Home

Eric & Suzy

Eric Thompson

Suzy Thompson

Bluegrass Intentions

Aux Cajunals

Todalo Shakers

Thompson String Ticklers

Upcoming Appearances

Weddings, Parties, & Other Festive Occasions

 

Weddings, Parties, and other Festive Occasions

top

Music for listening and dancing | Dance Instruction | Styles of Music | Considerations | Testimonials

Looking for some unusual roots music for your party? We can provide a
CUSTOM ENTERTAINMENT PACKAGE


for your wedding, party, bar mitzvah, corporate gathering, family reunion, etc. Different sized groups (solo performers, duets, and bands of any size) can be assembled to fit your party and budgetary needs. A party with live music is a CLASSY party, whether it's a formal sit-down dinner or a backyard barbecue!!

Music For Your Wedding

We can provide background music, music for your ceremony (including processional and recessional) and of course music for your reception. Please feel free to E-mail us or phone us at 510-848-5018 with any questions you may have. Below are a few samples of ceremony music we can provide. We are also open to learning special requests for wedding ceremonies.

Some Kind of Love

This beautiful love song is one we have performed at many weddings.

Processional

Inspired by a folk tune from Finland. Here it is played on two guitars; we also play it using violin and guitar.

Recessional

We often play the Reel De Courville as a recessional, because it is such a lively, happy tune! This 18th century reel has both Celtic and French roots.

Dance Music & Instruction

Liven up your party by filling up the dance floor! We specialize in acoustic grassroots dance music: Cajun-Zydeco, rhythm & blues, Square dance with live band and caller, Jewish folk dances for your wedding or bar/bat mitzvah. Guests of all ages love to dance and it is a wonderful way to bring together your group.

Music Styles

Cajun and Zydeco, Bluegrass and old-time mountain music, rhythm and blues, 1920's hillbilly ragtime, Klezmer, Country and Folk music, Irish jigs & reels. We can create a custom mix especially for your event. If you would like us to include repertoire that reflects your family's ethnic heritage, please inquire; we play a few pieces that come from other traditions: Greek, Mexican, Hawaiian, Italian, Puerto Rican, etc. We can provide a sound system; but we also specialize in playing acoustic music without any sound system, perfect for situations where amplified music is not permitted, or where there is no electricity available.

Some Considerations to Ponder

1. Date and approximate time of your event

2. Type of event. Is it a party, a corporate event, a wedding, birthday celebration , graduation, bar/bas mitzvah, or something else?

3. What is the location of the event? Indoors or outdoors? Private residence or rented hall? Is amplified sound permitted?

4. How many people will be attending?

5. What is the entertainment budget?

6. What style of music are you interested in? (we can't guarantee that we can combine everything into one package, but we'll try!!) Choose from Cajun-Zydeco, Bluegrass/oldtime country, hillbilly jazz, other folk music (Irish, folk, blues, etc), Klezmer, or something else (it never hurts to ask!)

7. Would you like dance music for your event, or background music, or both?

Testimonials

:
From Joanna and Carl:
Thank you SO much for your stellar performance at our wedding. My dad swore he'd never dance...but you got him out on the floor! We had been billing the music as a major attraction for months and folks were really excited about it -- but it was a hit beyond our wildest dreams. Y'all were just the right mix of laid-back, romantic, foot-stomping & passionate for everyone to enjoy. The music was wonderful and made a huge contribution to an amazing evening. Thank you!!

From Gitty and David:
Here is a picture from our wedding - what FUN!!! Thank you all again, heaps - for making the evening FABULOUS! Everyone was enjoying themselves!

From Laura and Craig :

We want to thank you for a wonderful celebration you helped to create last month in Palo Alto. Despite the heat, our friends and families were delighted to dance to and hear your lively and invigorating music. And it meant so much to us to have "California Stars" as our first dance and to share it with everyone. We will never forget that moment...thanks for creating it, and for your incredible and patient flexibility, up to and including the day of the wedding!

From Sarah and Ole:
I'm delighted to serve as a reference.
Suzy, Eric, and the band were terrific. The music was very lively and fun, and tons of our guests made a point of telling us how much they enjoyed it. I was a bit worried about whether people would know how or feel comfortable dancing to cajun/bluegrass music, but I didn't need to - lots of people went right out on the dance floor when the music began and stayed for the remainder of the evening. And I think people found the sound very unique.
The other thing I really appreciated was how non-intrusive the music was. The band started playing during dinner and didn't interfere at all with conversation. (I've been at many weddings where the music was simply too loud.) They were also very easy to work with in the months before the wedding, giving us suggestions for first dance songs, sending MP3 files electronically (we were doing all the organizing for our California wedding from the east coast), and answering all of our questions speedily. During the wedding they were very flexible about timing and about the shifting schedule for our first dance, cake cutting, etc., even lending their PA system to those making toasts. All and all, we were extremely happy that we chose them for our wedding, and would certainly do it again!

