What Does Live Music for a Corporate Event Cost? (2026)

What does live music for a corporate event cost in the Netherlands?

**Short answer:** Live music for a corporate event in the Netherlands runs from about €1,500 for a DJ with full production up to €6,000 or more for a full party band with sound and light. A four-piece band starts at €3,000 with production included, each extra musician adds €500, a jazz trio for a reception starts at €1,400, and a DJ on its own starts at €850. At Lupa Entertainment we have produced more than 300 events since 2018 for clients including Heineken, Microsoft, Salesforce, Booking.com and ING, and these are the real numbers we quote from. Every event is still priced individually.

By Noam Bargil, founder of Lupa Entertainment and bandleader of Benga Band Amsterdam.

Most agencies hide their pricing. We do not, because a budget conversation that starts honest ends faster. Below are the formats companies book most, what each one costs, what is already included, and where the real money goes.

What goes into the price of corporate event music?

Three things move the number more than anything else: the size of the act, the length of the performance, and the production (sound and light). From our four-piece band upward, sound and light are already included in the price, which is the single most common surprise for first-time corporate bookers. A bare DJ booking does not include a PA for a 300-person room, and that gap is where unbudgeted costs appear.

The other drivers are travel beyond the Randstad, an early load-in for a venue with restricted access, and overtime past the booked set length. None of these are hidden when you ask for an itemised quote, which is the entire point of asking for one.

How much does a corporate party band cost?

A corporate party band is the highest-impact and highest-cost option, and for an end-of-year party or a milestone celebration it is usually the right one.

| Format | From (incl. sound and light) | Fits |

|---|---|---|

| 4-piece band | €3,000 | 60 to 150 guests, dinner plus dance floor |

| 5-piece band | €3,500 | 100 to 250 guests, fuller sound |

| 6-piece band | €4,000 | 150 to 400 guests, full show |

| 7 to 9 piece band | €4,500 and up | 300 plus guests, gala and brand events |

Each additional musician beyond the four-piece base adds €500. These are starting prices for the Netherlands and Lupa quotes every event individually. Our most booked corporate party band is Benga Band, a funk, Latin and pop covers act that has played end-of-year parties at the Gashouder in Amsterdam.

How much does a DJ or DJ plus live musician cost?

A DJ alone starts at €850. A DJ with full sound and light production for a real corporate room starts at €1,500. The format companies ask for most, though, is a DJ with a live musician over the top, because it gives a launch or a brand activation a live focal point without the footprint of a full band.

Our two signature hybrids are Drumpet Disco, a DJ with live trumpet and drums, and Golden Sax, a live saxophonist over a DJ set. Both typically run between a DJ with production and a small band. For the full breakdown of the band, DJ, or both decision, see Corporate Event Entertainment: Live Band, DJ, or Both?.

How much does background jazz for a reception or dinner cost?

A jazz trio starts at €1,400, an acoustic duo at €1,000, and a soloist at €600. This is the most under-bought format in corporate events and the one we recommend most for networking receptions, award dinners, and the dinner phase of a gala. It fills the room without competing with conversation or with a CEO speech.

Our most booked option here is Dupa Trio, a jazz trio that played the Microsoft keynote dinner at the Rijksmuseum. A common and cost-effective structure is jazz during dinner, then a band or DJ after the speeches, on one invoice.

What hidden costs should you budget for?

Four line items catch first-time corporate bookers, and all four are avoidable if you ask the right question up front.

For the full list of avoidable budget mistakes, read Common Mistakes When Booking Corporate Event Music.

How to get the most value from a corporate music budget

The highest-value move is rarely a bigger band. It is matching the format to the moment. A €1,400 jazz trio during a networking reception does more for the room than an extra €1,000 of band you booked for a crowd that is still arriving and talking.

The second lever is combining formats on one invoice: a trio for dinner and a band or DJ for the dance floor, coordinated by one person so there is no gap between courses and the first song. Before you sign anything, walk through the questions every corporate booker should ask.

Which Lupa acts do companies book most?

Benga Band for the dance floor, Dupa Trio for receptions and dinners, Drumpet Disco and Golden Sax for launches and brand activations, and Savoy for swing and soul at galas. We have produced events for Heineken, Microsoft, Salesforce, Booking.com, IBM, Canon, ING, and Tommy Hilfiger at venues from the Rijksmuseum to Westergasfabriek. Browse the full roster for live video of each act.

What a real corporate booking looks like

Two examples from our own calendar show how the numbers play out. For a Microsoft keynote dinner at the Rijksmuseum we placed Dupa Trio as a jazz trio through the dinner, sized so the room could hear speeches without the band stopping and restarting. For an end-of-year corporate party at the Gashouder in Amsterdam we placed Benga Band as a full party band with sound and light included, which is the line item that would otherwise have been a separate PA hire.

The pattern across both is the same. The format was chosen for the moment, the production was bundled rather than tacked on, and one coordinator ran the night so the client was not managing musicians at 23:00. That is where a clear quote turns into a clean evening.

Frequently asked questions

How much does live music for a corporate event cost in the Netherlands?

From about €1,500 for a DJ with full production to €6,000 or more for a full party band. A four-piece band with sound and light included starts at €3,000. These are starting prices and Lupa quotes every event individually.

Is sound and light included in the band price?

Yes, from our four-piece band upward, sound and light are included in the quoted price. For a bare DJ booking they are usually not, so confirm in writing who supplies the PA for your room size.

How much does a corporate DJ cost?

A DJ alone starts at €850, and a DJ with full sound and light production starts at €1,500. A DJ with a live saxophonist or trumpet over the top sits between a production DJ and a small band.

What is the cheapest good option for a corporate reception?

A jazz trio from €1,400 or an acoustic duo from €1,000. For a networking reception or a dinner this often does more for the room than a larger act, because it fills the space without competing with conversation.

How far in advance should we book?

For peak dates, especially December company parties, three to six months ahead. The best acts for a specific date go first, and December books out earliest of any month.

Can we combine a trio for dinner and a band for the dance floor?

Yes, and it is one of the best value structures we book. You get the right sound for each phase of the night on one invoice, coordinated by one person so there is no gap between dinner and the first dance.

Next step

Tell us your date, venue, guest count, and which moments matter most (reception, dinner, speeches, dance floor). We reply within 12 hours with two or three act suggestions and an itemised quote. Request a proposal or browse the full roster.

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