Where can I see the band perform live?
Go to our home page and look for "UPCOMING PUBLIC PERFORMANCES" on the lower left.

You can also attend a Thursday Night Showcase, held every other Thursday night, at our recording studio in Santa Clara. For more information, visit our "Thursday Night Showcase" section.

How soon should I book the band?
Most of our engagements are on Saturdays so they tend to book up first. December dates, especially Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays also tend to book well in advance. Mack The Knife has dates booked as far in advance as one year, but some short notice-dates may be available. So if interested, we suggest you contact us as soon as possible.

Will the band "hold" my date?
Your date will be held when you return your signed performance contract along with a 50% non-refundable deposit.

How often will the band take breaks?
During each performance hour, the band will play for 45 minutes and break for 15 minutes.

During band breaks, will there be any CD music?
Yes, during band breaks, CD music is played through our state-of-the-art sound system.

Can I select the songs I would like the band to play?
Yes, you can select your favorite songs from the Mack the Knife song list only. We’ll use our two decades of experience to choose the order in which the songs are played. Please submit your selections at least 30 days prior to your event.

How many songs should I choose?
After thousands of performances, we have an excellent sense of what gets people on to the dance floor. The best method is to select 5 to 10 "must play" songs and let us do the rest. We select songs based on what type of event it is, the age group of your guests and other factors. We’ll also make adjustments during our performance based on audience reactions.

On average, we play about 10 to 12 songs per performance hour.

Will the band learn a special song that is not on the Mack The Knife song list?
Yes, we will consider learning a song or two that is not on our song list if it is a song we are able to do with our instrumentation and if rehearsal time permits, clients must provide a CD and sheet music for the song. In some cases, there may be an additional charge for this service.

Will the band make announcements or emcee for me?
Yes, just provide us with a written itinerary that details any announcements you would like to make and at what time they should occur.

Will the band be too loud?
Mack The Knife employs a remote sound technician (a sound man). He controls the band’s volume from a console that is set up in the audience so he hears what your guests hear. His job is to make sure that the volume levels are appropriate at all times. At events where the band performs during dinner or cocktails, our sound tech makes sure that the volume is kept at a "background" level. We rarely get complaints of excessive volume.

What will the musicians wear (Band attire)?
Formal: Tuxedos.
Semi-formal: Black slacks, dress shirt and tie.