The String Band

The String Band's delivery is FANTASTIC!! But they made us nervous leading up the event, as it was incredibly difficult to connect via telephone or email. We wondered if things really were set, which is not a good feeling to have shortly before a big event like a wedding!

This band completely has it all under control, but their main performances are not weddings, so they're not in tune with the business of being in touch or dealing with brides in the traditional sense. They do more festivals and restaurants and bars. We're pretty relaxed, so it all ended up working out. I think as they're getting more popular in this area, they're figuring all of this out as well. The band is not necessarily going to emcee your event, but they allowed us to use their microphones for announcements like the first dance, the father/daughter and mother/son dances, the buffet line-up, and the cake cutting. We also used their systems for toasts/speeches. It did take time away from their music, but they were okay with it.

The String Band plays knee-slapping, foot-stomping fantastic bluegrass, and does not need any musical direction! You don't have to worry about them, just let them do their thing. The main singer plays guitar, and he learned our wedding song and did a gorgeous acoustic rendition! They also employ a banjo, upright bass, and other kinds of guitars. We had a woman playing the violin and singing back-up, too, but I don't think she's a regular.

The reason we wanted to contact them ahead of time was to know how much power they needed, as we had to rent generators for our location in a field (near our home, but no power). They did finally get back to us after a few weeks with their power needs. However, at the actual event they needed more than we were told, and luckily we were able to supply it to them with smaller generators we had rented for back-up. This was the only "con."

Guests loved the music, even those who are not bluegrass fans. People were on the dance floor just about all night, and no one wanted The String Band to stop! Like I said, even people who listen primarily to popular music, or music that is the opposite to bluegrass really enjoyed the sound. We had great feedback, and they provided an upbeat atmosphere, with so much more energy than recorded music!!