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Valentines Day Gift Ideas
12th February 2020 10:30 am Leave a Comment
Buy the perfect gift for your loved one.

Well, throw me a bow and call me cupid – it’s February! Can you believe it? Here at the Big Foot offices, we’re already on that love train to Valentine’s Day. It’s the time for engagements, anniversaries and most importantly – love.

If you haven’t already guessed, we’re all hopeless romantics here at the Big Foot offices and love a good proposal story. Who doesn’t love to be wooed and swept of their feet by their knight in shining armour? Or at the very least be showered with hugs and kisses? It’s a day dedicated to love and affection after all. Speaking of showcasing love and affection, we happen to be experts in the field. So, let us shoot our arrow and help make your loved one fall in love with you all over again this Valentine’s Day.

Now we know what you’re thinking, what’s wrong with the traditional flowers and chocolates as a Valentines Gift? We’ve got two words for you – old fashioned. It’s the year 2020, flowers and chocolates haven’t been fashionable gifts since the nineties – or at least not on their own. Be bold, be unique and be different this Valentine’s Day with out of the box surprises, heart-warming gestures and lovable memories to last a lifetime.

Flowers

Now, we’re not saying flowers are completely out of the question, in fact we’re all for a pretty bouquet of roses but why not aim for something more impressive and memorable? We’re thinking something much more upscale – a display of flowers! Weather it’s an intimate evening just the two of you or a get together with friends, a flower display will be a showstopper.
- Flower Display
Chocolates

Let’s not forget about chocolates, like we said before, a milk tray or a box of roses is not going to impress your loved one and let’s face it, they deserve better. Do you want to know what will impress? An endless amount of chocolate – yes that’s right, a chocolate fountain is the perfect gift. It’s luxurious and a little bit naughty – perfect for Valentine’s Day.

Something extra special

Now it’s time to think different, think unique, think bold, think – sexy. Just imagine, you’ve just got home from a romantic meal and want to keep the night going, you pop open a bottle of Champaigne and head outside to watch the sunset – blissful right? But what if you could end the night feeling relaxed, chilled…and a little hot? That’s right, a hot tub would be the perfect Valentines Gift to treat your loved one with and don’t worry, we’re not telling you to go out and spend thousands on a hot tub, not when you can simply hire one for a reasonable price. We know just what you’re thinking, “sounds perfect, nothing is too much for the love of my life”- and we completely agree.

Something out-of-the box

If you’re planning on popping the question this Valentine’s Day, then having the perfect backdrop is essential to making it a proposal to remember. The proposal story is something that you will tell again and again to family, friends and anyone else that is willing to listen – so it must be a great story. In our opinion, we love a good night-time proposal, simply because of the aesthetics. There’s nothing more romantic than a candle-lit dinner beneath the stars. If you’re wanting to create something more extravagant than that then we have a few ideas for you, the first being Spark FX – a stunning alternative to fireworks. It’s a stunning light display – almost like a sparkler and it’s a great way to celebrate when your loved one says ‘yes’.

Something spectacular

If you’re wanting to spice things up and add some entertainment during the night then why not choose a giant bird cage that comes with a gorgeous pole dancer, model, aerial artist or a mix and mingle act? Now hear us out, yes, it is a little unusual and a little out there, but this is the perfect entertainment choice to add elegance, sparkle and a little wow moment to the night. The cage is dressed in flowers, leaves and lights which will make it truly shine at night and not to mention that it will also look fantastic as a backdrop when you bend the knee and decide to capture the moment.

We hope that we have inspired you to step up the romance this Valentine’s Day and please let us know through our social media if you used any of our Valentines Gift ideas, as we would love to find out if your loved one truly liked the gift. We have a whole range of other fantastic gifts, experiences and Valentine’s Day themed events on our website if you still need further inspiration.
Outdoor Event Planning Tips
28th January 2020 9:15 am Leave a Comment
We have put together a list of tips that will help you make your outdoor event a success.

When it comes to planning an event, whether it’s a festival, exhibition, corporate function, wedding, private party or any other type of celebration or showcase, we’re considered experts in the field. So, believe us when we tell you that outdoor events are taking over the events industry by storm.

Why you ask?

It’s simple, the aesthetics for one, there’s nothing more pleasing to the eye than being surrounded by natures beautiful scenery. With outdoor events, you’re often working with a blank canvas, making the event set up both practical and fun. Unlike inside venues, there’s no quirky spaces or odd floor layouts to take into consideration – amazing! This means that you can plan the seating, tables, podiums, and mingling areas where you see fit. That being said, hosting an outdoor event isn’t without its flaws, from permits to bad weather, it takes advanced planning in order to execute an outdoor event successfully.

