Bands for weddings come in all shapes and sizes from an acoustic duo performing tuneful ballads to a ten piece jazz band squeaking and squealing their way though endless ‘classics’. It’s much easier to decide which type of wedding band you don’t want than it is to find one who will please most of your guests, most of the time. Most wedding bands for hire will have a broad and varied repertoire and will be able to perform hits from any genre or musical era. If you’re primarily a fan of rock or rap music, try to avoid booking a band which performs only one specific musical style, as the idea is to please your guests and not to please yourself.
The kids teenagers will like to dance to songs they know, as will the older guests who still use terms like ‘the hit parade’. This is why ‘proper’ bands for weddings fall in to a league of their own, they are much more versatile than other, more run of the mill ‘pub bands’. A proper wedding band will be experienced at playing to a mixed crowd. They know how to ‘read’ their audience and should be able to adapt their play list accordingly. For example, should they play a couple of seventies disco hits but get little reception they should know to drop any similar songs from their set and opt for musical styles which do garner a more positive response.
When looking for wedding bands to hire, always ask how long the group has been playing together as you really want a group with plenty of experience. These days almost anybody can make CDs or DVDs, so also ask for a preview of their style and ability. If they cannot provide proof of their ability, then simply look for an alternative band that can. Most wedding bands for hire will have upcoming bookings, so if possible, ask if you could preview them performing live before signing on the dotted line. As mentioned earlier, try to avoid booking a ‘pub band’, no matter how much you like their music. A pub band will lack the versatility of a proper wedding band and will struggle to entertain most of your guests, most of the time.
By Barry Summers, Carl Liver