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Tag Archive for: corporate event entertainment

The Melbourne entertainment company with a difference

A special Melbourne entertainment company around

Here’s why the leading Melbourne entertainment company can make your event a winner.

It all comes down to one thing – talent.

You want the very best in entertainers with acts that really get the party started and keep the great vibe kicking all night long.

You need a variety of entertainment options that you can choose from that are top notch.

Having an entertainment company that has a special talent for ticking all the right boxes, organising all the elements and finer details means your occasion will be one that’s truly memorable.

A little bit of magic

There can be no half measures when you want your entire event to be engaging, exciting and most of all impressive.

Putting on an event is a reflection of who you are and what you do.

Sharing your sense of style while making sure everyone has a great time says a great deal about your values and what’s important to you.

If it’s a corporate event, then it’s the perfect way to promote your company or brand.

The mistake that many people make when it comes to any party or special occasion is to forget that the entertainment element is one of the most important keys to success.

Having a great entertainer or even a variety of quality entertainment makes all the difference.

Will your occasion be memorable for the food or the drinks that are served? Maybe, maybe not.

Will guests remember the speeches and what was said? Possibly, but unlikely.

Will everyone remember the great act that had everyone dancing? That would be a big Yes!

Is the entertainment you choose really that important? Let’s take a deeper look at that question.

Make things entertaining

It’s easy to see where the entertainment ingredient fits in the recipe for a celebration.

If you think about any occasion, party or special event, you’ll realise that the music and entertainment is one of the most important factors in things going well.

It’s a well-known fact that an event of any kind needs to have music to ‘break the ice’.

Just picture walking into a party and there being no music. You’re going to be met with soft voices and stifled conversations. Not many people will be mingling, and most will be self-conscious about how they interact. It sets an awkward atmosphere. Instead of a lively place, people will soon find it dead boring.

Then, at that same party, with the same guests at the same venue, the element of musical entertainment is brought in.

Suddenly, people are relaxing and starting to mingle, even the shyest people are opening up, and the more extrovert guests are getting their groove on.

Before you know it, the whole party is off and running in a fresh and exciting atmosphere.

It doesn’t really matter if the talent is a singer, a DJ, a band, a jazz combo or dancers, everyone has been given the freedom to enjoy themselves. That awkward feeling has given way to the chance for people to let their hair down. After all, that’s what a party is for.

A team to help your party dreams

There is one team you can rely on to look after all your entertainment needs.

They take the time to get to know you and exactly what you’re looking for. There’s a wealth of experience and expertise you can call on to make sure your event is a winning one.

By getting a deeper understanding of what you want and who will be attending the occasion, they take a look at everything from the venue to the number of guests, the run of the event and how to make the most of the timing.

With the right entertainment in place, you’re already halfway to having a success story.

Who is that expert team you can rely on?

Entertainment you can count on

There’s one Melbourne entertainment company that brings you the tops in quality entertainers. That’s Top Dog.

There’s a wide and exciting choice of the highest calibre of entertainment. The choices from;

  • DJs to bands,
  • singers and dancers,
  • jazz combos, electronic duos, folk artists, and string quartets
  • even acrobats, magicians and roving entertainment,

Top Dog has the best of the best.

Make your party, event or special occasion all the more special with the perfect entertainment.

Get in touch with the experts in all things entertainment today.

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The Most Talented Corporate Event Entertainers

The top corporate event entertainers can make your occasion a winner

Any corporate event needs to be memorable and that’s where having the top corporate event entertainers can make all the difference.

Your event has to be well organised and well run. After all, your brand is being put on show and it needs to stand tall for all the right reasons.

That’s where creating the right atmosphere is vital. When everyone is relaxed and engaged, you have a more successful event. The entertainment you provide is the key to that success. 

You want your brand and the event to be a winner. When people are able to enjoy themselves – especially when they were unsure if they would – you have the best foundation for better interaction and connections. 

Making the most of a corporate event

Your corporate event is your chance to shine. It’s a special way to gather the people you want to meet and a clever way to generate new business. 

Hosting an event is one of the most effective ways to create a networking environment.

