Posts by analogtiger343

Anthony Morales98 said:Look, I’m not trying to undermine anyone’s expertise or talent, but I also know exactly what I want for my money. Every adult should know what they want and find the person—or in this case, the band—that can actually deliver it.

Speaking of doctors, since you brought him up: when I go to a doctor, I have to tell them where it hurts and how I'm feeling. Right? After that, the doctor tells me which pills I need to take. I don't walk into a clinic and say, "Hey doc, just start examining me from head to toe and you'll figure it out, because I won't tell you anything since you're the expert."
Plus, every properly prescribed pill comes with side effects.

For most normal people, a big party or wedding happens once in a lifetime, whereas you can visit a doctor whenever you want. I bet if you were facing heart surgery, you wouldn't just go in with a "whatever happens, happens" attitude; you'd definitely have questions you'd want answered.

Just like there are good and bad bands, there are good and bad doctors, mechanics, and so on.

I am buying a band's performance. That's facts. But I'm not hiring a band to play whatever they feel like; if I wanted that, I'd buy a ticket and head to a stadium to see The Rolling Stones or Depeche Mode. Here, I want a band to play the music *I* want. That doesn't mean I'm dictating their arrangements or technical setup, because as you mentioned, I'm not qualified to do that. But if a band costs, say, $2,500, then there has to be a standard where the person dropping that kind of cash gets what they asked for. It's up to the band to make that happen, since they're the pros in this industry. $6667

BTW, the whole thing about finding a band is settled. Done deal. As for the "penetration" talk, you're the only one here trying to force something on me. Based on your username, it's pretty obvious where you get your inspiration and what your life philosophy looks like.

Best,

Frank Sinatra

Haha, looks like we've got a bit of a joker in our midst!🐔

Chris Morgan said:Actually, the post above states the exact opposite of what I wrote, though I don't see anything irrational about my stance. A person doesn't need a formal music degree to decide what kind of music they want at their wedding. In folk and country music, the accordion is a staple and certainly isn't easily replaced by cheap keyboard players, so I believe that is a perfectly reasonable request. Furthermore, while I personally prefer not to have the same song played repeatedly, I understand if someone else wants to hear a specific track five times; after all, the band is being paid to fulfill those requests.
It is quite beneath you to speak about DJs in such a manner. It seems hypocritical to protect the dignity of your own profession while simultaneously looking down on others.

I don't actually work in that field, but I know enough to follow the conversation. The problem is that I’m saying one thing and you’re interpreting it as something entirely different; you're pulling words out of context, creating your own definitions, and then arguing against those instead of what I actually wrote. It feels pretty pointless to try and have a real debate with you when that's how you operate...🐔

Chris Morgan said:I honestly don't understand the point of all this.
For heaven's sake, we are talking about wedding guests, not a symphony concert. Why would anyone need musical expertise in this situation?!
I fail to see how requesting specific music constitutes any kind of abuse.
My own requirements are completely different (no country music, no repetitive tracks, no requests), and I certainly don't consider that to be offending anyone.
Additionally, I see very little difference between a DJ and a band regarding song selection. This is a private party where the newlyweds pay for someone to play the music they want, not to attend a concert.

Bill, whether you're playing country hits at a wedding or performing classical pieces in a theater, you still have to know how to play, and you definitely have to know how to sing. You need a certain level of training for all of that, right?
Sure, there are hacks in every profession, and maybe even more so in music, but that's a whole different conversation...
There is also a massive distinction between a DJ and a live band... a DJ just hits play and grabs a drink while the band is actually out there performing live... that is a huge, huge difference...
Of course, weddings aren't meant to be someone else's concert...

The requirements you mentioned—"no country, no repeats, no requests"—are perfectly normal, but that wasn't what was being said in the post I was replying to. In that post, they were basically belittling musicians by saying they don't have any say in things, and claiming they should make their arrangements "two notes longer"—honestly, I have no clue how anyone could even compare that to anything; it makes zero sense. And don't even get me started on using the harmonica as a rhythmic instrument in a band... that isn't comparing apples to oranges, that's just plain ignorance... and the part about "when I'm paying, nobody tells me what to do" is just pure primitivism. It's like walking into a Ford dealership and saying, "Hey, I'm paying for this truck, so I want one seat red, one blue, and the third one yellow"... I mean, what do you expect them to say to that?
There’s a professional way of doing things that needs to be respected... because of that, a local DJ can show up with a laptop and some cheap speakers for a few hundred bucks and just blast MP3s, whereas being a musician is a real profession that gets valued because we're the kind of people who appreciate quality.

Anthony Morales98 said:Hey there, you aspiring pyros,

I’ve scrolled through pretty much this entire thread, but since the original post was started over five years ago, things have gotten a bit messy. There’s a ton of conflicting info and nothing but heated personal opinions floating around regarding the quality of wedding bands out there. I don't want to ramble too much, though—I just need some solid advice. I’m looking for recommendations that hit these specific requirements:

I'm looking for some band recommendations. Ideally, it could be a trio or something around that size. Here’s what I’m looking for:

Let them play. It’s just common sense.I’m not talking about that gritty, low-budget stuff or those overproduced modern pop tracks. I mean the old-school classics from legends like Madonna, Harris, Kitty, and Zdravkovic—plus all those hits covered back in the golden era of the early 2000s by guys like Duško Kuliš or Matthew and Bran. The whole point is that the heartbeat of those songs was the accordion, not some cheap synthesizer. It was all about that raw, soulful rhythm. Usually, just two notes played with a long, drawn-out arrangement.
Make sure you get both female and male vocals.
Stop acting like you're rock stars just because you played some local festival hosted by the biggest bakery in town. Don't get too big for your boots and refuse to play a quick encore or rerun that one song that actually got the crowd hyped.
Price isn't really my main concern here, but I definitely want to avoid getting ripped off. I don't want to end up in that awkward spot where I'm paying top dollar just to have them act like they own me and start dictating terms.
5. Location - San Francisco.

Thanks in advance!

Anthony Morales98

Look, it’s pretty simple: you can find lists of bands online, including trios or duos. Just call them up, ask what they offer, and see if it aligns with what you want. If you find a match, book them, pay them, and call it a day. However, if you’re actually looking to mentally break a band or just go on some kind of wild power trip, you’re better off just hiring a DJ. A DJ will play exactly what you want, whereas no band can work strictly according to the instructions of someone who isn't musically educated—and honestly, it shows in your post, given how much you're mixing up terms and being a bit incoherent. That's not an insult, mind you; being musically uneducated happens. It's like how I'm not a doctor, so when I'm sick, I go to a professional to help me get better instead of trying to prescribe my own medication. It's the exact same thing with a band.
Don't forget, people need jobs, so most will take the gig, so first check if they actually have your requested songs in their repertoire, and if they do, iron out the details and just let them do their thing... and hey, try not to be rude. If you think everything they play is garbage, feel free to record your own song and prove you're better. You're paying for a service, not buying the right to treat them like crap.

slytrucker said:For those of you who attended the say Yes party back when they held those celebrations, I was wondering if anyone could shed some light on whether the music tends to bleed together? Since they have two separate parties running at once—one inside the main hall and another out under the tent—I can't help but worry about the audio overlapping and ruining the atmosphere.

The only thing overlapping is the money going straight into the boss's pocket!😉