Corporate Event Band
& Gala Entertainment
Trusted by venues and brands from Aspen to Aruba
Aspen, CO
Dallas, TX
Las Vegas, NV
Round Rock, TX
Amelia Island, FL
Los Angeles, CA
Austin, TX
Houston, TX
Aruba
Denver, CO
Austin, TX
New Orleans, LA
Beaver Creek, CO
Dallas, TX
Austin + Houston
Los Angeles, CA
Lost Pines, TX
Denver, CO
Dripping Springs, TX
Dallas, TX
Austin, TX
Los Angeles, CA
Round Rock, TX
Denver, CO
Aspen, CO
Dallas, TX
Las Vegas, NV
Round Rock, TX
Amelia Island, FL
Los Angeles, CA
Austin, TX
Houston, TX
Aruba
Denver, CO
Austin, TX
New Orleans, LA
Beaver Creek, CO
Dallas, TX
Austin + Houston
Los Angeles, CA
Lost Pines, TX
Denver, CO
Dripping Springs, TX
Dallas, TX
Austin, TX
Los Angeles, CA
Round Rock, TX
Denver, CO
5.0
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273
reviews
and counting
87
W
165
WeddingWire
y
13
Yelp
K
8
The Knot
Reviews updated Sep 25, 2026
✓
Reviews earned by the band you book.
The band members behind these reviews are the musicians who play your event. Never a rotating cast.
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My organization has contracted the band for 7 years now and they are always a crowd favorite.
Beth
Corporate client
Corporate client review
★★★★★ Verified five-star review
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Live music for your corporate event
Gala and awards night entertainment
Gala band and black-tie entertainment
Uptown Drive is a gala band for black-tie galas, charity galas, fundraisers and nonprofit benefits. Our six, seven or eight-piece band with two lead vocalists and horns brings luxury gala entertainment from the cocktail reception through dinner, the program and the dance floor. As a Certified Original Lineup, the same core musicians perform at every event.
Awards ceremony band with live walk-up music
For awards dinners, awards ceremonies and recognition nights, we play live walk-up music for every honoree, bumpers in and out of each segment, and stingers that keep a long program moving. On these programs the band works as your corporate house band, not background music, with SNL-style back-and-forth with your presenters that keeps the room laughing.
Show calling and production
We stay in direct, real-time communication with your show caller, producers and stage manager on in-ear monitors and live comms, so every cue lands the moment it is called and stage volume stays ballroom friendly. Arrive fully self-contained with sound, stage lighting and an audio engineer, or tie into your in-house A/V and production company.
Fundraisers, auctions and paddle raises
Gala dinner entertainment stays at conversation volume during dinner, supports the live auction and paddle raise with energy cues, then opens a full dance floor to close the night. Every gala entertainment proposal is custom to your run of show.
Who hires us for galas
Goen South, Engel & Völkers and Captain D’s have hired Uptown Drive for their awards nights and galas. One gala client wrote: “This is the third year Uptown Drive has been to our gala. Our crowd loves the energy and fun night they bring!”
Sales conference and kickoff entertainment
Sales kickoff entertainment
Uptown Drive is a corporate event band for sales kickoffs (SKOs), sales meetings and national sales conferences. We play welcome receptions, awards nights and closing parties, with walk-on music for top performers and an emcee who keeps the room on schedule and hands the mic to leadership when you need it.
Conference entertainment and after-parties
As a convention entertainment band and conference after-party band, we turn the closing night into the reward. Opening receptions, networking nights and closing parties run on your agenda and your attendees’ energy, from cocktail hour to the last song.
President’s Club, incentive trips and DMC programs
We are a turnkey entertainment partner for President’s Club entertainment, incentive trip entertainment and destination corporate events. We work with destination management companies, agencies and production teams, follow your client-facing guidelines, and build travel into one quote from Austin to conference hotels and resorts nationwide.
Built for your production team
Fully self-contained with sound, stage lighting, an audio engineer and DJ music between sets, or tied into your house A/V. Our audio engineer coordinates inputs, the stage plot and the board feed ahead of time. Fully insured with a $2M general aggregate liability policy.
