frequently
asked questions
Q: what does your typical wedding package look like?
A:
After the full band is secured for at least a 3-hour portion, there are a lot of options available to you. Typically, a wedding with Cosmo Alleycats will look like this, subject to the wedding's timeline:
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30 mins of Guest Arrival music, 30 mins Ceremony music - Solo Piano
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Cocktail Reception - instrumental Trio or Full Band
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Dinner Reception - full band
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Dance Reception - full band
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Late night DJ dance party (optional)
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Q: Can you share your song List?
A:
Yes, of course. Our full repertoire list is available here. While we welcome you to communicate the styles of our music you'd like us to perform, we kindly request that you leave it up to us to pick the individual songs. We've performed for hundreds of events every year for over a decade. Our repertoire list is designed to provide prospective clients with the scope of our stylistic range. It is not, however, a tool to be used to assemble a 'playlist' for the band, as one might with a DJ.
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Our repertoire reflects popular dance music from the 20s - 60s with some 70s and 80s mixed in for later in the evening, depending on event type, flow, and guest interaction and enthusiasm.
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If you have a specific song request for a featured moment, even if you don't see it on our list, you are more than welcome to communicate this with us. We love the challenge of learning new songs for special moments!
Q: our event is 4 hours long, but the band would have an hour break in the middle. can you just charge us for 3 hours?
A:
Our pricing is based on consecutive hours you require us, and our equipment, to be on site. The break in the middle of your event still requires the band to be onsite and our equipment to remain in place. Until you allow us to break down and leave, all time between 'guest ready' and breakdown must be accounted for in the pricing.
Q: Can you be set up, sound
checked, and 'guest ready' an hour before you start performing?
A:
Of course! However, the moment you'd like us to be 'guest ready' is the moment our contract 'clock' begins. Any time between 'guest ready' time and performance start time is subject to our pricing.
Q: Can we feed the band after/before the gig?
A:
The band's meal must be served during the contracted hours. A meal for the band is required for any event lasting 3 or more hours. Many of our band members are arriving directly from, or leaving directly for other professional commitments, and having a meal within the compensated time commitment they have made for your event is greatly appreciated.
Q: How big of a stage do you require?
A:
Cosmo Alleycats does not require a stage, however if you'd like to place us on one, our footprint is 12 feet deep by 16 feet wide. If you require anything else to happen on the same stage during your event, please arrange for a stage that is larger than the band's footprint. Our equipment cannot be moved to accommodate other acts, presentations, or speeches once it has been set up.
Q: the full band exceeds our budget. Do you have any smaller ensembles?
A:
The Cosmo Alleycats is, at its core, a 6-piece band. Our music has been arranged specifcally for two horns, a piano-based rhythm section, and a vocalist. For any event held on a Saturday, no matter how intimate the event, this is the size that is available for booking.
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The Cosmo Alleycats Quartet (Piano, Bass, Vocals, and Drums) is available for non-Saturday events with fewer than 70 guests with little or no requirement for dance music.
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There are exceptions! Our Quartet can be available for Saturday events under the following circumstances:
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If you are inquiring within 30 days of your event date.
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If your event is planned for a Saturday in January, February, March, or November, AND there are fewer than 70 guests with little or no requirement for dance music.
Q: Can you send me audio samples of the quartet?
A:
The Quartet is a consolation when the full band isn't the right match for your event. Since this website serves as a tool to advertise the full band, we have not put any resources into video or audio recordings of the Quartet. You'll just have to imagine our music without horns ;)
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There are a few occasions where we perform publicly as a Quartet. Check our show dates for the next opportunity!
Q: We want the dinner reception music to be softer. Can the band perform without vocals?
A:
We kindly assure you that Jazz vocals are not the cause of loud or distracting sounds. The Cosmo Alleycats sound like Cosmo Alleycats because of the work we do together to cultivate song selection and musical arrangements. Each of these arrangements include vocals. That being said, instrumental songs are called occasionally throughout each event. Rest assured, we perform for several intimate parties and dinner receptions with vocals, and take special care to choose appropriate repertoire at a volume that doesn't interfere with table conversation.
Q: Our Venue doesn't allow amplification. Can you perform acoustically?
A:
We can perform even softer than acoustic volumes, as long as you allow us to use amplification! The term 'amplified music' is often misinterpreted to mean 'loud muisc', however amplification is actually a tool to control volume. We use amplification to achieve a tasteful balance between all of our instruments. For instance, the sound of an unamplified singing voice is softer than that of an acoustic piano, and the sound of an acoustic piano can be louder than an amplified piano keyboard. Once we achieve balance, we can then use some further amplification to determine how loud or soft the overall volume needs to be. If it needs to be less than 60 decibels (db) at the venue's property line, we can easily meet this requirement - as long as we can use amplification as a tool to control our volume.
