Friday, May 1, 2009

Bands Vs. DJ's- A DJ's perspective- Anne Turgeon, All 4 you DJ in Rhode Island

Recently I joined BridalTweet.com, a new community for wedding vendors and brides to discuss everything about weddings.  I met a Rhode Island based DJ, Anne Turgeon and asked her to chime in with her two cents on this subject.  Here's what she had to say:





We always tell our brides and grooms that if they can afford a great wedding band, then go for it! A band offers a certain excitement that a DJ can't. But, at least in our area, a great wedding band can run 5 or 6 times the price of a DJ. It all depends on the size of your entertainment budget.

However, we hear more couples say that they want to hear songs they love at their wedding. When a great song starts to play, you see people rushing for the dance floor, and dancing and singing along with their friends and family to songs they love. Brides want to dance with their Dad to a song that has meaning for them, they way they remember it. And, of course, there's the variety. Most bands can't play from grandma's era to today's top hits. We can also provide those ethnic songs or specialty dance tunes that a band can't.


I certainly agree with Anne in terms of the actual artist performing a special song.  I have heard bands from across the country, some costing upwards of 50k, and I still think there's nothing like the original artist.  In terms of versatility, I have seen a lot of bands who know the realm of the 50'-70's really well and then the 80's to Top 40 gets a little challenging.  There are SO many songs for them to learn, especially with new hits coming out almost every week.  I would suggest finding a band that caterers to the most popular style you're looking for and then consider even hiring a DJ for band breaks and maybe the last hour of the event so you can get the most out of your band and you can also enjoy the original versions of some of your favorites songs.  To have the excitement factor of a band and the ability to hear original versions of your special songs is a great combination!  Thanks Anne for your insights!  

Check our Anne's website, www.all4youdj.com to learn more about her services.  Based in RI, Anne travels throughout New England for weddings and other events!

2 comments:

SingerAimNYC said...

I think the argument here is a little one sided. I also think you all need to look at better bands! BUT that being said, the time period of the music is not as big a factor as the instrumentation when it comes to choosing between a band and a DJ. Bands play music made by real instruments, some even do it better than the original artists - like playing a Van Morrison song with properly tuned horns for example. DJs are great if you like music that is more club like or hip hop/techno oriented. Genres that will please all of the age groups at a wedding are usually clubby. If you don't have the budget though, a DJ will save you money - it all depends on your priorities. Music lovers usually hire bands, and then skimp on the flowers if they need to save...

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