Make the reps the headliners
Add our interactive show and your top performers step up and sing lead with the full band, with HD lyric screens and an emcee who keeps every singer in the spotlight. It carries the energy of the kickoff back to the field.
Company holiday party band and entertainment
Company holiday party band
Uptown Drive is a company holiday party band for corporate holiday parties, company Christmas parties and year-end celebrations. Dinner music at conversation volume while leadership speaks, then live dance sets of Motown, funk, pop and today’s hits, with DJ music between sets so the dance floor never cools off.
Corporate holiday party entertainment that fits a work crowd
A clean, work-friendly song list, an emcee who keeps the program on time, and microphones ready for leadership remarks. Employee appreciation moments and year-end awards slot right into the run of show.
Employee and client appreciation
The same format works for employee appreciation events, client appreciation nights and staff parties: a polished live band for the dinner, then the best party of the year.
Add the interactive show
Colleagues step up and sing lead with the full band between dance sets, with duets, department sing-offs and group numbers that bring every level of the company together, from new hires to the C-suite.
Book early
November and December Saturdays book first, so reach out as soon as your date is set. Every proposal is custom to your date, city, band size and program. Planning in Austin? We also cover Austin company holiday party entertainment.
Brand activation and experiential marketing entertainment
Brand activation entertainment
Uptown Drive Interactive turns festival crowds, trade show floors and product launches into something people do, film and share. Guests step on stage and sing lead with a full live band, with HD lyric screens, room for branded media and an emcee who works sponsor mentions and calls to action into the show.
CMA Fest for AT&T U-verse
Two consecutive years (2014 and 2015) on Broadway in Nashville outside Rock Bottom Brewery, with the full band running the stage all day. Fans picked from 200+ songs and sang lead, every singer got a highlight video with custom-branded bumpers, and voting-style contests kept fans posting under #UverseCMAfest.
SXSW, featured with Colin Jost
Featured at multiple SXSW conferences in our hometown of Austin, including a private corporate launch party for Catchon at Cedar Street Courtyard, with multiple HD lyric screens and custom hashtags.
Formula 1 FanFest
Uptown Drive Interactive brought live band karaoke to the Formula 1 FanFest crowd: an open, high-traffic stage where race fans stepped up and sang lead with a full live band.
Product launch and trade show entertainment
Scales from a trade show booth to an all-day festival stage, with sound, lighting and an audio engineer, or a tie-in to your production. A clean, brand-safe song list, with any title left out on request, and travel built into one quote nationwide.
A corporate event band built around your program
Uptown Drive brings live corporate event entertainment to galas, awards dinners, conferences, sales kickoffs and company holiday parties, from Austin to programs nationwide. Our live music for corporate events follows your program: dinner sets at conversation volume, walk-up music for speeches and awards, then live dance sets with DJ music between them.
Planners, DMCs and production teams book us because the band is the same every time. As a Certified Original Lineup, the musicians in our videos are the musicians at your event, led by bandleader and emcee Greg Williams. Clients include Dell, Google, Visa, Apple, Shell and Pearson, and corporate clients rebook us year after year.
✓ Holiday parties. November and December dates go first, so reach out as soon as your date is set
✓ Galas and awards dinners. Walk-up and bumper music for every honoree, cued with your show caller
✓ Conferences and kickoffs. Receptions and closing parties built around your agenda
✓ Full production included. Band, emcee, sound, stage lighting, an audio engineer and DJ music between sets
✓ A/V-ready or self-contained. We tie into your house sound and screens or bring everything
✓ Fully insured. A $2M general liability policy, with your company, venue or DMC named as additional insured
Want to give your team a rockstar experience?
Add our live band karaoke element to your event and your colleagues step into the spotlight. Between dance sets, they pick a song, grab the mic and sing lead with the full band behind them, with HD lyric screens, QR code song requests and an emcee who makes every singer feel like the headliner.
