Designing the Vibe: How MBI Vibes Customizes Every Performance

Key Takeaways

• MBI Vibes plans each DJ drumline performance around your guests, event goals, branding, and venue.
• Customized event entertainment starts with two questions: Who will be in the room, and how should they feel when they leave?
• Branded event entertainment can be as simple as drummers in your company apparel playing a set built around your big moment.
• Timing, energy level, and venue layout shape a performance as much as the playlist does.
• A short planning questionnaire can help you hone the vibe you’re going for.

The right entertainment depends on what’s happening in the room. A drumline that gets people excited at a sales kickoff might overpower conversations at a networking reception. And music that works well during a cocktail hour may not have enough punch for an awards entrance.

At MBI Vibes, a not-for-profit DJ drumline program of MBI Arts, we plan performances around the event, from the music and timing to the energy level and setup. We call this approach “designing the vibe.”

What Does “Designing the Vibe” Mean for Customized Event Entertainment?

MBI Vibes pairs live drummers with DJ backing tracks, so the ensemble can play familiar songs with the punch of a marching drumline. MBI Vibes works with your event coordinator to choose the music, determine when the drummers will perform, and fit the set into your schedule. Here are some things we consider when planning a customized performance.

Audience Demographics

A room of 25-year-old sales reps and a room of retired board members won’t cheer for the same songs. Personalized corporate entertainment starts with age range, roles, and how well guests know each other. The goal is music most of the room recognizes within the first few bars.

Event Purpose

First, think about the role you want the performance to play. At a product launch, drumming can build excitement before a reveal. At a conference, a short set can help bring attendees back together after a break.

Brand Identity, Attire, and Visual Presentation

Customizing the performers’ appearance is one way to tie the music to your event or brand. MBI Vibes drummers can incorporate your brand into the performance by having drummers wear company apparel or accessories. Without a request, drummers wear MBI-branded jackets, shirts, and hats.

Share a little about your brand’s personality, along with your colors, logo files, and event theme. That context can help the team choose music that feels appropriate for your company and audience.

Music Preferences

You can send MBI Vibes a must-play list, a do-not-play list, or a general idea of the music you’re after. For example, you might share:

• A walk-up song for award winners or keynote speakers
• A decade or genre theme
• A track tied to a current ad campaign
• Songs to skip because of lyrics or associations

Performance Timing

When the drums start is just as important as what they play. A five-minute opener can wake up an 8 a.m. general session, while a longer set suits a cocktail hour or a festival booth. Performance length also affects the fee, so it’s worth estimating how much time you’ll need before requesting a quote.

Desired Energy Level

How much energy should the performance bring to the room? You might want an upbeat set that gets guests moving, or something more restrained that lets conversations continue. Let the team know the atmosphere you’re aiming for and whether the energy should build toward a particular moment.

Venue Size and Layout

The venue will help determine the right setup. In a small room, a smaller group or a shorter set can keep the drums from overpowering conversations.

The DJ drumline model usually means a stationary performance near the speakers. At more involved events, drummers can carry their instruments and move, usually with extra rehearsal and a higher fee. MBI Vibes can bring a portable sound system or use the venue’s. As you plan the setup, make sure equipment and performers won’t block accessible routes. Federal accessibility standards specify a minimum clear width of 36 inches for walking surfaces on an accessible route.

How to Choose Entertainment for a Corporate Event: A Quick Planning Questionnaire

Before you request a quote, jot down answers to these questions:

• What is the event date, start time, and city?
• What type of event is it, and how should guests feel when they leave?
• Who is attending, and roughly how many people?
• Which songs, artists, or genres do you want, and which should be avoided?
• Should performers wear your branded apparel or accessories?
• When in the program should the drums play, and for how long?
• On a scale of 1 to 10, how much energy do you want in the room?
• Is the venue indoors or outdoors, how large is it, and is there an on-site sound system?
• Do you picture a stationary performance or drummers moving through the crowd?

Request a Quote From MBI Vibes

MBI Vibes is part of MBI Arts, a nonprofit rooted in the drum and bugle corps tradition. Booking a performance supports the organization’s work to help its members grow as performers while sharing live music with audiences.

Ready to start planning? Visit MBI Vibes to request a quote for a live performance, backstage setup, or DJ duo. For questions, email mikefinney@mbiarts.org.

You set the date. MBI Vibes will help you design the vibe.

Minnesota Brass Incorporated (MBI) is a nonprofit performing arts organization that has been part of the Upper Midwest for 80 years. We share our unique passion for the live performing arts by producing ensembles and events, rooted in the drum and bugle corps tradition, that challenge our members to reach their full potential while inspiring our audiences. Support our work today and help us bring people together through music, movement, and the shared experience of drum corps.s.