Best of Utah Wedding Vendors: Rob Bennion
[intro]Utah has so many amazing wedding vendors! Each Wednesday we feature one. This week we interviewed Rob, owner of Echo Talent Management. We’re so excited for you read all about their services and the tips Rob has to offer:[/intro]1. Tell us a little about your business.
I’m in the business of providing music and entertainment for events of all shapes and sizes. My wedding music business has two facets: Jazz band and DJ. Since I do this full-time I am able to focus all of my energy on music! I provide all the detailed elements of sound for a wedding, from the lavaliere microphones used in wedding ceremonies by the officiant and groom, to jazz cocktail hour and reception/dinner, to the DJ dance party with lights. Besides the many private parties, corporate events and weddings, I am also a club DJ and musician: I’ve been playing in clubs since I was 16. I have the street credibility of a club DJ, with the customer service and professionalism of an event jazz musician.
I created Echo Talent Management to put all my groups under one umbrella. Echo Models is a model agency owned by Erin Olson, our drummer Bart Olson’s wife. I also have a few other groups which perform at weddings that can be found at http://www.echotalent.com
2. How far in advance should a bride start looking for a band/DJ?
As soon as the couple sets a date! We’ve actually had multiple brides change the date of their wedding in order to ensure that we can perform for it. Before the venue and date have been finalized is a perfect time to contact the band/DJ to check for their availability, not all bands and DJs are created equal. With advance planning the bride may be able to have it all . . . the perfect venue, location, and musician of their choice. We are often booked a year or more in advance for weddings. That said, we often get calls last minute to do a wedding and sometimes it works out!
3. Where can potential clients see you perform live?
I perform jazz every week Wednesday evenings 6-9pm at Maxwells SLC with singer Conn Curran, and DJ every Thursday at Gracie’s 10pm-1am. For those who aren’t so close to downtown, Conn and I also perform at the Cliff House Pub in Draper, or please check out my website for other dates or to see videos taken from past events, live TV appearances, and other videos we have. Last week I perform 8 times for different events, 5 of them were open to the public so please shoot me an email if you are interested. http://www.robbennion.com
4. What price does booking your services start at for an event or wedding?
Our pricing varies from $1,000 to $4,000 depending on what the event calls for. Most brides go with our $3,000 package which includes ceremony sound and music, cocktail/dinner/reception jazz band, MC and DJ dance party.
We in effect do the work of 3 musical groups, plus all the sound for the groups: I play the flute and/or DJ the ceremony (also microphone the officiant, bride and groom, and “readers”), jazz trio for cocktail/reception & dinner music, and DJ + drums dance party. I provide a wireless hand-held microphone for speeches throughout the evening, and MC the event: announcing entrances, first dance, cake cutting, speeches/toasts, bouquet and garter toss, and other important milestones throughout the evening. Ask around and you will find that $3,000 for ceremony music, cocktail/reception & dinner jazz, and DJ dance party, plus speakers, sound, and microphones for all aspects of the event is quite reasonable.
[layerslider id=”84″]
5. How many musicians are in your band? Any vocalists?
Our typical wedding setup includes 3 musicians, vocals, drums, and myself as sax/DJ. Our vocalist Conn Curran is son of famous recording artist Doug Curran of the Lettermen (who recorded hits like “Put Your Head on My Shoulder”). He captivates audiences every time we perform . . . it’s really funny how many of the ladies come chat with him after a set, it’s doesn’t matter if they are a 20 year old server at a restaurant or a 80 year old grandmother at a wedding the ladies just love him.
Drummer Bart Olson and I have been playing music together since I was a sophomore in high school. He has performed all over the world with many groups, on movie soundtracks (recently recorded drums for “The Lone Ranger”) appeared on Good Morning America, etc. We have been playing together so long that we can read each other’s minds musically which comes out in our performances. He plays drums throughout the event, including while I DJ. If you haven’t seen a DJ with a live drummer, it’s quite the experience: it really keeps people involved and interested in dancing.
We are very efficient and each work hard to make the event happen. It is very important to me that the music sets the mood for every aspect of a wedding: to that effect the music never stops, unless it is intentional for effect, such as for a speech or during the ceremony.
