E3 Group

Scottish singer Rikki Loney has become the second act to get voted off the live finals of 2009’s The X Factor, following Kandy Rain’s departure last week. Rikki’s departure is all the more controversial for the fact that oddity act, John & Edward, have remained in the competition. The Irish twins baffled, bemused but entertained with a badly performed rendition of a Britney Spears track.

Although still bound by certain contractual obligations with ITV and possible commitments to the touring show, Rikki Loney is now available to hire for corporate and private events. For further details contact one of our entertainment agents.

Everyday our entertainment agents here at E3 Artists are asked if it’s possible to book a top flight party band without the pop group pricetag. Our answer is always a resounding “yes”! Ok, we admit that you won’t be able to secure McFly or Girls Aloud on a budget of £2,000. In fact, we feel slightly embarrassed when we have to explain to inexperienced potential bookers that chart-topping acts of this calibre have fee expectations in the region of £150,000+ for private and corporate events. However, it’s not all bad news. The truth is that some of the UK’s most talented musicians are out there to be secured for your party or event and sometimes their fees can be as low as £1,000 for a four-piece band.

In celebration of this fact, the E3 Artists team have decided to take a vote each month on their current favourite party or function band; using popularity with our clients as the main judging criteria. So, the votes have been cast and we can now officially announce that the first E3 band of the month is FUNKification. FUNKification are a collective featuring some of London’s most talented musicians. Scalable from a four-piece right up to a thirteen-piece orchestral outfit, the group play pop, rock, swing, jazz and party numbers and have never failed yet to impress our clients.

Our entertainment agents here at E3 Group are often asked by our major clients; “who are the most ‘up and coming’ or ‘in demand’ comedians on the circuit and are they available for private events?” To help answer this question, the E3 Artists team will each month take a vote on who they think is the hottest ticket in comedy. This month the honour goes to Lancashire born comedian, Jason Manford. The 8 out of 10 Cats star has just embarked on a successful national tour with a DVD of his stand-up due out in November. Jason is a very popular choice for corporate events and award ceremonies although his booking availability is fairly limited in 2009 due to his touring and televsion commitments.

Here at E3 Artists, October is always our busiest month for dealing with our clients’ Christmas entertainment requirements. This year is no exception and we are currently working on several briefs with budgets large and small. We are often asked what can be acheived on a specific budget so to help answer this question, we’ve put together some party entertainment options:

Up to £1,000

For up to £1,000 you could hire a DJ plus x3 “Santa Shot Girls” (female models dressed as Santa’s helpers) to deliver drinks to your colleagues or guests whilst they enjoy the party. Not to be sexist, “Santa Shot Boys” are also available too!

Also within a £1,000 budget you could consider hiring a talented professional singer to perform a party set to backing tracks, a guaranteed way to get your guests on the dancefloor. This option would also leave room in the budget to consider some additional entertainment such as a close-up magician, or a “walking Christmas tree” to amuse your guests as they arrive at the venue.

Up to £2,000

For up to £2,000 you could create a great vibe with a 45 minute party-set performed by a talented professional singer followed by 3 hours of dance music from a top DJ. Also within this budget you could have x2 additional entertainment elements such as “Santa’s Shot Girls & Boys” pouring drinks and “walking Christmas trees” greeting your guests.

Alternatively for £2,000 you could hire a top quality four-piece party band supported by one or two of the additional elements above.

Up to £3,000

For up to £3,000 you could consider hiring a named DJ such as Pat Sharp, Kate Lawler or Danny Rampling to play a party set for the evening. You could also combine this with some unusual Christmas entertainment such as “The Human Reindeer“.

Up to £5,000

For up to £5,000 you could consider hiring a well-known vocalist or dance act from The X-Factor or Britain’s Got Talent to perform a special Christmas gig, supported by a DJ and some additional entertainment such as a magician or specialist act. Imagine “Stavros Flatly” in Santa’s garb!

Over £5,000

On a budget of £5,000 or more the sky is the limit in terms of what you can do. From hiring a celebrity singer to perform a vocal set to organising a 12-piece orchestral swing band to perform at your Christmas event venue. The options are endless!

For further advice on booking Christmas party entertainers, visit our main site here, or alternatively give our London office a call for an informal chat with one of our entertainment agents.

