Hiring Vinyl for our wedding was a decision we were incredibly excited about. After watching their…read morevibrant promotional videos and receiving a glowing recommendation from a trusted colleague, we felt confident that this world class band would deliver an unforgettable performance.
Sadly, what we experienced was a complete letdown that cast a shadow over our special day.
From the beginning, we worked closely with the band to create a setlist that would reflect the tastes of our 600 guests. Vinyl provided us with a list of over 200 songs, and my wife, my parents, and I spent hours curating a precise selection that we felt would keep the energy high and create the perfect atmosphere. This was a priority for us because music sets the tone for the entire evening. The least we expected was that the songs we painstakingly selected would be the ones played. Unfortunately, once the celebration got underway, it became clear that none of our chosen songs were being performed.
As the groom, I was understandably overwhelmed with hosting so many guests, but I couldn't ignore the fact that the music was completely off. Every time the band started a new song, I found myself looking around, confused, thinking, "What is this song? This wasn't on the setlist!" It wasn't just a matter of personal taste--these were songs that didn't resonate with the crowd and did nothing to match the vibe we envisioned for the evening. My friends, who eagerly attack the dance floor at every wedding with thriving enthusiasm, were visibly less lively which I attribute directly to the choice of the songs - that were all very 50s/60s esque. My father, who was also acutely aware of the issue, spent much of the night trying to address this with the band and their manager, but nothing changed. It felt like no one in the band had the presence of mind to notice that the energy on the dance floor was lacking due to their song choices. It was incredibly frustrating and stressful to have this concern nagging at me throughout what should have been the happiest night of my life. I was literally counting the seconds until they got off and we had our DJ start his set.
To make matters worse, the band's post-wedding response was equally frustrating. When we reached out to them to discuss the issue, instead of taking responsibility, they shifted the blame to our (world class) venue, (high profile) Party Planner and (venue trusted) AV Vendor. The band's manager claimed that they were playing from the approved setlist, which simply was not true. In fact, I'd estimate that only about 20% of the songs they played were from our curated list. For a 90-minute set, this meant that the majority of what was performed had absolutely nothing to do with what we had requested. Considering the time and care we had put into this, it was beyond disappointing.
The band also blamed their poor performance on not having a proper mic check, which they said was the responsibility of the venue and AV team. I can say with confidence that this was a baseless excuse. We worked with a world-class event team that regularly handles high-profile weddings and events. They are absolute professionals, and it was clear that the problems we experienced were entirely due to the band's lack of preparation and inability to read the room.
The bottom line is that Vinyl and Tropics Entertainment failed to meet even the most basic expectations we had for our wedding music. We paid a premium for a band we believed would deliver a first-rate experience, and instead, we got a performance that felt disconnected and indifferent. What could have been a night full of joy and celebration was tainted by the ongoing frustration of hearing song after song that had no place at our event.
I sincerely hope that anyone considering hiring Vinyl for their event thinks twice and makes sure they clearly define the expectations and what is required from each party. For us, it wasn't just about the money--it was about entrusting a major part of our wedding to a company that ultimately let us down.
