To get a pretty good idea of what Underwater People is about, we've compiled the answers to some of the questions we've gotten over the years from our potential wedding clients. Further questions can be directed to Jim DiDomenico.
General Questions about Underwater People
How many band members are in Underwater People?
Underwater People is made up of six full time musicians. All of the members of the band, with the exception of one, are music school graduates who perform and teach music to make their living. Underwater People uses the same core of six musicians that have been playing together every weekend for the last 10 years, so you always know who and what you are getting. This is different than the so called "Orchestra" bands, who often rely on contracted musicians, some of whom may have never played together before.
What is the band's instrumentation?
The band is made up of an acoustic guitar player who sings, an electric guitar player who sings, a bass player, a drummer, a keyboardist who sings and plays piano, organ and accordion, and a female vocalist.
What if I want a larger band with a horn section?
No worries. Book the UWP “Big Show”, where we add a very hip and cool brass section to the standard band mentioned above.
What types of music do you play?
With the exception of Rap/House music and heavy metal we can play just about everything else. Unlike some of our actual competition (we kid you not) who believe that contemporary pop consists of songs by Michael Bolton, Sheena Easton or Richard Marx, we truly focus on real deal contemporary pop with songs by artists like Coldplay, U2, Jack Johnson, Norah Jones, BNL, Dave Matthews, etc.. We also play plenty of classic stuff (Sinatra, Dean Martin, Elton John, Aretha Franklin, Van Morrison, Beatles, James Taylor, etc…), popular country, reggae, Motown, and so on. During a pre-wedding consultation we go over your musical tastes to tailor the performance to what you'd like to hear. Please see our songlist to get an idea of the huge variety of music we play. We also know these songs. Unlike a lot of the "orchestras", there are no "chart books" on stage where the band is flipping through books to get to the next song.
Do you play ethnic music?
Yes, to some extent. We know the Jewish Hora and we can play Polkas with the best of them. Is country music considered ethnic (smile)? We can also learn a special song for your event.
How far away from Chicago do you travel?
We have played as far west as Portland, Oregon and as far north as the Upper Penninsula of Michigan, as far east as New Jersey, and as far south as the Bahamas. Getting married outside of those parameters? No problem. Traveling fees will apply for locations over 75 miles from Chicago. Where the band needs to fly, a PA system and backline music gear will need to be provided.
Do you perform wedding ceremony music?
Yes, we offer a solo acoustic guitar, solo piano, or guitar/piano duo for ceremonies. We can also provide and/or accompany any vocalist.
What about cocktail hour or dinner music?
Yes, we offer either a three-piece (guitar, piano, and bass) jazz group or solo piano. All musicians are jazz music school graduates.
Questions Pertaining to Planning Before Your Wedding
How do I find out if the band is available for my event date?
Simply contact Jim DiDomenico by email or at 773.852.3330 and we will let you know if your date is available.
Will we get the chance to discuss our ideas of the music and our particular musical tastes with you?
The music at the reception should be a reflection of your own styles and interests. Underwater People understands this, and we will meet with you, either in person or over the phone, to discuss your vision of the evening from the general plan on down to song specifics.
Can I see the band live at a private event before I book the band?
On certain occasions, where it has been cleared with our client, you may check out our band live at another private function. Out of respect for our other clients' private parties, we do not invite prospective clients without their consent. However, the band plays public club dates and festivals on a regular basis so these shows are always an option.
Can you mail me some information?
We would be happy to send you our promotional DVD. You can call us at 773.852.3330 or email us your name, phone number, address, and event date.
Do you have any references?
Yes, check out our testimonials from previous wedding clients. Should you need to speak with some of our past clients, just email Jim, and he can provide a phone number or two.
When must I commit to booking the band?
To insure that the date is available, a verbal commitment is needed as soon as possible. At that point, we will forward you a contract for you to sign and return to us with a 25% deposit.
What is all of this going to cost us?
