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Frequently Asked
Questions.
- Why should I hire Gravyboat?
- How do I find out if you're available for our date
- How many musicians are in the band and what instruments do they play?
- Are the musicians professionals?
- Are you a traditional wedding band?
- Why should I have live music at my event?
- What type of music do you play?
- The ages and tastes of our guests will vary considerably. Can you keep everyone happy?
- Will the songs sound like the originals?
- Do you play Jewish weddings? Does the band perform horas?
- Do you play traditional music from our ethnic background?
- Do you have a female vocalist?
- When do you set up? Will your sound check disturb our guests?
- Will the band be too loud?
- How will the band be dressed?
- Can you make announcements for us during your performance?
- How long does the band perform? How long are the sets?
- How many breaks do you take? How long are they?
- What happens when the band is on break? I don't want my party to stop!
- Can you perform extra sets, during dinner for example?
- Can you perform overtime?
- Can we use a smaller combo of musicians and / or solo piano for cocktails and dinner?
- Do you perform ceremony music?
- How far do you book in advance? How far should we book ahead?
- How far will you travel?
- How can we hear the band?
- Where is the best place to hear the band perform live?
- Can you hold our date for us?
- How much does it cost for the band to perform at my event?
- What are the factors that affect cost?
- I would like to book the band - what happens next?
- Do we need to meet personally to plan our event? Do you need to see our venue?
- What
equipment do you provide?
- What are the band's power requirements?
- Does the band require a stage? How much space does the band require?
- Does the band perform outdoors?
- Can we use your P.A. system for speeches and presentations?
- Can we provide our own music during breaks?
- Can we make requests from your songlists?
- Do you play songs that are not listed on your website songlists? Will you learn songs for us that
are not in your repertoire?
- Do you know our first dance?
- Can you answer my question that's not on this list?
Why should I hire Gravyboat?
If you desire to make your event an memorable, Gravyboat always delivers
a top notch energenic performance and leaves the crowd cheering for more. Past performances include
such events as weddings, corporate parties, dances, night clubs, conventions, fundraisers, festivals,
and private parties. Are extensive experience
over the past 15 years means you'll enjoy an evening
of great entertainment, secure in the knowledge
that every aspect of your event is professionally
taken care of. Our unique broad range of music
pleases one and all if you are looking to make
the right choice look no further, Gravyboat is
your answer.
How
do I find out if you're available for our date?
The best way to find out
if we're available for your date is to contact
us via email or phone. We can usually let
you know within 24 hours.
How
many musicians are in the band and what instruments
do they play?
The core members of GravyBoat
are Erik Frykman (guitar/vocals), Don Frank (drums/vocals),
Marc Ramsey (bass/vocals), and Steve Gerard (lead
vocals). Additional players are readily available
upon request (i.e. keyboard, horns/sax, female
vocalist).
Are
the musicians professionals?
GravyBoat has been entertaining
people around the greater San Francisco Bay Area
since 1996, playing a wide variety of great music
from the 50’s until today, including classic/modern
rock, funk/disco, rhythm & blues, alternative,
and standards. The band prides itself on its ability
to cater to its clients’ needs and to craft
set lists for any occasion that will create the
perfect ambience and desired atmosphere. GravyBoat
partners seamlessly with party planners, property
managers, and event organizers to ensure all events
run smoothly and on-time.
Are
you a traditional wedding band?
Not at all. Indeed, we owe
our popularity to the fact that so many couples
have asked us to play their weddings because they
wanted a band that didn't sound like a "typical
wedding band." Unlike many groups, ours is
a band that has routinely played at the best nightclubs
in the Greater San Francisco Bay Area for over
a decade.
In addition to our ability
to play all kinds of music that your parents and
grandparents will thoroughly enjoy, when the time
calls for it we can really rock, and our younger
clients are always amazed how well we can also
perform the songs that they love. Playing an average
of five nights per week for ten years has given
the band a reputation for superb musicianship.
Unlike many bands that work
less frequently, or hire freelance musicians to
read sheet music all night, we know our material
inside out. Above all it is our ability to authentically
perform so many styles that has set us apart for
our enthusiastic fans and clients.
Whether it’s a party,
wedding, or birthday celebration, if you are looking
for the right band for your occasion… search
no further! With its’ extremely diverse
song list and unbridled energy, GravyBoat is a
proven winner for your next event!
Why
should I have live music at my event?
