Wedding Music (Band, DJ, Singer) ONE POST PER BAND ONLY! Read post #1 First!

North_West_Art

could anyone in the music industry please tell me what exactly is 'Corporate entertainment'. What is the difference between a plain and simple live band, and a band that specializes in so called 'corporate entertainment' .... its just that I see this advertised regularly on a lot of wedding band websites. cheers

Ronnielemon

North_West_Art wrote: »

could anyone in the music industry please tell me what exactly is 'Corporate entertainment'. What is the difference between a plain and simple live band, and a band that specializes in so called 'corporate entertainment' .... its just that I see this advertised regularly on a lot of wedding band websites. cheers

Hi North west Art

The 'Corporate entertainment' term is used to let people know that the band in question are ideal to play at business functions as well as weddings, parties, etc. Corporate functions would include Christmas parties, business social events such as mid year business celebration events, etc.

Hope this helps

Cheers

Ronnie

Late Nite Radio Band

clint_silver

As above, but it doesn't really mean too much as you could do your mates factory Xmas do and that then qualifies you as saying you do Corporate work. Or even sometimes bands just say it to look better.

Do not book a band just cos they have corporate work on their website. Go an see them and make a decision.

That said, the real top end corporate bands will be much better polished, hve much better equipment, have better musicians etc. You may pay a little extra for it but you will definitely get what you pay for in this regard. But go and see them first!!!!

brianh576

Moonlight The Band wrote: »

Hello Kristin,

Kevin here from the band Moonlight (www.Moonlight.ie). We're based in Kilkenny/Carlow and would love you to consider us. We're playing soon in Langton's in Kilkenny if you would like to see us live.

Thanks & good luck with all your plans!

Kevin
087 2507 009
info@Moonlight.ie

Shaken Edge.... 5 piece weddind band based in Meath.... We play Quays in Galway on 18 sept if ya wanna see us or visit us on www.shakenedge.webs.com

Ms Happy

So here goes....

Mr Happy and I have decided to get married on 1st October 2011 and have nearly everything in place except for the band!

I've read through this thread with great enthusiam but would still like a bit of guidance if it's available!!!

We're getting married in Carlow and would like a band that will do a good mix of music 60's-today the kind of music that will get everyone going!
Like most people we're on a tight budget so DJ would have to be included in a good price!!!

So, the info i'm looking for is:

1. Good bands in the Carlow area
2. Reasonable price
3. Feedback

If any bands want to contact me feel free to PM

Now time for Coffee :D

clint_silver

As always,
do not book based on price alone, go and see them. Get recommendations from here and another sites, call and get a quote, narrow it to 3-4, pick a weekend, drive around for a couple of nights to the venues and go and view.
and all Dublin bands will go to Carlow so don't limit yourself to local bands.

Ms Happy

clint_silver wrote: »

As always,
do not book based on price alone, go and see them. Get recommendations from here and another sites, call and get a quote, narrow it to 3-4, pick a weekend, drive around for a couple of nights to the venues and go and view.
and all Dublin bands will go to Carlow so don't limit yourself to local bands.

Thanks for the advice.

It's funny, the band is the only thing i'm worried about!

