Choosing a wedding band

The North East produces lots of bands. They often start as pub or club bands and then try move into getting better paid gigs calling themselves bands for hire as North East wedding bands, North East function bands or North East party bands. An amateur or semi-professional band will always be cheaper than a truly professional wedding band, but like most things in life when you hire a band you tend to get what you pay for. Professional wedding bands will not only be 'tighter' performers and offer more versatility in their repertoire, but they are likely to be more experienced and reliable. They will also have the correct safety certificates and insurance. If you hire a North East wedding band that is truly professional you will remove risk and give yourself peace of mind. The last thing you want on your wedding day is to be worrying whether the band will turn up and whether you and your guests are going to be disappointed with the live music if they arrive! 

Another thing to look out for is whether the band is going to use backing tracks. Some professional bands cut costs by programming in parts that should be performed live by real musicians. Actual live musicians produce the best live music! NE LiveMusic only recommends professional wedding bands with real North East musicians. However, you still need to choose the right live band for your North East wedding.

These are some of the things you might want to consider: -

• Band Size - Make sure the band is going to be right for the venue and number of guests. A 6-piece or 7-piece band will tend to be better for the larger North East venues and when there are lots of guests.
• Music Styles - Listen to the music styles that the bands tend to play and think about what will be right for your wedding reception. Some bands will be better at producing a party atmosphere and getting your guests on their feet if that is what you want.  Others, such as a swing band will be better if you want a more relaxing occasion.
• Planning Your Entertainment - Bands play a total of about two hours of live music. Most are flexible about sets and will play, for example, three sets of 40 minutes each or two one hour sets. Think about how you want the reception to work out and when the live music will best fit in. Then plan what will happen before, between and after the sets are performed. Adding a DJ to the package is a popular option.
• Book Early - Book your North East live band as early as possible after your venue decision has been made. Some wedding dates are very popular and bands get booked very early. Some of our bands are booked an average of 40 weeks in advance!