Doctor Chocolate have been performing for 25 years.  We are an experienced and entertaining live band and have performed at thousands of weddings, charity event, parties, school proms, college university balls, military events and celebrations over the years.

This means that we’ve played at some amazing venues all over the UK and the South West as well as internationally!  From private houses, hotels, country houses, village halls and military establishments – you name it – we’ve probably played in something similar previously.

This experience gives us a real insight in what makes a good reception venue.

Having worked with private clients, corporate agents, agencies, wedding coordinators, Events Managers and venues the length and breadth of the country we also know what the client wants and what the venues expect and we work really hard to make sure everyone is happy!

Here are a few things to consider when you are looking at venues

ACCESS

How easy is the venue to access?  Doctor Chocolate have arrived at venues and been able to park right outside the room we are due to perform in.  This is lovely and speeds up the set up of all the equipment but it’s not always quite so easy!  Other venues are not quite so easy and we’ve had to climb 3-4 flights of stairs, navigate narrow corridors or wade through 8″ of mud to set up in a marquee. This could delay the allocated time for setting up all the equipment and may mean a later start than planned in the evening.  Thankfully with 10 people in Doctor Chocolate (9 band members and 1 sound engineer) we can set up super fast but please do consider the access for entertainment when you are looking at venues and advise the band if there are any difficulties.

WEDDING RECEPTION

Another point to consider when booking a live band is the amount of time they need to set up.  Doctor Chocolate have this down to a fine art but we do have an awful lot of equipment so always recommend a minimum of 90 minutes in case of any problems at the venue.  Our PA is top of the range and there are 9 of us in the band plus a sound engineer, lighting and instruments, so a fair bit of space is needed.  If you are having your wedding breakfast/wedding reception in the same room as the band you may want to consider a couple of options: is there enough space for the band to set up and seat all your guests? Do you want the band to set up earlier in the daytime before anyone arrives? Can the band set up after the wedding breakfast/reception allowing your guests to move out of the room and allow the venue and the band time to crack on with the entertainment?  Is there another room or outdoor space for your guests to move into whilst the set up is carried out? Any problems then please just ask – we’ve lots of experience and can help you with the schedule for the day/evening.

BAR

Parties work best if the bar is located in the same room as the entertainment.  Although the band can still be heard, down the corridor and around the corner, down a flight of stairs etc, having everything in the same room or as near as possible makes for a better atmosphere! Don’t worry though – Doctor Chocolate are an interactive band and with most of the band members on wire-free microphones we will go and get guests and bring them back through to the dance floor if they spend too long at the bar! It’s not a problem for our band but can limit other bands who may not quite as flexible, confident or experienced as well as their being restricted to the stage space.

NOISE LIMITERS

Many venues have had a change of use to allow music and have had to install a sound limiter.  Sometimes the sound limit set is really low so only suitable for acoustic performers (no speakers).  We have, and we will continue to work at venues with a sound limiter installed but we would need to know the decibel level prior to confirming the event.   Sometimes the noise limiter set at a venue is enough for us to be able to perform and still loud enough to create a great atmosphere for you.  Our sound engineer keeps a close eye on the limit levels to make sure we don’t go over. Just check the decibel level allowed at the venue before you ring for a quote and we can advise you if it is within the limits we can work in. Sadly if we turn up on the night and a limiter is in place, if the band was not informed in advance, then we maybe unable to play. Find out more on our Frequently Asked Questions page on the website.

EVENING FOOD

If you are planning on feeding your guests in the evening then please do think about the timings and where they could fit well.  Doctor Chocolate perform for two x one hour sets and we find guests are more likely to party a little later in the evening, especially when attending weddings as it gives guests time to catch up and have a natter with relatives and friends that they may not have seen for a while.  A lot of venues insist on serving an evening buffet at 9:30pm – which is the ideal time for the band to get everyone going. If possible a better time to serve food is before the band start so at about 8:45pm or in the bands break at about 10:30pm.  Doctor Chocolate would suggest sets starting at 9:30pm until 10:30pm and the buffet served at this time – bacon butties often go down really well at this time of the evening and keep the energy levels of your guests going – with our second set would start again at 11:00pm and finishing at midnight.

ROOM FOR THE BAND

The band need a bit of space to set up the equipment although Doctor Chocolate have squeezed into some really small spaces in the past.  Ideally a 12′ x 15′ space is needed – with or without a stage – we’re not that fussy!  Also, please consider where the band will go once everything has been set up – normally we require a room somewhere to get changed, leave our belongings whilst we are performing, and somewhere to sit before we go on and during the break.  It doesn’t have to be fancy – a simple meeting room or a spare reception room would be great.  With many marquee weddings a private room isn’t always available so we’ve had to change into stage outfits in the back of the van or mobile toilets – it’s not ideal – but we always adapt!

For more information on  Doctor Chocolate please visit our website.

We’ve also got 25 videos that were recorded LIVE at a charity event in Weston.  The videos are 100% live and give you the opportunity to see/hear the band before you book us if we haven’t got a public event where you can come along and heckle.

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Contact us for a quote or more information on the band.  We’d love to hear from you.