![\"Dancing](\"https:\/\/assets.easyweddings.com\/files\/2021\/10\/30134910\/WeddingbandQA5-800x349-1.jpg\" "\\"\\"")
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Adam Sandler\u2019s cult classic film The Wedding Singer<\/em> paid fluorescent homage to the decade that was the 1980s. But it also offered a sweet and sentimental tribute to the art of wedding entertainment, showcasing not only myriad ways to perform Spandau Ballet\u2019s power ballad True<\/em>, but also how a great ringleader can turn a reception into an unforgettable celebration.<\/p>\n It\u2019s something Trevor Newnham gets to embrace week in and out as the founder of celebrated outfit the Club Band, which performers at weddings all across Australia.<\/p>\n It made him the perfect person to hit up with all the questions about wedding bands we could possibly think of\u2026.<\/p>\n There\u2019s actually no set formula for it. In fact, one of the key reasons people look to hire a band is flexibility, which is not only about budget and size, but also genres. For example, our musicians know just about any cover song you could mention, but we\u2019re also all jazz trained, which means we could just as easily perform at a Great Gatsby<\/em> themed celebration as a more standard Saturday night affair at a restaurant. We also cover off multiple instruments, so we can create a variety of different sounds without the cost of booking multiple bands. For example, we could bring along the brass section for the reception to really get things swinging, but then maybe just have one or two people performing during the ceremony to add to the atmosphere and provide a beautiful background without overpowering the emotion and importance of the moment.<\/p>\n [ew-supplier-carousel]<\/p>\n It really comes down to a different skill set, and looking at what live artists can bring to the party. When you have a band, the\u00a0lead singer sits front and centre, almost like an entertainment ringmaster, taking over when the official proceedings are done (or even before that if the MC\u2019s had a couple of drinks and defers to us). And that’s where you can get the most value – in understanding that people often need leadership to really get into the party spirit. Brides and grooms know their parents, their grandparents, their uncles, their aunties. They know no one is getting up on that dancefloor unless someone warms them up and breaks the ice. And that\u2019s where a band comes in, not just with great music, but also with some vocal encouragement, or even a little bit of gentle coercion. Basically, whatever it takes to get the party started.<\/p>\n Probably the best comparison is to say it\u2019s like the difference between listening to your favourite band\u2019s latest CD or going to their concert. The CD is a great way to enjoy the songs, but when you go to the gig, it brings a whole new level of personality and colour. You\u2019re surrounded by noise and atmosphere, and there\u2019s room for the unexpected, where the band can suddenly segue into a medley or mash-up, start jamming on a favourite number or even just perform an extended version of any tune that has really brought the crowd to its feet. It allows for spontaneity in a way pre-recorded music never really can.<\/p>\n Of course you can \u2013 it\u2019s your wedding. But we always encourage couples to leave room for spontaneity so you can tap into the mood as it unfolds. For example, you\u2019ll explore their musical tastes by asking for say 10 songs or bands they love and 10 they don\u2019t. This will tell you that they might love Aussie rock, that they want to sing anthems, that they adore funk or that they prefer stuff from the \u201960s or \u201970s. So then you begin to shape a theme and a set list. But apart from \u2018must-play\u2019 numbers, it\u2019s never set in stone, as you want to be able to respond to the night\u2019s energy. If they\u2019re going crazy for something like Summer of \u201969<\/em><\/a>, for example, you can make sure another classic, such as Every Little Step<\/em><\/a> by Bobby Brown, isn\u2019t too far away. Similarly, How Sweet It Is<\/em><\/a> might pair perfectly in close proximity to Everything<\/em><\/a>. It\u2019s all about gauging what\u2019s happening and responding accordingly.<\/p>\n A real favourite at the moment across the age groups is Uptown Funk<\/em><\/a> by Bruno Mars and Mark Ronson. That will work every time.<\/p>\n Absolutely. Musos love to help create special musical moments that have personal meaning for you. The only thing you might be surprised to find is they probably already know the song, as their repertoires tend to be incredibly varied.<\/p>\n Definitely. I mean, wedding musicians play for thousands of people a year, so they know what works to pack a dancefloor and keep it moving. They understand the guaranteed crowd pleasers may not be something the bride and groom have thought of, so if you give them freedom for the unexpected, it can pay off big time. Plus, it\u2019s a nice surprise for a bride and groom to enjoy something out of left field after all their months or even years of intense planning.<\/p>\n Yes, and it\u2019s really fun to perform songs in a different way than expected \u2013 say doing a jazzy version of a pop song, throwing a brass section into a number that doesn\u2019t have brass or even rocking up a song that\u2019s traditionally viewed as kind of cheesy. For example, something we love to do is a kind of dance blitz, where we\u2019ll take six or seven good dancefloor songs, mix them up and play them back to back without stopping. We pick out their best sections, go back and forth between the ones people really love, jam on our instruments, free form and basically just go all out. It\u2019s 20 minutes or half an hour where the beat goes on. And people really love it.