NewBride

We got married a week ago and our wedding day was nearly ruined by this man, Francesco Garcia from the band Gitano (gitano.ie). We booked the Spanish flamenco band Gitano for our recent wedding. We paid him our booking deposit by bank transfer and were reassured by him in the last few months to wait patiently for them to return to Ireland after a summer of playing at many weddings in both Spain and Portugal. They failed to turn up at our meeting 3 days before our wedding and proved not to be contactable until the Friday evening before our wedding. We left several emails, phone and Skype messages and even got the 5* hotel to contact him, but he did not reply. Can you imagine the enormous stress he caused us in the run-up to our wedding? These guys were going to play at our arrivals reception and also the post dinner reception. Francesco did eventually make brief contact with my husband at 3pm on the Friday before our wedding (apparently from a boat from Spain to Ireland. Does anyone know if there are ferries from Spain to Ireland??) He promised to call my husband back on at 6pm but failed. In the morning of our wedding, 3 hours before our wedding, Francesco called my husband and threatened him. He even told us that he knew where we lived. The threats were serious enough for my poor husband to be incredibly stressed out during our wedding and after during the reception. He managed to ruin our wedding day with all this stress. We have since tried to get our money back but without any success. Thankfully, the couple who got married the following week at the same 5* hotel in south Dublin, had the same problems as us, and on hearing of our unfortunate situation with Gitano from the hotel manager, they went ahead and booked another wedding band for their reception. The band that eventually stepped in at the 11th hour (literally!!) and played at our wedding was lead by George Hunter of George Hunter entertainment. He has an incredibly beautiful voice and in my heart, made both of us incredibly happy at what was an incredibly stressful period of our wedding. All the guests enjoyed his music throughly and kept dancing throughout the night. We too were very glad that we had George Hunter in the end. So, to all the brides and grooms out there, please don't book this spanish flamenco band 'Gitano'. They caused us incredibly huge amount of stress and we lost alot of money. Don't let them ruin your wedding day as they did ours. Even now, a week later, we are still recovering from the horrible stress that Francesco from Gitano caused us.

j timber

hi there,

just wondering has anyone out there heard of a band called "the black knights" think the based around the kildare area.

brianh576

roetek wrote: »

Looking for a reasonable priced band + DJ for a wedding on 27th August 2011 in Trim. Just looking for the usual wedding sort of stuff to be played.
Could any available bands pm prices please.

Private message sent.... :-)

snlynch

Hi folks,
I'm getting married in Tralee next year & am looking for a small wedding band.
We are having a small wedding & do not want an overpriced 4/5 piece wedding band. Once i mention the word wedding to any band the prices are crazy! One band that plays in the local bar charges €400 for a 3 hour gig {bar manager told me!} Thay want €1700 for 3 hours for a wedding!
Why do bands try to exploite folk getting married - thay seem to think we are all loaded! {rant over!!!}
Can anyone help????

clint_silver

snlynch wrote: »

Hi folks,
I'm getting married in Tralee next year & am looking for a small wedding band.
We are having a small wedding & do not want an overpriced 4/5 piece wedding band. Once i mention the word wedding to any band the prices are crazy! One band that plays in the local bar charges €400 for a 3 hour gig {bar manager told me!} Thay want €1700 for 3 hours for a wedding!
Why do bands try to exploite folk getting married - thay seem to think we are all loaded! {rant over!!!}
Can anyone help????

Why do you think you're being exploited? 1500-2500 is the going rate depending on how many are in the band, how good they are, how far they have to travel.
A pub gig is viewed differently by musicians. You do not make much money if at all. A pub gig you can get and play whatever you eant whenever you want. You could get 20 gigs a year on any given night of the week for year after year from the same bar.
After the band travel there, have spent 15 years learning their trade, paying for rehearsals, thousands for equipment which needs to be constantly updated, how well do you think they'd be living if they did weddings for 400e?
Most musicians are professional these days. With families. Do the maths before you start raising exploitation question.
Then again, you'll get what you pay for so if all you have is 400 then I'd suggest you get a Dj for the night. And I don't mean that in a condescending way, everyone has a budget.

Einstein

You also pay that money for holding the date so far in advance.

snlynch

Most of the bands ive rung {8 in total} work full time jobs - they told me themselves!
I rung about a wedding to one particular band €1650, my fiancee rung same band & said it was for a family function, same venue, date etc, he was quoted €450!! U tell me the difference!!!
I think we are been screwed big time!

clint_silver wrote: »

Why do you think you're being exploited? 1500-2500 is the going rate depending on how many are in the band, how good they are, how far they have to travel.
A pub gig is viewed differently by musicians. You do not make much money if at all. A pub gig you can get and play whatever you eant whenever you want. You could get 20 gigs a year on any given night of the week for year after year from the same bar.
After the band travel there, have spent 15 years learning their trade, paying for rehearsals, thousands for equipment which needs to be constantly updated, how well do you think they'd be living if they did weddings for 400e?
Most musicians are professional these days. With families. Do the maths before you start raising exploitation question.
Then again, you'll get what you pay for so if all you have is 400 then I'd suggest you get a Dj for the night. And I don't mean that in a condescending way, everyone has a budget.

