Hats off to the band

Sometimes, articles just speak for themselves.


If the wedding's over-running by an hour, the band happen to be twiddling their thumbs and are holed up in a changing room, they might just get creative...or likely, just start fooling about a little.

*The Love Junkies would like to make it clear that no hats were harmed in the making of this blog post.

Get your (High) Rocks off

The Love Junkies play High Rocks Hotel, Sun 13th Sept 2009

As Sunday weddings go, this one was pretty darn good. The venue, High Rocks hotel, Tunbridge Wells was a suitably fine hotel. Absolutely lovely setting, over three floors, with a steam train to boot to take the guests round on a jolly (albeit in the dark) whilst the band were getting set-up. The function room was great too - a real dream for the band and nice sounding to boot.

What made the night though, was the guests. Coming back to the point about Sunday weddings and without wanting to generalise, in our experience they are a bit quieter. The spectre of Monday morning hangs over people's heads, usually forcing them to call it a night at 10. Not so with this lot.

Claire and Pete, lead their guests partying into the early hours and for that we salute them. Especially, when they enjoyed themselves as much as this lot did.

So if the wedding is anything to go by, we reckon these two are going to have a fun life. Thanks again to the (mainly Italian) staff, who were a jolly bunch. Giving us some comedy moments as they anticipated our food and drinks orders with Derren Brown like accuracy.

'Ere, my mate plays guitar, let 'im 'ave a go.

So, you've driven for three hours, set up your equipment, sound checked, dressed, done two sets, and are just about to pack up the gear and drive home when you hear the immortal words "...my mate plays guitar, let 'im 'ave a go."

In very few other walks of life would you ever hear a similar request, "Oy mate!? Can I borrow your tractor, I wanna plough that field". Just for some reason, musicians and their instrumentation, seem to be fair game.

This set me thinking about my main beefs with this seemingly inoccuous request. The obvious point is that we're there in a professional capacity to entertain, our equipment is expensive and we don't want it damaged. However, we've also spent long years working on our craft. Collectively, this is our job. So why, oh why would we think it a good idea to let (usually drunken) random guests 'entertain' the crowds further, using our precious tools and risk our reputation?

Now it may be that you or your mate can play, and indeed we've had people from the audience sit in with us and sing the odd number by prior arrangement - that's perfectly acceptable. We are not averse to such requests. Sometimes they are good, other times, well... you know.

But, please bear in mind before you ask mid-set (often while we're playing) if you can 'have a go' that the band are there and have been employed to do a specific job. If we refuse you, it's nothing personal. The bride and groom have specifically chosen us, not you, to entertain their guests. The best respect you can show them is by allowing them to have the entertainment they wanted and paid for. It's their day after all.

The same might be said for the choice of music.You may feel justified in your heckles to have an Oasis tribute band, but the bride and groom have picked us because they like the music we play. So, apart from the odd request here and there (which are fine in advance), let the band run the entertainment.

Unless you are a Vicar, it's safe to assume that the band have probably performed at more weddings than you've been to and are well accustomed to making the set list work, so everyone can have a good night getting on down, or at the least, watching Uncle Fred get on down. The band, also love to see uncle Fred attempting to get on down. And on the odd occasion, there'll be some young kid or young aged pensioner who looks far too cool, who just happens to be able to really bust some moves on the dance floor.

Now, that's really enjoyable for the band to see. People having a good time.

Laters...
Ninja

Wedding over-running? That's okay, may we offer some advice?

Weddings. There is always a plan. Timings are mapped out for the main events with everything considered, from the post ceremony drinks to the cutting of the cake; e.g. "Evening guests arrive at 7.28pm, the bride and groom are introduced for their first dance at 7.35pm, then the band at 7.39pm..."

But excuse us for a second as we make light. 7.39pm? Surely no-one really expects timings to be that exact, do they?

Usually and fortunately not, but sometimes, just sometimes, and if one or other of the bride and groom is a project manager, we get an itinerary list that is so detailed you wonder if a drill sergeant might be overseeing, let alone a toastmaster.

Happily, this was absolutely not the case last night for Charlotte and Blue's wedding at the Port Lympne Mansion House.

For the record, we were exceptionally well looked after (and as a band, we respond very well to that, subtle, subtle, hinty, hinty). We were provided in a timely fashion with our hot meals, made sure we had enough to drink, and provided with a change and chill room. All in all, splendid.

All perfect except for one minor detail. The wedding over-ran. By quite a lot actually.

The band arrived at 6pm, to be set-up by 7.30pm, ready for the arrival of the evening guests. A quite usual arrangement. Now, as we aren't tardy sorts, we were there, but - as often is the case - the room where we were playing was also the room where everyone was eating, toasting and merry-making, and in the end, we didn't manage to get set-up until just before 9pm.

Hence, the bride and groom's careful itinerary out the window. Not that it mattered, everyone had a chilled attitude and were enjoying themselves. However, this situation can sometimes make the evening event difficult.

At weddings, the one thing more likely to punch a hole in the schedule and over-run is the wedding breakfast, especially the speeches.

This is not a rant though. As a band, we don't mind if the wedded couple run late. In fact, we expect and make contingency for it. You see, almost every wedding - with perhaps the exception of one that springs to mind in London - runs late.

So fathers, grooms, best men, chief bridesmaids and brides - a word of advice. When writing and planning your speech, don't forget - that is if you don't want it to delay the evening function - to include some time for people to laugh heartily (and in some cases heckle) your hallowed monologue. And remember, that story you think is going to take thirty seconds to recant? Add a little longer 'cos once you get going...

From our years of wedding experience, we have one piece of advice when planning your itinerary. Always allow at least 3 times as long for the speeches.

Not that the band really mind though... just as long as they're looked after ;-) and isn't that the first priority?

What do you mean, "no"?