That only works if you have the key elements taken care of – one of which is the all-important corporate entertainment.

Those key elements all need to be working well together. These include:

  • The venue you choose
  • The food and drinks you serve
  • The speaker or speakers you engage
  • The entertainment you provide

The right venue is one that matches the size of the space to the number of guests who attend. There needs to be the opportunity for guests to move around and places where they can hold more confidential conversations.

The menu you offer your corporate guests says a great deal about who you are and how you present your brand. Running out of food is almost as detrimental as having bad food. Catering is an art and with clever planning (including sampling the food), you can make a good impression.

When it comes to speakers, too many corporate events and functions go overboard with speeches. Remember that a panel discussion needs to be well run and a keynote speaker should be the highlight of the event. Guests will become quickly bored if the event is more of a talkfest than informative and engaging.

What about the corporate entertainment?

Why you need the best possible entertainment

A corporate event of any kind – whether it’s a conference, networking event, product launch or in-house celebration – has to have the best entertainment.

You could be forgiven for choosing a venue that was a bit hard to get to or was a little cramped. Even if the food was not quite a winner or the speeches went too long, you can rescue your event with the right entertainment.

It is the one thing that put your guests in a different frame of mind and can make for a memorable occasion.

If you think about it, you will recall an event where you and everyone else was having a good time and keep that in mind for the next one you attend.

This is why choosing the right entertainment for your event makes all the difference.

You have the choice of a wide variety of entertainers, including bands, duos, DJ’s, singers, dancers even jazz combos and roving entertainment. 

The Top Dog Entertainment difference

There is one name that is renowned for offering a great variety of great entertainment – that’s Top Dog.

You don’t just get a top singer, band or DJ as well as dancers, magicians and more – you get a huge selection of quality artists to choose from.

The difference is that unlike other entertainment providers, you won’t be told what you should have. It’s all about finding the best possible act that suits you and your event. That’s why Top Dog Entertainment take the time to discuss all your needs and the finer details in order to deliver the best result.

If you have a corporate event planned, make sure you book the right corporate event entertainers. That way, you’ll be remembered for all the right reasons.

The top name in entertainment is Top Dog.

Get in touch with the entertainment experts today.

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Melbourne Venue Spotlight – Eureka89

Here at Top Dog, we love working with a variety of venues. We love the old, the new, the fancy and the casual. What we love the most is forming a bond with a venue, which we have with many of Melbourne’s finest event spaces, and Eureka 89 is one of our favourites. We attend parties there regularly and we love it. We love the staff, the food and how can we not mention the view!

I spoke to the business development manager, Tobin, about the venue and had him answer some questions.

How long has Eureka 89 been around? 

Eureka 89 opened in 2008 and has been welcoming all sorts of parties ever since.

Just how high up is your venue? 

300 metres above sea level and takes about 1640 stairs to get to the 88th level during the annual stair climb. It is the third tallest building in Australia and the highest restaurant in the southern hemisphere.

Tell us a little bit about the events you do both private and publicly.

Eureka 89 is available for all sorts of events from weddings to product launches, to birthdays to corporate parties. With our two event spaces we can host parties big and small. We have the option to host parties across the whole floor or separate the space into two.

Our executive chef Renee creates amazing tasting menus highlighting Australian seasonal produce, so all you need to do is book a table to experience a meal up on the 89th floor!

We also host many special events throughout the year. This year we have planned some really exciting special events including caviar month, game dinner, truffle dinner and a special whisky pairing dinner in conjunction with Melbourne Whisky Week.

What is the best dish and cocktail on the menu? 

Not officially on the cocktail menu but those in the know will often order a bloody shiraz negroni.

As for the best food dish, my favourite would have to be the Southern ranges beef with confit shallots, pea cream and beef dashi.

  • Shelley jumping in here – have tried many a canape/cocktail/food station item at many of Eureka 89’s showcases, and everything is always excellent. 10 out of 10 from me!

Tell us about the most exciting or most unique event you have done to date. 

Well, our NYE events are always a bit wild – they are ticketed events and always have a fun theme, excellent entertainment thanks to Top Dog and a great vibe.

