Mardi Gras is the ultimate party. It’s colorful, lively and eclectic. There’s booze and fancy donuts. And the carnivalesque festivities culminate with costumes and parades. The carnival season may only last a couple of weeks but Mardi Gras makes for a fantastic theme party any time of year. With myriad decoration ideas and a great color scheme, a Mardi Gras themed party is perfect for a corporate event, holiday party, birthday extravaganza or any other special occasion.

If anyone knows how to throw a Mardi Gras party it’s Joe Peraino, our CEO and corporate event guru. Complete with masks, beads, extravagant entrances, costumed jokers, fantastic music and spectacular decor, a Lorio Ross Entertainment Mardi Gras party promises to be as colorful, lively and eclectic as the real thing!

Thinking about hosting a Mardi Gras party? You can start by following our Mardi Gras Events board on Pinterest! Hosting a larger event? Give us a call and one of our seasoned event planners can help you start planning a party you’ll never forget.

Ever been to a Mardi Gras Party? Tell us about it!

Lisa @ Lorio-Ross

The Island Guys performed during last Saturday’s events and were so fantastic we’re bringing them back this Saturday, February 25th, 2012. This duo is a fantastic mix of keyboard and steel drums and they’ll be performing reggae, calypso and island rhythms music! Shoppers are sure to enjoy this addition to beauty week and can take in the tunes on the first floor from 1:00pm – 4:00pm.

Check out their video for a sneak peek of what to expect this Saturday!

The Island Guys are available for a variety of events! Contact us with your event needs and we’ll be more than happy to help!

Lisa @ Lorio-Ross

Spontaneous! Candid! Performance in the true sense of the word.

This Saturday, Dueling Piano’s International of Lorio Ross Entertainment,  in partnership with the Southwest Michigan Symphony Orchestra, will be performing to a sold out crowd! The event will be taking place at The Heritage Center in St. Joseph, MI. We’re pumped to be a part of this; it’s going be a great show!

A High Energy, All Request, Sing Along, Clap Along, Rock N Roll, Comedy Piano show
where the audience is just as much a part
of the show as the entertainers.

Yesterday, Jason Scarcelli, owner of Dueling Pianos International, was featured on WSJM 94.9 In the Spotlight with Brenda Lane. It was a great opportunity for him to talk about the Dueling Piano’s experience. Joined by dueling piano player Michael McCaslin and SMSO Marketing Director, Mayatu Peabody, the broadcast gave listeners information on the great entertainment and pure fun they can expect Saturday night!

No script whatsoever! The beauty of Dueling Pianos is that the audience, for the most part, dictates what goes on on the stage.

A Dueling Pianos International show is all about audience participation. The players get a feel for the demographic of the audience and run with it, playing songs they know the guests will love. The audience ‘duels’ when the players pin them against one another to see who can sing the loudest. Requests are taken and if anyone is celebrating a special occasion, get ready for a surprise!

You never know who you’re gonna see at a Dueling Pianos show!

To find out more about this exciting event, listen to the broadcast here!

You can check out the SMSO’s event page here!

We’re hoping to have some great pictures and fantastic feedback after the event. Watch this space!

And if you like what you’ve learned about Dueling Pianos, contact Jason Scarcelli at Lorio Ross Entertainment for more information. 248.398.9711!

Lisa @ Lorio Ross

Meanwhile, over here at Lorio Ross Entertainment, we’re talking about what makes a successful musician. There are the obvious characteristics, like talent and versatility and, in many instances, who you know. But for a company who books bands for all types of events and a variety of venues, there are other aspects to consider. So, we asked Jerry Ross, co-founder of Lorio Ross Entertainment and leader of the very successful The Jerry Ross Band, for his best advice. You may be surprised by what he offers!

1. Keep your playlist fresh. What is the biggest and most impactful weakness of a band’s musicians? It’s not keeping up with the times. In other words musicians turn 39 or 40, they’ve been in the business for 20 years, they know a lot about the business, yes, but they feel like they’ve got their list of tunes and they’re set. They continue to play the same songs they’ve played since their career began. Maybe they have a dislike for newer music, but it’s a big mistake. It might work for a while, but sooner or later it’s gonna catch up to them. We’ve had several people audition – great musicians, fabulous singers, but everything they play is 30 years old. Sometimes new music is a huge leap to take, but once they get in to it, the more they do it, the more comfortable they will feel with it. It might be a little foreign at first but it will totally pay off!

2. Be a mature musician. So often I’ve been at events where the band will play tune after tune to an empty dance floor. These musicians are playing for themselves, not for the crowd. There are 2 types of musicians: immature musicians and mature musicians. It’s like this: when you’re a kid, you love to get gifts but when you’re an adult, you get pleasure from giving the gifts. Immature musicians just play music that they like while mature musicians consider their audience. It takes a while for musicians to get to a place where they get their kicks when they really please the people on the dance floor or in the audience. That’s a mature musician.

Thanks for the advice, Jerry!

What’s the best advice you’ve received throughout your musical career?

Lisa @ Lorio Ross

Dubstep is a genre of electronic dance music descended from garage music, characterised by its dark mood, sparse, half-step and two-step rhythms, an average bpm of 140 and an emphasis on sub-bass.  For a little more history and some examples, don’t miss NPR’s Genre Dictionary.

If you’re looking to include some Dubstep in your reception entertainment, keep these few things in mind.

1. You’ll have to have a DJ. Dubstep is not a genre for bands, but if you can find a great DJ, they might very well be able to remix something especially for you!
2. A Dubstep heavy reception will not be a success. While the genre has a lot of fantastic beat and rhythm, it often lacks variety and your guests may bore of an evening of only Dubstep. Our advice? Choose a few songs that you know are dance-able and intermix them with other party music and/or give your DJ some direction and let him/her mix based on the mood of the crowd.

