Need help choosing band vs. dj

[mayachel]

I think this has been the hardest thing for us to finalize since we''ve started! Basically, we are getting married in an area we don''t know too well, as it is where my parents retired to. It is in upstate NY near Saratoga. We''ve created a search that included down to the westchester area for bands and out towards VT (the location is only 40min from southern VT).

This resulted in finding 2 bands at the $2000 range. (3 we adored at the $5000 range but couldn''t justify the expense).

Basically, after hearing the good and the bad via websites, we really narrowed it down to 1 that we would be willing to go with in our price range. But they come across as more of a bar band that plays weddings, than a wedding band.

We''ve tried comparing DJs, but it seems impossible to tell the good from the mediocre. Though the truly bad stuck out.

We attended two weddings this summer where the DJ was really awful. Even the bride and groom were upset.

Tell me where to go from here please!

 

[Rock_of_Love]

I would go band if you can afford it in your budget...and it sounds like you can. Does the band play covers of commonly known songs? I''m assuming they do, as that would be a priority for me. Any type of live music I feel just makes a party way more festive!

But, I feel like a lot of the weddings I go to, the later night dancing turns into sort of "hip-hop, booty shaking" which is tough to get from a band. You could always have a mix of some booty music on an iPod that you play when the band ends for another 30-60 min or so.

 

[mayachel]

Thanks ROL. The thing is, the music is music we know and totally agree that there is nothing like live music BUT we''re not sure it''s what people want to dance to at a wedding? What do you think, here''s pieces of their sample song list from the website:

CROSSROADS - Clapton
MYSTERY ACHEIVEMENT - Pretenders
VENUS - Shocking Blue
THAT''LL BE THE DAY – Linda Ronstadt
CHAIN OF FOOLS – Aretha Franklin
POUR ME - Trick Pony
BLACK HORSE IN A CHERRY TREE
THIS IS THE LIFE - Amy MacDonald
BEFORE HE CHEATS – Carrie Underwood
LANDSLIDE - Stevie Nicks
I FEEL LUCKY - Mary C Carpenter
CHAIN GANG - Pretenders
HIT ME WITH YR BEST SHOT – Pat Benetar
I LOVE ROCK & ROLL - Joan Jett
ROADHOUSE BLUES - Doors
TORE DOWN -Clapton
OH DARLING - Beatles
LET ME ROLL IT - McCartney
LOVE ME LIKE A MAN - Bonnie Raitt
TAKE IT OFF - The Donnas
MATERIAL GIRL - Madonna
GIRLS JUST WANNA HAVE FUN-Lauper
WHEN IT RAINS I POUR - Gretchen Wilson
IT''S SO EASY - Linda Ronstadt
LOVE ME LIKE A MAN- Bonnie Raitt
BECAUSE THE NIGHT - Patti Smith
AMERICAN GIRL - Tom Petty
SLIDE - Goo Goo Dolls
3 AM - Matchbox 20
LIMELIGHT - Rush
COME SAIL AWAY - Styx
HOW''S IT GONNA BE - 3rd Eye Blind
LOSIN MY RELIGION - REM:
SITTING AT A BAR - Rehab
NEVER LET YOU GO - Third Eye Blind
AIN''T TALKIN ''BOUT LOVE - Van Halen
ANYWAY YOU WANT IT - Journey
OPEN ARMS - Journey
WHISKEY IN THE JAR - Metallica
EVIL WAYS - Santana
MAIN STREET - Bob Segar
UP ON CRIPPLE CREEK - The Band
PLAY THAT FUNKY MUSIC WHITE BOY
SWEET HOME ALABAMA - Lynyrd Skynyrd
GIVE ME 3 STEPS - Lynyrd Skynyrd
2 TICKETS TO PARADISE - Eddie Money
THE ONE I LOVE - REM
GREEN RIVER - Creedence Clearwater Revival
JUMPIN JACK FLASH - Rolling Stones
OPEN ARMS - Journey
MARGARITAVILLE - Jimmy Buffett
LAST KISS - Pearl Jam

 

[purselover]

Definitely band! We had a quartet and dj and the quartet by and far blew the dj away, it still makes me cringe to think about how awful he turned out

 

[Rock_of_Love]

They play a lot of stuff, but yeah, not exactly "dancing" music. I think you guys need to decide if you are "dancing" people or "band" people. My FI and I are totally band people. We love to go to concerts and go to bars and hear live music. With bands, you don''t dance as much with each other but dance together sort of rockin'' out to the band. It makes for a very lively experience, but if you picture something different...for example, people dancing to their favorite songs...you maybe should go with a DJ.

When my FI and I were considering having a band, we knew full well that it would have a different feel, and possibly a lot of folks wouldn''t recognize the music...so you risk people not going out on the dance floor.

I think a good "in-between" option is a band that is actually a wedding band, and this band doesn''t sound like that. A band that specifically caters to weddings will *know* what songs will get people dancing and know how to "work" a wedding.

 

[redfaerythinker]

I''m having this exact same problem. I love the idea of a band, but my worry is that the songs that I really want to sound like the original, won''t, the first dance song for example. It''s an alternative rock song, and it can''t really be covered. Ah well... decisions, decisions.

 

[megumic]

I think this is a tough one. While I am a huge band advocate, I despise a bad band. From our experience band-hunting, it seems cost is commensurate with quality. Our band is in the $4k range and we even found that to be on the more reasonable side for the area. But I also have to say, if we went solely based on website performance and sound, we would not have considered the band we hired. We actually went to see them play after which I felt entirely different and it sealed the deal. I highly suggest going to see both bands you were considering before throwing them off the list as no good. But if they don''t work out, then I''d probably search for a really great DJ as opposed to settling for an okay band.