Silent Body Language

Our first meeting way back in July explored ideas for the types of entertainment that would grab the attention and enthrall Elys customers. It was clear that Elys wanted something different to their earlier events. So first up on the rota was the amazing graphologist (hand writing analyst) Adam Brand.  Adam would debonairly stroll around the store and engage customers in conversation.  There is nothing people like better than to find out about themselves and handwriting is your silent body language.  On the day Adam performed for well over five hours and literally had to be dragged away to take a break as he loves his work so much!  Here’s a taster of Adam in action.

Drumming up trade

Whilst there was lots of promotion around the Elys event – everything from leaflets, adverts and social media – a big, noisy impact on the day outside the store would help.  So we decided to quite literally ‘drum up trade’ with a group of colourful, West African style drummers, which included the lovely Louis ex of the show Stomp.  Africa Junction made a great impact with 30 minute drumming slots throughout the afternoon – their excitement and energy certainly drew the required attention.

Not just for the children

Next on the rota were the hugely talented face painters and airbrush tattooists, Strawberry Studio, who kept hundreds of children entertained with their new animal and flower looks.  Not only the children but some of the parents too!  With a zillion face paints and the airbrush tattoo equipment the Strawberry Studio girls worked non-stop for three hours, managing only a swift slurp of tea from time to time!

Balloon Twiddling from the master (or rather mistress!)

Having now supplied three artistes the question arose “do you have a balloon twiddler?”  Well!  We didn’t just have any old  ‘balloon twiddler’ we had what has to be the UKs (am tempted to say the World’s!)  most amazing balloon entertainer and modeller going – Miss Ballooniverse! Not only is she gorgeousness itself, in every sense,  (likened to Nigella Lawson – though a pettite version, and Dita von Teese – the famous burlesque performer), she worked her little Christmas booties off for over four hours with minuscule little breaks to get between the different floors. She enthralled children and adults alike with her stunning creations.  Here’s me in one of them (Miss B took this photo of me – is there no end to her talents?!) and there’s a short video of Miss B in action too!

StarTurn's founder, Caroline Geraerts

Made of stone?

Last but not least to add the final pazzaz to the Elys entertainment were two living statues, strategically placed at the entrance to the store, from Mechanical Fracture.  It was touch and go whether one, local hero, Matt, would make it, having taken an almighty tumble on his racing bike a week or so before!  But like all StarTurn’s artistes, he’s dedicated to the point of obsession and whilst he arrived on crutches and had to be helped onto his plinth by fellow statue Carrie, nobody would ever have known he was at that time rather badly hurt!  People were truly intrigued and couldn’t work out whether the statues were really people or not, especially the children.  The look on faces when they got a gentle tap on the head or arm was priceless. Nice touch with the Elys branding for ‘Scrooge and Marley’ too!

So not only did Elys get stunning performers from StarTurn for their spectacular event, they also gained an extra member to their team. Caroline worked with military precision to make sure everyone was where they were supposed to be – right time, right place – and worked hard to promote the event, gaining  Elys some nice press coverage too. You can check out the press coverage and some photos here.

And what did our client think of the day?

“It was our best event yet….the day was a real success!” And StarTurn?  Proud or what! Truly honoured to work with such talented and lovely artistes!  Five months planning paid off! Here’s a lovely little compilation video of the day to round of this blog, with thanks to Angelo and Adeeb for their great video work. Am thrilled I can spot a lovely smiley client in it too!….

StarTurn interviews award-winning London Magician and Surrey close-up champion Theo the Magician

What advice do you have for couples thinking about hiring a wedding magician?

“Well first of all, and most importantly, you need to make sure that your magician is accredited and has membership of recognised professional bodies such as: The Magic Circle, The International Brotherhood of Magicians or Equity.

If you are planning on a wedding magician to entertain children then it is also vital that your magician has been validated by the criminal record bureau, known in the trade as being CRB checked.

It’s also worth checking that the magician, or agent you book through, has public liability insurance.  You should also get evidence that you are booking a working magician. You can check out the magician’s recent engagements through blogs, twitter and facebook and have a look at the testimonials on their web site.  If in doubt, you can always ask to speak to a former client and get a direct and personal testimonial.”

