 |
Frequently Asked Questions
AKA Everything you ever possibly wanted to know about live music for your event! |
Is the band experienced?
Very. The Dave Murphy Band has worked continuously since 1993 averaging well over 200 shows per year. We have performed every type of job imaginable, including countless weddings, corporate parties, dances, nightclubs, conventions, fundraisers, festivals and private parties. Our extensive experience means that you will enjoy an evening of great entertainment, secure in the knowledge that every aspect of your event is professionally taken care of.
Have you performed at our venue?
Very likely. We have worked regularly at most of the major venues throughout southern Ontario, and chances are good that we are already familiar with the staff, layout and set up procedures of your venue. To see a partial list of the many venues we have performed, click here.
How do I find out if you're available for our date?
The best way to find out if we're available for your date is to fill out our price quote form and we can usually let you know within 24 hours.
How many musicians are in the band? What instruments do they play?
The Dave Murphy Band is comprised of four members who play together all the time, augmented by a number of horn players who play with us on a regular basis. Dave is your master of ceremonies, keyboardist and lead vocalist all in one. Dan plays guitar, Sean plays drums and Steve plays bass. Everyone in the band sings, so our four piece band has the same full sound as many five or six piece bands with vocalists who don't play an instrument. We perform many of our events as a four piece band, and can do a fabulous job on every song in our repertoire using this line up. While the four piece band is perfectly adequate for a large number of our clients, many others choose to add a saxophone to the band to enhance our sound, and many others still also add a trumpet to create a small horn section. You can add more horns still to really fill out the sound, but usually the four, five or six piece bands are what most clients usually opt for. We have performed weekly at the Orbit Room in downtown Toronto since 1997 and appear there most Fridays with a two-piece horn section featuring a regular rotation of the city's best horn players; if you choose to have horns you will have great musicians who know our music well. Earlier in evening Dave can also perform solo on piano for you; and you also have the option of using a duo or trio for your cocktails and dinner.
Are the musicians professionals?
We are very lucky to say that music is our full time occupation and our hobby as well! Music is all we do, and every musician brings an average of 20 years professional experience to the band. Our musical education and experience are what enable us to play the music so well, and our undiminished passion is what makes it look like so much fun. Above all we pride ourselves in our professionalism, and so you can rely on our musicians to do a great job both on and off the stage.
Are you a traditional wedding band?
Not at all. Indeed, we owe our popularity to the fact that so many couples have asked us to play their weddings because they wanted a band that didn't sound like a "typical wedding band." Unlike many groups, ours is a band that has routinely played at the best nightclubs in the Greater Toronto Area for over a decade. In addition to our ability to play all kinds of music that your parents and grandparents will thoroughly enjoy, when the time calls for it we can really rock, and our younger clients are always amazed how well we can also perform the songs that they love. Playing an average of five nights per week for ten years has given the band a reputation for superb musicianship. Unlike many bands that work less frequently, or hire freelance musicians to read sheet music all night, we know our material inside out. Above all it is our ability to authentically perform so many styles that has set us apart for our enthusiastic fans and clients. Dave learned the all the rock and roll classics during a five year tenure with Ronnie Hawkins; the band's love of funk earned them an opening spot for James Brown, and Dave performs blues weekly with guitar legend Jeff Healey. When our band plays a song we have both the ability and respect to make your favorite songs sound just the way you remember them. And unlike many bands who give you the strange sensation you are hearing a lot more music than you are actually seeing performed, our music is 100% live, played by musicians - not machines. We never enhance our music with computers, sequencers or backing tracks; we feel if you wanted to hear recorded music you would have hired a D.J. Finally, we are not a traditional wedding band, because we have no idea of how to play the Chicken Dance or the Macarena!
Why should I have live music at my event?
Because music makes the party, and a great band will really make it a party to remember. Rather than a D.J., live music will make your special event truly special, and will make your wedding as unique as it deserves to be.
What type of music do you play?
The band plays a huge stylistic variety of popular music for dancing. To see and hear specific examples of the songs we perform, have a look at our songlists. We always strive to provide music that is familiar, fun and entertaining. Above all our goal is for your dancefloor to be packed for the entire evening.
The ages and tastes of our guests will vary considerably. Can you keep everyone happy?
