Have you ever wondered what it’s like to be a professional wedding musician?
The thrills of performing to enthused crowds, the effort of perfecting your performance for the biggest day of someone’s life and all the craziness that comes along with travelling around the country to do what you love most – playing live music.
We know how much effort it takes to perform at a wedding or event. But don’t take it from us.
Adam from Stereo Soldiers, (one of the UK’s top wedding & party bands) gives us fly on the wall perspective on what it takes to be a successful wedding musician, and how he is living the dream as a music artist.
Preparing for the Wedding Season
Adam: Well here it is, the start of the Summer wedding season and sat in my Amazon shopping basket; 20 packs of guitar strings, guitar string cleaner, 2 new microphone cables, a replacement pedal board power supply and guitar picks. A whole heap of them because, like socks, they have a tendency to just vanish into thin air… Ok, aaaaand: place order.
So, here goes. My name’s Adam and I am a professional musician in one the UK’s top party indie rock bands, Stereo Soldiers! That sounds so cheesy right? Well guess what, being the lead singer and guitarist in a wedding band, it’s an unwritten rule to add that extra cheese every now and again!
How I Joined a Professional Party Band
Adam: I have been playing music since the age of 15, writing songs and touring them. I have stood on stages as large as the Britannia Stadium and the KC Stadium when my band supported Bryan Adams to 60,000 people.
I’ve toured the UK and Ireland and even played shows in France. After spending 5 years sunning it up on the island of Jersey, playing acoustic shows at hotels, hosting open mics and getting fat at beach barbecues – I decided to get myself back into a band and aimed to hit the UK wedding scene.
Around about March 2017 I joined up with DK Management and Warble Entertainment and began singing and playing guitar for the band Stereo Soldiers. After learning over 40 songs to cover a 2 hour set and a couple of rehearsals I was off on a journey that has shaped me as a musician, a performer and as a person.
Popular Cover Band Songs & Filling Dance Floors
Adam: Playing music for a living is seriously the greatest job in the world!
Nothing beats stepping out on stage to a crowd full of people each night, all eagerly waiting to get the party started. Playing that first song “I Predict A Riot”, and yes – a riot surely does follow!
Hearing the audience singing and dancing along with us right from the start and taking the evening on a musical journey through time with songs from The Beatles, The Kinks and The Rolling Stones is amazing.
Bringing the funk with Stevie Wonder and Bruno Mars, the mid song high fives whenever we throw in an Oasis tune, The Killers, Kings Of Leon and the smiles on everyones faces when we hit the audience right in the feels with “Teenage Dirtbag” is perfect.
Then the whole room bouncing together when we play “All The Small Things”, conga lines to “500 Miles”, is unforgettable. One time we even had the Groom do ‘The Worm’ right across the dance floor to Rage Against The Machine’s “Killing In The Name Of”!
What a Great Wedding Show Feels Like
Adam: By the end of the night when our lungs have given all they have and our fingers are worn to the bone, it’s time to say goodnight.
The crowd willing the night to never end begin their chant, “ONE MORE SONG, ONE MORE SONG”… we drink our body weight in water to cool down, check the time and wipe the sweat from our eyes, “ONE MORE SONG”… we look at each other and then back at the audience.
Then the loudest cheers you’ve ever heard in your life begin whilst singing “I got my first real six string” and the whole place erupts! We go on to play multiple encores. Every single person is on the dancefloor and as midnight hits and we play the final chord are inundated with hugs, high fives, fist bumps and the kindest words from the newlyweds and their family.
What Is It like to Be in a Professional Wedding Band?
Adam: Being in a wedding band is crazy fun! I’ve seen the most beautiful wedding venues, amazing castles and even festival inspired giant teepees!
I’ve eaten way more than my fair share of hog roasts, met some of the most fantastic people and feel so privileged to be a part of their special day. It truly has been some of the best times of my life and as I sit here writing this I am about to embark on my 3rd year as a professional wedding singer, the front man for the band Stereo Soldiers!
Last week we were in Penrith, Stoke and Leeds, last night Nottingham, tomorrow we’re in Newcastle and tonight we hit the road for Derby! I’ve stocked up with bananas and sandwiches for the road trip, (which, by the way, is very rock and roll), I’ve restrung and set up my guitar and began some vocal warm ups.
I’m ready for the party, so let’s bring it! See you there.
Check out Stereo Soldiers on Warble Entertainment and follow Stereo Soldiers on Facebook!
Published by Warble Entertainment, where entertainment lives.
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