BPO MUsician Performance Manual

This guide will give you a real-life example of the material you can expect to effectively and efficiently perform the BPO gig.

Please always feel free to ask if you have questions instead of assuming, it is the most efficient way to get up to speed.

PRIOR TO ARRIVING:

Review the calendar info (All the info you will need is located in the NOTES section of the calendar invite), please make sure you are solid on all material stated on the specific date you are scheduled for. 

  • Please make sure your attire is ironed and cleaned. Wrinkles and dusty-looking attire are not acceptable, we are not only working but we are also guests of our clients so let’s look sharp!

  • It’s always a good idea to map out your route to the gig so you know how much time you will need to plan to get there, and please double-check. Note: The clients are not concerned about what issues we may have, they care that we are there and that we have their back to make their event the best it can be:)

WHEN YOU ARRIVE TO THE VENUE:

Please be dressed in a presentable manner to uphold the professional image of Big Party Entertainment and BPO alike. Quickly set up and do whatever you need to do to make sure you are ready to go for your scheduled performance time. 

  • It is a good practice to arrive with enough time to scope out the load-in situation and be to be able to communicate any obstacles or policies that may help your bandmates arrive and load in as efficiently as possible. Once you know where you are headed it makes loading in and out easier and faster. 

  • All artists are expected to be set up and ready to play 1hr before their scheduled performance time.

    • For Example, If the Ceremony starts at 4:30 pm please arrive at 3 pm to set your gear on the bandstand and then set up for the ceremony to be ready to start 15-20 minutes before the ceremony begins. The same will apply to cocktail hour as well as reception performances. 

  • Please be dressed either when you arrive or right after you are done setting up. Arrival attire if not stage attire must be of some presentable fashion.

  • If other vendors approach you about info relating to the event, you can refer to the notes section in your calendar invite for the information.

  • Please always present a kind and helpful attitude when speaking with other vendors, guests, clients, etc.  

ON THE STAGE:

Please keep your area neat and clean and be mindful of others on the stage. 

  • Cases should be placed neatly somewhere off-stage with other “dead” cases to avoid any injuries or accidents and for a tidy bandstand presentation.   

  • Avoid OPEN containers on the stage at all costs, please bring an inconspicuous water bottle for refilling.

  • When the band breaks please step off the stage as soon as possible, and stand off to the side of the stage so we may move as one unit as much as possible. In the instance we are not breaking at the same time we will go in shifts to have our meals.

BPO STANDARD Starting Songs List

BPO SET NOTES:

  • Please listen to the way we move in these recordings in terms of transitions, setups, and who starts what songs. If you are confident about the song give a signal and start it off. Weakness is displayed when nobody takes initiative and nobody is solid on the music, which is not on brand with BPO and BPE. Instead, let us make it a priority to communicate and work through those things quickly to not appear we are uncoordinated. 

  • Learn the tunes, your parts, and your sounds for each song. You can find sounds that work for multiple songs but please aim for the actual sound of each song when possible.  

  • If there is a track playing please play on top of it do not sit out and let the track play. ITs there to thicken up the music. 

  • YOU MUST have your eyes and ears open. There is a decent amount of room for tasteful musical embellishment in this set for your musicality to elevate the sound of the band and that is why you are here:) 

  • Avoid dead space at all costs unless intentional. Think of this as a live band DJ set, with the songs moving seamlessly into one another. Keep an eye out for on the fly transitions.

Intro Jams: (Usually used as pre-introduction filler, instrumental jam, possibly segueing into dinner music depending on the timeline or flow. Some of these will be duplicated later in this list, they can serve both functions):

  • Use Me - Bill Withers E

  • Smooth Operator - Sade Cm?

  • Buy You a Drank - T Pain Bbm (first chord)

  • Always open to new ideas…

THE HORA:

Dinner: (Common pairings are listed together):

  • Into The Mystic- Van Morrison Eb

  • All of Me- John Legend Dm (Reggae feel)

  • Thinking Out Loud- Ed Sheehan D

  • Lets Stay Together- Al Green F (Walkup in PC D to Am7 between repeats)

  • What’s Going on- Marvin Gaye E

  • Crazy Love- Van Morrison  A

  • Best Part- Daniel Ceaser D

  • Buy You a Drank- T Pain Bbm (first chord)