Our fee varies upon a few factors. The day of the week, the time of the year, the time frame we'll play, the location of the wedding, and the size of the sound system we'll need based on the room dimensions and crowd size are some of these factors. To give you a ballpark idea, very generally speaking, we charge between $3500 and $7500 for our performances.
When is payment due?
The deposit is due with the signed contract, and the remainder of the balance is due the night of your event.
What forms of payment do you accept?
We will accept a personal or corporate check, cash, money order or cashiers check.
Questions Pertaining to Your Wedding Day
What is needed from us on the day of the performance?
An area to play (stage or no stage is fine) and electrical power (3 separate circuits is ideal) is all we need from you. We provide everything else.
When do you set up your sound/lighting equipment?
The entire sound system is set up and sound checked prior to the room opening for your guests. We will be there approximately three hours before guests are to arrive for our set up and sound check.
What does the band wear?
We are most comfortable in dress pants and dress shirts. Should you require us to dress it up, we can certainly accommodate you.
Do we need to feed the band?
This is completely voluntary. It helps if we don't need to leave the venue between sound check and our start time, but it is not necessary. If you do feed the band, most caterers set us up with a meal in a back room somewhere. Others will put us at a "vendor" table in the main room where we eat with your photographer, video person, etc.
How do you manage volume levels?
We play to the sensitive needs of our clients. Our sound system will accommodate any size room. If, during the event, you feel the music is too loud or too soft, just let us know.
Who will make the announcements and introductions?
We are frequently asked to do the Bridal Party introductions and our sound system is available for speeches, toasts, blessings, and any special announcements. If you have someone who'd like to MC the event, they are more than welcome to do this though our system. Otherwise, we take care of that for you.
How long can we expect you to perform?
We typically book a three-hour block of reception music. However, we can accommodate you whatever your needs might be.
How many breaks do you take?
We only take one ten-minute "bathroom" break. We realize you're paying us to entertain your guests and not to send people home by taking 20-minute breaks every 40 minutes.
What about overtime should we decide that we want the party to continue?
No problem. We have an overtime rate as part of the contract.
Please feel free to email, or call Jim DiDomenico at 773.852.3330 should you have any further questions. We're honored that you would consider Underwater People. Thank you.
General Questions about Underwater People
How many band members are in Underwater People?
Underwater People is made up of six full time musicians. All of the members of the band, with the exception of one, are music school graduates who perform and teach music to make their living. Underwater People uses the same core of six musicians that have been playing together every weekend for the last 10 years, so you always know who and what you are getting. This is different than the so called "Orchestra" bands, who often rely on contracted musicians, some of whom may have never played together before.
What is the band's instrumentation?
The band is made up of an acoustic guitar player who sings, an electric guitar player who sings, a bass player, a drummer, a keyboardist who sings and plays piano, organ and accordion, and a female vocalist.
What if I want a larger band with a horn section?
No worries. Book the UWP “Big Show”, where we add a very hip and cool brass section to the standard band mentioned above.
What types of music do you play?
With the exception of Rap/House music and heavy metal we can play just about everything else. Unlike some of our actual competition (we kid you not) who believe that contemporary pop consists of songs by Michael Bolton, Sheena Easton or Richard Marx, we truly focus on real deal contemporary pop with songs by artists like Coldplay, U2, Jack Johnson, Norah Jones, BNL, Dave Matthews, etc.. We also play plenty of classic stuff (Sinatra, Dean Martin, Elton John, Aretha Franklin, Van Morrison, Beatles, James Taylor, etc…), popular country, reggae, Motown, and so on. During a pre-wedding consultation we go over your musical tastes to tailor the performance to what you'd like to hear. Please see our songlist to get an idea of the huge variety of music we play. We also know these songs. Unlike a lot of the "orchestras", there are no "chart books" on stage where the band is flipping through books to get to the next song.
Do you play ethnic music?
Yes, to some extent. We know the Jewish Hora and we can play Polkas with the best of them. Is country music considered ethnic (smile)? We can also learn a special song for your event.
How far away from Chicago do you travel?