Absolutely. We pride ourselves in being able to please everyone from the youngest cousin to the eldest grandparent. The band specializes in performing tried and true songs that appeal across cultural and generational lines. We have a great variety of party favorites, and we also play all the classic ballads. Typically at events such as weddings where there can be a wide range in ages, we begin with many songs that older guests who may not stay the night will enjoy, and as the party heats up we add more and more modern music in the mix. But at all times we use a wide variety of great music to insure guests of all ages are dancing and having fun.
Will the songs sound like the originals?
Yes. We approach the great songs of our time with a reverence for their original power and magic, and feel no need to "improve" the classic hits with our own interpretations and arrangements. Between the band's attention to detail and Dave's renown ability to sound like any singer he chooses, your favorite songs will sound just the way you remember them.
Do you play Jewish weddings? Does the band perform horas?
Yes. The band has perormed at a multitude of Jewsish weddings and our clients have been thrilled with the band. We instrumentally perform two horas: Hava Nagila, and a medley of Siman Tov, Mazel Tov and Havanu Shalom. At the Jewish weddings we have done to date this was all our clients required of us and they have been very effusive about both the performance of the horas and the overall success of their weddings.
Do you play traditional music from our ethnic background?
While we typically have songs like a waltz or polka at the ready for emergency purposes, generally speaking our forte is hit songs from the last fifty years, as opposed to any particular forms of cultural music. That said, we have played many weddings where our clients' heritage has been a major part of their celebrations. A common approach that always seems to work really well is for clients to provide us with cultural music on CD which we play for you during our breaks, and this is usually a great success as it provides traditonal music for the families to enjoy. On occasion, some couples have even opted to have a second band of their ethnic background perform earlier in the evening, or during alternating sets with our own band.
Do you have a female vocalist?
The demand for the regular band is such that we never perform with a female singer. The band covers a tremendous range of all styles in way that keeps the audience entertained and dancing all night long, including some great renditions of classic songs by female vocalists. We also play many of the classic female dance hits through our sound system during our band breaks.
When do you set up? Will your sound check disturb our guests?
We always arrive early before your event begins to get all our equipment loaded in, set up, thoroughly tested and ready to go so that no one is disturbed and our sound checks have been totally completed before the arrival of your first guests. The band requires about one hour to complete our set up, and typically we arrive to set up ninety minutes before the scheduled start of your event just to make sure we get everything done before your guests begin to arrive.
Will the band be too loud?
Never. A band that drives guests away with excessive volume can ruin an event, so we take great care to get it right. We strongly believe that our music should never overwhelm your guests, and we always strive to attain a volume that is just right for dancing on the dancefloor, but also perfect for facilitating easy conversation away from the dancefloor. Because we are working for you we want to be at the perfect volume, so we always encourage our clients to let us know just where they would like it, but since no one ever seems to say anything we must be doing something right!
How will the band be dressed?
The band takes great care to be appropriately dressed in all circumstances. Unless otherwise instructed, we perform all special events and weddings in suits, and we wear matching sweaters which gives the band a uniform appearance. Please take a look through our photo gallery to see the clothes we wear at private functions.
Can you make announcements for us during your performance?
Absolutely, and this is something I routinely do as your host. At weddings I am happy to announce various events during your reception, such as the cake cutting, first dance, centerpiece giveaways, sweet table, last call and so forth. If you decide you would like to do a bouquet toss and / or a garter toss, I can coordinate and announce these for you in a way that's quick, simple and fun. At other events it is customary for me to help with draws, prizes, introductions, awards, announcements, or any other facet of your event I can be of help with.
How long does the band perform? How long are the sets?
Our standard pricing is based on the band playing over a time span of up to four hours in length. The most requested time period is 9 pm to 1 am, although it can be any four hours you choose, such as 8 to 12, 10 to 2, 7:30 to 11:30 and so forth. The timing and length of the sets are flexible depending on the flow of the evening and the needs of each client, but usually sets are at least one hour in length unless otherwise requested.
How many breaks do you take? How long are they?
In most circumstances the band takes only two twenty minute breaks during the entire evening. The placement of the breaks is flexible and can be determined by prior arrangement. More typically the placement of breaks is strategically determined by the way your event actually unfolds on the night of your engagement.
What happens when the band is on break? I don't want my party to stop!
Your party will continue uninterrupted, because the moment we go on break we put on a great mix of dance music that is designed to keep the dance floor packed the entire time we are offstage. Typically guests really enjoy this portion of the evening, as we give you the very best material that a disc jockey would typically play, including many of the big hits featuring female vocals, and so you get the very best of both what a DJ and live band can bring to your event.
