MERGING TRAFFIC

In order to help you pick the best band for your reception, here are answers to some of our most commonly asked questions.

1. How many musicians are in the band? Our band varies in size from a four-piece to an eight-piece band. The size of the band you hire should fit the type of function you are having, the kind of music you would like the band to play, the number of invited guests and the size of the room where your affair will take place. We take all this into consideration before recommending the size of the band.

2. Can you provide music for our ceremony and/or cocktail hour? Yes. You may choose to hire one or more of our musicians to perform for your ceremony and/or cocktail hour. We can suggest music appropriate for each event or you may choose your own music selections.

3. How can I be sure that the group of musicians I hire will be the same musicians who will perform at my affair? Merging Traffic is not an agency which means we do not break up the band to fill popular dates. We do not employ or sub out bands when we get multiple calls for the same date. In the event of illness a substitute of equal ability will be employed.

4. The ages of our guests will vary considerably. Can your band play all types of music? The versatility and quality of musicianship in our band is such that our musicians can authentically perform a wide variety of music ranging from the '40's swing era to today's Top 40 dance music. Our song list is very extensive and includes music from every era. You are always free to choose which songs you would like the band to play.

5. How many breaks does the band take during the night and how long do they play? A standard engagement is 4 hours. If there is a ceremony or cocktail hour before dinner, arrangements can be made for music to be played during that time. The leader of the band does not even wear a watch. "Sometimes they play up to two hours continuously if the mood of the party asks for it." This is a quote taken from the popular party planning book By Recommendation Only written by Johanna Kaestner. Breaks will only be taken when everyone at the event has their attention directed to something significant such as a toast, speech, or cake cutting.

6. Will the band perform at a volume that is comfortable for me and for my guests? Merging Traffic will perform music which is especially suited for the dinner hour and background to conversation. Also, as the party progresses we are always amenable to lowering the volume at your request.

7. Will the band learn a special song? If you provide four weeks notice, and a cassette or CD of your song, we will guarantee that your song is learned and performed well.

8. Can I decide what type of music will be played during my reception? We encourage our clients to go through our song list and highlight the selections they would like the band to play and cross out any selections they do not wish to hear. On the day of your wedding we will perform music you have chosen. Our band is also extremely capable of "reading the crowd" and choosing music we are confident will pack the dance floor.

9. Do you use a set list when performing or pause between selections? One of the ways the Merging Traffic keeps people dancing is by playing continuous music, mixing one song into the next. The band takes a song list marked with the customers preferences and uses their selections in the best possible order. The band’s drummer calls the leader of Merging Traffic a "party psychologist" because he reads the crowd so well. The audience is there to hear you play music not to watch the band decide what tune to play next or flip through pages of music to find the song that was decided on.

With over 20 years experience providing music for all types of events we have earned an excellent reputation for great music and personalized service.