A reader writes:
I got a call today to do a wedding at the end of December from the mother of the bride. I thought traditionally in Jewish Orthodox circles, the grooms side deals with FLOP (Flowers, Liquor, Orchestra, Pictures), but hey everyone is different I guess.
So anyhow, to continue I give her the price quote of $800 for 5 hours. To anyone that has made an affair in the Jewish circle, thats a bargain price. She is getting TWO musicians, me on alto and soprano saxophone, and my partner on keyboards and we both sing. The average orchestra would charge a MINIMUM of $1,500 for the same thing. She says "please give me a reference". So, I did and its actually someone who we played for in recent months in the same hall that this couple is getting married in. Then, I get a call from the bride, she has "questions", I figure she wanted to know what songs she can pick etc., but she asks "where can I hear you?" and "do you have a demo I can hear". I couldn't tell her we dont have anything coming up or a demo, so I guess she will shop around and hopefully realize what we are offering is a bargain.
Well, I'm done ranting. Anyone else agree this is madness the way musicians are treated?
Personally, I think that it's quite reasonable for a prospective client to want to hear a band before booking them. The choice of band can make or break an affair. The decision should never be based solely on price. Unfortunately, it often is.
