Bride

Hi Emily!

Yes, yes YES! Book The Business as quick as you can! They were absolutely AMAZING. They are fun, great musicians, and easy to work with. Their repertoire is extremely versatile, so they can play stuff that is sure to please everyone. They send you a list of all their songs (150ish?) and you scratch through the ones you hate and highlight the ones you love, so you are sure to get a mix that you want.

We started dancing as soon as we arrived (first dance and all that... country song, played via iPod, which they were totally ok with), took about 20 min to eat, and then danced all night long. My parents and their friends hung in there until about 9pm, and then then under 40 crowd kept going after that. We played more contemporary stuff on the iPod during their breaks, and they even agreed to learn a new song and accompany me as I sang to my husband without so much as one rehearsal.

We specifically asked them NOT to play slow songs, but they were extraordinarily flexible and attentive so I'm sure they'd be willing to if you asked them. I had scratched out one song on the list, which a couple of guests then requested, so Jim (the lead singer) discreetly approached me during one of his breaks to ask if we would be ok with it. He's such a pro!

Every single guest I have talked to in the week since the wedding has RAVED about the band. They really made the event an unforgettable night. James and I can't say enough nice things about them!

~ Claire Y. (Sept 2nd, 2012)
Bride

Bride & Groom

Jim,

You guys are so incredible. Thank you so much a thousand times over for the show your band put on and the experience you created. We couldn't have been happier and our vision for the night surpassed our wildest expectations. People danced, you danced, and all of you guys rocked. We will talk about last night for the rest of our lives and when we do, we will always talk about how great you guys were. Thank you.

We look forward to seeing you again and will drop sometime at the Grove Park. Until then, be well.

With Much Love for The Business,
Dana and Jess W.
Bride and Groom (7/28/12)

Bride

Terry - Oh my GOSH.....was I ever wrong to worry!!!! EVERYbody LOVED the band! They were the absolute PERFECT band for us....wonderful 1st song: "You Send ME"......Collette, in the office, said they practiced a lot that afternoon, including, "You Send Me", and that the staff just loved them, too. Their soft jazz thru dinner was just the right thing, and then their dance music afterwards was great, too. They stayed till 11:00 and a few people were still dancing, but really, probably could have left a little earlier, as it was an older crowd, and we all crash earlier than the young-ins. But really, Terry, we could not have been more pleased and delighted with anybody else! Plus, they were adorable and charming! Steve , Rachael, and Jenny all loved them, too; apparently, they were one of the easiest bands to work with, as well. Soooo, thank you, thank you, for talking me off the ledge....you were absolutely right: perfect match for us!

Patty T. (June 11th, 2011)
Bride

Event for North Carolina Governor

The Business was great. They even sent a thank you note for booking them which was a nice added touch. We got lots of great compliments on both the event and the band.

Lyn G.
Corporate Events - Biltmore Estate - Event for Governor

Johnston Memorial Hospital - Medical Staff Event

Hi Ellie & Jim,

I want to send a big THANK YOU to each of you for helping to make our Medical Staff event on Friday a success. I really can't thank you both enough for your hard work. Jim, The Business was amazing! The professionalism and courtesy you showed was impressive and greatly appreciated. The fact that you tailored the set list to our crowd, took the time to walk around the venue during the first few songs to check the acoustics in the room and make sure the music wasn't too overbearing, was a really nice touch. While our crowd was a bit more reserved than I had hoped, as far as dancing goes, they LOVED the music. I had numerous compliments on your band and your amazing talent. I wouldn't hesitate to book The Business for any future events and I will certainly pass on a glowing recommendation to anyone looking for a fun, energetic, crowd pleasing band. Again, I appreciate your hard work and taking the time to travel to our event. You guys were awesome and a joy to work with.

Best,

Susan A. (February 8th, 2013)
Event Coordinator for Johnston Memorial Hospital

Wedding

Doug,
Thanks so much for this message. If there were enough words to describe how amazing Business Band was, then I would do it! Seriously, they were incredible. SO easy to work with, no divas, followed the song list we wanted, had incredible talent, very engaging, and literally made the event what it was. We had so many friends and family ask for their names and information. Our venue loved working with them - said they were the easiest band they've worked with. Truly, it was one of the best decision we made during the planning process. Thanks so much for your help and patience with me as we worked through the different options. Please let me know if I can ever endorse them again!

