Live Music from Dinner to Dance
managed by
Telephone: (678) 474-9636
Booking Information
MIXED COMPANY, MC2K, singer/songwriter Susan Shewbridge, and DJ "Doctor Beat", are managed and/or booked by Arsis Productions. For price and availability information, call (678) 474-9636 or click HERE.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
The following FAQ's should serve to answer many of the questions you may have regarding the MIXED COMPANY bands' features and options. For more detailed, wedding specific information, we recommend reading the series of articles written by entertainment consultant Doug McAlexander, which are featured on Web sites across the globe. For your convenience we provide direct links below:
Band Or A DJ...(Which should you choose?)
How To Shop For Just The Right Variety Band
Budgeting For A Band
Getting The Most Value From The Band You Hire
Coordinating Bands And Facilities
How To Guarantee That Your Band Will Show Up
Wedding Reception Entertainment Q & A
A MIXED COMPANY special event is not ordinary. It is an elegant, yet high-energy party, including a master of ceremonies, DJ music during breaks, and LIVE music spanning from the 1940s to the 2000s, (from Sinatra to Savage Garden). The songs are performed so close to the original sound that you may find yourself doing a double take. There are usually three fifteen-minute breaks per four-hour period, which the master of ceremonies uses for toasts, awards, etc., as appropriate for the specific type of event. No other band in the Southeast even begins to match the MIXED COMPANY experience.
WHO HAS MIXED COMPANY PERFORMED FOR SINCE 1989?
Among MIXED COMPANY's list of distinguished clients are the Georgia Tech Alumni Association, Delta Air Lines, BellSouth, Kodak, Fuji Films, Lucent Technologies, GNC, Coca-Cola, GTE, the Financial Planning Association, Boys and Girls Club of America, Make-A-Wish Foundation, the American Cancer Society, the Circle for Children, and hundreds of wedding couples from all over. MIXED COMPANY was chosen to open for the band Chicago during their 1998 tour.
DO I HAVE TO BOOK MIXED COMPANY THROUGH AN AGENCY?
No! When you call Arsis Productions at (678) 474-9636 you are speaking directly with MIXED COMPANY's founder/manager/bassist Doug McAlexander. Doug will assist you from start to finish, covering every detail and mapping out the best plan to maximize your live music experience.
ARE DEMOS AND VIDEOS AVAILABLE?
All band demos play directly from our Web site via your Web browser. No downloading is required though it may take from 30 to 60 seconds to buffer with 56K dial-up connections. If your computer doesn't have speakers or can't play the Web demos for some unknown reason, please click HERE to request a demo CD by mail.
AUDIO DEMOS:
(same as the CD)
MIXED COMPANY demo
MC2K demo
VIDEOS:
MIXED COMPANY video
MC2K video
IS THE BAND AVAILABLE FOR MY SPECIFIC DATE AND TIME SLOT?
To check availability, click HERE to fill in our contact form. Please provide detailed information about your event to ensure an accurate and prompt response. Be sure to include your name, address, telephone number(s), event type, event venue, and budget so we can match your event with the most appropriate entertainment package.
You may also telephone Arsis Productions at (678) 474-9636.
CAN I SEE THE BAND PERFORMING SOMEWHERE?
Our bands only perform for private events so we can't guarantee that you will be allowed into someone else's private party. When you book a MIXED COMPANY band, you will not have a band that everyone can see playing at the local clubs and pubs, but an exclusive private-event band, seen only by those who are fortunate enough to be counted among the friends and family of our clients. For this reason most of our bookings come from attendees of previous events, or from qualified referrals from our past clients. We do make video footage available (see previous section) for your convenience, and we can supply a list of references, including past clients who are willing to take your phone calls and answer any questions you may have. Go ahead and ask the tough questions. After nearly 16 years, MIXED COMPANY is still busy establishing the standards, not breaking them.
WHY DOES ENTERTAINMENT PLAY SUCH AN IMPORTANT ROLE IN THE SUCCESS OF MY EVENT?
High quality "LIVE" entertainment yields the highest return on your investment -- more than any other event service provider you enlist. Many of our clients have said, "The band will make or break the event!" Consider this thought: Your guests will eat three more meals the next day. In 6 months, they most likely won't even remember what they ate at your event. But they will remember whether or not your party was a ton of fun. Professional quality disc jockeys will usually cost between 20% and 35% of the professional band rate for a Saturday night reception. Some professional level DJ's in my market charge $800 to $1500 or more for a 4-hour wedding reception, with budget DJ's running as low as $400-$500. If you can prioritize your budget accordingly, a professional quality band is almost always the better value, as proven by simple mathematics. If you are looking at a professional DJ for $800 (one person), then a 6-piece band (multiply $800 by 6) should logically be $4,800. But most professional bands quote a range of $600-$800 per musician, which can make the band as low as $3600 - less expensive per person than a DJ.
