There is hardly anything in the world that some man cannot make a little worse and sell a little cheaper, and the people who consider price only are this man's lawful prey.
It's unwise to pay too much, but it's unwise to pay too little. When you pay too much you lose a little money, that is all. When you pay too little you sometimes lose everything, because the thing you bought was incapable of doing the the thing that you bought it to do.
ABDC never offers our clients artistes on the strength of a single recommendation. In fact we reject around 50% of the artistes who come to us as "highly recommended" because of the thorough and comprehensive checks we make. These make sure that all the artistes we recommend meet and maintain the high standards necessary to ensure a successful event.
Regrettably not all Agents take the same amount of care in picking their artistes. Indeed some simply advertise for talent. Whilst this allows them to boast an extensive list of acts, selection is more often than not based on who lives nearest to the venue rather than who is best for the event.
You should also beware of artistes that are recommended by friends. However well intentioned this might be it is important to remember that such a recommendation will have been based on a single show or event. Every act has one good gig in it - ABDC makes sure they have more than one and a lot more besides before recommending them!
Perhaps, however, the most serious menace is that of "telephone bands" (so-called because of the way they operate). These are bands that simply exist as a fancy website and/or a demo CD and glossy brochure until they secure a booking. Then it's a quick series of phone calls immediately prior to the event to find out who hasn't got a gig that night - and that is the band you end up with - if you are lucky! Because if they don't succeed? .... I think you can guess the rest!
Usually (but not always!) such bands are significantly cheaper than a properly rehearsed band that's used to playing together. Needless to say their equipment seldom complies with HSE safety standards and they usually don't carry adequate public liability insurance. Telephone Bands are notorious for disappearing into thin air if they cannot meet their obligations - both BEFORE and AFTER the event!
Frequently artistes and agents offer you a "money back guarantee". This is not the reassurance it would appear to be. Even if you could collect on it what good would this be? A ruined event is a ruined event. You can never replay that special occasion. You will always be left with a tainted memory. What you want is an assurance that your event will be a sure-fire success - something ABDC has been giving its clients for 40 years.