Enquiries to book Big Brother series 10 winner Sophie Reade have started to come through to the E3 Artists office. The 20 year old model, forced to change her name to Dogface whilst appearing on the show, is currently enjoying her spotlight in the media with glamorous appearances at the BB after-party and further TV appearances lined up.

News that Channel 4 is axing the show hasn’t hindered many of our event planning clients from hiring Big Brother contestants to promote their projects. BB stars are often seen as affordable options for promoters looking to target a youth or female target audience.

Series 6 of the X-factor aired on Saturday night with a significant twist to the new series. Where awful contestants used to be eliminated in front of the judging panel and a television camera, they now have to confront both this and an arena sized audience. Clearly adopted from Simon Cowell’s other similar show, Britain’s Got Talent, this move by the producers has created an unusual result. Perhaps it has something to do with the sense of vastness in the studio, or maybe it is the lack of a flashing red ‘X’ that the judges can summon by buzzer, but the process of ousting the awful wannabes seems less fun. In fact, at times, it seemed quite cruel. Perhaps the difference with BGT lies in the fact that many of the contestants were there simply to “have a go” and enjoy themselves whereas the format for X-Factor lends itself to those who have a genuine belief in their ability to make it in the pop world.

Although some of the contestants were truly awful and a bit painful to watch there were, of course, some obvious winners. Danyl Johnson is already an internet sensation; his performance outstripping all the others. The phones in our office are already buzzing with enquiries about how to hire X-factor singers for parties and events, and Danyl is set to become top of the list. Of course, bookings for Danyl will not be possible until the the show has finished. All contestants on the show have contractual obligations with ITV and, unless they are eliminated, will not be available to hire for some time. So if you’re planning an event and would like to hire Danyl Johnson, don’t hold your breath, as we predict he may have some distance to go.

Last week we reported how the Jayne Middlemiss win on Celebrity Master Chef generated a flurry of interest from event planners looking to hire a celebrity chef. Booking a professional chef for a demonstration, team day or training course has become an increasingly popular option for corporate events and one which we regularly facilitate here at E3 Artists. However, some businesses are not always prepared for the price tag associated with hiring a well-known chef. Fees for top chefs start at around £2,000 for the day.

However, for those who are planning an event without a celebrity budget there are other options. E3 Artists has recently teamed up with catering and hospitality specialists Anne Stewart Ltd. They make it possible to hire a chef for all types of events and circumstances including private cookery lessons, birthday parties and weddings. For further information please contact our London office on 020 7836 4759.

Our entertainment agents here at E3 Artists are used to dealing with requests to book professional chefs for cooking demonstrations and activity days, however, following her win on the Grand Final of this year’s Celebrity Master Chef, our agents are now dealing with a surge in requests to hire Jayne Middlemiss for her culinary skills.

The television and radio presenter, who nearly fell to pieces in Theo Randall’s kitchen on Thursday night’s penultimate installment, went onto win on Friday evening’s show preparing a sensational starter of seared scallops on apple puree, followed by a main course of pan fried veal and a dessert of lavender panacotta with crystallised violets.

Having worked on countless culinary workshops with our clients in the past (co-ordinating demonstrations from maestros such as James Martin and Aldo Zilli), we know that booking a charismatic chef is a guaranteed winner for event planners seeking a unique and unifying team building experience. Those looking to employ the skills of a celebrity chef, Miss Middlemiss included, can contact our agents for advice on 020 7836 4759 (Option 1).

Every month here at E3 Artists we aim to answer the popular question “how much does it cost to hire a celebrity?” Everyday this question is posed to us by a wide range of people for an equally wide range of purposes; from professional event planners looking for a cost-effective method to raise the profile of their projects to private individuals hoping to secure the time of their favourite reality television star for a birthday bash.

A popular option for those planning events on a low budget is to hire a Big Brother contestant. Events such as award ceremonies, store openings, exhibitions and corporate fundraisers can have their profile raised by the appearance of a recognisable face from the popular C4 show. Former Big Brother contestants are also an ideal booking for marketing and event managers looking to raise the profile of their brand with their target audience. With series 10 of Big Brother now in full-swing, this month’s pricelist is dedicated to some of the more memorable contestants from the show. As with our previous pricelists the fees indicated below are an approximate guide and will often vary according to factors such as the date and location of your event, your specific requirements and whether or not you plan to televise your event or sell tickets.

