleable from a 2 piece upwards, Swing Connection still have some limited availability for Christmas events. Contact one of our entertainment agents for further details.

Our booking agents here at E3 Artists have been dealing with a flurry of requests today from clients looking to hire Jamie Archer for their events in December. Jamie left the show last night after receiving the fewest public votes, yet despite this fact his unique style and vocal ability has made him one of this year’s most popular contestants.

The X-Factor’s leaning towards pure pop has made Jamie a unique act in the X-Factor roster on account of his genuine rock credibility. From the Kings of Leon to Queen, Jamie can belt out just about any rocking number. Jamie has limited availability for private and corporate bookings. Booking enquiries for Jamie Archer can be made via our London office. For more entertainment options visit our agency homepage or view our other vocalists for hire.

Following a surge in enquiries for cheeky stand-up Russell Howard, our booking agents here at E3 Artists have decided to honour him with our “comedian of the month” award. A familiar face from BBC Two’s Mock The Week and Nevermind the Buzzcocks, Russell is emerging as one of the UK’s favourite comic personalties.

Although he’s about to embark on a national tour in December, performing at Arenas from London to Manchester, Russell does have limited availability for private and corporate appearances in November and the New Year. For availability and cost information please contact one of our agents. Alternatively to view other available comedians for hire, visit our E3 Artists pages.

X-Factor singer Lucie Jones is now available for corporate and event bookings following her shock exit from the ITV show last Sunday night. The talented contestant has spent the last few days engaged in television interviews, publicity and negotiations for her future appearances.

Despite losing out to novelty act John & Edward, Lucie’s exceptional vocal ability has already made her a popular choice for event bookings this Christmas. She joins Kandy Rain, Rikki Loney, Miss Frank and Rachel Adedeji who are all also available to hire for events. Booking enquiries for Lucie Jones can be made via our London office. For more entertainment options visit our agency homepage or view our other vocalists for hire.

Although entertainment budgets for business events and conferences have undoubtedly been reduced by many companies in light of the recent economic difficulties, some requirements remain very much stable. In fact, requests to book live function bands have very much increased here at E3 Artists throughout the busy September to November conference and pre-Christmas planning period.

This seems to reflect the fact that both many businesses and private event planners are considering reliability and cost-effectiveness as important factors in their entertainment booking decisions. Although many businesses continue to pursue the “wow-factor” through celebrity appearances and unique acts, many others feel that this approach is out of synch with the current climate.

In any case, whether a conference features the “wow” of a celebrity speaker or not, the inclusion of a first-class function band in the line up of the entertainment is an essential that most event planners can not dismiss. This goes some way to explaining the requests for ten, twelve and fourteen piece bands featuring the UK’s best musicians. Quality, alongside reliability and cost, also informing this year’s decisions.