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A Wedding Band

Is it possible to have a successful post Covid wedding band?

  • Yes

    Votes: 75 65.2%

  • No

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • I don’t know

    Votes: 15 13.0%

  • I don’t care

    Votes: 11 9.6%

  • Yes, if they serve carrot cake at the reception

    Votes: 14 12.2%
  • Total voters
    115
  • Poll closed .
#21
From my perspective rounding out 2 years in a busy wedding band.

In your successful wedding band,
1) what age groups are hiring you to play at their wedding?
For us, mostly people in their 20's/30's, occasionally some older couples.

2) what era(s) and genre(s) are the songs your band is playing?
No limit, but the key is that they've all been top 40 songs at some point. We have a huge list of songs that we ask clients to pick from and from that we can get an idea of what they like. They will also tell us any songs that must not be played.

3) how many people are in your band and what are their tasks?
It varies depending on the wedding. Sometimes an acoustic duo, sometimes a 7-piece with keyboard and horns. Most common is 5 piece (standard band + keys).

4) do you have a sound guy?
No. Our frontman has been doing this for many years and runs a digital mixer from the front. I've played with multiple wedding bands and this varies from group to group.

5) what songs from your set list are essential for every almost every wedding reception?
Hard question to answer, there's lots. Like I said, the bride/groom usually pick. Some examples are Ain't No Mountain High Enough, Respect, September, Shut Up And Dance, Like A Prayer, Call Me Maybe, Teenage Dream, All The Small Things

6) I would like to put together a band for wedding receptions. However, if the set list must contain only/mostly current music I probably won’t pursue this.
This is a harder task than you might think. Finding people is one thing, but building up enough street cred to get good business is no small matter. If you don't already have some folks on board who are reputable and known in the area it could take you a while to get work.

So my final question is
can a band that plays 60s, 70s, 80s, and some 90s rock/top 40 songs still get wedding gigs?
Depends. A wedding is not about you. It's about the couple. So if they like your set then you'll probably be fine. But just being a successful cover band isn't enough to be a good wedding band, there's much much more that goes into it than just having fun songs.
 
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#23
Play club gigs until you get tight and people will just start asking you to do weddings and events. In my opinion, if you have to ask us you dont have someone good enough at marketing to launch yourself as an unknown wedding band. When you get some events and weddings, take pictures and the marketing gets easier. The harder part is getting together good/dependable players and solid front people who are willing to put in the time.
 
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#24
1) what age groups are hiring you to play at their wedding?
Younger couples up to 35 or so mostly, but attendants are from toddlers to 70's.
2) what era(s) and genre(s) are the songs your band is playing?
80's and 90's because is the music they grew up with, plus classics/dance music. Last but not least, instrumental covers and soft jazz for when people is mingling or not dancing.
3) how many people are in your band and what are their tasks?
Seven: Bass, Drums, Guitar, Keyboard, Sax, Male & Female singers which play acoustic guitar, flute and harp. The band is a mix of two bands: A gig band (Bass, Guitar, Keyboard and one singer) and a Jazz trio (Drums, bass and sax) plus a sound person. Drums and myself play in both.
4) do you have a sound guy?
Mandatory, this is what makes the difference with other bands.
5) what songs from your set list are essential for every almost every wedding reception?
Probably around 200 covers, we ask in advance the hiring party for special requests and have 2 meetings prior to the event to ensure expectations are met -we bring videos of previous events and aim to be as professional as possible-.
6) I would like to put together a band for wedding receptions. However, if the set list must contain only/mostly current music I probably won’t pursue this. So my final question is
can a band that plays 60s, 70s, 80s, and some 90s rock/top 40 songs still get wedding gigs?
Absolutely; although we can play current music, we rarely do.
 
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#26
"Is it possible to have a successful post Covid wedding band?"

Sure

upload_2023-1-13_18-17-18.png
 
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#28
Bunk McNulty said:
I don't know. But I remember my current band's first wedding gig in 2017 (we did a second one last year). People shouted "this is the best wedding band ever!" To which my BL responded, "That's because we're not a wedding band."
View attachment 4935302
Click to expand...
So the key to being in a successful wedding band is to not be a wedding band and play a wedding gig once every few years? Sweet!!
 
