What does a wedding band offer?
When it comes to wedding reception entertainment, what does a wedding band offer? What’s the difference between a standard and non-standard service? Though it’s always best to ask for more, don’t make the mistake of hiring wedding musicians who promise more than they can deliver. Most wedding bands are likely to […]
We have just been informed that FOUR ON THE FLOOR have been voted one of the best local wedding bands in the area! Awards website “Bestrated.co.uk” received anonymous reviews and ratings for products and services throughout the West Midlands. Unbeknown to us, brides and grooms have who hired us to perform for them have over the past couple of years been submitting feedback to Bestrated about our performances, and this is the result!
Based on these nominations, FOUR ON THE FLOOR have qualified. We’d love to be able to thank everyone who very kindly took the time and effort to share their thoughts, but as the process takes place “behind closed doors”, we will just bask in the glory!
We would like to think however that it was a mixture of our great live modern edgy sound, our extensive playlist, onstage energy and down to earth approach to performing for brides, grooms, party planners and their guests around the West Midlands, getting people on the dance floor and keeping them there that prompted the votes for us.
It really does make sense to hire us as your West Midlands wedding band. We are more cost effective than hiring a large party band or a band from outside the area, and our extensive playlist of rock, indie, pop, soul and more means that there is something for everyone.
People who hire FOUR ON THE FLOOR tell us that we don’t really sound like a traditional wedding band (you know, the type of bands who are a little too cheesy), and we think that means that there’s an authenticity to our performance which makes each song sound like it’s being played by a real band. Add to this our free DJ-style music service and you have the perfect West Midlands wedding band!
For available dates and a quick quote, get in touch! Tel: 0796 433 5657 / Email: weddingbandpartymusic@hotmail.co.uk
What size wedding band is best for my wedding reception? As we’re sure you have discovered, West Midlands wedding bands, party bands and function bands come in all shapes and sizes. There are acoustic-style duos, small pub-style bands, four to six strong wedding bands and large corporate party bands, not to mention specialist outfits like walking groups and tribute bands.
No matter what size wedding band hire you decide on, we think it makes sense to hire a wedding a band like FOUR ON THE FLOOR:
Not only does the size of the West Midlands wedding band determine the style of music they are more likely to play, but it is also a deciding factor in whether they are suitable for your function.
Which size wedding bands in the West Midlands are going to be perfect for your big day? If you are planning a drinks reception or laid back gathering, a duo might fit the bill, but a large event band is likely to overwhelm your guests and kill the atmosphere.
If on the other hand you know that your wedding reception guests are full-on party animals itching to get on the dance floor at the first available opportunity, an acoustic act definitely won’t be up to the job of getting your guests on the dance floor.
So as you can see, size is important in making the right decision. But with all of the bands in the West Midlands for weddings and entertainment agencies advertising their services online, competing for your attention and vying for your business, it can be easy to make the wrong decision.
Because let’s face it, regardless of whether they are small, large, or somewhere in the middle, the goal of most of these bands, or at least the ones featuring professional wedding musicians, is to get you to hire them. They’re not too concerned about whether they are the best fit for your requirements!
Small semi-acoustic wedding bands seem to be en vogue. A singer, an acoustic guitar and a drummer is definitely one of the smaller line ups you will be able to hire as your West Midlands wedding band, and if they have videos for you to watch, the music will often sound clear and nice, but in a live wedding reception scenario, you may well find that their whimsical approach of playing acoustic versions of classic and contemporary songs lacks the musical power and presence of a real live band. To put it succinctly, they may not rock.
When we say “rock”, we don’t necessarily mean loud heavy rock music of course – we’re talking about the ability of bands in the West Midlands for weddings to get your guests on the dance floor and keep them there.
We’re talking about the “wow” factor, something to impress your guests and make great memories. And if this is your plan, then it’s tempting to find a large party band with male and female wedding singers, backing vocalists, a brass section and various other musicians added into the mix.
Whoa, back the truck up. Let’s have a think about this. While a seven, eight or nine piece band may sound like a great idea in theory, the reality of hiring a large wedding band may lead to disappointment. Why? Well, request a quote and see what happens.
Firstly, you’re only likely to find larger bands on wedding entertainment agencies, and this means that you will be paying an agency commission as well as paying the band, so the final fee is almost certainly going to be REALLY expensive – and that’s without add ons like learning your first dance and providing DJ music during the bands’ breaks.
