Feedback from the audience (Q & A):

Q: Should I hire a DJ or a band for my wedding?
A: A DJ is suitable for a younger crowd, but there is no performance on stage. A band is a better choice because you have a variety of singers and songs to listen or dance to. Also, there is a lot of movements on stage for you to enjoy.

Q: If I have to choose between a full-band and a one-man-band. What would be better?
A: If you prefer a band, you must find a family band who has been together for a long time, and make sure you have seen them perform or get a solid referral. There are many so-called "wedding bands" out there, but only a few are considered decent. A good full-band is usually booked as long as a year ahead of the event. So, in short notice, you would likely find a band that may ruin your evening completely. There are also a number of one-man-band available, and a lot of these guys are pretty good musicians, except for a few who plays chords with just 1 finger, and jams throughout the song while someone is singing. Some of these guys come equipped with a humongous system that may fool you. Again, it's best to hire someone you already know.

Q: What is a good price to pay for a band or one-man-band?
A: This is an area where you would need to do some research. It's not how much you pay but how good the band is. Sometimes, it is worthwhile to pay a little extra for better result. Remember, you get what you pay for.

Q: My group of friends love to sing, so we usually hold a Karaoke party at home, but everybody talks a lot when someone is singing, how do we fix this?
A: When Karaoke first got popular, and someone was singing, the rest paid attention to the video and followed the lyrics. Nowadays, people start loosing interest watching the same thing, so naturally they tend to talk a lot. You may want to install a few DJ lights, turn off all the lights during singing, then boost up the Volume to drown the talking.

Q: But since we're all amateurs, won't it get bored if everyone sings?
A: After about an hour of Karaoke, yes it will get bored, unless there is dancing involved. Nowadays, many people prefer hiring a one-man-band to play for guests to sing and dance, but the musician must be decent and know a lot of songs and play the right chords . It can still get bored if there is no planning, so it's a good idea to also hire at least one  professional singer to cover a lot of fast songs in between, because most of your friends would sing slow songs. You should have a couple of binders full of lyrics so people can select ahead of time. And there should be a program coordinator to announce who will be next, so there won't be any "dead time" in between songs. With a little bit of preparation, you can have one hell of a good time for several hours. Also, this is where everybody can sing, because it's in your cozy home and everyone knows everybody.

Q: Is it a good idea for me to sing at weddings or convention?
A: Absolutely not a good idea, unless it has been arranged ahead of time by the organizer. At big events, the organizer usually already hires a band and singers. So, it's best to let the pros do their job and just enjoy the evening like everyone else. It is too stressful going to a wedding or a party and expecting to be a star, and you may even become a pain in the neck to the singers of the band. Only if the organizer insists that you sing, then accept it with a condition that the band will properly announce you. Avoid (at all cost) to come up and bug the band to let you sing. Make sure to do a fun song instead of dragging on with a slow one.

Q: Any suggestions about people doing speech at wedding receptions?
A: Your best friends usually prepare a speech and toast for the bride and the groom, which is perfectly fine. But make sure it's no longer that 10 minutes. If he or she keeps going on and on, the audience with get bored and start to ignore the stage completely. Also make sure that your friends will not pull any surprise at the last minute like a "guessing game" which can stall the party for an hour. This is a very bad idea. Again, games are among you and your friends. The audience will not find it very amusing. Friends who come up and tell jokes should also keep it short and get to the point. Some people love to take this opportunity to talk about themselves, rather than the bride and the groom. And if your want some of your friends to sing, you want to limit to only a few and make sure that they can actually sing, one song each, only during dinner time. You should also arrange this with the band leader ahead of time.

Q: I have a friend who always brings some CDs with him and sometimes asks the band to play them for the audience to dance to. Is this appropriate?

A: This is very insulting to the band. It's like saying "You guys suck so play my CD instead". Tell your friend to throw his own party and invite people over to show off his music. When you go to someone else's party, especially if it's a wedding, you are in no position to tell the band to do anything. They get paid to entertain so let them do their job.

 Q: We found a  "Family Love Band" playing weddings advertising on the internet and some Vietnamese newspapers. Is this the same Family Love band from the U-Sing-Along laserdiscs?
A: There have been at least 4 to 5 Vietnamese bands  that have intentionally used the "Family Love" name to gain businesses, especially the one in the Los Angeles area that is still pretty active. They even claim that they "are" the band from "U-Sing-Along". Most people who never saw the real Family Love band perform live would fall for this scam, only to find out why they can't even play music right. A decent band with self-respect would have a unique name to build recognition and reputation, no matter how long it takes. Just remember that the real "Family Love Band" resides in San Jose, CA and never advertises for weddings.