frequently asked questions
Have a question? We have answers! Check for your query below and click for our response.
How long do you play for?
Our standard dance band booking includes 3 hours of music within a 4-hour "call," though you can always add more. While most bands will play for 45 to 60 minutes at a time, we find that two longer sets of 1.5 hours, with a 30-minute break, is ideal. Live music is dancefloor fuel, and the longer we can keep your crowd's energy up, the better. PLUS, that 30-minute break is perfect for a natural breather, so you can grab a drink and hit the bathroom without missing your favourite song. It's also an excellent time for things like the bouquet toss or a late-night snack.
So that's 3 hours of music plus a half-hour break… where do we get 4 hours from? Well, a call time is the period of time musicians need to be on site. Since most events tend to run behind schedule, the half-hour buffer means you don't need to worry about overtime or cutting things short.
Of course, if you want shorter sets, we are super flexible and understanding. We can break things up however you like to accommodate the rest of your event.
Can i pick the songs you play?
We like to strike a balance between being a musical dictator and taking your desires into account.
On the one hand, we've been doing this for years and know what works – and what doesn't. On the other, this is your event, and we want you to love every second of it. So, what we do is ask you to come up with a list of songs you would play if you were DJing the party. We get a pretty good idea of your tastes and wants from there.
We'll mix your list with our experience and come up with a well-balanced set to rock your party. We also tend to play it by ear. We get a pretty good view of the dancefloor from the stage, and seeing the reaction to different songs lets us adapt on the fly.
As for wedding ceremonies, you can pick whatever songs you want for the processional, signing, and recessional for us to learn. We will arrange them to fit perfectly.
"The playlist. Absolutely perfect for us. I like indie, my wife loves hip-hop and our guests' tastes varied even more. The band put together an unbelievable playlist that really suited our group."
-Jeff, married 2017
Will you learn a specific song by request?
Heck yes we will.
You can pick anything under the sun for your first dance and we will learn it. You can then choose your father-daughter and mother-son dance songs from the "No Charge" list you'll receive after booking.
Of course, that's if you want to use your free tune on your first dance. Every dance band booking includes one custom song learn; you can use it however you like! For wedding ceremonies, we will learn any song for your processional, signing, and recessional at no extra cost.
You will also have the chance to list additional requests in the survey we send after booking, so ask away! We'll certainly consider everything we're given. We're always adding new material that's driven by client requests, so you'll be doing us a favour!
Now, if there is a very specific song outside of what we normally play that you MUST have at your event, we can either include it in the set break playlist or have the band learn it for an additional fee. The fee amount depends on song difficulty and the number of musicians required. There is a "Must Have" section in the survey, so we can address any remaining must have's (random or otherwise) and make a plan.
We require your special song choices by 1 month out to ensure the band has time to learn them.
What size band should we get?
Our full band is a 10-piece and always our first recommendation. Biggest show. Fullest sound. MOST FUN!
With that said, we can absolutely deliver some major rocking with our 6- or 8-piece band. Usually, downsizing is due to budget or space constraints. In these cases, we cut the background singers, taking us from 10 to 8, and then drop the trumpet and sax players, bringing us to 6. The guitar and bass players will take on some background vocals, and the keys will cover the horns.
We wouldn't offer these smaller bands if we didn't totally believe in them. Your guests will be blown away no matter what size you need to work with.
We also offer groups of 3, 4, or 5 musicians for events with tiny spaces, noise restrictions, or small guest counts (under 75, generally). These are our acoustic bands. They can get a dance floor going in the right circumstances, for sure, though it's a bit of a different vibe. These bands play seated and do acoustic interpretations of the songs rather than the true-to-original covers of our dance bands.
If you're looking to go REAL big, we have 12- and even 16-piece dance band options available. Shoot us a message if you want to learn more about the heavyweights.
How much space to do you need?
We aim for a minimum of 16 feet wide by 12 feet deep.
More is always welcome so we can spread out and really get our groove on, but we've been known to squeeze into less at times. So let us know what kind of space is available, and we'll let you know if we can make it work.
