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Our band rocked Spartanburg last night at Wild Wing Cafe! It was HOT & WILD!

Our friends with “No Sweat” band played an Alzheimer charity event hosted at the Wild Wing Cafe in Spartanburg SC last night and Hot As A Pepper invaded the place to enjoy their performance and the cold drinks and eats.

After No Sweat tore it up with their first set, they were generous enough to let HAAP take the stage and perform a few tunes.

Check out the video below of us covering Sublime’s “Santeria”.  We put up some pics on our facebook page too.

Thanks to No Sweat and Wild Wing’s Spartanburg for the opportunity to play on a nice stage, with a crazy happy crowd and for allowing us to help out in a small way with a worthy cause!

Kudos to the their sound guy, who does a marvelous job, and to the wait staff – especially Kelly, who worked way too hard for us, and received far too small of a tip!

Now to get booked at the Wild Wing Cafe Spartanburg venue! It’s one of the hottest places in Spartanburg for live entertainment, and that makes us a perfect match!

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How to hire a band to play your Greenville, Spartanburg, Anderson SC charity event

Every non-profit organization has a special event that could be a perfect opportunity to hire a band for entertainment or background music purposes. Larger organizations may have many events per year and sometimes, the event coordinator has no idea how to go about hiring a band. They might even opt for a DJ, or even worse, plug an iPod into a PA system.

If the expected event is large enough, in terms of potential attendees, and the venue itself can support it, then by all means, consider a band. A band adds personality as well as entertainment. There is no comparison to canned music when it comes to energy level, a band will win hands-down, every single time!

Let’s assume you know that your charity event is going to be outdoors and there will be 100 plus people… How do you find the right band for this event and more importantly, how do you get them booked?

A google search for “hire a band for greenville charity event” or “book a band in spartanburg sc for chairty event” may turn up a few options, maybe even “Hot As A Pepper” will show up, however, you go calling the first 3 bands that show up.  Do some research on each group first.

  • What type of music do these bands play?
  • Is the music well suited to your event and crowd?
  • Is this a professional band or a “jam band”?
  • Does this band perform charity events?

You don’t want to book a country party band into your formal event any more than you want to book a stuffy suit-clad horn band into your outdoor party atmosphere. Find the right band for the event.

Assuming your search turned up a few choices, and you narrowed it down to the bands that fit the occasion, determine if this is going to be a band you can trust to perform in a way that reflects upon your gathering in a positive manner. A “jam band” may be perfect if we’re talking about a street fair, or even if many bands are involved, but if the celebration is a fund raiser and the band is considered an integral part of the day or evening activities, then you probably want to set your sights on a professional band.

Why a professional band? Because they are more likely to plan ahead, show up on time, setup equipment in an orderly manner and even have better equipment and possibly lighting. A audio technician who will help get a proper mix and control the volume will be involved. And they can put on a show, where the songs will flow without long 2 minute pauses (or more) between every song.

A professional band will work with you to insure every detail is covered, such as providing a mic for announcements or awards to be given out.

Now, the downside to a professional band: Professionals generally expect to get paid, because music may be their only or primary source of income, and they have invested much of their life into being the best they can be at their career choice, no different than you. A band’s investment in instruments, sound system and lighting systems may run into the hundreds of thousands, and at the very least, into the tens of thousands.

It is for this reason that some bands refuse to do charity gigs. It’s not that they don’t WANT to help, it is just that it costs so much in time, money and liability to perform one gig.

Let’s say you have need for a band for an awards ceremony for your non-profit organization, where you want to have dancing after the awards for two hours. For a five person band to play two hours, here’s a rough idea of their side of it.