Location is key

When you’re looking for the perfect outdoor venue there are a few factors to consider, the first being the time of year. If your event is in the winter months then you can expect to have rain, therefore choosing a field as your outdoor space wouldn’t be a great choice because let’s face it, who wants to be walking on wet, muddy and potentially stodgy grass? Although if your event is in the summer or even Autumn then by all means go ahead, there’s nothing better than a day at the park when the weather is beautiful.

Another thing to consider…

If you’re hosting a kids party then it wouldn’t be smart to host it where the floor is hard and jagged for obvious reasons – injuries. Kids like to roam around and be wild and have absolutely no concept of coordination, so it’s best to have some sort of soft surface for them to land on in case they fall. With so many different outdoor spaces, you will definitely find something that will suit your needs.

Don’t forget about permits

Once you’ve decided on the perfect outdoor space, you then need to determine what permits you need in order to be able to host your event on that site. The worst thing you could do is not do your research on permits and site regulations and go ahead with your event anyway because not only will it get shut down, but you could also face legal consequences. If your event includes selling alcohol or live music, then you must get a premise licence. It is always good to apply for any licenses at least a month in advance in case any problems arise. If your outdoor venue is privately owned, then the owner could already have a premise licence that they might let you use – it can’t hurt to ask.

Check the weather

Unless you have a crystal ball to hand, you will never know what the weather is going to be like on the day of your event. We’ve had people tell us that they’ve had countless sleepless nights because they’ve been too worried about the weather ruining the day. Don’t let the worry of the weather stop you from hosting your event outside as there are many things you can do to make sure your attendees stay dry, cool or warm.

The first being to always have a backup plan, yes that’s right, it all comes down to a plan B, which is to have an alternative venue indoors in case the weather turns bad. Before it gets to plan B though, you should hire a gazebo or multiple shelter areas for people to stay dry or cool (depending on the weather) because you never know, the weather could change at any time. You may even want to purchase or hire portable outdoor heaters to keep people warm when it’s windy or purchase portable fans to keep people cool when it’s hot. There are many ways to manage the weather, so don’t let it stop you from hosting a stellar event outdoors.

Theme ideas

One thing we can all agree on is that anyone who hosts an event wants it to be memorable – for all the right reasons that is. And one of those reasons is the décor, which is a huge part of your theme. Often, the theme is the first thing that makes people interested in your event, so it has to spectacular.

You could choose to dust of that old cowboy hat you’ve been hiding and host a good old-fashioned hoedown, or even better, get your dancing shoes on as you get into the swing of things with a 1960’s disco. Why not go a little left field and go down the rabbit hole to find the mad hatter, the queen of hearts and Alice? Get excited with a Dinosaur themed party, or steal that naughty list from Santa himself as you host a winter wonderland extravaganza. It’s your event, you can choose whatever theme you like and with so many to choose from, the sky really is the limit.
Jurassic Park Themed Event Props
Winter Wonderland Decor
50s Themed American Diner Decor
Burlesque theme decor
summer theme
50s Themed American Diner Decor
Don’t forget the entertainment

It’s time for the best part – entertainment! This is one area that we can confidently say we excel at, which is providing the highest quality entertainment that is suitable for any event or function. We have over 25 years’ experience and knowledge running live music events, festivals and providing specialist entertainment to venues, resorts and military events. This means that we know what works, and we know what kind of entertainment will be right for your event. From spectacular, out of this world street performers, world-renowned tribute acts, state-of-the-art interactive entertainment to celebrities and lookalikes – the list is endless!

Ideas…

Wanting a party to remember? Book one of our popular club night packages which range from UV paint parties, foam parties, laser shows and live music with the best DJ’s in town. Hosting a summer street fair? We have a fantastic range of outdoor inflatables ranging from bouncy castles to obstacle courses, inflatable football and much more. We also have various food stalls that can be set up easily and provide scrumptious street food. If you’re wanting to add a little luxuriousness to your event, then hire our flair bartenders for an alternative source of entertainment. Watch as they flawlessly perform choreographed performances while serving everyone’s favourite drinks. Like we said before, entertainment is a huge part of any party, event or function so it’s important you make sure it’s something that everyone will enjoy.
Fish and Chips Food Cart
90s Themed Stilt Walkers
Clean up