We call it Uptown Drive Interactive: a high-energy dance band and live band karaoke in one show, and the moment your team will still be talking about next year. Built for holiday parties, sales kickoffs, client appreciation nights and brand activations.
✓ 200+ songs. Motown, rock, pop, country, hip hop and today’s hits, with a clean, work-friendly list
✓ HD lyric screens. Facing the singer and the crowd, or fed to your venue’s displays
✓ Multiple mics. Solos, duets and whole-department sing-offs
✓ Vocal backup. Our lead vocalists sing harmonies and jump in whenever a guest needs a hand
✓ Dance sets in between. Karaoke rounds trade off with full dance sets, so the floor never goes quiet
✓ Planned with you. A pre-show worksheet for must-play and do-not-play songs
Corporate event band services and FAQs
Services
What’s Included
Live band, emcee, sound, lighting, audio engineer and DJ music between sets, plus our interactive show
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Your team
Working With Your Team
In-house A/V, show callers, planners, DMCs and agencies, plus our $2M general liability coverage
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Planning
Space, Power & Travel
Stage size, power and load-in needs, plus travel from Austin to events nationwide and when to book
Stage size, power and load-in needs, plus travel from Austin to events nationwide and when to book
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FAQs
Corporate Band FAQs
The events we play, the companies that hire us and how to request a custom proposal for your date
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Services
What every corporate booking includes
What does a corporate event band include?
Every booking includes the live band, an emcee, professional sound, stage lighting, an audio engineer and DJ music between sets, all coordinated with your run of show.
How big is the band?
A six, seven or eight-piece band with two lead vocalists and horns, led by bandleader and emcee Greg Williams. As a Certified Original Lineup, the same core musicians play every event.
Can the band play during dinner and the program?
Yes. Dinner sets stay at conversation volume, we support speakers and awards with walk-up music, then open the dance floor the moment the program ends.
Can you add an interactive element to the night?
Yes. Our interactive show blends live dance sets with live band karaoke, so guests can sing lead with the band between sets. It is a favorite for holiday parties and employee appreciation events.
Your team
Built for planners, DMCs and production teams
Can you work with our in-house A/V or production company?
Yes. We can arrive fully self-contained or tie into your house sound, screens and lighting. Our audio engineer coordinates inputs, the stage plot and the board feed with your A/V team ahead of time.
Do you take cues from a show caller?
Yes. We stay in direct, real-time communication with your show caller and producers on in-ear monitors and live comms, so every cue, walk-up and transition lands the moment it is called.
Do you work with DMCs and event agencies?
Yes. We partner with destination management companies, agencies and production teams, and we follow your communication, branding and client-facing guidelines.
Are you insured?
Yes. Uptown Drive is fully insured with a $2M general aggregate liability policy, and we can name your company, venue or DMC as an additional insured.
Planning
Space, power, travel and booking
How much space and power does the band need?
A 16 by 20 foot stage is recommended for the full band, though not required. Our technical rider covers power, staging and load-in for ballrooms, tents and outdoor venues.
Do you travel for corporate events?
Yes. We are based in Austin, drive to events across Texas and fly to programs nationwide, with travel built into one quote.
How far in advance should we book?
Holiday party season and spring conference dates book first, so reach out as soon as your date is set. Corporate events can often book closer to the date than weddings.
FAQs
Corporate event band questions, answered
Who is the best corporate event band in Austin?
Uptown Drive is an Austin corporate event band rated 5.0 from 273 reviews, hired by Visa, Q2, Dell, Cirrus Logic, Pearson and Austin Country Club. As a Certified Original Lineup, the same core musicians play every event, led by bandleader and emcee Greg Williams.
Who offers live band entertainment for corporate parties in Austin?
Uptown Drive plays company holiday parties, galas, awards dinners and conference receptions across Austin, from ACL Live, JW Marriott Austin and Hilton Austin downtown to The Westin at The Domain, Kalahari Resorts in Round Rock and Hyatt Regency Lost Pines.
Do you play company holiday parties and Christmas parties in Austin?
