frequently asked questions

With so many bands and so many websites to browse it can become very confusing when every band and entertainer is telling you that they are the best and that no one is better than them.

hireaband take the guess work out of ensuring that you get a high quality professional entertainer no matter what your event. We pride ourselves giving independent advice that you can rely on. Please don't hesitate to contact us and we can talk you through any questions you may have. call us on our free phone number 0507 244732 for an unbiased opinion.

We have tried to list as many of the most common questions here to guide you but please remember we are only a phone call away.

"What should I expect to pay?"


The amount that you pay for your entertainment will depend on a number of factors. Firstly, your budget, hireaband will work with you to get you the best possible entertainment to fit your budget for your event. We can put together full entertainment packages to that will meet your expectation of quality and value for money.

Secondly, the size of the band may have an impact on the cost as the bigger the band the more people there are to pay, however some of the top small bands do charge as much as the larger bands. A good band will charge anything from $1000 to over $5000 depending on the number of band members and their popularity.

"What size of band should I book?"


Again this will depend very much on your budget and of course the size of your venue. A larger band will obviously need more space to set up. hireaband can advise the amount of space required for each of their bands but you should discuss the bands set up with your venue. they will be able to give you sound advice as to what size of band you can realistically fit in.

Secondly, the size of the band may have an impact on the cost as the bigger the band the more people there are to pay, however some of the top small bands do charge as much as the larger bands. A good band will charge anything from $1000 to over $5000 depending on the number of band members and their popularity.

"How long does it take the band to set up?"


Most bands require at least an hour to set up. With some of the larger show bands this can be quite a bit longer. hireaband can advise you of the set up times of each of their bands but please remember their set up time will also be influenced by how easy it is to access the function room. If it is a long way from where they have to enter the building with their equipment or park their vehicles than it can have an impact on the length of time it takes them before they are ready to play.

The availability of power outlets in the "playing" or "stage" area is also an important factor. if the band has to start running long extensions and taping them in place then it can add significantly to their set up time.

"What happens if my band cancel or don't turn up?"


hireaband only work with bands who have a professional attitude and will only cancel through serious illness, even then we request written certification of this from a heath professional. hireaband are normally able to provide an alternative act of the same quality to ensure that you as the client are not let down in anyway.

Every aspect of your booking is contracted and confirmed in writing for your protection and we undertake meticulous checks in the days and weeks before your event to ensure that everything goes to plan. We can never guarantee 100% that nothing will go wrong but we certainly do everything we can to ensure that it goes smoothly and we operate an emergency helpline in the event that a mishap occurs. In the worst case scenario we would do everything in our power to ensure you have entertainment of some kind.

"What is the band dress code?"


All of our bands dress in a suitable attire for the event that they are playing at. Normal wedding attire would be smart as would be a function or corporate event although it does get hot on stage and ties are not always worn or are removed very quickly! However if you do have a specific request for something such as a themed evening, please let us know and we can negotiate with the band.

"How long will the band perform for?"


The length of set that a band will perform will depend very much on the band and what the running order of your evening is. At a wedding the band will generally play from 8.30pm until midnight with a 30 minute break, or two shorter 15 minute breaks.

Bands are not contracted to play for a set number of hours. If you have contracted them to play between the hours of 8.30pm and midnight for example the band will be there in ample time to be set up and ready to start at their contracted time. However if the event is running behind and the band can not be allowed access to the room where they are playing it may mean that they start later than the contracted time. This does not mean that their finish time will be altered. Some bands can be accommodating and will play on past their contracted hours but there will be an additional fee for this and we will invoice for this following the event. some bands will politely decline the request. We advise that you negotiate this at the time of booking.


We hope that this answers some of the questions you might have, please don't hesitate to contact us with any other questions that we haven't listed here.

0508 244732 or e-mail us enquiry@hireaband.co.nz