Frank Bonanno and Center Stage are an absolute pleasure to work with, have a killer sound that will…read moreget people dancing, and are just FUN. Frank is a consummate professional; from my first contact with him he was straightforward, flexible, and always reliable. He is also incredibly accommodating and easy to work with. He made me a great deal when I booked with him for my wedding ceremony in addition to the reception, and he and his band learned several new songs for my event (every one that I asked about). The experienced and talented musicians of Center Stage also know how to get the party started. One of my great fears for our wedding (a common one, I know) is that the dance floor would be empty and awkward. We've all seen it happen. My fears were entirely unfounded, as the dance floor was busy the ENTIRE night. The music was a fun mix that appealed to a wide audience, and the band did a fantastic job of reading the crowd. My new husband and I could not be happier that we booked with Frank and Center Stage, and the next time I need a band, he will definitely be my first call.

We just had Center Stage play our wedding 2 weeks ago... they were AMAZING!!! We listened to a lot…read moreof bands online before finding Center Stage and they had a sound that just popped. Not only are they extremely talented musicians, but they are extremely professional and easy going. Frank, the band leader, was just outstanding to work with. Our venue was a little tricky because they had to move locations a couple of times during the course of the event, but they did so seamlessly. They played a good mix of classic Motown, rock and pop songs and had everyone dancing all night. Essentially they were a huge treat for everyone. They were able to accommodate songs we wanted for our first dance and processional song and played a mean Hava Nagila (great job!!). Some of our guests were also musicians and they were more then happy to let them play with them- such a special gesture. All in all we were extremely satisfied with Center Stage. We had a blast with them and they really rocked out!!!

I saw Soul City a few times around town, including at Ryles in Cambridge, and was impressed:…read morepowerful and varied vocals and a great groove. Still, other bands can sometimes serve that up, too. What I think especially set them apart was their amazing horn section. We ended up hiring them to perform at our wedding a few years ago, and Pat (who books them and also plays a mean bass in the band) was very easy to work with. The band was professional and courteous, and totally brought the house down. So glad we chose to work with them.

Soul City Band played for a fundraising event for 350 people in Arlington on March 10th and I…read morecannot say enough good things about them. They played a great range of songs that kept the crowd of all ages entertained. There were still so many people on the dance floor at the end of the night and the energy and excitement from the band was contagious. We heard so many rave reviews the night of the event and have had people email us the last few days asking if we've asked them to come back next year! From an event planning point of view, I'm extremely grateful at how easy Soul City was to work with. Natalie returned emails the same day, was available to talk by phone if I had a problem, and did everything possible to make the event run super smoothly. I truly couldn't ask for a better experience. These musicians are the real deal. We recommend them without hesitation!

I hired Deborah and her colleague to play at my wedding at Boston University Marsh Chapel. They…read morewere such a great company to work with. They were easy to work with and extremely accommodating with my wedding music requests. The music was truly lovely in the chapel. I would recommend them any day as they are extremely talented musicians.

We used Occasional Brass and Strings for our ceremony music and our cocktail hour at our wedding…read moreand were blown away by the musicianship they provided. They came as a recommendation from a good friend and did not disappoint. They provided the audio system for our ceremony, too! We had a flute and keyboard for our ceremony and were able to pick great songs from their selections as we and our bridal parties walked down the aisle. For the cocktail hour we had a jazz combo that was just delightful. Bryan was a joy to work with and I would highly recommend choosing them for your wedding needs! Planning was a breeze and they had every detail lined up when the day of the wedding came! Super recommend!

We worked with Occasional Brass & Strings for our June 1st wedding. They did an incredible job and…read morewe can't count the number of compliments we received from our guests. Our guests were really excited and surprised by all the contemporary selections, which we really loved as well. What a great touch to the perfect day - we feel really fortunate that we chose Occasional Brass and Strings. From the very first email, they were extremely helpful, flexible, and incredible to work with. On the day of the wedding, we were busy with photographs when the trio arrived. By the time we got to the cocktail reception, they were already in the perfect spot and playing for our guests. We really appreciated not only their talent, but the professionalism to take charge without us having to be there. That was such a luxury at the time. We hope they enjoyed the event and that sensed our satisfaction, even though we didn't have the chance to really meet with them before or after the ceremony. We highly recommend Occasional Brass & Strings. Several guests commented it was an element of the wedding that they most appreciated!

I was thrilled to find that this store doesn't just have hand drums, but is also well-stocked with…read more hardware and parts for rock drum kits. And if they don't stock something you need, they'll order it for you or point you in the right direction. Alan, the owner, is extremely knowledgeable and helpful if I have questions or need advice. When I came in last year wanting to restore my vintage kit, I had no idea where to start, and Alan helped me through the entire process, from cleaning, de-rusting, to finding missing parts. Whenever I have a problem with my kit or something breaks, I always go to Alan first (it's a good idea to call the store to see when he's working!) Often he'll find a way to fix it without having to purchase new parts. Definitely recommend this gem over bigger places like Guitar Center.

