The programme · three formats, one revue
Bands for hire
should hand you a show,
not a speaker and a setlist
Hire The Velvelettes and you get a staged 1960s soul revue: a three-voice front line, a live band with horns, an MC, real choreography, and our own PA and lighting, from $3,400 with a signed contract and insurance. We are a Motown tribute band based in Detroit, playing all 48 contiguous states since 2019, and every one of our 200+ shows has run on the same three formats below.
Anatomy of the show
What actually happens between downbeat and encore
Every format runs the same arc our bandleader Theo Whitfield charts for the room. Times below are from The Revue, our most-booked format; shorter and longer formats keep the same shape.
0:00
The walk-on
Horns hit first. Cecelia, Dot and Ruby take the stage in matched vintage dress while the band vamps. Conversations stop; phones come out.
0:03
MC welcome
Our MC frames the night in the voice of a 1964 revue bill, welcomes your guests by occasion, and sets up the first arc. No awkward "check, check".
0:05
Set one · The Openers (40 min)
Classic Motown '64: the songs every generation knows by the second bar. Built to pull the first wave onto the floor while dinner settles.
1:00
Set two · The Dancefloor (40 min)
Northern Soul tempo, choreography at full tilt, and the first costume set piece. This is the set planners film for their own portfolios.
1:55
Set three · The Showstoppers (40 min)
The big ballads, the "Soul, but 2026" re-charts of modern hits, and your custom moment: a first dance, a toast underscore, a brand beat.
2:35
The encore
One final costume reveal, one last full-room singalong, and a hard finish on time. Between live sets, our DJ keeps the floor moving.
Every song comes from the vintage soul songbook we rehearse weekly. Browse the songbook, or build a set order yourself with the program desk on the homepage.
Pick your format
Three shows, sized to the room
Private parties · intimate weddings
The Club Set
from $3,400
- Line-up: three-voice front line + rhythm trio
- Runtime: two 45-minute sets, MC'd
- Best for: rooms up to 120 guests, cocktail-forward nights
- PA, stage lighting and engineer included
Weddings · galas
The Revue
from $6,900
- Line-up: 7-piece with horns, led by Theo Whitfield
- Runtime: three 40-minute sets, DJ between
- Best for: 120 to 300 guests, full-evening receptions
- Choreography, costume set pieces, custom first-dance arrangement
Large weddings · headline events
The Grand Revue
from $12,500
- Line-up: 9-piece + backing singers
- Runtime: two-act staged show
- Best for: 300+ guests, ballrooms and festival stages
- Bespoke segment, lighting design, production manager on site
Planning a reception? See how the formats map to a wedding night on our live wedding band page, or check where the motown band travels this season.
In every package, no asterisks
What's always included
Our own PA
Sized to the room, from a 60-seat club to an open-air stage. Your venue only needs power.
Stage lighting
Warm stage wash and dance lighting travel with us. The Grand Revue adds a full lighting design.
A live engineer
Front-of-house engineer at every show, mixing the room, not a preset. Speeches and toasts run through us.
A working MC
Introductions, transitions and timeline calls handled in character, coordinated with your planner.
Backup-performer guarantee
Every front-line part has a rehearsed cover under the same contract. In 200+ shows, we have never missed a downbeat.
Contract, insurance, COI
A signed contract on every date, liability insurance, and a certificate of insurance for your venue on request.
From inquiry to show night
How a booking actually runs
June Calloway runs our booking office. Here is the cadence every client gets, whether it's a backyard wedding or a three-city corporate run.
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Day 1
Inquiry
Send your date and occasion. The booking office replies within one business day with availability and a format recommendation.
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Week 1
Program call
A 30-minute call with Cecelia, our music director, to shape your set arcs, key songs and any custom moments.
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Week 2
Contract + deposit
A signed contract and a 50% deposit hold your date. COI and W-9 go out the same day if your venue needs them.
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30 days out
Timeline lock
We call your planner or venue directly: load-in, stage plot, power, set times, announcements. You approve the final program.
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Show night
Doors to encore
We load in 3 hours before doors, soundcheck before guests arrive, and run the night to the minute. You host; we work.
★★★★★
“We've hired a dozen bands for the venue over the years. The Velvelettes were the first ones who sent a stage plot before we asked, hit every set time to the minute, and left our floor fuller at the encore than at the downbeat. That's a show, not a gig.”
Three formats · one revue
Put a real show on your stage
Tell us your date, room and occasion. Our booking office replies within one business day, and answers to the common questions live on the FAQ.