Improvisation and New Music

For thousands of years mankind has placed music at the center of community gatherings, celebrations, and social functions. It is truly a universal language. You can feel this at live shows. There is nothing quite like it. There is an energy that flows from live performers and is reciprocated by the audience, and everyone involved is somehow lifted by the experience. We love to perform, we've all been doing it since we were young kids. Over the years we've honed our craft and learned how to best respond to each live setting, crafting and performing our set specific for each event. We've been having a lot of fun lately creating textures and even songs right on the spot at live events to fit the mood. Conn is actually really good at coming up with lyrics to fit the moment- a skill he has developed over many years of constant song making. You start to see the world differently the more you use the lens of music in your life.

We feel like a musician needs to be a craftsman- a great deal of care needs to be put into the way the music is presented. There is a spirit to creating that is infectious- and we're really caught up in it now. We're excited to be working on new original songs for an upcoming album release. In the meantime, you'll find us improvising and stretching boundaries on stage- working out new ideas, trying to make moments count, and sharing in the celebration of music that brings people together better than anything else. It feels like the world needs that more than ever these days. Til' next time- we hope to see you out on the road this year.

-GS

Hiring a Band vs. DJ for your wedding

Music is an essential part of a wedding, and the decision to hire a band or a DJ can be difficult.  Here are a few things to consider:

What is the feel or vibe you are going for?  Music is often what people remember most from a wedding.   

Whether you hire a band or a DJ for your event, a variety of music is needed to appeal to the age range which attends a wedding, keeping your grandparents and the bridal party entertained.    

Budget can be an important factor in the decision making process.  If you hire a string quartet for the ceremony, a jazz band for the cocktails and dinner portion, and a DJ for the dancing, things can get more expensive.   Swing bands can consist of 25 people or more, while DJs often come alone to do the event.  

How much room do you have to set up in at each point of the wedding, and how many different locations will music be needed?  Weddings can have up to 5 different locations for ceremony, cocktails, dinner, reception, and dancing.   Is the band or DJ able to provide music in each of these locations?  Will they need to move from one to another, or do they have enough equipment to set up multiple sound systems or speakers?

Will the band be able to keep the music going while they are on breaks?  No band will play music continuously for the 3-8 hours needed for a wedding.  What is the plan for when they take a break?

Do you want to hear music exactly as you know it, or do you want to hear a musician's interpretation of the hits?  Some bands play songs much like a karaoke track, nearly exactly like the original, some bands remake them to be their own.  Will you have a band perform your first dance, or are you thinking of having it played by a DJ?

It’s good to see the band or DJ perform live.  Also, long before the event a good band or DJ will ask you questions about your musical preferences, family songs and special song requests to make sure your event goes smoothly.  

Because Gold Standard integrates a DJ into the band, our clients can have the best of both worlds: DJ or live music for ceremony, live band for cocktails and reception, and DJ for dancing.