FAQ

1) Talk: to an EAO Function Consultant. Your Consultant helps you decide what type of music and atmosphere you want, and gives you advice about;
" which acts are available
" which ones suit your needs
" their cost
" their background/experience.
And the great news is, there's nothing to pay on your initial enquiry; the Service Fee is included in every price you're quoted, so there are no surprise costs, and it doesn't need to be paid until you confirm your chosen act!

2) Read: up on the acts - their Biographies, Repertoires, Testimonials from previous clients, etc. Your EAO Consultant can supply all this information to you.

3) Listen: to any Demo material the acts have recorded (eg CDs, mp3s). Your EAO consultant can provide you with any recorded material the acts may have.

4) Watch: the acts performing live - especially if you can't hear a demo CD! Gauge how they create a relationship with the audience, how musically skilled they are, whether they have broad appeal. Keep in mind though; acts tailor their performance to suit each venue/audience, so you won't hear all function material at a pub (eg the act may not play any dinner music at a hotel).

5) Ask: as many questions as you need to be wholly comfortable with your final choice of act. Your EAO consultant is an invaluable resource and is here to provide you with information and assistance, so ask, ask, ask!

6) Advise: your EAO Consultant as soon as you've made your decision - they will then lock your chosen act in, so there's no risk of missing out. They'll issue you with your confirmation paperwork, and continue helping you along the way, whenever you need assistance in the lead up to the date of your event!

How is it best for me to communicate with EAO Entertainment?
Telephone or email is best, as entertainment enquiries involve an ongoing process of narrowing down choices - which can take weeks - rather than being an on-the-spot decision. Email is especially useful during the early stages, because you can read & respond at your own convenience & pace, and the emails can be kept as a written record of information you're given, eg quotes, song lists etc.

How soon do I need to book?
Ideally, it's best to contact us 8-12 months in advance, particularly if your event takes place during the peak periods (March-April and October-December).

Keep in mind also that commercial covers artists' Hotel/Club bookings are completed regionally in 3 or 6 month blocks, so if you're after a particular, popular act it's best to get in before these 'block bookings' are under way to avoid disappointment.

We understand that most event planners don't always have the luxury of a long lead-up to the event though, and in almost all instances we can offer a strong range of high quality options even 2 - 4 months beforehand.

My event is in 7-21 days, can you assist me with entertainment?
In the busy periods especially, we often receive enquiries from clients within 7 - 21 days of their event. We're able to prioritise and assist these short-notice clients with booking their entertainment, but please remember that a short-notice fee will be applied for prioritising your enquiry over others'.

I don't have a big budget for my party, can you help with small-budget entertainment?
Price is always a factor in booking entertainment, and at EAO we understand that many private functions are put together on a tight budget. If you don't have the budget for a full size band, there are some excellent soloists who are very popular for entertaining at private functions and can really get people into the party mood and on the dance floor. You may also like to ask us about alternative, recorded music options such as DJs, Jukeboxes etc.

Can musical acts perform both dinner music and dance music?
Most live acts and DJs perform easy-listening music as well as upbeat, dance music (sometimes using backing tracks to create a full sound) but please confirm your needs with your EAO Consultant before you book an act, to be safe :

How long does the act perform for?
A standard DJ booking is for 5 consecutive hours (eg 7pm-12am) and you can book extra waiting time (prior) or overtime.

A "standard" live music booking consists of roughly 160 mins of live music performed over a period of up to 4 consecutive hours (eg 7-11pm, or 8pm-12am). Within your chosen 4 hour block, the act will perform either 3 or 4 live sets. Eg: 4 x 40 min sets, or 1 x 45 min, 1 x 55 min and 1 x 60 min set (both total 160 mins).

You don't usually have to specify the exact set structure for your chosen act though. Most acts are flexible about accommodating any formalities, such as speeches, presentations, cake-cuttings etc, that occur within the 4 hour block and are professional enough to run with the events on the night if the timing of formalities doesn't go exactly to plan - they will still start and finish at the designated times, but flexibility exists within the 4 hour block.