Ensure your magician is accredited

How long would a wedding magician typically perform for, and at which stages of the wedding would you recommend the performances?

“Ideal times are during the drinks reception and when the photos are being taken as there is often a lot of hanging around so it’s good to keep people entertained and upbeat.

I would also recommend magic in between the courses of the wedding breakfast being served, never when people are eating though as they need to enjoy their meal!

Also that time you often get at weddings, the lull between the afternoon and evening activities starting.

If there are lots of children at the wedding, I’d also recommend taking them off to a separate room and putting on a special show for them during the speeches so the adults can enjoy the speeches in peace and the speechmakers have a little more freedom with their stories!”

Keeping the children entertained

Are there any special considerations when booking a wedding magician?

“I have been asked to perform at wedding receptions where the guests were so packed in at the tables that there just wasn’t room to walk around without bumping into the waiters and waitresses.  So do make sure you’ve actually got enough room for everyone to be comfortable with a performer moving around.

For a wedding it has to be close-up magic, an illusionist just wouldn’t work; a wedding isn’t a stage show so keep it close and personal.”

Theo in action at the tables

What makes a good wedding magician?

“Someone who has an outgoing and gregarious personality and is good at getting people involved.  Also someone who has the ability to spot the people who don’t know too many other guests at the wedding and can bring them together for a trick or two so that when you leave them they are then talking like they were old friends!

The magic has given them something to talk about and has given them common ground to get a conversation flowing. So in short, the ideal wedding magician is hospitable, fun, laid back and friendly.”

Theo - a fine wedding magician

What’s your favourite magic trick for a wedding?

“I love to do tricks where I can involve lots of people around the table, rather than those where you just work with one person at a time.”

Theo's hot!

How do you keep children entertained around the tables and when you perform a special children only show?

“When I am walking around the tables I try to make sure the children are involved in a game or, if there is enough room, get them involved in making balloon models. I also do “story magic”, card tricks that involve a story, for example the teddy bear’s picnic….  during the story telling the teddies disappear from the cards and magically reappear later in the story!

If I am doing a special children’s show, in another room at the venue, then its balloon modelling, and things with lots of big and colourful objects.  But the biggest hit of all is definitely the plate spinning because the kids can all get involved simultaneously, they just love it!

An added benefit is that after the show the parents often want to buy the plates so that the children can continue with their new found skills and keep themselves entertained – double-whammy value!”

Theo and the kids' plate-spinning

What’s your funniest wedding moment?

“I used to go out with the bride – no seriously…. I did a wedding at Christmas and after doing the close-up magic I had to make myself disappear and come back later dressed as Father Christmas and give out gifts to all the children!”

A fact about yourself that may surprise people?

“Oh blimey, there’s a load of things – I could fill several books! I was born the same day as Elvis (8^th January) but not the same year of course! I used teach disabled people to water ski and played basketball for Great Britain. I also used to coach a ladies basketball team!

Oh yes, and I taught Des O’Connor and Melanie Sykes to spin plates live on their TV show! The list is endless….”

Theo sure is magic!

Things to think about for your wedding day entertainment

How do you make your wedding band memorable for you and your guests, and keep them talking about it for months afterwards? StarTurn talks to the experienced, and multi-talented, Heidi McCaffrey where she reveals her top tips when choosing a wedding band and gives an insight into her band’s success.

What advice do you have for couples thinking about hiring a wedding band?

“Always make sure you choose an experienced band.  By nature, weddings are usually a bit stressful, especially for the bride. An experienced band can lessen the stress. They will be sympathetic to the timings (which often change on the day), play the right songs and know what works for the audience.”

Heidi McCaffrey wedding band singer

How long does a wedding band play for, and at which parts of the wedding would you recommend a band?

“Usually bands will play two one hour sets, taking a short break, 15-30 minutes, in between.  The band should offer background music for in between sets, otherwise the atmosphere goes completely flat. I’d also recommend that the bride and groom’s first dance  happens after the evening guests have arrived, otherwise the evening guests miss this important element.  It’s good to give the evening guests a chance to meet, chat and catch up with all the other guests – make them feel part of your special day too.

