International Booking Guide | Brass House Entertainment

INTERNATIONAL BOOKING GUIDE

WHY BOOK A BAND ABROAD?

QUALITY

The UK - and in particular London - is widely regarded as one of the world’s leading music capitals, producing an exceptional calibre of professional musicians. The UK live music scene is incredibly competitive, which means the bands that emerge from it are highly polished, versatile, and experienced performing at luxury weddings, private parties, and major events.

Time and time again, we see that flying a band out from the UK delivers a level of quality, energy, and professionalism that is difficult to match locally — making it a worthwhile investment for clients who want truly outstanding live entertainment.

That said, local musicians can also be a fantastic addition to an event. For example, if you’re getting married in Italy and would love authentic Italian music during the day, local artists can will bring a wonderful sense of place and atmosphere that complements the event beautifully.

VERSATILITY

When you fly one of our artists out to perform at your event, you’re often getting far more than just one performance. Many of our musicians are highly versatile and can deliver multiple styles of music throughout the day using the same team of artists already on site.

For example, the same musicians might perform a relaxed acoustic set for a drinks reception, a stylish jazz set for dinner, and then transform into a high-energy party band for the evening. If you’re hosting a multi-day celebration, they can also provide different musical experiences across the weekend.

This approach not only keeps the quality consistent throughout your event, but also allows you to get far more value from the musicians you’ve already brought out, rather than hiring multiple separate bands.

EXPENSES

When booking any of our artists for an event abroad, travel and accommodation expenses are usually required. We understand that organising these details can feel a little daunting at first, which is why we guide our clients through the process step by step.

We usually keep expenses separate from the initial band quote. If we were to include them and book everything ourselves, we would need to charge VAT on those expenses as they pass through our business, and we would also need to build in a buffer to account for potential changes in flight, hotel, or transport costs. By allowing clients to cover these expenses directly, you can be confident you’re paying the true cost of getting the band to your destination — often making this the most cost-effective option. That said, you won’t be left to organise everything alone. We’ll provide clear guidance on travel requirements, accommodation requirements, and all logistical details so the process remains simple and stress-free.

If you would prefer us to manage all travel arrangements on your behalf, we’re very happy to do so. In that case we would book flights, accommodation, and related expenses directly and include them in your final invoice. As these costs would pass through our business and involve additional administration and VAT, the overall cost will typically be slightly higher than booking them directly.

Please see the typical expenses you would need to cover for booking a UK artist for an abroad event below.

TRAVEL

FLIGHTS

All flights for the musicians must be covered, along with any luggage costs required for instruments and equipment.

Airline policies vary significantly when travelling with instruments, so what may appear to be the cheapest or most convenient option is not always the most suitable once baggage allowances are considered. For this reason, we always discuss flight options with our clients before anything is booked to ensure the most reliable and musician-friendly itinerary is chosen.

Reliability is extremely important when musicians are travelling internationally for a scheduled performance, so we always prioritise sensible travel plans over simply the cheapest fare.

INSTRUMENTS & LUGGAGE

All luggage costs required for instruments and performance equipment must be covered.

Some instruments — particularly larger or valuable ones — cannot travel in the hold and may not be permitted as standard hand luggage. In these cases, airlines may require an additional seat to be purchased so the instrument can travel safely in the cabin.

TRANSFERS

Travel expenses also include all transfers within the destination country, typically including airport to hotel, hotel to venue, and return journeys.

Depending on the number of musicians and instruments travelling, multiple vehicles may be required to accommodate both people and equipment comfortably.

AIRPORT PARKING

If flights depart very early or arrive very late and public transport is not available, airport parking may also be required so musicians can travel to and from the airport with their instruments and luggage.

OUR THOUGHTS

One of the core values of our business is putting our musicians first. When musicians are well looked after — with sensible travel schedules, comfortable conditions and adequate rest — they perform at their best.

Although destination events can appear like a “working holiday”, they are often some of the most demanding engagements if travel is poorly planned. Our philosophy is simple: when we look after our musicians, they deliver the very best experience for our clients.

ACCOMMODATION

For accommodation, we simply require one room per band member. Single rooms are absolutely fine — we don’t expect luxury hotels — but the accommodation should be well-reviewed, comfortable, and from a reputable hotel or guesthouse.

FOOD & DRINK

Once the musicians have arrived in the destination country, we ask that all food and drink is covered for the duration of their stay. This typically includes breakfast, lunch, and dinner on each day of the trip.

Alternatively, its often more preferably for all when we agree on a per diem allowance so musicians can purchase their own meals while in your country.

On the event day itself, it is always preferable for meals to be provided at the venue. This helps ensure the musicians remain on site and available throughout the event schedule.

TECHNICAL HIRE

When producing events overseas, it is usually far more practical to source sound, lighting and technical equipment locally rather than transport large amounts of equipment from the UK.

However, it’s important to note that technical services in some European destinations can be significantly more expensive than in the UK or the US, and the quality and reliability of suppliers can vary. For this reason, we will always work closely with you to identify a reputable local production company, but we do ask that all technical suppliers are approved by us before booking. This ensures the equipment and personnel meet the standard required for the artists performing at your event.

SOUND

In short, most artists will require a high quality PA & digital mixing desk suitable for the venue size alongside all microphones, cabling and accessories.

It is essential that there is an experienced sound engineer who is fluent in English, as clear communication during soundcheck and the performance is essential for the band. If an English-speaking engineer cannot be provided locally, we can arrange for one of our trusted UK sound engineers to travel with the band. In this situation the local company would still supply the equipment, while our engineer manages the sound for the performance.

LIGHTING

Lighting can make a huge difference to the atmosphere of an event. While simple setups are possible, we usually recommend allocating a reasonable budget for lighting to help create a proper party environment. We recommend including moving head lighting and haze rather than small static lighting stands that can sometimes look a little makeshift. By investing slightly more here it can significantly elevate the overall look and feel of the performance. Of course, the final decision always depends on your event vision and budget, and we’re happy to guide you through the options.

INSTRUMENT HIRE

Many musicians will travel with their own instruments, particularly when it comes to brass and string players, as hired instruments are rarely of a suitable professional standard. However, larger items such as drum kits, amplifiers, and keyboards are usually hired locally. Transporting these internationally is often impractical and significantly increases travel costs.

Some instruments also require special travel arrangements. For example:

Certain instruments cannot be checked into the aircraft hold
Some exceed standard cabin baggage sizes
In some cases, an additional airline seat must be purchased so the instrument can travel safely in the cabin

If this applies to your chosen artists, we will always make this clear during the planning stage.

OUR PROCESS

To keep everything running smoothly, our team will:

Provide a detailed technical rider outlining everything required for the performance
Review and approve the quote from the local supplier before any booking is made
Ensure the equipment provided is professional quality and suitable for the band

This process helps ensure the artists have everything they need to perform at their best, while giving you confidence that the technical side of your event is being handled properly.