Frequently Asked Questions
Can we see the band perform live?
Some of our bands organise showcases or have public performances where you can see them live. However, most professional bands do not as the majority of them perform at weddings, corporate events and other private functions on a regular basis making showcases difficult to organise.
We have tried to make the selection process as easy as possible for you by providing band profiles with photos, audio samples and in some cases video footage.
How long does the band play for?
This varies based on how long the band is booked for. Most bands perform up to 4 x 40 minute sets over a 4-5 hour event.
What happens once we book a band?
In the lead up to your event we contact you to request the program for the night to organise the bands performance times and to organise any other details that require attention. We’re also happy to assist at any time offering suggestions and advice about your event as we’re extremely experienced in the planning of pretty much any event you can think of.
For wedding receptions & ceremonies we’ll be in touch at least 8 weeks prior to the date to begin preparations with our booking worksheet for you to complete, this will cover most of the information we need for a well-prepared band for a night to run smoothly and to put on a great night of music!
Will the band learn a song for us?
If you’re booking a band for your reception most are happy to learn a song that is not on their current song list. All song requests must be finalised 4 weeks before the booking date.
Requests are most common for wedding ceremony performances. For first dances, we strongly recommend using the original MP3 rather than having the band perform live. This way you will dance to the song you know and love. The band will be up on stage to open up the dancefloor directly after the first dance.
Do we need to provide meals?
For bookings over 3 hours a main meal and refreshments are to be provided to the performers. This is an industry standard practice as for most wedding receptions or large business events the band members can be on-site for 7-8 hours.
Will the band MC for us?
We strongly recommend using a family member as MC, having a familiar face adds a more personal touch to the evening.
However if you do not wish to go down that road many of our bands do offer a Basic MC service for a small additional fee. This service covers the announcements throughout the night such as the bridal party entrance, speeches & cake cutting.
When does the band arrive to set up?
Generally 30 – 60 minutes before the contracted start time of the event and in some cases up to 90 minutes. The band will be set up before the contracted start time. An approximate load-in time for the band is detailed on every fee proposal.
If a band needs to arrive earlier than the above times to set up, additional fees may be required.
Payment.
All bookings require a 20% – 30% deposit with the remainder of the balance due 7 days prior to the booking. All bookings being made within 28 days require the full balance for confirmation.
Payments can be made via online bank transfer or credit card (VISA, Mastercard, AMEX via PayPal). We choose PayPal for all credit card payments as it’s the most secure, convenient and versatile credit card payment option. All credit card payments will incur a 3.0% surcharge.
Once a payment is received we issue a Booking Confirmation Document which includes the booking details, amount paid and balance owing.
Cancellations.
When booking through Blue Avenue Entertainment a non-refundable deposit is made to secure the booking. Any cancellation within 28 days of the event will incur 100% of the fee.