Help - Trying to find a decent band for my wedding
Discussion
Hi all,
Thought I'd try and make use of the vast ph knowledge base ...
I'm getting married next July and we've been trying to book a band for the last few months to play in the evening. We initlaly had a booking with a local group, but that fell through and so have been looking again.
All we're after is a good covers band.
During the search we've come across three agencies
Warble
Fantasia
Ear Candy
THas any one come across these ? WE've been looking at the T&C's and some are quite stringent, i.e the band must have a locked room - yet when we've queired it with the agency as the venue might not have one, they have come back and said dont worry they can use their van - but wouldn't change the T&C's
As you can imagine we dont want to get caught out if something goes wrong esp if it's down to things like the above.
Thought I'd try and make use of the vast ph knowledge base ...
I'm getting married next July and we've been trying to book a band for the last few months to play in the evening. We initlaly had a booking with a local group, but that fell through and so have been looking again.
All we're after is a good covers band.
During the search we've come across three agencies
Warble
Fantasia
Ear Candy
THas any one come across these ? WE've been looking at the T&C's and some are quite stringent, i.e the band must have a locked room - yet when we've queired it with the agency as the venue might not have one, they have come back and said dont worry they can use their van - but wouldn't change the T&C's
As you can imagine we dont want to get caught out if something goes wrong esp if it's down to things like the above.
paul_y3k said:
Hi all,
Thought I'd try and make use of the vast ph knowledge base ...
I'm getting married next July and we've been trying to book a band for the last few months to play in the evening. We initlaly had a booking with a local group, but that fell through and so have been looking again.
All we're after is a good covers band.
During the search we've come across three agencies
Warble
Fantasia
Ear Candy
THas any one come across these ? WE've been looking at the T&C's and some are quite stringent, i.e the band must have a locked room - yet when we've queired it with the agency as the venue might not have one, they have come back and said dont worry they can use their van - but wouldn't change the T&C's
As you can imagine we dont want to get caught out if something goes wrong esp if it's down to things like the above.
I wouldn't use an agency, but, instead use word of mouth.Thought I'd try and make use of the vast ph knowledge base ...
I'm getting married next July and we've been trying to book a band for the last few months to play in the evening. We initlaly had a booking with a local group, but that fell through and so have been looking again.
All we're after is a good covers band.
During the search we've come across three agencies
Warble
Fantasia
Ear Candy
THas any one come across these ? WE've been looking at the T&C's and some are quite stringent, i.e the band must have a locked room - yet when we've queired it with the agency as the venue might not have one, they have come back and said dont worry they can use their van - but wouldn't change the T&C's
As you can imagine we dont want to get caught out if something goes wrong esp if it's down to things like the above.
Where is the wedding happening? (What part of the country?)
Budget?
Number of guests?
There will be decent bands in and around your area - it's just finding them that's the problem.
Have you thought about going into a music shop (one that sells guitars, drums etc) in the nearest big town and having a chat? Those guys will know most of the local bands.
Check out some live music venues - who are the hot bands?
http://www.thebestof.co.uk/regional/gloucestershir...
Is your musical requirement particularly unusal?
Www.alivenetwork.co.uk
Search for Hipster
I use these guys for all my corporate and private clients. Simply stunning party covers band. No cheese, just pure musical skill and great audience interaction. Dance floor full for every set.
Search for Hipster
I use these guys for all my corporate and private clients. Simply stunning party covers band. No cheese, just pure musical skill and great audience interaction. Dance floor full for every set.
Here's a couple of bands I am aware of that are very good for this type if thing. By the way, I have no links to these bands other than have seen them.
Covers band - classic 70's 80's style stuff - not impressionists, just good players for the mixed type of audience that you will have at a wedding.
http://spikeynormanband.com/
Maybe a Beatles tribute? Everyone knows their stuff and a lot of it is mixed age party style. This Beatles tribute is very good - we had a blast down in a gig bar in Merazion a couple of years ago - the whole gig bar (even me!!) on its feet dancing, old, young - everyone. Even the coppers who came in at about half eleven dropped their hats and coats and joined in. They are based in the west country, but really are worth taking a look at.
http://notthebeatles.co.uk/
Some examples of their work:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FfAaXx7JlvI&fea...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=af1ZnDhfON4&fea...
Have a great day.
Covers band - classic 70's 80's style stuff - not impressionists, just good players for the mixed type of audience that you will have at a wedding.
http://spikeynormanband.com/
Maybe a Beatles tribute? Everyone knows their stuff and a lot of it is mixed age party style. This Beatles tribute is very good - we had a blast down in a gig bar in Merazion a couple of years ago - the whole gig bar (even me!!) on its feet dancing, old, young - everyone. Even the coppers who came in at about half eleven dropped their hats and coats and joined in. They are based in the west country, but really are worth taking a look at.
http://notthebeatles.co.uk/
Some examples of their work:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FfAaXx7JlvI&fea...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=af1ZnDhfON4&fea...
Have a great day.
Booked a band called 'The Funk Federation' for a party I had. Was very impressed, good mix of 60's/70's covers plus a few more contemporary numbers chucked in.
Everyone seemed to really enjoy them, and after the event 2 people that attended booked them for their own events (1 wedding and 1 21st party)
Have a contact for them somewhere if you fancy it?
ETA: Just seen your location, my event was in Cheltenham and I believe they are from the Swindon area so pretty local.
Everyone seemed to really enjoy them, and after the event 2 people that attended booked them for their own events (1 wedding and 1 21st party)
Have a contact for them somewhere if you fancy it?
ETA: Just seen your location, my event was in Cheltenham and I believe they are from the Swindon area so pretty local.
I'm looking for the same thing for summer 2013, I guy at the gym said try www.tribfest.org or .net
havn't looked yet but he also said word of mouth gets you on there
havn't looked yet but he also said word of mouth gets you on there
£1-£2k seems a lot to me for a wedding band! There must be local gig venues near you (probably quite a few), just have some nice nights out with the wife-to-be and see a few local bands playing, probably cost you £10 per ticket at most. If you find a band that are playing the same kind of music you'd want at your wedding (and playing it well), speak to them after the gig, you'll get a decent local band for £500 at most.
If not, you've added a few more gigs to your tally and had some nice nights out with the wife!
If not, you've added a few more gigs to your tally and had some nice nights out with the wife!
£1k to £2k might seem a lot to you... But:
If you book a local pub band you'll get... strangely enough, a local pub band. If you're happy with a few guys who want to play for their own pleasure and not yours and earn a few quid then that's fine. If you want professionals who play for a living, will be very capable at their job and have spent years studying to get to where they are then I'm afraid you will have to actually pay their wages and expenses just like you would any other professional.
Best advice is to only use Musicians Union members, and that means they should charge a minimum of the national gig rate which is £65 per man up to 2 hours, £78 upto 3 hours and £19.50 for each 30 minutes thereafter. After midnight is charged at time and a half, plus obviously you will be charged expenses to cover travel and subsistence. The hours you pay for are those that the musicians are required to be at your venue. This will include the time you have arranged for them to set up and sound check with your venue, arranged around the rest of your wedding. Your band may also carry a sound/lighting engineer and road crew who also need to be paid, but also consider that this cuts down on setup time you need to pay musicians for.
In hiring MU members you pretty much guarantee you are dealing with professionals who will have their equipment fully PAT tested which will be a requirement of most decent venues before the band are allowed to walk through the door and they will be fully covered by the MU public liability insurance program which covers them and you just in case one of your audience gets inebriated and trips over their laces and bangs their head on a wah-wah pedal and decides its the bands' fault. Being full time professionals they are also likely to be reading musicians who in the event of an illness in the band will be in a position to bring in a "dep" to cover a members absence rather than cancelling on you at last minute.
I gave up playing for a living a few years ago now, but I can say there are some really decent bands out there who will give you a great night and that you can deal with outside of an agency relationship saving yourself 20%, but if you do that, do make sure that the band has good PLI and the gear is up to scratch and they can show its regularly PAT tested.
I'd thoroughly recommend The Superlatives. I've worked with a few of the guys in the band over the years I was playing for a living and can definitely vouch for their ability, sound and character. They come as a 5, 7 or 10 piece band tailored to fit your venue and budget and have a huge repertoire and will work your crowd and tailor their set to the audience.
If you book a local pub band you'll get... strangely enough, a local pub band. If you're happy with a few guys who want to play for their own pleasure and not yours and earn a few quid then that's fine. If you want professionals who play for a living, will be very capable at their job and have spent years studying to get to where they are then I'm afraid you will have to actually pay their wages and expenses just like you would any other professional.
Best advice is to only use Musicians Union members, and that means they should charge a minimum of the national gig rate which is £65 per man up to 2 hours, £78 upto 3 hours and £19.50 for each 30 minutes thereafter. After midnight is charged at time and a half, plus obviously you will be charged expenses to cover travel and subsistence. The hours you pay for are those that the musicians are required to be at your venue. This will include the time you have arranged for them to set up and sound check with your venue, arranged around the rest of your wedding. Your band may also carry a sound/lighting engineer and road crew who also need to be paid, but also consider that this cuts down on setup time you need to pay musicians for.
In hiring MU members you pretty much guarantee you are dealing with professionals who will have their equipment fully PAT tested which will be a requirement of most decent venues before the band are allowed to walk through the door and they will be fully covered by the MU public liability insurance program which covers them and you just in case one of your audience gets inebriated and trips over their laces and bangs their head on a wah-wah pedal and decides its the bands' fault. Being full time professionals they are also likely to be reading musicians who in the event of an illness in the band will be in a position to bring in a "dep" to cover a members absence rather than cancelling on you at last minute.
I gave up playing for a living a few years ago now, but I can say there are some really decent bands out there who will give you a great night and that you can deal with outside of an agency relationship saving yourself 20%, but if you do that, do make sure that the band has good PLI and the gear is up to scratch and they can show its regularly PAT tested.
I'd thoroughly recommend The Superlatives. I've worked with a few of the guys in the band over the years I was playing for a living and can definitely vouch for their ability, sound and character. They come as a 5, 7 or 10 piece band tailored to fit your venue and budget and have a huge repertoire and will work your crowd and tailor their set to the audience.
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