- Book a latin/jazz band to your wedding
- Bargain for the fee
- Make them organize & reserve the backline
- Talk on the phone for hours over weeks
- Meddle with every tiny detail
- Cancel on contract day, shifting to a 90's DJ party
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How to annoy musicians in 6 simple steps
- Thread starter Kerem Koseoglu
- Start date
Was there a non-refundable deposit? A cancellation clause?
Well, that sucks.
Apart from #3 ... I'd have assumed backline would be the band's responsibility anyway, no?
Apart from #3 ... I'd have assumed backline would be the band's responsibility anyway, no?
I'd at least send an invoice and see what happens.
I've done weddings twice and what I took from the experience was 'don't do weddings unless they compensate you with insane amounts of money'.
i'd go there anyway, take the biggest rig i could find and play a latin version of "i will survive" from outside over and over again
Did they tell you they were going with a DJ at the last minute or did you find out through the grapevine? If they just put and out said, I find that especially rude (and a bizarre genre change).
The wedding band business is tricky. Sorry you had to deal with that.
You simply need to be less negotiable. Yes, you read that right. LESS NEGOTIABLE. A wedding band is a product. It can be used for many situations, but not all of them. Bands are not chameleons. You can't be an entirety different band every day. Do what you do. Do it for a certain fee. Spell out what you do. Don't take gigs where you're having to shoe horn yourself into being a "good fit". Either you fit or you don't.
This is how it should go (if you're not using an agent). Someone reaches out to your band about a wedding. Whomever is tasked with booking your band explains what you do and how you do it. If the client accepts, you book the gig. If not, and they start trying to get you to be something you're not, you politely turn down the gig and offer a few suggestions of bands that might be a better fit. It will turn out better in the long run.
I've played hundreds of weddings. Most of them were actually fun gigs. A few times we were booked at a wedding where we weren't a good fit. Those were miserable gigs.
Hopefully there was a clause for some compensation for the cancellation. Especially if there was already some costs your band absorbed leading up to it.
We've only played one wedding where things went really poorly. And since that time we only do them for people that know us well, have seen us play enough to know what we are and what they're getting. That simple rule has meant some really fun wedding gigs.
We've only played one wedding where things went really poorly. And since that time we only do them for people that know us well, have seen us play enough to know what we are and what they're getting. That simple rule has meant some really fun wedding gigs.
The bride is also a business client of a band member, so we had to be less strict and more laid-back about such formalities; like a down payment or something. Lesson learned though.
It depends. Sometimes, the venue has a long term contract with a backline company. Sometimes, the band is expected to take care of it and add the cost to the invoice.
The bride is also a business client of a band member, dirty play won't benefit anyone.
Not exactly "last minute" but they did tell us themselves. We didn't exactly celebrate the news; obviously. We were told that they initially planned a calm & elite cocktail with jazz music and all, but changed their mind because everyone is bored during the pandemic so they are turning to a dance party.
The bride is also a business client of a band member, we couldn't be as strict as usual; unfortunately. We would at least require a down payment in advance otherwise. It didn't cost us much money, but it did cost time - which is worse because time can't be earned back.
Not to be argumentative, but you didn't have to be, you chose to be. This is why I don't like working with friends, colleagues, or clients. It's funny how they can screw you and it's OK, but if you held them to the contract (oral or written), which they agreed to, you'd be the bad guy. No thanks.
Can't argue with someone telling the truth, friend. You are right.
That sounds even worse than if the bride was family to a band member!
Honestly, though, a business client should expect to conduct business in a businesslike manner from the get-go. Performing according to a contract is not "dirty", it's business just like any other. Family you could at least excuse them for expecting a "family discount" & other non-pro aspects.
We've all done it at least once. That's how I know I hate working with friends.
I used to use a boilerplate contract with a variable cancellation fee within x days, yada yada. Weddings can be super stressful, but they can also be gravy (good pay, plus food and drink) for no more effort than a club date. But you also have to deal with over-extended people who may not have any experience planning events or booking live entertainment. So 
happens.
happens.
Awwww, man, part of me was hoping that it was a cock and bull story to cover up that somebody left somebody at the altar.
Man, bummer. Stuff like that is one reason I do not miss playing weddings. As someone mentioned before, they can be gravy or they can be total . The group I'm in now will still play the occasional wedding, but we negotiate it very carefully and based on my previous experiences, we use A LOT of the advice mentioned in this thread to do so. Chalk this one up as a learning experience and good luck in the future!
. The group I'm in now will still play the occasional wedding, but we negotiate it very carefully and based on my previous experiences, we use A LOT of the advice mentioned in this thread to do so. Chalk this one up as a learning experience and good luck in the future!
devnulljp
Supporting Member
Say it with me: Non-refundable deposit.
bummer! But yes, considering this is an existing client of someone, then nothing you can really do except suck it up. Maybe just have band practice instead ? Or do some sort of outdoor jam since you all have the time booked ?
Photo session to update the website ? Try and make use of the time somehow I guess.
Photo session to update the website ? Try and make use of the time somehow I guess.
