Donington Park Farmhouse Hotel

Donington Park Farmhouse Hotel is situated adjacent to the renowned race course in Castle Donington. The hotel is a converted set of old farm buildings, and the venue itself has lost none of the charm in it’s conversion. With rustic decoration throughout this weddings venue feels very down to earth.

From the point of view of a weddings band, the venue it’s ideal. The sound limiter is set at a great level, there’s a stage large enough to set up the band’s equipment comfortably and loading in is direct. Handily, food is usually served in one of the other rooms, so the band can easily set up during the wedding breakfast without disturbing the guests.

We’ve found the staff here to be very helpful, and in our experience events here always run to time.

Donington Park Farmhouse Hotel is situated adjacent to the renowned race course in Castle Donington. The hotel is a converted set of old farm buildings, and the venue itself has lost none of the charm in it’s conversion. With rustic decoration throughout this weddings venue feels very down to earth. […]

Back at Donington Park!

Tonight we’re back as the evening entertainment at a wedding in Donington Park. Looking round in the bar, it seems our transport isn’t up to speed with the Park’s history. 70 years of racing here and tonight seems rather docile in comparison!

It’s a fantastically ornate room, with a great stage at one end. The set up went very much to plan, and it’s sounding great. The first set of three tonight has just finished, and the hot rolls are being devoured as we speak!

First dance tonight was It’s All About You by McFly. The bride and groom chose it for it’s ‘cheesy’ qualities; but we’re actually quite taken with as a way to kick of the live music at a wedding. The words sum up is the feelings couples usually feel at their weddings, and it’s a straight forward song to dance to- what more do you want from a first dance?!

Second set starts shortly…

Set 2

The second set of our 3 sets at tonight’s wedding went really well. A really energetic response for the mid evening tunes. Mr Brightside was definitely the highlight of the set… Nearly a decade on, and it’s still got every bit of it’s freshness for us. Almost all the weddings we play benefit from having this Killers track played live!

Good Night, and Goodnight…

Another beautiful wedding draws to a close; tonight played out by Hey Jude. The final set saw a core of dedicated revellers keep the dance floor going late into the night, and The CoverUps were there throughout to keep it rocking. February weddings are a rare treat since no one expects great weather, so the whole planning goes into what would for summer weddings be the ‘wet weather contingency’ – and tonight proved to no exception.

Tonight we’re back as the evening entertainment at a wedding in Donington Park. Looking round in the bar, it seems our transport isn’t up to speed with the Park’s history. 70 years of racing here and tonight seems rather docile in comparison! It’s a fantastically ornate room, with a great […]

Rare Public Gig at Escape Bar Coventry

Just back from a great gig at Coventry’s newest live music night at Escape. It proved an ideal opportunity for a few couples looking to book later in the year to check out the band. The vast majority of our work is at private functions and playing as a weddings band, which made this a rare opportunity to see the band play live.

These nights always run later than our usual evening entertainment; tonight not starting until after 11pm. The shorter sets we play and the narrower demographic allow us to put together a high impact set, more like those we pay at corporate functions.

Set highlights tonight included Superstition (such a great Stevie Wonder vocal to aim for!), Sweet Child of Mine and Forget You by Cee Lo Green. Forget You is one of the latest additions to the repertoire; its first outing being at a recent corporate event for Coty Prestige. It’s got such a great vibe that song, and never seems to fail to get a dance floor excited. Looks like it could be one of the tracks of this summer’s weddings season- with one of tonight’s wedding couples insisting we play out at their wedding later in the year. We’ll be more than happy to oblige!

Right. Off to bed now to rest up for tomorrow’s wedding at Donnington Park in Derbyshire.

Just back from a great gig at Coventry’s newest live music night at Escape. It proved an ideal opportunity for a few couples looking to book later in the year to check out the band. The vast majority of our work is at private functions and playing as a weddings […]

See the Band Play Live in Coventry

We’ve just taken a very last minute booking at Coventry’s Escape Bar. The venue, that’s recently under new management, is running live band nights of Coventry’s finest every Friday night – and they’ve asked us to fill their pay day slot this Friday.

