East Coast Soul

Band

Large (6+ musicians), Medium (4-6 musicians)

Funk, R&B, Soul

Yes

East Coast Soul is a classy operation. We will always sport, unless directed otherwise, suits and ties for men and dresses for women - these will be of similar color and style to present a uniform appearance across the board. We'll also make an effort to match your wedding's color scheme if possible.

Yes! If you'd like to see us live prior to booking, you can swing by a public performance (check our schedule over at www.eastcoastsoul.net) or you can attend an "open rehearsal" - open rehearsals are a small scale performance at our practice space for you and perhaps one or two others couples. it's a great way to meet the band and ask any questions - you'll also get a great mini-performance!

Absolutely! We offer three special requests as part of our full performance package - a great way to include unique, meaningful tunes for first dances, last dance, or just because, that the band may not know.

We prefer three to four hours, but can set up in one hour if need be. The longer the better, as it will ensure we're not making any noise as soon as your guests arrive.

We can squeeze in very little space - an 8' by 16' space is more than enough. Despite the larger lineup, we have never encountered any issues with space. Our policy is, if the venue has hosted bands before, we can fit with no problem.

Negative - that's probably a good thing, right?

We do offer stage lighting in the form of two light trees.

We will emcee upon request for introductions, announcements, etc. and interact with your guests in the way you prefer.

Our repertoire is our best tool - we have time-tested tunes that consistently get large groups of families and friends of all generations dancing. Our vocalist will not hesitate to encourage dancing in an unobtrusive but exciting way. This is the band's strong suit and the area we're most confident in.

We generally take one long break for performances of less than 2.5 hours, and two shorter breaks for performances of more than 2.5 hours. We recommend the band eats while your guests eat, but only after being served once all your guests are served.

Of course. We have several playlists ready to go that will match the mood of the event thus far, or we're happy to include a playlist that you create.

We have an ever-growing roster of Class A substitute musicians, all of which are prepared to step in on a moment's notice in the event of illness, etc. This is never an issue for us.

We don't charge for overtime, as long as the venue is cool with it!

We prefer to charge for travel, budget permitting, at a rate of $.50/mi to ensure our guys aren't losing too much on expenses. If this is an issue with pricing, it's generally the first thing we are willing to negotiate on, however.

We prefer 25-50%, if possible, but again we are flexible on this.

Q1: What should someone look for when selecting a band for their wedding in and around the Boston/New York area?
A: Versatility is an important consideration. Not only should a good wedding band be able to cover a large variety of styles in their repertoire --- they should also be able to perform songs in a believable and convincing manner. When performing a rock and roll song, a band should sound like a rock and roll band. When performing a jazz standard, a band should sound like a jazz band -- not like a rock and roll band performing a jazz standard! A good band should be flexible enough to be able to perform at different volume levels, as may be appropriate for different times during the course of a wedding reception.Other factors to consider are reliability and stability. It is advisable to find a band that has been together for a reasonable amount of time, with its current personnel. Hiring a band that has a history of frequently changing band members can sometimes lead to difficulties.

Q2: Why is a band preferable to a DJ?
A: There is no substitute for the excitement of a live performance. Ask anyone if they would rather listen to their favorite artist's CD or see their favorite artist perform live. Perhaps the reason that many people prefer DJ's over bands is the cost -- or the fact that some bands are not diverse enough to adequately play the variety of music necessary for a wedding reception. East Coast Soul is equipped with its own DJ equipment, which enables us to accommodate your special requests to play original recordings of certain songs.

Q3: Can certain songs be requested to play / avoid?
A: It has always been our policy to encourage brides and grooms to provide us with a list of their special requests, as well as a list of songs they would like us to avoid playing. We will typically combine the bride's request list with our own expertise, in determining which songs would be the most effective to use at any given time during the course of a wedding reception.

Q4: What sort of experience should a wedding band have?
A: An experienced wedding band is usually well-versed in the flow of events at a wedding reception. It is the band's job to work with the function director and other professionals involved, in coordinating the different events that take place. For example, the band needs to make sure the photographer and videographer are ready, before they begin the cake-cutting ceremony. The band will usually provide the bride and groom with a sheet to fill out indicating all of the announcements, special dance selections and other details regarding the order of events that will take place during the reception. The band will then oversee the affair to ensure a smooth transition from one event to another, allowing the bride and groom to relax and enjoy their special day.

Q6: What should a bride ask the reception site with regards to the band?
A: That is a good question. Frequently a bride-to-be will coordinate matters separately with the reception site and the band. This can occasionally lead to unforeseen difficulties on the day of the reception. We often recommend that a bride consult with both the reception site and the band in determining matters pertaining to the setup of the band. Where the band would optimally set up at the site is often a variable that can best be determined by consulting with both the band and function facility. Also, the floor plan mapping out the setup of the guests' tables is something that the band can often be helpful with. We usually recommend that tables reserved for older guests be placed in areas that are not too close to the band's speakers.

Q7: How many breaks does a band usually take?
A: During a four hour reception, bands will typically play three sets, with two breaks in between. The first break generally occurs after the main course is served. During this break, background CD music (appropriate for dining) is generally played. Between the two dance sets, the band will often take a short break (around 15 minutes) to rest their voices. During this break, up-tempo dance music on CD's will generally be played, to keep the energy level of the party in tact. This is merely a suggested flow of events however, as we can tailor our breaks to the specific flow of your evening.

Q9: What factors influence the cost of a wedding band in the Boston/New York area?
A: Date, time and location of the event are the three biggest factors. There are usually specific times of the year that bands will consider to be "off-peak" with regard to wedding receptions. Generally, this will include the months of January through mid-April, and the month of November. If you do not yet have a specific date or venue chosen, it is often still possible for a band to provide you with a pricing estimate, if given some general information about the prospective geographic location and time of the year you may be considering.