Everything you need for a California wedding

Sam Reed3 said:Does anyone happen to know the approximate cost of hiring a folk band to perform for about an hour? Additionally, are there any such ensembles available in the San Francisco area?

Jack Murphy7 said:Hand on heart, there isn't—folk musicians are pretty cheap. A group from the Midwest costs about the same as a local duo in San Francisco... I know of a time a group came all the way from Des Moines just to provide backing music plus the venue; you have to factor in their travel and lodging for $2333...
I can help you out with some instrumental accompaniment—hit me up via PM.

Sam Reed3 said:Do you have any recommendations? Even Kocka failed to impress me.

Robin Nguyen said:Go listen to a full five-piece band playing live instruments instead of some duo or trio hiding behind drum machines and backing tracks, and you might actually understand why they didn't impress you... and don't let the random people on these forums tell you what to think about certain bands. Most of what I read here is just... well, I won't finish that sentence. Once you look at who is posting and why, everything becomes obvious. 🙂
Besides, you're the one paying the bills, not them!🙂

Jack Murphy7 said:I'm not going to get into the quality of specific acts, but we need to build on this point: a band (minimum five members including drums and bass) is one thing, but anything else—a duo, a trio—is something else entirely... and when I say duo or trio, I'm being generous. By "group," I'm also including those four or five-person outfits—won't name names—that just have two keyboards, a female vocalist, and a guitarist...
The bottom line is: don't just count heads, make sure it's actually a band... because more people means more gear, more rehearsal time, and more logistics. Realistically, a real band should cost at least 50% more than a duo or trio...

It’s the same story with the weddings I work—the DJ side of things... I've been a guest at countless weddings where I was promised a full vocal group, only to be disappointed when two or three guys show up in matching suits and start playing...
I don't have an issue with the music itself, but I do have an issue when people pay for something they aren't actually getting...
Basically, a duo doesn't qualify as a band, and a duo or trio doesn't qualify as a vocal group—not by name, and certainly not by price.

Robin Nguyen said:Go listen to a full five-piece band playing live instruments instead of some duo or trio hiding behind drum machines and backing tracks, and you might actually understand why they didn't impress you... and don't let the random people on these forums tell you what to think about certain bands. Most of what I read here is just... well, I won't finish that sentence. Once you look at who is posting and why, everything becomes obvious. 🙂
Besides, you're the one paying the bills, not them!🙂

Sandra Moore8 said:I am totally on board with this.👍...a band is a band, and a duo or trio is something else entirely. But man, there are HUGE 😲differences between a duo and a trio too. Before the wedding season started, I was looking at a Favorite Brands gig in Charleston, where a group called Bud Light was playing. Honestly, folks, they should probably be banned by law...👎.....they sing like they haven't even hit puberty yet. And hey, BRAVO, one band might be a duo and another band like MGM might be a trio, and you actually enjoy listening to them👍. Then there's the whole price factor. Based on everything said here, it's pretty obvious that full bands are roughly twice as expensive as duos or trios. Like my grandma used to always say... the ones with the most butter and cream are the ones who get to spread it! She was a total LEGEND!🙂

ambercyclist32 said:Honestly, I think it’s completely pointless to argue over whether a band is "good" or not—it all comes down to personal taste. What hits for me might totally miss for you, and that's exactly why there are so many different bands out there to choose from; you just pick what resonates with you personally.🤷People have been recommending certain groups here because they liked them, but that doesn't mean anyone should feel forced to listen to them or accept them as the absolute gold standard... it's just nonsense.🙄

Look, I’ll give you my own list of bands that I'm tired of hearing about. Is it really such a big deal to just name a band, go check them out, and decide for yourself if they actually click? You need to figure out if they're playing the kind of music you actually want to hear and if they can create the specific vibe you're looking for.🤷..There are a million different factors at play, and everyone is looking for something different. Besides, most of them have websites now, so you can pretty much tell right away if they suit your style and if they're even worth paying to see live.

So, anyway...

-Pink Panther
-Bravo Band
-First League
-Tip Top
-Viva
-Music Band MGM
-Barbary
-Bud Light
-Totem Band
-Volare Band
-Mark and Brane
-Miro Boem
-Jessy Band
-Taxi Band
-Group Best
-Thousand s
-Flash Band
-Duo Vice and Vilma
-Trio Bolero

There you go for starters. I probably forgot a few, so let's see if any of the other girls recommend someone else.

