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Deciding Between a DJ and a
Band |
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written by Doug McAlexander, Arsis Productions
The entertainment you choose for your wedding reception most often
determines whether your reception is over in an hour or two, or whether it will go the
duration and beyond. You must choose your entertainment wisely or all the money you spent
for the facility, flowers, food, etc., planning on a 4-hour reception, may have been in
vain. Okay, so you know you need quality entertainment. Now which will it be? A band or a
DJ? The following suggestions are intended to help you decide between a "LIVE"
band or a Disc Jockey.
BUDGET
Of course budget is usually first and foremost on people's minds when deciding
between a band or a DJ. Professional quality disc jockeys will usually cost between 33%
and 50% of the professional live band rate for a Saturday night reception. So if you have
a limited budget or have "overspent" in other areas, the obvious choice may be a
DJ. This situation is quite common because most couples don't think of entertainment until
all else has been planned. Yet the entertainment will usually make or break the event.
Choose wisely. This is a "one-shot" deal for you. You can't afford to take a
chance on a budget band or DJ (not for what may be the biggest event of your life). If
your budget has you looking at the bargain basement bands, consider a DJ for sure. If the
focus of your reception (after the cake is cut and toasts are made) is a party atmosphere,
then budget accordingly. Saving a few hundred dollars might cost you in the end when your
guests go home early and bored. When your guests enter the room and see/hear a live band,
the variety of food, the decorations, even the flowers, become secondary. Put your money
where your return will be highest. In twenty years as you reflect on the wedding
festivities, I would imagine that you and your friends will remember the dancing and
singing more than what you ate.
TO GET THE BEST YOU WILL HAVE TO BOOK EARLY
It is best to plan for entertainment as early as possible. For example, if you
know you are planning a 4-hour reception, you must know that food, flowers, cake, and the
bouquet toss are not going to be enough to hold everyone's interest for four hours. Some
type of entertainment must be considered. The entertainer should be one who has years of
experience performing at wedding receptions. Entertainers of this caliber will usually
book up very early (as much as 12 to 18 months in advance), so waiting to see if you have
money "left over" after you have secured everything else will often leave you
shopping for left-overs in the entertainment field. Again, if you want your reception
(celebration) to last for three or four hours, start budgeting and shopping for
entertainment as early as possible. You don't even have to wait until you've secured the
facility. Many entertainers will allow you to book them with the option of filling in the
location later, as long as you stay within a specified geographic region and the chosen
location meets their power and space requirements.
VARIETY
It should go without saying that the best choice of entertainment for your
reception should include a big variety of musical styles. You don't want to alienate any
of your friends or family. Everyone deserves to have a great time at your reception. Okay,
so variety it is! Which can give you the most variety, a DJ or a band? This issue can be
tricky. On the one hand, you would consider a DJ as having the ultimate variety at his
disposal; however, this is not necessarily the case. There is a practical limit to just
how many CD's a DJ can bring to the event. He must also have them organized in such a way
that he can find the right one to play a certain request. Many disc jockeys work from a
list that is compiled by organizations who monitor what is "hot" for a given
time period. Many can supply you with a list of the top 200 most popular DJ songs of the
year. This is good. You, as the client, may choose from this list the songs you think will
be a hit with your invited guests. This part can be tough though. Some of the most
well-intentioned couples have guessed wrong. As long as the DJ has a large collection of
songs (at the event) and they are well organized, he can "punt" when your choice
of music doesn't seem to be working. Your DJ must pay attention to the response of your
guests and you must explain to him up front that he has the authority to adjust his
play-list as necessary to keep the party going. Disc Jockeys and bands alike must have the
authority to "throw away the song-list" when it "ain't" working. Your
DJ must have more than just the top 200 popular party songs from a particular year at your
reception. He must also be equipped with the greatest classics covering many generations
of music. There can be a limitation even with a DJ if you didn't shop and plan wisely.
Most professional disc jockeys will meet these requirements but it is always wise to
discuss the issue of variety with them just to be sure they come equipped to handle almost
any situation.
Bands are usually considered to be somewhat limited in their song choices when compared to
a disc jockey. This may not be entirely true. Earlier I mentioned that the DJ must be
equipped with the right CD or tape, etc. in order to handle a request. Even if he has the
song, is he organized well enough to find it before the end of the reception? Bands and
DJ's alike must anticipate requests and prepare accordingly. The professional quality
bands, like disc jockeys, are constantly adjusting their song selection to take into
account the latest trends. Experienced bands know which classics they should have in their
repertoire. By classics, I mean the songs from the past that just seem to never die. For
example, "Unforgettable" by Nat or Natalie Cole, and "That's Just The Way
You Look Tonight" by Frank Sinatra. But classics can also include rock, pop, disco,
and R&B hits like "My Girl", "Unchained Melody", "We Are
Family", "Mustang Sally", "Play That Funky Music", "Twist
And Shout", and "Old Time Rock And Roll", just to name a few. And if a
guest requests a song that the band doesn't know, some bands will try it just for fun.
They will usually present it to the guests as a "stump the band" game with
comments like, "we are trained professionals, don't try this at home." The truth
is, if even one member of the band knows the song, the band can usually "wing
it" and make it a fun part of the show. Bands can usually be flexible with a song
too.
BREAKS
A DJ can keep music playing virtually all night without a break. If he/she needs
to go to the restroom, they can put in a long song that gives them enough time to take a
short break for nature.