Guests are greeted with classical music as they take their seats for the ceremony. Soon they notice a change as I play the flute over light guitar for the processional and bridal parties, and bridal entrance. Each new phase of the wedding is marked in the music: as the couple is married and presented to the guests, swelling recessional music accentuates the happy moment. Then music begins in the reception/cocktail area as my team starts performing popular songs in the jazz style. After cocktails the guests easily find the dinner area as the music begins there. Wedding guests can use a little help knowing where to go during the event, and the music in each phase helps move them along to the new location or phase.
6. What’s the most important thing to consider when selecting a wedding band or DJ?
Experience. I began performing in clubs when I was 15 years old . . . so I’ve been at this for nearly 20 years! Experience is key . . . for example knowing how to manipulate the sound to reduce unexpected wind noise in the groom’s microphone as he says his vows, or knowing how to keep a mixed-age crowd on the dance floor when it consists of 20-somethings, baby boomers, and everything in between . . .
At a wedding, the visual aspect of a performing group is very important, an unfortunately, many times “experience” takes its toll on the band’s appearance. We are conscientious about this, maintain good physical shape with “dapper” haircuts, black suits, and skinny ties. As a side note, both Conn and I have been hired on the side as models in photo shoots for various projects. Experience + youthful look is nearly impossible to find in this business!
7. Can you play any song a bride wants, regardless of your style?
Absolutely! Besides the many acoustic and electric instruments we use to perform with, I am a DJ and have my turntables and equipment set up at the event. As such I can play and style of music.
At bar mitzvahs I often play the Hava Nagila melody on my clarinet while the band backs me up. I also play Bari Sax, Tenor Sax, and Flute, and drummer Bart brings various percussion instruments in addition to his full drum kit.
Conn and I have been creating our jazz, latin, bossa nova, and swing versions of popular music for 5 years now.
Some brides ask us to sing our versions of their first dance request, while others prefer that their first dance be DJed so that it is exactly as they know it on the recording.
8. What does a bride need to supply for her wedding for your band to preform? (stage? seating? dance floor?)
I bring everything that is necessary for our band to perform, including all the sound and lighting. If there is a remote wedding where power is not readily accessible, I bring a generator to supply power for the band. We do not provide a stage or dance floor when we perform, typically the venue will provide that as part of the package.
If the wedding is to be held outside, it is very important that there is a plan in case of inclement weather. RAIN is the four letter word nobody wants to hear when planning a wedding, but it has to be addressed. Most venues have contingency plans in case of bad weather, such as tents, or alternate locations.
9. What is your favorite song to preform for the couple’s first dance?
I personally love it when the couple chooses a song that I don’t know, or haven’t performed before, that is spacial to them. We will learn a few songs as needed for the wedding . . . some of my past favorites have been Iron and Wine’s “Flightless Bird, American Mouth”, Benny Benassi’s “Cinema”, and Wynter Gordon “Dirty Talk”.
More traditional selections include “the Way You Look Tonight”, “What a Wonderful World”, and “Unforgettable”.
10. Any other tips you’d like to share with our brides?
Great music is the unifying glue which holds an event together. Guests at a wedding will often be on site for 8 hours or more . . . they will be sitting, chatting, waiting for entrees, waiting for different parts of the wedding to proceed. Interesting and mood setting music keeps everyone in the magic of the moments they experience. Choose your musician/DJ wisely! It’s worth it to make sure you have great music. See them live if at all possible ahead of time to make sure they are as good as they are represented online, anyone can pay someone to make a good promo video.
I rely completely on word of mouth and referrals for our wedding business, and don’t have any paid advertising. I love what I do, the wonderful people I work with, and I do this full time, and am successful at it. Our calendar is booked out sometimes a year in advance . . . so please contact me right away if you’re planning a wedding, I’d love to be a part of it!
I have a music questionnaire which I ask all of my clients to fill out, which asks them about their preferences, which radio station they listen to, their favorite bands, songs, concerts; if there are important family songs are, etc. In this way I can prepare the music to provide a perfect backdrop (and sometimes front and center!) for their perfect day.
Photos taken by Moxie Photography: Rob Bennion Studio in Salt Lake City, UT
