Winner of our Life of the Party Photo Contest: The Sensations Dance Band

Photos tell stories. And, this one is no different. Robert Moser, the band leader of The Sensations Dance Band (Lexington, KY) tells us the story behind their winning photo and shares his secrets on creating a memorable, Sensational wedding.

This is such a great photo – it really captures the essence of the role that entertainment plays at a wedding.  Tell us more about what is going on in this photo.

RM: We really go all out to establish a close relationship with the guests and create a relaxed atmosphere for even the most reserved people.  We invite guests on stage and we go into the audience.  In this photo the bride wanted to do a swing dance with her new husband and to reproduce the big band era sound, the horn section along with our lead singer & soundman (who also play horns) went out and surrounded the bride and groom putting them right in the middle of the band!

The Sensations Dance Band seems to embrace the fact that they are the life of the party.  What do you do to bring so much energy to your performances?

RM: I believe when someone hires a band they are paying for 100% from every member.  Instead of having front male & female vocalists with a backup band, everyone on our stage does choreography, claps their hands, plays percussion instruments and has fun with each other and with the guests.  This is infectious!!  We throw out inflatable guitars and bring the guests on stage competing on air guitar and stepping with us.  We give away mini tambourines, YMCA hats, Blues Brothers hats & glasses, hula hoops and much more.  We go from tune to tune and even beat-match songs keeping the dance floor full.  We take only 2 short breaks in a 4 hour show and our soundman functions as a DJ maintaining the energy level so it continues to grow until the last song of the night.

You told me music is your life.  Please share with us the important role that music has played in your life, from when you were a boy:

RM: My mom is a concert pianist (still performing recitals at 90) and when I was a toddler she taught piano in our home on a grand piano.  In order to keep an eye on me while she was teaching, my play area was under the piano.  So from before I could walk, I was tuning my ear on Chopin & Bach!  At age 5, I began playing violin and as a 2^nd grader was playing in the college orchestra.  When I was 6 my father was theatre manager in an outdoor drama and I began learning about choreography, staging, costuming and makeup.  I switched to trumpet in the 6^th grade and a year later was featured in the high school band.  In high school I took college music courses and played in the college band.  During college summers I was 1^st trumpet at Kings Island & Opryland music shows for which they auditioned at colleges in 30 states.  Those shows were rehearsed by some of the top musical directors and choreographers in the country and I took real good notes.  I attended UK for my masters in performance and after that toured the world as 1^st trumpet with the Glenn Miller Orchestra, Wayne Newton, Bob Hope and Ray Charles.  After touring I established THE SENSATIONS and within a year we were getting numerous calls for gigs, couldn’t play them all & I was repeatedly asked if I could recommend another band.  Therefore, I started my agency, Mid-East Entertainment, which I still maintain as my day gig when I’m not performing.  As an agent, I’ve traveled thousands of miles auditioning bands to represent and every time I see a band do a song, some steps, clever banter, etc. that gets great response from the audience, I add it to our show.

You are extremely thorough when it comes to working with your clients.  How do you make sure that every show exceeds your client’s expectations?

RM: I find out every one of their expectations and then provide more than they expect by bringing more than adequate sound & lighting (spare everything), more song selections & styles than could ever be played, show up early to allow time to troubleshoot if necessary, pad every hour of travel with 30 minutes of highway emergency time, dress to the max with clothes to spare, fewer breaks, play past the contracted time and make sure I exceed the expectations of not only the client, but the venue, planner, photographer, parents and all the guests as well.  I wouldn’t dare announce a wedding party without going over pronunciation of every name and assisting them in the lineup.

What is the key to a successful show?

RM: As a boy scout I learned, “Be Prepared”.  Having done thousands of performances, there’s not much I haven’t experienced.  In order to stay at least 3 steps ahead of Murphy’s law “If it can go wrong, it will”, I cross every T & dot every I.  I provide a Questionnaire that covers the number of guests, their ages, their musical style preferences and venue details such as steps involved to reach the stage which would require extra crew to be set up ahead of schedule.  I also confirm adequate electricity including contacting the electrician or maintenance staff.  The Questionnaire includes contact info for everyone involved and everything else my experience has taught me to cover.  I also provide an Event Planner form that covers the time line in more detail than most clients would ever think of which helps them as much as me.

Let’s talk logistics.  How does the budget, the guest list and the venue factor into the show you produce?

RM: The budget determines the size of the band, sound & lighting.  No matter the budget, they are going to get at least 110% from every band member and high quality sound & lighting.  The size of the guest list tells me how much sound I’ll need to make sure everyone feels the energy of the music to get them dancing and still allow people to converse across a table without raising their voices.  The age(s) of the guests often determines the set list I prepare for each event which can change in an instant once I begin to read the crowd or when we get requests.  The venue determines the size and type of equipment I bring based on the allotted space for the band, the available electricity and the acoustics of the room.

Most of your clients book you 6 to 12 months in advance.  Once the contract is signed, what happens in the months leading up to the gig to ensure that everything goes smoothly?

RM: I make sure the Questionnaire and/or Event Planner form has been completed.  I talk with the client, advising them and asking them to advise me.  I find out if they have special requests so I can schedule rehearsals to learn them.  I contact the venue, planner and client as many times as necessary until everyone involved, including me, is 100% at ease.  I won’t stop until everyone is thrilled that they’ve contracted my band and confident in my abilities to create a flawless event.

A band is just that – a group of people who work together.  Tell us about your band members – what do you look for when you bring new people into the band?

RM: Being a musician is not a job, it’s a lifestyle.  The joy I get from music comes from the reaction I see when I perform and when my soul is touched by someone else’s performance.  I look for similar people.  If the joy you get is from your own satisfaction of your performance, then you’re not listening to the other musicians on the stage. Band members that are like me, play tighter as a group, respect the other members, get along, laugh together and have a great time performing.  The audience can’t help but notice and they want to be just as involved.  It’s a snowball effect!!

What is one thing that every couple should expect from their wedding entertainment?

RM: More than they could ever dream of!!  I want my clients to be talking about the band at their 50^th Anniversary Party.  We’ve played for all 3 daughters of one couple whose last name happened to be Music!  We’ve even played for the daughters & sons of couples that had us play their wedding reception.  I heard Johnny Carson ask George Burns, “To what do you attribute your longevity”.  George replied, “I fell in love with what I do for a living”.    It’s great to be in love!!

Playing over 1000 parties from the Canadian Rockies to Florida, for decades THE SENSATIONS’ professionalism and versatility has created one of the most demanded Variety Dance bands in the Eastern U.S.

To see why The Sensations Dance Band has earned 5-stars on GigMasters, please visit their Press Kit