Before gig:

  • 1 hour spent organizing the event, getting details with you
  • 1 hour arranging songs for the event into set lists
  • 1 hour spent discussing clothing and gear with the band
Day of gig:
  • 1 hour spent loading gear and driving to your event
  • 1 hour for setup of sound system and sound check
  • 2 hours spent waiting for time to play
  • 2 hours playing
  • 1 hour waiting to tear down while people disperse
  • 1 hours spent tearing down and driving home
  • 1 hour spent setting gear back up or storing away

That doesn’t seem like much, only 3 hours planning and 9 hours on the day of the gig. But wait. There are 5 band members.  Which means that there will likely be 50+ man hours involved in a two hour gig, not taking into consideration any assistants which will be used. Add another 4 man hours for a sound or lighting technician.

These numbers are on the high side.  I have seen many 2 hour gigs take only 20 man-hours, but they didn’t require lighting, or excessive PA setups.

Add to this the fact that each member of the band has to get there, meaning they have to meet to load gear, then drive or ride to the location, putting miles on their vehicles and burning gas to do it.  And meals have to be considered because you don’t go all day without eating, and of course fast food costs money.

A band will invest 100 dollars in food, drinks and gas to play your two hour event without a doubt. Even more if they have helpers in attendance or bring family members to help.

Then there is wear and tear on instruments, and the increased risk that a 2,000 dollar guitar can get damaged, or the mixing console, the tools that permit the musician to work. Every time something is moved, it gets scuffed, or it rips a seat in the musicians car.

Most guitarists are changing their strings every few gigs, so there could be an investment for 20 dollars are more just in strings for a few guitars.

Sometimes, a band member has to take off time from their paying job to play a gig, which could cost them 50 dollars or more.

Add this all up and it is easy to see why a band may not want to do your charity event.

Don’t hate them for this. It is not that they are cold-hearted, it may be that they simply can’t afford to play without compensation.

So how do you book a band for your charity event if you have no budget to provide compensation and the band tells you they don’t play for free?  Consider making the offer of 100 dollars per person to cover their costs.

It might not be what they normally play for, but it sure beats the band going into debt to help out a great cause. Remember, when a band or its members go into debt to help your charity cause, they only get a “good feeling” out of it.  They can’t write off the scratch on their PRS guitar on taxes as a charitable contribution.

When striking up the conversation for the first time with the band’s booking agent, explain that you have a charity event that has no money budgeted for entertainment, however, you may be able to make some compensation. That may hold their attention longer. And remember, booking agents are paid a commission, so your offer of free food means nothing to that person.

If you do need a band for your charity or non-profit event here in Spartanburg, Greenville, Anderson or around the Upstate of South Carolina, Hot As A Pepper will work with you to provide the professional level of entertainment that you desire. Give us a call at 864-979-1224 and let’s talk about it.

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History of rock guitar

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Hot As A Pepper is playing a block party on July 20th and you are invited!

In a couple weeks, we will be playing a block party and everyone is invited. Okay, so it isn’t Friday Night Music on Main in Downtown Greenville, but it IS a gig, and we’ll take it!

Michelle Black at Social Butterfly has decided that it would be a good idea to have an evening where people who drive by or live near her business in the Augusta Pointe shopping center can stop in, listen to some live music, check out her boutique, visit Grape & Grains (they sell beer and wine making supplies) or have an authentic Thai dinner at Royal Thai. I tend to agree with her, so Hot As A Pepper has volunteered to help make it as fun as possible.

We’ll start after it begins cooling down, after 6pm.  So come on by 104 Mauldin Rd in Greenville, between Augusta and Pleasantburg!  Bring a lawn chair, or stand around, just stop in!

If the temperature is anything like today, Hot As A Pepper will honestly be the HOTTEST BAND IN THE UPSTATE!

We’ll be playing a couple sets, or until one of us passes out, or until the authorities shut us down, which ever comes first.

Maybe we can get Latia Harris to stop by and sing a song or two with us.

If you are looking for a band for your block party, business promotional event or for any reason, please call us at 864.979.1224!

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Band Fun Greenville Hot As A Pepper Music

Help us decide on new songs to add to the band’s repertoire

We want to play music that you love to hear! Won’t you please take a moment to answer our poll? You can also leave additional information in the comment section below.

