Julbord with live music: how to fill your restaurant in December
Short answer
A troubadour or saxophonist playing during the julbord turns the sitting into an experience guests book again, and a DJ afterwards keeps groups at the venue ordering more. Plan December as a series, book the same artists for several nights and send your requests in October.
December is the month when a restaurant or hotel can post its best result of the year, and the month when the competition for groups is fiercest. The julbord, the Swedish Christmas buffet that companies and groups of friends book every year, is on almost every menu in the country. Everyone serves pickled herring, everyone has a Christmas tree. What makes a company choose you, come back next year and stay on after dessert is the atmosphere, and the most effective way to create it is live music. This guide shows how to set up a julbord with live music so that it covers its costs and then some.
Why live music at the julbord pays off
Live music at the julbord does three things for the business. It turns the sitting into something that sells itself in the booking email, when you can write "julbord with a troubadour" instead of just "julbord". It keeps groups at the table longer, which means more drinks and more after-dinner brandy once the meal is over. And it gets guests talking about the night afterwards, which is the marketing that fills next year's December.
The cost of a troubadour for one night often equals just a few extra groups, or half an hour's longer stay from the guests already seated. Work it out per night, not per season, and the decision is easy. If it covers the whole of December, it is also a set-up where you can get a better price per night by booking the same artist several times.
Troubadour, saxophonist or DJ: what suits your restaurant?
The choice depends on what your julbord looks like. If you serve lots of smaller groups in the same dining room, a troubadour or a saxophonist who plays in sets and moves between rooms is the right choice, since guests sit at different tables and arrive at different times. If you have a function room with one large group per night, a troubadour during dinner and a DJ afterwards is the combination that pays off most, because the group can dance and stay until closing.
| Artist | Suits | Set-up |
|---|---|---|
| Troubadour | Dining room with several groups, hotel restaurant | Two to three 45-minute sets, Christmas songs and a sing-along over dessert |
| Saxophonist | Hotel, mulled wine reception, premium julbord | One to two sets of 30–45 minutes, in the bar and the dining room |
| DJ | Function room with one group, julbord that turns into a party | From clearing the tables until closing, at least three hours |
A longer run-through of what each type of artist brings to the night is in the guide to Christmas party entertainment.
Plan December as a series, not as one-off nights
The most common mistake is booking entertainment night by night as the groups roll in. It is expensive, takes time and gives you different quality on different nights. Instead, draw up a schedule for the whole of December in October: which nights will have a troubadour, which will have a DJ and which will be quiet. Then book the same artist for every troubadour night and the same DJ for every party night. The artist gets to know the venue, your staff avoid a new set-up every time, and the price per night is better.
If you have a booking system that keeps track of which nights have which artist, who has confirmed and what has been invoiced, you also save admin time in December, when you need it most. That is how Jocky's booking system for venues works: you see every booking in one calendar, artists confirm in the app and invoicing is handled in the platform.
How much does live music for a julbord cost?
A professional troubadour or DJ usually costs SEK 6,000–15,000 per night. For a restaurant the troubadour often falls in the lower part of the range, since you have your own sound system, the playing time is limited to the meal and weekdays are common. Fridays and Saturdays in December cost more. Saxophonists price per set and vary more. What affects the price in detail is covered in the guides how much does a troubadour cost and how much does a DJ cost.
If you book through Jocky, you pay no monthly fee, just a fee of 5 % per booked gig on top of the artist's fee. Contracts, reminders and invoicing are included, and artists are paid through the platform. The details are on the pricing page.
Practicalities: sound, placement and timings
Most restaurants have a sound system a troubadour or saxophonist can plug into, but check that there is a socket where the artist will stand and that the volume can be controlled room by room. Place the artist where most guests can see them without getting in the way of service, ideally near the bar during the drinks and in the middle of the dining room during the meal. Agree timings with the kitchen: the troubadour plays between courses, not while the mains are being carried out.
Brief your staff on the plan for the night, so they know when the artist takes a break and can tell guests that the dance floor opens after dessert. That is often the difference between a group that goes home after coffee and one that stays until closing.
How to sell your julbord with live music
Put the entertainment in the offer. "Julbord with a troubadour on Fridays and Saturdays" or "Julbord with live saxophone in the bar from 6pm" says more than a list of herring varieties, and it gives the person booking for their company something to justify the choice with. Add the artist's name and a photo to your website and the booking confirmation, and use the nights with a DJ as a selling point for groups who want to keep the party going without changing venue.
More on how live music works as a regular feature all year round is in the guide to live music at restaurants.
Checklist for a julbord with live music
- December is scheduled in October: which nights have a troubadour, saxophonist or DJ.
- The same artist is booked for several nights for a better price and less admin.
- Sound, placement and timings are agreed with the kitchen and front of house.
- The entertainment is in the offer, on the website and in the booking confirmation.
- All bookings, confirmations and invoices are in one place.
How to book artists for your julbord with Jocky
- Set up the nights. Create a request per night or for a whole series, with times, venue and the type of artist you want.
- Get suggestions from available artists. The request goes to verified troubadours, saxophonists and DJs who are free on your dates, and you compare profiles and prices in the calendar.
- Confirm and relax. Artists confirm in the app, contracts are created automatically and invoicing is handled in the platform.
Want to get started straight away? You can book a troubadour or book a saxophonist on Jocky, or book a demo and we will show you how the booking system works for your restaurant.
Frequently asked questions about julbord with live music
Is live music at a julbord worth it?
Yes, in most cases. Live music makes the julbord easier to sell in the booking email, keeps groups at the table longer ordering more after the meal, and gets guests talking about the night afterwards. The cost of a troubadour for one night often equals just a few extra groups. Work it out per night and the decision is easy.
Which artist works best for a julbord at a restaurant?
A troubadour or saxophonist works best in a dining room with several groups, since they play in sets and create atmosphere in the background. In a function room with one group per night, a troubadour during dinner and a DJ afterwards is the set-up that pays off most, because the group can stay and dance until closing.
How much does a troubadour cost for a restaurant julbord?
A professional troubadour usually costs SEK 6,000–15,000 per night. For a restaurant the price often falls in the lower part of the range, since you have your own sound system and the playing time is limited to the meal. Fridays and Saturdays in December cost more, and if you book the same troubadour for several nights the price per night can come down.
When should we book artists for December?
In October, when you draw up the julbord schedule. Fridays and Saturdays in December are the most sought-after dates of the year, and the best artists are often fully booked by November. On Jocky you only see artists who are free on your dates, so there is no need to email around.
How do we keep track of lots of bookings in December?
Use a booking system where every night, artist, confirmation and invoice is in one place. In Jocky you see December in one calendar, artists confirm in the app, contracts are created automatically and invoicing is handled in the platform. There is no monthly fee, just 5 % per booked gig.
