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Frequently
Asked Questions...
Hiring
a live band is a great move and THE most
important element hands
down.
My
name is Candace and I'm the band's
manager. I'll be your contact person all
the way through to the day of the event.
I
know that you have a lot of
questions...which makes sense because many
of you have never planned a wedding or
private party before. You can relax and
trust our expertise - for the past 15
years, I have assisted literally hundreds
of folks in the planning process, and have
learned a few things along the way. And
the band is a totally pro outfit...they
will arrive on time, are well dressed and
pleasant to work with.
I
will help you to narrow down &
organize the information you'll need to
build your itinerary for the reception.
It's just a matter of filling in the
blanks for the questions I'll present you
with. Once we begin to work together, I'll
send you a 'Band Info Checklist' that will
help you to get me the details I'll need
make your party run smoothly and be alot
of fun.
I
am a manager, not an agent. Difference?
Agencies will broker a band for you, then
hand you off to the band to finalize
details. With me, I manage the band
bookings, do all the business/paperwork,
and work with you from start to finish
helping you along the way. I'll take care
of the reception venue logistics, set up a
timeline with the caterers and am
available to answer any questions you have
regarding the band's attire, playlist, and
much more.
You
will ultimately build an itinerary for the
entire day, which will include information
for all of your vendors (video,
photographers, make up, etc). You will do
this with your bridal consultant or
caterer/manager of the venue that you
choose for the party. Here is a
'sample
itinerary'
for your reference.
About
the PARTY...with
Mustangs Band at the helm, your event WILL
be an all out dancing party.... we'll keep
your guests dancing until the last song. A
packed dance floor=great party.
What's the
RATE?: The actual rate will depend
on a few factors...our 'local" rate' will
be different from our 'out of town'
rate-depending on how far the band must
travel and if they'll need hotel
accomodations. Our travel radius is quite
reasonable, 2.5 hours one way, so most of
our work falls into the 'local' category.
For an accurate price quote, fill out the form on the 'contact' page...or call/email. No pressure! If you provide a phone number, I'll call you, if not, I'll shoot you an email back with a quote.
Want
some references? ...contact me for the
list.
#1
QUESTION: How many pieces are in the band?
We
are an 7 piece band with 3 front
vocalists...total of 10. On
certain occasions (like birthday parties,
etc.) we might break the band to a smaller
unit (6-8 pcs), but we really don't like
to. because:
- all
the players are long time regular
members of the group
- they
all rehearse on a regular
basis
- it's
not fair to randomly cut them out of
the gigs.
- our
sound depends upon all parts being
there
- we
would not be able to play our entire
repertoire without all
players.
The
10 piece lineup is:
Three
vocalists - 2 male & 1 female ,
saxophone, trumpet, trombone, piano/bass,
guitar, drum set, percussionist.
If
you really need a smaller group, let's
discuss your event or, you can check out
my other group, DC Soul Band which is an 8
piece - go to www.dcsoulband.com
2.
HOW EARLY DO CLIENTS BOOK US?:
Typically 9-12 months in advance.
But for the past few years there have been
cases where folks hired us just 6 weeks
before the wedding! The point is, don't
assume we're booked.
3.
COCTAIL HOUR
The
coctail hour would be
the first of 5 hours of music, and it
usually happens immediately before the
main 4-hour block of time (dinner &
dancing). If you would like to have players from within the full band, you can hire them at a discounted rate of $150 per player.
FYI-the
cocktail hour is actually the standard set
time of 45 minutes long. The trio is usually asked to set up in a separate coctail area and will
have to break down and move to the main
stage and join the full band for the
"dinner & dancing" portion of your
evening.
4.
SOUND & LIGHTS:
Our price includes production:
sound and lighting systems. Our systems do
not require any special electrical
considerations...regular 110 outlets are
fine. If
there is a case where the venue is
unusually large, we may have to rent sound
and then there will be an additional
charge, but it's very uncommon.
We
do not carry a stage. Most venues provide
that. We also do not provide electrical
generators. If you are planning an outdoor
event, you may be required to rent
generators, which can be moderately
expensive.
From
time to time we are asked if we can bring
audio gear for the officiant of the
wedding ceremony. We only bring our own
gear to the events. We can rent something
for you at an additional cost, but we
don't usually carry extra gear with us, so
be sure to ask. Our soundman would have to
make a special trip to a rental facility
and it is costly.