Do you need a stage?
A stage is always welcome, but it's not required.
If your venue has a stage or staging available, we are happy to rock on it. Some will rent and have one brought in. If not, we're just as happy on the floor.
The nice thing about a stage is the non-dancers can have a better view of the band. Without it, it's cool for us to be on the same level as the party. So we're happy either way. As long as you're happy.
When do you set up, and how long does it take?
It takes 2.5-3 hours for us to load in, set up, and soundcheck. A 3-hour window is best, and we want to be done well in advance of guest arrival.
Generally, we like to arrive around noon. Of course, event and access times are different for each event. We'll work this out with you and the venue in advance.
Note: Once the band is set up and sound checked, the gear cannot be moved.
What is production?
Production is sound gear and lighting.
Our production package includes everything we need: main speakers, a mixer, monitors, mics, cables, DIs, mic stands, basic lighting, and a sound technician. However, we do require a minimum of 2 x 15 amp power circuits at the stage.
Our stellar sound techs take care of delivery, setup, and tear down. They also stay to mix the band throughout the show, ensuring a fantastic-sounding performance.
What happens on the set break?
We keep the jams pumping! We provide an iPod with killer playlists, so you don't need to worry about a thing. Of course, you may want to incorporate a garter or bouquet toss, late-night snack, or similar event into the break. We can accommodate those as well.
We also have 20-minute pump-up and wind-down playlists for after we finish, depending on if you want your guests to party into the night or clear the venue.
Can we use your microphones for speeches? What about background music during dinner?
Absolutely! There are two things we can do:
We can show someone (wedding coordinator, groomsman, whomever you are trusting on the day) how to turn on the mic and fade the background music up and down. We are happy to do this and leave you/them to have at it.
OR, we can have our sound technician stay through the dinner and speeches to manage everything. They will fade the music in and out around speeches, make sure the mic is loud enough, and match the background music to the vibe. We provide an iPod with several meticulously crafted cocktail, dinner, and pre-band playlists. This is an add-on service called Audio Management.
In your videos there are lots of different singers - who will be at my event?
Side One prides itself on having the best talent in town. We have quite a few musicians for each position in the band. This allows us to rock multiple parties a night – improving our availability and keeping some fully-trained backups on call in case of an emergency.
We can't guarantee which singers will be at your event, as things like illness and tours (all our performers are full-time working musicians) can pop up. However, if you have a favourite, you can certainly let us know. We'll do our best to schedule that performer for your event.
We really took our time scouting the members of the band to ensure we maintain the highest calibre of talent across the board.
Basically, everyone rocks. You'll get an amazing performance, no matter what.
Do we need to provide meals for the band?
This depends on your booking arrangement.
If you have only booked the dance band, you don't need to provide any meals. However, if you have a sound tech on through dinner or live musicians performing earlier (ceremony, cocktail hour, or dinnertime), then they will need a meal provided. Even then, you don't need to feed anyone starting after dinner.
We are always grateful for some beverages in the green room, especially water and coffee!
Do we need a DJ in addition to the band?
Some clients like to have a band and DJ, but it's not necessary. It may be worth exploring for long events where the DJ can take over once the band finishes for the night.
Side One is fully capable of playing all the current top 40 hits (which surprises some). So don't worry about variety – we have you covered there.
If you want to add a DJ, we can arrange that no problem.
How much power does the band need?
Your venue may ask how much juice the band needs. The answer is a minimum of 2 x 15 amp circuits.
Back in the old days, bands used to suck a lot of power. Big heavy lights, rolling amp racks… our backs get sore just thinking about it! Luckily, advances in LED lighting and self-powered speakers allow us to pack a MASSIVE PUNCH in a fuel-efficient package.
Two regular wall plugs at the stage will do fine, as long as they're on different circuits and we don't need to share them with some espresso machine or anything.
STILL have questions? No problem! Fire us an email at info@sideone.ca. We can also set up a time to chat if you prefer.