Who are those diehards who still hire bands for their events? Music with ... uh ... real musicians ?! Come on now! Every one knows that a DJ is much cheaper and has a stellar repertoire of every song you can think of! Musicians will never be able to match such competition, could they?
That's it! The choice is made. End of discussion.
Don't worry, we're not taking anything away from DJs! They do a great job in entertaining crowds. But allow us to "preach for our cause" and perhaps deconstruct some myths and urban legends that unfortunately spread too often about live bands
A WARM & CLASSY ATMOSPHERE WITHOUT EQUAL
Often, people who hire a wedding band for their reception, or a live band for their office party are looking for authenticity, interaction and warmth that only a well rounded band can communicate. One must recognize the excitement of seeing live musicians perform and enliven the evening for you and your guests. Musicians performing in front of an enthusiastic audience will definitely raise your party to another level! It is a communicative current of pure and simple passion. The more you appreciate, the more the musicians give! It's a show for your eyes and ears! Forget the impersonal music - with a live band, the atmosphere of your event takes a different turn. For many people, the classy, warm and interactive elements are important - especially when the occasion is unique!
MUSICAL DIVERSITY
Unless they specialize in a particular style, an event or wedding band will normaly play all styles of music, from retro to modern, including waltzes and cha-chas. Ariana Grande, does that sound familiar to you? Bruno Mars? Ed Sheeran? The Beatles? Maroon Five? Michael Jackson? Forget the visual you might have of the singing accordionist playing the tambourine with his feet! A modern orchestra has a modern sound! A good band is never outdated, and will certainly adapt its repertoire to your event. Of course, despite the hundreds of songs they have in their repertoire, the orchestra is still far from the stellar list of the DJ, but even a DJ can't play a thousand songs in one evening! Ask your orchestra your special requests in advance and they'll be more than happy to play them!
THE COST OF A LIVE BAND
Don't worry, people who hire orchestras are neither rich nor have money to throw out the window! They simply give special attention to the entertainment part of their evening. Indeed, an orchestra costs a little more, but not much more than a professional DJ. Depending on the size of the orchestra, average between $ 500 and $ 700 per musician in a typical Montreal wedding music band or a Montreal event band. This means that the price you will pay for an orchestra usually depends on its size, so the number of musicians who are part of it. Keep in mind that if your Internet search is limited to the first three or four sites you encounter on Google, you may end up with event-planning agencies! Nothing wrong with that, but be prepared to pay much more than you expected. If you contact the band directly, prices will certainly be much lower!
A LIVE EVENT BAND: GENEROSITY WITHOUT LIMITS!
Keep in mind that the price of a live band is only an estimated average, and that the price is not carved in stone! Often prices vary according to the number of hours of your event, your special requests, the number of guests, the sound system needed, the distance to travel, etc. You must know that many orchestras, big and small, can weave you a tailor-made package and reward you with pleasant surprises. Often the orchestra even includes a DJ mix in its package! The musicians will not leave you stranded during their break! Generally, they let DJ mix take over so you're never without music. In which case, you'll have the best of both worlds! Never hesitate to discuss budget and address your requests to the director of the orchestra. Often, they will be flexible and you will see that the negotiation will have been worth it!