Wanted: Cool Young Small Format Soul Bands For Private Events UK Wide

We're looking to recruit fresh, young small format soul bands for a wide variety of private functions across England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. Alive Network is the largest live entertainment agency in the UK, and thousands of prospective clients search our website every day for a great live band for their wedding, private party or corporate event. Sadly, every day, we turn down prospective clients simply because we haven't got enough quality soul bands for hire to go around.

And that's where you come in. We have well-paid gigs waiting for the right band to fill, and that could be your band. However, to join Alive Network, you'll need to pass our strict quality checks, and be able to give a big 'double thumbs up' to our checklist in terms of your play lists, your equipment, your promo materials and, most importantly, your attitude.

Here's what we're looking for....

1. Energy and genuine commitment

If you love what you do, your audience will love it too, and that enjoyment comes from your genuine passion and enthusiasm for soul music, plus the drive to be the best band you can be. Combine this with a drive to succeed, 100% reliability and professionalism at all times, and you'll be well on your way to being a very popular soul band with our clients. Take a look at the video of soul/party band Informer performing a classic James Brown number and you’ll see what we mean!

2. A wide range of music - or not

We don't need to tell you that, as a genre, soul music covers a vast rage of artists, time eras and musical styles. So, the best soul party bands offer a wide range of music, from classic tracks by the likes of Aretha Franklin, Diana Ross, Stevie Wonder, Marvin Gaye, The Four Tops to the more pop style of The Jackson 5, James Brown, Lionel Richie, Tina Turner, Jackie Wilson and the modern divas - Amy Winehouse, Adele, Beyonce, Lily Allen and more. Take a look at the play list of top band Soul Education - it's impressive, comprehensive and irresistible when performed live!

Or, you can specialise in a particular sound or style. Lady Motown presents trademark upbeat party set centers on the divas of the famous Motown record label. The three piece combo, The Soul Boys focus on the pop and soul classic of the 1960s performed with just drums, guitar, bass and vocal harmonies, creating a very distinctive and dance floor-filling sound.

3. A smaller line-up of 4-6 players

Soul bands tend to come in large sizes, especially when you add in a brass section and singers, but it does limit the gigs they can play. Not every client has the venue space, the guest numbers, or the budget to present a large format soul band at their event. So, if you can produce a superb sound with less players, you'll be just what many clients are looking for. Start with a four-piece band that all play and sing, perhaps, so your vocalist might play trumpet or percussion as well as sing. An experienced keyboard player with a top end instrument can access superb instrument samples, including brass, to fill out your sound as required. Have a listen to six-piece band Funkytown playing "Forget You" for a great example of a clever keyboard player!

4. Smart, well-dressed and looking good!

In our books, there is no such thing as a scruffy soul band! You'll need a strong visual look for your band that brings everyone together as a cohesive whole, even if you add extra players for special shows. So, find a style that suits you all, that enables you to look good and move well - and that are easy to keep clean! If you can come to us with your image already sorted, plus promotional photos, videos and a demo CD done, we can get you up and running really quickly. If not, we can help you create everything you need - we even provide a free promo photo shoot for every band we sign up! Take a look at the promo shots for Motown Vogue for an idea of how to look good in suits – and stilettos!

5. Invest in the best

You'll also need the best quality instruments you can afford, and a professional PA system with quality vocal microphones suitable for a room full of 200 people. Again, find a set-up that suits your band best, and don't be afraid to add in extras such as iPad as controllers and rack effects to enhance your sound if required. Most soul bands also carry their own lighting, but if this is too expensive to buy as a band just starting out, you can always hire this in if required. The same applies to a van to take all the gear in - if you can't afford to buy one yet, hire one. That way, you know you'll always have reliable transport, and like most of our function bands, your soul band can travel together to gigs to save costs. See the video by Lady Soul for some quality instruments - and stunning vocals - from this Yorkshire based band.

What we offer our soul bands

Alive Network offers every artist a full artists support service that combines the expertise of an agent, a website developer, a marketing expert and a tour manager - at no cost to you! We'll create a detailed Profile for your soul band on our website, including your photos, videos and demo tracks. We take care of all the booking and admin backup for your gigs, so you'll spend less time on paperwork and more time on stage. We liaise direct with the client, ensure they sign a fully legal and binding contract (which you also sign), and we'll even pay you direct in full, so you don't have worry about whether there will actually be a cheque on the night. We also offer an unrivalled artist development package that includes a free 1 hour professional photo shoot at our HQ, and opportunities for video shoots, recording sessions and advice workshops.

If that sound like sweet music to your ears, get in touch with our team, or download our application form from our How to Join Alive Network page (here). It's free to join, and our percentage is always added on top of the full fee you specify.