clint_silver

I'm in a 6 piece band. 4 of whom are full time musicians. They were tradesmen. Families mortgages etc. The whole shebang. How much do you think we'd make a man from a gig for 450e after expenses and would we be able to live that at those wages. Bear in mind we could be playing 3 gigs a week in august but 3 gigs a month in January.

Seriously. Do the maths. If a musician left the house at 7pm and got home at 3 am, have transport costs and equipment costs to factor. How much do you think he made for 8 hours work if he gigged weddings for what's essentially near 70-80 a man. Would it be minimum wage? Less? Or maybe you don't see musicians as being skilled people deserving of a decent wage.

clint_silver

Sorry, I reread your last pos there, a jump from 450 to 1750 is quite extreme, I don't know any band that would do that. I would play regular pubs at reduced rate, but I would see it a a reduced rate. Not the wedding being an enhanced one.

snlynch

OK Clint Silver - thats ur story but not alot of others
family function ... wedding , no difference in my book!
Maybe some musicians are unemployed now - but prices were no different when they were employed!
Most bands i have rung were 3 / 4 piece - €1500 to €2000, most working fri & sat nights - some booked solid for months on end
going rate apparently €400 per man per night for a 3 hour gig.
Wishing your band the best of luck, tis nice to see someone so pasionate about their profession
U seem a sound bloke

clint_silver

snlynch wrote: »

OK Clint Silver - thats ur story but not alot of others
family function ... wedding , no difference in my book!
Maybe some musicians are unemployed now - but prices were no different when they were employed!
Most bands i have rung were 3 / 4 piece - €1500 to €2000, most working fri & sat nights - some booked solid for months on end
going rate apparently €400 per man per night for a 3 hour gig.
Wishing your band the best of luck, tis nice to see someone so pasionate about their profession
U seem a sound bloke

I know it may seem harsh but Uts very much supply and demand, if a band are booked out at 1500 a night for months ahead then that's the going rate for them. I always tell friends and families if they're interested in bookin you have to to book early for dedicated service providers(hotels/ bands etc) to get the one you really want.
Anyway, we're coming at it from different angles and I do see yours. I rant about the things myself. Main thin is to make sure you get the best for your money so once you accept what the rate is try and get the beat band for that money.

I still can't believe someone went from 450 to 1750 no matter how many are in the band.

And thank you for the kind words, my band and I try and be as professional as possible.

TimMac

Hi Snlynch
I booked Katsquire for our wedding next year went to see them and thought they were brilliant, you should google them they are based in kerry

snlynch

thanks 4 that - ive heard of them alrite, do u mind me asking how much they are?

TimMac wrote: »

Hi Snlynch
I booked Katsquire for our wedding next year went to see them and thought they were brilliant, you should google them they are based in kerry

soon2Bmrs

Hi there, im getting married in 2011 and we're looking for a reasonably priced band to play.

Feel free to PM me

clint_silver

Hi there, im getting married in 2011 and we're looking for a reasonably priced band to play.

Feel free to PM me

hiya, you can help bands by putting in a date and a venue or at least a county if youre not comfortable putting a venue in.
defintely a date though as bands may be booked already.

soon2Bmrs

Sorry, should of added it's the 5th of August 2011 and we are getting married in Wicklow

Thanks for the heads up Clint

cremeegg

Folks,

looking for a band in Kilkenny area next July 22nd 2010... Not fussy really.. the usual.. old set to get auntie maureen and uncle tony out for a whirl and slide...and then a good rocky/funky/modern set to get madden and hotdog away from the bar... and onto the floor.. i need a DJ too... jesus there is some amount of bands out there... and some seriously dodgy band names..... fraggle rock for instance...seriously!? anyhow any suggerstions... i have been delagated this job by my better half.. my only job:) so i had better not FCUK it up... or my balls will be severed.