We have played as far west as Portland, Oregon and as far north as the Upper Penninsula of Michigan, as far east as New Jersey, and as far south as the Bahamas. Getting married outside of those parameters? No problem. Traveling fees will apply for locations over 75 miles from Chicago. Where the band needs to fly, a PA system and backline music gear will need to be provided.
Do you perform wedding ceremony music?
Yes, we offer a solo acoustic guitar, solo piano, or guitar/piano duo for ceremonies. We can also provide and/or accompany any vocalist.
What about cocktail hour or dinner music?
Yes, we offer either a three-piece (guitar, piano, and bass) jazz group or solo piano. All musicians are jazz music school graduates.
Questions Pertaining to Planning Before Your Wedding
How do I find out if the band is available for my event date?
Simply contact Jim DiDomenico by email or at 773.852.3330 and we will let you know if your date is available.
Will we get the chance to discuss our ideas of the music and our particular musical tastes with you?
The music at the reception should be a reflection of your own styles and interests. Underwater People understands this, and we will meet with you, either in person or over the phone, to discuss your vision of the evening from the general plan on down to song specifics.
Can I see the band live at a private event before I book the band?
On certain occasions, where it has been cleared with our client, you may check out our band live at another private function. Out of respect for our other clients' private parties, we do not invite prospective clients without their consent. However, the band plays public club dates and festivals on a regular basis so these shows are always an option.
Can you mail me some information?
We would be happy to send you our promotional DVD. You can call us at 773.852.3330 or email us your name, phone number, address, and event date.
Do you have any references?
Yes, check out our testimonials from previous wedding clients. Should you need to speak with some of our past clients, just email Jim, and he can provide a phone number or two.
When must I commit to booking the band?
To insure that the date is available, a verbal commitment is needed as soon as possible. At that point, we will forward you a contract for you to sign and return to us with a 25% deposit.
What is all of this going to cost us?
Our fee varies upon a few factors. The day of the week, the time of the year, the time frame we'll play, the location of the wedding, and the size of the sound system we'll need based on the room dimensions and crowd size are some of these factors. To give you a ballpark idea, very generally speaking, we charge between $3500 and $7500 for our performances.
When is payment due?
The deposit is due with the signed contract, and the remainder of the balance is due the night of your event.
What forms of payment do you accept?
We will accept a personal or corporate check, cash, money order or cashiers check.
Questions Pertaining to Your Wedding Day
What is needed from us on the day of the performance?
An area to play (stage or no stage is fine) and electrical power (3 separate circuits is ideal) is all we need from you. We provide everything else.
When do you set up your sound/lighting equipment?
The entire sound system is set up and sound checked prior to the room opening for your guests. We will be there approximately three hours before guests are to arrive for our set up and sound check.
What does the band wear?
We are most comfortable in dress pants and dress shirts. Should you require us to dress it up, we can certainly accommodate you.
Do we need to feed the band?
This is completely voluntary. It helps if we don't need to leave the venue between sound check and our start time, but it is not necessary. If you do feed the band, most caterers set us up with a meal in a back room somewhere. Others will put us at a "vendor" table in the main room where we eat with your photographer, video person, etc.
How do you manage volume levels?
We play to the sensitive needs of our clients. Our sound system will accommodate any size room. If, during the event, you feel the music is too loud or too soft, just let us know.
Who will make the announcements and introductions?
We are frequently asked to do the Bridal Party introductions and our sound system is available for speeches, toasts, blessings, and any special announcements. If you have someone who'd like to MC the event, they are more than welcome to do this though our system. Otherwise, we take care of that for you.
How long can we expect you to perform?
We typically book a three-hour block of reception music. However, we can accommodate you whatever your needs might be.
How many breaks do you take?
We only take one ten-minute "bathroom" break. We realize you're paying us to entertain your guests and not to send people home by taking 20-minute breaks every 40 minutes.
What about overtime should we decide that we want the party to continue?
No problem. We have an overtime rate as part of the contract.
Please feel free to email, or call Jim DiDomenico at 773.852.3330 should you have any further questions. We're honored that you would consider Underwater People. Thank you.
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phone: 773.852.3330 or Email