Here is a article written by Martin Heywood of Viva
On a event I did at Viva Blackpool for Trevor George Entertainments
Q: What Do Event Bookers Want? A: An Easier Life!
Published on July 20, 2016
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Martin Heywood
Martin Heywood
ManAaging Director - Viva Blackpool - The Vegas Venue in the Heart of Blackpool
It's a real testament to any new guys on the block to get a pat on the back from experienced event market players... especially when they're huge corporate clients!
We all have event envy. We go to parties, corporates and the like - and we always wonder 'How long has it taken them to put all this lot together?'. Well it doesn't really have to be that complicated...
A short while ago the team at Viva Blackpool (The Vegas Venue in the Heart of Blackpool) were proud to team up with renowned choreographer Antony Johns, Adam Sternberg of London based corporate entertainment specialist 'Sternberg Clark' and various acts & artistes to celebrate the recent acquisition of 'Trevor George Entertainments' by Sternberg Clark - with a grand entertainment 'Showcase' evening with over 200 specially selected attendees from across the UK, many of whom hadn't been to Blackpool in a while.
Whilst this event was all about giving our client the best possible exposure to their invited attendees, it also really highlighted where our own team at Viva Blackpool and the facilities and expertise at our disposal stand head and shoulders above any other events venue in the area.
Where else do you have a dedicated events manager, in house and partner entertainment artists, experienced show producers, a high standard and flexible catering team, a fully functional box office, a marketing team and all the facilities 'in-house' for a truly spectacular event?
Not many other venues can boast delivery of a successful event and offer savings to give the client more for their budget than a venue which has to outsource staging, lighting, audio, production, entertainers, catering and so on...
The feedback has been incredible. We're talking about glowing praise and accolades from huge event agencies, national chains and experienced bookers... and to be perfectly honest we seemed so blasé about the whole thing when putting this together for the client because this is exactly what we do week in, week out and always to a standard which gets people talking for the right reasons.
When approached, we received the brief that this 'showcase' wasn't to be the usual run of the mill event...
Typically showcases are a conveyor belt of artists, punctuated by a compere to introduce and then back announce each artist. That's great, and showcases are very successful with their usual purpose to 'sell' an artist to a room of bookers - but our brief was to make a real 'show' of a 'showcase' and convey the message that Sternberg Clark/Viva/Antony Johns are more than just a provider of great acts and artists... we can make the whole thing 'gel' into a real 'event'.
Choreographer and creative specialist Antony Johns worked with Entertainment Director Leye Johns, MD & Technical Director Martin Heywood alongside our in-house production team and selected artists including 'The Jerseys', vocalist Emma Wright, magician Michael Jordan and the 'High Jinx' production cast, the 'Divas', Children's Party Princesses & Superheroes as well as guest artists including tributes to Celine Dion & Shirley Bassey, vocalist Catherine Kerr, a full troupe of dancers, a spectacular LED hoverboard speciality act, acrobatic and aerial artistes and a whole host of meet & greet acts to make a truly unique show, all condensed neatly into a 2 hour, 30 minute performance... with an interval squeezed in for good measure!
If you're looking to host an event, or have someone organize one for you - speak to us as part of your enquiries. Amy Mantle is our dedicated events manager available on 01253 297 297 or via events@vivablackpool.com
Photo: Getty Images