Can you perform extra sets, during dinner for example?
Yes. If you would like an extra set or sets over and above the standard four hour time frame, these are billed separately by the hour for playing time only, and can be pro-rated by the half hour. Music for listening and dancing during dinner can be quite a success, for this is the one time that the maximum number of guests can enjoy the show and get up to dance. Our dinner set is typically much more laid back than our dancing set after dinner, and we take extra care to make sure our volume doesn't overwhelm your guests while they are eating and conversing. If you opt to simply have the band begin after dinner, remember that we play a nice mix of recorded dinner music through our sound system as part of our standard package.
Do we need to feed the band?
It is not necessary to feed the band unless you are having the band perform during your dinner. If we are performing after your dinner and speeches then we prefer for you not to arrange seating or meals for the band as we typically leave the venue after we have set up to change and eat, and arrive again shortly before our scheduled start time. On the other hand, if you have scheduled the band to perform during your dinner, then dinner for the band is very much appreciated.
Can you perform overtime?
Yes, overtime can usually be arranged on the spot, and is billed by the half hour at a rate proportional to your total fee.
Can we use a smaller combo of musicians and / or solo piano for cocktails and dinner?
Yes. It is definitely possible to arrange a smaller combo of musicians to perform background music, jazz standards and light ballads during an earlier part of your evening. Dave is also available to perform solo piano, and can play a wide range of styles either with vocals or instrumentally. This can be done using an 88 key electric piano we provide, but if your venue has a tuned grand piano on the premesis then this can be a really nice touch for your event. Have a look at the solo songlist page to see some repertoire possibilities and hear some audio samples.
Do you perform ceremony music?
This is not a specialty, although some nice classical pieces and other pretty ballads are definitely possible. Click here to hear some audio samples of Dave performing solo. If you enjoy the audio samples and thought solo piano might be nice for your ceremony then it is certainly an option.
Can we hire you to perform solo, or as a duo or trio for our entire wedding or event?
Not on Friday and Saturday nights. While you always have the option of adding some solo piano or a duo or trio to an earlier portion of your night when you have already hired the full band (i.e. four piece or more) for the latter part, the band only performs as a four piece or greater on Friday and Saturday nights. From Sunday to Thursday however, it is possible to have Dave arrange a solo, duo or trio performance for the entire night. Booking a trio, duo or Dave solo for a daytime performance is also possible every day of the week, and later afternoons and early evenings are often a possibility on Fridays and Saturdays.
How far do you book in advance? How far should we book ahead?
We book our dates up to one year in advance, but no further. If you are interested in a date more than a year away, you can still let us know and we can keep you informed about our status for that date. If your event is less than a year away then it is a good idea to book sooner rather than later, as our calendar can often fill up pretty quickly.
How far will you travel?
In theory the band will travel anywhere if the price is right. Generally speaking however the band works within about an hour of Oakville. Practically this has worked out to be as far east as Scarborough, and far north as highway 9, as far northwest as Kitchener and far southeast as Niagara Falls. The majority of our work is in the Greater Toronto Area.
Can we see you perform at a wedding or special event?
Unfortunately not. It is our policy not to ask our clients if we can bring other prospective clients to their events.
How can we hear the band?
You can hear the band perform by listening to the audio samples on the songlist pages of our website. All audio samples are live recordings of the band, and there are samples for every genre so you can hear us play the full range of all the different styles we perform. Of course you can also come to hear the band perform live at one of our public performances.
Where is the best place to hear the band perform live?
The band plays different styles of music at different clubs and so it's best to check with Dave to see which club will most closely matches what you are looking for. Often you can see us on a weekend at a nightclub, although frequently we do not perform in public on weekends because we are booked with private events. Although Dave performs most Thursdays with Jeff Healey, this is a different band and so this is not a good place to audition us for your event. Although Dave is also the leader of this band, it is not the Dave Murphy Band but rather the Healey's House band, and thus not the band that would actually play your event. The Dave Murphy Band, however, plays most Friday nights with two horn players at the Orbit Room in downtown Toronto, and this is the one night a week it is usually possible to see the band. At the Orbit the band plays mostly funk, soul, rock and blues. Because it's a club, it's louder and more casual than our private events. Fridays is also the one night a week we take a break from playing all the biggest hits we normally play at special events and weddings, and the band stretches out musically much more than usual. But if you keep all of this in mind it's a lot of fun; most clients usually audition us at the Orbit and book us based on what they see there. You will definitely get to appreciate the quality and versatility of the band, and that quality will be applied to all the great songs from our songlists at your own event. The band gets started at 10:30 at the Orbit; you will get to hear many songs you know well, and usually there is a lot of dancing from the second set onward. If you are certain of the night you are coming to see the band, let me know and I can leave your name at the door and possibly save you a table. During the first break I can join you to discuss your event in further detail and answer any questions you may have.