Your event is over – which, if you followed our tips, was a huge success! It’s time to clean up. Making sure that you have cleaned up the area is extremely important because it will affect your reputation. Someone was nice enough to rent you their space, so it is only fair that you give it back to them the same way you got it. You can plan with the local sanitation department to clean up afterwards or have a hauling firm on hand to clean up and remove unwanted items once the event is over.
Perth Light Switch On 2019
7th January 2020 2:32 pm Leave a Comment
The Brief

We had the honour of being a part of the Perth Christmas Light Switch On 2019. This will be our seventh year collaborating with Perth City Centre on this amazing event. The city of Perth is famous for throwing amazing events for their community and visitors. And for that reason alone, we always aim to provide the very best live entertainment, acts, and entertainers in the UK!

The Challenges

As we mentioned before, this is our seventh year being a part of the famous Perth Christmas Light Switch On, and each year we have to step it up a level! Considering the success of last year’s event, which starred James Arthur and Pixie Lott, and with reports showing that over 90,000 people attended, we had the challenge of leveling up our range of live entertainment for this year’s event.

The Solutions

In order to maintain our reputation for providing high-quality live events, and to once again give people a unique, never seen before, memorable experience, we had to provide a concoction of live entertainment, Headline acts, performers and activities. We decided on a combination of throwback and current pop artistes, nostalgic and well-known entertainers and unique, out of the box interactive activities for people to enjoy. This way, kids, teenagers, and adults would all be entertained and excited throughout the whole event!

The Results

Old school chart classics from Atomic Kitten, a fantastic, feel-good set from Chico, and an energetic, folk pop, acoustic live set from Nina Nesbitt kickstarted the day. We had Dario G, N-Trance and Alice DJ putting people in a trance with their old school, pop party bangers. And we cannot forget about the hardcore electronic tracks combined with orchestral sounds of classical music that had everyone up and bouncing back in the day. Is there anyone who does not love the Clubland era?
After winning the hearts of the audience last year, returning to host Perth Christmas Switch On again this year was none other than TV presenter Steven Mulhern. And for an extra special surprise, joining him on stage was the wonderful Lionel Vinyl, who never fails to get the crowd disco-dancing. Together they were a force to be reckoned with and the dynamic duo made sure the event ran smoothly and kept the audience entertained throughout!
Like we mentioned before, in order to capture the interest of all ages, we had to bring a wide range of entertainment that everyone would enjoy. Therefore, it was no surprise that Basil Brush was surprisingly a crowd favourite not just for the kids but adults too. That is probably because there are not many childhoods in the UK that were not privy to the escapades of the UK’s most mischievous fox! The furry fox’s distinct buck teeth, posh accent and crazy, flailing tail had everyone in stitches for his whole set, and his Elton John finale was a classic! You really had to be there to appreciate how hilarious (and surreal!) the performance was. This was Basil Brush’s second appearance at the Perth Christmas Lights event, and we are sure it will not be his last!
For those of you who do not know, the Perth Christmas Light Switch On is not just a live music event, but it is also a whole parade of live entertainment and has exciting activities dotted around Perth City Centre. Some of the crowd’s biggest attractions were our Giant Snow Globe, Mobile Ice Cave, Santa’s Grotto and the Ice Statues, as well as the incredible firework display; of course the Gin & Chocolate stalls also went down a treat!
Besides the main stage, there are two other stages where smaller but just as amazing acts perform. We must give special mention to one of our favourite party bands Boomin who performed two sensational sets on the day, both on the Main stage and the Kind Edward stage! Not forgetting our other incredible acts that took to the stage and wowed the audience including roaming party band The Red Hot Santas and Lee Memphis as Elvis Presley.
- Hire Boomin Party Band
- Hire Boomin Party Band
- Hire Boomin Party Band
- Hire Boomin Party Band
- Live Elvis Presley Tribute Performance
As well as musicians, we also had fantastic street performers working the crowd including; Stilt Walkers, Mirror Men, Pixel Heads, LED Dancers, Toy Story Characters, a team of Husky Dogs, Reindeers, and many, many more.

The annual Santa parade was a sight to behold as the entire entourage made their way to the main stage for one hell of a show! All of this exciting entertainment was followed by the main event, the Light Switch On – which saw the Provost of Perth push the big red button and set Perth City Centre alight!
We would like to say a HUGE thank you to everyone involved in making this event a MASSIVE success and we hope to be back again next year for more exciting, out of this world, live entertainment!
3 tips for 2019’s Halloween Events!
21st October 2019 11:22 am Leave a Comment
Follow these 3 simple tips for a spooktacular Halloween!

