Party Starters FAQs

How much space do you need?

We typically need a performance area of 4x3 metres, but we are able to work within a smaller area if space is more limited. We’ve performed in all types of venue, from manor houses and hotels, to barns, marquees, intimate clubs and boats so we’re well versed in making the most of whatever space is available to us.

How is it best to time things?

Every event is different but a wedding with a 6pm arrival and midnight finish with 2 x 60 minute sets we recommend the following:

6pm – 7:30pm – Party Starters load in, set up and sound check.
7:30pm – 8:30pm – Background party music.
8:30pm – 9pm – Photographs, cutting the cake, first dance.
8:45pm – 9pm – Party Starters begin first set.
10pm – 10:45pm – DJ party music during band’s break.
10:45pm – 11:45pm – Party Starters perform 2nd set.
11:45pm – midnight – DJ party music until end of the night.

Please plan any live sets around your evening food. Avoid having Party Starters start too early in the evening or having them start a set with evening food coming out during the performance.

Can I pick the bands playlist?

It's best to leave the band as much freedom to tailor the set as possible. Party Starters play very regularly and their songs are chosen to work extremely well for weddings and parties. Party Starters provide you with a highly polished and slick show of live music to give you an amazing party. Their live sets also get up-dated with new songs added regularly.

You can put your trust in Sussex wedding band Party Starters to provide you with a great mix of classic hit songs from every decade (from 50s right through to Present day). Party Starters are more than happy for you to choose some of your favourite songs from their full repertoire.

It is usually best if you let us know any songs you definitely DO or DON’T want rather than an ordered play list. We need to have the freedom to cater for all your guests and may need deviate to involve all of your guests.

Where will you travel?

Although based in Hove, East Sussex we are more than happy to travel across the country (UK) or abroad.

Can I see you play live?

Due to the nature of our work, we don't play many public gigs, as all of the events we perform at tend to be private parties. However, we do perform a selection showcases a year at a venue local to us, which is free entry. These events are held in a public house (music bar) and really give you an idea of what we are about. Details of these events can be found on our Facebook page.

If you want to follow us on Facebook & Twitter, any last minute public gigs that do come in will be promoted on there

Facebook: www.facebook.com/PartyStartersWeddingBand
Twitter: www.twitter.com/PrtyStartersUK

Will you learn our special song?

We are happy to consider learning your special song. It can depend on whether the particular song fits our playing style and sound. It would be difficult for us to pull off certain songs with orchestral backing, for example, due to our instrumentation, but we can always do a guitar-based version of a song. At the time of booking us, please let your agent know if there is a particular song you’d like us to consider learning so we have enough time to learn it well.

Below is a sample list of first dances we have learned and played live in the past 12 months:

THINKING OUT LOUD – Ed Sheeran
ONE DAY LIKE THIS - Elbow
JUST THE WAY YOU ARE - Bruno Mars
MARRY YOU - Bruno Mars
I WON’T GIVE UP – Jason Mraz
BETTER TOGETHER – Jack Johnson
IRIS – Goo Goo Dolls
MY GIRL - The Temptations
CHASING CARS - Snow Patrol
AMAZED - Lonestar
A THOUSAND YEARS – Christina Perri
GREATEST DAY - Take That
CAN'T TAKE MY EYES OFF YOU - Andy Williams
WILD HORSES – Rolling Stones
HO HEY - Lumineers

How do I book you?

You can book us through the enquiry form on this website or through our agency AliveNetwork.com. You can also email or call our booking agent, Grant on 0845 094 3815 or partystarters@alivenetwork.com We also accept informal enquiries via our Facebook page, where we will be happy to talk through your event in person.

Are you able to DJ in between sets?

We carry a laptop with over 2000 songs and Cloud based storage of a larger library (WIFI dependant) to all our gigs that we use specifically for DJ'ing, making sure that we keep the dance floor swinging in between our live sets. We are happy to take requests for DJ songs. Music playlists between sets comes as standard with every booking, and if you want a more bespoke DJ service, we offer a DJ package upgrade option where one of the band members will man the laptop all night to take requests and make basic announcements. The DJ package upgrade option is offered for free if you confirm your booking with us within 7 days of receiving your official quote.

Can we make DJ requests in advance to my event?

Any requests for the DJ service will only be possible if we already own the music you require. We do not purchase music for clients due to the costs this can incur. Clients will often provide us with an iPod/MP3 player, or laptop with a playlist on to incorporate the music into our usual DJ sets. If you give us an idea of artists and genres you prefer, we will cater for your tastes effectively. If you would like particular songs played at specific times during the evening, please provide the music via one of the above methods along with a schedule of your evening.

Can we use your sound system for speeches?

You are welcome to use our PA system for your speeches. We are able to extend our mic leads to approx 10m to assist with your speeches if necessary or alternatively do offer a wireless mic which can be hired out.

What equipment do you use?

Party Starters use a 1600 watt PA system to cater for audiences of up to 300 people, which provides you with a full and balanced sound. This equipment is suitable for a huge range of audience sizes, from under 100 guests up to a venue with 300.

Party Starters equipment list -

Guitar: Fender Guitars
Amplification: Egnater Tweaker
Bass: Fender Jazz Basses
Amplification: Orange and Ashdown
Drums: SJC Custom kit
Cymbals: Zildjian Custom A
Mics: Sennheiser & Shure
PA: Mackie and Yamaha Desk

Do you have lights?

