Vendor Spotlight: Switchbeat Music
We first met Jay at a wedding we were both working together a couple of years back. He and his amazing band were our musical entertainment for the ceremony and reception, and I was the day-of coordinator for the spectacular couple. We got along great, which was really amazing since the venue itself wasn’t the most helpful to our couple, the timing, or the wedding itself. I cannot wait to be able to work with Jay and Switchbeat again! Enjoy our interview!
Lets start with the easy one: Who are you?
Jay LeRoux, musician.
What do you do (other than being awesome of course)?
I am the band leader of Switchbeat, a live band which specializes in weddings, corporate events, festivals, etc.
So, why weddings?
As I’m sure most vendors would say, a wedding is one of the most important and memorable moments in a couple’s lives. It’s a very special experience for us to be part of that. Most wedding clients are extremely kind, generous and appreciative, and guests are usually very receptive and it’s a pleasure to perform for them. As musicians who play all kinds of events and gigs, weddings are often the most rewarding. When dinner and speeches are finished, everyone is usually ready to party, and it’s our pleasure to be the party hosts.
What is your best part of the wedding day or planning process?
In our case, it’s an easy answer – the performance. As with any vendor, there’s countless administrative tasks leading up to the wedding day, as well as tasks on the day-of, like load-in, setup, and sound check. Obviously, many of those tasks can be tedious. None of us became musicians to carry heavy gear or answer a million emails. It’s all about the performance!
What question do you wish all couples would ask you?
Mainly, I just wish couples were more thorough with their attention to detail with regards to the band’s load-in, stage size / space requirements, and perhaps, most importantly, electrical power needs. Too often in my experience performing at weddings, there have been problems with electrical power. On a few occasions, electrical circuits were overloaded, which caused a breaker to trip. Also one time during an outdoor wedding, a generator was providing power and it sent a surge through the system, and damaged some of our equipment. We just ask wedding clients to be very specific with their venues regarding the band’s space and power needs. If the electrical power fails, the music stops, and nobody wants that on their special night!
What question do you wish couples would stop asking you?
I always want clients to feel they are welcome to ask questions. Most people have never booked a live band before, and I want them to feel comfortable with the process. However, if I had to choose one thing, it would be when the clients ask us to do things which are outside our typical role. For example, often wedding clients book a live band instead of a DJ. So, sometimes we are asked to perform tasks which the DJ might do, such as announcements and/or MC-ing. Usually I do my best to accommodate, and I do my part to make their wedding day run smoothly. Also, I’ve been blessed with a pleasant speaking voice, so I guess I’m usually able to do a pretty decent job. But, in all honest, the load-in, set up and sound check process is fairly tiring, so by the time dinner starts, I would usually prefer to just enjoy my meal and relax with some downtime rather than having to do announcements.
What’s the one wedding trend you currently love?
Obviously, we are thrilled about the trend of booking a live band! Live music has been on the decline for some time now, particularly at bars and nightclubs, so we are hopeful that this is a sign of a resurgence. A great live band can be incredibly memorable at a wedding! It’s like having your own private concert for the couple and their family and friends. Often, the main thing guests are talking about after a wedding is the band. It’s usually the highlight of the night!
What’s the one wedding trend you could do without?
I’m good with everything, as long as the couple is happy and the guests are enjoying themselves!
What’s the one piece of advice you give all your couples?
If you plan to book a live band, make sure you know what you’re getting. If the band has promo videos and/or live videos, be sure to view them. Whenever possible, try to go see the band perform live before booking. Also, it is important to ask “Is the band lineup that I saw at the performance and/or the promo videos going to be the same lineup at my wedding?” Some bands have multiple lineups and/or interchangeable members. You should be sure to be aware of that. If the lead singer is going to be different than the one you saw on the video, you would probably want to know.
We have work with Jay multiple times and, although biased, we love watching him and Switchbeat perform! You can contact Switchbeat here or us here if you have any questions about our fabulous vendors, our interesting stories, or how we are the insurance to make sure your wedding day is as amazing as you!