Best entertainers in Marrickville
More working musicians live within a few minutes of here than almost anywhere else in the country. Newtown, Enmore and Leichhardt are a short ride away, and the pubs and warehouse spaces around the inner west give bands somewhere to play every week of the year, which is why the standard of the playing around here is what it is. That works in your favour when you're hiring.
It also means the acts on this list are used to a certain kind of room: low ceilings, awkward load-ins, a crowd that listens. Ask a band here about a 21st in a warehouse and they'll have done a dozen. Ask them about a formal seated dinner and some will be just as comfortable, but it's worth checking rather than assuming.
Top picks in Marrickville
Top picks are the nearby performers with the most visible reviews, then rating, then the closest; further afield the closest come first, and premium listings break remaining ties. Distances are straight-line from Marrickville. Ask each act whether they travel to your venue and what that costs.
Questions people ask about entertainers in Marrickville
Why are there so many musicians based around the inner west?
It's where the live rooms are, and players tend to live near the work. The pub and small venue circuit through Newtown, Enmore and Marrickville keeps bands playing regularly, which is the difference between an act that rehearses and an act that performs. You feel that difference at a wedding or a party.
How much does a cover band cost in the inner west?
Number of players, number of sets and the night of the week set the figure, and around here travel is rarely part of it because so many acts are local. A four-piece doing three sets on a Saturday sits well above a duo doing two on a Thursday. The starting prices beside each band on this page are their current floor.
Can I hire a band for a warehouse or backyard party in Marrickville?
It's one of the more common bookings around here, and local acts know the drill. What you need to check is power, whether there's a residential block sharing a wall and what time the music has to stop. Mention all three in your enquiry and the band will tell you whether their usual setup works or whether they need to scale it down.
Are inner west acts suitable for a corporate event?
Many are, but the trade isn't the same as a pub gig and not every band wants it. The ones who do corporate work will happily talk about running orders, background sets during the meal and staying out of the way of speeches. Ask that question directly and the answers will sort the list for you.
Booking tips
Ask what rooms they usually play
A band that works the inner west pub circuit is practised at a certain volume and a certain crowd. If your event is a seated corporate dinner or a family lunch, say so early and ask how they change the set for it.
Warehouse spaces need more than a power point
A lot of local venues are converted industrial buildings with hard walls and very live acoustics. Ask the act whether they'll bring their own PA and whether the room needs anything to stop it echoing, because a great band in a bad room still sounds bad.
The deep list means you can be fussy
With this many acts in reach, there's no reason to settle for one who nearly fits. Send the same brief to three, compare how they answer rather than just the prices, and book the one who asked you the best questions.