E3 Group

Our band booking agents have chosen Anna Reay as our “band of the month” for January. Anna Reay is an exceptionally versatile singer. Performing as the Anna Reay Band she is supported by a group of equally talented and versatile musicians. A short clip of one of her impressive performances is posted below.

Having just started collaborating with E3, the Anna Reay band are now our hot tip for upcoming functions and events that require a stylish approach. The band’s repertoire boasts a huge selection of styles from swing to salsa, country to current chart material, making them adapatable to most occasions.

For futher information on the Anna Reay Band or to view our other bands for hire, please visit our bands page or contact one of our entertainment agents at our London office.

Happy New Year! As a new feature to the E3 Group blog, each month we will now bring you a snapshot of what it’s like to work in a busy entertainment agency and production company, with a quick overview from each of our departments.

E3 Artists

December 2009 was an incredibly busy month for E3 Artists; our entertainment booking division. Besides dealing with our regular clients’ Christmas entertainment requirements our agents were also inundated with requests to book 2009’s X-Factor contestants.

E3 Events

E3 Events, our London based corporate events division, successfully delivered a high impact entertainment extravaganza for Thomas Cook’s prestigious VI conference in December. Highlights included star performances from the Noisettes and the legendary ABBA tribute Bjorn Again.

E3 Costumes

Our costume designers are currently working on summer season designs for several of our major tour operator and leisure clients.

E3 Production

Our production show team are currently working on several brand new entertainment formats set to be piloted overseas in summer 2010. Keep posted here for further updates.

E3 Careers

E3 Careers are now recruiting professional singers and dancers to join our touring shows in the Mediterranean for client Hi! Hotels. For further information on our entertainment jobs abroad, please visit the E3 Careers section of our main site.

For general information on E3 Group, visit our home page.

Despite the recession, 2009 has been a very busy year for E3 Artists, the entertainment booking division of E3 Group. Our booking agents have dealt with enquiries ranging from the bizarre to the near impossible. Here’s our round up of the most frequently requested acts to perform at both private and corporate events:

1. Susan Boyle

An eventful year for the Scottish singer who catapulted to fame via her appearance on Britain’s Got Talent. Now an international star with a No.1 album under her belt, Susan is not an easy performer to secure for private events on account of her current £200,000+ price tag.

2. Diversity and Flawless

A rare feat for urban, street-style dance troupes, these two acts have secured household name status and popularity. Constantly in demand for both private and corporate events, the future remains bright for both in 2010.

3. Russell Howard

The cheeky, fast paced comedian Russell Howard has emerged as a popular choice for event planners looking to target a youth audience. Russell is currently embarking on a national tour.

4. The Saturdays and The Noisettes

The two pop groups most frequently requested in 2009. Both groups look set to continue their chart success in 2010.

5. X-Factor Singers

Our booking agents have been inundated with requests to hire 2009’s X-Factor stars including Joe McElderry, Olly Murs, Stacy Solomon and Jamie Archer. Their popularity for events looks set to continue in 2010.

The E3 Artists team would like to thank all our clients who have booked entertainment through us in 2009. We look forward to working with you again in the future and to seeing who become the stars of 2010.

Welsh comedian Rhod Gilbert has been voted December’s “comedian of the month” by E3 Artist’s booking agents. Winner of the Perrier Best Newcomer Award in 2005, Rhod has has since acheived national recognition with appearances on television shows such including Mock The Week, Never Mind The Buzzcocks and Michael McIntyre’s Comedy Roadshow. Rhod also recently won the Chortle award for ‘Best Headliner’.

Our entertainment agents are regularly asked by our major clients for inspirational headline acts for their events. Rhod Gilbert is a name we frequently suggest. Although he is set to embark on a national tour in February, Rhod does have limited availability for private and corporate events. E3 Artists is an established comedian booking and entertainment agency. Contact one of our agents for cost and availability information.

The E3 Group team would like to say a huge thanks to all our clients, suppliers and associates for your much valued input into our business in 2009. Everyone at our head offices in London and Brighton including, David Hill; Martin Harrigan; Jamie Greaves; David Parker; James Hubbard; Dan Kujawski, Gita Wallis and Ryan Curtis would all like to wish you a Happy Christmas and prosperous New Year.

Requests to hire Olly Murs, Stacy Solomon, Jamie Archer and many of the other X-Factor contestants from this year’s competition on ITV have accounted for the vast majority of enquiries that we’ve received here at E3 Artists this month, and in fact, for the last twelve weeks whilst the show has aired. In a series that has attracted up to a staggering 20 million viewers at its peak, the interest from both the general public and from our existing clients to book this year’s acts has been unprecedented.

Although the show is now over, with a worthy winner decided in Joe McElderry, the interest is unlikely to dissipate for some weeks and months to come. With event planners booking X-Factor singers for dates up to six months in advance, the careers of many of this year’s acts are certainly looking secure for 2010.

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.

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.

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.

Our entertainment agents here at E3 Artists are currently inundated with requests from our clients to book acts from this year’s X-Factor contest. Kandy Rain, Rikki Loney and Miss Frank are proving popular choices with Christmas event planners looking for current, up-to-date acts to entertain their guests. With some X-Factor finalists fees as low as £2,000 for a performance, it’s also a cost-effective option for securing a high-profile act without the high-profile price tag.

For advice on booking an X-Factor act, please contact one of our agents at our London office on 020 7836 4759 or click here to contact us via our online form.