  • How Deep Is Your Love- PJ Morton Live Version Gb

  • You Are The Best Thing Ray LaMontagne  Bb/Gm 

  • Don’t Know Why Alicia Keys Bb

Dinner/Dance: (Older RnB mostly, these may end up in the dinner set or at some point in the Dance set depending on the vibe):

  • Stand By Me- Ben E King A

  • My Girl- Temptations C

  • Valerie- Amy Winehouse Eb

  • If I Ain’t Got You Alicia Keys G

  • Diamonds- Rhianna Bm

  • American Boy- Estelle E or D depending on Singer

  • Rolling In the Deep-Adele Cm

  • I Wish- Stevie Wonder Eb

  • I Want You Back- Jackson 5 Singer Calls Key

  • Kiss- Prince A

  • The Way You Make Me Feel- Michael Jackson E

  • Rock With You- Michael Jackson Ebm

  • Isn’t She Lovely Stevie Wonder E

  • Get Lucky Daft Punk F#- 

Dance Set: (Think Original recording but BIGGER. These are listed with some common medleys):

  • September - Earth Wind and Fire - A (Usually immediately after the parent dance portion of the night to start party time)

  • ->Respect Aretha - Franklin - A or C depending on the singer (Hits in V2 and V3)

  • Ain’t Too Proud to Beg - Temptations - C

  • Signed Sealed Delivered - Stevie Wonder - F (starts with the line, rhythm is slightly different in BPO arrangement

  • Give It to me - Baby Rick James - C#m

  • Superstition - Steve Wonder - E (hit the b6 C in pre-chorus)

  • Shake Your Body Down - Jacksons - G

  • Blurred Lines - Robin Thicke - G (Track)

  • Billie Jean - Michael Jackson - F#m

  • Proud Mary - Tina Turner - D

  • PYT - Micheal Jackson - Bmin

  • Shake Your Body Down - Jacksons - G 

  • Get Down Tonight - KC and the Sunshine Band - F

  • ->Livin On Prayer - Bon Jovi - Em -> Gm (whole step down)depending on the singer

  • California Gurls - Katy Perry - Eb (whole step down)depending on the singer

  • -> Tik Tok - Kesha - Dm

  • Cake By The Ocean - DNCE - E

  • Shape of You - Ed Sheehan - C#m (Track) REC of arrangement coming soon!!

  • Sorry - Justin Bieber - Cm (Track)

  • 24k - Magic Bruno Mars - Fm

  • Wake Me Up - Avicii - Bm/D

  • Cheerleader - OMNI - E

  • -> Hot Hot Hot/ Call me Al medley Numbered hits out

  • -> I wanna Dance with Somebody - Whitney Houston - F# or E Depending on singer

  • -We found Love - Rihanna F#/Ebm

  • Raise Your Glass - P!nk - G

  • Domino - Jessie J - G

  • Dynamite - Taio Cruz - C#m/E

  • This is How We Do It - Montell Jordan - Fm (Track, b6 2 5 in PC)

  • ->Nuthin But G Thang Interlude Dr Dre Fm 

  • ->Crazy In Love - Beyonce - Dm (guiar solo out)

  • Moves Like Jagger - Maroon 5 - Bm

  • Locked Out of Heaven - Bruno Mars - Cm

  • Can’t Feel My Face The Weeknd Am (Track?)

  • Lean On Major Laser Gm (Track)

  • One Dance Drake Bbm (Track)

  • Hotline Bling Drake Dm (Track)

  • Shut Up and Dance Walk The Moon C#

  • Ain’t It Fun Paramore C#m/E

  • Summer of 69 Brian Adams D

  • My Own Worst Enemy Lit E

  • You Shook Me All Night Long AC/DC G

  • All The Small Things Blink 182 C

  • Mr Brightside The Killers C# (RECORD KEY!!)

  • I Will Survive Gloria Gaynor Am

  • Mo Money Mo Problems Notorious BIG C#m

  • Flashing Lights Kanye F#m

  • Ride WIth Me Nelly Em

  • Gold Digger Kanye Ab (Track)

  • No Diggity Backstreet F#m

  • Ni**as in Paris Jay Z Kanye Cm

  • Hot In Herre Nelly Em

  • Don’t Stop Believing Journey E (Last Song)

  • Encore: Shout E or D singer calls 

RECORDED EXAMPLES: 

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/7v9sw23xo4zybqe/AAAkJvpALwFrEVh5KKo663WPa?dl=0

Thank you for making it a priority to look through this for the betterment of you and your band mates:)