If you want entertainment at the drinks reception I’d recommend music in a different style – a pianist or instrumental music is best here so when the vocalist comes on its something different – you need some light and shade for the proceedings. Also people are usually keen to chat at the reception, having sat through the ceremony,  so instrumental music provides the prefect background.

Bringing on a band with a vocalist, male or female, then lifts the evening  and a good time to start the band is around 9 -9.30pm when everyone is warmed up.”

Higher Ground wedding and party function band

Do the bride and groom need to provide a list of songs?  

“Not necessarily, though it’s a good idea to give the band a list of your favourites. However, your favourites may not be the right songs to get people up dancing.   The weddings we’ve done which lacked a good atmosphere were those where the bride and groom insisted we played their exact list and nobody danced! I really do think it is best to leave the full song choice to the band – they can then weave in the bride and groom’s favourites at the right time.

If  the bride and groom do have special requests then it’s best to give the band a list of these about a month in advance so the band can learn and rehearse the songs if they don’t already know them.”

Higher Ground wowing them at an awards ceremony

How would you advise the bride and groom when choosing a band if they are not too sure of what style of music they’d like?

“Leave it to the band! The things guests tend to remember most about a wedding are the food and the entertainment, they don’t tend to remember the service or the dress, apart from Aunty Mabel! Wedding entertainment needs variety, cleverly woven together – there are old and young guests and lots of different tastes to cater for.

I once went to a wedding where the bride and groom insisted it was jazz all the way through – it really didn’t work!”

Higher Ground wedding and function band

Are there any special considerations about the wedding venue and entertainment?

“Number one tip – have the bar in the same room as the entertainment otherwise it is very difficult to get the party going. Once the speeches are over guests usually want a drink and if the bar is in a different room it is then very difficult to bring everyone back together.

Also, some venues will have sound level limitations but experienced bands can cater for this. A good band should know what level is right – too low and people won’t dance because they think it just for background and likewise if too loud that’s not much fun either! Check to see if the band you are hiring has its own sound engineer – Higher Ground has the delightful Charlie – he wanders around during the sets, suitably attired in his best bib and tucker, listening from various points in the function room and then tweaks the sound system accordingly.”

Heidi getting the guests going

What makes a good wedding band?

“Variety and a band that cares. One that is focused on entertaining the guests, not themselves!  Also a band who has a large repertoire and are flexible on timings – weddings seldom stick to the planned timings. Good bands won’t work from a rigid set list either – they’ll have more songs than they need so they can gauge the audience reaction and adapt the set as they go.”

Higher Ground wowing the audience at the Richmond May Fair Ball

What’s your funniest wedding moment?

“A rude one:  a bride got rather ‘tiddly’ and excited; to the extent she came and mooned the boys in the band with her bare bottom! Another, less rude, was when we’d just started our set, the bar was in another room.  As we were playing the run up to Abba’s ‘Dancing Queen’ a young man of about 19 came flying through the doors on his knees, in spectacular fashion, straight onto the dance floor and started to fling himself around with abandon – he knew all the words – having earlier professed his disdain for Abba!”

Higher Ground wedding and function band

What is your favourite song for a wedding first dance?

“Nina Simone’s ‘Feeling Good’, probably better known these days as a cover by Michael Buble. See this fab version by my friend, the luscious Gary Priestly and The Prime Time Orchestra.

Name three things you can’t live without?

“My Macbook Pro and iPad for lyrics; my downtime – when I rest and recharge my batteries – I am very energetic in performance and give it my all – it is important to rest my voice as well as my body – its my livelihood so I cannot afford to lose it! Bailey’s – I never drink whilst I am working, apart from water, but always have a Bailey’s afterwards as a treat!”

Heidi's number one 'can't live without'!

A fact about yourself that may surprise people?

“Whilst I am boisterous and extrovert during a performance I really do value my peace and quiet and a bit of solitude and silence from time to time.”

Piano music provides an evocative backdrop for your guests as they gather for the ceremony and is the perfect accompaniment for any wedding breakfast. StarTurn interviews its premier pianist, Sue Busby and picks her brain on her top tips to turn your wedding day from a good time to a great time…..