However, the one that really ticked the unique box would be a specific private event where they turned the whole floor of Eureka 89 into a jungle – the set up was phenomenal.

What is something we may not know about the venue? 

So many fun facts about the Eureka building. It took 4 years and 2 months to build, the top 10 floors have 24 carat gold plated glass windows and the current record to climb the 88 sets of stairs is said to be around 7 minutes!

However, if you are interested in venue specific trivia, the 89th floor was originally planned to be a penthouse apartment but at the last minute was changed to a restaurant & event space.

What entertainment do you think works best at Eureka 89? 

Everything! We’ve had everything from acoustic guitarists, large party bands, roving entertainment, dancers, DJ’s, string quartets and more. They have all been great and as we can host a wide range of events, we have seen a wide range of entertainment come in and out of the lift! We love seeing all of the different performers from Top Dog at our events!

To learn more about the events Eureka 89 can host, visit https://eureka89.com.au

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Why Book Entertainment Through An Agency?

When it comes to wedding planning or organising a Christmas party for your work, chances are, you aren’t sure where to start when it comes to entertainment. You may have a budget, you may not. You might want a change from what you booked last time, or you may have been to an epic wedding and you want what they had!

Here are some of the top reasons to book through an agency when organising entertainment for an event.

Volume Of Artists

We have hundreds of artists across many genres, styles, price and instruments. We work with bands, solo artists, duos, DJs, DJ band musicians, roving performers and more. You get access to all of these artists with only one contact – super easy to keep track of.

This comes in handy if you aren’t sure what you want, if the artist you wanted is not available or if you want multiple elements of entertainment across your event. With not only the volume, but also the high level of skill our artists have, we will find the perfect options for you no matter your budget or brief!

You Have No Idea What You Want

Sometimes people have no idea what type of music they would prefer at their event and that’s ok. A band or a DJ, a DJ band or an acoustic act – we can help you work out what would be best suited.

Give us a brief and we will give you options. We are happy to work with a small, large, tricky, specific, or strange brief – we love a challenge. Give us as much information as you can, and we will give you a couple of line ups that are sure to impress.

Your Artist Is Sick

People get sick and things (although rare) can happen out of our control. Once in a blue moon a DJ or musician is not going to be able to turn up at your event and sometimes with very little notice. Should this happen, and your wedding was only hours from commencing, you wouldn’t have time to deal with this. Cue the agency staff – we would be on this instantly and sort out the best possible back up/replacement. Here at Top Dog our office phone line is diverted to a staff member overnight and over the weekend. We are always available. Should anything happen, we will be onto it and sorting it out before you even know what is going on! With the sheer volume of artists we have, we can find available alternatives in a flash.

You Have Too Much To Organise

Planning an event can take up a lot of your time and chances are (especially for couples getting married) you haven’t done this before. Planning events doesn’t always come naturally to everyone.

We will coordinate all your song choices and run sheets with our user-friendly online forms, coordinate with venues, liaise with performers and make sure everything is perfect and ready to go on the day. This is particularly useful when you book multiple artists. We ensure they all work well together; the right amount of equipment has been arranged and that everyone knows their parts, arrival times and we organise payment to all artists whilst you only have to deal with one invoice.

We Are Experts

All we do is listen to music, scout new artists, talk to musicians and DJs, follow new trends, visit venues, and organise entertainment for epic events. Got a question? Need some advice on what will fit/work for your event? Bit confused about on-site restrictions/rules? Chances are high we will know the answers to any of your questions. In our office alone we have a DJ, a musician, an event manager, and a celebrant. We have a wide range of event knowledge and we are always learning.

Professional Service Guaranteed

We do not just book anyone. We have seen every single person we book play in person. To us, it is not just about talent, its about being presentable, experienced, personable and talented. We make sure that anyone we send out to an event is representative of our brand – we have high expectations of our artists.

 

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Band or DJ – That Is The Question!

Congratulations! You are engaged and planning your wedding – fun times. By now you have probably sorted the venue, photographer, celebrant and maybe even your outfits? Those are usually the first to be investigated and entertainment tends to be further towards the end of the list.

