How do you decide what to charge for an event?

Our pricing is dependent on a number of factors, most notably the distance away from Springfield, Illinois, the size of the event/venue, and whether or not we need to provide full production (sound, lighting, and video).  With that information, we can give an easy all-inclusive package cost that includes production, emcee service, limited DJ service, and more.  We do our best to keep our costs affordable while providing a level of professionalism alongside a spectacular stage show that is uncommon in event-focused bands.

Can we hear you play?

Yes!  While we do not invite guests to private events, Fun DMC performs regularly at Central Illinois-area venues, so there are plenty of opportunities to hear us play.  Additionally, if you are considering booking us for your event, please contact us us in advance so we can take some time out between sets to get to know you and buy you a drink.

Won’t a full band be too loud?

We hear this a lot, but rest assured – overall volume is very important to us. Our band travels with an experienced sound engineer that will ensure that the sound is mixed at an appropriate volume for the reception. We use digital drums and amplifiers as well as in-ear monitors to eliminate the need for extra speakers on stage and to make sure that what you hear is the full representation of our sound.  Additionally, we have tested our volume with a decibel reader and have found ourselves equal to the volume of a DJ.  If you have any concerns about this, please contact us.

What will the band wear?

We also hear this question quite a bit, given that we have a variety of special event outfits that show up in pictures.  If you end up coming to see us at a public venue, you might see us in our casual attire of sneakers, jeans, and superhero shirts, but for private events, the men wear black dress pants, vests, and ties with a colored dress shirt, while the women will be dressed in a complimentary colored dress.  We would be happy to wear special colors or outfits to coordinated to the theme of the event upon request.

Where are you based out of and how far will you travel?

We are based out of Springfield, Illinois, but are able to travel anywhere in the country.  We have performed multiple times in the Chicagoland area as well as St. Louis, Champaign, Peoria, Decatur, Bloomington, Nashville, Indiana, Wisconsin, Missouri, and everywhere in-between.  Please don’t hesitate to reach out to us based on the location!

Will you provide music for ceremony, cocktails, and dinner?

Yes! Provided that these events are in the same room as the rest of the reception, we provide complimentary music from our sound system for throughout the entire evening’s activities.   If these events are in a different location or you are interested in live performers, we can provide this at an additional fee.

How does booking work?

In order to lock in Fun DMC for your event, you will need to provide a signed contract and a $300 deposit.  The balance is required within 30 days of the event date.  Around that time, we will contact you to begin detailing out all of the details of the day.

Do you have a waiting list?  How far in advance do I need to book?

Due to the high demand of certain times of the year and in the interest of fairness to all parties, we operate on a first-come/first-serve basis when it comes to locking in dates.  This means that the first contract and deposit we have in-hand will have the booking.  However, we occasionally do have an event get moved or fall through and will make sure to immediately contact other previously interested parties to offer them the date.  Just know that we usually have bookings scheduled for over a year out and showcase at a number of bridal shows, which gets our weekend calendar filled up pretty quickly.

What is Fun DMC’s cancellation policy?

Notice of cancellation must be in writing and must be received by Fun DMC at least 30 days prior to the event. If the cancellation is within 30 days of the event or the purchaser fails to inform Fun DMC of the cancellation or rescheduling of the event, Fun DMC shall retain the deposit paid by the Purchaser. In the event the Purchaser changes the location, date, or time of the event after the execution of this contract, Fun DMC reserves the right to adjust the contract price to reflect such changes.

Does the couple or venue need to provide anything?

Other than nearby parking for our trailer for load-in, an accessible performance area, and adequate power, the only thing we ask for is a meal for fix people (one gluten-free, if available) and an area to change and prepare.  All of this will be discussed prior to the event.

Do you have bad or suggestive language?

We pride ourselves on being a very family-friendly group, not just in our music, but also in the members of our group.  We tailor our set and show to be accessible to children and adults alike without compromising the integrity of the material we’re performing.  That’s not to say we do “kidz bop” versions of songs by any means, but we could comfortably advertise our set as rated PG.

Can we request Songs?

Fun DMC has a diverse setlist to meet the needs of any event.  Feel free to ask us for our current song list, but please do so with the understanding that it’s not the list of songs that we would necessarily play at your event.  Don’t worry, we keep it clean for the kids and for grandma and will even alter suggestive lyrics. Prior to your event, we will reach out to ask if you have any special requests you would like to have played between sets.  We are also willing to honor any reasonable request to learn a couple songs that we can play live, so long as your request is made 3 months in advance.

