Frequently Asked Questions
How far do you travel?
We are London based, but travel throughout the UK, and can accept bookings anywhere in the world. Please remember that this may involve visa applications for locations outside of the European Community.How do I make a booking?
Bookings may be made via email or telephone, and are confirmed with a written contract.When do I need to pay?
There is a 15% deposit to pay upon booking, with the balance due on or before the day of your event. If your booking is for a wedding you may wish to arrange for your best man to take care of this, leaving you free to enjoy your day.Are there any extras to pay?
If there are car parking charges or congestion charges to pay we will ask you to cover them at cost. Travel costs will be included in the fee quoted, unless your event requires air travel, ferries, etc.What will I need to provide for the band?
Unless the band you have booked is specifically requested to be purely acoustic, a power source will be required. For smaller bands one standard 13-amp socket is ample. For larger line-ups with lighting two or more separate sockets may be needed.Depending on the duration and location of the booking we may ask for either a hot meal or light refreshments to be provided, along with drinks. Please bear in mind that a booking will often involve a 12-hour day or more for the musicians, usually with no opportunity to eat elsewhere, so this is essential to keep energy levels up for their performance.
We may also request an area to change and relax in. This is more likely for a larger line-up, or for an event outside of the London area.
For events more than around three hours away from London we may ask for overnight accommodation to be provided, but this will be discussed with you before you confirm the booking.
How will the band be dressed?
Always appropriately; usually either tuxedo (dinner suits / bow ties) or black suits and black shirts. If you have any requests we will do our best to accommodate.How long will the band need to set up?
For a jazz trio or quartet usually only around 30 minutes. For a dance band with a PA to set up, around one to one-and-a-half hours.When will the band setup?
This will be discussed with you before the booking is confirmed. Normally the band would be set before your guests enter the room. So, for instance, if you have booked a band to perform after dinner in the same room as you and your guests are eating they would normally set up before the meal. However, this may involve a small extra "hanging around" charge.In some instances, where space is limited, it may be necessary for the band to set-up after dinner whilst the room is being re-set for dancing. This can usually be done in the same amount of time as it takes the venue staff to change the room around.
How much space do you need?
We are very good at adapting to small spaces, so this is rarely a problem. Ideally for a trio the minimum should be around 5ft x 5ft. For a band with a drum kit slightly more space than this may be needed.Do you need a stage?
For background music, no. For a dance band a low stage is preferable, but not essential.Can you perform outdoors?
Subject to certain conditions, and the weather, this is usually no problem. We require a suitable safe power supply, the ground must be firm, dry and reasonably level, and we will need shade if it is sunny. For a jazz trio this can be provided in the form of a canvas gazebo for a small fee.Do you play requests?
We are of course happy to play requested songs that are in our (extensive) repertoire, and will endeavour to accommodate other requests within reason. Please bear in mind though that some songs will not be suitable for certain line-ups (for instance Mack the Knife does not really work well as an instrumental tune). Also some tunes may require transcribing or arranging, which may incur a charge. We will inform you of this beforehand.We are happy to include a request for a wedding 'first dance', subject to suitability for the line-up booked, which we will be pleased to discuss with you.
