Which band option should I choose?
For background atmospheric music, our 3 piece band is highly recommended. It is also a popular choice for weddings. The 4 piece includes a percussionist which creates a higher energy performance and is often the preferred choice for larger audiences or bigger venues.
What kind of music do you play?
We play traditional and popular African pieces as well as original compositions and African jazz standards. Have a look at our see & hear us page and we can send you a sample list of our repertoire.
Does the band need to be amplified?
One of the handy things about our African marimbas is that they are naturally resonant so no amplification or power is required. This makes the marimbas bands ideal for both indoor and outdoor functions. For feature stage performances for large audiences, 4 vocal mics on mic stands are recommended.
Can you control how loud the marimbas are?
Absolutely! The volume is a direct result of how hard or softly we strike the keys. We are sensitive to allowing guests to mingle and chat at events and so we adjust our volume accordingly. You are also welcome come up to us at any point during the performance to let us know if you would like us to play little louder or softer.
What do the band members wear?
Our band members wear either red or blue African shirts. We can also wear all black on request.
How long do I have the band for?
Our standard booking period is for up to two consecutive hours at the venue so you will have the band for the period of e.g 16h00 – 18h00 at the venue. Our booking periods are based on time at the venue rather than performing time because we sometimes have more than one booking on a particular day.
How long does it take to set up the instruments?
About 7mins – that’s it!
When does the band set up?
We’ll be set up 30mins before the start of your booking period. Punctuality is very important to us and our clients regularly compliment us in this regard.
Can they set up earlier?
If the booking period starts at say 16h00, the band will be set up by 15h30. We do offer an early set up service if you would like the band set up by 15h00 in our example above. As our musicians charge for their time at the venue, there is a fee for the early set up service (see our marimba band options for our rates).
Does the band take a break?
We take a 15min break during the 2 consecutive hour booking period just to catch our breath.
When will the 15min break happen?
We are quite flexible in this regard so let us know if you would like the break to happen at a certain time within the booking period (e.g. during speeches). In general though, we play for 45mins, take a 15min break and then play for 60mins, which sums to the 2 consecutive hours at the venue.
Must we give the band a meal or snacks?
Just some water or soft drinks during our break in order to rehydrate. Meals and snacks are not a requirement (but are always very much appreciated!).
How much space should we give the band?
An area of about 3m² is ideal, but we can make a plan to fit into whatever space you have available.
Can the instruments be moved from one area to another at my venue?
Yes! The band members will pick up the instruments and carry them where required. Just let us know beforehand and the band will move the instruments during their break.
How will the band know what to do when they arrive?
All the info we need appears on our enquiry form. Once you’ve filled in all the details on the form we will have all the info on hand on the day (e.g. who to contact on arrival, where to set up, special requests, start and end time of booking period etc).
Can we meet with you?
Sure! We can meet over Skype or if you’d like to pop in, we can arrange a meeting on an evening during the work week
How do I book the band?
Check our availability, select your band size, fill in the enquiry form and we’ll reply via email to you to find out if you’d like to confirm the booking. If yes, then we’ll send an invoice for the 50% deposit which secures your date.
Do you travel for functions?
Yes – we have performed throughout South Africa, as well as in Italy, Sweden, Finland, USA, China, Russia, Malaysia and Argentina.
Is there a travel fee?
There might be – it depends on your venue. We use a specialised vehicle to transport the marimbas plus the musicians to and from function venues. For bookings within the Cape Town city bowl and southern suburbs, no travel fee is charged. For venues further afield, please refer to our marimba band options for the applicable rate.
Do the band members sing?
Yes they do sing as an accompaniment to the marimbas (background rather than soloist feature singing).
Can you source gumboot dancers or African dancers?
We may be able to assist you with one or two dancers, depending on their availability.
Can you provide a drumming group?
Certainly! We can provide a group of either 3 or 5 djembe drummers. The costs will be the same as the cost for our 3 and 5 piece marimba bands respectively.
Where can we download your music?
All of our music is available on SoundCloud.
Do you do drumming workshops?
Yes we do! Our drumming workshops are a popular choice for teambuilding. Drop us a mail to tell us when you’d like to have the workshop and how many participants you have in mind and we will send you all the info you need.
