All posts by Mitch Cockman

Wedding at Styal Lodge

Events,
Styal Lodge Wedding

Massive thanks to Sue and Sam for having us to play at their wedding at Styal Lodge this weekend! Styal Lodge is a beautiful wedding venue with a wooden interior and was decorated amazingly.

They had Jason Mraz – ‘I wont give up’ as their first dance before friends, family and children descended onto the dance floor for an evening of serious dancing. There was a certain young man who had some serious moves. We don’t know where you learnt them but we want some lessons!

Styal Lodge Wedding
Styal Lodge Wedding

This was a very special evening and we felt privileged to be part of it. Everyone was very kind and welcoming and we just hope you had as much fun as we did!

On the way out we heard Sam, Sue and friends saying ‘We did this’! Well guys you really did, and it’s was beautiful!

Styal Lodge Wedding
Styal Lodge Wedding

We hired Groove Manuva for our summer Wedding, and were very impressed with not only the bands performance and energy, but also with their overall friendliness towards ourselves and our guests. The music was spot on, and certainly made all our guests want to dance the night away. They helped make the evening of our wedding one to remember. Would definitely recommend this band to anyone looking for a fun & lively night. Sam and Sue

Wedding gig at The Tempest Arms near Skipton

Events,
Wedding at the Tempest Arms in Skipton

The Tempest Arms in Elslack, Skipton is a wonderful little wedding venue. We played there this weekend for Emma and Richard’s wedding and what a fantastic bunch of friends and family they have.

They chose Ed Sheeran ‘Thinking out loud’ for their first dance and the bridesmaids were quick to get everyone up and dancing! People didn’t leave the dance floor all night long and we had a great time playing for these guys.

Tempest Arms wedding, Skipton
Tempest Arms wedding, Skipton

Lovely food, a great venue and wonderful people. It’s a real pleasure to play at events like this and we had a blast.

All the best for the future Emma and Richard!

We had Groove Manuva recommended to us for our wedding day and we certainly weren’t disappointed. The dancefloor was full immediately and their range of songs (both current and classics) we’re popular across all the ages of our guests (including my 87 year old Gran who I found on the dancefloor at midnight going strong to Mr Brightside!). The band we’re incredibly professional, flexible and friendly and arrived and set up in no time without us having to break away from our evening (except for our first dance of course!).They really got the evening going when they kicked off the first set and they we’re that good that I (the bride) spent the whole of the first set on the dancefloor instead of working the room! Emma and Richard

Gig At Normandy Barracks For The Ministry of Defense

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Normandy barracks gig for Ministry of Defense

This weekend we were over in East Yorkshire playing a gig for the Ministry of Defense Summer ball at Normandy Barracks. Normandy is a centre of excellence for providing driver and transport management training to personnel from the Army, Royal Air Force and Royal Marines.

Well, what a good time we had! Ally and the team did a great job organising the ball and wow, these guys know how to party. The marquee was packed and people did not stop dancing ALL NIGHT. It was an awesome setting, brilliantly organised and full of genuinely great people who brought the party to us. Oh, and candy floss..

We want to say a big thanks to you all for having us and hopefully we will see you again in the future. Maybe next time with some iron maiden songs?!!

8 ways to make the most of your wedding band

Articles, ,
Booking a band for your wedding, party or event

Choosing a wedding band can be tough – there are so many options! Take a look at our guide on how to choose a wedding band for some handy tips: http://groovemanuva.co.uk/blog/8-things-to-consider-when-hiring-a-band-for-your-wedding-party-or-event/

Once you have a band booked, there are things which you need to do to make sure that the band can provide the best service to you. Bands WANT to be able to give you a great service and the more you can do to help them out, the easier it will be for them to ensure that you and your guests have the time of your lives!

1. Your band should take the lead

A good party band will have done an event like yours many times before. They know what works and they know what needs to be arranged to make sure they can give you the best service possible. Let them know exactly what you want and then listen to them to work out how best to achieve it. Your band should give you very clear details about the service they provide along with their quote. They should communicate with you as the booking firms up – this is the mark of professionals!

2. Ideal arrival/set up times

Bands need time to set up. They will have lots of equipment to bring in to the venue, connect everything up, troubleshoot any issues with the venue and spend time getting the sound system sounding its best.

Speak to your wedding organiser at the earliest opportunity to make sure that they are aware that a band is booked.

Usually the wedding band will be more than happy to discuss logistics with the venue leaving you free to focus on other things.

If you do get involved in the logistics, the ideal situation is that the band will be playing in a separate room to where your guests will be in the afternoon. This allows them time to set up without getting in your way or interrupting other things that you have going on at that time. Normally a band will need 1-2 hours to get set up depending on the number of members.

