Wedding band questions

[jaywa]

20K?!



Zounds.

There must be some serious money in that part of the country. At that price those players better be pocketing $1,500 each MINIMUM, especially the poor schmo's that have to play the dinner set as well as the dance show.

 

[Jim Nazium]

If a wedding band can turn the dancefloor into Milf-Central within 30 seconds, they will have been worth every penny.

As much as I like the Charlie Haden quote, this might have to become my new sig.

 

[Tituscrow]

As much as I like the Charlie Haden quote, this might have to become my new sig.

Hehe I'm honoured

I defy anyone to say it isn't true.

 

[Richland123]

As affordable a really good wedding band is around here, 95% of the weddings still go to D.J.s and I know one outfit that gets $1,500 - $1,700 and no band here gets anyway near that for a wedding. Most D.J.s here can pull down $750 - $1,000 for one guy to push play.

 

[ggvicviper]

Thanks guys. The advice is much appreciated. We will continue to research, and see if maybe this guy can go lower. I absolutely agree he's trying to profit.

 

[MatticusMania]

$5000? For a cover band at a wedding? Absolutely outrageous. Keep looking around. For that money, you could hire a legit touring band that is fairly well-known.

When I got married a few years ago I contacted The String Quartet.
The one that does tributes to bands like Tool & Radiohead and other popular bands.
Their quote was around $5000 I believe.

 

[electracoyote]

Most D.J.s here can pull down $750 - $1,000 for one guy to push play.

Keep in mind that really good professional DJ's (as well as bands) offer a LOT more to their services than just pushing the play button.

In fact, playing the music is the easiest part of the evening. Making all the announcements, coordinating with the other wedding vendors, and maintaining a flow to the program are the big challenges, and only experienced DJ's/wedding bands can do this.

When I work with a wedding couple, as either a DJ or a band, I average around 20 hours of pre-event planning and conversations with the bride/groom, caterer, and venue manager. It's almost like being a wedding coordinator, but I don't do dresses.

 

[Richland123]

Keep in mind that really good professional DJ's (as well as bands) offer a LOT more to their services than just pushing the play button.

Not around here.

When I do a wedding or private event with my band, I am the emcee and organize everything. I have never seen a DJ here do much more than press play and are not professional.

 

[Dave W]

We got married in the same area a few years ago. I couldn't find a good band for less than that and most were well above 5K. We ended up going with a DJ.

If all else fails and you want a good DJ, PM me. They were awesome, not cheap, but well worth it.

 

[dave_bass5]

I really dont think paying a lot of money guarantees you a better band, just someone who knows how to work the system.
My band goes out for £800 minimum, but i recently went to a wedding where the couple had seen a local band in a pub and booked them for £400 (it was that or over pay a DJ).
The band hadn't done a wedding before, but they used good common sense (how hard can it be just to do this?), they had the whole room up dancing all night, had a fantastic rapport with the crowd, and the wedding couple gave them another £100 as a thank you.
Of course its long hours, so we charge more for this, but i feel some of the higher paid working bands get paid that much because they have the right image and business sense, not that they are better than a band that goes out for less.

 

[two fingers]

Guys, it is no different than spending $500 on a car or spending $92,000 for a car (like my neighbor did a few weeks ago...... oy). There are different price points for different markets. Diminishing returns? Perhaps. But even though we got $5000 on a regular basis around here, we were kind of the "middle tier". There are a couple of bands in this area that get $8000-$10000 regularly for private events. Heck, we even opened for one at a 50th wedding anniversary once. We got $4200 and the headliner got $8500. So, the point is, some people can afford it is pretty much EVERY area (other than way out in the woods or desert somewhere).

One other point (not to derail) is that most bands sell themselves short. Most bands COULD get MUCH more money than they do. But you have to be willing to TURN DOWN a few until the market understands that you are serious. But that's a topic for another day.

 

[electracoyote]

I have never seen a DJ here do much more than press play and are not professional.

That is a sub-par wedding entertainer, and he's over-paid no matter what his fee.

 

[MegaSwing]

So my fiancée and I are trying to get hold of a band in the NYC area. We got a quote tonight from a contractor/singer who hires musicians to some custom needs to form a band. His asking price was $750 a musician and $400 to use their PA, which was a separate fee.

I've not hired a band before for a wedding. What do you guys think? Is this a fair, or unfair?

Not unheard of. He had better come with sterling references as an MC, because at that price you're not just paying for a band to play music. You're paying for a show—a coherent program.

 

[ggvicviper]

Not unheard of. He had better come with sterling references as an MC, because at that price you're not just paying for a band to play music. You're paying for a show—a coherent program.

My fiancee saw him perform at another wedding - she actually liked him quite a bit. I agree that the "build a band" idea is a bit strange, and the people he will show up with may be totally random.

