Live Band Glossary: Terms You Will See in a Quote or Contract
Band quotes and venue emails come with their own vocabulary. Here is what the common terms mean, in plain English, so you can ask the right questions.
Booking and Contract Terms
- Hold
- A tentative reservation of a date before a contract is signed. It usually expires if the deposit is not paid.
- Deposit
- The payment that secures your date, typically 50% of the total fee at Avalon Music.
- Balance
- The remainder of the fee, usually due 2 to 4 weeks before the event.
- Overtime
- Playing past the contracted end time, billed at a pre-agreed hourly rate.
- Rider
- A section or attachment listing what the performers need from the client or venue: power, space, meals, parking or a green room.
- COI (certificate of insurance)
- Proof of liability insurance that many venues require from vendors. Avalon Music can provide one.
- Force majeure
- A clause covering events outside anyone's control, such as severe weather, and what happens to the booking if one occurs.
Performance Terms
- Set
- A block of continuous performance. An evening is usually several sets with short breaks.
- Break
- The pause between sets. Ask for recorded music or a DJ so the room stays lively.
- Set list
- The songs the band plans to play, adjusted on the night to read the room.
- Song list
- Everything a band can play. Each Avalon act's song list is on its page.
- Must-play list
- Songs you want played, sent 4 to 6 weeks before the event.
- Do-not-play list
- Songs you never want to hear. Avalon Music accepts these with every wedding booking.
- Special moments
- The songs tied to a moment: entrances, first dance, parent dances, cake cutting, last dance.
- Cocktail set
- Lighter, lower-volume music during cocktail hour, sometimes by a smaller ensemble.
- MC
- Master of ceremonies. The person who makes announcements and keeps the timeline moving.
- Band-and-DJ combo
- A live band for the big moments with a DJ for breaks and late-night requests.
Technical and Venue Terms
- Load-in
- Bringing equipment into the venue and to the performance area. Most bands arrive 1.5 to 2 hours before they play.
- Load-out (teardown)
- Packing up and removing the equipment after the performance.
- Sound check
- A short, quiet test of instruments and microphones before guests arrive.
- PA (public address system)
- The speakers, mixer and amplifiers. Avalon bands bring their own professional PA.
- Monitors
- Speakers facing the musicians so they can hear themselves.
- Backline
- The amplifiers, drum kit and keyboards on stage, as distinct from the PA.
- Stage plot
- A diagram of where each musician and piece of equipment goes.
- Dedicated circuit
- An electrical circuit used only by the band. Bands need 2 to 3 dedicated 20-amp circuits.
- Green room
- A private space where performers rest and change. Nice to have, not always required.
- Sound limit (dB limit)
- A maximum volume some venues and neighborhoods enforce, measured in decibels.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need to provide a stage?
No. A formal stage is not required. A flat, level area of the right size works: about 8×8 feet for a duo or trio, 12×16 feet for a 4 to 6 piece band, and 16×24 feet or more for 8 to 12 musicians.
Does the band bring its own sound system?
Yes. Avalon bands are fully self-contained with professional PA systems, monitors, microphones and standard lighting. For larger venues, supplemental sound may be recommended.