Band wanted but not wedding band!

corkbride

Hi,

I'm getting married in Cork in August and we are basically looking for a non wedding band for our wedding. I am looking for a really good covers band that will play a good mix of music but I dont want the the standard playlist that most wedding bands seem to have. I just find the whole thing really cheesy including the matching outfits etc. So if anyone could help me out I would really appreciate it. Thanks

Sleepy

TBH, "wedding bands" rarely fall into that clichéd category you're thinking of these days. Some exist to cater for those that want them, others will play that stuff if asked: as the bassist in my brother's band said of their time doing weddings: "if you're being paid good money to play shite music you play the shite and thank them for the gig". Most are happy to work with couples on the set-list so find a band you like and have a chat with them.

Go see a few bands locally, find one you like and have a chat with them. Not all pub bands will have the setlist, equipment etc to do a wedding but no harm talking to them. Don't discount someone for advertising on wedding sites either: it's the bread and butter work for many very talented musicians.

kippy

Sleepy wrote: »

TBH, "wedding bands" rarely fall into that clichéd category you're thinking of these days. Some exist to cater for those that want them, others will play that stuff if asked: as the bassist in my brother's band said of their time doing weddings: "if you're being paid good money to play shite music you play the shite and thank them for the gig". Most are happy to work with couples on the set-list so find a band you like and have a chat with them.

Go see a few bands locally, find one you like and have a chat with them. Not all pub bands will have the setlist, equipment etc to do a wedding but no harm talking to them. Don't discount someone for advertising on wedding sites either: it's the bread and butter work for many very talented musicians.

Totally agree with Sleepy here.
Most bands that play at weddings are well able to play what you want them to play and many will play to your wishes.

I would add however, that I have seen wedding afters fall flat on their faces because the band DID play exactly what the couple wanted and what they wanted weren't exactly the best for dancing to.
A good band will generally play what suits the crowd or works for that particular crowd.

As Sleepy says, try get some recommendations, visit a few of the banks in action, a lot of them play in other venues as well, see what they have to say and take their advice on board.

A-Bit-Dodge

pm sent Corkbride!

corkbride

Thanks Sleepy, I get what you are saying but even when I google wedding bands I get bombarded with pictures of groups in matching outfits or videos of Sweet Home Alabama and 500 Miles!! Its just not what I want. I dont really want choreographed dancing etc. I appreciate that lots of them are really good musicians but I also have the issue of paying over €2,000 for a band I wouldn't really listen to in a pub. We also have a lot of musicians going so the pressure is on us a bit to have a good band!

Thanks A-Bit-Dodge, I have seen that band, they are great but I'm not sure about just all female singers.

pooch90

I want a band that is basically the same as the Wedding Band from show of same title.
Someone who can cater for all groups and do some pop songs in an alternative style and also rock the ar$e off it later in the evening.

Rebelkell

I saw a band in a pub in sligo and thought they were great. Offered them a grand to play my wedding in dublin which they did and it went down a treat. Get to some pubs and if you like the band make them an offer and bargin away.

kippy

I could name at least 3 bands that I know of in the Galway/Mayo area that would be capable of catering for what you want, however I don't know whether they would travel far.

Dublinstiofán

Try these guys, young hip and definitely don't play 500 miles or sweet home alabama.

Can forward you complete set lists if you want to have a look send me your e-mail address

No Way Home Facebook Page

Youtube Videos:

Forget you
Sweet Dreams
Sweet Child of Mine

Limerick91

Saw these guys St. Stephen's night in Thurles. Very good

https://www.facebook.com/TheBootlegs

A-Bit-Dodge

I suggest you go see them anyway if yer doin the rounds. Worst you get out of it is a savage night out waitin for my fella to pop the question cos I know what my first order of business will be!!!!!! papazitas.com

Sleepy

corkbride wrote: »

We also have a lot of musicians going so the pressure is on us a bit to have a good band!

Why not ask some of them for recommendations and go see bands based on that?

That way even if they were crap you've someone to blame!