What advice do you have for couples thinking about hiring a wedding pianist?

“I’d advise them to think about four things: 1. The style of music and the atmosphere they’d like to create at the various stages of the wedding – the ceremony, the reception and wedding breakfast.  2. Their own musical tastes, coupled with the age range of the guests. 3. The suitability of the venue for a piano – is there enough space for a piano? Are any parts of the wedding to be held outside? If so cover would need to be provided for the pianist and piano – neither mixes well with rain! 4. Make sure the chosen wedding pianist is prepared to be flexible on timings as, by the nature of a wedding, things seldom run to the exact plan!”

How long does a pianist typically play for, and at which parts of the wedding would you recommend a pianist?

“If it’s a church wedding then the actual ceremony music is probably best played on the church’s organ, so an organist would need to be arranged separately. For a civil ceremony, a pianist could play for the guests prior to the bride’s arrival, typically 20 minutes, and this would include the bride’s entrance. Then at the signing of the register, allow five to ten minutes,  Then the bride’s exit music – one piece.

Moving on to the drinks reception, the pianist could play right though, and maybe change the style of the music here so that it forms a lovely backdrop to the conversations between the guests. The music can be continued through to the wedding breakfast, up to dessert and speeches.  The reception might be an hour and the meal 1-2 hours, depends on number of guests and style of food served i.e a sit-down meal will typically take longer than a buffet meal.  It’s worth noting though that a pianist would need to take a couple of comfort breaks during these times!

Most wedding pianists would also be happy to work with a singer at any of the wedding stages, if the bride and groom wanted some vocals in addition to instrumental music.”

Sue Busby

Do the bride and groom  need to provide a list of songs or piano pieces? What if they ask for songs or pieces you don’t know?

“Not all, I am happy to advise and we’d start the selection process by first looking at the bride and groom’s favourite artists or seeing if there are any specific songs they like, particularly tunes that provide happy memories.  I can then find an appropriate piano arrangement – I like to do this a few weeks in advance to allow enough time to find the best arrangement.  Not every pianist will know every song! I’m always happy to learn new pieces, given enough notice.

I also want to ensure I am providing music which is personal to the bride and groom, and that it creates the right atmosphere at the different parts of the day.”

How would you advise the bride and groom  when choosing music if they are not too sure of what they’d like?

“Think about the atmosphere first and then we can work on selecting music to match.  We can work on different styles for the different elements of the wedding.

The piano is so versatile, compared to other instruments, it can be up or down tempo, loud or gentle. So for the service it might be classical pieces, for the reception maybe some jazz or swing, then through the wedding breakfast or dinner, a gentle start, building the tempo as the buzz of the guests grows. The music can easily move from Hollywood to Bollywood!”

What if the wedding venue doesn’t have a piano?

“A portable electric piano can give almost as good a sound as the real thing or a professional quality stage piano can be hired, including a luscious looking grand piano.

Another consideration, particularly for a civil ceremony wedding, is that we may need to think about moving the piano, or having two, as the ceremony and reception are often in different rooms within the same venue.”

What makes a good wedding pianist?

“Someone who has a wide range of styles, and a large repertoire. Also someone who is sympathetic to the occasion, and can adjust their style and respond according to what’s working best for the guests. A good pianist will know when the music should be soft and gentle and when it needs to be more robust and louder.  It’s a bit like film or TV music, in some respects you don’t consciously think about hearing the music but without it the atmosphere would be lacking.”

What’s your funniest wedding moment?

“Playing at a very strict religious event and the bride arrived in a vivid scarlet, revealing, dress – the reaction on the vicar’s face!  I thought he was going to have a coronary and he didn’t seem to know where to look!”

What is your favourite piano piece for a wedding?

“An arrangement of What a Difference A day Makes – it works equally well for the ceremony or the reception and for church or civil ceremonies.  For the signing of the register, you can’t get better than Bach’s Prelude No.1.”

Name three things you can’t live without?

“My son, my piano and my health.”

A fact about yourself that may surprise people?

“I am currently in an army music team, training to do a 100K charity walk, taking place on 16 July, to raise funds for the Gurkha Trust and Oxfam.”