Party Starters have a small lighting set up consisting of 1 LED PAR BAR, 3 LED floor lights and an SJC light up kit.

How long do you play for?

We usually play 2 x 60 minute sets. This can also be divided into 3 x 40 minute sets if you prefer. Including our encores, we almost always play for longer than 2 hours. :) We have enough songs in our repertoire to cater for 3 hours of live music, with enough variety to keep your party going!

We also offer an acoustic upgrade option that consists of 1 x 45 minute set of carefully selected acoustic music, perfect for during your meal or drinks reception. We can provide this service as an acoustic duo, trio or full band (live lounge style) group.

What time do you start and finish?

We usually start our first set at around 8.30, and play our second set in the final hour of the evening, but again we are totally flexible with this. Arrival and finish times from 5pm and midnight as standard with early arrival and late finish fees applicable outside of these timings.

How long do you take to set up?

Assuming access to the venue is straight forward (i.e. ground floor room with no steps and vehicle access close to the venue), once all the equipment is loaded in we can normally be set up and sound checked in no longer than 90 minutes. It's also worth checking out our What We Do page for more of the typical gig runthrough.

Can I provisionally book you?

Unfortunately, we don’t take provisional bookings as our demand is such that we would be turning clients away on popular dates. However, when you make an official enquiry with us, your enquiry will be logged in our system and you will be given first refusal on your date should anybody else enquire for the same date.

What if the band split up before my event?

Like many professional party bands, our work is our livelihood and so we take our commitments very seriously.

In the very unlikely event that the band had split up before your party, every effort would be made to find a suitable replacement band, by ourselves and our agents.

Can my sisters/bosses/daughters dog sing with your band?

We love it when people get up to sing a song with us, but we do like to make sure that those singing or playing with us have some experience of being on stage. We’re happy to arrange this with you in advance. However, past experience has taught us that welcoming impromptu guests onto the stage on the night itself can often end in disaster so we’d rather steer clear of that situation!

What will the band wear?

We usually dress smart casual for most parties (see media) but are more than happy to dress more formally if requested. In the past, we’ve also been asked to join in with an events theme, which we’re more than happy to do if you wish. Please check out our photo gallery for an idea of our typical wedding attire.

Does the band have PAT and PLI certificates?

We always carry up to date PAT certification and have Public Liability Insurance cover up to £10M.

Why should I book Party Starters?

The Ultimate Live Band Experience!
Sussex function band Party Starters have carefully constructed sets to cater for every type of performance with the ability the gauge the audiences needs and venue requirements throughout the whole performance. From the 50s to todays chart toppers, They have something for everyone with hugely recognisable songs by artists such as; The Beatles, Queen, Stevie Wonder and Aretha Franklin to the latest modern hits from the likes of Bruno Mars, Rudimental, Rihanna and Maroon 5!

We guarantee you’ll be blown away by Party Starters amazing musicianship, stage presence and professional, slick appearance.

Party Starters extensive set list means they can offer quantity as well was superb quality with over 4 hours of outstanding band repertoire and over an hour of acoustic music. Here is a brief list of some of the places, venues and people that present members of Party Starters have either toured or played at / with:

- USA
- France
- Sweden
- Germany
- Italy
- Indigo2 (o2 arena)
- Ipswich Regent Theatre
- Wolverhampton Civic Hall
- Worcestershire County Cricket Ground
- Sussex County Cricket Ground
- Colchester Arts Centre
- RAF Brize Norton
- The Great Room Grovesnor House Hotel
- Leeds Castles
- Herstmonceux Castle
- o2 Academy Islington
- Brighton Centre
- AMEX Community Stadium
- Dizzee Rascal
- Planet Funk
- Turin Brakes

How much does it cost to book the band?

Prices vary slightly based on the time of year, the location of your event, timings, and any upgrade options, but our standard price starts at £1075 including VAT. We don't charge for the time it takes for us to travel to the gig.

Can we see some previous client testimonials?

Yes. We have hundreds of testimonials from previous satisfied clients on our website. Check out our previous client testimonials here!

Do Party Starters have any specific requirements?

We request a secure room in which to change and store equipment, something to eat and drinks for the duration of our time at the venue.

What type/size venues are you able to play at?

We have played in every type of venue, from festivals and football stadiums, from huge marquees and ballrooms to intimate clubs and private residencies.

How loud will the band be?

We always make sure that our volume levels are such that people at your event can still converse, but really feel as though they are at a gig when they're on the dance floor. Being a guitar based rock and pop function band, the nature of the music we play means that we can only turn down so far! If your chosen venue has a dB limiter, please discuss this with your agent at the time of your enquiry - There’s every chance that we (or one of our fellow agency bands) have performed at the venue before, but if not, it’s worth discussing to make sure that the performance you will receive from us will not be compromised.

However, if your venues decibel limit is restrictively low, we can provide an electric drum kit allowing far more control over volume levels and still allow you to dance to the music you love!

What is the band power requirement?

We usually request 2 double 13 amp supplies near to the stage area. We use LED lighting, which keeps our power consumption down but we prefer to run lights from one power source and audio equipment from another to reduce the risk of noise interference. As a rule, we draw approximately 16 amps with everything on and have only ever experienced any issues in events in marquees where the generator capacity has been too low.

Do Party Starters offer any additional services?

Party Starters offer a number of additional services at very competitive rates: From acoustic sets during dinner, late finishes and early arrivals and first dance performances. If you would like more information regarding the above options please contact us via email to discuss.