Saturday, May 7, 2011

DJ or Band or BOTH?

Nothing gets me excited more than doing a wedding where there is a good old fashion band on stage.  There is something about the connection a band makes with the crowd.  The live music, the movement the numbness you feel in your ears.  WAIT!

Numbness?  Well yes.  If you're getting married and you are planning a band at your reception, it might be a good idea to ask them where they might be playing in the next couple of months, so you can drop in and see how they set up.  When the room holds no more than 160 people and the band has speakers that prevent you from seeing the wall, there might be an issue.  Let me give you an example.  When I first started in the video world I worked with a guy who wanted to buy a really big shoulder mounted video camera, because it "looked professional".  Who cares that it was not digital, and was 10 years old, he just looked good walking around with it.  The band I am thinking of, thinks the same way.  If we have a lot of speakers to the roof, and set off car alarms when we play, we must look professional.  Or if our lighting truss has to be rolled in and it takes 6 guys to raise then we look "professional".  No you don't, you look like you bought cheep crap off ebay.

We work with some of the best DJ's in the Central Valley.  These guys have spent years honing their talents to a point where they can tell you exactly what is needed to deliver great sound to a room.  They do not live by the theory Big is better and BIGGER IS EVEN BETTER!  Don't get me wrong, these guys can fire up the sound to the point where my fillings need to be replaced and my ears bleed, but they know what sounds good in front of the speakers.

So you get the band and you are ready to roll.  How about an emcee.  You know, the guy who says, "ALL THE SINGLE GIRLS TO THE FLOOR" for the bouquet toss or "Dancing for the first time as husband and wife...".  Does your band handle this?  Do they have an emcee?  Have they run a wedding or do they sit and plan our your reception so everything flows and you are enjoying your evening instead of figuring out who will talk first at the toasts.

Why does this matter?  Unless you have an unlimited balance in your checkbook, things can get quite costly when you have vendors on the clock working by the hour and nothing is happening and you go into "overtime".

So is there a solution?  Yes.  Hire a band that handles the whole enchilada from start to finish, or hire a DJ that will not only play music when the band is resting but will handle all the scheduling and the emcee work.  A side note...music should always, ALWAYS be playing during your reception.  Nothing kills the mood than a band or DJ who stops a song and.....wait.....wait for it.....wait.....then starts another song. Or a band who sets up when your reception is underway, because they don't go on for another 3 hours.  So as you and your new husband are cutting the cake...MIC CHECK MIC CHECK 1,2,3.....They should be set up when the doors open.  If they charge more for that, then pay it or look for another band.

And my last thought on the subject.  Whether it is a band or a DJ, ask them if they can supply a wireless mic to the people giving toasts during the reception.  What is with this 6 foot mic cable crap where your guests have to peer out from behind a speaker when toasting.

A good band can be a wonderful addition to your reception a good DJ will polish off the night and make it all come together.  A bad band and a bad DJ will literally kill your evening and make you walk away wondering why in the hell did you spend so much money to get such and amateur job.

MIC CHECK MIC CHECK...Feed back, LOUD screech....wishing you the best in your new lives together...MIC CHECK 1,2...feedback.

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