Private parties in Denver
Live music for a milestone birthday party.
Everyone has a song they’ve loved since college, and it’s hard to beat hearing that song played live at your own birthday party. A milestone birthday is all about one person, so we’ll help you choose live music that suits them, from a trio that gets people dancing at a 30th to a jazz duo that plays through dinner at a 50th.
We can play your party at home, at a club or in a private dining space. Celebrating a couple instead? Take a look at anniversary party music, or see all of our private parties.
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Hear it
Video clips of a birthday party band and a jazz duo
Here’s Tony Medina playing Purple Rain to a packed dance floor at a milestone party, and a jazz duo playing Autumn Leaves on upright bass and guitar, which is a lovely fit for a birthday dinner.
Sizes
How to choose a band for a birthday party
A 30th and a 50th can be very different parties, so here’s where we’d usually start for each one.
- The 30th: a trio, and the DJ after it
- This is usually the one that runs latest. A trio of guitar, bass and drums gets people dancing without a stage, and the DJ can take over when the band is done. If your friends love funk and soul, try our funk band. If they go out to hear house music, our Afro house DJ plays deep house and amapiano (house music built around piano) and can add live tabla drums.
- The 40th: a band for dinner and dancing
- A 40th is often a seated dinner first and a dance party after. Tejas Singh and Tony Medina can both start small for dinner and grow into a four-piece band for dancing, and our soul and R&B band is a great pick if your crowd grew up on Stevie Wonder and Aretha Franklin. Did your friends grow up on 90s hip-hop? Little Moses Jones is a six-piece band that can play your whole party, and they rap the verses live.
- The 50th: a jazz duo for dinner and toasts
- More often a seated dinner with a toast in it than a floor. An upright bass and guitar can play all through dinner, quiet enough that nobody has to raise their voice. For a bigger crowd, our jazz trio adds drums, played softly with brushes.
- The 60th and beyond: one or two musicians
- A 60th often starts earlier, with more family and more people sitting down. A solo guitarist, a pianist or a duo can play from the time guests arrive through dessert, and we often get asked for a Spanish guitarist for a long family dinner.
Curious what each size costs? Take a look at our Live Music Cost Guide.
The party
Birthday surprises, toasts & song lists
- The surprise entrance
- We can have the band start the guest of honor’s favorite song the moment they walk in. We plan it a lot like a surprise proposal song, so the musicians know exactly when to start.
- The toast
- When it’s time for toasts, the musicians will stop playing, and we can bring a microphone so everyone can hear. If you have several speakers or a slideshow planned, we’ll help you map out the flow of the evening.
- A song list for the guest of honor
- Tell us who we’re celebrating, the age they’re turning and a few of their favorite songs, and we’ll put the song list together from the years they care about most, like the college years for a 40th or the wedding years for a 60th.
- A 50th with dancing
- Some 50ths are all about the dance floor, so you may want a band that can play quietly through dinner and then turn it up. Our yacht rock band and our soul and R&B band are both great at that.
“...We discussed what we were looking for, (funky jams) and they delivered. It was the perfect band for my husband’s 50th. They are personable, professional, and very talented musicians.”
...From beginning to end. Pulled together bandmates for my husband’s 80th outdoor birthday bash. Guests were impressed with the repertoire. More than the usual cover band – jazzy sophistication.”
Something different
Birthday party entertainment ideas for adults.
- Live band karaoke for the 40th
- The band plays the hits and hands the microphone to any friend who wants a turn (and you probably know who that’ll be). Live band karaoke works best at a club or a house with a big main floor.
- A flamenco performance at a birthday dinner
- Dirty Flamenco is our flamenco trio, and they can play through a birthday dinner and then step out for one showstopping piece.
- A sing-along the whole family can join
- A 70th or 80th birthday can bring a few generations together, and just about everyone knows the Beatles. Your Bird Can Sing gets the whole family singing.
Questions
What hosts want to know about birthday party music
Can we hire a band for a birthday party?
Yes, and we can help you choose the right size. Just tell us which milestone you’re celebrating and the kind of party you have in mind. You’ll book through Signet Artists in Denver on one contract, and you’ll have one personal contact.
What size band for a 40th birthday party?
A trio or a quartet. A trio can play quietly through dinner and get people dancing after, and a quartet is a better fit for a club or a venue with more than a hundred guests. If you want to keep going late, a DJ can take over on the same sound system.
How do you handle a surprise birthday party?
We’ll have the musicians set up early and playing quietly, so it just looks like there’s live music that night. Then the guest of honor’s song can start on a cue you choose with the band, like a nod from the host or a text from the door.
Can the band learn the birthday person's favorite songs?
Yes. Let us know the song when you book and we can usually learn it (we usually need a few weeks before a booking to learn new material). A singer and guitarist can learn one for you, too.
Can a band play a birthday party at home?
Yes. A solo musician needs about 6 by 4 feet, a duo about 8 by 6 and a trio about 12 by 8, plus an outlet on its own circuit, and any of them can play dinner quietly enough for your guests to talk. Outdoors, we’ll just need a covered, level, dry spot with power, and if your HOA or neighborhood limits evening sound, we’ll plan around it.
Planning a big birthday? Send us the date and we’ll help you find the right music.
We can bring anything from one musician to a full band, with a sound system that suits your party.