How to Choose a Drum Show for a Corporate Event: 7 Criteria

A drum show for a corporate event is one of the few acts that works equally well at the opening of a conference for a thousand guests and at a party for a department of thirty. But the very popularity of the genre has filled the market with groups of very different quality. RhythmMen have been performing since 2008 and have seen hundreds of corporate events from both sides of the stage, so we have put together seven criteria an event manager should use to evaluate a drum show before the first phone call.

1. Track record and real performances, not just a promo reel

Promo videos are edited to look spectacular. Ask something else: how many years the group has been performing, on which stages and for which clients. For the corporate format it matters that the artists know how to work at open conferences and forums with strict timing, a host and sponsor segments. Our portfolio includes more than 500 such conferences, performances for Mercedes-Benz, Kia, Scania, Toyota and Volkswagen, and TV appearances on Ukraine's Got Talent, Snidanok z 1+1 and Dancing with the Stars. Live recordings from different venues are collected in our video section.

2. Formats the group actually performs

One programme for every occasion is a sign of a thin repertoire. A strong group offers several formats for different tasks: a classic drum show for the opening, ethno-percussion with Afro-Cuban, Brazilian or Ukrainian rhythms for a gala dinner, steel barrels for an industrial theme, Drum-DJ for the after-party, LED drums with LED costumes for a darkened hall, fire and laser elements for an outdoor site. We have described the LED version separately in our article about LED drums.

3. Ability to adapt the act to your brand

A corporate event is not a concert; it is part of the company's communication. So ask whether the drummers can build your brand colour, logo on the screens, slogan or jingle into the performance, and whether they are ready to choreograph a number around a product launch script. We regularly create such acts for car presentations and for the Choice of the Year and IT Awards Ukraine ceremonies, and customisation is most often the thing guests remember.

4. Interaction: will the guests be involved?

A 10–15 minute performance followed by applause is fine. But companies book corporate events for the team's emotions, so check whether the programme includes interactive segments: drums for the guests, a rhythm call-and-response with the audience, a short drum session with managers on stage. If the goal of the event is to bring people together, consider a full-scale drum team building session for 10–500 participants instead of, or in addition to, the show.

5. Technical requirements and an honest rider

A professional group sends its technical rider in advance and does not change it the day before the event. A drum show typically needs a stage of at least 4×3 metres, a level floor, 220 V power near the stage, a line input for the backing track, a few microphones for a large hall and the option to dim the lights for an LED programme. These are simple requirements, but they have to be agreed with the venue at the planning stage. We covered them in detail in our article about the technical rider.

6. Number of artists and duration to fit your schedule

On a stage for two hundred guests three drummers look natural; in a stadium or an exhibition centre six or more work better. Ask how many people will be on stage, whether it is the same line-up as in the video, and how many segments can be spread across the evening: the opening, the walk-on for the awards, the finale. A good group will offer several duration options and advise how to fit the act into the script rather than insist on a single template.

7. Transparent pricing and terms

The cost of a show depends on the number of artists, duration, format, city and technical needs — and the group should explain what the sum consists of, what it includes (instruments, costumes, sound engineer, transport) and which extra costs are possible. Avoid offers along the lines of "one price, details later". We described all the factors separately in our article about the cost of a drum show.

In short: a checklist for the client

• How many years the group has performed and whether there are recordings from real events.
• Which formats are in the repertoire and which suits your theme.
• Whether they can adapt the act to your brand and script.
• Whether there is interaction with the audience.
• Whether there is a written technical rider.
• How many artists and which duration options.
• Whether the pricing structure is transparent.

If these seven points are covered, the risk of getting "not what was in the video" is minimal. Tell us about your event — format, date, city and number of guests — and we will propose a corporate drum show programme that fits your script. Phone +380 68 119 63 33, e-mail shvdrum@ukr.net.