 

[MegaSwing]

My fiancee saw him perform at another wedding - she actually liked him quite a bit. I agree that the "build a band" idea is a bit strange, and the people he will show up with may be totally random.

There's a good chance he has a repertory of players who know his act. Lotsa good players up there, too. You could find out.

 

[ggvicviper]

There's a good chance he has a repertory of players who know his act. Lotsa good players up there, too. You could find out.

We did, he claims he's got a lot of connection to form wedding groups that he plays at.

 

[Brad Johnson]

Also keep in mind it is almost certain those players aren't actually being paid $750 each.

After the BL deducts taxes, overhead and however much profit he wants to make off the top, they're probably putting more like $400-500 into their pockets at the end of the night. Which is still a tidy chunk of change but if that's what your local market will bear you're pretty much stuck with it unless you happen to catch them in a slow time and/or are a hell of a negotiator.

And whatever you do, do NOT extend open bar to the band! Feed them, yes, maybe even one comp drink ticket per member but giving musicians unliimited access to free alcohol is a bad idea more often than not. Most pro wedding bands won't abuse that perk even if it's offered but why offer the tempation?

Bingo!

That $750 is probably just a line item to determine how big a band you'll pay for. That's not what the musicians will be getting paid. I know that some contractors pay as little as they can get away with so if a bassist they want charges $500, the keyboard player who's also doing cocktails is asking $750 and the drummer works for $300, it's hardly surprising. As an agency musician you're largely responsible for cutting your own deal. If you're in demand you can do that. If not, be happy you got a gig.


I work with several wedding bands. The personel depends on who is available at the time. The product remains largely the same. That's what pros bring to the table. What I hate are wedding bands that sound like wedding bands. Considering I don't like weddings to begin with, being stuck playing in one of the Plastic Ohno! bands would be one of my ideas of hell.

A really good band in the NYC area is not going to be cheap (I've subbed with some)... not that you can't try your luck with a less expensive band. You might even get lucky.

If it were me... I'd elope.


Good luck.

 

[Brad Johnson]

20K?!



Zounds.

There must be some serious money in that part of the country. At that price those players better be pocketing $1,500 each MINIMUM, especially the poor schmo's that have to play the dinner set as well as the dance show.

Not really. An agency/BL might take half of that or more. Seen it a few times.

I had a guy contact me about an event in Georgia a couple of years ago. He didn't know that I'd already seen the contract so I knew what the gig paid. He wanted me to ride to GA, do the gig, turn right around and ride back that night... for $450.



This was a four piece rhythm section + three vocalist hit. The budget was $9k which included airfare and hotel accomodations. He pocketed that and paid the band peanuts. One of the guys did it for $250.

I declined the initial offer, countered with a much higher figure and he declined my counter. No problem... the feedback that I got after the gig was that it was a cluster frolic. Sometimes you do get what you pay for.

 

[Brad Johnson]

Guys, it is no different than spending $500 on a car or spending $92,000 for a car (like my neighbor did a few weeks ago...... oy). There are different price points for different markets. Diminishing returns? Perhaps. But even though we got $5000 on a regular basis around here, we were kind of the "middle tier". There are a couple of bands in this area that get $8000-$10000 regularly for private events. Heck, we even opened for one at a 50th wedding anniversary once. We got $4200 and the headliner got $8500. So, the point is, some people can afford it is pretty much EVERY area (other than way out in the woods or desert somewhere).

One other point (not to derail) is that most bands sell themselves short. Most bands COULD get MUCH more money than they do. But you have to be willing to TURN DOWN a few until the market understands that you are serious. But that's a topic for another day.

Absolutely. Most musicians that I know have a hard time believing how much a good group can charge for a wedding.

I have a friend who had a hot trio and regularly played out for $300. For the trio. I've done weddings where a cocktail set trio could make $600. One short set and out. Or better yet, do it as part of the main band and make that money too.


I learned a long time ago not to sell myself short. And the beauty of it is that more money typically brings less stress, work and drama than the $100 gigs.

 

[Brad Johnson]

Wow. I wish I could get that here in Colorado, but I'd have to have an inside track with the Governor first. I've been a professional wedding entertainer for the past ten years, most recently booked my band to a wedding for $1600 total and thought I was doing pretty good.

Most wedding clients in my neck of the woods will go in the 1.5K to 2K range and no higher.

I agree the "per man" thing is a weird detail to broadcast to a client. My band won't do an upscale event for less than $200 per man, but we don't let the client in on that detail.

The main wedding band I work with bills out at between $5,000-$7,500. I wish I got an equal split of that but it's just not happening.

So I also work with other bands that are more appreciative financially, they charge less but pay more. And now I book on a first come/first served basis.