Here is an example of a typical set-up schedule:

Band arrival – 5.30pm
Finish setting up – 7.30pm
Guests arrive – 8pm
First dance – 8.30pm

3. Less than ideal set-up arrangements

Often the band will be playing in the same room that you and your guests will be occupying in the afternoon. If this is the case then again, it would be a good idea to speak to your wedding planner about how this will work. Maybe it’s possible to arrange for people to move outside for a period of time? If that is not possible then the band will be able to set up with your guests around. However, this is not ideal and may be distracting for people trying to have conversations whilst a drummer keeps hitting his snare drum!

4. Song Lists

The band should have given you a list of the songs that they play – that is how you decided you wanted to book them! Some will have given you a list as long as the function you have booked them for (maybe 2 hours) and some will give you a list containing maybe 4 hours of music. This is the music they will be able to play for you.

Let the band run the night – they know how to work the crowd and re-order songs on the fly depending on what is happening.

You will probably be able to make requests for songs (see the next point) but generally you should feel that you can trust the band to deliver the entertainment you will have experienced when you saw their promo.

5. Requesting songs

Most function bands will have no problem learning a first dance or an extra song of your choice. Just let them know in plenty of time so they have chance to rehearse it! It’s also worth thinking about the type of song you want them to play. For example, you will probably get a better result choosing a commitments song than one by lady gaga..

6. Noise Limiters

These things are literally an event organiser’s worst nightmare! When sound goes above a certain level, the power to the room cuts out and the music stops. Do you want something like this spoiling your wedding?!

If the venue has a noise limiter then it needs to be disabled.

If it can’t then most (if not all) bands will not be able to play there. It will wreck your evening as well as the band’s equipment. You have been warned!

7. Food and Drink

Your musicians will have likely travelled for up to 3 hours to get to you. They will have shifted heavy speakers and been worrying if the logistics of the venue will allow them to a put on a good show for you. Normally there will be food available at your event so you need to make sure there is a little extra available for the band.

You don’t need to provide alcoholic drinks but soft drinks and tea/coffee should be available also.

8. Speak to your band!

These people don’t have this job because the income is lucrative (it’s not!). They do it because they genuinely love to entertain people. They WANT you to have a great time so why not harness this enthusiasm? They will want to speak to you and make sure things are going well for you.

Go and speak to your band on the night (they will love it), and discuss how things are going.

At weddings and events the real magic happens when your guests and the band really get on and the sparks fly! They just want to be treated well. Do that and you have a recipe for the best night of your life!

Summary

• Give your wedding organiser the details of your band nice and early (a few months before at least).
• Get the logistics sorted out in terms of arrival times and times you want certain things to happen during your event.
• Tell the band in plenty of time about any specific things you want them to do and make sure they have all the details about the venue where they will be playing.
• On the day make sure there is some food and chat with them about the event so they know what to expect.

Do all that and your band should be able to make sure you all have a cracking time!

Berties @ La Cachette, Elland – Corporate gig for SSP

Events, ,
Berties La Cachette, Elland

We were very pleased to be invited back to play a corporate function for SSP at Berties @ La Cachette in Elland last weekend. SSP are a great bunch of people who have made us feel very welcome when we have played for them in the past. This weekend was no exception with band and guests having a great time.

Berties is a great venue for parties and corporate functions and we always have great fun when we play there. Special mention for chairman David who is leaving the organisation and moving in to retirement. We wish you all the best for the future!

8 Things to Consider When Hiring a Band For Your Wedding, Party or Event

Articles, ,
Booking a band for your wedding, party or event

One of the best ways to make sure your wedding day is really memorable is to have really great entertainment that guests will not be able to stop talking about. Depending on what you read, the average cost of a wedding in the UK is something like £12,000 – £25,000. It is entirely possible to spend much more or less than this but we have found this to be a realistic average. It makes sense to allocate a reasonable amount of this to entertainment – the phrase ‘you get what you pay for’ is especially relevant to bands!

1. Will a band be able to play at my wedding venue?

This is really the most important question you will have to ask when booking your wedding entertainment! Speak to you wedding organiser or the venue to find out if they allow bands to play at their premises. Sometimes it will not be possible but most venues these days will allow this. They will often require the band to be covered with public liability insurance and play with equipment that is PAT tested. You should ask the venue if they have an installed sound limiter. This will severely affect the band’s ability to perform for you and many bands will not be able to take the booking if that is the case.

 

2. Which band should I pick?

You may have seen a band that you like play at a friend or relative’s wedding. This is a great way to find a band as you have first hand experience of their sound and what they look like! However, you should still shop around as there are lots of wedding bands out there who play music in different styles. If you want something specific you can always contact a band to see if they can help you out? Use Google and agency websites to find a range of bands to check out.