A small selection of acts are willing to perform for five hours for an additional fee - please check with your EAO Consultant prior to booking if you'd like a five hour booking. Four hours is usually ample though as the entertainment doesn't usually need to start from the moment guests arrive :

You can also create an amazing & memorable effect by booking a feature act (eg a comedian or a roving magician), to perform for a shorter period eg a 60 min spot. This can really add 'wow' to your function and make it a night to remember!

Will the act be set up before the guests arrive into the reception room?
In almost every case we expect this of musical acts, because they have equipment and speakers to be loaded into the venue. Most acts take 30 - 60 minutes to set up, so you can expect them to arrive 30-60 mins before the agreed "Set Up By" time (confirm this time with your EAO consultant a couple of weeks before your function).

In rare cases, if you want a particular act but it is not available for setting up until after guests arrive, we will make alternative set-up arrangements (prior to the event day of course!). Acts can be very quick and discreet in setting up.

Feature acts (eg comedians, dancers, street performers etc) may not need to arrive and be set up before the function commences; they may schedule their arrival for 30-60 mins before their performance start time. This is dependent on the nature of the act though, and whether they have props etc that need to be set up.

Will I need to provide meals and refreshments for each musician?
We request main or supplier/crew meals & refreshments as a courtesy to the musicians, as their performance usually covers a meal time and they are often at the venue for several hours longer than their actual performance time.

Do I need to pay the entire fee up front?
Very rarely! All quotes that EAO gives you are total figures that include both the Service Fee (payable to EAO) and the Artist Fee (payable to the Act), so there are no surprise costs. You pay your Service Fee as the deposit to confirm the booking, then the balance is due on the night of performance. In some circumstances (eg for dates that are in high demand) you may need to pay a percentage of the Artist Fee before the event too - the agency will negotiate this with you at the time of booking.

Can my musical act provide background CD or iPod music during their set breaks?
Yes in almost all cases the act supplies break music before performance and during set breaks, for a warm ambience. Some acts use CD players, and you can provide your own CDs for the act to play over its sound system if you have particular tastes (or you can leave it up to the act to bring their own CDs). Some acts use iPods, rather than CD players though, so clarify with your Consultant what equipment your chosen act uses, to ensure any music you're supplying is in the right format.

Do I need to give EAO a copy of my run-sheet?
If you're having a run-sheet for your event, eg if it's a presentation night, we'd love a copy please! We forward it to the artists so they know roughly what to expect on the night, can work out how they might structure their performance, and therefore can maximise their effect for you.

What happens after I have confirmed my chosen act with my EAO Consultant?
You'll receive a booking agreement and service fee invoice within 7 - 14 working days. We issue this by post, fax or email. The agreement needs to be signed & returned, and the service fee paid, within 14 days to secure the booking. As your function date approaches, don't hesitate to contact us if you need to discuss or change performance times, access times etc. Then when you are finishing your run-sheet - usually 5-10 days prior to the event - just email EAO a copy. Then you're done!

Is there any chance my act will cancel, & what happens if they do?
DJs and live musicians very occasionally have to cancel performances; serious illness or a change in circumstances of the act (eg the lead singer moves overseas or falls pregnant) are the two main reasons. Most acts are very scrupulous and would only cancel a performance if they really cannot avoid it; they understand how important your special day is. A very small number of acts take a more 'relaxed' approach however, and aren't bothered by the consequences of cancelling at short notice. A professional agency knows which acts fall into which category (and we avoid the latter ones!). So, it's a good idea to book your function entertainment through an agency to ensure you are booking a reputable, professional act that values your event.

If your chosen act has to cancel for an unavoidable reason, eg due to serious illness, your EAO Consultant will immediately start work on sourcing you a replacement act. Your Consultant has nation-wide contacts, and will be endeavouring to find an act that is as close as possible in style, size, cost etc.

Please rest assured it is rare that an act cancels, so there's every chance you won't need to worry about the above :

If you have more questions, don't hesitate to email our experienced Consultants at functions@eao.com.au or telephone on (02) 4962 1855!