Issue 10: The "Spirit Airlines Approach" To Booking Live Music

So, you’re on facebook, instagram, scrolling the web, thinking about music for your wedding or event when you see an ad pop up - a 7 piece band starting just under $4000. You think to yourself, wow! I didn’t think I could get a wedding band at that price - let’s check out the reviews. Reviews even look good - so how do they do it, when so many other companies are charging more? Here at Clarity Music Productions, we think of it as the “Spirit Airlines” approach to selling - hook you with an incredibly low price, but charge for EVERYTHING you still need. So…. what actually goes into a band performance for a wedding or event?

First, when are you getting married? On a Friday, Saturday, or Sunday? Those are peak days. During the April-November wedding season? That’s peak wedding season - and that price will climb immediately because of those two factors. Want that less than $4000 base price? You’re looking at a Monday night in January, when no one is working and everyone is looking for a gig.

That base price only will cover them showing up for the 4 hour event to perform. In most agencies, that will include any formalities, a few must play songs and do not play songs, and then the band has the leeway to choose the rest of the song list. Want more control? That’ll cost you extra.

And, keep in mind that at a low price, you don’t get a set band or collective - you get a pickup band. Usually put together in the few weeks leading up to your wedding date, because they will be looking to book people for a lower rate, which can only typically happen if it’s booked more last minute (less likely the musicians/singers will be working, so they are more likely to take a discount). Even if you hear a band from them live, there are no guarantees that is who is showing up to your wedding. And good luck talking to the band leader before your wedding date - you will almost certainly be dealing with people from the agency and have no band leader contact prior to them arriving at your venue.

So, you still are interested in that band - but wait! How will the band be heard? For that, you need a PA system. A 7 piece band should be going out with at least a 12 channel board (drums will get multiple channels, and most keyboard players will have 2 keyboards that will need a channel each), 2 top speakers, 2 subwoofers, monitors for the band, and all the necessary microphones, cables, etc that are needed to connect everything. Every band should also have a dedicated sound engineer - the sound behind the speakers is always different than the sound out front (because speakers are designed to project forward), so you want someone who’s only job is to ensure that the sound the audience hears is amazing and that there is no feedback (loud squeals that can ruin any performance). This can EASILY add at least $1000 to the price, if not more. Some sound companies can charge in excess of $1500.

Now, you have your song list, your date, and the band…. But they will be standing in the dark! You need at least some basic lighting - at least a couple of light trees that will highlight the band. Basic lighting will cost another $500 or so, if not more. Want the rockstar package? That will get pricey, but it will turn the band’s performance into your own private concert.

Now, pricing is also assumed inside the bands home territory - and usually rock bottom prices mean a very tight home base. We’ve seen travel fees start as low as 25 miles from the main office! That is very limiting, and those travel fees can quickly add up, so don’t be surprised if they are tacked on.

Now, you have your date, band, sound system, and lights - but who is going to make announcements about speeches, bringing your bridal party and you in, and all those other very important things? Well, with the Spirit Airlines approach, the band will do it…. For a fee. I’ve seen fees range from a couple hundred dollars to over a thousand or more! Just to say a few words.

So, everything is finally booked, and you tell your venue that you have a band coming…. And they then tell you that the band needs to be insured for at least $1 million dollars. Do you think the Spirit Airlines band is going to be insured? Not likely - and that will probably cost you another few hundred dollars.

What about music for cocktail hour? A little light background music such as jazz piano or guitar can be really nice. That will run you at least $300 from a Spirit Airlines agency.

The point here is that no 7 piece band really costs less $4000. By the time all the extra fees are tacked on for must haves (and the most common desires beyond that), that price will have soared to at least $6-7,000, if not more.

Just like flying, you have a choice. When you total up the real cost of a Spirit Airline ticket compared to a major carrier, it often doesn’t add up to much less, but we are all familiar with how those experiences end up - surprise fees, uncomfortable flights, and poor service. This is your wedding - is that what you really want? Or do you want an experienced agency that will make sure everything you need is included in your package, with no surprise fees, and a concierge service that will make the whole process easy and fun.

Contact us to setup a booking appointment and learn more about how we’re changing the way you book live music. Even if you don’t book with us, we want ot empower you to avoid scams and have the event of your dreams. Your wedding is a one-time event - don’t you deserve some Clarity to get it right?

Let’s get started! Click here to book a free consultation and secure your event date today!