Because music makes the party,
and a great band will really make it a party to
remember. Rather than a D.J., live music will
make your special event truly special, and will
make your wedding as unique as it deserves to
be.
What
type of music do you play?
The band plays a huge stylistic
variety of popular music for dancing. Our songlist
page is a snap shot of some of the current
songs GravyBoat performs. View the media
page to hear and see examples of the band.
The
ages and tastes of our guests will vary considerably.
Can you keep everyone happy?
Absolutely. We pride ourselves
in being able to please everyone from the youngest
cousin to the eldest grandparent. The band specializes
in performing tried and true songs that appeal
across cultural and generational lines. We have
a great variety of party favorites, and we also
play all the classic ballads. Typically at events
such as weddings where there can be a wide range
in ages, we begin with many songs that older guests
who may not stay the night will enjoy, and as
the party heats up we add more and more modern
music in the mix. But at all times we use a wide
variety of great music to insure guests of all
ages are dancing and having fun.
Will
the songs sound like the originals?
Yes. We approach the great
songs of our time with a reverence for their original
power and magic, and feel no need to "improve"
the classic hits with our own interpretations
and arrangements. Between the band's attention
to detail and Steve's renown ability to sound
like any singer he chooses, your favorite songs
will sound just the way you remember them.
Do
you play Jewish weddings? Does the band perform
horas?
Yes. The band has perormed
at a multitude of Jewsish weddings and our clients
have been thrilled with the band. We instrumentally
perform two horas: Hava Nagila, and a medley of
Siman Tov, Mazel Tov and Havanu Shalom. At the
Jewish weddings we have done to date this was
all our clients required of us and they have been
very effusive about both the performance of the
horas and the overall success of their weddings.
Do
you play traditional music from our ethnic background?
While we typically have songs
like a waltz or polka at the ready for emergency
purposes, generally speaking our forte is hit
songs from the last fifty years, as opposed to
any particular forms of cultural music. That said,
we have played many weddings where our clients'
heritage has been a major part of their celebrations.
A common approach that always seems to work really
well is for clients to provide us with cultural
music on CD which we play for you during our breaks,
and this is usually a great success as it provides
traditonal music for the families to enjoy. On
occasion, some couples have even opted to have
a second band of their ethnic background perform
earlier in the evening, or during alternating
sets with our own band.
Do
you have a female vocalist?
The band is all male but
we have supported past client's request to bring
in a female vocalist. The demand for the regular
band is such that we seldom perform with a female
singer. The band covers a tremendous range of
all styles in way that keeps the audience entertained
and dancing all night long, including some great
renditions of classic songs by female vocalists.
We also play many of the classic female dance
hits through our sound system during our band
breaks.
When
do you set up? Will your sound check disturb our
guests?
We always arrive early before
your event begins to get all our equipment loaded
in, set up, thoroughly tested and ready to go
so that no one is disturbed and our sound checks
have been totally completed before the arrival
of your first guests. The band requires about
one hour to complete our set up, and typically
we arrive to set up ninety minutes before the
scheduled start of your event just to make sure
we get everything done before your guests begin
to arrive.
Will
the band be too loud?
Never. A band that drives
guests away with excessive volume can ruin an
event, so we take great care to get it right.
We strongly believe that our music should never
overwhelm your guests, and we always strive to
attain a volume that is just right for dancing
on the dancefloor, but also perfect for facilitating
easy conversation away from the dancefloor. Because
we are working for you we want to be at the perfect
volume, so we always encourage our clients to
let us know just where they would like it, but
since no one ever seems to say anything we must
be doing something right!
How
will the band be dressed?
The band takes great care
to be appropriately dressed in all circumstances.
Unless otherwise instructed, we perform all special
events and weddings in suits, and we wear contemporary
clothing for most "standard" events.
Please take a look through our photo gallery to
see the clothes we wear at private functions.
Can
you make announcements for us during your performance?
Absolutely, and this is something
I routinely do as your host. At weddings I am
happy to announce various events during your reception,
such as the cake cutting, first dance, centerpiece
giveaways, sweet table, last call and so forth.
If you decide you would like to do a bouquet toss
and / or a garter toss, I can coordinate and announce
these for you in a way that's quick, simple and
fun. At other events it is customary for me to
help with draws, prizes, introductions, awards,
announcements, or any other facet of your event
I can be of help with.
