FAQs
- What should the customer know about your pricing (e.g., discounts, fees)?
First off, Paula has thousands of shows worth of experience. She has done pretty much every kind of performance from weddings, corporate events, private parties, and theater shows to concert series, performing arts centers, festivals and more. She also has a degree in event and meeting planning and can easily coordinate with your event or wedding planner to ensure your event flows smoothly . Paula's band is culled from the top musicians in the area. They have worked with icons in the music industry such as Santana, Prince, James Brown, Lou Rawls, Tower of Power, Sly & The Family Stone, George Benson, Al Jarreau, Aretha Franklin, Chaka Khan, Ramsey Lewis, Miles Davis, Dizzy Gillespie, Shelia E and more. Music is all they do and it is their "Day Job" NOTE FROM PAULA: I work very hard to provide fair and competitive rates and I am happy to work with clients to obtain a budget that fits their needs. I offer discounts for daytime or off-hour, non-weekend dates, repeat customers, local jobs and more. But if expectations are an 8 piece horn band for $500 you are not getting very good musicians. I work hard to provide a price you can afford but that also reflects the quality of service I offer and the talent nd experience my musicians have. A Band is one of the most critical elements in a successful event. Even if you think you want ambient or background music as opposed to a focal point band- you still want the people at your event to notice that the music is top-notch. A sub-par band can literally cause your event to be over before it begins as people will not stay if they don't like what they're hearing. A good band also can read a crowd to draw the audience into the night. I have done dozens of shows where the planner booked a "Cocktail" band then, when the people started dancing- asked us to change the format to accommodate them at the last minute. A good band knows how to flex like that and has a large enough repertoire to be able to switch gears. Don't take the risk of having your event ruined with people who are musicians as "hobbyists". YOU GET WHAT YOU PAY FOR. To them, it wouldn't matter if they came looking sloppy, arrived late, or even came not knowing the material they were playing. If you fired them or gave them a bad review- Music is not their primary income. I often work with people who have never hired "Live" Music. Every one of them has said afterwards "there is nothing like it" and has become a fan after hearing one of our combos. Make sure you hire PROFESSIONAL musicians. Those who have made "Music" and "Performance" their entire lives. We take what we do very seriously and always strive to provide the best in entertainment. You, and more importantly, the people at your event WILL be able to tell the difference. The expense of a live band offers flexibility and elegance to your event that makes it memorable. Please see the process of working with new customers for more specific breakdowns.
- What is your typical process for working with a new customer?
I Usually send a song list and various band configurations to potential clients. I can also send MP3 examples as well. If they like the promotional material I ask them to give me a call. I have them walk me through their event and what they expect from entertainment to get a clear idea of what we are required to do. We offer band formats ranging from a basic piano, bass, drum and vocal combo to bigger bands with full horn sections and both male and female lead vocalists. We can also work in conjunction with a DJ to offer the best of both worlds to an event. Switching from the Elegance, sophistication and energy of a live band to the fun nightclub vibe of a DJ is often a great way to please an audience with a wide age range. But there are lots of options when it comes to music. Once I have an idea what a client is envisioning and we agree on a band format and price, I call the musicians that best fit that client's needs. For example, if a client wants more dance and up-tempo music- I have several musicians who also sing and can expand our set lists. I would employ an electric bass that can utilize slap/ funk techniques and suggest a rhythm guitar player. Or if the client is thinking they want more cocktail jazz- I would call one of my upright bass players rather than a funk/electric bass player and suggest either a sax or trumpet as an alternative instrument. Each event has specific needs and we tailor the band to fit those needs perfectly. In general, my minimum pricing for our 4pc combo is $600 for one hour on a off peak time or day. However, this combo for 2 hours may only be $800 as opposed to double the cost of the 1 hour rate of $600. ( Usually overtime is a flat rate of $50 per musician per hour or any part of an hour) In addition, it's important to me for customers to know that my hourly rate of $200 per hour is for the 4pc combo which breaks down to $50 PER MUSICIAN PER HOUR ABOVE THE FLAT ONE HOUR RATE which also includes other factors, not per full band combo. For example, if you want to hire a 6 piece band for your 4 hour wedding reception, definitely expect to pay more than $600 total for the band. Furthermore, the $200 per hour is an estimation of the cost for my services for a 4pc band- on an off night