I have been in the wedding and events industry now for almost fifteen years, working at some of Melbourne’s premium wedding venues and I have seen everything come through those doors. From DJs to bands, strings to magicians, I have seen the best and the absolute worst. Believe me, the world of weddings could make for an epic new Netflix reality doco! Music is so valuable to getting the atmosphere right. The music needs to reflect the mood you wish to create and the guests you have invited.

For most couples the entertainment decisions come down to just one question: Band or DJ?

At the end of the day it really should come down to what you would prefer personally, however, I hope the below points help you make up your mind!

DJ:

DJs are fun because they play all your songs in their original format. Not too many singers can belt out Whitney Houston and do her justice however a DJ can play that banger at any time of the night and it will be exactly how you remembered it. They can play any song at any time due to having huge digital libraries. You like multiple genres? No worries, just give your DJ an idea of what you want, and they will have it all ready to go!

When you hire a DJ, there is no set list to choose from – if the song exists then with a bit of notice they should be able to source any of your favourite tunes. Having everything digital means they can keep an incredible amount of music with them at any time. Should you or your guests have any requests on the night, there is a great chance they will have it (or can quickly download it!) and your favourite song you forgot to put on your list will be coming up next.

Bands:

Party bands have come a long way from the typical wedding band you would have seen 10, 20 years ago. There are so many talented bands and it’s a tough path to go down when choosing one. Bands bring the party in different ways to a DJ. It helps encourage the first few people to get on the dance floor when there is already 5 band members there creating a party atmosphere! Although they can’t perform each song you love, they can alter some of your favourites and give them their own spin. Whether you want a rock song slowed down for your first dance or you want acoustic style versions of some epic pop tunes for background music during your canape hour bands can cater for different parts of the night and play most songs in a suitable style. My husband and I walked down the aisle to a chilled out version of a rock track!

Now, if you really can’t decide there’s always the ever-popular DJ Band which is a handy creative mix of the two. With a DJ band you get to hear your favourite songs played in their original format with some embellishments. First you have a DJ then you book a sax, singer, percussionist or any other musician. This way you get to hear your favourite songs come to life with the added flair of live musicians. A fun element of the DJ band is when some of the instruments you can add are wireless (hello saxophonist or vocalist) and what’s more fun than having a dance with the sax player as they belt out an epic solo! A DJ band is an affordable way of achieving the feel of a full band without paying for 5 people to be there for the whole night. As you add members to the DJ band you only need to pay for the hours that the musicians play for making this option a budget friendly alternative when you love live music!

So, how do you make the decision if you are still on the fence? My best suggestion that I always give to clients is to think about what they prefer to hear when they go out. Do you gravitate towards venues with DJs or are you the band type and love heading out to gigs? Consider what would suit your friends and family’s demographic and whether one would be more suitable or expected than the other. Also, have a think about weddings you have been to and loved and what entertainment they had.

So, the answer really lies with you. All are great options and as long as you choose a professional, talented and experienced DJ, band or DJ band you will have an epic time. You and your guests make the party, we just nudge you all along!

Like to talk to someone about choosing entertainment for your engagement party, wedding ceremony or reception? Get in touch and we’ll help you find the perfect match!

 

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Artist Spotlight – Chris S (DJ/Sax Hybrid)

These days, people are looking for the next best/most popular entertainment option when planning their event. A DJ Hybrid is the latest option (and one of our most popular) when choosing a DJ band. A DJ Hybrid is produced when you find an incredibly talented individual who has not only nailed the skill of an instrument (or vocals) but learnt to mix tracks on the decks like a pro! Booking a hybrid gives you the flexibility to have a bit of live music without the price of hiring two separate people.

We sat down (virtually…) with one of our most popular hybrid performers, Chris, who is not only an incredible saxophonist but also a DJ!

What instruments do you play (and how are they incorporated into your set)?

Saxophone and Flute, and DJ decks.

Acoustic flute and sax work really well in canapes or meal sets. Wandering through the guests as they eat and mingle without being too intrusive

Sax gets the dance floor going! Wandering out and partying with guests

What music is your favourite to play?

