Booking Information

CURRENTly booking for Late Summer and Fall events

download our Promo Kit in PDF

Availability
We can be quite flexible for the types of events, length of performances and now book as duo or a trio. Our trio has a big sound and we cover a wide range of material. Generally we like to play out once every 3 or 4 weeks. Mid-week events and shows are also a possibility. Because we are not looking for a lot of shows over the course of the year, we don't market ourselves heavily and can usually accomodate most situations, provided there isn't a serious conflict. In the coming future, as we book in public shows we will post them here on this page. We don't post private events.

Showcases
Maybe you don't need a full show or simply need to fill a short set. We are open that idea as well, providing it doesn't require us playing for free and at agreat distance. We understand how showcases work and will consider them provided it can provide good exposure for the group. There are times we might play for free, but call us to discuss the situation. See the section on Pro Bono below

Stage setup.
being a duo we do need a minimum of an area at a minimum of 6 x 8 feet. We've tried performing in less space, but the stools, guitars and PA do take up room. Generally we sit on stools or chairs and have a couple of guitars apiece. We plug our instruments directly into the PA or amps, and use mics on boom stands for vocals. Pretty basic stuff. In larger rooms we may also use small stage monitors so we can hear what we are playing. For outdoor events we won't play on the ground for safety reasons. No fun getting a jolt from a micstand or something. Be prepared to have a small stage or risers available. Note: if we perform as a duo, obviously less space may be needed. In the near future we will be trying out an old technique of a single-mic performance, much like the folk and bluegrass groups of the 50s and 60s used. This should cut down even further the requisite space.

Our PA or Yours
Stellwagen has its own small PA, suitable for most rooms up to 100-150 people. Larger rooms often have a house PA, but we can also provide a larger PA at an added cost. The cost is dependent on the room size and whether we feel we may need a soundman to run the system. We do appreciate a good soundman. In larger rooms it makes the difference between an okay show and a great show. Make sure we discuss the room and situation before booking us. For a house concert or small event we are self-contained, but we also want you to have an appropriate sound system for the room you want us to play in. It will make a difference. An even bigger PA is needed for outdoor events.

Our PA is a Fender 250 PD, which supports 4 microphones and two stereo or unbalanced lines. We use SM 57s with windscreens for vocals. We may also run our stage amps through it if it helps sound projection, but we don't always. Every case is different.

We can also perform by putting all our vocals and instruments directly through a house PA (except perhaps the bass) as long as we have decent stage monitors. Nothing is more frustrating to a player or singer than to not hearing what you are doing on stage. Please talk to us about your PA and what you need from us. We can provide direct boxes, etc. if it helps.

Duo or Trio?
Stellwagen usually books as an acoustic duo. But we also work with other musicians and can become a trio with either a bassist or a keyboardist.

What We Sound Like
We have some MP3 song samples available on this site. Here is our basic recipe: 2-part male harmony over 12 string, bass and clean single-line acoustic lead guitar. Mix some Beatles harmonies with Bluegrass and Celtic. Then add sea salt. Let it stew for a couple of years and take it out and serve. If the song samples aren't enough, contact us, or add your name to our email list and we'll email you before our next show. Recently we were compared to The Shaw Brothers, which is a huge compliment. If song requests and what we often hear from people who have just discovered us, we can sound like the Beatles, CSN&Y, The Turtles, and others. We don't like the comparisons because we like to sound like ourselves. We're not into imitation or aping another band's style and sound.

Pricing
Unlike some local groups we aren't very demanding. But we do believe that artists and musicians should be paid for what they provide. Our base rate for any kind of situation is $200 for the duo. That buys you the equipment set up and up to 60 minutes (1 set) of Stellwagen music. For a 90 minute show (2 sets), it's $300. A full night (3 sets) is $350 - $450 depending on distance and other variables. If we have to drive any distance, the rates necessarily increase due to the cost of fuel and time to get there. If there is food being served at your function, we expect to be fed as well. If drinks are being served, well, we might like a free drink between sets.

The Gate
Some places like to offer just the gate, or a percentage of the gate. This rarely works well for us because places with cover charges are either not the kind of places that would want us in the first place; are looking for an easy way not to pay us; or to pay us short money. It also requires us to deliver the bulk of the audience from our own contact list. However, that being said, we may be open to a combination deal where we combine a reduced rate and a guarantee of the gate. In this case we'll want one of our own auditing the gate. See? We know how this game works...

Pro Bono
Some events simply do not have a budget for a group. We do play for free under some circumstances, but be ready to prove yours is a worthy cause. We have played indoors and out, for organizations raising money for cancer, victims of disasters and other fund raisers. We all understand how difficult it is to raise funds and cause awareness, so we will certainly try to help you out if we can.

In the Summer and Fall of 2009 we are hoping to play aseries of private and public events to raise money for local food banks and other Ccharities. This is our Sing for Supper program. Learn more...

Don't expect to book us for your bar or party and try to get us for free. It simply won't happen. All of us have been doing this for a while and we can spot a leech a mile a way.

Deposits
Unlike many groups, we require a 30% deposit for booking if we don't know you or have never played at your venue.

Look at it this way:

1. We don't cost that much to start with!
2. If you can't cough up a deposit, we think it unlikely you'll pay us at the end of the night!
3. If the event gets canceled, we'll have a little something in our pocket for whatever effort we've put in before the gig. If we can book another gig for the same day we'll refund your deposit 100%
4. If your event gets rescheduled and we can't play the new date, we'll refund your deposit.
5. If your event is looking to raise money for a non-profit, 30% of free is still zero.

Contact Stellwagen to book an event: Jim at 978-388-4445, jim@stellwagenmusic.com