How much time do you need to set up?

We request that the performing area be clear and available for loading in two hours prior to the beginning of the event.  This gives us adequate time to load in, sound check, and prepare for the evening’s activities.

Do you play benefit events?

We are all involved with a number of local non-for-profit organizations in providing entertainment and organization for multiple events in our area.  Our most notable event is Christmas at the Curve: a benefit for the Marine Toys for Tots Foundation.  We have also provided entertainment for The Legacy of Giving Festival, Susan G Komen Foundation,Friends of Sangamon County Animal Control, Springfield Public Schools, and more.  While we wish we could play every event we get asked to do, we unfortunately can only take on a certain number a year in our very busy schedule.  That said, please don’t hesitate to ask us to get involved with yours!  At the very least, we’d love to help get the word out!

I see you’re sponsored by Coors Light.  Will you be promoting a company at my event?

Our sponsorship with the great people at Coors Light was established under the agreement that the promotion of their product(s) does not include private events and weddings.  If you see us at a public event, you may see us exclusively drinking their products and showing promotional clips on our screens, but rest-assured this is not the case when playing at an event you contract us for.  That said, if Coors Light is involved in your event in any way, please let us know ahead of time so we can let our sponsor know and help promote your event in conjunction with them!

Do you accept tips?

Tips are never necessary but always appreciated!  Just as good as a financial tip to us is your recommendation to your friends and family or a post-event review on Google, WeddingWire, or TheKnot.

What if my venue has lights and sound?

If you have seen us run our own production, you know that its a very visually stimulating experience.  We have spent years building and programming a full show synced perfectly to our songs and a sound system.  Additionally, as we use digital drums and guitar rigs, it requires a thorough knowledge of the setup and execution.  This is why we travel with an exclusive sound operator who is as familiar with our arrangements as any of the musicians and helped build our production set up.  If we utilize a venue’s sound and lights, we will not be able to provide the same experience that you may have seen at another event.  For this reason, we typically build in the cost of our basic production system into our pricing and opt to work around another venue’s system so that you are getting a show that exceeds your expectations.

Can our venue provide a sound operator?

There are very, very few exceptions where we will have someone other than our provided sound operator control our show.  We consider him to be the “director” of the show, and is just as essential as each of the musicians.  Our show involves multiple music and lighting cues as well as constant interaction between four vocalists that requires someone incredibly familiar with our particular arrangements and computer-integrated show.

Do you do Bar/Bat Mitzvahs?

Absolutely!  One of our favorite events that we’ve been a part of was a Bar Mitzvah.  We can keep Hava Nagila going for as long as it takes.

Why don’t you guys play whole songs?

One of our favorite questions!  One of the most rewarding moments we get on stage is seeing the look on someone’s face when they think we’re about to slam into an AC/DC verse, only to take a hard right into Usher or Michael Jackson.  We seldom perform whole songs, and usually find ourselves moving to a different song before we even get to a bridge. It keeps the audience on their toes and constantly surprises people who have never seen us before.  In a nutshell, you can see any number of bands doing the songs in our set at any given bar on any given weekend.  But you won’t see them do them like we do!

You won a hip hop award? Are you a rap group?

While we likely incorporate more hip hop material than any cover band in downstate Illinois, most would not call us a hip hop or rap band first.  Most groups can be categorized by their style or decade (“80s band, metal band, pop band, etc”), but since we do every genre from every decade, and put them into a variety of unique arrangements, limiting our genre to “hip hop” can be a bit misleading if you’ve never seen or heard us.  That said, we were very grateful to have been voted the #1 Hip Hop Band by the readers of the Illinois Times, especially being in such talented company.

Where did the band name come from?

We get asked this question a surprising amount of times.  It’s clearly a respectful homage to influential hip hop pioneers Run DMC, but the name originated when the band was formed to initially do a one-off private event in Chicago.  Without an official name, we left it up to a friend of the band to suggest and without hesitation, he gave us “Fun DMC.”  It stuck and here we are.

What equipment does the band use?

This is an always-changing list, but Robert uses a variety of guitars, Line 6 Guitar Rig, and a Shure wireless unit.  Talon plays Roland electric drums.  Katey picks up an acoustic guitar occasionally.  Katey and Jason rotate on the bass.  Robert and Katey take turns on a Yamaha keyboard.  The entire band uses Shure microphones and in-ear monitor units.

The Fun DMC show wouldn’t be complete though without our professional grade lighting system controlled by Enttec DMXIS, QSC speakers, a Behringer X32, Ableton Live,  and Looptimus.