Rock Band released in November of 2007, which to me already hurts my aging brain, but ever since it released, I have hosted countless Rock Band parties, at all sorts of venues, to a plethora of thirsty music roadies. The pinnacle of my parties peaked at Rock Band 2, but I try to keep the tradition I have had since college alive and thriving, at least annually. So, with some effort on my part please check out my suggestions to amp up your next gig.   

Soundcheck: I have had a lot of parties involving Rock Band, but nothing throws a damper on the situation like not having working input devices or batteries. It is your duty as the host to make sure all instruments are operational, are calibrated to the screen, and you have double AA power cells on hand. Don’t let your Rock Band party end in Megadeth, unless you like that sort of thing.

Keep pizza handy: A good party always has food, mainly frozen or delivered pizza. When I have a party, I make sure I have the essentials to feed the crowd and avoid a mosh pit from erupting any moment due to lack of nutrition. I also supply the water and other hydrating or dehydrating liquids. I usually ask each member of the band to bring something to share with their fellow music enthusiasts, this makes for a variety of consumables for everyone to snack on.    

Add to the playlist: I have a lot of songs, around 500 or so to be exact, but it never hurts to add to the track set. I once added my credit card to my PlayStation account and told everyone to pick some songs from the online store. I went to get some food and when I came back, I had a lot of new songs such as Cheeseburger in Paradise, which really boosted the fanfare in the living room. If you don’t want to spend too much you can buy a PlayStation card to have a set amount and pick names from a hat to use the preloaded money to buy a song that they want to rock out to. One other solution is to ask if guests want to chip in money to purchase songs, though this rift is not as classy as the other suggestions.       

Include everyone during jam sessions: Sometimes people want to play certain instruments or if you’re like me you just want to do the singing most of the time. But whatever you decide to do make sure everyone has a role and is included in the fun. Don’t force anyone to do something they don’t want to do but encourage them to try everything and promise to not take too many videos or pictures for black mail purposes. Fun is key to a successful music marathon.  

With these suggestions you will be prepared for any upcoming musical shindig whether it be Rock Band related or not. When you bond over music, games, and a factitious band name you swear you created sober, you are all sure to have a swell time, and you know everyone is waiting for an encore. Sometimes it really has nothing to do with what you’re doing, but the fun and friendships that can be made when you come together. So, grab a plastic guitar, some wooden sticks, or that hip microphone and become one with the band.   

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Shane Kelley is a Staff writer for Boss Rush Network, as well as a writer for Another Zelda Podcast. His favorite game is The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time. You can find him on Twitter to talk video games, Marvel, and axe throwing.

Sources: Taken by Author