Help please...

Ms Happy

cremeegg wrote: »

Folks,

looking for a band in Kilkenny area next July 22nd 2010... Not fussy really.. the usual.. old set to get auntie maureen and uncle tony out for a whirl and slide...and then a good rocky/funky/modern set to get madden and hotdog away from the bar... and onto the floor.. i need a DJ too... jesus there is some amount of bands out there... and some seriously dodgy band names..... fraggle rock for instance...seriously!? anyhow any suggerstions... i have been delagated this job by my better half.. my only job:) so i had better not FCUK it up... or my balls will be severed.

Help please...

I know exactly how you're feeling!!

I'm going to see a band in Killerig in Carlow tonight to see them in action. I got a good list from the hotel I booked our reception with, I could fax it to ya if you want?? PM me if you're interested

Shinners99

Hi all, myself and my boyfriend just got engaged this week, we have decided not to hang around and after a couple of phone calls we have managed to book both the Church and the Hotel. So we really need to sort music If anyone has the contact details for bands who are available to play a wedding in Sligo on 28th December I would be really grateful.

Heineken Helen

cremeegg wrote: »

Folks,

looking for a band in Kilkenny area next July 22nd 2010... Not fussy really.. the usual.. old set to get auntie maureen and uncle tony out for a whirl and slide...and then a good rocky/funky/modern set to get madden and hotdog away from the bar... and onto the floor.. i need a DJ too... jesus there is some amount of bands out there... and some seriously dodgy band names..... fraggle rock for instance...seriously!? anyhow any suggerstions... i have been delagated this job by my better half.. my only job:) so i had better not FCUK it up... or my balls will be severed.

Help please...

I know what ya mean... I almost had a nervous breakdown looking through all the 'wedding bands', they're horrible . My advice is to try youtube and myspace... don't google 'wedding bands' whatever you do. When I think wedding band I think 'good looking woman' and amazingly that's the kinda stuff I ended up hearing after a google search... it was horrible:( . I then spent a few days on youtube and I think I've found the band... just need to check them out first.

clint_silver

what you have to appreciate is 90% couples ask bands to play "good looking woman" and waltzes for the oldies in the crowd. Trust me, guitar based bands do not like playing joe dolan or roy orbison (shudder/cringe) but if its on a potential playlist, couples ask for it to be played for auntie joan.

Problem is potential viewers come along for the first 20 minutes of a wedding viewing, hear this and think well theyre decent but Im not having those songs at my wedding and head on to the next band rather then discussing what else can be played. If theres a 4-5-6 piece live band with guitars you can be guaranteed they can play newer stuff. at least they should be able to if they know their business.

Ask for playlists, if you decide to book the band discuss with them that youd like a set with no oldies in it (dont abandon the cheese altogether though!!!). Now, if they cant do 2 hours without oldies then move on to the next band.

Again, ask for playlists. this should govern whether you even go out to see a band.

Crunchy Friends

Hello!

Just looking to find out a bit of info. My aunt is getting married next summer, and is having a DJ for the reception. She does not want a band. Instead she wants a singer in the church. We have one in mind and have been quoted 500 euro, I am wondering if anyone knows the average price for something like this?

Thanks

clint_silver

Crunchy Friends wrote: »

Hello!

Just looking to find out a bit of info. My aunt is getting married next summer, and is having a DJ for the reception. She does not want a band. Instead she wants a singer in the church. We have one in mind and have been quoted 500 euro, I am wondering if anyone knows the average price for something like this?

Thanks

Is it 500 for the church singer or Dj?

All night Dj would usually be anything from 500 up to 800-850 depending who you get and how long you're getting them for so 500 is a good price.
You may get them slightly cheaper if you ring around and ask fo a better quote but make sure you go and view first. There are some not good djs out there, do not equate a cheaper price with value, the pro guys will not sell themselves cheaply.
Singers usually go from 200-500 depending on who they are, accompanying musicians extra.