A-Bit-Dodge

^^^ genius!!!!!

clint_silver

corkbride wrote: »

Thanks Sleepy, I get what you are saying but even when I google wedding bands I get bombarded with pictures of groups in matching outfits or videos of Sweet Home Alabama and 500 Miles!! Its just not what I want. I dont really want choreographed dancing etc. I appreciate that lots of them are really good musicians but I also have the issue of paying over €2,000 for a band I wouldn't really listen to in a pub. We also have a lot of musicians going so the pressure is on us a bit to have a good band!

Thanks A-Bit-Dodge, I have seen that band, they are great but I'm not sure about just all female singers.

Most bands HATE the cheese. its just it pays the bills as thats what most wedding dancefloors want.

and say you get a cheap indie band, and you have musicians there, will the cheap indie band have good gear? how are they cheap if they have good gear? it needs to be paid for.

if the dancefloor is empty but youre tapping your foot, are you going to go and ask them to change it so people can dance, and will they be able to?

Get a band in cork, anyone else will charge you for travel. get a band with a big setlist sit down with them and tailor your set with them. If they know their business theyll be able to. say t-shirts and jeans only lads and theyll be over the moon.

hit the indie bars in cork at the weekend.

hoodwinked

Why not try Bog the Donkey, they are a band first and foremost, i know they do weddings but their music can be different depending on what you want,

they play in reardons often enough and are usually around Cork somewhere....


they have a website: http://bogthedonkey.com/


i have also heard another band in reardons that was really good but their name escapes me right now...

lily09

Millennium band. Very reasonable. Dance floor full all night. Great music and so nice to deal with.

ponderousanon

The converse all stars advertise themselves as an alternative wedding band. Haven't gotten to see them yet but we are interested ourselves (any feedback welcome!) They're Galway based

clint_silver

ponderousanon wrote: »

The converse all stars advertise themselves as an alternative wedding band. Haven't gotten to see them yet but we are interested ourselves (any feedback welcome!) They're Galway based

where did you see they were galway based? I know a couple of them and theyre most definitely not living in galway. very good band.

everyone advertises as "an alternative wedding band" or "the best wedding band" or "busiest" or anything at all that will make them stand out. the reality is if they only did alternative or only cheese or only rock they wouldnt be working much. And musicians do like to work.

Look at a website and setlist to see as many songs as you like that will make a band stand out.

niallam

We're having a mix of 2 bands for our wedding, Fancy Crazy (-drummer) and the Hot Rocks. 1 of them recommended by a friend and they said they kinda join up for a wedding to a 5 piece.
They are playing all we want with no cheese every wedding I've been to in the last 2 years is like a teenage disco once the band start, nobody up dancing, except everyone over 60 out waltzing (about 10 people) and the rest sat around the dance floor not dancing because they can't dance to the music or aren't drunk enough yet
Very reasonable too, should come in under your budget I'd say.
Check out fancy crazy - seven seas, on YouTube, will give you an idea of the level of music to expect at our own wedding not that they'll be doing their own stuff at a wedding though

Moonbeam

Have a look at Smokin Mojo.
They are brilliant and will be doing our wedding in a few weeks.

RichieD1982

We booked our band a few weeks ago, blacktye. We went to a showcase in Dublin to see them, if they are half as good on the day, it will be amazing. Really good band and have a massive selection to choose from.

LadyBetty

If you like rock music I highly recommend Big Digger. Talented bunch of fellas, they cover lots of rock classics & have been on the pub scene for 13 or 14 years now. They play many weddings too, check them out on YouTube / Facebook for gig dates (they don't have a website). Dublin / Wicklow based so not sure if they would travel to Cork but it's worth asking (actually they play the Quays in Galway every so often so maybe they would hit Cork).
Good luck!

janeo80

Loads of cork bands who do pubs and/or weddings!! King K are a Kinsale based band, playing in pubs allll the time so you'd have no problem getting to hear them, Papa Zitas are Cork based and are super entertaining, check out Whaz On in Cork and hit the pubs and find a band! Don't google the word wedding, and just tell them not to wear matching outfits! And do keep in mind what the guests want to...

Super5onic

kippy wrote: »

I could name at least 3 bands that I know of in the Galway/Mayo area that would be capable of catering for what you want, however I don't know whether they would travel far.

