Getting the right atmosphere for your evening wedding party is so important, and I don’t think you can get much better than live music.

This afternoon I have Jamie & The First Class here to share all about their fantastic band and how they could be just perfect for your wedding or event. They have a great repertoire and range of music styles perfect to suit every taste and generation…

 

Hi Jamie, could you firstly tell WWW readers a little bit about you?

 

Hello, I’m Jamie. I’m the front man, singer and guitarist with my group Jamie & The First Class and The Zoots. I manage my bands full time with my partner Harriet from our base in lovely Wiltshire.

 

What do you love/dislike about your job?

 

I have always wanted to be a performer since I was 11 so its very rewarding being able to do what I love. It’s always such an honour to be asked to perform on someone’s wedding day. We’ve even had bride & grooms change their wedding date to fit around us!! The single most satisfying feeling is when I perform at wedding or a concert and I can see the joy our music brings to other people. The downside of running a band? Lots of late nights and waiting around in the airports for overseas performances! Luckily we have really fantastic band members so we have a great time.

 

How did you get into performing and into the wedding industry?

 

I began playing the drums at 11, my Dad was a drummer, I wanted to be just like him. It was a rather noisy hobby, so I had to play in the attic at my parents house to not to annoy our neighbours! From the age of 13 I was regularly performing at local parties, pubs & clubs with my older brothers band. My first wedding reception I performed was in 1998. Soon after, I set up Jamie & The First Class as I wanted to put my own spin on the music. Since then, we’ve only got bigger & better, performing at all sorts of events, weddings & parties up & down the UK and overseas.

 

What do you aim to achieve for your clients?

 

My band, Jamie and The First Class, and I, aim to provide the best evenings entertainment you could ask for on your wedding day. We like to create mash up & medleys and put our own style to songs which everyone knows and loves. We’re a school themed party band, so we dress up in school uniform, run around, jump about and just have a freakin’ awesome time. We love to get the whole wedding party involved, as well asking the bride and groom for their song choices and ideas. We love making every single one of our performances very memorable. When we are booked for a performance we like to(if we can) visit the venue and meet the venue manager, chat to them about the load arrangement and parking arrangements to ensure everything runs smoothly on the day of the wedding.

What style is your music?

 

Jamie & The First Class is made up of some very spectacular and incredibly talented Wiltshire based musicians. The style of music we perform ranges from the 1950s rock ‘n’ roll, cult classics of the 1960s, 70s glam rock, 80s party tunes & 90s hits, right up to the chart toppers of the present day. We have around 250 songs in our repertoire which we’re adding to all the time. They include some truly iconic tracks from a host of artists such as “Satisfaction” from the Rolling Stones’ and Bill Haley’s “Rock Around The Clock” and of course, Elvis’s “Hound Dog”. Fused with some awesome singalongs such as “Hey Jude” & “Brown Eyed Girl” and “500 miles” to more recent chart hits such as The Killers “Mr Brightside” as well as “Happy” by Pharrell Williams and the particularly awesome Kings of Leon’s “Sex on Fire”; we literally have something for everyone. We’ve worked hard to create a real show, complete with funny outfits, hats & very questionable dance moves.

 

Could you tell us some information about your packages/prices?

 

We usually charge around £1,300 ­ £1,600 for an evenings entertainment on a Saturday night. This is usually for two 60 minute performances. This includes absolutely everything needed for the performance. We bring over £30,000 worth of sound and light equipment to all our private bookings. We offer a 20% discount for all bookings in January ­ – March. We’re a very friendly bunch so always suggest people to contact us directly with their specific enquiry and questions.

 

Do you have any tips for couples in selecting wedding entertainment?

­

– Book directly where you can to save between 15% ­ – 20%.

­- Ask lots of questions, will your band learn your first dance? Can you choose some songs for the band to play?

­- Book early, we usually get booked at least 12­-24 months in advance.

­- Do choose a band which performs music to suits all the age groups, remember the older guests too especially at the start of the evening.

­- Set your budget, and be realistic, a decent 4 piece band will start from at least £1000 for a Saturday night.

­- Haggle! Bands can be flexible with their fee (within reason).

­- Make sure to check any sound limitations at your venue before looking for your band as this could directly affect what band you are able to book.

­- Ask to see your chosen band perform, it’s not always possible but always worth asking!

­- You’ll build up the right rapport with the band which is right for you.

­- Ask to see documents: public liability & PAT testing certificates ­ every band should have these.

­- Allocate someone to liaise with your band on the day.

 

 

 

How can we get in touch with you?

 

Call Jamie or Harriet on 01672 841257 / 07887 990400

Email jamie@jamie.fm

Twitter http://www.twitter.com/jamies1stclass

Facebook http://www.facebook.com/jamieandthefirstclass

 

Do we look familiar? When we’re not globe trotting as Jamie & The First Class, we out entertaining with our sister act, The Zoots! It’s still us and we still perform every single one of the songs in our repertoire, we just look a bit sharper in our 3 piece suits! More info: http://www.thezoots.com

Amazing, and such fantastic advice for finding the right entertainment for your event. Thanks so much Jamie. Do be sure to check out the Jamie & The First Class website to hear their music too XOXO Lou

 

*This is a sponsored feature.