Hiring live music in Prague: what to expect

Booking a band is not complicated, but there are a few points where it gets held up unnecessarily. Usually because the enquiry lacks the details needed to produce a quote, and a week of back-and-forth follows. This article sets it out so that one email is enough.

Step 1: The enquiry — what to include

Six details are enough. With them we can send a specific price; without them, only a range.

Step 2: The quote — within 24 hours

We reply within 24 hours and the quote contains:

• Confirmation of whether the date is free.
• The recommended line-up and why.
• A specific price, not a range — including transport.
• Number and length of sets.
• Technical requirements for that line-up.

You already know the ranges from the price list: duo CZK 10,000–14,000, trio CZK 16,000–20,000, quartet CZK 22,000–26,000, quintet CZK 28,000–32,000 for a standard evening in Prague.

Step 3: Confirmation and contract

The date is reserved as soon as you confirm in writing. Corporate events are usually followed by a contract or purchase order covering:

• Date, start and end time of the performance.
• The exact line-up — by name, not just headcount.
• Number and length of sets.
• Total price including transport, and invoicing terms.
• Who provides the PA system.
• Cancellation terms.

For companies working with framework agreements or through an agency, this can also be handled as a purchase order referencing the framework — we have experience with that.

Step 4: Before the event

About a week ahead we confirm the details that tend to change by then:

• Running order — when to play, when to break, when the speeches happen.
• On-site contact — who lets the band in and who gives signals.
• Requested songs — if something needs learning, ideally tell us three weeks ahead.
• Loading access and parking.
• Noise limits and the hour by which music must stop.

Step 5: On the day

Detailed technical conditions are in what the band needs on site.

Common misunderstandings

• "The band plays three hours" ≠ "plays without stopping". Three hours means three 45-minute sets with breaks. Continuous playing is not physically possible and would not serve the event.
• An evening rate is not an hourly rate. A shorter programme is not automatically cheaper — the musicians cannot take another booking that day.
• The venue's "in-house PA" may not be usable. A conference system for a speaker is not enough for a band. Check that well before the day.
• The dance floor does not fill itself. If you want dancing you need a quartet and time in the programme — see background jazz vs dance music.

International clients

A large share of corporate events in Prague hotels is for international guests. We communicate in Czech, English and German, and the repertoire is international — jazz standards work equally well with English- and German-speaking audiences.

About the author

David Kleňha is a jazz singer and bandleader based in Prague, performing across the Czech Republic. He leads line-ups from duo to quintet — jazzduo.cz, jazztrio.cz, jazzquartet.cz and jazzquintet.cz — and has played more than 320 events since 2015: corporate evenings, receptions, gallery openings, hotel and restaurant nights, weddings and festivals. More on his personal site davidklenha.cz.

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