Any names Kippy? (for a Mayo wedding)

kippy

Super5onic wrote: »

Any names Kippy? (for a Mayo wedding)

Da Derga (http://www.daderga.com/) but they do travel to Mayo and elsewhere. I can highly recommend them.

The Wondertones (http://www.wondertones.ie/)

Pyramid (http://www.pyramidlive.com/)

Kif (http://www.kif.ie/)


Pyramid and Kif would play regularly in the Quays in Galway and I have seen them at a few weddings. Never fail to dissapoint. Have seen the Wondertones at a couple of weddings recently. A very diverse group, I think are based outta Tuam. We had De Derga at our own, they were a pleasure to deal with and also do gigging in various pubs around the place.
All four will travel to Mayo.

grahambol

niallam wrote: »

They are playing all we want with no cheese every wedding I've been to in the last 2 years is like a teenage disco once the band start, nobody up dancing, except everyone over 60 out waltzing (about 10 people) and the rest sat around the dance floor not dancing because they can't dance to the music or aren't drunk enough yet

This is quite often the fault of the crowd rather than the band. I have seen the best of bands at weddings playing brilliant music but the crowd just will not get up. I find that if the Bride and Groom purposely make an effort to stay out on the dance floor, the crowd will follow. Works 99.9% of the time.:)

grahambol

Also, everyone's definition of "cheese" varies. I actually think the word is so over-used when it comes to music. I can understand the likes of YMCA and Rock The Boat being obvious cheese but I have heard people call AC/DC and Guns N' Roses "cheese".

So, what is cheese??

kippy

grahambol wrote: »

This is quite often the fault of the crowd rather than the band. I have seen the best of bands at weddings playing brilliant music but the crowd just will not get up. I find that if the Bride and Groom purposely make an effort to stay out on the dance floor, the crowd will follow. Works 99.9% of the time.:)

That is very true alright, the bride and groom on the floor will mean the guests will as well.

clint_silver

grahambol wrote: »

Also, everyone's definition of "cheese" varies. I actually think the word is so over-used when it comes to music. I can understand the likes of YMCA and Rock The Boat being obvious cheese but I have heard people call AC/DC and Guns N' Roses "cheese".

So, what is cheese??

its ymca and thunderstruck.
its aha and abba
its rihanna and gangnam style
its joe dolan and the beegees
its the beatles and the nolan sisters

its whatever gets you up dancing that youve heard countless times before. common denominator stuff

but lets say you go to an indie club every friday night for 2 years and hear the same old tunes that you love. maybe a vampire weekend track. If you hear that at a wedding and you get up with the rest of the indie crowd, isn't that indie cheese for the indie crowd?

grahambol

clint_silver wrote: »

its ymca and thunderstruck.
its aha and abba
its rihanna and gangnam style
its joe dolan and the beegees
its the beatles and the nolan sisters

its whatever gets you up dancing that youve heard countless times before. common denominator stuff

but lets say you go to an indie club every friday night for 2 years and hear the same old tunes that you love. maybe a vampire weekend track. If you hear that at a wedding and you get up with the rest of the indie crowd, isn't that indie cheese for the indie crowd?

But I bet different people would have their own definition of what cheese is. It is very subjective...just like music itself, I suppose.

clint_silver

grahambol wrote: »

But I bet different people would have their own definition of what cheese is. It is very subjective...just like music itself, I suppose.

Oh totally. I dj weddings and above artists and tracks are in my "cheese" playlist so they're all cheese to me.

BuilderPlumber

grahambol wrote: »

So, what is cheese??

Cheddar and Cashel blue!

marley123

Hi, have a look @ soulpurpose.ie..

We saw them play in a pub local to us couple yrs ago & will be booking them to play at our wedding! Great 7 piece band with NO Cheese:D

sweetie

marley123 wrote: »

Hi, have a look @ soulpurpose.ie..

We saw them play in a pub local to us couple yrs ago & will be booking them to play at our wedding! Great 7 piece band with NO Cheese:D

Except proud mary, superstition, higher and higher etc. great band though