Love playing any funk/disco/soul music – works wonders with the sax! But honestly, my favourite type of music is what the client wants to hear – their energy on the dance floor gives me energy and it creates a really positive feedback loop that makes the night a huge success.

Why do you love performing at events?

Being a part of someone’s special day (wedding) or party (corporate event). Knowing that you are helping to make the day memorable.

Why a hybrid? Why not one or the other?

Saves the client money by hiring one person instead of multiple performers!

Playing sax whilst DJing offers a live music experience without the need for a full band. You get the flexibility of song choice that a DJ offers, but have the live music element and interactivity that a musician can offer. When you are the musician and the DJ you know all the perfect songs to complement the event but also your instrument.

Favourite dance floor song?

Definitely love disco hits like September but also a big fan of Yeah! or You’re the Voice (especially playing along with the bagpipe solo!) or sax specific tunes like Jubel.

What song goes off with a sax solo?

Jubel and Careless Whisper are definitely the two most request sax songs. Levels, Valerie and I Wanna Dance with Somebody are close thirds. Can also end the evening and begin to wind down the night with the famous INXS never tear us apart solo.

Memorable moment?

  • Playing at the races and moving around the marquees – also love the different crowds that are in the bird cage or the private marquees on the other end of the track
  • Having another guest at an event bring along his own saxophone and we had a good jam throughout the night
  • Joining in with a Croatian band at a wedding – They were a great bunch of guys and had some music for me to read. Night was a huge success – they played all the classic Croatian tunes and gave me freedom to jam along and roam amongst the crowd.

What’s good about working with Top Dog? (shameless plug – can you blame us??)

Organisation and making my life easy – they take care of the admin and fine details for me so I can focus on making the night a success!

The honesty and transparency when working with them, as well as feeling like you are valued as a musician. They have your best interests in mind when working to deliver what the clients want.

What’s next for you Chris?

  • I love playing with the Garth Ploog Trio where Garth sings and does keys, Henton DJs the beats and I play sax. This gives a great canape and early evening sound that can easily transition into the dance floor as the DJ is already set up and ready to go! It’s a really unique DJ band option!
  • Next step is pairing up multiple entertainers with the hybrid and having a full DJ band. Percussion and vocals with a DJ/sax hybrid creates live music entertainment with the flexibility of song choice of a DJ.
  • Pairing a Hybrid DJ with a Hybrid DJ so that there can be more features of my sax whilst the other hybrid DJs and/or sings – the options are endless! I’m booked in early next year to DJ and play sax with another DJ who sings. It will be an awesome vibe!

Like to hire Chris for your next event or function?  Contact Top Dog Entertainment today!

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Top 10 Entertainment Tips

Book Early

Particularly during peak event periods (Nov – Apr) and on keys nights (Fri, Sat and around public holidays}

Watch videos & read testimonials

Make sure the agency you choose is reputable and well-reviewed

You get what you pay for

Don’t automatically go for the cheapest option or lowest quote – you often will get what you pay for. On the other hand, be conscious of what you are being charged. Some agencies will charge a premium price for an entertainer you can book though another agency for much less. For more info on pricing check out our FAQs

Atmosphere

Set the mood from the moment your guests arrive – entertainment creates that mood in an instant

Be creative

Think of something that will make your event unique (i.e. feature performance, bridal waltz sung live etc.)

Timing is key

Consider your timings and at what points your entertainment can make the best impact, whether its a corporate event, wedding or anything in between!

Keep in touch

Ensure you have access for direct contact with your entertainer(s) before the day, not just the agency. It’s important to be on the same page and build rapport as opposed to introducing yourself on the night

Be kind

Be kind to your entertainers on the night – It’s also a huge day for them, make sure they are happy, you’ll get the best performance that way!

Trust your entertainers

Let your entertainers read the room, they are the professionals – it might be your day/event, but it’s everyone’s night to party

Give Feedback

Let the agency know what you thought – write a review! Testimonials help agencies and entertainers get to play at great events like yours

 

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