Ever wondered what inspires someone to become a cockney entertainer – lets see what makes Gordon tick……

Why did you choose to become a cockney entertainer?

“Well I suppose I got the bug when I performed in a Junior School concert. Then I fell into it really, around the time Chas & Dave brought out their ‘rcokney’ style EP, ‘Oily Rags’, before their big hits, something about their music quite literally struck a chord.”

How did you actually start and how old were you?

“Well music was in the family. My Nan and Granddad played piano and violin and used to sing at the Hackney Empire. Also when living in Tottenham for a while she used to play piano in the picture palace for the silent movies. When I started professionally I was around 16, not old enough to drive so my Dad had to take me to all my gigs. Often we’d find ourselves at pubs where there were regular coach trip ‘pull-ups’ and I had to sing to groups of old ladies – they taught me a lot of the old songs in a hurry! But I really did have lots of help and support from my Mum and Dad and Grandparents who I’m sure would be proud of me today for carrying the tradition on.”

What sets you apart from other cockney entertainers?

“Ooo, that’s a hard one! I don’t really get time to see other cockney entertainers as I’m always working. I think I am quite dynamic, and I perform all the old songs but in a modern way. I’m not always what people expect – I bring a new dimension to an old thing. I am also a very happy-go-lucky cheeky chappie, and that comes over to the audience.  One lady recently said that I oozed happiness and that my performance was delightfully infectious! “

What’s your best career moment?

“I’ve been on TV a few times, once on the same magazine interview show for Sky TV, with Joanna Lumley! I’ve worked with, and met, loads of celebrities; including my heroes Chas and Dave, who told me to ‘keep flying the flag’! I was also in the movie ‘Amazing Grace’. I’ve done a bit of radio as well, and performed for Royalty! There have been so many best moments but actually every performance I do is a ‘best’ as I really do enjoy every moment of what I do.”

What’s your worst career moment?

“Grotty venues and bouncing cheques!!! But that’s not very often these days.”

Where in the world have you performed?

All over the UK, Gibraltar and Spain. I’ve been asked to go to Australia to perform but have been too busy to fit in a trip. My favourite place to work is the Home Counties and London.”

What is your favourite cockney song?

“Another hard one! I do like the Chas and Dave songs the best and was thrilled to receive their blessing to perform their songs. “

Name three things you can’t live without?

“First and foremost – my children and family. My iPod and of course my driving licence – it would be impossible to travel the length and breadth of the UK to perform without it!”

What advice do you have for someone starting out in entertainment?

“Keep preserving and get a thick skin. You’ve just got to keep plugging away. Also, in these days of political correctness – if in doubt leave it out!”

A fact about yourself that may surprise people?

“I truly believe that it’s my privilege in life to make people happy, I’m very lucky and enjoy what I do.”

What questions would you like to ask Gordon? Post them here and we’ll do our best to answer them…..

The forward planning that goes into your big day is phenomenal and often as intense as planning a military campaign! A major challenge, not to forget, and with so many guests to consider, is entertainment that will suit everyone’s taste, and fit the theme of your day. Getting this right takes some doing!

To make things a little easier we’ve broken the day into separate sections with what we hope are useful ideas – we hope you’ll like them.

The ceremony

The ceremony marks the arrival of your new life. Many choose to enter the venue in a blaze of glory. If you’d like to shout from the rooftops about your nuptials, then a full-blown steel orchestra is a great way to get your guests as excited as you. If you’re seeking something more subtle and sophisticated then, perhaps a string quartet, harpist or classical guitarist may fit the bill – or even a nice bit of opera singing! A lovely pianist or organist also adds a touch of class – all can create an uplifting atmosphere.

The paperwork

Signing the register can be a fairly lengthy process. So that guests don’t get bored and fidgety, gain their attention with a musical diversion, such as a lovely aria (or two often!) by a top quality soprano or tenor. Or a lovely joyous string quartet, harpist or oboe trio.

The reception and wedding breakfast

There are lots of choices when it comes to the reception: sophisticated jazz, a string quartet, cocktail piano or maybe even a bit of Buble-esque showbiz swing? The reception provides the perfect opportunity to create a relaxed atmosphere for your guests to chat, get to know each other and enjoy some eating and drinking. Sometimes additional entertainment, such as magician or face painting is a good idea to keep younger guests entertained during the proceedings.

