MIXTAPE: a cover band for hipsters

I cannot say enough fantastic things about Mixtape — they are truly incredible. Book them, and book them immediately — you will not be disappointed. From the moment we met Melanie, we were sold on Mixtape — she is fabulous, a great businessperson and a phenomenal musician, with a true passion for what she does. And, that really embodies the band — all of the musicians in the band are incredibly talented and versatile (they played a mix of jazz standards and cover songs/​party music at our wedding), and they bring a fantastic energy to the room. From the moment we did our first dance, the dance floor was packed thereafter for the entire rest of the night. Melanie and the band very graciously accommodated our special requests of «Our Love is Here to Stay» and «Shout», and they absolutely knocked it out of the park on both renditions. If I ever have another reason to throw a big party, Mixtape will be my first call.

My husband and I got married on Sept 4^th, 2015 at The Metropolitan Building in Long Island City. Do not hesitate for a moment to book this band, you will not be disappointed. Right from the beginning Melanie was super accommodating and communicative, she was willing to work with what both my husband and I wanted for our wedding. MIXTAPE is like having your own private concert, you get to choose from their amazing repertoire what you would like them to play and they play it AMAZINGLY. I’m going to share two experiences with you, 1. While myself, bridesmaids and those involved in the processional were waiting, just seconds before the ceremony started, MIXTAPE began playing music as guests were finding their seats, and all of a sudden they played The Smiths «There is a Light That Never Goes Out» what they didn’t know is that is one of my favorite songs which holds many memories for me, and now it holds an even deeper one. We were all dancing and lip singing to the song seconds before I said I DO. 2. «Easy Lover» by Phil Collins was the first song they played during dinner which got everyone out of their seats and to the dance floor, I mean EVERYONE was up dancing, young and old. We got so many rave reviews about the band. I would re do our wedding 20 times over choosing MIXTAPE every time.

If your wedding reception was in a parking lot or a field with no food or water or drinks but you had Mixtape there rockin, everyone would STILL be raving about how incredible of a time they had. Basically, if you have Mixtape at your wedding, your wedding reception is going to be the best time anyone has ever had. It’s literally that simple! The ENERGY that they have — lead by Melanie’s INSANE VOCALS is unmatched. Their REPERTOIRE was what initially drew us to them… we really wanted a band that would play songs that we like, but those that everyone else likes and knows also. They just completely nailed it. It was super fun for my husband and I to go through their list and pick out the songs we wanted them to play, but we left some room for them to use their best judgement. During dinner they played some of the indie songs that were more for us and our friends and during dancing, well, let’s just say our dance floor was completely crowded all night long. I thought I would change my shoes into flats, but I actually was unable to leave the dance floor to do so, we danced the whole time! At one point my sisters decided we needed to do the Hora, something that we hadn’t initially planned on doing — but Melanie had previously told me that she had a lot of fun playing the Hora and OMG it was the best thing ever!!! It was a serious highlight of the night, and they were able to pull it off, off the cuff with about one minute’s notice. We even did an encore at the end and that was another favorite part! At the end of the night our friends were thanking the band profusely and getting their card. Everyone could not stop talking about how good they were — and WE can’t stop talking about how good they were! Prior to the wedding, Melanie was a dream to work with. She was so prompt and enthusiastic and helpful. They learned a few songs for us which was wonderful and they did an amazing job. They played our instrumental ceremony music perfectly. They all just looked awesome and were so tight! We chose the 6 piece band which was perfect, but I literally cannot even imagine what they would sound like when adding in some horns or strings — would be totally over the top! I am dying for a friend to get married and have Mixtape come so we can see them again! Best decision ever! We love you guys!

My wife and I got married in BK just over 5 months ago and are so happy we chose The Mixtapes as our band. We were looking for a balance of new music as well as something the older generation would enjoy and they nailed it. We had over 225 people and they really got the whole room on the dance floor. We knew from hearing them play before our wedding day that they could play the newer stuff that we preferred but were so happy to hear them nail every song our parents knew as well. Also, they managed when to play the types of songs well, like keeping Teen Spirit until later. The other thing that really stood out for us was how user friendly they were. We asked if they could play a few songs they didn’t know and they were able to do so for a couple on really short notice. They also handled the speeches, processional music and crowd really well. We can’t express anymore how amazing they were and even 5 months after we still get comments about the band and the party.