and non peak time. Many factors affect my pricing. Such as the following: Is your event being held during peak season or off-peak season? Peak season is typically from May-September, and the period between Thanksgiving and New Years. Is your event being held on a weekday or weekend? Our highest performance rates are usually on Saturday evenings. This is the busiest and most in-demand slot for musicians. Thus, a band will cost more Saturday evening than a Wednesday afternoon. ** A great way to meet a lower budget restriction is to choose a weeknight or off peak time such as an afternoon slot. I also consider what the the entertainment's responsibilities might be? For example, a wedding reception requiring an emcee and providing full sound coverage carries more responsibility than a corporate event in which an acoustic jazz combo is playing background music at a venue where there is already a piano on-site and a PA system in place. Time commitment is also a consideration. The cost for the band is calculated from the moment the musicians step foot in the venue to the time they leave. If you want the band set up by 5pm for a 6pm-10pm showtime- you are still asking the band to effectively be there from 4pm(To set up) until the end of the show, making your event a 6 hour commitment instead of a 4 hour one. I also take distance travelled into account. We are local to upstate SC but are also happy to drive to Columbia, Charlotte and even Atlanta. But that may take an additional 5 hours driving time round trip. Shows in Clemson and Greenville would be considered local, while ATL, Charlotte and Columbia COULD require additional expense of putting the band up for the night. If your event ends at midnight it is not realistic or safe to expect musician to drive more than 2 hours after breaking down their equipment which puts then on the road until 3am. But if your event is from 5-8 then driving home without a hotel would be fine. ANY show requiring a flight, would automatically also require accommodations for the band. The kinds of questions I ask are: How long is your event? What time do we need to load in and be set up? Is there a PA/sound system in Place? Do you have a sound man? Are there any special activities/segments taking place within the event such as toasts, Cake Cutting, Announcements, Awards etc. that we need to plan the flow around? What do you imagine attendees doing during various times during the course of the evening? ( Is there a meet and greet- cocktail time, then a dinner that requires softer more ambient music- followed by dancing and more up-tempo entertainment?) We plan out set lists to direct the flow of the evening smoothly around these segments and to incorporate any special requests. We also plan breaks around things like toasts, awards etc. Do you have stage size limitations we need to work with? Are there noise restrictions? What is the dress code for the event and how would you like the musicians to be attired ( I never allow jeans, caps, athletic attire of any kind or ripped/distressed/torn clothing) but we can go from nice casual attire to tuxedo/formal. Where is the band expected to park? If an overtime situation arises- how do you want us to handle it. There have been multiple events where we scheduled a 3-hour event and the attendees were having so much fun they wanted to go for an extra hour. Usually, this can either mean we have to tactfully tell the attendees the evening is over( if the venue is closing or the staff has to leave) or there is a pre-arranged fee agreed upon to go over if needed. Once both the client and myself have a clear idea of their needs and a picture of what the event will look and sound like. I confirm with the band and we book the gig. I normally take a 20% deposit and I either send the customer a contract or, in some cases, they may want to send me one from their legal department. I typically touch base with the client again shortly before the event to make sure nothing has changed, and to reaffirm we have everything taken care of on our end. We then come in and give them the time of their lives!
- What education and/or training do you have that relates to your work?
I have a degree in Event and meeting planning which helps me to coordinate with the party planners to ensure every event goes off smoothly and professionally. I am also a classically trained vocalist( which allows me to sing for very long periods of time and across multiple genres with ease and without hurting my voice) with a minor in music, performance, and decades of experience. I have quite literally performed for thousands of weddings, galas, fundraisers, corporate events and private parties of all types. All my musicians are seasoned veterans in the music industry and are prompt, professional, practiced and impressive. We have charts by 2 of the best arrangers in the state and it shows when we perform. There is nothing sloppy about this act. Most of the band members went to "art" based schools such as the Manhattan School of Music, Julliard or Berklee School of music and got degrees in performance, their specific instrument, or at a minimum, a degree in music from a non-art-based college or university. They all have thousands of hours dedicated to honing their craft and are true professionals. All can read and write charts proficiently.