Dropped by on Friday hours before a gig for a new snare head, sticks and a cymbal stand. Got a…read morewhopping package deal and Alan let me test everything out in the shop to be sure I liked it. Great service and great deals.

If you're looking for a band for any occasion, LOOK NO FURTHER. To me, after the vows are said, the…read moremusic is the most important element of a wedding. So when it came to picking out a band for my own wedding, it was top priority. Hip Pocket Orchestra delivered more than we could have imagined. They brought high energy and kept our guests on the dance floor all night. It truly felt like HPO was part of our family. They were very fun, personable, and easy to work with. We spoke with the lead singer a few times leading up to the wedding and they took every request of ours. All our guests raved about the band and still do. The best compliment we received was from a guest who is a professional musician. He said HPO is by far the best wedding band he's heard. They can sing many different genres and were on top of their game for every song.

DJ Bob Greel with Music Management blew our expectations out of the water! Bob is incredibly kind,…read moreapproachable, and very easy to work with. We met via Zoom a few times and we found ourselves just chatting about all sorts of things. Additionally, he asked us to share some of our playlists with him and he certainly worked some of our personal music tastes into our big day! DJ Bob also collaborated exceptionally well with our photographer and with our caterer. I can't say enough amazing things about DJ Bob Greel! Don't look any further...just hire him!

I can't recommend Big City Wedding Band more highly…read more From the outset, Ken was a pleasure to work with. He was communicative, responsive to all of our requests, and showed an attention to detail that put my wife and I at ease. On the day of the wedding, the band arrived right on time, coordinated seamlessly with the venue, and handled all the logistics so we didn't have to worry about a thing. Most importantly, the band absolutely crushed the performance! The energy they brought to the room was infectious - the dance floor was packed all night and nobody wanted the party to end. Guests were raving about the band during the reception and continued sending us compliments for days afterward. We feel so lucky that we ended up with Big City as our wedding band and are very grateful to them for creating such a fun evening for everyone. Of the thousand little decisions you have to make planning a wedding, this one is a no brainer - go with Big City!

Big City Band was truly phenomenal! We first discovered them when they played for my…read moresister-in-law's wedding and they were the first group we called to book when when my husband and I got engaged. Not only are they all incredibly talented, they kept the energy so high and read our crowd perfectly - the dance floor was packed the entire night! We couldn't have asked for a better group. Ken was also an awesome manager - he's super kind and communicative and helped us think through our reception schedule, from our announcement to our first dances to our last dance. I only wish the night was longer!

I arrived at my grandson's last t-ball game only to hear someone playing the guitar and singing,…read moreand all the kids surrounded him laughing and dancing having a great time! Wayne Potash engaged the kids in fun games and songs and had them bouncing all of the place. Wayne is talented, funny, and the kids and parents loved him!

We hired Wayne for our daughter's birthday party. Both of our children love singing and playing…read morepiano with me so we wanted a musical experience for them. Wayne did a great job engaging with the kids (ages 1 through 7); he was able to read their energy level and meet them where they needed him to be. He has some great silly songs that get the kids moving. He brought a variety of instruments and I even learned a few things from his educational tidbits. Both of our children had a blast dancing and singing and our son said he wants to be a musician after the party. We highly recommend Wayne and his songs are up on the streaming sites we use, so we listened to him in the car leading up to the party--and the the full experience in person is even better.

I am a 64 year old American woman and I have been taking guitar lessons with Jose for six years…read morenow. We started doing the lessons by zoom during COVID and we have stuck with zoom ever since by choice - less hassle and I can record the lesson material to practice from. I am awed that my hands can make such beautiful music now! I tried to be consistent - once a week with few cancellations. I originally just wanted to learn embellished folk music but at his gentle prodding I learned to read music and play some classical. Now it's mainly jazz and some Latin and world music. It has been like a miracle for me. He has made me so happy. As you can imagine I think everyone should study with Jose!!! Do yourself a favor and sign up. I hope I'll still be studying with him into my 80s. ;-)

We were so lucky to have booked Jose for The Silver City Soiree fundraising event in March 2024 in…read moreTaunton, MA. Jose was personable and professional and was seamless in both his start of play to the end. Jose's music performance was exactly what we were looking for to start off our event before the DJ/more fast paced atmosphere started. Thank you Jose for delivering such quality in performance for our first fundraiser! We hope to secure you again in the future! Best, Carolyn Kipp centeronmain.org