The party

This is your chance to really stamp your personality on the big day. Whether you go suave and sophisticated, want some rock and roll or would like to create a Latin and salsa vibe, the party is all about what you most enjoy – having a good time, and for the day to be remembered! Have a good think about what you listen to at home, it may be that a tribute band or a ‘50s, ‘60s, ‘70s or ‘80s theme is your thing, but do remember too that you need to give some consideration to the age range of your guests – find something that suits everyone.

If you decide on a live band, ensure they are good with audience participation to really get your guests mixing together and dancing their socks off. A variation on the live band theme is live karaoke with a live band – not for the faint–hearted and you need some outgoing guests to make this one fly! The possibilities are endless – but make sure your day is even more memorable through stunning entertainment and you’ll ensure that you turn a good time into a great time!

Filmed today at St Paul’s Cathedral in London this is my video Christmas Card to you – have a wonderful time! If you listen carefully you may just hear me joining in with the fabulous choir……

Please watch until the end when you’ll see the dove of peace flying by the dome, although it was probably a pigeon!

Here’s to a peaceful, healthy, happy and prosperous New Year – see you in 2011.

It seemed slightly incongruous, on a cold December evening, to be heading off to Norwood, London, to listen to a steel band – well a steel orchestra to be precise! Shouldn’t I be wearing cool Caribbean garb instead of winter clothes?

Steelpan “ambassador” Terry Noel, set up the orchestra, the BT Melodians 23 years ago. Since then the orchestra has played all over the world, frequently for high-ranking dignitaries (QE2 for example!), prime ministers, at embassies and for the public too. In the summer the Melodians engagement’s included playing a concert with an army band, at Kneller Hall in Twickenham, the home to the Royal Military School of Music.

Tonight the orchestra was performing for the Mayor of Lambeth, The Chief Inspector of the Crown Prosecution Service, The High Commissioner for Trinidad and Tobago and me, oh yes, and other people too! It was the annual awards concert and prize giving. With everyone rehearsing twice a week, the players in this 30-piece orchestra certainly deserve their accolades.

The Melodians have a large and varied repertoire so could be considered for year-round entertainment and not just summer events. They’ve a great mix of classical and more contemporary tunes too.  You can book  a smaller version of the orchestra – a minimum of  six players – not everyone has the space, or budget, to accommodate 30 performers with nearly 60 pans, drums and percussion!

The program this evening was fab and I particularly loved the appropriately seasonal tune, Troika, by Prokofiev – you will certainly recognise the music if you give it a listen, I’m sure! I can just imagine the lovely glistening snowy Russian scene, with the horses towing their colourful sledges (or Troika’s) , with jingling bells – ahhhh…

Later in the programme, rousing and exciting us was a super version of Khachaturian’s Sabre Dance. Then there was a cool laid-back version of The Beatles iconic Something and a Spyro Gyra, jazzy moment with Morning Dance. Lots more too…

A truly splendid evening and well done to Sarah – most improved player; Molly – most promising player; best attendance – Richard and player of the year – Nicole. But as Karen said, on behalf of the orchestra, biggest thanks must go to Terry for his inspiration and 23 years of dedication – go Terry! I’m sure we’ll be seeing the BT Melodians at the 2012 Olympics but if you’d like to book them before that please let me know! BT Melodians, you rock!

Seasons greetings to all x

Caroline

StarTurn -  making good times great times

Why would you use an entertainment agency like StarTurn to find and book artists? Isn’t it going to cost you less to book direct?  Well not necessarily.  An agency usually negotiates good prices for you and provides extra safeguards you may not even have considered, plus you get heaps of free advice!

First off you have to find the right artist.  What exactly is it you are seeking that will make your event memorable, and keep everyone talking about it for months afterwards? Where and how will you find artists?  How will you know whether the artist is reliable, and has a good track record? How much are you looking to spend on your entertainment? What paperwork will you need to make sure your artist turns up and performs as required?  What considerations need to be given regards the venue, sound and lighting equipment? What should a contract with the artist look like? What back-up plans are there? Is equipment PAT tested and does the artist/agency have insurance?