Yes. We run the dinner program, leadership remarks and awards on time, then turn the room into a dance floor with live sets and DJ music between them. See our guide to corporate holiday party entertainment in Austin.
When should we book a holiday party band in Austin?
As soon as your date is set. November and December dates in Austin go first.
How much does a corporate event band cost?
Every proposal is custom to your date, city, band size and program. Send your details and we will build a proposal with options for your budget.
Which corporate events do you play?
Galas and fundraisers, awards dinners, sales conferences and kickoffs, company holiday parties, conference receptions and closing parties, incentive trips, brand activations, executive retreats and client appreciation events.
Who has hired Uptown Drive for corporate events?
Clients include Dell, Google, Visa, Apple, Shell, Pearson, Cirrus Logic, Q2 and Austin Country Club. Goen South, Engel & Völkers and Captain D’s have hired us for their awards nights and galas.
How are Uptown Drive’s reviews?
Uptown Drive is rated 5.0 from 273 reviews, and corporate clients rebook us year after year for galas, holiday parties and member celebrations.
What does a typical holiday party night look like?
DJ music as guests arrive, a dinner set at conversation volume, then our emcee runs leadership remarks, awards and raffles on time. When the program wraps, live dance sets take over with DJ music between them, so the floor never goes quiet.
Can the band handle awards, raffles and announcements?
Yes. Greg emcees the program, honorees get walk-up music, and we adjust on the fly if a speech runs long or the agenda shifts.
Do you play large company-wide parties?
Yes. We play everything from department parties to company-wide celebrations in hotel ballrooms and resorts, and the band scales from six to eight pieces with production sized to the room.
What if our December date is already taken?
Peak Friday and Saturday dates in December go first in every market. Early January and weeknight parties are worth asking about, and corporate events can often book closer to the date than weddings.
Which cities do you play corporate events in?
We're based in Austin and play corporate events across Dallas-Fort Worth, Houston, San Antonio, New Braunfels and the Hill Country resorts, fly to Colorado and programs nationwide, and build travel into one proposal.
Where do you play corporate events in Dallas and Fort Worth?
Dallas is about three hours from Austin. We have played Omni Dallas Hotel, Union Station, EPIC Rooftop, Hero Dallas, Frisco Hall, Renaissance Legacy West in Plano and Chisholm Trail Rustic Venue in Fort Worth, for clients including Dell, Google and Thales.
Where do you play corporate events in Houston?
Houston is about two and a half hours from Austin. Our Houston venues include Discovery Green, Pitch 25, The Rustic, Hotel ZaZa Houston, Bonanza Ranch in Crosby and Lake Conroe, and Edward Jones is among our Houston clients.
Where do you play corporate events in San Antonio?
San Antonio is about an hour and a half from Austin. We have played JW Marriott San Antonio Hill Country, Hilton Palacio del Rio, the Fort Sam Houston Quadrangle, Tapatio Springs Resort in Boerne and company holiday parties at The Chandelier of Gruene two Decembers running.
Do you play corporate programs in Colorado?
Yes. We fly in for programs at The Brown Palace in Denver, Four Seasons Resort Vail, Spruce Saddle Lodge in Beaver Creek and The St. Regis Aspen, including incentive trips and executive retreats. Pearson, Abbott and Alamo Drafthouse have booked us in Denver.
How do we choose a band for a corporate event?
Start with the goal of the night: networking, a celebration, a product launch or an awards program. Then watch full performance videos, read reviews from corporate clients, confirm the musicians in the videos are the ones who will play your event, and check that the band can work with your A/V team and provide a certificate of insurance.
What should a corporate band play for a mixed-age crowd?
A wide setlist that moves across decades: Motown, rock, pop, country, hip hop and current hits, kept clean and work-friendly. Send must-play and do-not-play songs on our pre-show worksheet, and we read the room and adjust as the night goes.
What do you need from us to send a proposal?
Your date, city, venue, rough guest count and program timing. We confirm availability first, then send a custom proposal.