The Music – A very easy match to this theme would be songs from around the world where the title or story within the song is about a city or location as follows:  Far Away Places - Way Down Yonder In New Orleans - Sleepy Time Down South - A Dixie Melody - New York New York - New York State of Mind - Chicago - Deep In The Heart of Texas - San Antonio Rose - South Of The Border - San Francisco - Arrivederci Roma - Spanish Eyes etc. etc.  The list goes on and on, just think about every song you have ever heard written about some spot on the globe.

Visual Presentation - Remember we can also provide a rear projection big screen visual presentation for not only this theme but any other you may be interested in doing.  We can personalize any presentation to fit your audience, even as far as showing their personal photos of their own exotic travel adventures all blown up on the big screen.

Costumes – The icing on the cake would be announcing ahead of time to your audience that you will be awarding of a prize for the costume that best depicts a certain city or country.

The Finishing Touch - would be for the facility staff to also where attire that fits the mood of your theme party.

Over the years I have come to learn that most party-goers can be broken down into the three categories which are listed below.  I have also included what experience has taught me is a pretty accurate description of what each categoery expects from the entertainment at a cocktail party or dance.

Social Visitors:  They like to hear the music in the background, but still be able to hold their personal conversations at normal speaking volume over the music.  They expect the music to enhance the mood of their visit and conversation, period.  They are usually the first to let you know when the music is “too loud”.

Listeners:  They like to listen to the music in its entirety at a comfortable listening volume.  They are usually into the music and will hold their conversations in-between tunes on breaks.  This group very seldom complains about music volume, that is unless it is ”really loud” although they have been known to complain about loud conversations around them.  However most of the time they will just find a seat closer to the performer or band to better hear the music or see the act.

Dancers:  They not only like to hear the music, they like to feel it as well.  So while the volume for this group maybe acceptable for the “Listeners” as well it may be a bit too loud for the “Social Visitor”.  This group will be the first to fill the tables closest to the band and dance floor.  If this group complains about the music “being too loud”, it is too loud!

When booking entertainment, besides checking out references and past reviews, always let them know up-front what you expect in the way of genre selection and volume.  But at “party time” try to keep in mind that with the exception of dinner and small venue cocktail parties, most parties will be made up of all three-category partygoers listed above.  So your function, “on it’s own” may very well take on a different mood than what you intended.  With this said any professional performer worth their salt will err on the side of lower volume at the start of the performance and will adjust volume accordingly based upon audience and the booking agent’s feedback and response.  And by response I don’t necessarily mean a “stage visit” from anyone in particular, all though don’t rule that out as I have heard some acts that just blew my ear drums out.  What I mean is that by monitoring the general reaction and response of the crowd as the party goes along, the professional entertainer should know how and when to adjust his/her volume.

So don’t be alarmed if you get one or two guest who complains about music volume while you have the majority of your guest listening and/or dancing.  That is unless that complaining guest is paying the bills then you can throw these rules out of the window! J

The room was decorated with the Italian Flag with its green white and red colors prominently displayed throughout, plus color matching table centerpieces and party hats for everyone.  Gail also went the extra step to get and display travel posters throughout the room depicting various cities and countryside scenes throughout Italy.  This touch really topped off the themed atmosphere.  And the food served was of course Italian in flavor.

My job was the easiest, with all of this to work with all I had to do was put together a playlist of some famous Italian singers from the likes of Dean Martin, Frank Sinatra, Perry Como, Louis Prima and Tony Bennett.  Then sprinkle in some of the tunes from The Godfather and Wise Guys movies to set the musical mood to match theme. 

No matter his or her nationality everyone was Italian that day!