This is a rare chance to see the band play live, with nearly all of our bookings being weddings, private functions and corporate events – we’re seldom seen in the pubs and clubs these days! It should be a great night – and a chance for us to play a slightly rockier set than usual, so we’re all looking forward to it!

If you’re close to Coventry and fancy it, we’ll be starting about 10pm, but you’re welcome get down early and come and have a chat!

See you there!

Address: Old Fire Station Hales St, Coventry, West Midlands CV1 1JA

We’ve just taken a very last minute booking at Coventry’s Escape Bar. The venue, that’s recently under new management, is running live band nights of Coventry’s finest every Friday night – and they’ve asked us to fill their pay day slot this Friday. This is a rare chance to see […]

The CoverUps New Band Website

It’s finally here! After 4 weeks of technological trials and tribulations the new website for the Coventry based Wedding Band and Function Band – the CoverUps – is online!

The new site is aimed at providing more than just shameless self promotion – we hope that you find our site useful in planning your events! With information on wedding venues from the band’s home town of Coventry and further afield through to information on choosing first dances, there’s something on the site for anyone planning their wedding – whether they’re hiring a wedding band or not!

Over the coming weeks there will be more areas added. We’ve got some new demo tracks to listen to on the way, and there’s even a video of us playing in the works. Do let us know if there’s any information you think would be useful to have on here, and we hope you enjoy the site!

It’s finally here! After 4 weeks of technological trials and tribulations the new website for the Coventry based Wedding Band and Function Band – the CoverUps – is online! The new site is aimed at providing more than just shameless self promotion – we hope that you find our site […]

Jephson Gardens

These beautiful botanical gardens are a real oasis in the centre of Leamington Spa. The main venue, the glass house, is right in the centre of the gardens. It makes for a spectacular place for a wedding – and one we’ve seen to work excellently with a live wedding band. Playing against a backdrop of lush greenery makes for a performance more like something from a music video – a far cry from some of the more traditional wedding venues in the area.

These beautiful botanical gardens are a real oasis in the centre of Leamington Spa. The main venue, the glass house, is right in the centre of the gardens. It makes for a spectacular place for a wedding – and one we’ve seen to work excellently with a live wedding band. […]

Wedding Bands and First Dances

Having a wedding band play your first dance live can add a spark to what is already a special moment in any wedding day. The CoverUps have a large repertoire of songs which may be used as first dances; in this section you’ll find some information about choosing a first dance.

Get A Quote

Choosing A First Dance

There are so many songs out there; so how do you choose the right one for the first dance? Well, in case you’re not completely sure – you as the bride and groom are the leading authority on what you should have! This part of the night marks the end of formal proceedings, and the moment when everyone can let their hair down. As such, there’s no convention, no rules; just pick the right song for you.

Over the years we’ve played a great number of first dances, though it’s not always the right thing for the band to play the first dance. So the first question to ask might be do we want the band to play the first dance live?

Having The First Dance Played By The Wedding Band

Choosing to have the first dance played by the wedding band is often a great way to introduce the band – and once the first dance is finished, the band are ready to start playing the rest of the set. A good place to start in deciding on a first dance played by the wedding band is to look through the band’s repertoire. They may have a song that you really love, and even if not, it will give you an idea of the kinds of songs they play well.

Discuss your first dance with the band. If you don’t have strong views on a particular song you’d love to have, they may have ideas beyond the scope of their usual repertoire. For example, first dances the CoverUps have played in the last few years include:

She’s the One: Robbie Williams
God Only Knows: The Beach Boys
The Wonder of You: Elvis
Heaven: Bryan Adams
Better Together: Jack Johnson
Don’t Wanna Miss A Thing: Aerosmith
Everything: Michael Buble
Chasing Cars: Snow Patrol

If you’re still struggling for inspiration, check out our ‘101 First Dances for Live Weddings Bands‘.

Not Having The First Dance Played By The Wedding Band

Reasons why the first dance might not be best played by the band include:

the lead vocalist is of a different gender from the original track
there is a particular version of the song you love
the track is in a genre outside of the band’s remit (eg. classical)
you are learning a choreographed dance and are reliant on cues from the recording

We love playing the first dance for couples – it’s always an emotional moment, and it’s great to be a part of it. Making that moment unique, in the way a live performance by a wedding band does, is a great feeling.

Things To Think About

The first dance is a moment that the whole group of everyone you’ve invited gather together. Evening guest will have arrived, and most of your day guests will last at least this long! As such, there are a few points we’ve noticed that you may wish to consider when choosing your first dance, and how you’d like it to go:

Do you want a dance routine, or a slow dance shuffle? Either is absolutely fine – no one will judge either way!
Will other guests, traditionally the parent of the bride and groom join you during this song, or in the next song?
Does the father of the bride wish to dance with the bride?
Does the song contain any swearing?
Is the meaning of the song appropriate/what you wish to convey?

On those last two points; firstly, most songs have a ‘clean’ version, or radio edit – it’s just worth making sure you have the right version! And when it comes to the meaning for any given song – the meaning can simply be what it means for you. Sting’s “I’ll be Watching You” is a classic example of a song that, while it’s original meaning was regarding a break up, many people love the song and feel it conveys the emotional intensity of their own relationship.

It’s Your First Dance

At the end of the day, the first dance is a moment for you as a couple. Whatever the song, if you like it – do it! There’s no right or wrong song to have, and the first dance can be as big or small a deal as you want.

Get A Quote

Having a wedding band play your first dance live can add a spark to what is already a special moment in any wedding day. The CoverUps have a large repertoire of songs which may be used as first dances; in this section you’ll find some information about choosing a first dance. […]

Tom Brown’s Brasserie

Without doubt one of the finest restaurants in the East Midlands, Tom Brown’s deftly turns it’s hand to weddings and other intimate occasions. From the wedding band’s point of view the venue’s relatively small foot print serves to bring you up close and personal with the audience, meaning performances are always energetic and intimate.

We’ve always had a great times at weddings and other functions at Tom Brown’s, and this venue comes highly recommended.

Without doubt one of the finest restaurants in the East Midlands, Tom Brown’s deftly turns it’s hand to weddings and other intimate occasions. From the wedding band’s point of view the venue’s relatively small foot print serves to bring you up close and personal with the audience, meaning performances are […]

The Roundhouse

Certainly amongst the most unique venues we’ve played, The Roundhouse in Derby is simply superb. Catering for events from the most intimate wedding to the grandest of all corporate evenings, the room never fails to impress. It’s a great place for a live band, with the band visible from all areas of the room the audience are always able to enjoy the music; whether at the bar, tables or indeed the dance floor! The acoustics of the room lend themselves to an even sound for a band like ours, not overpowering on the dance floor while audible throughout the room.

Certainly amongst the most unique venues we’ve played, The Roundhouse in Derby is simply superb. Catering for events from the most intimate wedding to the grandest of all corporate evenings, the room never fails to impress. It’s a great place for a live band, with the band visible from all […]

Eastwood Hall

Over the last few years we’ve spent a good deal of time at Eastwood Hall. A few stints for Boots amongst others make this one of our most regularly frequented venues. The staff here are excellent, as are the facilities; and when it comes to catering for large scale events there’s not many places that can compare. We were one of Eastwood Hall’s live bands this new years eve; it was a fantastic night!

An excellent venue; second to none for conferences in the East Midlands!

Monthly Archives: February 2011

Set 2

Good Night, and Goodnight…

Choosing A First Dance

Having The First Dance Played By The Wedding Band

Not Having The First Dance Played By The Wedding Band

Things To Think About

It’s Your First Dance

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