1. Jack Dee
Sardonic, dead-pan comedian Jack is one of the UK’s most recognisable comedians. He’s also one of the most memorable contestants from the show, winning the 2001 series of Celebrity Big Brother. A popular choice for awards ceremonies and events you can hire Jack Dee for approximately £30,000.

2. Les Dennis
Comedian and quiz show legend Les also made a very memorable appearance on series 2 of Celebrity Big Brother. Whilst experiencing personal issues at the time, he still captured the hearts of the nation and followed his appearance on the show with a truly brilliant send-up of himself on the Ricky Gervais sitcom Extras. Hire Les Dennis for approximately £8,000.

3. Kate Lawler
A talented DJ, televsion presenter and model, Kate has enjoyed the kind of career that many former Big Brother contestants can only dream of. Winner of Big Brother series 3, you can hire Kate Lawler for approximately £3,000.

4. Brain Dowling
Winner of series 2 of Big Brother, Brian went onto become the first openly gay children’s TV presenter with the ITV show SMTV Live. Emerging later as a popular late night television host and awards presenter, you can hire Brian Dowling for approximately £2,500.

5. Nadia Almada
Remembered as the first transexual winner of Big Brother, Nadia proved extremely popular with viewers with her memorable accent and mannerisms, her volatility and humour. A popular booking for fashion and fashionable events, you can hire Nadia Almada for approximately £2,000.

6. Other Big Brother Contestants
Some of the more memorable contestants from Big Brother can be booked for as little as £500. Notable names include: Anna Nolan, Kinga Karolczak, Makosi Musambasi, Craig Philips, Glyn Wise, Brian Belo, Jon Tickle, Paul “Bubble” Ferguson, Chantelle Houghton, Aishleyne Horgan-Wallace, Sam & Amanda Marchant, Pete Bennett and Cameron Stout.

E3 Artists has forged a close link with many former Big Brother contestants and their management teams. As we regularly book on behalf of our clients we are able to negotiate lower fees. For further information you can contact one of our entertainment agents on 020 7836 4759 or send us a message using our online form.

Looking for a good live band to hire for your function or party can be quite a difficult task. Budgets tend to prohibit being able to book chart-toppers of the Coldplay or Arctic Monkeys variety. In any case, bands of this sort are less likely to accept fees for private performances when they are filling out stadiums and selling albums by the truckload.

So, is it possible to recreate a certain vibe for your event - be it rock, pop, jazz, soul, disco or swing - but without the rock star price tag? The short answer is “yes”. There are literally hundreds of talented bands for hire throughout the UK, the vast majority of them are unknown and generally unsigned acts. Many of these acts are groups of highly skilled musicians who have developed their own material but are able to cover the classics of their prefered genre. Knowing which one to choose for your event is the tricky decision. Approaching unknown bands directly is risky if you have not seen them perform live before. They will always tell you they are perfect for your party or function even if they are not (their desire to work is greater than their concern for your satisfaction). It’s also quite tricky to preview bands prior to the date of your event. Often the bands in question have busy private booking schedules, are performing at opposite ends of the country or have no live dates fixed in the short term future.

One option is to trawl the internet looking for band websites in the hope of being able to view video clips of them perform. This can be time consuming and, unfortunately, unreliable. Often groups change their line-ups or present material that is inaccurate reflection of their true ability. It’s also quite difficult to make decisions based solely on grainy youtube clips. The other option is to employ a reputable entertainment agency to do the work for you. This has many benefits, a primary one being the inclusion of a legally binding contract between you, your agency and the band. Many event and party planners who book bands directly are left high and dry when the act calls at the last minute to say that they can’t make it. With a legal contract in place your financial investment is protected and, in the event of a last minute cancellation, a replacement is virtually guaranteed.

How much does it cost to hire a band? Fees for 2 or 3 piece bands tend to start at about £500 to £600. A good quality 4 piece band is normally around the £1000 mark. It’s recommended that if you want a great quality, highly skilled and sought after 4 piece band then allow for a slightly higher budget of say £1500 to £2000. In any case, most entertainment agents tend to represent or have close working relationships with a very wide range of bands and will be able to advise you accordingly on suitable acts and budgets. You can view some of our recommended bands here.

Finally, if you are committed to booking a band for your event be aware that there can sometimes be additional costs involved. Most bands have their own sound systems, however, depending on your venue size you may need to consider the hire of additional technical equipment such as speakers and lighting installations. Again, all good entertainment agents will be able to advise you on how to organise these essentials.