ELEMENT OF SURPRISE
Have some trick-or-treats up your sleeve! A Halloween event is predicated on fear and spookiness, so go big.

The time to get your guests is when they are least expecting it. Are they focused in on a speech? Are they tucking into their food? Or are they preoccupied in conversation?

Halloween characters and walkabout actors have played a big part in the immensely popular Scare Tours that have opened across the globe. Turn your event into a pop-up Scare Tour and petrify your guests!

DÉCOR
Halloween is famous for the supernatural aesthetic that is brought to life through scarily imaginative costumes and gory make-up! But it’s not just the people that need to dress up. It’s your venue too!

Choosing the right décor for your venue and your guests is imperative.

Is it a family friendly event where your décor needs to be appropriate for children, such as cartoon posters and candy props like chocolate fingers and spider lollies?

Or is this an adult Halloween party where the guests want to be entertained and immersed into their own horror film? Terrifying walkabout characters who SPOOK your guests as well as realistic horror settings with blood dripping down the walls will do the trick.

MUSIC
Music can never be overlooked, regardless of what theme the event is. But when you consider just how effective music is in horror films, it MUST play a part at your Halloween Event.

Think about a creepy piano playing in the background (Tubular Bells by Mike Oldfield in The Exorcist) or a daunting, orchestral choir with eerie brass and percussion (Ave Santani by Jerry Goldsmith in The Omen). You want the hairs on the back of your guests’ neck to stand up.

Here’s a frightening Halloween playlist to dig your teeth into:
- The Crypt Jam – The Crypt Keeper
- Black Magic Woman – Fleetwood Mac
- Zombie – The Cranberries
- Hells Bells – AC/DC
- Disturbia – Rihanna
- Thriller – Michael Jackson
- Stranger Things Soundtrack – Kyle Dixon &
  Michael Stein
- The Twilight Zone – Jerry Goldsmith
- (Don’t Fear) The Reaper – Blue Oyster Cult
- Somebody’s Watching Me – Rockwell
- Bark At The Moon – Ozzy Osbourne
Don’t let your event put the fear in you, put the fear into the event!

BONUS TIP: If you don’t think a spine-chilling playlist will do the trick, you can go BIGGER.

With the recent surge of Scare Tours and Horror Shows, you can bring some Broadway to your event.

For example, The Rocky Horror Tribute Show. A frivolous, lighter-than-most horror show. Your audience will be immersed into an interactive, experiential night of creepy fun!
Tips and Tricks for a Smooth Event
20th September 2019 1:36 pm Leave a Comment
Plan, pester and perform!

Ensuring everything is organised nice and early is essential; you don’t want to be getting to the last few days before your event and panicking because you haven’t booked a party band, or you’re having to scroll through google messaging every man and his dog to see if they have a piece of equipment you’ve missed off!

We have lost count of the number of last-minute calls from clients who have forgotten to book their live entertainment and haven’t thought about the venue décor, so here is our guide to preparing for a smooth-running, stress-free event:
- Create a timeline for your event; run through the key elements in detail and write a list of every requirement.
- Research each element; this takes time so make sure you allow plenty!
- Refer to your checklist daily; tick things off as they are confirmed and contracted and stay on top of people you’re relying on to ensure they fulfill your brief. Don’t be afraid to pester!
- LEAD! If you have a team or a network of suppliers working on your event, show them what it takes to knock an event out of the park!
Preparation well in advance will reduce stress, so that when it comes to the final days before the event, you can start to get excited about it!

Use an Event Planner

Don’t be put off by the idea of outsourcing someone to do the work for you; by utilising their expertise, knowledge, experience, network of suppliers and vast resources, they will save you time and pressure. Event professionals are the single, most effective way to reduce stress when planning your event. Here’s why:

They will save you money!
An established Event Company has ‘buying power’; they use tried and trusted suppliers and artistes whom they regularly work hand in hand with so they can get the most competitive rate available. Knowing your budget and the purpose of your event, they can match you with the perfect entertainment, theming and décor and their solution won’t burden you financially because, well let’s face it, they’re good at what they do!

Contracting is taken care of!
The stresses of contacting people, getting quotes, figuring out the timing of the event, making sure all the minor details have been seen to, and practically anything else you think may be a hair-pulling task, is in their hands. AND they will keep you in the loop as things progress and start to fit into place. All paperwork is dealt with under one roof which makes it easier for you.

