According to Google, an entourage is a group of people attending or surrounding an important person.
However, because we are in Namibia…we must “Namibianise” that definition. In Namibia, an entourage is a group of drunk and rowdy people who play no significant role in the entertainer’s FINAL output on stage. Entourages are an age old headache for event’s managers in the land of the brave. Events managers organise events with the aim to break even. However, events managers find themselves in a predicament where there are more people backstage than in the audience. That is never a good sign for an events manager.
It must be said that events managers do not disregard the importance of an entourage. But what events managers disregard are members of that entourage that do not have a professional role to play. If the entourage consists of friends, family members, exes, sides chicks/guys and current boyfriends/girlfriends plus a manager who is accompanied by their friends, family members, exes, side chicks/guys and current girlfriend/boyfriend than you are bound to have issues at the entrance.
An entourage is supposed to be made of up professionals who will ultimately end up on stage with the entertainer or help the entertainer off stage by enhancing their output on stage. A professional entourage should consist of a photographer/videographer, social media specialist, Dj, dancers and a backup vocalist. If there is a band involved, that number will balloon. Thus prior consultations before the show would be wise. A compromise will have to be the order of the day for the business to continue.
Events managers can’t afford to have zombies #AmupandaVoice accompanying the entertainer. Sallymoves with her husband Dj KBozz as her Dj and two dancers. The Dogg moves around with his dancers. Exit moves around with his dancers and his manager.
Gazza moves around with his photographer/videographer and his dancers. Big Ben moves around with his band and in the absence of his band, he simply moves around with his guitar! Oteya moves around with her husband as her manager, dancers, stylist and her Dj. Judging from these brands, the average number of people that forms part of their entourage is 5.
Five is good. That’s a good number for an events manager. Anything more than that, events managers will understandably have issues. Especially if there are extras in the entourage who do not add any value. But who are these events managers to decide whether your extras carry value or not, right? Again, that is where prior briefing sessions are key. Pitching up at a gig without prior dialogue with an entourage will just cause unnecessary and embarrassing confrontations at the entrance.
One last thing, events managers hate it when a member of an entourage wants to voice their opinion for some or other reason. I understand why events managers would hate this. This is because events managers were dealing the whole week/month/year with one contact person. Now all of the sudden at the event…everybody wants to dictate to the event manager’s wishes. Call it
Entourage etiquette. Members of the entourage need to shut up and let the contact person and events manager execute the much needed dialogue at the show. Having an entourage? No problem. Bringing the whole Oshakati West? That’s an issue.
Until the next Loop, we say #GMTM
Song of the week: Dr. H: Ek dalla die shandi
Flop of the week: Jay Five: I love it
Are you going to have a stand at the Ongwediva Trade Fair and in need of a brand activator? Contact NSK for a quote at naobebsekind@gmail.com @naobebsekind (twitter)