Mary H. (March 23rd, 2013)
Wedding

Wedding/Event Planner

Hi Jim - It was great working with you guys last night! You guys are incredible!! We will def. refer you guys for any of our events that we are starting to book. Have a wonderful evening!

Mark & Bobby (Nov. 4th, 2011)
BobbyMarks Designs, Wedding Planning Company

Wedding Planner

Jim,

You guys were incredible. Best experience yet for myself and I know that the family was MORE than thrilled. I cannot wait to have you guys back at one of our events...AMAZING!

Morgan G. (March 9th, 2013)
Wedding Planner for Venue in Savannah GA

Event Planner

Good Morning Jim - I just wanted to say thank you so much for making Melissa & Brad's wedding reception so much fun for them! You and your band members always do such an incredible job!

It is always such a pleasure to work with all of you! We look forward to working more with you in the future!

Again, Thank you!
Mark A. (June 23rd, 2012)
Event Planner

Bride

Terry - Just getting back to the real world after our honeymoon in California! I want you to know we absolutely LOVED this band. Every aspect of the evening was done perfectly, and I cannot tell you how many people have raved about them to us over the past few weeks. They were so professional and talented, and even hung around a bit chatting with my family afterwards. I loved their music, FANTASTIC, and they really made the reception. I don't think we stopped dancing at all. I have recommended East Coast, as well as the Business via EastCoast, several times and will continue to do so. Lots of engagements lately!

Thank you for making this process so completely easy and enjoyable, the band was one of my favorite parts of the entire experience. I appreciate you taking the time to help me find exactly what we were looking for, I couldn't have been happier!

Sincerely,
Laura C. (May 12th, 2012)
Bride

Wedding

Thank you so much for playing our wedding last weekend!! You all did such an amazing job... not one person was off the dance floor all night! All anyone is talking about is how great you all were. And of course, thank you for learning "night shift"...that was Christian's highlight from the entire wedding. Y'all are the best!!
Ashley D. (June 9th, 2012)
Wedding

Bride

Hey Jim - I just wanted to let you know that y'all were so amazing on Saturday! Everyone was raving about y'all. Thank you so much for everything, and I hope y'all had as much fun as we did. You made our reception truly amazing! I will definitely be recommending y'all to everyone I know. Thanks again! Take Care,
Rosanne K. (May 19th, 2012)
Bride

Rehearsal Dinner - Mother of the Bride

Hey Jim, We had a fantastic weekend and your band helped make it unforgettable. Your group is so talented and you are wonderful to work with. I am sure you will have lots of continued success. We are so thankful that you were available to play at our rehearsal dinner. thanks again! We are there frequently and will try to come to the White Horse when you are performing there one night. we'll bring the newlyweds! Take care!

Jan B.
Mother of the Bride- Rehearsal Dinner

Bride & Groom

Jim - We cannot say enough good things. The Business absolutely exceeded our expectations and all of our friends and family just keep talking about how much fun you all are! We too had a blast -- dancing and cutting up on the dance floor and you truly helped to make dad's night with our surprise for him. We are so glad to hear you guys had fun too; it is clear that you all love what you do - we just hope our crowd made it a little easier than usual. All in all - the whole wedding weekend was a ball and you guys more than played your part in that. Thank you so much; we look forward to passing your name around and tracking you guys down on our next visit to the area. Our best,

Elizabeth & Jason O. (Sept 24th, 2011)
Wedding

Mother of the Bride

Good Morning Ellie:

Please pass on to Jim Arrendell with The Business our many thanks for a fabulous wedding reception. The music was unbelievably good, and we loved the selections. So many of our guests wanted to know about the band, and could not say enough good things about them. I never thought I would see my wife up on the stage with a band, but Jim was able to get the two mothers to join in. Guests from NYC to Montgomery have made inquiries about The Business. And I especially appreciated their adding some more Carolina beach music selections!