And there is a bonus. The band will be providing the music "LIVE" whereas the DJ will be replaying pre-recorded (predictable) music. Some people think that with a disc jockey they are getting the original songs. But the original was performed by live musicians in a recording studio. Most everyone realizes that the recording is never as good as the live performance. If you could have been "a fly on the wall" when songs like Brown Eyed Girl, Twist And Shout, Sweet Home Alabama, Play That Funky Music, Superstition, My Girl, Mustang Sally, etc. were recorded you would have heard what the recording equipment could not capture - especially with the lower technology of the 60's and 70's. The only other option would be to catch the performers at one of their live performances (if they are still touring), but then you are buying a ticket and only getting to hear one of the artists at a time. And what if you wanted the artist to extend a song so you and your friends could dance longer? Mixed Company re-creates the sound of each of those artists and more, right in front of you, your family, and those who are fortunate enough to be on your guest list. Furthermore, Mixed Company "reads the crowd" and detects just when to extend a song to take advantage of special moments.
One of our past clients summed it up best: "The main reason that guests think a DJ is cheesy is because it is like having precooked food, where it is just warmed over at the event. A live band is like having the food prepared in front of you." This same client went on to say that they "wouldn't even consider a DJ because they could hear the same tunes on the radio while driving home from the reception, after having left early."
Photographers today are charging from $3,000 to $8,000 and more for weddings in metro Atlanta. But what kind of photos will they snap at the event? Will they be pictures of guests eating chicken fingers or having a blast on the dance floor? The irony is the "chicken fingers" cost much more than the "pickin' fingers."
So the ultimate success of your event is riding on the "low-bidder," your entertainer. MIXED COMPANY bands are up for the challenge with over 150 years of performance experience combined per band.
If you have prioritized your budget to allow for a "LIVE" band, you are setting yourself up for the best value in entertainment.
BUT WHAT ABOUT THE SO-CALLED HOBBY BANDS? DON'T THEY SAVE YOU BIG MONEY?
First, let's define hobby band. Hobby bands are typically made up of musicians who play on the weekends for fun. Their members are often musicians who are just "passing through," gaining experience so they might one day be in a professional band. This is why it is so common to see different musicians in the band each time you see the band. It also contributes to the inconsistency in sound quality from one performance to the next. Are they experienced enough to maintain a proper flow for your event? Is their "playlist" appropriate for your special affair? A hobby band's repertoire often includes songs that would be considered "cheesy" for many special events. In fact, as is most often the case, hobby bands can be very limited when it comes to the wide variety of music you need to get everyone from 8 to 88 on the dance floor. Your special event needs to be fun, but it must also be done in good taste, with class, and with variety.
THE TRUTH ABOUT HOBBY BAND PRICING...
The truth is that there is often only about $1000 difference in price between a hobby band and a professional band. If your guests go home early because you booked a hobby band that couldn't hold everyone's interest and maintain flow, your caterer will most likely wind up throwing out thousands of dollars worth of food that wasn't eaten -- perhaps wasting the amount of money needed to have had a professional variety band in the first place. You do your special event the greatest service by booking a reputable professional band that has the years of experience necessary to make your event flow at the perfect pace.
OKAY, SO HOW MUCH FOR A MIXED COMPANY BAND?
To request an exact quote, click HERE to fill in our contact form. If you are contracting the sound and lighting equipment for the event, please indicate as such so the quote can be adjusted accordingly. Please fill in all fields which contain a red asterisk (*) otherwise the form may not be accepted.
You may also telephone Arsis Productions directly at (678) 474-9636.
ARE THERE ANY ADDITIONAL COSTS?
The rates we quote will include pricing for the musicians only, without sound and lighting system, for up to a 4-hour time-slot. The concert promoter or event planner can contract the sound and lighting from a professional and reputable sound reinforcement firm or we can contract the sound equipment on your behalf for a discounted rate. If you prefer to provide the sound and lighting system you or your sound reinforcement firm can click Stage Layout at the top of this page to print out the band's typical sound equipment requirements.
The four-hour period starts the moment the doors are opened for the event. Other arrangements can be made for a nominal fee. A fifty-percent (50%) non-refundable deposit and signed performance agreement will guarantee the date for you and the band will turn down all other offers for your date, no matter what.
WHAT ABOUT OVERTIME?
Good question! Many MIXED COMPANY events do go into overtime. MIXED COMPANY's wide variety of music is played so authentically that guests just seem to linger and linger, wondering what they might miss by leaving too soon. We have had parties go on and on until the band was literally exhausted and had to stop. You can book the overtime in advance but we at the office actually encourage you to pay by cash as needed at the event. This option is much less expensive than the prorated amount and allows you the flexibility to extend the party even longer if needed. It is also a great boost for the morale of the band members, as they will have already spent 3 to 4 hours setting up the equipment and doing extensive work in the area of sound mixing to get the perfect balance for the room. We can't possibly charge you what this is really worth. The band members just take that much pride in their sound. It is much appreciated when they hear from you personally just how much you enjoyed their work, especially to honor them with a tip or a request for overtime. Please contact our office to ask about the discounted "pay-by-cash-as-you-go" rate for overtime.
WILL THE BAND NEED A DRESSING ROOM?
