Many, Many years ago, I was playing cover tunes many nights each week on top of my day job (working in manufacturing). Many of the gigs we played were 'Private Party' type of gigs - either a corporate group or a family event - and many of them had certain expectations that went beyond a band playing music.
I found out very early on that when people are planning a wedding, they want music, and many times, they want a few specific songs and the rest of the night as long as their guests were happy and dancing, they didn't really have too much of a preference. Some people just really like the idea of having live music, which doesn't always end up being the best option for specific song selection... Weddings, in particular ended up being the band (for our corporate/private rate) and a DJ (for their rate). I like to think of ways to help people manage the bottom line, so I did a little research...
If the average DJ cost $500+ for a night, and a band was $>500+ (it was the late 90's/early 00's....) , then these folks are paying at least $1000 for a night of music that is often shorter than your average bar night. I thought to myself, if I could provide the 'additional' services that the DJ offered (announcing the bride and groom, playing specifically requested songs and hosting the reception events like speeches and cake-cutting) for $150 more than the cost of the band, then everyone would win (except the DJ. I'm not crying if DJ's were missing a little bit of work...). Now, I just needed to get a few bits of gear and I'm in business...
I like BANG for my BUCK, and am willing to try a cheap option if it has decent reviews/track record, or I can try it in person before buying. I found a Nady wireless microphone system for way less than $100 new on Musicians Friend and a Tascam rack-mounted CD/Cassette player to mount in my PA rack. I read about the flow of wedding receptions and created a couple of documents to have the clients fill out.
With an investment of a couple hundred dollars and a little time, I was hosting the reception and making a little extra money at gigs I was already going to be attending (and relatively 'stuck' at while the DJ's did their thing...) and that was that. It made those wedding and corporate gigs a lot more fun, too (I actually had a lot to think about and got to play 'the fun guy in the brightly colored suit who leads us in the chicken dance, etc...).
Jump to this week:
Every once in a while I 'Boogie' a closet/space and go through what is really necessary to keep and what is just taking up space. I was going through a couple of boxes of electronics in our spare bedroom closet and low and behold, there was my old Nady wireless, with the mic, receiver and power supply (how often does THAT happen?). I took it to a Trivia Night I hosted, just to see if it still worked and I was able to walk around a small/mid-sized room with no problems. Was it the best sounding? NO. Was it shocking? YES. This thing is over 12 years old at the very least, was low-end at the time (which means it is down-right ancient now) and hadn't been powered up in at least the 11 years I've been in Vegas.
But I wasn't only reminded of the 'Mr Microphone' I had/have (which is just funny to think about after having worked in audio using really great professional gear...) . I was reminded that I learned about hosting wedding receptions, announcing the bride and groom for the first time in public as Mr and Mrs ___________. I hosted the cake cuttings and the Macarenas, the Chicken dance and many people's first dances as husband and wife. I played a special song for fathers who had just given their little girl away, and to Mothers who could barely keep their mascara from running as they looked at the man their little boy had grown up to be. I will forever be a part of those family members lives through the memories of their events. WOW!
Finding that old microphone was way more than finding gear - I may never use it again... but I'll keep it, that's for sure... It was about finding a part of myself. I'm going to keep that part of myself, too!
and just for fun:
I found out very early on that when people are planning a wedding, they want music, and many times, they want a few specific songs and the rest of the night as long as their guests were happy and dancing, they didn't really have too much of a preference. Some people just really like the idea of having live music, which doesn't always end up being the best option for specific song selection... Weddings, in particular ended up being the band (for our corporate/private rate) and a DJ (for their rate). I like to think of ways to help people manage the bottom line, so I did a little research...
If the average DJ cost $500+ for a night, and a band was $>500+ (it was the late 90's/early 00's....) , then these folks are paying at least $1000 for a night of music that is often shorter than your average bar night. I thought to myself, if I could provide the 'additional' services that the DJ offered (announcing the bride and groom, playing specifically requested songs and hosting the reception events like speeches and cake-cutting) for $150 more than the cost of the band, then everyone would win (except the DJ. I'm not crying if DJ's were missing a little bit of work...). Now, I just needed to get a few bits of gear and I'm in business...
I like BANG for my BUCK, and am willing to try a cheap option if it has decent reviews/track record, or I can try it in person before buying. I found a Nady wireless microphone system for way less than $100 new on Musicians Friend and a Tascam rack-mounted CD/Cassette player to mount in my PA rack. I read about the flow of wedding receptions and created a couple of documents to have the clients fill out.
With an investment of a couple hundred dollars and a little time, I was hosting the reception and making a little extra money at gigs I was already going to be attending (and relatively 'stuck' at while the DJ's did their thing...) and that was that. It made those wedding and corporate gigs a lot more fun, too (I actually had a lot to think about and got to play 'the fun guy in the brightly colored suit who leads us in the chicken dance, etc...).
Jump to this week:
Every once in a while I 'Boogie' a closet/space and go through what is really necessary to keep and what is just taking up space. I was going through a couple of boxes of electronics in our spare bedroom closet and low and behold, there was my old Nady wireless, with the mic, receiver and power supply (how often does THAT happen?). I took it to a Trivia Night I hosted, just to see if it still worked and I was able to walk around a small/mid-sized room with no problems. Was it the best sounding? NO. Was it shocking? YES. This thing is over 12 years old at the very least, was low-end at the time (which means it is down-right ancient now) and hadn't been powered up in at least the 11 years I've been in Vegas.
But I wasn't only reminded of the 'Mr Microphone' I had/have (which is just funny to think about after having worked in audio using really great professional gear...) . I was reminded that I learned about hosting wedding receptions, announcing the bride and groom for the first time in public as Mr and Mrs ___________. I hosted the cake cuttings and the Macarenas, the Chicken dance and many people's first dances as husband and wife. I played a special song for fathers who had just given their little girl away, and to Mothers who could barely keep their mascara from running as they looked at the man their little boy had grown up to be. I will forever be a part of those family members lives through the memories of their events. WOW!
Finding that old microphone was way more than finding gear - I may never use it again... but I'll keep it, that's for sure... It was about finding a part of myself. I'm going to keep that part of myself, too!
and just for fun: