Wedding set
from$3,200
- Acoustic duo for the ceremony or the drinks
- Your first dance arranged and played live
- Playlist through our system until the venue closes
- Planning call with the band leader a month ahead
Live music that pulls everyone onto the floor
Five musicians on vocals, guitar, keys, bass and drums, playing the covers your guests know by heart and a few songs of our own. Send your date and venue, and we reply within two working days.
5 musicianson stage at every booking
Over 200songs ready to play
2 daysto answer every request
Three ways to book the band
Every booking brings the full band, our own sound system and stage lighting, a sound engineer at the desk and a playlist for the breaks. Prices cover venues within 80 km of the studio.
Party set
from$2,400
- Birthdays, anniversaries and private parties
- Three song requests learned for the night
- Party playlist between and after the sets
- A third 30 minute set for $350
Venue show
from$1,500
- Clubs, bars, theatres and festival stages
- Covers mixed with our own songs
- Played through our rig or the house sound
- Technical rider and stage plan sent on booking
A deposit of 25 percent holds the date once we confirm it, and the balance is due 14 days before the event. We invoice you directly, and travel beyond 80 km or an overnight stay is quoted before you pay anything.
Five musicians, one sound
The Velvet Hours have played together for nine years: a lead singer, a guitarist who sings harmony, keys, bass and drums. The same five people arrive at every booking, so the band you hear at a showcase is the band that plays your venue.
Our engineer stays at the sound desk all night and sets the volume to the room. Where a venue has a sound limiter, we switch to electronic drums and in ear monitors, which keeps the music full and the power on.
- Two piece horn section available for $600
- Public liability insurance, certificate sent to your venue
- Electrical equipment tested to the standard venues ask for
- Set up and sound check finished before guests arrive
How a wedding day can sound
A typical shape for the day, from the aisle to the last chorus. We fit the music around your speeches and meal, so tell us your timings and we plan to them.
| Moment | Length | What we play |
|---|---|---|
| Ceremony | About 30 minutes | Acoustic duo for the entrance, the signing and the walk back down the aisle |
| Drinks reception | Up to 90 minutes | Relaxed acoustic sets on the lawn, the terrace or in the bar |
| Meal and speeches | Through dinner | A quiet playlist through our speakers, with microphones ready for the speeches |
| First dance | One song | Your song, arranged for the band and rehearsed before the day |
| Evening sets | Two 60 minute sets | Soul, disco and pop built to fill the floor, with a short break between |
| Last song | After the second set | A singalong finish you choose, then the playlist runs until close |
What we play
Each setlist is built for one booking from a repertoire of over two hundred songs. These are the styles hosts ask for most, and every show carries a few originals too.
- Soul classics
- Funk
- Disco
- 80s pop
- 90s and 2000s hits
- Current chart songs
- Rock and roll
- Indie anthems
- Reggae
- Afrobeats
- Latin grooves
- Our own originals
Wedding couples pick up to five songs for us to learn at no extra cost. A list of songs to leave out helps just as much, and the band sticks to it all night.
From first message to last song
One booking manager looks after your date from the first reply to the morning after.
Send a request
Pick a set and add the date, the venue and roughly how many people will be there.
We confirm and quote
Within two working days we confirm the date is open and send a written quote, or tell you we are taken.
Hold the date
A 25 percent deposit secures it, and your song requests go to the band to rehearse.
Plan and play
A month ahead we agree timings with you and the venue, then arrive two hours early to set up.
On stage
Weddings, garden parties and club nights from recent seasons.
Heard from the dance floor (example reviews)
They learned our first dance in a week and played it better than the record. By the second set the grandparents were up, and every speech came through clearly.
A fiftieth in a village hall with a strict sound limiter. Electronic drums, perfect volume, a packed floor, and the power never tripped once.
Ninety minutes of tight covers with three originals dropped in, and the originals got the loudest cheer of the night. They are booked again for spring.
Questions before you book
How much space does the band need?
A stage area of about 5 by 3 metres suits all five of us, with two standard power sockets close by. Smaller rooms can work with a tighter layout, so tell us the room size in your request.
Can you play in a venue with a sound limiter?
Yes. We bring electronic drums and in ear monitors so the band sounds full at a lower level. If the venue gives you its limit, pass it on and we plan the sound around it.
Will you learn our first dance song?
Yes, it comes with the wedding set. Send it when you book, and we can play it as recorded or open with a slower first verse before the band joins.
Do the band need a meal on the day?
For bookings longer than six hours, a hot meal for the five musicians and the engineer is appreciated before the evening sets. It does not need to match the guest menu.
What happens if a musician is ill?
Each member has a regular stand in who knows the full setlist. If one of us cannot play, you still get five musicians, and we tell you before the day.
How is the date secured?
It starts with a booking request on this page. When the date is confirmed, a written quote and an invoice for a 25 percent deposit follow, and paying that deposit directly to the band locks the date in for you.
Check a date
Tell us the date, the venue and the kind of set you have in mind. Within two working days we confirm it, suggest a nearby date, or let you know we are already playing elsewhere.
- Nothing is held until we confirm in writing
- Deposit and balance paid directly to the band
- Up to five wedding songs learned for your date
Talk to the band
Our booking manager answers the phone in office hours, and email is read every day, show days included.
Bookings
Rehearsal studio on the east side of the city, playing venues up to 150 km away
Office hours
| Monday to Thursday | 10:00 to 18:00 |
| Friday | 10:00 to 15:00 |
| Saturday and Sunday | Show days, email only |
See us play first
Every few months we play a public showcase at a city centre venue, and couples are welcome on the guest list. Ask for the next date in your request.
Ask about a showcase