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#29
Over the years I've worked for multiple bandleaders who book wedding gigs. These are with bands that bill themselves primarily as jazz groups. Yes it sounds strange, but not all clients want the traditional $50000 wedding with a giant dance band. Some clients are jazz lovers, others are just trying to throw a nice party for their friends and relatives on a modest budget. I suspect many are on their second weddings, e.g., during the speeches, people identify themselves as the adult children of the bride and groom. Many are DIY weddings, in the sense that it's apparent that the bride and groom themselves have done all of the planning and possibly the catering as well. A lot of this business is by word of mouth and referrals. Clients will usually try to check out bands at their public gigs if possible, before hiring them. Sometimes people approach the band during a public gig and ask if we do weddings. Yes, of course we do.

1) what age groups are hiring you to play at their wedding?
Mostly 40+, but not exclusively
2) what era(s) and genre(s) are the songs your band is playing?
Jazz era, but with any requests thrown in
3) how many people are in your band and what are their tasks?
Anywhere from 2 to 5, usually one is a singer
4) do you have a sound guy?
No
5) what songs from your set list are essential for every almost every wedding reception?
No fixed set list, typically play from the "standards" that everybody knows. The bandleader always asks if there's a particular first or second dance that the client wants.
6) I would like to put together a band for wedding receptions.
So would we all. ;)

Of course there are pro's and con's. Our clients seldom want to spend thousands of dollars. On the other hand, they also don't expect the band to spend all day setting up, or to bring more than a minimal PA. Those things are all negotiable, and even bringing a sound guy is something that bandleaders will add, if it's within the client's budget. Same for extra musicians. I tend to get paid the same for a wedding as I'd get paid for a corporate event or civic function, and it's roughly the same amount of work. I do expect the bandleader to be taking care of themselves, and don't know how much they charge. I don't expect weddings to be a magic money faucet, but there are certainly bands doing much more for the client, and earning proportionately more.
 
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#30
Well, for my most recent wedding (2nd), we went to Vegas and the day we got there we went to see Aerosmith...

That said; *** does "post-covid" have to do with anything? Honestly, I think some of you guys (and girls are so old, you not do gigs at all between October and May, between colds, flu, and achy knees from the rainy season.

I suppose if your geo-political situation still pushes masks, 6ft distancing, and limited capacity etc...well, then I'll just say skip bands altogether.

Other than age/politics, working hard, and paying attention to your customer base is what makes a successful band period.

A wedding band will need to know variety like nobodies business. Mustang Sally? Get over it - you are playing it. Chicken Dance? Know it, Love it, Live it, and play the cluck out of it. White guy? Find your inner Funk because you are gonna play Brick House. Be prepared to learn 3-5 songs for the bride because she wants them. Dance/pop hits of the 80's/90's that everyone (except you) loves? Yep. Be ready to learn/know the slow songs - first dance, father/daughter, etc.

This is not "I'm going to play random rock I like" in bars. This is someone who wants danceable songs for people 8 to 80, with an emphasis on their own preferences. The more songs you know that they think the attendees, as well as the happy couple and their close friends like - the better. Large repertoire is a must.

Be prepared to play in a tux (could be black or white - you might want two, plus a cohesive "band" outfit/look). Or whatever fits the theme. And to have drunk uncle Joe who "used to be in a band" attempt to sing something. I'd never do it.
 
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#33
Corbusier said:
In your successful wedding band,
1) what age groups are hiring you to play at their wedding?
2) what era(s) and genre(s) are the songs your band is playing?
3) how many people are in your band and what are their tasks?
4) do you have a sound guy?
5) what songs from your set list are essential for every almost every wedding reception?
6) I would like to put together a band for wedding receptions. However, if the set list must contain only/mostly current music I probably won’t pursue this. So my final question is
can a band that plays 60s, 70s, 80s, and some 90s rock/top 40 songs still get wedding gigs?

Please share any other info that I need to know to have a successful wedding band.

As always, fellow TBers, I sincerely thank you for your time and expertise.
Click to expand...

