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.

 

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