My cousin's wedding is tomorrow. I've had a recurring dream about sitting in with the band for some reason.
Enjoy the benefits of a premium membership!
Upgrade Account
-
TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
Join free Log in
Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.
Wedding gig advice? And gigging outside...
- Thread starter MtManiac
- Start date
If the opportunity presents itself, do it.
You might never have as supportive an audience as a bunch of your relatives who should be on their best behavior.
I've got a wedding gig in two weeks. Haven't played one in quite a while actually. Don't know about your neck of the woods, but typically...
1. The bride and grooms first song as husband and wife. Find that out. Some want it, others don't. Sounds like your gig is casuel, but maybe they do want something like that.
2. "Daddy's Little Girl" is also a tune that gets played to death at weddings for when the father dances with daughter, typically a balland, but not necessarily.
3. There is a song for the mother dancing with the son, but I can't remember it!!! - Sorry! You might want to look into that as well.
4. "The bride cuts the cake" is again corney, but it's typical and traditional when the cake is cut by the, uh.. bride. I just googled the lyrics the other day. It is to the tune of "the farmer in the dell." Basically its a fun spot where the bride cuts the cake, the bride feeds the groom, the groom feeds the bride... and etc. It's a great time for the wife to mash the cake in the grooms face and visa versa. It's great fun.
5. Be prepared for the drunk relative who plays and "instrument" that might want to ask to sit-in. And beware of the drunk relative that will sit-in without asking. This isn't the norm, but this has happened to me on a few gigs and it can get akward.
6. Unless the venue has a PA, the band PA will likely get drafted into service for toasts, speaches, and possibly the drunk wedding singer. You might want to prepare for this possibility.
7. If the bride and groom have some specific things things planned for the reception try to get them to put it on paper or in an email, this way you'll be ready for anything that might come up.
8. Of course, if none of this information applies then please disregard it!
Have fun!
Salvatore ~
1. The bride and grooms first song as husband and wife. Find that out. Some want it, others don't. Sounds like your gig is casuel, but maybe they do want something like that.
2. "Daddy's Little Girl" is also a tune that gets played to death at weddings for when the father dances with daughter, typically a balland, but not necessarily.
3. There is a song for the mother dancing with the son, but I can't remember it!!! - Sorry! You might want to look into that as well.
4. "The bride cuts the cake" is again corney, but it's typical and traditional when the cake is cut by the, uh.. bride. I just googled the lyrics the other day. It is to the tune of "the farmer in the dell." Basically its a fun spot where the bride cuts the cake, the bride feeds the groom, the groom feeds the bride... and etc. It's a great time for the wife to mash the cake in the grooms face and visa versa. It's great fun.
5. Be prepared for the drunk relative who plays and "instrument" that might want to ask to sit-in. And beware of the drunk relative that will sit-in without asking. This isn't the norm, but this has happened to me on a few gigs and it can get akward.
6. Unless the venue has a PA, the band PA will likely get drafted into service for toasts, speaches, and possibly the drunk wedding singer. You might want to prepare for this possibility.
7. If the bride and groom have some specific things things planned for the reception try to get them to put it on paper or in an email, this way you'll be ready for anything that might come up.
8. Of course, if none of this information applies then please disregard it!
Have fun!
Salvatore ~
- Nov 29, 2007
- 3,641
- 13
- Disclosures
- Endorsing artist GENZ BENZ/HERCULES STANDS/XSonics
Not much to add to the list except this. Find out what songs they want indeed... if you don't do them load them to an iPod and play them on breaks (as well as other classic dance music you don't do). The best way to get in trouble at a wedding is dead air. When there is silence they know you are not playing. When they know you are not playing they come find you and get demanding... AVOID THAT AT ALL COSTS. Also, in many cases the brides father becomes the biggest adversary because for the last year he has had no say in anything and has been expected to get out the check book, you are no exception. Be kind to him and life gets easier and if you can come up with a few songs he loves your tip just got bigger.
There was no band. Just a DJ playing ****ty music. Danced with some hot friend of my cousin's though.
Same concern about adequate power...
Small cottages may not supply enough clean/safe power for an outdoor gig (especially if they just run an extension cord out from the cottage). Check out the site during another gig (bring a circuit tester). Check with the band after the gig.
If the gig runs after dark, youll need to arrange for lights and additional power.
It would be wise to write out your payment conditions in the event of any mishaps. (i.e. Gig ending early for any reason: power outages, rain outs, etc.)
Small cottages may not supply enough clean/safe power for an outdoor gig (especially if they just run an extension cord out from the cottage). Check out the site during another gig (bring a circuit tester). Check with the band after the gig.
If the gig runs after dark, youll need to arrange for lights and additional power.
It would be wise to write out your payment conditions in the event of any mishaps. (i.e. Gig ending early for any reason: power outages, rain outs, etc.)
I still think PA support for the bass would be unnecessary, your rig has plenty of headroom for a wedding. Wedding volume is almost cut in half as opposed to clubs and bars IMO. If folks can't hear each other without raising their voices a lot, then you are way too loud. Clarity is far more effective than volume. If someone wants to dance or hear the band, they will come close to you guys to jam.
Dont leave the mic's live (or even on the stands) during the breaks.
Drunks love them.
Also drum sticks should be hidden away.
Both my bands only use vocal PA's (one has a sub with it though) but we find that putting everything through the PA a little helps spread the sound out. It gives a bit of clarity to the bass and means we have guitar on both sides of the stage/playing area.
Agree with everyone though that its not about the band at weddings and sometimes every one will just want to sit around and talk. If you are too loud they will leave the room.