What’s the next event where we can hire «Mixtape» to play?
That’s the question my wife and I have been asking each other constantly since our wedding a month ago. We are determined to plan a birthday party or use our best peer pressure skills to get friends to hire Mixtape for their events. That’s how much we want to see them again. I wish that I was a guest at my own wedding so that I could have danced the whole time.
Dealing with wedding vendors can get tiring and frustrating, very quickly. I’m not sure why this is or if this was always the case but a lot of vendors try to make you feel like they are doing YOU a favor by working your event. This was not the case with Melanie. In fact, it was the opposite. She was so interested in giving us the exact wedding we wanted and never made it seem like a chore to be doing so. From the ceremony, to the bluegrass cocktail hour, to the rocking reception, Melanie made sure that the band played every song that we wanted to hear and they played them all very well. Our email and phone exchanges throughout the planning process were light, humorous and most importantly, effective. Melanie was able to provide us with the exact vibe that we were going for, graciously offering her opinions on flow, timing and song selection throughout the way. A+ for the band leader.
The band’s repertoire speaks for itself and is specifically why I chose them over all the other options out there. How often do you hear The Talking Heads, MGMT, The Black Keys, and LCD Soundsystem at a wedding? If you answered anything but never, you’d be lying. I love Motown and wanted to hear some of that at my wedding but we didn’t want a band that only played Motown or a band that only played Top 40. We wanted a blend of it all and Mixtape can play it all. It was the deeper cuts like Neil Young’s «Harvest Moon» and Bright Eyes «First Day Of My Life» that really put them over the edge. My musical taste is eclectic and I wanted my wedding band to reflect that. Did I mention that they also played a rousing rendition of «the Hora» and Melanie sang «Lazy Mary» in Italian?! Mixtape did me and my Italian/​Jewish family proud. These two classics are what kicked off the post dinner dancing and set the tone for the rest of the night. I can’t wait to see the pictures from this part of the night because I’m pretty sure the entire party was on the dance floor.
As far as sound goes, it’s evident hearing this band that all the musicians studied music and aren’t just doing this to make a few extra bucks. They sounded so tight and crisp that you would think they have been playing together for decades. I actually think that the band has been together for almost 10 years now. Not only did we receive complements on the eclectic setlist but multiple people mentioned how well you could hear the band while still being able to have conversation off the dance floor. Part of this, I think can be contributed to the fact that they bring a sound engineer along with them. They don’t have their own PA so you have to pay a little extra for this (if your venue doesn’t provide one) but the fact that it comes with a guy who’s only job is to work the sound board, makes it 100% worth it.
Lastly, I just have to say how cool the band looked and how cool they are. We didn’t want a band of balding 50+ year olds in matching suits for our wedding. We wanted a band our age who would be able to bring the live concert atmosphere to a wedding setting. All of the musicians looked classy and cool while still being extremely professional and they looked like they were having fun the whole night. Hipster typically carries a negative connotation but not here. They did their part to change the image for their dirty trustafarian brethren.
I contribute a lot of the success of my wedding experience (before and during) to Mixtape. I myself, and all of the guests, young and old, danced our asses off all night and that’s exactly what I wanted. My only regret is that I didn’t book them for the after party! Thanks Melanie and co.

I got married this August and Mixtape was my favorite part of the entire wedding… besides getting married of course! :)
From the start of the process, Melanie was professional, accommodating, and sweet. I had a long list of songs I wanted them to play, and she did such a good job of accommodating my list while also letting me know which songs would work and which would not. She and her band even learned our first dance song, recorded it beforehand, and sent it to us so that we could practice our first dance with their version. So amazing!
She, and each member of Mixtape, was so talented. It felt like an intimate, personal show by our favorite band. They played our favorite songs but also made sure that people of all ages had songs they identified with. They got everyone up and dancing. We have gotten so much positive feedback about the band from friends and family alike. They also rocked the blue-​grass cocktail hour. I wish I was able to see more of it!

I’ve always believed that music is the number one most important aspect of a wedding reception, and that music can truly make or break it. That said, I am thrilled that we hired Mixtape to play at our wedding (both the ceremony and the reception.) Each musician was amazingly talented and professional. The band coordinator was spot-​on and super helpful. When planning my wedding my ideal hope was for my guests to be up and dancing all night, and because of Mixtape, my wedding was exactly that. Mixtape’s repertoire was vast — they play all the music that you actually want to hear and dance to. The ceremony music was simple and beautiful and exactly what I had envisioned. I cannot be more thankful to have had Mixtape as part of our wedding day. I recommend them 1000 times over.

