An international corporate event with Mike Paul-Smith Music
Mike Paul-Smith music have provided live bands across the world. One of the most unforgettable events we’ve been involved in was creating a live music and vintage dance entertainment package for Dell, who were holding their annual staff awards in Marrakech, Morocco.
Working in collaboration with the client we developed a 1920s entertainment package including a 6-piece 1920s styled band (which we later styled The Lady Gatsby Jazz Band) and a fabulous troupe of 12 interactive swing dancers – which, together, make The Vintage Swing Collective.
The Great Gatsby
The event was an extravagant, Great Gatsby themed 1920s party for DELL’s top worldwide sales personnel.
It took place at La Mamounia, one of the most exclusive hotels on the planet (in 2015 it was voted the best hotel in the world by Condé Nast Traveller).
The client wanted the event to be an immersive 1920s experience, with guests up and dancing around the beautiful swimming pool.
The Lady Gatsby Jazz Band
To match the brief we expanded our Lady Gatsby Jazz Band line-up to a 6-piece – the addition of drums gives the music the energy necessary to get guests up and dancing.
The Vintage Swing Collective
To encourage people to dance to a style of music which is perhaps less familiar, we also bought along a troupe of 12 professional swing dancers (who form our Vintage Swing Collective).
The evening
The event started with 350 guests having a drinks reception and presentation in the world-famous Churchill Bar, and they then headed out to the pool area where they enjoyed taking photos next to a vintage Rolls Royce, sampling food from the many stalls, and enjoying music from the Lady Gatsby Jazz Band and Vintage Swing Collective.
The performance
The event was 1920s themed, with 350 guests dressed to impress. The evening started with a drinks reception and presentation in the world-famous Churchill Bar, before guests headed out to the pool area where they were greeted by a vintage Rolls Royce, food stalls, and performances from Down for the Count and the Hotfoot Strutters who were performing pre-choreographed routines to our live music alongside spontaneous jam circles and social dances.
The immersive experience
Then after a few drinks had been consumed, the guests were encouraged to dance – the dancers started interacting with the crowd, giving them a vintage party like no other. For this set of music, we gave the vintage music a more modern feel by performing retro covers of modern songs (in the style of Postmodern Jukebox) – a great way of keeping the event “on theme”, whilst performing more recognisable music. Turning Crazy In Love, Gangsta’s Paradise and Careless Whisper into Charleston and swing arrangements is a sure-fire way of getting audiences dancing – particularly with a troupe of swing dancers on hand to lead group Charlestons and interactive dances.
The party
To finish off the evening, we moved into 1940s and 1950s swing music (which tends to be upbeat) – with lots of jive and big band-style swing music to get the guests all dancing around the pool.
Post-event tourism
After the event we were lucky enough to be invited to stay at La Mamounia – an unforgettable experience for us all – and then the next day we packed up and headed to a traditional riad in Marrakech, spending a few days exploring the souks and trekking in the nearby Atlas mountains.
Your international event with Down for the Count
Down for the Count have performed around the world and can transform your destination wedding or celebration with our amazing selection of live entertainment. Just get in touch today with your ideas – we can’t wait to hear from you!