We also find playing to the women keeps the dance floor busy. Men dont tend to dance on their own where as women will, and the the men will follow.
Has anyone mentioned learning Brown eyed Girl yet? ;-)
Drunks love them.
Also drum sticks should be hidden away.
Both my bands only use vocal PA's (one has a sub with it though) but we find that putting everything through the PA a little helps spread the sound out. It gives a bit of clarity to the bass and means we have guitar on both sides of the stage/playing area.
Agree with everyone though that its not about the band at weddings and sometimes every one will just want to sit around and talk. If you are too loud they will leave the room.
We also find playing to the women keeps the dance floor busy. Men dont tend to dance on their own where as women will, and the the men will follow.
Has anyone mentioned learning Brown eyed Girl yet? ;-)
So, we did the wedding gig outdoors this past Saturday. They took our request to have a raised platform and a tent to cover us, thankfully, because it rained off and on all afternoon and into the evening. We set up between 4-5:30 and were supposed to start playing at 8:00. We rented a passive mixer, a power amp, and a subwoofer to augment our setup of a powered mixer, two mains, two passive monitors, and stage amps for bass, electronic drums and electric guitar.
We were approached while setting up by a wedding guest who was already half in the bag, impersonating the character Bubbles from the Trailer Park Boys. Then he went on to show me his Clint Eastwood impersonation and a few others and asked to sing a couple of tunes later. We picked out Mustang Sally and Take It Easy, as those are two that our singer doesn't really enjoy all that much. We finally got set up, tarped the sides of the stage so that rain wouldn't come in sideways, and did a quick and dirty sound check to make sure everything was working and that the levels were more or less ok.
We came back just before 8:00 and had to sit around for about 35-40 minutes while they finished up speeches. Finally got on stage, and played, and we got very strong positive feedback from the wedding guests! There was a 12 year old girl who just had to sing 2-3 songs solo on stage, and of course the drunk guy finally got to sing Mustang Sally followed by Take It Easy around 11:00. By that point he was almost unrecognizable, and I swear he must have had the mic crammed down his throat with the way he was overdriving his channel - we killed his monitor feed so we could hear ourselves.
The only downside was the electric guitar player and the drummer both were wondering during setup if they should put their amps onstage or just use the monitors. I told them that it's better to have it and not need it than need it and not have it, and they can always turn down, but there's a point where you can't turn up anymore. The drummer took my advice and the guitar player didn't, and guess who was bitching for the last half of the night because he couldn't hear himself onstage?
All in all a fun night! Thanks to all who helped us prepare by offering such great advice.
We were approached while setting up by a wedding guest who was already half in the bag, impersonating the character Bubbles from the Trailer Park Boys. Then he went on to show me his Clint Eastwood impersonation and a few others and asked to sing a couple of tunes later. We picked out Mustang Sally and Take It Easy, as those are two that our singer doesn't really enjoy all that much. We finally got set up, tarped the sides of the stage so that rain wouldn't come in sideways, and did a quick and dirty sound check to make sure everything was working and that the levels were more or less ok.
We came back just before 8:00 and had to sit around for about 35-40 minutes while they finished up speeches. Finally got on stage, and played, and we got very strong positive feedback from the wedding guests! There was a 12 year old girl who just had to sing 2-3 songs solo on stage, and of course the drunk guy finally got to sing Mustang Sally followed by Take It Easy around 11:00. By that point he was almost unrecognizable, and I swear he must have had the mic crammed down his throat with the way he was overdriving his channel - we killed his monitor feed so we could hear ourselves.
The only downside was the electric guitar player and the drummer both were wondering during setup if they should put their amps onstage or just use the monitors. I told them that it's better to have it and not need it than need it and not have it, and they can always turn down, but there's a point where you can't turn up anymore. The drummer took my advice and the guitar player didn't, and guess who was bitching for the last half of the night because he couldn't hear himself onstage?
All in all a fun night! Thanks to all who helped us prepare by offering such great advice.
Oh, and by the way, the caterer liked us and wants to book us at his friend's bar, near where we all live.
Thanks for the report - great to hear that it went well. If the guests are happy and you enjoyed yourself - that makes all the effort and preparation worth it.
Let me guess on the person complainting about not hearing himself --- ahhh, wait a minute, let me think, just a SWAG but could it have been the...........GUITARIST?
Let me guess on the person complainting about not hearing himself --- ahhh, wait a minute, let me think, just a SWAG but could it have been the...........GUITARIST?
I'd add to that
7) Remember that the Bride and her family have been thinking about/planning/looking forward to this day for YEARS...make sure that what SHE wants SHE GETS.
I had a bad experience with the band at my wedding pissing off my wife (playing stuff she didn't exactly approve of that someone else in the party asked for), that was 12 years ago and I still hear about it.
7) Remember that the Bride and her family have been thinking about/planning/looking forward to this day for YEARS...make sure that what SHE wants SHE GETS.
I had a bad experience with the band at my wedding pissing off my wife (playing stuff she didn't exactly approve of that someone else in the party asked for), that was 12 years ago and I still hear about it.
We once had a groom ask us to play everyday i love you less and less as a joke.
We did and luckily it went down well as both groom and bride were big fans of the Kaiser's.
We have played it at one or two other weddings but only if we are asked to by the bride or groom.
We did and luckily it went down well as both groom and bride were big fans of the Kaiser's.
We have played it at one or two other weddings but only if we are asked to by the bride or groom.
Let me guess on the person complainting about not hearing himself --- ahhh, wait a minute, let me think, just a SWAG but could it have been the...........GUITARIST?
YES!! IT WAS!!
You must be some kind a genius or something! Either that or you know a few guitar players. 