One concern about bands is that they take breaks. It is virtually impossible for a band to
play continuously for four hours with no break. Think of the last concert you went to by
your favorite artist. They usually last 1.5 to 2 hours at the most. And halfway through,
there is an intermission so the band can rest up for the second half. Guitar players may
experience a temporary paralysis in their fingers after so many hours of constant playing.
This is usually due to the guitar strap cutting across their shoulder. Vocalists need to
go on break and not even talk, just to rest their voice. So bands must take a break at
some point. That is the trade-off of having the excitement of a live band leading your
reception. Some bands offer the option of having you pay for extra musicians so the music
is continuous. They will have "double coverage" for each instrument and
alternate musicians throughout the event. This can be okay but bear in mind that using
substitutes in this way can change the personality/sound of the band as compared to their
tape. You never really quite get the sound you heard on the tape (when they were using
their regular musicians).
Some bands play a "break tape" while they are away. The break tape can vary from
"lame" to good though. Be careful about the use of a break tape. Allow me to
explain. A mediocre band will sound better to your guests after they have listened to 15
minutes worth of "elevator music" and are bored out of their mind. Take my
advice. At the very least, ask if the band will allow you to bring your own tapes and/or
CD's to be played during breaks. This is no guarantee since even you may guess wrong about
what songs your friends and family will like, but I'll bet you won't pick elevator music
either.
There are now a very small number of bands that actually provide a "LIVE"
interactive DJ during their breaks. As far as variety goes, this covers all the bases. You
get a full set of live music from the band (using their regular musicians so it sounds
like the tape or better). You also get the flexibility of the DJ to play the
"booty-shaking" music during the breaks. This break music is usually something
totally different from what live bands play so it also adds to the variety. For example,
club-mix hits like "Ride The Train", "Gettin' Jiggy With It",
"Tootsie Roll" etc. and/or some of your own requests. The DJ is usually a member
of the band so there is no extra charge for this service.
Another thing to consider about breaks is this. You must at some point in the reception
cut your cake, make toasts (unless you did the toasts at the rehearsal dinner), toss your
bouquet and garter, etc. If you have a DJ, you must stop the music anyway in order to take
care of these traditions. If you have a live band, it is a good idea to cut your cake,
make your toasts, etc. while the band is on break. The professional quality wedding bands
are accustomed to providing a master of ceremonies for such formalities and they will
usually suggest that you plan to cut your cake, toss your bouquet, etc. during one of
their breaks. This gives you the most live music while allowing you the time needed to
enjoy the other wedding traditions. If the band supplies an MC or DJ, he/she is accustomed
to working through the breaks, assisting with toasts, announcements, etc.
SPACE AND POWER
A DJ's footprint (amount of space he/she needs) is usually much less than a band.
If your reception venue is extremely tight on space, money aside, you may have no choice
but get a DJ. There are a few places in the Atlanta area that fall into this category. If
you have any idea that you may want a band, check with some of the experienced bands in
town and ask about the venues you are looking at. They can give you a "real"
answer about the place. Some of the venues will tell you what you want to hear until
they've got your name on the dotted line. Then, when you think you've found the perfect
band, the venue tells you that they have a limit on the size of the band. This has
happened to several of my "would have been" clients. They were extremely
frustrated when they found out that even though they had the budget for a band, they would
have no choice but hire a DJ, simply because the venue had not previously disclosed their
band headcount limit. But it was too late. They could not afford to forfeit their deposit
by canceling the venue. Let's get real here. I have had venues try to dictate to me how
many members I can bring and even how many amplifiers I am allowed to have. That is
utterly ridiculous. Many bands are made up of highly trained professionals with college
degrees. And yet the catering director at a reception facility thinks they know more about
musical instruments and sound and lighting equipment than those who make their living with
it. The fact is that what the event venue is trying to say is that they have a space
limitation and a sound ordinance. Then that is what they should tell you. They are
over-stepping the boundaries when they try to become the entertainment specialist. For
more about this, read my article about coordinating bands and reception facilities.
The bandleader knows the footprint of his/her band better than anyone. Some 6-piece bands
can fit in the space of other 4-piece bands. If anyone deserves to tell a couple that they
have a space limitation, it is this venue. However, they allow the entertainment
professionals to make the decision about best placement, space, and such. I've seen some
great receptions in that cozy little room. And by the way, if you want a party band, the
minimum instrumentation for the band should be keyboards, bass, drums, and at least one
guitar. Don't book an event venue that says 3-piece bands only and then go looking for a
3-piece party band.
THE BOTTOM LINE
It can be tough to make the decision about whether to use a band or a DJ. In
general, if you have the budget, a great live band will create an excitement at your
reception that will not soon be forgotten. If you don't have the budget to get the highest
quality band, consider a DJ. But don't get a budget DJ. While the CD version of the
popular songs all sound the same, subtle details like the quality of the sound system,
lighting (or not), and the interactive skills/experience of the DJ are what you are paying
for. If you are troubled about hiring a DJ (because you wanted "LIVE"
entertainment) but you can't afford a great band, consider this. Hire a great DJ and spend
just a little more to have an Elvis impersonator come by about halfway through the
reception as a "surprise guest." You can usually get the DJ and the impersonator
for about half the rate of a quality band. The impersonator can perform for about 45
minutes and then mingle with your guests for photos afterwards. I have done this for many
of my clients and they all had a blast. I like to say that this combination package
bridges the gap for those who wanted live entertainment but simply could not work it into
their budget. |
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