Choosing the right music for your event
Getting the right live music is a very important aspect of any event. When people arrive, having a relaxed and welcoming sound can put your crowd at ease. It will fill the gaps in conversation, but not be too loud so they can’t talk to each other. As the evening progresses, perhaps you want a band that can bring more energy to the room and even get people on the dance floor.
Then, at the end of the night, it is important for the band to strike the right feel to finish the event on a good note!
All these subtleties of a live performance can only be delivered by experienced musicians.
Musical line-ups
Grant has multiple options to suit your live music needs - from the solo piano/vocal option right up to a 6 piece band.
After many years of live shows, Grant has developed an extensive repertoire that appeals to a wide range of people. It includes some classic rock and pop tunes, some very cool jazz and blues and some contemporary numbers. Essentially, he has enough to keep most people happy! See the example song-list on this page. If you want other tunes, just request them at the time of booking!
The line ups are made of some of Melbourne’s finest musicians and can include the following elements: piano, voice (male/female) guitar, bass, drums, flute or saxophone.
Example song list
Relaxed, background, mood setting - early in the night
Jazz standards such as Fly me to the moon, Georgia on my mind, My baby just cares for me, Blue Skies, Beyond the sea, Autumn leaves and Mercy mercy mercy.
Instrumental tunes can also create a wonderful background atmosphere. The advantage of instrumental tunes is that it is easier to talk when these are being played as there is no singing. That’s why they are often useful at the beginning of the night.
Carefuly chosen contemporary tunes
Unlike many cover bands that play the obvious songs, I like to find songs that are less obvious, but still have a familiarity to them that warms people’s hearts.
This includes songs like Trouble (Coldplay), New York state of Mind (Billy Joel), Hallelujah (Leonard Cohen), Somewhere only we know (Keane), Nobody knows you (down and out - Eric Clapton), Roll it on home (John Mayer), Sister Madly (crowded house).
Classic sing-along tunes!
At the end of the night, some people love to sing along! These songs are prerennenial favourites that never fail to deliver. If you know you have a crowd that might sing, let me know and I can prepare some lyric sheets for them to really get into it!
Sweet Caroline, Piano Man, Tiny Dancer, Easy
Bookings and enquiries
Booking the right act for your event is not always straight forward. Here are a few things you should consider:
What is the demographic of your audience? What style of music do you think they will enjoy?
How long do you want to the band to play for? (standard is 2 - 3 x 45 minute sets)
Is it background or a feature?
Do you think your crowd will want to dance or simply be happy listening to the songs?
Would you like the band to MC your event?