How to search GigSalad

GigSalad is designed to help you find and hire musicians, entertainers, and service providers in your area. You can do so by searching specifically for what you need or by browsing our site for ideas.

Search for specific services

If you know what you are looking for, begin by typing what you want (i.e. Costumed Character, Bartender, Cover Band) into the search bar on the homepage or at the top of any page. You'll then be able to scroll down and browse vendors in your area. The results will be ordered based on a variety of criteria, putting the best options that are closest to you at the top. You can click on a vendor's photo to see their full profile, which will include more details about their service and possibly photos, videos, and audio samples, depending on what they've uploaded.

Change your location

The website automatically detects your current location when providing search results. However, sometimes you may need to find a vendor in a different location than where you are searching.

Here's how you change it:

Once you are on a search result page, click on the city and state at the top of the page.
A box will appear for you to enter a new city. Start typing and select the right city from the suggestions, then click Save.

All searches will now be done in the new city and state unless you change it.

Choosing vendors

As you are browsing search results, click on a vendor's photo to open up their full profile. To find the best match for your event, you should look for a few different things.

Do they have good reviews? Browsing reviews left by past clients is the best way to see how good a vendor is and if they might meet your needs. We require all reviews to be email verified and we monitor them daily to ensure their validity. You may notice a Verified Review label on some of the reviews. These reviews were left by clients who booked that vendor through GigSalad.
Where are they located? Vendors set a travel distance for each service they provide to determine what searches they show up in. Even if a vendor isn't nearby, if you see them in your search results it means they've included your city in their travel radius. However, a greater distance often comes with additional travel fees. If you aren't prepared or able to pay a higher cost, you may only want to choose a vendor that's in your immediate area.
Do they have any media to look at? Media such as videos, photos, and audio samples will appear at the top of the profile. Use the icons below the gallery to easily jump between the different types of media. If no media is present, it's because the vendor has not yet uploaded any. You may still send a quote request and ask that they send you material with their quotes if you'd like to see it before booking.
Do they have additional booking info to review? The Booking Info section of the profile may give you pertinent details like their setlist, specifics about their performance, and setup requirements. You can also read their full bio and see all of the services they offer.

Top Performers

While browsing the site, you may see a Top Performer label on some profiles. These are the vendors that we have determined, based on verifiable data, to be committed professionals, exceptional performers, and quick responders. We consider booking history, review ratings, and response rates when assigning Top Performer statuses.

Get ideas

If you aren't sure what you want or simply don't know where to start with a specific search, click Menu at the top of the page to see an overview of our 4 major category groups. You can click on a group to see a list of categories broken down into more specific groups. Click a single category to choose your city and see the results of vendors in your area.

Still not sure where to start or which vendor to choose? Skip the search and request quotes from multiple vendors at once. Just fill out your event details and we'll send your request to the most appropriate vendors for you. You'll find this option at the top of every search result page.

You can also browse our party ideas to find articles with party tips specific to the type of event you are planning.