Knowledge & Experience!
An experienced Event Company can tweak, refine and execute events to a tee. They not only have an infinite selection of event staff, prop suppliers and live entertainment, they know WHO to choose and HOW to get them at the right price, for you.

Overall, it makes sense financially to use an event planner. And if not for saving money, do it to save yourself. Planning an event is stressful, so you may as well leave it to the professionals.
5 Excuses to Hire a Tribute Band
9th March 2019 3:45 pm Leave a Comment
Our Director, Erica, has been in the entertainment business for more years than she wants to admit (over 25), and she knows a great act when she sees one! As a consequence, our site is chock-a-block with brilliant bands and entertainers and we get a daily mix of enquiries for corporate and private functions. We also have Leisure Park and Holiday Resort clients, casinos, cruise-ships, hotels and music venues that rely on us for their live entertainment, and the organisers of themed weekends have our number on their speed dial!

Almost all of these customers hire tribute bands at some point or another, and we wanted to give you the 5 most popular reasons why they do:

Themed Weekend Events

There’s nothing quite like going away for the weekend; and being able to go to an event that pushes all your musical buttons is a double treat.
Themed weekends are incredibly popular and a great chance to chill out and enjoy live entertainment at its finest. Also a great excuse to dig out your favourite dancing shoes (and clothes) from the decade of your choice!
We’ve seen a massive resurgence in 80’s tribute bands over the last year or so, and when you look at the acts we have on offer for that decade you’ll understand why; who can resist a bit of Duran Duran, Spandau Ballet, Kylie, Madonna at her finest, Elton, George Michael, Phil Collins and the late great Michael Jackson?
Imagine having a whole weekend of live acts from your favourite era! It doesn’t matter if you are into your rock and roll or your 50’s swing and Sinatra, 60’s Mod or 60’s Rock, 70’s Disco or Glam Rock, 90’s Indie Rock or Dance Music, we have a massive range of choice to fill a venue full of talented tributes to your preferred era.

Weddings – Your Favourite First Dance Story

We love, love, love it when we get an enquiry for a tribute act for a wedding event. More often than not it’s the bride that calls us (men, you should be ashamed of yourselves for not getting more involved) because they want to hire a specific tribute to a band that holds special memories for the happy couple.

Since Gary Barlow began surprising wedding couples, our Gary Barlow Tribute acts have never been more popular; and George Benson and Stevie Wonder are responsible for more couples falling in love than any other artistes. John Legend’s ‘All Of Me Loves All Of You’ and Ed Sheeran’s ‘Perfect’ are currently the most requested First Dance Songs; we have superb Tributes to these artistes, as well as plenty of Party Bands who can cover them too!

Birthday Parties

The obvious requests we get from people who are organising a birthday party is for a band or act from the decade the birthday boy or girl was born or their particular favourite music genre or era.

We’ve had some less predictable ones, like the woman who booked the Supremes tribute because her husband had always had a massive crush on Diana Ross. How’s that for an understanding wife?

Corporate Events

We have one particular client who loves to create their staff party and corporate events around a theme. They come up with some amazing ideas to delight their team of employees, and we always look forward to getting their call.

Last October they had a Halloween Themed Event, featuring Tributes to Michael Jackson performing ‘Thriller’, Amy Winehouse (Back to Black), Lady Gaga and her Little Monsters, and of course our fabulous Rocky Horror Show Tribute!

This year they have organised a ‘Rock Chick’ theme and hired all the classic female tribute acts: Pink, Cher, and of course, the queen of rock chickery Tina Turner.

We’re not sure what kind of corporate event they’re planning for next year, but we can’t wait to find out.

Summer Festival Treats – Live Music Venues

We hire acts to a live music venue that books Tributes to headline artistes who are performing at local festival and stadium concert events in that area. And they make a point of booking tributes to the top four or five acts that are going to be touring the UK during the summer.

They say they’re treating their customers to a cheap alternative and instead of standing for hours waiting for the live act they’ve paid a fortune to see, they sell tickets for £5 and this makes sure everyone has a seat!

We don’t understand why more people don’t do it, to be honest. It’s a great idea; their customers have got a lot to look forward to, talented tributes to Ed Sheeran, Beyonce, Tom Jones and……..wait for it……… Steps!

If you are planning a special event, wedding, corporate or birthday party and would like to hire a tribute band or act pick up the phone and call us on 01253 351100. We have all learned everything we know from the tribute mistress, and we’re more than happy to help.