Can you hold our date for us?
If requested we are usually able to give prospective clients the right of first refusal for a short period of time to enable them to see the band live and make a decision. We often get multiple enquiries about the same date and generally confirm our dates with the first client who contacts us wanting to book.
How much does it cost for the band to perform at my event?
All our private events are individually priced depending on the circumstances. Just fill our our price request form and we can usually email you a detailed price quote within 24 hours.
What are the factors that affect cost?
The main factors that affect cost are the day of the week, the traveling distance, the size of the band and the length of time performing.
I would like to book the band - what happens next?
If you would like to book the band all you need to do is let me know by phone or email that you would like to confirm and your date will then be exclusively reserved for yourself. Shortly after that I will contact by phone to double check the details, at which time I will send you a simple contract for you to return with a small deposit (usually 10%) within two weeks.
Do we need to decide things like the band size, performance times, or having solo piano before we book?
No. If you have already made a firm decision on any of these items you can let me know upon booking, but you are also totally welcome to leave these decisions for later, since these sorts of details don't need to be confirmed until shortly before your event. All you need to do is confirm you would like us to perform for you and you can be certain we will be there to do a great job.
What size band should we have at our event?
Our band performs many private events with our core 4 piece line up (piano, guitar, drums and bass), many with a 5 piece line up (saxophone added), and many with our six piece line up (saxophone and trumpet added). You even have the option of creating a larger horn section still (sax, trombone and trumpet, for example). In trying to decide on band size, here is some information to consider: To begin with, every song we know we can play well with our core unit, so in other words there is no music we cannot perform using a smaller sized band. We perform a significant number of events this way, and they are just as successful as the events we play with a larger band. Certainly when we perform without horns no one notices their absence, above all because they are usally too busy having a great time. So the horns are not at all mandatory, but for those who do not mind spending a little more, they can be a very nice touch. Having one horn (saxophone) means being able to have a lot of nice sax solos, which can be particularly moving in some of the ballads we play, as well as some of the more upbeat rock and R and B. Having two or more horns creates the sound of an actual horn section, in addition to having the extra soloists, and so this adds a lot of texture to certain styles of music we perform. On the other hand, there are other styles of music - particularly more recent music and some of the harder rock music - where there are no horns at all, and so a lot depends on the type of music you would like played. Ultimately the choice is yours - no matter what size band you have we will do an amazing job for you.
Will I get the same band we saw you with? What if someone is sick?
The core unit of our band is a set unit so it is the same four guys who play all our shows. We play (most) Fridays at the Orbit Room with a rotation of the city's top horn players, and so when we hire horns it is from this pool of pros who work with us regularly. If you saw us with a particular horn player you would like us to hire, please let me know and I will try to secure him for your date. With regard to players missing work due to emergency, let me say that is exceptionally rare for musicians to ever miss a job for any reason, because unlike much of the work force we don't get paid! I have never missed a show in my career. If something catastrophic were to happen to me I would arrange another band or DJ subject to your approval, and refund any deposit paid to myself. Short of utter disaster I will be there, and if I'm there the show will go on. In the very unlikely event another musician in the band couldn't make it, than a qualified professional musician familiar with our show would be in his place.
Do we need to meet personally to plan our event? Do you need to see our venue?
Unless you make a specific arrangement at the time you book the band we do all of our planning by phone and email, including coordinating with the venue. We are meticulous in making sure all details are looked after ahead of time, and we have performed literally hundreds of events in this manner without a hitch. You are always welcome to drop by any of our public performances and discuss your event with me during one of the breaks.
What equipment do you provide?
We bring our own full sound system and lighting to all our events (the only exception is venues that require the band to use their own in house sound system, lighting and technicians). Our equipment is first rate and designed to give you high fidelity at a comfortable volume. We also provide our own stage lights to illuminate the band. We always have an MP3 player to play background and dance music whenever the band is not onstage, and we also provide you with access to our CD player should there be any music that you wish to play during your event.
