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Hello Brides, Grooms, Friends, & Music Lovers!

With changes in the world affecting how we can interact socially, it probably comes as no surprise that our showcases are temporarily suspended. We’ll be back to doing live showcases as soon as possible because we love playing live for you! In the meantime, we wanted to offer this Virtual Showcase as an alternative. Believe me–there is no replacement for live music! But we’re hoping this live footage gives you an idea of what we are all about.

At our showcases, you could speak to our musicians and producers who would answer any questions you have about the band. Since we’re currently socially distancing, please feel free to reach out via email or phone. We’re happy to discuss anything :)

Alright, here we go!

Pro Tip: for an authentic showcase experience, pour yourself a drink to enjoy while you watch these videos!

We‘re at the showcase, you’re in your seat, and the band takes the stage! We normally start the night with a larger band size and a classic song like “Sir Duke” by Stevie Wonder featuring our horn section. You’re wowed! This video highlights the 8-piece Band with a 3-horn section, two vocalists, guitar, keyboard, bass, and drums.

Please note that these are iPhone quality videos without professional sound, but they do give an idea of what a live showcase performance looks like.

The song ends and the crowd goes wild!

At this point, one of the producers would take the mic to let you know we’ll dress for your wedding in any style you request. Showcases are a band rehearsal night, but we’re pros at dressing for any occasion.

What does the band wear?

We always dress up for YOUR wedding. Suits and ties, cocktail dresses, flannel for your barn wedding, or formal attire for your black tie bash!

Moving on, what might we play next?

Maybe more Motown or a classic tune. The showcase songs are different every time, but we try to keep the flow the same. Here’s “Best Of My Love” by The Emotions:

Do you play a variety of different styles?

Yes we do! Anything from Motown and Classic Rock to 90s throwbacks and current chart toppers, you name it! This next video shows “Shake It Off” by Taylor Swift. It’s great for warming up the dance floor during the first set:

Is the band size adjustable?

Okay, maybe you’re thinking: “A big band sounds awesome but we’re having a small wedding, so we’re thinking of a smaller band.” We have you covered! Here we slow it down with “Marry You” by Bruno Mars, featuring a 6-piece Band:

We might highlight another small band configuration next and a different genre of music.

Our 4-piece Band is perfect for smaller events. Lately, we are seeing a lot of requests from the 80s, 90s, and 00s and wow we love playing them! A few popular requests are “Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go” by Wham!, “Mr. Brightside” by The Killers, “Wonderwall” by Oasis, “Sex On Fire” by Kings Of Leon, and “Wannabe” by the Spice Girls. We also love R&B hits from this era, like “No Scrubs” by TLC and “This Is How We Do It” by Montell Jordan. We have so many favourites, but one that is always a hit is “Let’s Dance” by David Bowie:
Can you provide music for our Ceremony and Cocktail Hour, too? Yes! The majority of the band went to school for music and are highly skilled in both classical and jazz styles. What that means for you is that the Blue Lion Band are a one-stop shop and can cover all of your music needs. We offer options including solo piano, classical guitar, a jazz trio for your Cocktail Hour, or full string quartet for your Ceremony. In addition to keeping the dance floor packed once the Reception starts, we pride ourselves on being able to provide the perfect musical atmosphere for the most intimate moments of the wedding.

What might the music sound like for our Ceremony?

Have a song you’ve always dreamed of walking down the aisle to? Whether it’s an acoustic version of “Can’t Help Falling In Love”, a string quartet arrangement of your favourite Beatles song, or a piano rendition of “Perfect”, we’ve got you covered! Below is an example of a trio performing a Ceremony classic, “Canon in D” by Johann Pachelbel:

Your Ceremony has ended, there isn't a dry eye in the room, and your guests are thirsty!

Everyone will probably make their way outside or to another room for Cocktail Hour. Our musicians will be set up and ready to go with some lively background music to get the party warmed up. We can perform instrumental versions of Motown, pop, and rock songs during this time. This is our Jazz trio performing the classic “There Will Never Be Another You”:

Now back to the party!

Since our showcases are much shorter than an actual event, we try to give you an idea of the variety we offer but move through them quickly. We keep the energy up all night and the dance floor packed! We’ll start with a song from the 60s that has a medium tempo, which we find helps get guests of all ages on the dance floor earlier in the evening to warm things up. This is a 9-piece Band performing “24K Magic” by Bruno Mars:
Without taking a break, we’ll keep the energy up with “Respect” by Aretha Franklin:
To keep everyone moving, we might go right into “We Found Love” by Rihanna. Every year we add new songs to our repertoire based on requests, and Bruno Mars and Lizzo songs are currently at the top of that list!
What happens when the band needs to take a quick break between sets? All of our Reception Bands come with a complimentary DJ service. If the band needs to take a quick break, one of the band members stays on to play some of your favourite songs that may not work as well live (we can put together a set with requests or you can send us a full playlist!).

What are some great songs to end the reception in a memorable way?

A live showcase would highlight a few more dance floor songs to show the range of the band, but we'll end our Virtual Showcase here. For both actual events as well as live showcases, we LOVE to end with a sing-along. There are so many good ones to choose from! “Don’t Stop Believing”, “Come on Eileen”, “Somebody To Love”, “I Wanna Dance With Somebody”, “I'm Gonna Be (500 Miles)”, “Proud Mary”, “All You Need Is Love”. All great picks and so many more to choose from! Without fail, “Get Lucky” by Daft Punk ft. Pharrell gets everyone on the dance floor and singing along until the last note.

Thank you for following along with us!

We want to stress again that a Virtual Showcase can in no way take the place of good live music. In the meantime, we hope this gave you a good idea as to what the band can do and how we might structure music throughout your event. If you have any questions or would like a formal quote for your party, please don’t hesitate to reach out and discuss with one of our producers. Everyone please stay safe and healthy out there. We are looking forward to playing for you again in person very soon!

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