Don’t forget – it’s your day! Keep your guests in mind, but feel free to include something you love and you may find your guests love it, too!

Have questions about DJ options? Give us a call or shoot us a line. 248.398.9711 // info@lorioross.com

Lisa @ Lorio-Ross

While the Father/Daughter dance is often the tradition, some couples opt to also include a Mother/Son dance. One of our fantastic agents, Sandee Singer, has a few tips!

If you are going to do both, I suggest either 1) choosing a song that can work for both, first inviting the bride and her father and then, about half-way through, inviting the groom and his mother to join or 2) choose two shorter songs… the least special songs, the better! You don’t want your guests standing around waiting to get on the dance floor!

Another option to keep the special dances to a minimum would be this. Have the bridal dance start with, of course, the bride & groom and then in the middle of the song, invite the parents and bridal party to join in. This not only allows this section of the reception to move quicker but also saves the need to have a ‘bridal party’ dance song. Another benefit is that it may calm any ‘all-eyes-on-them’ anxiety the bride & groom have about the First Dance.

One last tip… if you introduce the bridal party at the beginning of the reception, there is no need to do it again during the bridal party dance. If you choose to invite the bridal party to join in, skip the intros.

With that advice in mind, check out a few examples of great Father/Daughter & Mother/Son song options…

The Way You Look Tonight sung by our very own, L’Usa

Unforgettable live, from Rumplestiltskin

You really can’t go wrong with either of these Stevie Wonder classics…

If you’re looking for something a little different, watch this space for some unique alternatives!

Like the advice? Drop us a line for more information! info@lorioross.com // 248.398.9711

Lisa @ Lorio-Ross

The music industry is vast, and flooded with great content from established artists as well as budding bands. David Gray is a good, go-to artist with plenty of love songs in his repertoire that aren’t over-played. Or you can look to emerging artists, such as First Aid Kit, for folksy inspiration.  She & Him are a band with a great retro vibe and lovely lyrics.

Check out this compilation of video and audio of ideas and suggestions!

What is the most unusual First Dance Song you’ve heard?

Lisa @ Lorio-Ross

Sounds like a lot of pressure! Many couples know exactly which song reflects their relationship but if you’re looking for a little guidance, let us make some suggestions.

We book all sorts of wedding entertainment from 5 piece bands to 12 piece bands! We book DJs, too. Every day we talk with brides and grooms to discuss the details of their day. While some First Dance song request are mainstays, each year brings a bit of variety. We polled our consultants and here are some of the most frequently requested First Dance songs. Stay tuned for parts 2 and 3 where we’ll make some suggestions for lesser known music as well as some unique classic songs!

Some of our top requests:

What are you dancing to for your First Dance? Or what did you dance to?

Lisa @ Lorio-Ross

1. Don’t let yourself feel pressured to stick with the typical. Flowers are beautiful and offer the opportunity to experiment with color and scent. Sure, floral centerpieces may be considered a more traditional option but consider incorporating dried flowers, berries, exotic plants, herbs or other foliage to spice things up. We’re really loving the flower box idea in this inspiration board…

Style Me Pretty // Unknown Please claim! // Better Homes and Garden // Eventualities blog //BHLDN // Style Me Pretty // The Knot

 2. Consider the size (and shape!) of your table.  If you’re working with long, sweeping tables, consider using a runner to tie the centerpieces together. You can also use the space to cascade your decor, playing with height and width of objects. If you’re going to be decorating round tables of say, 6 or 8, consider going with smaller, lower table arrangements. Tables that size offer more opportunity for conversation and the centerpieces should reflect that.

3. Centerpieces don’t have to be ‘on the table’. We’ve included a couple of examples of thinking outside the box in this way. Of course, your ability to do this is going to depend on your venue. Take note of the suspended flowers in the first board. It’s definitely more involved but what a dramatic effect… and it’s conversationally friendly. In the board below, we really love the hanging lights. For this you could use light bulbs or terrarium bulbs with tea light candles.

4. Avoid too much height. While it is dramatic, we’ve already mentioned that it may impact your guests ability to converse. Depending on the sort of environment you’re trying to create, decide if this is important. It’s easier to incorporate taller centerpieces on long rectangular tables but if you stick a tall, large centerpiece in the middle of a round table it will be nearly impossible for your guests to talk across the table.

Better Homes & Gardens // Edibles Photo by Nancy Neil // Lavender Weddings // Ruffled Blog // Laurie Bracewell Photography // Erin Grace Photography

5. Variety is the spice of life! Your centerpieces don’t have to be cookie-cutter replicas of one another. Consider picking a theme and creating 3 or 4 varieties of table decor. Maybe it’s travel? You can incorporate photographs of spots you’ve been or destinations you’d like to go to. Maybe it’s family? Again, you can add photographs of your parents and grandparents at their weddings, and incorporate sentimental trinkets

Whatever you decided to do, make it a reflection on who you are as a couple and what you want your day to represent!

What are some more alternatives to floral table decor?

Lisa @ Lorio-Ross

We so appreciate getting client reviews. They are important not only to us, but to our potential clients.  Here is a recent review for The Jerry Ross Band from a Grand Rapids event planner who booked us for a fabulous wedding at the Grand Rapids Art Museum…

You guys were on FIRE Saturday night! Seriously, you all sounded just amazing! I always know I’m in good hands with the Jerry Ross band and Saturday was no exception. Thank you, thank you, thank you! You make my job so much easier!

If you’re looking to book a band, you can read more reveiws here and here! And of course, on The Knot.

Lisa @ Lorio-Ross