Hiring a live band for a party or corporate event in Los Angeles comes down to four things: the kind of music, how long they play, the space and sound at your venue, and the venue’s rules. Get those clear, send us your date, venue and guest count, and you can compare options with prices for bands who are free that day.
Pick the kind of band
Covers, pop and rock come up most in the requests we get for bands in Los Angeles, with jazz, swing and Latin music asked for too. Tell us the style, and a few songs you’d like to hear, so we can check them with each band.
A cover band plays songs your guests already know. If you’d like original music, say so: it’s a different kind of act.
Think about size too. A duo or a small band fits a smaller room or a quieter evening. A bigger band can bring more energy for dancing, and needs more space.
How long they play
A band plays in sets on a stage. Many of the people who ask us for a band in Los Angeles ask for 3 to 4 hours. Ask each band how long they’d like to play, in one stretch or with breaks, and what plays during the breaks: a playlist, or nothing.
Sound, lights and space
Tell us whether the band needs to bring sound and lights, or can use the venue’s. Then check with the venue:
- how much floor or stage space the band can have;
- where the nearest power is;
- where the band can park and load in;
- when they can set up and do a sound check before guests arrive.
Check the venue’s rules first
Some venues limit live music. Before you book, ask your venue:
- whether live bands are allowed;
- whether there’s a sound limit, or a time the music has to stop;
- whether the band needs to send proof of insurance.
Questions to ask before you book
- Which songs and styles do you play, and can we send a few requests?
- How many musicians are in the band, and who will play on our date?
- How long do you play, and how long are the breaks?
- Do you bring your own sound and lights, and how much space do you need?
- Can someone in the band make announcements, or do we need a separate host?
- Can you send a video of a recent show, or tell us where we can see you play?
- When will you arrive, and how long do you need to set up and sound check?
What changes the price
The price depends on how many hours they play, whether it’s a Saturday or in the holiday season, a bigger band, sound and lighting if the venue has none, and travel outside Los Angeles.
How booking works with AGNT
AGNT is a booking company. You send us your date, venue and guest count, and we check which bands in Los Angeles are free that day. We send you options with prices. You pick one, and it’s booked once the deposit is paid. If your first pick isn’t free, we’ll tell you and suggest bands with a similar style who are.
You can start on bands for hire in Los Angeles.
How we put this together
We wrote this from what people tell us when they ask for a band in Los Angeles: the type of event, the style of music, how long and how many guests. It doesn’t list prices, because they depend on your date, your hours and the band you choose. You’ll see prices with the options we send.
Your next step
Tell us your date, venue and guest count, and we’ll send you Los Angeles bands who are free that day, with prices: book a band in Los Angeles
Featured photo by Rocco Dipoppa on Unsplash
