Introduction
San Diego is a world leader in music and entertainment with key global musicians hailing from the area. The city hosts numerous entertainment parlors ranging from big restaurants to tourist centers. The music played in the city varies from one event to the other with local bands specializing in entertaining the various groups of individuals based on the nature of the event. The entertainment industry in the city has grown tremendously over the past few decades owing to the high demand for music and the rapid evolution of the middle class (Moore 76).
This paper shall focus on the Bill Shreeve band popular in the city for providing entertainment for various events. The paper shall seek to establish the factors that have propelled the band into its status of being one of the award-winning bands in the city. In the achievement of the stated purpose, the author shall report on an interview conducted between him and Bill Shreeve Bio, the director of the band, on 1 December 2015. The interview lasted for about 1 hour in which the author asked pre-prepared questions to gain insight into the factors that have contributed to the rapid growth of the band.
Background information
The band was established in 1976 by Bill Shreeve Bio to entertain various events such as in the wedding ceremonies. Ever since its establishment, the band has specialized in providing live performance in special events. The band has grown tremendously, and its members have increased (Sustro par. 9). The rapid growth is attributed to the founder’s great experience in the music industry as he worked with various bands before establishing his own (“Bill Shreeve music production” par. 7). The band has the finest musicians drawn from a cross-section of R&B and hip-hop musicians from San Diego.
The band performs live in events such as wedding ceremonies, and it plays a wide variety of music ranging from traditional music to contemporary music. The band combines its produced music with music from other musicians in the city. The number of performers in an event varies from one event to the other depending on the client’s needs and the size of the event. In smaller events, a small group is enough to offer the entertainment required. However, for larger events, a bigger group is sent to satisfy the needs of every attendant.
The band’s operation
The band offers a wide range of entertainment in wedding ceremonies and other intimate parties. The band has a history of conducting live performances with saxophones/ flute and either a pianist or guitarist at the heart of the performances. The band provides customer-centered services to its clients, a factor that makes it attractive to most event organizers. The keyboardist plays key bass as well as piano, and with the use of a drum machine, the sounds of a bass player and drummer are added to make the duo sound like four musicians instead of two (“San Diego live bands” par. 3).
The Duo is far more colorful and entertaining than a solo pianist or guitar, but the cost is not inflated. The Bill Shreeve Duo performed live every weekend at the beautiful Coronado Bay Resort attracts local and alien viewers, and it has largely contributed to the success of the band. The live performances have enabled the band to acquire more customers from across the globe increasing its net income (“San Diego live bands” par. 6). The performers can vary the music tone to fit into the various events ranging from the very quiet music for dinner parties to higher energy swing.
Customer-centered services
The band provides high-quality entertainment to the viewers with each event being characterized by its styles. The music tone varies from one event to the other, and it is informed by the nature of the event. The band provides customer-centered services with the performers varying the tone to fit the various events. In wedding ceremonies, for example, the tone is slightly low to facilitate dancing by the couples and the spectators. In some other events such as in the clubs, the tone is high to maximize the entertainment for the visitors. The attire also varies depending on the event. The clients have the opportunity to customize their event whereby they are allowed to participate in choosing the attire the band should wear at the event. Some of the common types of attires the group is known to wear at the various events include:
- Tuxedos (formal)
- Coat & Tie
- Dark suit w/banded collar shirt
- All black (slacks & long sleeve shirts)
- California Theme (white or black pants with Hawaiian shirts)
The client is allowed to dictate the number of performers to preside over his/her event. The number varies from one event to the other depending on its size and the nature of the entertainment required. The group is composed of the best musicians specializing in Pop, R&B, Rock, and dance styles. The mixture of musicians from different types of music allows the group to provide maximum entertainment to the clients. The entire group is composed of excellent music readers, which allows for complex arrangements that sound like the original songs one knows and love (McPherson and McCormick 330). Group work is a common phenomenon with each group member performing any unattended role. The combination of dancing styles ensures that the stage looks lively and entertaining.
Professionalism
Time is an important factor for the band, and the performers always arrive at the event in time to prepare for the performance. At the stage, the actors conduct professionally, and they communicate any changes in the schedule to their viewers in time. The music is professional and varies from one event to the other, and the client has the option to choose which songs s/he needs to be played at the event.
The band has music systems that may provide entertainment for a group of 20 to 2000 customers. The musical instruments are selected based on the nature of the event with small events requiring only a few musical instruments. Additionally, available is a cost-free wireless microphone that allows the group to MC the event at no extra charges. In totality, the quality of services offered by the group coupled with the low fee charged ensures that the band attracts many customers. The band was listed among the best local bands in San Diego in 2014, illustrating the producers’ commitment to providing quality services to the clients (Turnbull, Barrington, and Lanckriet 81).
Professionalism Stage Lighting
Another feature that is availed by the band to the customers is the lighting system that provides sufficient lighting for the different events. The light varies depending on the activity, and it is the brightest during live performances. When the lights go dim, for example, during dinner or dancing, the band loses most or all of its visual appeal without proper stage lighting. The band’s Lighting System includes
- 2,400 watts lighting power.
- 16 different lighting scenes.
- 8 professional par cans with colored gels.
- Audio controlled or free run progressive chase.
- Fade or quick change to different scenes or blackout.
- The system requires only a single 20 amp circuit.
- Attractive professional appearance.
Conclusion
San Diego is one of the leaders in the music industry with some of the most reputable musicians hailing from the area. This paper is based on an interview conducted between the author and the director to gain insight into the factors that have propelled the band to its status. The report identifies the major strengths of the band as deduced from the interview. The band performs live at different events such as weddings and other intimate events. The musical instruments that the band possesses facilitate the presiding of small and big events.
The clothing of the performers varies greatly from one event to the other with the client being allowed to dictate the attire. The band arrives on stage in time and performs the best music that fits the specific event. The tone varies with the activity with low music characterizing dinnertime or similar activities. The group presides over the ceremony at no extra charges upon request. The listed factors are among the band’s strengths, which ensure its continued success against the backdrop of the stiff competition in the music industry.
Works Cited
Bill Shreeve music production 2011. Web.
McPherson, Gary, and John McCormick. “Self-efficacy and music performance.” Psychology of Music 34.3 (2006): 322-336. Print.
Moore, Ryan. Sells like teen spirit: Music, youth culture, and social crisis, New York: NYU Press, 2009. Print.
San Diego live bands 2007. Web.
Sustro, Dirk. “2 Who Went Back to Basics Are Getting Back Together.” Los Angeles Times 1989. Web.
Turnbull, Douglas, Luke Barrington, and Gert Lanckriet. “Five Approaches to Collecting Tags for Music.” ISMIR 8.4 (2008): 78-82. Print.
Appendices
Live performances in small events
