How to hire a good classic rock band
When throwing a party or planning an event, one is occasionally asked to “hire the band.” Most people don’t have a background in music and don’t know where to start looking for a band, let alone differentiate between the various bands available in their area that play at parties. This article is meant to give you enough information to get you started on the process. Also, there is a link at the bottom of the article to help point you in the right direction.
classic rock definition
The term “classic rock” is used to define a type of rock music that spans from the 1960s (Beatles, Stones, Bowie) to the 1990s (Stone Temple Pilots, Sound Garden, Red Hot Chili Peppers). Some people also include more contemporary rock music as little as 5 years ago. For the purposes of this article, we will refer to Classic Rock as any rock music that was produced after 2005 and goes back to the 1960s.
What is the audience?
You should start by considering the audience that will be attending the event or party. Think about what kind of people will be at the event. What are their ages? What are the demographics of the guests? In general, people of all demographic groups like classic rock. Everyone in the United States has grown up listening to the various bands and solo artists that make up this category of music. The age group that classic rock appeals to is generally between the ages of 30 and 65 years old. If the average age is below or above this range, I encourage you to find another form of entertainment. People over 65 or under 30 may prefer another genre of music.
What is your budget?
Consider your budget as one of the first steps. You’d be surprised how many people call to inquire about a band with no idea what a band will cost. Live music is generally more expensive than other options like a DJ. If your budget is so tight that you can’t afford at least $350 per musician, it will be difficult for you to get a high-quality band. He plans to spend at least $1,000 on a 4-piece rock band for a 4-hour party. Most bands will be more expensive than this number. Generally, the best bands will be closer to $500 per player, so plan on spending $1,500-$2,500 for a really good 4-piece rock band. Obviously, the more pieces there are in the band, the more expensive it will be.
These rates are for “cover” bands, that is, they play the music of other bands. Original or “name” bands are generally much more expensive and can range from $10,000 for an “old time act” like “Blondie” to $1 million for a currently popular classic rock band like the Rolling Stones (I’m using these names for illustrative purposes only, they are not intended to be actual quotes for these bands). Obviously, which route you take depends on your budget. Since most people won’t have the budget to book a big name artist for their event, the rest of this article is devoted to booking a classic rock cover band.
How to find a band
There are several good sources for finding a qualified band for your event. Google and other search engines provide information on various bands in your area that are available and have a website. Also, you can make use of booking agents and band promotional sites that list bands in your area that are available for events. Craigslist is also a potential source of band listings. Bands are usually listed under “Event Services” in listings for your area.
I would recommend dealing directly with the band if possible and avoiding the booking agents. They charge a large commission for the deal and you will usually pay more than if you deal directly with the band itself.
Listen to the band before hiring them
Many bands today have websites where you can listen to the band’s live recordings on the website. In most cases, you can get a good idea of what the band sounds like from the website, however, sometimes the band will have studio versions of the songs they play on their website. In this case, you’re not really hearing the true sound of the band live. Try to make sure that the recordings you are listening to are “live” recordings and not studio recordings with overdubs and multiple tracking.
The best way to hear a band, of course, is to hear them live at a live performance. While this is always the best way to judge a band, sometimes it’s not practical and a recorded performance will have to suffice. Also, request a playlist from the band to ensure they have a playlist that you and your guests will like.
Avoid the weekend warriors
The Classic Rock category is notorious for being inhabited by “weekend warriors” who are actually lawyers, dentists, or electricians who hang out part-time and have a band as a hobby. You’ve seen them, the overweight, balding, middle-aged guitar heroes who inhabit the local bar scene. While there is nothing wrong with people having fun playing music for fun, you should be interested in hiring a group of professionals who have high musical standards and a great song list. You should be happy to pay a little more to get a professional band with a tight sound that your guests will remember for years to come.
While the task of hiring a band can be daunting at first, a little advance research, a little knowledge, and some common sense can go a long way toward making your event or party a memorable one for years to come.