<\/p>\n Wedding etiquette \u2013 and our contract – says yes. But this is a pretty standard arrangement. Also, most caterers and venues will allow you to buy meals for all of your vendors, including musicians, at a reduced rate.<\/p>\n This is something I highly recommend – especially if you\u2019re tossing up between using a DJ and going live. One thing we often find, especially for couples who haven\u2019t seen a band live at a wedding, is they don\u2019t really understand what musicians can bring to the party until they\u2019ve seen a live showcase event. Because it\u2019s not so much about the notes and bars of a song as it is about the intangible elements. It\u2019s the energy, the kind of arrangements you give to songs, the fun you have on stage together and the atmosphere you can create. It\u2019s about getting people excited, and we often find they\u2019ll then count down on Facebook with messages that say something like: \u201cWoo hoo, only two weeks until you rock our reception. Can\u2019t wait!\u201d<\/p>\n Trevor, a bass player by trade, says live music at weddings has always been popular, as evidenced by demand for his bands.<\/p>\n These are the Radio Club Band<\/a> in South East Queensland, the Press Club Band<\/a> in Sydney, the Party Club Band<\/a> in Adelaide and the Summer Club Band<\/a> in Perth.<\/p>\n All feature experienced professionals who have toured the world and performed alongside everyone from John Farnham and Katie Noonan to Sneaky Sound System and Jamiroquai.<\/p>\n It\u2019s a level of experience that lets them take responsibility and lead from the front.<\/p>\n \u201cBrides and grooms spend so much time planning the reception they don\u2019t want the responsibility of making sure people have a good time,\u201d Trevor says. \u201cThey don\u2019t want to be the ones to have to drag them on to the dance floor or get them excited. That\u2019s where we come in.\u201d<\/p>\n It\u2019s all about encouraging a sense of fun and interactivity.<\/p>\n \u201cWe build up a real chemistry with the bride and groom, their families and guests, and use it to develop a terrific atmosphere,\u201d Trevor says.<\/p>\n \u201cFor example, we\u2019ll bring someone from the wedding party up to perform on the microphone. Or we\u2019ll use a bit of friendly coercion to encourage people on to their feet. Or we\u2019ll head out on to the floor to play and dance among the guests, which is something our brass section especially loves to do.<\/p>\n \u201cIt really feeds into the crowd and it\u2019s fun for us. In fact we have to pinch ourselves that we get paid to play for people who are dancing and having so much fun.\u201d<\/p>\n Trevor \u2013 who explains all of their musicians are particularly passionate about weddings \u2013 says they\u2019re a great gig to play.<\/p>\n \u201cPeople are really responsive and there\u2019s a fantastic community vibe,\u201d he says. \u201cEveryone just wants to have a good time and it\u2019s very satisfying for a musician.\u201d<\/p>\n He also points out a band can fill a room in the way speakers cannot.<\/p>\n \u201cYou just can\u2019t beat the atmosphere of having someone leading the fun and directing the audience with lyrics or words,\u201d he says. \u201cOf having that person to gather around, whether it\u2019s handing a microphone to the bride and groom or helping to teach the steps to a classic dance.<\/p>\n \u201cIt just becomes a focal point, which is something you can\u2019t match. It\u2019s about being live, and spectacular.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":35717,"template":"","au_article_tag":[333,123,568,323,47,886,40,83,46,394],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.easyweddings.com.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/au-article\/35716"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.easyweddings.com.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/au-article"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.easyweddings.com.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/au-article"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.easyweddings.com.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.easyweddings.com.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/au-article\/35716\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.easyweddings.com.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/35717"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.easyweddings.com.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=35716"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"au_article_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.easyweddings.com.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/au_article_tag?post=35716"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}OK, so starting at the basics, what is the standard make-up of a wedding band?<\/h2>\n
How does hiring a band differ from hiring a DJ?<\/h2>\n
![\"Bride](\"https:\/\/assets.easyweddings.com\/files\/2021\/10\/30134903\/Bride-and-groom-on-the-dance-floor.jpg\" "\\"\\"")
<\/a><\/p>\nSo what\u2019s the difference between a song played from a record or CD, or one done live?<\/h2>\n
When it comes to a set list, can you program a band like you do an MP3 player?<\/strong><\/h2>\n
<\/p>\nAre there any particular songs that will get everyone on the dance floor?<\/h2>\n
Will a band learn a special song or songs if I make the request?<\/h2>\n
Is there ever a place for a song the bride and groom haven\u2019t thought of?<\/h2>\n
And can you play around with the arrangement of songs?<\/h2>\n
That sounds like you\u2019d work up quite a sweat and appetite. Which brings us to the next question. Do we need to feed the band?<\/h2>\n
Is it important to see a band perform before we book?<\/h2>\n