Coincidentally, I received a call Tuesday from a lady in Birmingham wanting to know if I could recommend the band for her daughter's reception. Despite the distance to Birmingham, I told her she would not be disappointed with The Business.

I still have an unmarried 25 year old daughter, so I will be needing your services again in the future, but hopefully not too soon!

Thank you for assisting us with the entire process.

Patterson S. (October 6th, 2012)
Mother of the Bride 

Corporate Event

Good morning Jim,

Thanks so much for your e-mail. I am glad to hear you enjoyed the evening and were well taken care of both by the club and our Chapter… It was all most deserved, as it was an absolute pleasure working with you, and your music and performance was wonderful! Our guests had a great time, so thank you so much for helping to make that happen!

All the best to you and The Business, and I will look forward to hopefully working with you again in the future!

Corinne G. (10/21/12)
Carolina's Country Club Manager Association of America event

Bride

I cannot say thank you enough for being the most amazing band EVER! You guys made Rad and I's wedding night. It was simply perfection! Classy jazz into the dance party of the year...everyone is still singing your praises. You guys rocked the house, or should I say lawn... it was simply a night we will never forget. Thank you, thank you, thank you! PS. be sure to send us the album, we can't wait! PPS. You've got a family of friends in NYC and Charleston, let us know if you're ever visiting!!! - much love, Megan & Rad B. (October 20th, 2012) ~ Charleston, SC Wedding

Corporate Party

Thank you all SO much for coming out for the Lenovo & Microsoft Windows 8 event on 10/25 in Morrisville NC. The event was very well attended and you guys put on an amazing performance!! I enjoyed chatting with you while you set up. Please know that I will refer you frequently!! Amy A. (October 25th, 2012) Microsoft Launch Party

Bride

We didn't know where to begin when trying to book a band for the reception. We wanted a group that could do music that our generation and our parents (and grandparents!) could dance to, which seemed like a tall order. When my cousin (who is himself a musician in Asheville) called me to tell me that he normally hates wedding bands but saw The Business recently and thought they were great, we booked them on the spot. Jim and his team were nothing short of fantastic. They played a mix of 60s/motown, big band era, and wedding classics. We started dancing as soon as we arrived at the reception at 6ish, and danced all night long. EVERYONE was on the dance floor and had the best time. They were also extremely accommodating of our requests. They send you a list with their repertoire well in advance, and you can tell them what you absolutely want (and don't want) played. We ended up putting the same song on both lists, and when a guest specifically requested it, Jim quickly took me aside to make sure it was ok before he played it. :-) We played an iPod with country and contemporary songs during their two breaks, and they also agree to learn one new song for your event. In my case, they not only learned the song but agreed to let me sing it to my hubby. It was a highlight! Ellie, their agent at EastCoast Entertainment, handled all the administrative details leading up to the wedding with the utmost professionalism and ensured that everything went smoothly. We can't say enough nice things about The Business. Booking them was the best decision we made, and we made some good ones!

Cheryl J. (December 1st, 2012)
Bride

Review

"The Business, are true professionals who make a direct connection with audience members from the moment they hit the stage. In the world of live music as in theatre, a proverbial "fourth wall" commonly separates the performers from their audience, but that wall is destroyed by The Business who create an experience where audience members are participants in the celebration as opposed to being mere consumers. I've been privileged to watch The Business perform on numerous occasions. Their shows are characterized by diversity of material, superior musicianship, and danceable rhythms. The blend of familiar songs from the sixties through the eighties never fails to produce smiles, celebratory shouts, and dance floors filled with satisfied celebrants. Audience members always feel like they've gotten more than their monies worth and leave feeling like they've participated in a celebratory experience as opposed to just attending a concert. In any field of endeavor, excellence and professionalism lead to success. The Business have demonstrated that they know how to please an audience and have developed a loyal fanbase who follow them from venue to venue to experience good times and good vibrations. I recommend them highly."

Don Talley
The Black Mountain Music Scene