How
long does the band perform? How long are the sets?
Our standard pricing is based
on the band playing over a time span of up to
four hours in length. The most requested time
period is 9 pm to 1 am, although it can be any
four hours you choose, such as 8 to 12, 10 to
2, 7:30 to 11:30 and so forth. The timing and
length of the sets are flexible depending on the
flow of the evening and the needs of each client,
but usually sets are at least one hour in length
unless otherwise requested.
How
many breaks do you take? How long are they?
In most circumstances the
band takes only two twenty minute breaks during
the entire evening. The placement of the breaks
is flexible and can be determined by prior arrangement.
More typically the placement of breaks is strategically
determined by the way your event actually unfolds
on the night of your engagement.
What
happens when the band is on break? I don't want
my party to stop!
Your party will continue
uninterrupted, because the moment we go on break
we put on a great mix of dance music that is designed
to keep the dance floor packed the entire time
we are offstage. Typically guests really enjoy
this portion of the evening, as we give you the
very best material that a disc jockey would typically
play, including many of the big hits featuring
female vocals, and so you get the very best of
both what a DJ and live band can bring to your
event.
Can
you perform extra sets, during dinner for example?
Yes. If you would like an
extra set or sets over and above the standard
four hour time frame, these are billed separately
by the hour for playing time only, and can be
pro-rated by the half hour. Music for listening
and dancing during dinner can be quite a success,
for this is the one time that the maximum number
of guests can enjoy the show and get up to dance.
Our dinner set is typically much more laid back
than our dancing set after dinner, and we take
extra care to make sure our volume doesn't overwhelm
your guests while they are eating and conversing.
If you opt to simply have the band begin after
dinner, remember that we play a nice mix of recorded
dinner music through our sound system as part
of our standard package.
Can
you perform overtime?
Yes, overtime can usually
be arranged on the spot, and is billed by the
half hour at a rate proportional to your total
fee.
Can
we use a smaller combo of musicians and / or solo
piano for cocktails and dinner?
Yes. It is definitely possible
to arrange a smaller combo of musicians to perform
background music, jazz standards and light ballads
during an earlier part of your evening.
Do
you perform ceremony music?
This is not a specialty,
although some nice classical pieces and other
pretty ballads are definitely possible. Click
here to hear some audio samples. If you enjoy
the audio samples and thought solo piano might
be nice for your ceremony then it is certainly
an option.
How
far do you book in advance? How far should we
book ahead?
We book our dates up to one
year in advance, but no further. If you are interested
in a date more than a year away, you can still
let us know and we can keep you informed about
our status for that date. If your event is less
than a year away then it is a good idea to book
sooner rather than later, as our calendar can
often fill up pretty quickly.
How
far will you travel?
In theory the band will travel
anywhere if the price is right. Generally speaking
however the band works within the San Francisco/San
Jose bay area.
How
can we hear the band?
You can hear the band perform
by listening to samples on the media page and
a list of songs on our songlist pages. All audio
samples are live recordings of the band, and there
are samples for every genre so you can hear us
play the full range of all the different styles
we perform. Of course you can also come to hear
the band perform live at one of our public performances.
Where
is the best place to hear the band perform live?
The band plays different
styles of music at different clubs and so it's
best to contact us to see which club will most
closely matches what you are looking for. Often
you can see us on a weekend at a nightclub, although
frequently we do not perform in public on weekends
because we are booked with private events.
Can
you hold our date for us?
If requested we are usually
able to give prospective clients the right of
first refusal for a short period of time to enable
them to see the band live and make a decision.
We often get multiple enquiries about the same
date and generally confirm our dates with the
first client who contacts us wanting to book.
How
much does it cost for the band to perform at my
event?
All our private events are
individually priced depending on the circumstances.
Just contact us and we will email you a detailed
price quote within 24 hours. A deposit will be
required in most cases.
What
are the factors that affect cost?
The main factors that affect
cost are the day of the week, the traveling distance,
the size of the band and the length of time performing.
I
would like to book the band - what happens next?
If you would like to book
the band all you need to do is let us know by
phone or email that you would like to confirm
and your date will then be exclusively reserved
for yourself. Shortly after that we will contact
you by phone to double check the details, at which
time we will send you a simple contract for you
to return with a small deposit (usually 10%) within
two weeks.
Do
we need to meet personally to plan our event?
Do you need to see our venue?