From Alison and Rob:
Thank you so much for a wonderful evening!  Alison and I absolutely loved your music and had a great time.  We received many great comments from our guests about how much they liked you guys and how perfect the music was for the wedding and ranch.

From Amy and Jeremy:
Dear Suzy and Eric,
We have been wanting to convey to you our most sincere appreciation for the efforts of you and your colleagues during the day of our wedding. The ceremony music (before,during, and after!), the reception music, and the American- and Israeli-folk dancing were all exactly what we wanted, and your style blended seamlessly with the other wedding elements to enhance the mood we were trying to create both for ourselves and for our guests. Thank you for helping to make our wedding day so special!

From Michele and Rick:
Dear Suzy and Eric,
Thank you again for your wonderful music. The melodies really set the tone for the day. You guys tuned in to what we needed. You just flew with it and made it a great day.

From Cary and John:
Suzy and Eric,
Thank You, Thank You, Thank You! The music at our wedding was perfect. Everyone was thrilled with it, *especially* the people who gave us a "confused look" when we told them we were going to have Cajun music at our wedding! Your mix of tunes and tempos truly helped set (and match) the mood of the party. We've received countless comments regarding how awesome the music was!
Also, you guys were a pleasure to work with. From the very beginning, you were totally responsive to our requests and very helpful in figuring out the musical aspects of the day. Our wedding had some complicated aspects to it, and you were perfectly willing to go with the flow, and adjust the "plan" to whatever was going on at the time. That was a huge contributor to how wonderfully the day went for all of us. You're the best!

From Elizabeth and Jason:
Dear Eric and Suzy,
The music at our wedding was simply superb! It set the right tone when we were eating and couldn't have been more fun to dance to for the rest of the evening. Many guests told us that they have never heard such great playing and had such a great time dancing at a wedding. Now that Elizabeth and I can fake our way through a waltz we would love to come out and dance the next time you guys perform.

From Rachel:
Hello Suzy and Eric,
A belated, but nonetheless huge thank you to you for providing the great music for our wedding in June at Kennedy Grove. Many of my friends and family have commented on how much they liked the music and the musicians. And thank you so much for fulfilling my quite last-minute request to play the song with Anishka -- it was beautiful! I liked everything I heard, and really appreciated your fun and informal, yet professional, energy. Thank you!


From Molly and Jeff:
How can I thank you? You and your band did such a wonderful, amazing job. SO many people asked about you and SO many people danced -- I was shocked. They said they couldn't help it. Quite a testimonial, eh?

:

 

 

Home | Eric and Suzy | Eric Thompson | Suzy Thompson | Bluegrass Intentions | Aux Cajunals | Todalo Shakers |

| Thompson String Ticklers

| |Upcoming Appearances | | Weddings, Parties, and other Festive Occasions

Eric and Suzy Thompson
510-848-5018


music, folk, Cajun, oldtime, Appalachian, bluegrass, jug band, blues, fiddle, fiddler, flatpick, flatpicking, flatpicker, Mel Bay, lessons, vocal, singing, instruction, video, tablature, guitar, party, wedding ,festival ,workshop, concert, Bay Area, acoustic, Eric Thompson, Susie Rothfield, Susie Rothfield Thompson, Suzy Thompson, Suzy Rothfield Thompson, Suzie Rothfield Thompson, Kleptograss, Alan Senauke, Bill Evans, Kate Brislin, Kate Breslin, Agi Ban, Geoff Muldaur, Maria Muldaur, Del Rey, Bruce Reid, Frannie Leopold, Larry Cohea, Steven Strauss, banjo, Dave Murray, Dan Kluger, Dan Warrick, Ben Sigelman, Kleptograss, Berkeley Old Time Music Convention, No Mockingbird, Thompsons String Ticklers, Thompson's String Ticklers, Thompson String Ticklers, Thompsons' String Ticklers, California Cajun Orchestra, CCO, California Cajun, Bluegrass Intentions, Todalo Shakers, Blue Flame, Aux Cajunals, Grateful Dead, Black Mountain Boys, Jerry Garcia, David Grisman, Tony Rice, Jody Stecher, Paul Shelasky, Any Old Time, Balfa, Arhoolie, Lark, Zydeco, square dance, Apalachian, Cajon, Old Time Herald, Ashkenaz, Berkeley, stringband, San Francisco, old-time, old-timey, accordion, accordian, Creole, string band