ENTERTAINMENT
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DUDLEY ROSS FROM GROOVEZOO TELLS US WHY THEY ’ RE THE ULTIMATE PARTY BAND AND GIVES HIS TOP TIPS FOR WHAT TO LOOK FOR WHEN BOOKING YOUR WEDDING ENTERTAINMENT
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TELL US A BIT ABOUT GROOVEZOO AND WHAT YOU DO GrooveZoo are the ultimate party band . Yes , a lot of bands say that , but we really are ! We strive to create the most exciting and special atmosphere for our couples weddings . It sounds cheesy , but we like creating the perfect sound track and we carefully plan every aspect of the music for the day from ceremony to reception . We want to finish the night and people say that was the best party they ’ ve ever been to .
WHAT DO YOU THINK MAKES YOU DIFFERENT FROM OTHER WEDDING BANDS ? There is no one like us , that ’ s a big part of why we ’ re so popular . We ’ re blessed to have the most incredible singers / frontmen out there , Campari is truly unbelievable . Not only is he a versatile and talented singer but he ’ s an amazing entertainer . We play a lot of music that other bands aren ’ t able to perform due to the vocal style and level of musicianship required . The band consists of some amazing musicians that are very active on the professional music scene and their expertise and experience combine to create something very special .
WHAT QUESTIONS DO A COUPLE NEED TO ASK THEIR WEDDING BAND ? Every couple has different requirements and sets of questions , so we always arrange a pre-wedding meeting so we can answer all their questions . Knowing how long the band will perform and when they will start is important so they can plan the timings of their evening carefully , it ’ s good to avoid having evening food come out when the band is on ! Also if they can perform the first dance live or perform any special requests .
HOW FAR IN ADVANCE IS IT A GOOD IDEA FOR A COUPLE TO BOOK THEIR ENTERTAINMENT ? We ’ re booked on key dates about two years in advance , so it ’ s good to get in touch earlier rather than later . We hate having to say we ’ re unavailable , we ’ ve had a lot of sad couples over the years that have left it too late to book us .
WHAT ’ S YOUR BIGGEST PIECE OF ADVICE TO COUPLES LOOKING TO BOOK ENTERTAINMENT ? Don ’ t be sucked into glossy promotional videos , look at real live reviews and live performances . If you can go and see your band live before you book them , I would really recommend it !
AS A BAND , WHAT ARE SOME OF THE KEY THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT A WEDDING , COUPLE AND VENUE BEFORE YOU CAN SAY YES TO PERFORMING AT THEIR WEDDING ? A huge thing and very important thing to consider is if the venue has noise restrictions , it can make a huge difference if a band can perform at a realistic and expected level . There are some venues we can ’ t perform at as their noise limiters are set so low that it is impossible to perform with any energy or impact . Not being able to use real drums should set off alarm bells for couples . We ’ ve had some venues where even people singing along trips the limiter and cuts the power off , it is a total vibe killer . As for couples , I wouldn ’ t say there are any key things we need to know , as long as they ’ re up for a party and they like what we perform we are good to go !
WHAT ’ S YOUR FAVOURITE SONG TO PERFORM ? That ’ s impossible to answer , we have too many good ones ! We perform quite a few medleys , which always go down well and it ’ s fun to play . The garage and hip hop medleys always go down really well and it ’ s a lot of fun having everyone dance and sing along .
DO YOU HAVE A FAVOURITE KENT WEDDING VENUE TO PERFORM AT ? We are spoilt , we work with so many great venues that picking one would be very hard . We have lots of love for The Old Kent Barn and Marleybrook House in particular . To be honest , we could list many others , Kent has so many amazing wedding venues .
HAVE YOU SEEN ANY NEW TRENDS OR NEW REQUESTS FOR 2024 ? Roaming bands ! We ’ ve just introduced a dinner set , where we walk around performing , interacting with the guests and getting the party vibe started while people eat ! It ’ s already becoming very popular .
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