Some clients reason that they did not hire a famous band so why would they need a dressing room? If you don't mind having the band perform in street clothes then no dressing room is required. But, under the heading of professional presentation, it is best to have a band perform in costuming that reflects the serious nature of the affair. I guarantee you that a performer would prefer to avoid the expense and hassle of special performance attire. But any performer worth booking would be someone who is concerned about presentation, if not for your event, for their own reputation, famous or not. I would submit to you that all professional entertainers have the same needs, to varying degrees, and whether or not they are met is a huge determining factor in the overall quality of the performance. The fact is, a "famous" entertainer will not perform if the details of their contract are not completely adhered to. Consider this: You may think it unreasonable for a "cover band" to demand a dressing room. Why can't they just change into their performance attire in a public restroom? Well, how would you feel if you were standing in your underwear in a public restroom with the very audience that you are about to perform for walking in on you? Not only is it degrading for the performer, but it is a "tacky" way for your guests to get to know the band. Many of the bands in the private-event market create their own troubles, and jeopardize your event, by being "too flexible" with regard to important details like attire, dressing room arrangements. stage, electricity, etc. If you communicate with the bandleader and make sure that the details are covered in the planning stages, by the end of your event, your guests will be thinking that you did hire someone famous that they must have somehow missed.
WHAT ELSE CAN I DO TO ENSURE THE SUCCESS OF MY EVENT?
Presentation, Presentation, Presentation...I would be terribly remiss if I did not mention staging, as in a platform from which the entertainer can perform. This is especially overlooked in the wedding market. Virtually every client says they don't want a "cheesy" band, yet they will inevitably expect the band to run all of their wiring across the floor of the hotel or country club ballroom, creating an obstacle course/health hazard for the performers and guests, and an awful presentation of what might otherwise be a great band. And then they sometimes wonder why the musicians just stood there like statues while performing, rather than moving around and creating the atmosphere of excitement necessary for a great party. A great party starts on stage! But many clients insist on a big dance floor and stick the musicians in a tight space surrounded by wiring that resembles a plate of spaghetti. The fact is, due to legal liability, the wiring for the sound and lighting needs to be neatly tucked away under staging and taped down in any exposed areas that are not covered by staging. If the band does not have enough space to do the job you hired them for without tripping over wiring, the big dance floor may be a moot point. And beyond the safety and legal aspect of staging, is the presentation - how a band is perceived when performing from a stage. A band on the floor, no matter how skilled, will appear as less professional. Even the "cheesy" bar bands usually perform from a stage. A band on a stage, even if lesser-skilled, appears more professional and will be taken much more seriously by your guests. But why not have both the stage and the highest caliber band and stack the deck in your favor? A final perk the stage provides is to serve as a type of focal point that commands attention when necessary. When the master of ceremonies and/or musicians are making announcements from floor level it is often difficult for your guests to focus on who is speaking and what is being said. Announcements simply tend to be ignored, unless the sound is turned up to "blasting level." See the photo below for an example of a typical hotel ballroom set and ready for transitioning from formal to party mode. This photo was taken at the Westin Perimiter Doubletree Concourse Hotel in Atlanta, Georgia on May 21, 2004, just before MC2K took to the stage. Note the stage in the middle, facing the length of the room, with dance floor between the stage and the tables. This represents an ideal situation, acoustically and esthetically.
WILL MIXED COMPANY TRAVEL TO MY STATE?
The bands will travel up to a driving distance of 8 hours from Atlanta. Call our office for an exact quote based upon the size of band you desire and the travel distance to your venue. The band will pay all transportation costs and compensate the musicians for their lost time while in transit. For distances beyond an 8-hour drive, the purchaser must provide roundtrip airfare and overnight lodging. The sound and lighting system must be rented locally by the purchaser. We provide a detailed diagram of the exact equipement needed and its placement on the stage. The musician rate is quoted on a case by case basis.
HOW DO I SECURE A BAND FOR MY EVENT?
To secure one of our professional entertainers for your event, simply telephone Arsis Productions at (678) 474-9636 and ask for a booking package. We prepare a booking package for your specific event and mail it to you promptly. We will place a 10-day courtesy hold on the date and time-clot you request. After 10 days the artist is free to accept a booking from another client who may have called to book during the 10-day waiting period. This process ensures that "contract collectors" (those who ask for a contract but aren't really serious about booking) don't cause an inconvenient delay for other serious clients who are prepared to book but must be put off while the band waits out a 10-day courtesy hold.
Our bands book as far as 14-18 months in advance so we have to book by first-come-first-served basis only. Spring, Fall, and December dates usually book up first. We honor the first deposit check and signed performance agreement we receive for a particular date and time-slot. We will be glad to assist you in finding another appropriate band, in the event that none of our bands are available for your date by the time you request a booking package.
DON'T MISS: Your Own Online Wedding Photo Album with bios, announcements, slideshow, and more...
To request promotional literature and a demo CD, click HERE.
Please include your full name, phone number, and mailing address along with the date and time of your event.
You may also telephone Arsis Productions at (678) 474-9636.
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