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...are different - they are risk-takers, partiers, gamblers.
This is why we think we play the best weddings in Southern California and beyond, because the people that hire bands are awesome! They want their weddings to be special and they are willing to take a little risk for the chance that their wedding will be something truly inspiring! These people lay it in on the line because they know a band is going to make their wedding different. Knowing full well that they are taking a chance, they opt for the live band. They know there is a chance the band might play out of tune, play too loud during dinner, or worse yet, forget how to play their first dance. The band that had a cool vibe in the video might turn out to be really cheesy. The singer can't sing and it's the drummer's first gig. People that hire bands know that these are all possibilities, but they do it anyway and here is why, because it's who they are. They love music and they know there is nothing like a live band. There are obvious upsides to hiring a DJ - the main upside being they can play any song ever recorded. Yes, a DJ might play the wrong songs, make cheesy announcements, get your guests doing the chicken dance, or play a polka, but it can only get so bad...bands are a way bigger risk! So our hats are off to you! Ninety-five percent of you didn't hear us play live before you invited us to play your wedding. You read our endless reviews and wondered if all of our previous clients were crazy, but you went for it! You hired us for what will likely be the most important day of your life. Your grandma was there and your best friends were there and you had to trust us to be respectful and to do what we said we would do! We have to hand it to you, you know how to throw a party! -Gabe the Class.
Our idea was to start playing songs we love. So it started with song selection. In the first couple of years these were the rules for the songs: we have to love it and everyone in the room has to know it. Songs like Satisfaction, Sweet Caroline, Billie Jean, My Girl and Mary Jane's Last Dance were staples. There was a lot of Tom Petty and a lot of old R&B - the Temptations and Marvin Gaye. It's what we loved and still love. We dressed casually back then and we weren't too picky about the venue. We played some great dives, that's for sure! It was about playing good songs and having fun...making a little money on the side. My personal approach was to not take it too seriously. It's a cover band after all, come on people! Ed, the bass player and I were the driving forces and Jameson was along for the ride. Venues loved us. We didn't play too loud, we showed up on time and got their people singing and dancing. After a while we started getting some requests to play parties. Our friends asked us to play their weddings...we did a pretty darn good job. From there it took off. We found our niche, playing classy weddings and parties with a small band that people could afford. We are different: I like to keep my guitar solos short and announcements even shorter…keep the focus off the band and on what matters, everybody having a good time. To us and our clients it's about making memories with the people you love. We aren't ex-broadway singers and we don't like to be the center of attention. We're not into costume changes or choreographed dance moves and I'm not likely to be found with a wireless mic working the crowd. When we do a party, we are who we are, normal laid back guys that like the music and like parties. We've discovered what we do best and why we are so different from the other professional bands that do what we do. We genuinely care about getting things right for our clients. Our greatest achievement is when people leave thinking, that was a great party - for us it's about the party. We can't wait to play yours! -Gabe |