5.
SET UP TIME:
Loading in and set up is usually
takes 2+ hours...break down/load out is
1.5 or so. If the band must be set up
early due to scheduling issues and/or set
up issues, then an early set up fee may
have to be negotiated to compensate those
who must come early and wait for the start
time. If that early setup is neccessary, a
fee of $200 per hour will be added to the
contract price or the balance due. This
issue may not become apparent until a
couple of weeks prior to the event, so be
aware of this condition when working out
your itinerary with the venue/caterer.
Anything more than 2 hours earlier than
the band's start time is considered an
early set up.
6.
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
Our lead singer will MC your
event, but doesn't actually have say much.
Mostly the introductions of the bridal
party, toast givers, cake cutting, special
dances, bouquet toss and such. We only say
what needs to be said, which is really
very little. Most of our clients don't
really want alot of cheesy chatter anyway.
Our bandleader & front vocalist will
serve as MC. We have a wireless microphone
for toasts, speeches, etc.
7.
LEARNING SONGS:
If we do not know your First
Dance selection, we will learn it for you.
If the song is obscure or hard to find,
we'll ask that you provide us with a CD of
the song and perhaps also the sheet music.
We ask that you choose your
Father/Daughter dance from our song list.
If a song must be learned, we'll need 4
weeks to work it into the rehearsal
schedule.
8.
SONG SELECTIONS FOR THE EVENING:
You don't have to choose our set
lists for the band. In fact, you couldn't
possibly do it. The bandleader will decide
what to play on the fly, depending on what
your guests are responding to. The goal is
to keep the dance floor packed and the
party going strong. There is no advance
way to predict what your guests will like,
and therefore you MUST trust our
bandleader to read the crowd. He is
exceptionally good at this.
If
you'd like to give us a list of songs that
you'd really love to hear (from our song
list), then we'll be sure to play them
that night. The best way to indicate those
songs is to copy/paste our list into a
word document and 'make bold' those
tunes. And about that songlist...check it out...we've isolated some more obscure songs that most band do not play...these are the 'B' sides of the Classic R&B, 60's Soul, Classic 70's Radio Hits.
9.
ABOUT FEEDING YOUR BAND:
To be perfectly honest, the food thing can be a really annoying detail for everyone. The timing is usually way off and the catering staff should really be concerned with your guests, not your vendors. However, the band will be there for more than 7+ hours from load in to load out, so they will need to eat something. We can have you order us vendor meals, or you can do a buyout for
dinner...meaning you pay a set fee & we'll take care of ordering
our own dinner. This is definately less expensive
than your caterer or hotel will charge you. We
can usually feed the entire band for $150.
If the area is remote it might not be easy
to order in, so we'll have to have you
arrange meals for us, but most of the time, we can take care of it.
10.
BAND VOLUME:
Our volume is totally adjustable.
If you think we are too loud, just tell
us. It is never a problem to turn down.
Sometimes we cannot tell from the
stage...depending on the room acoustics,
and we need your help finding the right
levels. I repeat, it is never a problem to
turn down. To
really keep this issue under wraps, our
soundman monitors the levels all
night.
Some
venues present an immense acoustic
challenge with glass, marble, and/or all
hard surface areas. We've played many
rooms like this and know how to keep
things comfortable for the entire room,
yet intense & exciting for the dancing
guests.
11.
BAND BREAK TIMES:
This is how we do it- during
dinner the band will play backround
music/instrumentals until the main course
is served or until most people have been
through the buffet line and are eating
their main meal. This can make the first
set anywhere from one hour to 1.5
hours....then the band will take a short
break. When they come back on, the dance
music begins, and the band will play for
45 -50 minutes, then the band will run a
iPod or CDs through the band's PA system
for the 15 minute break.
12.
TRAVEL EXPENSE:
Engagements that are within a 2.5
hour driving range are considered to be
'local' for us. This covers alot of
ground! Beyond that, each case is
different. In some cases the band might
need hotel rooms...honestly, the band
would rather go home, but if it's too
late, we need play it safe and spend the
night.
13.
CONTRACTS & DEPOSITS:
We draw up a legal contract and
your deposit check will be made out to the
Mustangs Band Co. That money is held in
escrow until the date of your wedding at
which time your deposit will be disbursed
to the bandleader.