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Band Music Party Video

Who needs a band when you have computers and robotics?

Okay, so maybe this won’t be a hit at your next party or event but, you have to admit it is pretty cool…

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Occasions to Book Greenville South Carolina’s Best and Hottest Band

In case you are thinking you would like to book a fun and professional band in the Greenville, Spartanburg, Anderson or even Greenwood area, but can’t think of the perfect occasion to do so, here is a short list.

  • Book us for your wedding reception, or wedding anniversary party.
  • Book us for your business grand opening or other corporate event.
  • Outdoor fair, festival or other public event.
  • Hire us for your bar mitzvah or bat mitzvah party, or even your bris.
  • Book us for your graduation party, or a high school or college reunion.
  • Want a memorable wake? We can do that too.
  • Book us for your pool party or luau.
  • Need to annoy your neighbors? We can turn it up. Call for quotes.
  • Civic organization having a get together?
  • Have a fundraiser you need live entertainment for? We can make it a FUN-Raiser!
  • Block party anyone?
  • Need music at your BBQ cookoff?
  • Opening band for larger headliner music act.

In short, wherever fun, upbeat, dance-worthy music is needed is a great place to book Hot As A Pepper!

We are happy to play your bar, club or other venue or event, so please call us at 864-979-1224 or use our booking information form above for more information!

 

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Band Corporate Event Event Fun Greenville Hot As A Pepper John M. Hoyt Live Entertainment Music Party Upstate Wedding

Need to book a band for your Upstate, Greenville, Spartanburg or Greenwood event? Now’s a great time!

Hot As A Pepper has been busy building up our repertoire and it is coming together nicely! Lots of fun, funky groovin’ and dancing tunes from several genres, including rock, country, pop, funk, disco (yeah, I said disco), and more.

Here’s the current list:

“Rock This Town” – Stray Cats
“Play That Funky Music” – Wild Cherry
“Brick House” – Commodores
“My Kinda Party” – Jason Aldean
“Lovin’, Touchin’, Squeezin'” – Journey
“Forget You” – Cee Lo Green
“Billie Jean” – Michael Jackson
“Not My Time” – Three Doors Down
“Two Tickets To Paradise” – Eddie Money
“I Want You To Want Me” – Cheap Trick
“Can’t Get Enough of Your Love” – Bad Company
“Life is a Highway” – Rascal Flatts
“Can’t You See” – Marshall Tucker
“Under the Boardwalk” – The Drifters
“Brown Eyed Girl” – Van Morrison
“Angel Eyes” – Jeff Healey
“Bad Mama Jama” – Carl Carlton
“Breakdown” – Tom Petty
“Dock of the Bay” – Otis Redding
“Lights” – Journey
“Some Kinda Wonderful” – Grand Funk Railroad
“Jessie’s Girl” – Rick Springfield
“Shaky Ground” – Delbert McClinton
“All Summer Long”/”Sweet Home Alabama” – Kid Rock/Skynyrd
“Santaria” – Sublime

This list is not intended to be a final product, only a means to get Hot As A Pepper booked as quickly as possible, it will continue to evolve as we work to define ourselves and through the input of our friends, family and supporters!

When are we available for bookings?

NOW!  If you have an event such as a wedding, party, grand opening or other corporate event scheduled after July 9th, and you want fun and professional live entertainment, then give us a call at 864-979-1224 or use the booking info link to send an email.

We’ll travel outside Greenville, Spartanburg and the Upstate if necessary, and let’s not forget about Greenwood and surrounding area, home of our drummer!

Keep it spicy!

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Hot As A Pepper has finalized the line-up, and an awesome one it is! #FantasyBand

After spending a few weeks posting ads on Craigslist, looking at music stores, checking out online profiles, speaking with over 70 musicians, and meeting with a dozen, last Tuesday, May 22nd, 2012, it became apparent who needed to be in HAAP!

That Tuesday brought together Curtis Butler, a drummer from Greenwood, Tim Howe, a guitarist from Spartanburg, Chip McDonald former vocalist of TDB, and myself, John M. Hoyt, former bassist from TDB.