What are the band's power requirements?
All of our equipment uses ordinary power, so we can perform literally anywhere there are outlets. Ideally we like to use two outlets on separate circuits, and we always have lots of extension cords with us to make sure we can access them.
Does the band require a stage? How much space does the band require?
Except for outdoor events the band does not require a stage. A stage or risers can be a nice touch however, and most venues usually have risers on site specifically for this purpose. The four piece band requires a space of approximately twelve feet square, and an extra four feet of width is required when you add horns to the band.
Does the band perform outdoors?
Quite regularly, although outdoor shows require additional preparation because of the variables involved. For the success of your event in all circumstances, the band and our equipment must be protected from the elements. This includes shelter even in sunny situations so our equipment doesn't overheat, and a stage in case it does rain so our gear stays dry. The band requires a reliable power source, and power from an indoor source is preferable where possible. It is also important that your outdoor event does not violate any laws concerning noise at night.
Can we use your P.A. system for speeches and presentations?
Most major venues will provide you with a podium, microphone and in-house P.A. system for speeches, and this is your best option when it is available. That being said, there are many situations, such as outdoor events, where our own P.A. system is the best option, and you are always totally welcome to use our system. Because our microphone cables have a limited reach, the only thing you need to plan for is making your speeches close to our stage.
Can we use a DJ in addition to the band? Is this a good idea?
You are totally welcome to use a DJ at your wedding in addition to our band. Our only request is that the DJ company provide its own sound system. Generally speaking it is somewhat rare for clients to also use a DJ, because we can provide you with beautiful dinner music before we begin and great dance music during our breaks at no extra cost. The only thing we are not able to do is play individual songs upon request during our breaks, so this is one potential benefit of having a DJ.
Can we provide our own music during breaks?
Yes. As mentioned previously, there is always a CD player hooked up through our sound system available for your use. The music we can already provide you with has proved a great success in a wide range of settings, but if you feel so inclined you can provide us with CDs that you own or have burned yourself and we can play these for you instead. The music you provide can be for any portion of your cocktails and dinner, and / or any portion of the band breaks after dinner.
Can my friend perform with the band?
In most cases yes. Often a client has a friend or relative who they would like to have perform with the band, and this is often a really exciting and memorable moment since the entire audience knows the person performing, so it can be a lot of fun. While it is sometimes possible to accommodate such a request on the spot, ideally this is best arranged ahead of time.
Can we make requests from your songlists?
Absolutely! Most people who hire a live band love music, and so our clients often have many songs they would really like to hear. In addition to giving me a general idea of the styles of music you would like for your event, if you have specific requests I encourage clients to give me a list taken from our website songlists of up to 40 songs. Of this list I then ask you to designate up to 10 of these 40 songs as "must plays." The 40 songs give me a general idea of what you would like for your event, and I usually try to play as many of these as possible; I guarantee you will hear every song you designate as "must play," and this arrangement allows me to give you what you want while maintaining my ability to make repertoire decisions on the spot based on whatever music seems to be generating the best audience response at the time. On the evening of your event we're also happy to accommodate any request that we believe your guests will enjoy dancing to.
Do you play songs that are not listed on your websit songlists? Will you learn songs for us that are not in your repertoire?
Although there are well over 400 songs listed on our website, it is still just a portion of our entire repertoire. You can get the full list of our entire repertoire by requesting it - just email and I will send it to you. Unfortunately we do not, however, perform or learn songs that are not currently in our repertoire. You can have any song in the world, however, by playing it on CD through our sound system at any appropriate time, such as during one of our breaks or right before we begin performing.
Do you know our first dance?
Quite possibly. Our list of first dance suggestions contains a number of popular songs that couples frequently ask for. Even if your special song is not part of our repertoire, you can have any song in the world by playing your first dance on CD and then having the band begin immediately afterward, which is a very common procedure that many couples opt for. You can also do the same for your parents dance as well if you wish, although we also have a list of ideas for you that the band currently performs.
Can you answer my question that's not on this list?
I'd be happy to. If you have any additional questions or would like further explanation of any item above, please contact me at dave@davemurphyband.com or 905 845-7444 and I'll look forward to addressing your questions. Thanks again for visiting our site.
|
|
|
 |