To save you time and effort you need an agency with a good portfolio of artists, who will answer the questions above, and come up with inspirational ideas on how the artists will give your unique event the ‘wow’ factor. You probably want to leave the ‘vetting’ to someone else too. StarTurn’s vetting is almost as thorough as MI5s!  They’ve had the ‘legal eagles’ inspect the paperwork and contracts.  They liaise with venues for their clients checking on loading in and out, whether there are limits on sound levels and whether there are cut-off times for live music.

The StarTurn ‘stable’ began with two trusted artists and grew, like a spider’s web, building ever outwards, as artists introduced artists. StarTurn made a conscious decision to only work with artists it likes; artists it thinks want to exceed a client’s expectations. StarTurn insists on meeting potential new artists in work and non-work modes, so they can get to know them and the artists get to know StarTurn. It’s important to understand each other when both are trying to make dreams come true for clients.

As well as talent and performance, which are a given, StarTurn seeks reliability and flexibility in its artists. Weddings, events and celebrations are planned with military precision but of course this is life, so always expect the unexpected!

StarTurn especially loves the involvement in working with clients and their overall plan, surprises are a forte.  StarTurn’s lost count of the times they’ve had to keep ‘Elvis’ hidden before the big reveal!

So please pick up the phone for a chat or drop StarTurn an email and take advantage of that free advice. As BT used to say, “It’s good to talk”.  In the meantime, have a look at some frequently asked questions and check out some of StarTurn’s favourite companies. StarTurn looks forward to helping to make your good time a great time!

Ok so it’s 10 days since I was last here. Woz happening then?  Loads! Run a Club Acoustica  with the fabulous Deputies, can’t believe they played almost two hours non-stop, that’s a set and a half  but the audience didn’t want them to stop. Attended 5 fabulous bound fitness sessions (which included dragging a tyre around Richmond Park. In the process, have burned a day’s worth of calories – begging the question: so why am I still not size zero?!).

Moving on…had a social/biz moment with one of StarTurn’s fab artistes, Reuben, to discuss our most recent client’s forthcoming wedding. Nice to get the chance to have a bite to eat and a chat too.  We’d be great on the front line as everything is planned with military precision, though of course on the day the timings will no doubt go a little awry – they always do at weddings, great then  that we know to expect the unexpected and are always flexible!

Attended a great networking event at ‘The Best of’ and met a fabulous man with an interesting talent – handwriting analysis.  He must have had a field day with mine!  I was pleased to hear he would have been most concerned had my writing been neat and tidy – phew!  So that’s a new artiste for StarTurn then!  A great idea as an attraction for your corporate exhibition stand or something a bit different for your parties and events. Adam loves to do social events to get him away from the serious nature of his usual forensic work for the police! I can’t believe what he knew about me from writing down just one word – spookily correct too!

Wanted to go and see the fabulous Blue Veronicas but had to meet with a client. Vicki has such an amazing spine-tingling voice that I never get bored of.  Been a roadie for the night for the very talented, one man, one guitar, many voices, countless songs, David Ellis Wright – thank goodness he’s a singer and guitarist and not a drummer.  He rocked and rolled at the Up ‘n’ Under and was the pass master at ensuring he had the right sounds for the audience, they were loving it!  Helped out at The Orange Tree Theatre on a charity fund-raising night for Breast Cancer – amazing comedy from the Funny Women team, with the funds raised coordinated by The New Victoria Medical Foundation.

And in between? Busy working on the new website, studying the maze that’s social media, and trying to find the right path. Had a  record day’s worth of enquiries. Changed the RAM in my laptop – wooo hooo. Done much thinking on how to make the new website nice and easy for clients.  Doesn’t  seem that much when you look at it but it generally keeps me on the go non-stop from early morn to late night.

Anyway, time  for bed as early start tomorrow at the Grapevine networking event (7am – argh!!) and tomorrow I WILL find time to sort out that iPhone, buy some food, do my ironing, finish my social media course and soon be twittering like mad! Maybe the mad is not such a good idea!