Raymond Brooks7 said:Quincy:

I can't make sense of this one. It’s just empty space. Total nothingness. If you're trying to say something, you missed the mark entirely. Give me something real to work with next time. kaže: The music selection is mediocre at best, but the actual performance? Absolutely lackluster. There are plenty of much better bands playing around San Francisco, which explains why their prices are such a joke.👎

The price is fair. Look, Journey has a name. They have a reputation. That’s why they can charge a premium. Kocka is a relatively new band—so what? If they slapped a $2,000 ticket price on their show, would that suddenly make them good? Please. Money doesn't buy talent. 🙄

Sure, maybe there are better bands out there. Maybe. But you can’t argue with taste. It’s subjective. At the end of the day, it just is what it is. And honestly? This whole obsession with linking price directly to quality is even worse. It's a tired, flawed logic. 🙄

Quincy:

I don't know what to tell you. People keep bringing up MIMIAS like it’s some kind of revolutionary breakthrough. It isn't. It’s just more noise in an already deafening world. We chase these shiny new concepts thinking they’ll fix everything, but they never do. They just change the shape of the problem. I’ve seen this cycle too many times to be impressed. It’s all just part of the same old machine. kaže: Got any recommendations? Honestly, gambling didn't exactly blow my mind either.

Here we go again. I’ve pretty much listed every decent band from this part of the country right here. Everyone has their own specific taste, obviously. So, if you're actually looking for a recommendation, do us all a favor and specify what kind of music you actually like. Just say it.

driftingpanther7 said:😢 HELP ME OUT HERE!!!

Seriously guys, I need some backup...!!!!

I promised my best friend I’d track down a smoke machine or maybe a bubble machine to rent for her, so if anyone knows a local vendor or a rental shop in the area where I can actually get some answers—please let me know!!!

Literally anything helps!🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏

Alex Carter3 said:Check if you have Boom SF 😉 in your contacts or maybe try that pyrotechnics company over by the stadium, Mirnovac Pyrotechnics 😉

Olivia Lee5;26099835 said:It’s good to see you all arguing again; at least it means this thread is still alive... so, let me restate my questions and hopefully get some answers this time since I didn't get them before... so:

Hey everyone, I’ve been lurking in this PDF for a while now without really jumping in, but I’m reaching out because I could use some help. A friend of mine is getting married next September, and she’s starting to plan everything since the venue, photographer, and band usually need to be booked a year in advance. For the venue, she picked Dollis in Austin, but she’s still undecided on the photographer and the band. I was wondering if anyone could recommend some solid bands or photo studios that haven't received any complaints on this thread... Regarding photography, she knows people have praised California and IN, but are there any other good options under $1,500 (not someone like photo Mark 😢)? Also, does anyone have a specific recommendation for a photographer and videographer within those studios?
As for the band—they’re looking for a group that can play both American and international rock. They want a sound that isn't too "foreign" or niche, but they also want to be able to play some local hits (just nothing like Thompson, Elvis Presley, Spears, or Joel, etc.). Ideally, the price stays under $2,000; I don't think they intend to go over that budget..
Thanks so much... 😍

Well, there’s plenty of time left. Any decent band will play whatever you want, and they shouldn't play anything you explicitly tell them to avoid. Personally, I think a "taxi band" or maybe Pink Panther might work for her; they have more of a rock vibe but they’re excellent, especially Taxi. You can find their page on Facebook, and when they have gigs at local bars, she should go hear them live. Plus, the price should fit right under that $2,000 mark. There are plenty of good photographers out there, though I'm not sure about that specific price range. She should check out Weddingstudio IN or California; both are quite good. Everything else tends to be more expensive than that. Hope that helps... Good luck!!!😉

Olivia Lee5 said:It’s actually quite good to see you all arguing again; it means this thread is finally coming back to life... so, I’ll go ahead and restate my questions, hoping I might get some answers this time since I didn't receive them before:

Hey everyone! I’ve been lurking in this PDF for a while now without really jumping in, but I’m reaching out today because I could really use your expertise. A close friend of mine is getting married next September, and she’s starting the planning process early since she knows the venue, photographer, and band need to be booked at least a year in advance. For the venue, she’s already settled on Dollis in Austin. However, she hasn't decided on a photographer or a band yet, so I was wondering if you might have some recommendations for great bands or photo studios that haven't faced any criticism on this thread... Regarding photography, I know you guys have praised California and IN, but does anyone know of another solid option for under $1,500 (nothing like photo Mark 😢)? Also, do you have a specific recommendation for a photographer and videographer within a studio?
As for the band—they are looking for a group that can play both American and international rock. They don't want a sound that feels too foreign; they want something with a bit more edge, but they also want the ability to play some classic local hits (just nothing along the lines of Elvis Presley, Spears, Joel, etc.). Ideally, the budget for the band is around $2,000, as I don't think they intend to go much higher than that..
Thanks so much for the help! 😍

Roger Gray37 said:Does anyone know of a five-piece band out in the San Francisco area that might be available for roughly $2,000?