Breakthrough Most Frequently Asked Questions
Below are all of the questions we could remember having been asked in the past. If you have a question that's not on here, please feel free to email breakthrough@alivenetwork.com or call our agent, Alive Network, on 01782 740839.
How much space do you need?
We require a performance area 3 x 5 metres. All venues are different and we understand some cannot supply this size, if the area is limited, we can set up within a 2 x 4 metre.
How is it best to time things?
Performance times are important in making your evening run smoothly. No event/venue is the same but we have found that these timings have worked best in keeping the night flowing. Please note that these timings are only a suggestion, we are more than happy to cater for your needs, even with the time frame being tight.
Best timings are as follows;
6pm – Arrival
7.30pm – 8pm – Light Background DJ music
8pm – 8.50pm – DJ Set
8.50 – 9pm – Cutting of the cake, Gathering guests, First dance
9pm - 10pm – Frist band set
10pm - 10.45 – DJ Set
10.45 – 11.45 – Second band set with encores
11.45 – 12am – Final DJ set of the best singalong tunes!
Please plan our live sets around your evening buffet. We do not want you to miss any of the party! We also do not want to be performing whilst your guests are wanting to eat in peace. We suggest 2 x 60 minute sets over 3 x 40 minutes where possible.
Can I pick the band's playlist?
We are very happy to accommodate songs from our repertoire, but we do prefer to play a set we know works well keeping the dance floor packed all evening. The best thing to do is let us know which songs are a big YES, and which songs are big NO. Please let Chris know in the Pre Event check.
Where will you travel?
We are able to travel both UK wide and internationally.
Can I see you play live?
We don’t tend to play public gigs as our diary is full of amazing events throughout the year. On the odd occasion that we do play publicly, we will post up details on our social media. If you would like to follow us and see what we are up.
Will you learn our special song?
We are happy to consider learning your special song. This would depend on whether the particular song fits our style and sound. For example, we would struggle to pull off a Miles Davis song due to our instrumentation. When you book please let your agent know which song you would like us to consider learning so we have enough time to learn it inside out!
Some examples of First Dances we have learned and played live in the past 12 months:
Ho Hey – Lumineers
You Make My Dreams Come True – Hall And Oates
Dance With Me Tonight – Olly Murs
Better Together – Jack Johnson
Good Riddence (Time of Your Life) – Green Day
Shut Up And Dance – Walk The Moon
All of Me – John Legend
Wonderful Tonight – Eric Clapton
Only Love – Ben Howard
Is the video on your website a true reflection of the band's performance?
The videos are a studio recording of a live performance created to give you the opportunity to hear us playing live. You should keep in mind that we are restrained during the shoot because of the way it is shot. Breakthrough perform with a high, lively energy and interact on and off the stage!
How do I book you?
You can book us through the enquiry from on this website or contact our agent Alive Network via email or phone 01782 740839.
Are you able to DJ between sets?
We have an iPad with over 3000 songs to every gig that we use specifically for Dj’ing making sure that we keep the dance floor full between our live sets. We are happy to take DJ requests in advance and on the night (If we can download them from the WIFI). If you have requests, please inform Chris in the Pre Event check and he will add them to our list for your night. If you wish to have live mixed DJ, we offer the ‘Premium DJ’ and ‘Percussion and DJ’ options.
Can we use your sound system for speeches?
You are very welcome to use our PA system for speeches. We have a wireless radio mic which makes it easier to walk around or sit at your table.
What Equipment do you have?
Bose F1 Model 812 Speaker Systems with Sub x2
Equinox Fusion 100 Spot MK11 x2
Eurolite LED KLS Laser Bar FX-Set x2
Eurolite LED Neon Stick 134CM RGB
KZ KS10 Pro In Ear Monitors x4
Behringer P2 In Ear Packs x4
Shure SM58 x2
Shure Wireless BLX288UK
Yamaha EAD10
Fender/Gibson/Marcus Miller/Martin/Taylor Guitars and Bass
Pearl/Gretsch Drums
RCF M18 Digital Desk
Do you have lights?
