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by Michael Kabel
Dancing is a big part of the Quinceañera, and you can't have dancing without music! The songs you play at your Quince fiesta will strike a mood, evoke memories, and remain vivid in the minds of your guests, long after the celebration has concluded. Think of it this way: if your quince decorations are what the guests will remember seeing at your fiesta, the music is almost certainly what they'll remember hearing.
The Right Venue for the Right Kind of Entertainment
Before you decide whether to book a disc jockey or a live band for your fiesta, you should check with the hall or venue where you're holding your celebration. They may have rules and regulations specifying what kind of entertainment they're allowed to have, and what equipment they already possess to accommodate various kinds of entertainers.
Some venues may also have noise ordinances that prohibit music from being played above a certain volume, and it's often very hard to control the ambient bass sound from live entertainment or even from huge speakers. You don't want the band to be shut down by the venue management - that could become awkward for everyone.
Booking A Band
Live entertainment has an appeal all its own. There's something both intimate and elaborate about real people playing music for the entertainment of others. A live band at your fiesta will be able to entertain and amuse the crowd with any number of musical styles and flavors, and foster a sense of spontaneity to the dancing. A good entertainer can encourage the crowd to dance or liven a party that's getting sluggish.
Before booking a band, make sure it's okay with your venue, and that the band is comfortable playing there as well. Live bands generally cost more than disc jockeys, so there's an added expense. As a matter of etiquette, it's also polite to offer the entertainment food and drink, which could also play a factor in your arrangements.
Professional bands play many gigs each month, sometimes every weekend. Without crashing anyone's private party, you should try to make arrangements to hear a band before booking them for your own event. They may also offer a video of their performance for you to review.
Booking A DJ
A disc jockey doesn't have the intimacy or the spontaneity of a live band, but can make up for those things with a variety of skills at his disposal. DJ's can bring a vast selection of music from many different styles the fiesta, far more than a live band would be capable of performing.
DJ's also usually cost less than live bands, since you only have to pay one person who needs much less equipment. The modern DJ isn't just someone manning a stack of compact disc players, either - they're personalities in their own right, who can create whole soundscapes and musical environments by combining mixes, remixes, and sometimes even original arrangements and mix-ups to create something unusual. DJ's also require fewer breaks than a hard-working live act.
Still, there's something to be said for the spontaneity of live shows, and DJ's are limited to the music already in their repertoire. It's best to interview them beforehand, getting a sense of their style and personality. You might also solicit referrals from the DJ's website or from past customers, who can offer testimony about the quality of their services.
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