 

3. How much should I pay for my band?

Popular wedding bands have lots of outgoings – equipment, rehearsal time, insurance, fuel costs and maintenance to name a few. As professionals they will take care of their business and won’t settle for using second rate gear or performing without the correct insurance. They will reflect this in the price and the band you want may charge anywhere between £1000 and £5000. Bands will perform for less than this but you may find that they cut corners in many of the areas above. It comes down to whether or not you want to risk paying less for a band who may let you down or will not fulfil their contractual obligations to you.

 

4. Am I safer booking the band through an entertainment agency?

Many party bands will be available to book either directly or through an agency. Be aware that most agencies ask bands to change their name whilst working for them. You may have to do a little digging to find the contact details of a band you originally discovered on an agency site. Once you approach them directly they should deal with you in the same professional way that an agent would. Agents often want to get the bookings made with minimal discussion, leaving you unsure about certain aspects of the booking. Dealing directly with a band may give you more opportunity to discuss the finer details. The added bonus is that direct, the band will usually cost much less. Agents typically add on a 20% fee for which you don’t actually receive any improvement of service.

 

5. What kind of music will the band play at my party?

You should be able to see a list of songs the band can play on their website. They should have recordings and hopefully video allowing you to hear them live. You should pick a band whose music you and your guests will enjoy. Bands may focus on a particular style of music or they may play a range of different styles. There are so many bands out there that you have a great selection to choose from!

 

6. How long will the band perform for?

You should check the length of time the band can perform for. Bands usually play a standard total of about 2 hours which will be split into two sets of music which last for an hour each. Often the band will be able to play longer than this but may have to charge an extra fee for the additional work.

 

7. Will I have to fill out contracts and pay a deposit for my band?

Often wedding bands will ask you to complete a contract to secure them to play at your event. Good bands will receive many inquiries to play at weddings and parties – especially during the summer months where the majority will take place. A contract will protect both parties against cancellation. A band should certainly not cancel with you once they have been booked. It is often worth checking online to see if they have been mentioned positively or negatively on any forums. You should expect a short notice cancellation fee to apply with most of the good wedding bands. They will have had to turn down other work to keep your date free and they may struggle to fill that date if you cancel, especially if it is at short notice.

 

8. What other services will the band provide?
Often bands will provide a number of ‘free’ extras. Examples may be:

  • Playlist music from a laptop at the breaks in their set and at the end
  • A free live first dance
  • Learn an extra song of your choice

The band should specify in their literature as to what extras they can provide. They should be able to talk through all of these options with you.

 

Summary

You should make sure you do your research before booking your perfect wedding band. Look at their repertoire and feedback, listen to videos and recording and speak to them to make sure you are happy with what they can provide and the fees. If you put this time in then you will end up with a professional band who will be able to put on a great show for you and your guests!

Wedding in North Yorkshire at Middleton Lodge

Events, ,
Middleton Lodge Georgian country estate near Richmond, North Yorkshire.

Thanks to Ed and Helen for inviting us to play at their lovely wedding at Middleton lodge this weekend. This is an absolutely beautiful Georgian country estate near Richmond, North Yorkshire. The main event was held in a big marquee with some amazing lights and tables arrangements.

The couple had ‘Sade – By Your Side’ for their first dance and the dance floor remained packed for the whole night. Issues with the power cutting out didn’t stop guests from having a great time and filling in the gaps with some awesome singing!

So thanks Ed and Helen for letting us entertain you at your wedding. We wish you all the best for the future!

Barmbyfield Barns Wedding

Events, ,
Barmbyfield Barns

We had the privilege to play for Sal and Maz at their amazing wedding at Barmbyfield barn this month. The couple had done an AMAZING job decking the place out with rustic touches and the whole event had a great homely feel to it. Their first dance was Ed Sheeran – ‘thinking out loud’ which is a favourite of ours.

Bouncy castles for the kids was a brilliant idea as it kept them entertained while the adults partied. All the guests really appreciated the hog roast – the food was really well done by the organisers.
Barmbyfields_Barn
So thanks Sal, Maz and barmbyfield barns for having us at the wedding. We wish you all the best for the future – a cracking couple who made us feel very welcome!

Groove Manuva were a huge hit at our wedding and fit into our rustic theme perfectly! They played Ed Sheeran “Thinking Out Loud” for our first dance and absolutely nailed it, everyone thought it was awesome and we loved every second. All of the band members were so lovely and chilled, it was one less thing to have to organise on the day as they just got on with setting up and sorting themselves out. I can’t thank them enough for putting the perfect end to a perfect day! Thanks Groove Manuva! Sal n Maz xxx