Cover band: what to know

What the job involves, what changes the price, and what to ask a pro.

What cover band is

A cover band plays popular songs from several eras for parties, events and venues, adjusting the set list to the crowd. People hire a cover band when they want a dance night with songs the guests already know and sing along to.

Signs you need it

  • You want a dance party with songs your guests already know
  • Your event needs a set list that covers several decades of music
  • You want a live band that can keep the energy up for a long night
  • Your venue is a bar, club or hall that has room for a stage
  • You want a band that can take the crowd's requests and adjust the set
  • You want a band that covers the songs your guests remember from their own years

What the pro does

  • Asks for the crowd's age range, your must-play and do-not-play songs and the length of the night
  • Builds a set list with a clear build, warm-up songs, peak songs and a close
  • Arrives with instruments and sound equipment and tests the mix in the room
  • Plays sets with breaks at the times you agreed
  • Adjusts the list based on how the crowd reacts during the night
  • Packs up and leaves the space in the condition the venue asked for

What changes the price

Every job is different, so we do not publish prices. These are the things that move the quote up or down.

  • Number of musicians and whether there is a lead vocalist, a horn section or a keyboard
  • Length of the performance and the number of sets
  • Size of the venue and the amount of amplification needed
  • Load-in time, stairs and distance from parking
  • Travel distance and lodging if the band is from outside the area
  • Special arrangements or songs the band must learn for the night
  • Whether the band needs a separate sound person

What a written quote should spell out

  • Number of musicians and what each one plays
  • Set count, set length and break times
  • Equipment the band brings and what the venue provides, such as power and a stage
  • Load-in, setup and teardown times
  • How requests are taken and how the band handles songs it does not know
  • What happens if a band member cannot attend

Questions to ask before you hire

  • Who will be on stage, and will the same members play every date?
  • What eras of music do you cover best, and what is your weakest decade?
  • Can I see a video of a full set from a crowd like mine?
  • How do you handle requests when the crowd asks for songs outside the set?
  • How long are the breaks, and what happens during them?
  • Do you bring your own sound system, and what power do you need?
  • Do you carry liability insurance that covers the equipment and the venue?

Red flags

  • The video shows a different lineup than the one they plan to bring
  • They cannot describe the set list or the eras they cover
  • They promise to play any song requested with no check on the set flow
  • They do not ask about the venue's noise limits or the closing time
  • They will not confirm the band members or equipment in writing

What you can do yourself

You can build a must-play list, a do-not-play list and a note on the crowd's age range and taste. You can also check the venue for stage space, power and where guests will stand during the set. Hire the band for the performance and the set flow, since reading a crowd and changing the set while playing takes practice.

Licenses and permits

No state license is usually required for a cover band, so ask for proof of liability insurance and venue references instead. Venues often handle public performance licensing for recorded music, and live cover performances can have their own venue rules, so ask the venue and check local noise rules with your state or local licensing agency.

Cover band questions

Does a cover band need a license?

Usually not a state license. Ask for insurance and references, and check whether the venue requires proof of music licensing for live cover songs.

How long should a cover band play?

Set the length with the band based on the event. Many nights use several sets with breaks, and the band can plan the flow around the closing time you give them.

Can I suggest songs for the set list?

Yes. Send a must-play list and a do-not-play list in advance, and ask the band to tell you which songs fit their repertoire.

About this guide

This national guide is written and checked by infinibell. Rules and conditions differ by place, so local pros are credited on guides for the cities they serve, not on national ones.

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