Your
balance will be due on the day of your
event, which may be in cash, cashier's
check or certified funds. You'll pay that
balance directly to the bandleader. We
do not accept personal checks as final
payment due to the clearance time of most
personal checks. We pay our musicians
on the day of the event so we need to be
certain the funds will be available
immediately.
We
do not offer credit card payment as an
option, unless you would like to use
PayPal. (the fees are steep!)
14.
HIDDEN COSTS:
We don't have any! To be clear,
what we bring is our sound system, our
staging lights, our instruments and
amplifiers. Be
aware: there are situations that will call
for the rental of specific items to
accommodate the band. In most cases this
will apply to outdoor & tented events.
I'm talking about staging, dance flooring,
and power generators. Tent siding is
another cost that will be necessary in
case of rain, unless the band is setting
up in the center of the tent, which is
unusual. Here are a few points that may be
considered an expense above and beyond the
contract pricing:
•
Staging: We do not carry a stage. Not many
bands do...they are large, heavy and
require a truck for transport. Most venues
or rental companies supply that. If the
staging is cost prohibitive for you, we
can play on ground level. However, we will
need a hard and flat surface to place our
gear and our feet. Grass or mud will not
do. We have even played on tennis courts
and driveways! We usually request a stage
or an area 16' deep x 16' wide. Most
hotels or rental companies provide
sections of staging/risers (usually 6'x8'
or so) pieced together to make the size we
need. There is a safety factor involved as
well. In case of rain, the electrical
instruments/amps must be elevated so that
no one is injured, and nothing is
damaged.
•
Generators: The other cost may be for
power generators. I have found in the past
that sharing a low output generator to run
the band and the tent lights does not
work. We'll need one with enough power to
run our sound board, lights and
amplifiers. Hopefully, they have a power
source close enough to run us extension
cords.
* Parking - if there is no lot or street parking, we'll ask you to arrange for garage or valet passes for the band members who carry heavy gear. This usually amounts to 8 passes.
15.
SAY YES!
Once you've booked us, we'll give
you a "Band Information Checklist" that we
need to help us to follow the program of
your reception. We'll ask about your
special dances, such as: First Dance song;
Father & Bride Dance; special songs,
ethnic selections, timeline,
etc.
As
we said, we will learn your First Dance
selection if we don't already know it, but
we need at least 4 weeks to work it into
our rehearsal schedule. We'll also ask you
to get us contact info for the caterer and
reception hall so we can then take care of
all the logistics and you won't have to
worry about our end at all. I'll handle
all the band related details.
16.
WHO IS CANDACE?
I am the originator of the group
and was bandleader from 1992-2002. I no
longer play in the band...I now am the
band manager/booker and your contact
person. I also put this FAQ page together
and hope I covered all the bases! As the
band's direct contact, I keep the books
and the dates straight so the band can
concentrate on the music and the
gigs.
17.
BOOKING DIRECT vs. an AGENCY
This is a management service. I
manage just a few bands....whereas an
agency brokers deals for hundreds of
bands. They do not serve as the contact
person for you, you are handed off to the
band leader or manager, like myself. If
you book with us directly, you are going
directly to the source, like paying
wholesale, rather than retail. If you've
found us directly, you'll work with me
from start to finish. My office has been
operating for 15 years and I have a
perfect track record.
What
a good agency does offer is a variety of
acts for those who are uncertain about
what band or what style of music they
want...and they can offer alternatives if
the band you had in mind is already
booked. They usually represent hundreds of
bands....I only manage a select few! Also
most local agencies have been in business
for so many years, they have a really good
sense of what local band would be right
for you.
If
you have a relationship with a local
agency, check their roster-most likely
we're on it! If you'd prefer to contract
through them, please do!
Our
record: we have proven a perfect track
record and I personally see to it that all
calls and emails are promptly answered.
You can count on great service from the
first inquiry you make all the way to the
last dance of your event. We have 15 years
worth of clients who will verify their
great experience with us from start to
finish.
What
did I miss? Have more questions?
Contact
us...
PLEASE
NOTE: This is our official website. You've
reached "The Mustangs Band" directly. If
you prefer to book us through an agency,
please be sure that they are an official
representative by checking for our listing
on their site, or by speaking directly
with only accredited agencies. ALL dates
must be cleared through me and my
calendar. |
