FAQ The Vintage Corporation.
Can I see you play live before I book the band ?
Yes you can see us play at one of our public events.
If you cannot make it to one of those events, you are very welcome to come and see us at one of our rehearsals in order to have a good idea of how the band sounds. Please contact by e-mail or telephone to discuss further.
Most of our bookings are for private parties or corporate events and most private individuals do not like uninvited quests turning up to listen to the band therefore listening to us at a private party will not be possible.
Can I book you provisionally ?
Yes you can. We are happy to pencil you in our events-diary but we will need confirmation from you within 2 weeks of provisional booking. If we do get another enquiry for the same date, we will contact you.
How much deposit do you require ?
When we have received a deposit of 50% of the booking fee and we have received a signed contract with full details of the event, your booking is secured.
Balance of the booking fee is payable no later than 1 month before the event-date.
How far in advance do I need to make a booking ?
You need to book as early as possible. Popular dates are often booked 6 to 12 months in advance. As we perform for private parties and corporate events as well as organising our own payable gigs, our diary gets pretty full pretty quickly. We can occasionally be available at short notice. Please contact us with the date you have in mind to check availability or send us an e-mail via our Book us & Fees page.
How much do your charge ?
Our rates are very competitive and have to support a 8-piece organisation. Fees are negotiable and depend on the type of event. In some cases mileage expenses apply. Please contact our office for a quotation.
Our fee includes :
– all fees for all band members
– use of state of the art PA system and lighting
– sound engineer
– 2 x approximately 1 hour sets live music
– Interval music
Are there any “hidden charges “ ?
No there certainly are not. The booking fee is the price that you pay all included unless you have agreed to pay mileage expenses for events further away. Whatever the total price on your contract is the price to pay, no unexpected charges.
How do I make a booking ?
You can make a booking over the phone or by e-mail. You can download the booking form on our Book Us Page.
What happens if we cancel?
We obviously hope that you will not cancel an event but in case this will happen the following cancellation fees apply :
Date of cancellation Cancellation Charge
3 months before the event date 20% of deposit
1 to 2 months before the event date 50% of total booking fee
2 weeks to 1 month before the event date 70% of total booking fee
Less than 2 weeks before the event date 100% of total booking fee
If a 50% deposit was paid, the deposit will be paid back to you after deduction of the cancellation fee.
Are you insured ?
Yes, we have a full Public Liability Insurance and all our equipment is PAT (Portable Appliance Test) tested. Copy of certificates can be provided upon request. Most hotels and venues now demand proof of the certificates so you can be assured that we will always keep the certificates up to date.
What geographical are do you cover ?
We are based in Kent and cover the following area’s including in our standard booking fee : Kent, However we’re happy to travel further away but we would have to charge you extra mileage and/or hotel accommodation fees.
Do you provide music when you are not performing ?
Yes we do. Approximately 30 minutes before the quests are due to arrive as well as between and after our live sets, we play carefully selected Sixties and Seventies recorded music. We can also play music that you provide and the formats that we can play are CD, MP3, and iPod.
How long do you play for ?
Our standard performance is made up of 2 live sets, each one lasting for approximately 1 hour.
The timing of the performance depends on the venue. We can perform between 7PM and 11.30PM.
Do you use backing tapes or mini discs ?
No we don’t. All vocals and instruments are completely LIVE.
How do I know that you won’t let me down by not turning up ?
The band is run by professional management, all enquiries will be dealt with promptly and efficiently. Our booking manager has been in business for over 30 years and knows how annoying it is when people let you down. She will certainly not do it to you. In the very unlikely event of one of our band members not being able to play due to circumstances beyond his/her control, we will try and get a stand-in.
How long in advance do you need the venue for setting up your gear ?
As we have a lot of equipment to set up and we need to carry out all the necessary sound-testing, we need to start setting up approximately 4 hours before the start of the event. This is assuming that access to the stage area is easy. We will always make sure that we are completely set up before any guests arrive.
In case all our equipment needs to be carried up stairs or carried a long way, we will need to start setting up even earlier. Please let us know in advance if this is the case.
How long do you charge to play an extra hour after the agreed timing ?
We charge £250.00 per hour for each hour you would like us to perform outside the hours as stipulated in the signed contract.
Can we use your microphones and sound system for any announcement we want to make ?
Yes, you certainly can. However our sound-checking and set up has to be completed before this will be possible.
Do we need to provide anything for the band ?
No you don’t, we are a self contained band and have our own PA system. All we need is a space somewhere in the venue where our sound-engineer can set up his mixing desk.
What size stage do you need ?
8 musicians, all with their own speakers, fold backs, equipment, etc…. we will need a reasonably large stage. Ideally the stage area should be 12 metre x 8 metre but we can squash all the gear on a smaller stage. Absolute minimum stage size is 8 metre x 4 metre.
Do you need a changing room ?
As we do change clothes during our performances, we will definitely need an area preferably close to the stage to get changed. It can be a stock room or a kitchen or another room available but please note that toilets are not suitable changing facilities. The room needs to be lockable and we do need a key for the room as all our changing clothes and the band members’ personal belongings will be left in that room whilst performing.
Do you perform in venues without a stage ?
Yes we do but for atmosphere-reasons, we do prefer to play in venues with a stage.
Do you need us to provide food and drink for the band members ?
You don’t have to but it would be nice. We are not at all demanding, if you do decide to feed us, a few sandwiches and some soft drinks will be fine. Coffee and tea would be a bonus.
Do you perform in venues with a noise limiter fitted ?
I am afraid not because the music level of the band can rise above the limit and our music might get cut off frequently. This would not be very pleasant for the guests. On top of that it could damage some of our equipment.
Can you perform at an outdoor event or a marquee ?
Yes we do but only if the area where we play is very well covered (top and sides) and protected from heavy wind and rain. We would not want all our professional equipment to get wet. So if the performing area is not covered we will not be able to perform outdoors.
Please note that adequate mains power should be available close to the performing area.
Technical requirements for performing in a marquee:
– A secure mains supply must be available close to the performing area with minimum 5 x 13 amp sockets available. We are not able to use generators at any time.
– A large performance area must be provided suitable for a 8-piece band with all the equipment.
– The performance area must be easily accessible to unload and load our equipment.
– A secure changing room area must be provided.
It is very important that the marquee or the outside performance area is safe and dry at all times to perform in. We reserve the right to stop performing at any time should we feel that the area is unsafe for the band members or the equipment (for instance leaks or low temperatures in the marquee)
Please feel free to contact us for any other questions that you might have that we have not covered in our questions above.
You can contact us:
– by telephone 01233 733 608. Ask for Chris or Peter.
– by e-mail: chrisbigault@gmail.com
Fill in the form on our Contact Page