Unless you make a specific
arrangement at the time you book the band we do
all of our planning by phone and email, including
coordinating with the venue. We are meticulous
in making sure all details are looked after ahead
of time, and we have performed literally hundreds
of events in this manner without a hitch. You
are always welcome to drop by any of our public
performances and discuss your event with me during
one of the breaks.
What
equipment do you provide?
We bring our own full sound
system and lighting to all our events (the only
exception is venues that require the band to use
their own in house sound system, lighting and
technicians). Our equipment is first rate and
designed to give you high fidelity at a comfortable
volume. We also provide our own stage lights to
illuminate the band. We always have an MP3 player
to play background and dance music whenever the
band is not onstage, and we also provide you with
access to our CD player should there be any music
that you wish to play during your event.
What
are the band's power requirements?
All of our equipment uses
ordinary power, so we can perform literally anywhere
there are outlets. Ideally we like to use two
outlets on separate circuits, and we always have
lots of extension cords with us to make sure we
can access them.
Does
the band require a stage? How much space does
the band require?
Except for outdoor events
the band does not require a stage. A stage or
risers can be a nice touch however, and most venues
usually have risers on site specifically for this
purpose. The four piece band requires a space
of approximately twelve feet square, and an extra
four feet of width is required when you add horns
to the band.
Does
the band perform outdoors?
Quite regularly, although
outdoor shows require additional preparation because
of the variables involved. For the success of
your event in all circumstances, the band and
our equipment must be protected from the elements.
This includes shelter even in sunny situations
so our equipment doesn't overheat, and a stage
in case it does rain so our gear stays dry. The
band requires a reliable power source, and power
from an indoor source is preferable where possible.
It is also important that your outdoor event does
not violate any laws concerning noise at night.
Can
we use your P.A. system for speeches and presentations?
Most major venues will provide
you with a podium, microphone and in-house P.A.
system for speeches, and this is your best option
when it is available. That being said, there are
many situations, such as outdoor events, where
our own P.A. system is the best option, and you
are always totally welcome to use our system.
Because our microphone cables have a limited reach,
the only thing you need to plan for is making
your speeches close to our stage.
Can
we provide our own music during breaks?
Yes. As mentioned previously,
there is always a CD player hooked up through
our sound system available for your use. The music
we can already provide you with has proved a great
success in a wide range of settings, but if you
feel so inclined you can provide us with CDs that
you own or have burned yourself and we can play
these for you instead. The music you provide can
be for any portion of your cocktails and dinner,
and / or any portion of the band breaks after
dinner.
Can
we make requests from your songlists?
Absolutely! Most people who
hire a live band love music, and so our clients
often have many songs they would really like to
hear. In addition to giving me a general idea
of the styles of music you would like for your
event, if you have specific requests I encourage
clients to give me a list taken from our website
songlists of up to 40 songs. Of this list I then
ask you to designate up to 10 of these 40 songs
as "must plays." The 40 songs give me
a general idea of what you would like for your
event, and I usually try to play as many of these
as possible; I guarantee you will hear every song
you designate as "must play," and this
arrangement allows me to give you what you want
while maintaining my ability to make repertoire
decisions on the spot based on whatever music
seems to be generating the best audience response
at the time. On the evening of your event we're
also happy to accommodate any request that we
believe your guests will enjoy dancing to.
Do
you play songs that are not listed on your websit
songlists? Will you learn songs for us that are
not in your repertoire?
Although there are a large
number of songs listed on our website, it is still
just a portion of our entire repertoire. You can
get the full list of our entire repertoire by
requesting it - just email and I will send it
to you. Unfortunately we do not, however, perform
or learn songs that are not currently in our repertoire.
You can have any song in the world, however, by
playing it on CD through our sound system at any
appropriate time, such as during one of our breaks
or right before we begin performing.
Do
you know our first dance?
Quite possibly. Our list
of first dance suggestions contains a number of
popular songs that couples frequently ask for.
Even if your special song is not part of our repertoire,
you can have any song in the world by playing
your first dance on CD and then having the band
begin immediately afterward, which is a very common
procedure that many couples opt for. You can also
do the same for your parents dance as well if
you wish, although we also have a list of ideas
for you that the band currently performs.
Can
you answer my question that's not on this list?
We would be happy to. If
you have any additional questions or would like
further explanation of any item above, please
contact us. We look
forward to addressing your questions. Thanks again
for visiting our site.
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