Yes. We use our Eurolite KLS Bars. We also offer a lighting upgrade with Equinox Fusion 100 Spot moving heads x2 and Eurolite LED Neon Stick x2 for the ultimate party light experience.
How long do you play for?
In our standard package we perform 2 hours of live music. This is usually in the form of 2 x 1hr or 3 x 40min sets. We also offer certain add-ons which include having an additional 45 mins so please feel free to enquire about these. We also offer day time add-ons where we can perform an hour of acoustic music. In between sets we will always make sure we have music being played. Our standard package entails us playing Spotify playlists however we do offer a Premium DJ add-on where we bring our decks and mix together your favourite party tunes and keep the energy going non-stop.
What time do you start and finish?
A typical event usually begins between 7:30 & 8:00 and finishes at midnight.
How long do you take to set up?
We like to allow a time of 1hr 30 mins from the time we arrive to the time we will be fully set up and ready to perform. This is on the assumption that we have access to where we will be performing and can soundcheck when we have our equipment set.
We are quite used to setting up whilst speeches and/or dinner is occurring so we know how to do this discreetly. We will never make any noise and certainly won’t do our soundcheck until we are given the all clear.
Can I provisionally book you?
Unfortunately we do not take provisional bookings as this would leave us vulnerable to missing out on vital work. We are made aware however when enquiries are made on certain dates and you will be given first refusal.
What if the band split up before my event?
In the event of a split we would honour our existing bookings but simply stop taking new bookings. However we love what we do and have no intention of stopping performing music for such special events.
Can my sisters/bosses/daughters dog sing with your band?
We love having guests up to sing along with us. We love it so much we even offer a Bandeoke Add-On. With this we have an additional 40 mins dedicated to exactly this. It’s always a great laugh and it’s always fun to see guests of all ages getting up and making a fool of themselves.
What will the band wear?
We wear black trousers, white tee-shirts with a smart black jacket over the top. However Paul our singer puts on a little something fancier with some colour so he’s the centre of attention within the band.
Does the band have PAT and PLI certificates?
Yes we have both of this and we are happy to provide these on request.
Why should I book Breakthrough?
Between the four of us we have amassed a lot of experience playing in a variety of settings with a variety of genres. From this we are confident that we can provide you and your guests a night to remember regardless of your preferred genres and songs. We are also great friends and always have a laugh when we are performing together. Many of our guests find that this results in a great energy on stage that translates out towards the guests.
How much does it cost to book the band?
Location is a key factor in our pricing structure as travelling takes time and costs us extra money. Our starting price is £1,461 and increases the further away from the South East your event is.
Can we see some previous client testimonials?
All our reviews from clients are on our testimonials page. Feel free to have a scroll through and read them all as you please. We have been fortunate enough to have many clients say some very nice words about us and we would love for you to see them.
Do Breakthrough have any specific requirements?
Our main priority is delivering an energetic and professional performance for you and your guests. To do this we need to feel like our equipment is safe from anything happening to it. We know that having a few drinks is part and parcel of events but we simply ask that guests respect our equipment and try to keep drinks away from it all and not to engage in playing with our stuff when we are on and off the stage. In addition to this we do always appreciate a nice bit of food so we are full and ready to rock your event.
What type/size venues are you able to play at?
We operate through a very powerful Bose PA system which has been used at corporate events and weddings with up to 500 people and has high enough quality that it also delivers a top quality sound at lower volumes for smaller rooms.
How loud will the band be?
We are used to performing in all different types of rooms, whether this be small rooms, large rooms, venues with noise limiters etc. With this comes the ability to adapt our volume to suit various settings. We like to ensure as much as possible that we play with enough energy and volume so that your guests get the full experience of a live show. Please do inform us though if venues have a sound limiter and we are perfectly happy adapting our setup to suit this as necessary.
Do Breakthrough offer any additional services?
Yes we have many additional extras. You can have us there during the day for Acoustic Sets or Roaming Acoustic sets and for the eve we offer Bandeoke, Premium DJ, Themed Sets and Premium Lighting.