The more musicians you add into the mix, the more expensive the band becomes. Also, more musicians means more volume. Can you be sure that the large West Midlands wedding band you’re thinking of hiring is going to be able to perform at a volume that won’t break your wedding venues licensing agreement and won’t be too loud for your guests?
Wedding bands featuring a brass section (trumpet, trombone, etc) are really going to struggle if your venue requires entertainers to perform below a certain volume, because unlike amplified instruments like guitars or keyboards, a trumpet has no volume button!
And there’s one more thing which you may not have considered – when it comes to wedding bands West Midlands venues are often “all in one” rooms, where the wedding breakfast, bar and dance floor are contained in one space.
Once your table plan is confirmed, they may not be enough room for a large band to set up and perform comfortably, so they’re either going to have to squash into a small area, compromising their sound and performance, or they will spill out onto the dance floor, not leaving enough room for your guests to, well, dance. Oh, and large bands take longer to set up and soundcheck, so if your speeches over run, be prepared for your party to start late.
Like we said, size matters. That’s why FOUR ON THE FLOOR are a great option as a West Midlands wedding band. As a four piece, we have a full live band sound without the need for adding additional musicians, and we can set up quickly on the day, leaving the dance floor free for your guests.
We are also not going to break the bank when it comes to your entertainment budget; added to which, we provide continuous entertainment until the end of the night with both band and DJ music, including rock, pop, indie, folk, soul and more.
If that sounds like the perfect nights’ entertainment for you and your guests, get in touch! Call us on 0796 433 5657.
As we’re sure you are aware by now, the Coronavirus pandemic has hit the wedding industry for six. Unable to pay their staff and other costs, many wedding venues have closed.
Some West Midlands wedding bands and other service providers without large overheads have hung on as long as they can but have either diversified or shut up shop. And while it’s certain that in the future other businesses will spring up to fill the gap left by those who have moved on, that doesn’t help the bride and groom looking to start planning their 2021 or 2022 wedding reception today.
If you find yourself in this situation, there are a couple of useful ways to make sure that the venue, wedding cake or live wedding band is still a going concern. Firstly, talk to the service provider you’re wanting to hire. Pick up the phone, have an honest conversation about what their intentions are and whether they feel they will be trading come your big day. Talk to them about how they have been affected and what provisions they have made to ensure the continuation of their service once some degree of normality returns to the wedding industry post Covid-19. Ask them about their contingency plans – will they still honour their commitment to you should you have to reschedule your booking?
Also, take a look around their website and online presence on social media. If they are still active, posting updates and interacting with their clients on Facebook, there is a good chance that they are still invested in their business and will be around when wedding receptions in the UK resume. Of course, this is one of the reasons we’re writing this article right now – FOUR ON THE FLOOR are still around, and thought we may not be able to gig right now, we are still busy, planning new setlists, learning new songs and accepting wedding bookings for 2021 and 2022!
So why hire FOUR ON THE FLOOR as your Midlands wedding band? Well, as a four piece band we are a more attractive option than hiring some of the larger party bands available in the area. As you might imagine, hiring four musicians isn’t going to break the band, whereas hiring seven or eight musicians might well do. We also have a remarkably full live sound without needing to use other musicians or backing tracks, a sound which we have perfected through having performed hundreds of gigs together. We sound like a real live band, which is what we are! Brides and grooms who hire FOUR ON THE FLOOR also love our sound, calling it “distinctive”, “edgy” and “authentic”, which means that every song we play for you is going to sound like it has some personality and character and not just another bland cheesy-sounding cover.
For most brides and grooms and other party planners looking at West Midlands wedding band hire, it can be hard to find the right band without having to go through what you might call a “middle man” – in other words, a wedding entertainment agency. As you have probably discovered, there are plenty of these agencies online, featuring dozens of wedding bands available for you to hire. The problem is that like many price comparison websites, hiring a band through a wedding entertainment agency will incur and additional cost – not only will you be paying the band but you will also be paying an agency commission. But you have found us direct via our website, you won’t have to pay any additional fees when you hire us! focu
In addition to our repertoire of rock, indie, pop, soul and more, we also provide DJ-style music throughout the night so you can relax in the knowledge that there will be non-stop entertainment to keep that dance floor full. If this sounds like what you’re looking for to give your guests a truly memorable night, get in touch! Call us on 0796 433 5657.
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When you provide entertainment for as many gigs as Four on the Floor band, your memory of one wedding reception booking sometimes merges into another – it’s possibly something to do with the fact that all of the gigs we play invariably end with:
