Here are the most frequently asked questions I find myself being asked. If there’s something I haven’t covered here, feel free to get in touch and ask me, either through the Contact page or by emailing me at [email protected]
How much space do you need?
We’re used to squeezing ourselves into small corners, almost as much as we are enjoying the luxury of a grand stage!
As a rough guide, an area 6×3 metres is adequate but we can breathe in a little and fit ourselves into smaller areas. For very small venues (intimate private dining spaces/living room gigs etc) we can strip things right back to accommodate, or I can perform solo or in my acoustic duo/trio. Get in touch if you’ve an odd space you’d like us to inhabit!
How is it best to time things?
We pride ourselves on our flexibility – we strive to fit into your hopes and ideas for whatever kind of event you’re planning. To this end, start times and set lengths are absolutely up for discussion. For argument’s sake, here’s our usual timings at a wedding reception where we’re providing the band and DJing.
- Arrival 5:30pm, aiming to be set up and ready to go by 7:30
- DJ Starts background music from 7:30 until 8:30
- Set 1 from 8:30 until 9:15 (beginning with First Dance)
- DJing from 9:15 until 10:30
- Set 2 from 10:30 until 11:15 (often 11:30 with encores/requests)
- DJ music until midnight to round the night off
- Everyone leaves exhausted and elated, talking animatedly about how fantastic the night has been 🙂
Can I choose all the songs?
I’m more than happy to give you the most up-to-date songlist for whichever version of the band you’re booking in order to have a look through and let me know which songs to AVOID and which ones will really make your night. The best way to do this is in Excel or Mac Numbers by annotating or highlighting the relevant songs.
Perhaps there’s a specific song you’d like the band to end on, or something you’d like us to play in tribute to a guest?
Alternatively – simply give me a rough idea of what you like and I’ll assemble sets to get the party going whilst still retaining your influence over our playlist.
How far do you travel?
We travel all over the country, and occasionally abroad. We have 4 levels of ‘local’; within a 45 min radius (no charge), a 1.5hr radius, nationwide, and destination. Get in touch for a tailored quote if you’re hoping to bring us to an exotic location!
Is there somewhere I can see you live?
Most of our performances tend to be at private events and parties, but we do appear throughout the year at public events. The LIVE tab will give you up to date information about upcoming gigs you can attend – typically at Albert’s Schloss in Manchester.
There are plenty of recordings of us performing live on the Videos page to give you a good idea of what a gig of ours is like (although I’ll be the first to admit there’s nothing like experiencing the band in real life!).
Who turns up on the night?
When you book with me, you always get me – I’m offering a very personal service in that respect. I have a small pool of fantastic musicians who have worked with me for over 7 years, so I’m confident that whichever players I bring along with me will live up to my exacting standards.
Will you learn our First Dance?
In brief – Yes! If I feel we can do the song/artist justice and give you a memorable and appropriate version of your special song, I’d love to perform your First Dance live. This allows me a ‘shortcut’ to getting your guests involved and ‘on-side’ straight away before we head into set 1.
What’s the booking process?
The first thing would be to make sure we’re free on your date – simply drop me a message through the contact page or a direct email to [email protected] and we’ll start there.
Should you wish to book, there is a £400 deposit for band bookings to secure the date. We can’t hold dates ‘provisionally’ to keep it fair for all; the first couple to pay the deposit will secure the date.
Are you ‘proper’ DJ’s?
Absolutely! We are engaged, taking requests and reading the room throughout the night to keep the party flowing and the dance floor filled. We use digital DJing software and a physical controller to be as involved in the DJing as possible, live mixing and beat-matching.
If you don’t think DJing is needed for your event, we’re happy to play your own playlists through our system until 12 midnight (there is a small fee to enable this).
Can we use your PA for our speeches?
If you’d like me to provide a PA and microphone during the wedding breakfast, this would be an additional setup and fee, but I’m more than happy to help with this part of the day. Although we don’t have radio mics, we can provide 1 – 2 microphones on stands. Get in touch for more details.
How long are your sets?
We usually play two 45 minute sets (although we often find set 2 runs to about 1hr/1hr15 with requests/encores!). This can also be divided into three 30 minute sets if you prefer, though I’d always recommend two sets over three.
What time do you start and finish?
Our first set typically begins at around 8.30. Our standard arrival for setup time is 5:30pm and our standard finish time is 12 midnight. Early arrival and late finish fees apply for anything outside of these standard timings.
How long is your setup time?
If we have easy access to the area we’ll be setting up in, and once all our equipment is loaded in we can usually be set up and ready to go in 1 hour and 30 minutes, although we strive to be as quick as possible under any circumstance.
If your speeches run over, there will be a knock-on effect on timings and we don’t want to deliver sub-par sound for your important night do, so we can’t ‘compress’ our setup time below this.
On the very rare occasions when timings have run over dramatically from the wedding breakfast, the best course of action has been one long set from the band to make sure you’re getting the most from us, with DJing before and possibly after if there is time.
Do you hold dates provisionally?
For fairness, we don’t take provisional bookings as we would be turning couples away on popular dates. The best system has worked out to be that the first couple to pay their deposit will secure the date.
Can my Uncle / Brother / Cousin sing with you/play drums for a song/etc etc etc?
I’m happy to arrange something like this with you in advance. Past experience has taught me that it rarely goes well and can in fact ruin the flow of the night if guests get up to join us on the night without prior arrangement. In the absolutely worst case scenario, something might get damaged/broken which you would be liable for – it’s best to keep things straightforward and let us do what we do best!
Do you have PAT and PLI certificates?
Yes – we have up to date PAT certification (renewed yearly) and we have Public Liability Insurance cover up to £5M.
How much do you cost?
Prices vary slightly based on the time of year, the location of your event, timings, and any upgrade options but are based on a standard pricelist. Please get in touch to request a copy of this, or to have a quote provided for your event.
Do you have any client testimonials?
Yes of course! We’ve been a part of loads of happy couples’ celebrations; for an idea of how we fared please check the ‘Vidimonials’ page for short videos, or the testimonials page for written thank you’s.
Do you/the band have any specific requirements?
We always request a room to get changed in, something to eat and drinks for the duration of our time at the venue. This can be as simple as a soft drinks tab and a space at the end of the buffet queue!
What size/type venues can you play?
We have played in every type of venue, from grand halls to football stadiums, Edwardian basements and even front lounges! So far, we haven’t had to turn an event down yet…
How loud are you? Can you play quietly/with a sound limiter?
It’s always our aim to play at a level appropriate to the venue and number or guests we’re performing for. We’re aware that not every venue is Etihad Stadium!
On the rare occasion that we’re asked to perform at a sound-restricted venue (or a residential home with close neighbours!) there are two options to absolutely control everything.
We can either provide an ‘acoustic’ version of the band (amplified, but only very slightly in order to balance everything) OR we can go ‘ampless’ with an electronic kit. In the second scenario, everything can be completely controlled and EQ’d to stay within the limiter through a much smaller PA system.
In the case of very extreme limiters which cut the power (and we’ve played venues where audience applause has tripped the mic!) it’s best to establish with the venue what the restrictions are and what they recommend. A live band may just not be appropriate for your venue, although we’d love to be involved if we can!
Do you have specific power requirements?
Two double 13 amp sockets on or near to the stage area are a minimum for our setup. LED lighting keeps our power consumption much lower, and we like to keep our lighting / audio coming from separate feeds (this minimises the possibility of interference).
We need/draw about 16 – 18amps which is easily handled by modern electrical installations in buildings/venues. On one occasion we played in a marquee with an inadequate generator, so it’s important to sort this out in advance of the event.
Do you perform outdoors?
While we love an outdoor/open air event, it’s vitally important to safeguard both ourselves and our equipment from the elements. Everything needs to be shielded/covered from above in case of even a smattering of rain, preferably with coverings on every side but the front.
The performance are needs to be elevated from the ground to avoid water getting to any of our socket extensions/equipment. This means staging of some kind, but doesn’t need to be really high – 0.3m would be enough.
We also need to avoid trudging through muddy fields to get our equipment to and from the stage, so appropriate temporary surfaces have to be in place for our Van to get close and us to lift our gear.
My question isn’t answered here…
Then don’t hesitate to get in touch either via the Contact page or by emailing me at [email protected] and I’ll answer any of your questions!