1. Mid-20's to mid-30's.
2. EVERYTHING, but very little classic rock.
3. Minimum is 7 piece (rhythm sec, 3 singers), we max out at 12 (4 singers, rhythm sec, 3 piece horn section plus percussion).
4. Usually hire sound companies.
5. Ehhh, we slam through well over a hundred songs each gig. That's hard to say.
6. NO. You must have a current rep, unless you are marketing yourself as a decade-specific specialty band, in which case you're not booking many weddings. Because you have to make a wide variety of ages happy, you do have to play all-time classics from each decade. But that definitely includes 00's, 10's, and it helps to be on top of the current radio hits.

This is based on my experience in the NY metro market and tri-state area. Your profile says you're in Mississippi. I've worked a bunch with a singer who recently relocated from Alabama who immediately started crushing it on the NY scene. He told me weddings aren't big events in the south like they are in the northeast. Soloists and duos were the norm, if you had live music at all. I don't know if that bears any similarity to your market, so you should do some research, maybe look up wedding band showcases and go see them.
 
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#36
Played a few weddings...

Corbusier said:
1) what age groups are hiring you to play at their wedding?
2) what era(s) and genre(s) are the songs your band is playing?
3) how many people are in your band and what are their tasks?
4) do you have a sound guy?
5) what songs from your set list are essential for every almost every wedding reception?
6) I would like to put together a band for wedding receptions. However, if the set list must contain only/mostly current music I probably won’t pursue this. So my final question is
can a band that plays 60s, 70s, 80s, and some 90s rock/top 40 songs still get wedding gigs?
Click to expand...

To answer;
1) Anyone with money, or good mate/related to a band member (mates rates)
2) Send them the songs you can do, how many sets, payment wanted ... go from there.
3) Last time it was 8. A lot of the muso's were able to cover different instruments and many could sing and play. Intimidating band to play with.
4) Nope, band members set up & sound check waaaaaay early in the day b4 people arrive.
5) Popular songs that make people wanna get up and dance, or sing and join in. Cover lots of ground/Genre's. This will differ, depends on your audience.
6) Massive yes. Most people at weddings are relations or family friends, many are older and appreciate songs for them too. Songs you wouldn't expect to get big a response can surprise you, like "Old Number 7" by Devil made Three - that one always gets people up and dancing with big smiles on their faces.

My experience - keep the set list approved by Bride & Groom, cover lots of different genre's if you can. And try and get one of the bride and/or groom to sing a song (be tactful though, speak to them separately/discretely, so it can be a total surprise!!)
 
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#37
Played dozens and dozens of them, completely different every time, except for one thing: the more the bride and groom tell you they and their friends are "gonna rock!", the more likely you are to play to a bunch of too cool for school hipsters sitting on their thumbs.

We're lucky that we pretty much only get hired by people who know what we do. Our repertoire is around 180 tunes from the roots and blues lexicon, but we don't do any of the standards. No Mustang Sally's Sweet Home of Absent Thrills in Kansas City, but a lot of recognizable stuff, and we very rarely get a complaint for our song choices. We will always learn 1 or 2 numbers for the couple if they ask, but one caveat: it has to be something we might play again some day. Even if it's not until another wedding years away, we just want to at least not stray too far from character.
 
#38
Depends on what you mean "successful". Outside of the top bands in large urban areas, it won't approach a FT job. More pe90le are opting for DJs, based on cost and largest music selection. Also, more people are getting married older, so Daddy isn't paying for the big wedding. Many weddings are neither the huge "Godfather" type event they used to be.
 
#39
How many weddings do you think you'll play?

I'd approach it,
Bar work. These get you up and running and the standard needs to be on the higher end so there is a buzz already your band.
Then impressed people will start asking whether you do weddings and parties. The difficulty here is they've seen you at a bar and assume you play for bar rates.
Parties and Weddings. You dont really go straight to this..unless the friends thing or you do wedding fayre auditions.
But really I'd recommend the couple coming to existing gigs to see how you cover it all.
If this is the case, you might say this is the music set we do, so we aren't adding other songs.
They should book a dj for that..plus that allows you to break down and the drinkers go on into the early hrs, and you are long gone.

To do mostly weddings, I'd say that is a 2yr project in the bands life unless you are hooked up with an agent already.
 
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