Mixtape played at our backyward wedding in CT last month, and I cannot say enough good things about them. We wanted a band that would play the music we actually listen to, as well as a bunch of fun dance songs that everyone would know and enjoy. Their repertoire is incredible, and Melanie did a great job of taking our preferences and creating a playlist that would keep the dance party going strong all night (seriously, I probably neglected a few too many guests because I was too busy on the dance floor — and so were they!). It was fun to see my relatives singing along to both «You Can Call Me Al» and «Lonely Boy.» One guest couldn’t get over his excitement that «Heads Will Roll» was played at a wedding. Guests old and young also enjoyed slow-​dancing to songs like «Your Song» and «God Only Knows.» Mixtape’s energy and talent was amazing, and people commented on it all night and in the weeks since. Mixtape also played beautiful instrumental music for our ceremony and some really great jazz for our cocktail hour. They are just so talented. And Melanie was an absolute pleasure to work with through the whole planning process, and a tremendous help on the day itself. She was flexible about logistical changes (parking issues, last-​minute rain) and I’m sure she did way more behind the scenes than I even realized, because everything looked totally smooth on my end. I really hope my engaged friends book Mixtape for their weddings so I can enjoy their performance again!

As mentioned by previous reviewers, the music for a wedding is one of the most memorable aspects of the event — and for our wedding, Mixtape was the piece de resistance that made it utterly unforgettable.
My now-​husband and I share a deep connection to the music in our lives, and in fact, he wooed me with a series of mix CDs, mailed to the various locations where I lived before finally agreeing to move in with him. I sent him plenty of CDs myself over the years. So when we got engaged, one of the first things we did was sit down and attempt to cull our favorite jams from the dozens of tunes that had come to serve as the soundtrack to our relationship. It was a heterogenous bunch of songs, ranging from «All My Friends» by LCD Soundsystem to Wilco’s «California Stars,» so we never imagined that one band could cover them all. You can imagine the jumping-​out-​of-​our-​chairs joy we felt when we looked over the list of Mixtape songs and realized they covered about 95% of our list.
From there, we set out to meet Melanie herself, as we’d vowed not to hire any vendors we didn’t enjoy and respect personally for our wedding. (This is important, because when things get stressful and expensive, as they inevitably do during the planning process, you want to really like the person on the other end of the deal.) After a round of drinks at Lavender Lake, we were high-​fiving and preparing to send her the check. A consummate professional who glows with warmth and humor, Melanie is a find and a half when it comes to a band manager and lead singer for one’s wedding. She applauded (and her band nailed) the deep-​cut requests we submitted, gently and tactfully steered us away from stacking the setlist with too many slow-​dance sleepers, and worked in a few sentimental favorites for our moms at the last minute without batting a virtual eye. She also agreed to soundtrack our ceremony within weeks of our wedding, and provided the special equipment we’d need to have the outdoor wedding of our dreams (despite the lack of power outlets).
Perhaps most importantly, Melanie showed kindness and compassion as she handled our most important request: that the band introduce and play «Naïve Melody» to honor my brother, who passed away last year. Her introduction set up the song as a beautiful tribute to a person who loved music, and the memory of being surrounded by our friends and family, cocooned in love, will remain with us forever.
While hiring a wedding band might seem like just another hassle or added expense during a wedding process that is rife with financial and emotional landmines, I can say that working with Mixtape was one of the easiest and most spiritually sound decisions we made during our planning process. They made it more than a party, more than a ritual, more than a carrying on of tradition; they made it the kind of transcendent coming-​together of souls that everyone wants their wedding to be.

First and foremost. If you’re thinking about booking this band, go here
(it’s okay, I’ll wait)
Now, if your reaction is «Passion Pit, Beach Boys, Faith No More, and Michael Jackson? This band sounds amazing!» Just stop reading and book them now. They’re going to be even better than you think.
If your reaction is «Meh…couldn’t I get that same variety from a DJ?», then I think you should keep reading.
Think about any wedding you’ve been to. What do you remember? Centerpieces? Probably not. Food? Maybe. Music? Definitely. Music is such a huge part of people having fun at weddings. If you have a bad band, people likely won’t have as good a time. DJ’s are certainly fine. But, for me, there’s nothing better than live music at a wedding. And, for my money, there’s not a better live band than Mixtape.
I’m in a band, so I’m super picky when it comes to other bands… especially for my own wedding. I was excited by how many different styles of music they could play. I knew that the parents/​aunts/​uncles would enjoy the older stuff that they could play, and that my friends would appreciate the current music they offer too.
My expectations were already high… and they consistently exceeded those expectations.
Melanie was so helpful from the very beginning. They handled our requests beautifully. There really aren’t enough superlatives to express how great they really were. We got so many unsolicited comments on how good the music was too. People were really digging it.
If your wedding day is supposed to be the best day of your life, then Mixtape really needs to be the soundtrack to that day.
Thanks Mixtape — you guys are true pros in every sense of the word