We had spoken a lot on the phone and via email, but for Tim & Curtis, this was our first meeting and jam ever.  We had decided that we would go through our individual song lists and pick a few tunes that we knew in common and hit those during a “jam”. Ultimately we picked, “Brick House”, “Can’t You See”, “Breakdown”, “Brown Eyed Girl”, “Sweet Home Alabama”, “Under the Boardwalk”, and “Lights”.

Within the first few measures of the first tune, I instantly knew that Curtis was the best fit out of all the drummers I had spoken to, listened to and jammed with. He’s got a natural groove that I just love as a bass player.  Lots of power on the 2 and 4, and super control. I had listened to Curtis on videos posted on the ‘net, and he was exactly what I heard on those recordings. No bait and switch there!

Tim was also a master of his craft, great with rhythm and super with the leads. Totally rock solid, and absolutely not a mimic of the original artists (anyone who knows me, also knows that while I love cover tunes, I love cover tunes done with your own flavor, not exactly as the original artist played it)…. Tim did not let me down. Of course, he’s been doing this a while with other current band, “No Sweat Band”.  As in 12 years I believe.

I don’t know what it was about the day, the players, or maybe the atmosphere, but Chip sounded fantastic, in spite having performed Friday night and Saturday at the Bovinova event with me. I had thought he would be stretched, but he may have sounded better than ever.  Obviously, everyone knows his range and what Chip brings to the party. He’s a seasoned vocalist who is able to hit those higher registers without ripping his insides out.

You know what fantasy football is? Where people pick the best players from every team and put them together into their fantasy team? That’s what this was! I had listened to some great musicians, but these guys were the best of the best, and I can only imagine what is going to happen. It should be magic!

What’s next?   We’re rapidly assembling the songlist of tunes we already known in common, peppering it with some that we don’t all know, but know will be a big hit with the audience, and we hope to be out playing in about 30 days.

Once this songlist is established, we will add newer material to it and custom tailor it to what our friends, family, venues and fans want to hear. Your input is welcome!

I tried to contact each of the 70+ musicians who reached out to Hot As A Pepper and to thank them for their interest, and their investment of time. Those who were not selected were awesome in their own right, in fact, a couple of them were more than incredible, but Tim, Curtis, Chip and I *mesh* in a way I can’t explain. It was exactly what I was hoping to find.

Need a fun, funky and HOT band for your Upstate or Greenville party, festival or even a bar mitzvah? Let us know! We want to play it! Guess we have to include Greenwood and the surrounding area too now with Curtis in!

Fantasy Band?  Yewbetcha =)

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Band Fun Greenville Hot As A Pepper John M. Hoyt Music Party Upstate

Selection of players continues for the fun & funky Upstate party band, Hot As A Pepper… Drummers and Guitarists are up this week!

The ad on Craigslist keeps bringing new people who are interested in joining up with a fun and funky Upstate band even though it is has been nearly a week since the original posting.

One thing is becoming super clear, there are more drummers than you can shake a stick at! And there are a lot of talented guitarists too, but only a few singers have come forward.

Guitarists who can sing lead are also either involved in other bands, or maybe not seeing the facebook or Craigslist posting.  If you are a guitarist who is a lead vocalist and you are wanting a job, then get with me please.

Talks continue with the next two drummers to check out and three guitarists. These 5 individuals are very interesting as they all have something outstanding about them. Several have played in successful bands, with somewhat similar styles.

IF you have contacted me and for some reason I have never contacted you back – chances are good that I missed your message, please try again. If you contacted me and we spoke but have not spoken again, let me assure you, everyone is getting put into a “database” and I will indeed get back with you at some point. Feel free to reach out to me again if you feel you left something out in our first conversation too.

Find us on facebook at http://facebook.com/HotAsAPepper and click the LIKE button or MESSAGE if you would like to contact us.

John – Still the world’s loneliest bass player in a most fun “band”!