Issue 5: Booking Live Bands Part 1 - The Bad Old Days Aren't All Old

So, there’s an article from the Village Voice, written by Ray Dobbins, floating around social media, dating from the mid 1980’s, that talks about the “life of the Club Date musician” - ie a musician performing weddings and corporate events. One of the stories in the article haunts the industry to this day, as it has been encountered in various forms many times over, and highlights why couples need to know certain things about booking live music so they ensure they get what they are paying for.

The story goes that the musician shows up, starts setting up, and is meeting the other musicians for the first time. They figure out that the band has never played together before, but they all know the drill. The band leader (referred to in the article as the Gig Boss), shows up, and it dawns on everyone that it’s going to be what used to be referred to as a “screamer.” And that was because when the bridal party entered, they saw it was a different band, started yelling and screaming about it being a different band, the Gig Boss would show them the contract allowing the substitution if the band leader was unable to perform (he told them that the leader had broken his arm, when in fact he was triple booked that night), and they’d play the wedding, although with many people upset about not getting what they paid for….

Sounds like a nightmare, doesn’t it?

Believe it or not, it can still happen today. Unscrupulous agencies will have no problem booking bands multiple times, or even booking non-existent bands just to get the sale - and at prices that even if they refund you some money, they still make out anyway.

So how do you protect yourself? Simple - knowledge is power. The more you know, the less chance you have of falling for the tricks. You’ll know the questions to ask, the terminology so you can understand the answers, the red flags to watch out for, and will then have the confidence to book, knowing you are going to get the party you expect.

Over the next few weeks, we will go over EVERYTHING you need to know about the myths and truths of set bands, subs, pickup bands, and any other terms you may hear as you talk to agencies and band leaders about booking live entertainment. This is the info that most places won’t give you, or even want you to have - yet it can have a major impact on your event.

Want to know more? Follow our social media, and watch for our upcoming posts - each week will have a new topic about this very important subject.

Booking a band now? Then contact us to set up a booking appointment, where we can discuss all of this with you and share how we are different from other agencies. Even if you don’t end up booking with us, we want you to know what you need to know so you don’t get scammed. Your wedding is a one time event - don’t you deserve some Clarity to get it right?

Let's get started! Click here to book a free consultation and secure your event date today!