Mixtape played at my wedding on July 12, 2014. I feel bad that I have no yet taken the time to review them because quite frankly, they were amazing.
It was difficult to find a band that my fiancé (now husband) and parents could agree on in terms of musical talent, appeal between generations, song choices, etc. Everyone agreed, though, that Mixtape would be a great fit.
We were a little nervous in the weeks leading up to the wedding because we had only seen them in videos, and never live, but we were just blown away.
The instrumental processional was beautiful (first «The Book of Love,» by the Magnetic Fields and then «Something» by George Harrison) and a perfect combination of acoustic guitar and violin. Our recessional, «The Final Countdown,» was very well received and sounded surprisingly classy on the strings (for a song that I knew would get laughs from my Arrested Development contingent.) Melanie (the band’s manager) was really great about accommodating our requests here, and the band as a whole put together great arrangements, the kind of which I kept searching for, but could not find, on youtube.
I know I am biased because it was my own wedding, but I don’t think I’ve ever attended a wedding with better music or a better band. The playlist was fun and different, and nicely incorporated a great variety of different eras, to accommodate the preferences of several different generations. I remember before my husband and I were announced into the Reception Hall, I was getting really anxious for everybody to migrate into there, because, survey says, I wanted to hear the song they were playing (Birdhouse In Your Soul — They Might Be Giants).
The volume levels were perfect, the execution was beautiful and flawless, and the group had so much charisma together and exuded passion and talent at every moment. My guests have told me that this was one of the best (or the best) wedding they’ve ever been to, and all have specifically raved about our band.
If you want a personalized, unique experience, don’t want to deal with a music «talent company,» and a super-​fun, talent filled evening of great dancing, look no further. If you are lucky enough to book Mixtape for your wedding (or any other event), you will never forget what an amazing time you had, or how great your music was!
Extra special thanks/​shoutout to Melanie Flannery — who made sure our wedding was perfect. THANKS MELANIE!!!

Weddings are filled with countless things to worry about, crisis and hidden costs. However, Melanie immediately put at ease about our band choice. She’s friendly, professional, and helpful when making song choices from their deep repertoire.
On our wedding day, the band was the highlight of the night. They sounded fantastic from start to finish. The mix of motown, classic rock, newer hits and indie music had something for everyone. I think some of the older guests danced more than our younger friends did! It’s been 2 months since our wedding day and people are still talking about Mixtape when they see us.
When you hire Mixtape you know you’re getting a high quality, professional, and easy to work with band. My only disappointment is that I don’t have another big event to hire for!

I heard Mixtape play at the US Open a few weeks ago and all I have to say is, WOW! These guys are incredible. I was there to see tennis, but ended up hanging out where they were playing just to keep dancing and rocking out with my friends. The lead singer has some serious pipes on her and the band is excellent. I couldn’t believe that they could do The Pixies and Nirvana as well as they did Edward Sharpe and Florence and the Machine. They’ve also got a great look — each band member has a unique and quirky, but professional style.
I ended up missing most of the match I was supposed to be watching, but it was so worth it. I was seriously blown away by this band and will definitely use them the next time I plan a corporate event!

I just had the pleasure of Mixtape performing at my 6÷16÷12 NJ wedding (they traveled to the ‘burbs!) and they were amazing. During the wedding planning, I had been looking at some cringe worthy wedding bands in the area and was about give up when I stumbled across Mixtape’s vendor info. I was skeptical of their advertisement as not being just an average wedding band but after seeing their videos and getting in contact with their manager/​lead vocalist Melanie, I started to believe that they could really bring something special to my wedding.
The band’s repertoire is very extensive and they are always adding new songs to the list. Melanie was especially helpful with suggesting certain songs and helping to organize a cohesive playlist. I repeatedly told my now husband that planning the music with Melanie was the silver lining in the otherwise stressful wedding prep time.
One of the extra nice things about Mixtape is that they can perform the music for your ceremony, cocktail hour and reception, which is what I booked. This saved money and made things a bazillion times easier to coordinate. They have a wide variety of options as the musicians are music degree holders. I had an acoustic guitarist for my ceremony who did an amazing instrumental version of the beatles and sinatra. I then had a jazz trio play during the cocktail hour, which set a nice mood for all the guests mingling and eating hors d’ourves. During dinner, the band played a specified set of more low key songs. Afterwards, I picked out mostly very upbeat and dancy songs that everyone was able to really rock out to.
If you are considering booking mixtape, then you should stop thinking about it and contact them immediately since just chatting with Melanie will make you want the band’s easy going attitude and fast paced energy to infiltrate your wedding day.