Jug band one minute, New Orleans string shake the next, then a Chicago blues bellow. RareTreats formed on the Central Coast in 2018 and play acoustic folk, blues, roots and rock and roll, plugged or unplugged. The four of them cover guitars, keyboard, mandolin, ukulele, banjo mandolin, piano accordion, suitcase percussion, kazoos and a thimbleful of washboard, with four part harmonies over the top. No backing tapes, no drum machines. Everything you hear happens live in the room. The set list runs from Old Crow Medicine Show, Pokey LaFarge and Memphis Slim through to the Rolling Stones, Johnny Cash and Jimmy Barnes, plus originals from their album On the Streets. They'll play close to the crowd as happily as on a stage, and they also work as a duo or trio.
See RareTreats play
Watch RareTreats perform and get a feel for their sound, style and fit for your wedding.
What it costs
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Pricing is confirmed before anything is booked. GST and travel are shown clearly on the quote.
Songs RareTreats can play
Search their repertoire or browse the list below. Ask us about a first dance or another song that matters to you.
and The Beggars. A comprehensive eclectic mix for music lovers of all ages.Augie MarchBen E. KingBig Joe TurnerBobby SandsCarl PerkinsCovers: Rolling StonesDallas String BandDead SouthDr Dom HopkinsElvis PresleyGeorge Washington Thomas JrGraham NashHobart SmithsThe InkspotsInkspotsJack CasadyJeff BrowneJimmy BarnesJimmy CarrollJohnny CashThe KinksLeonard CohenLittle WalterMary HopkinMemphis SlimOld Crow Medicine ShowRareTreats perform great classic covers as well as songs by lots of other musicians that most people will not have heard of. These will include Pokey la FargeSleepy John EstesT Bone BurnettThomas AllenTom WaitsTruckstop HoneymoonUtah PhillipsYou Gotta Move (McDowell); Tappin' That Thing (Rachell); Ramblin' Man (Williams); New Walkin' Blues (Butterfield); Hesitation Blues (trad.); Walkin' My Blues Away (McGhee); Minnie the Moocher (Calloway/Mills); Chocolate Jesus (Waits); Cakewalk Into Town (Mahal/Rachell); Sunny Afternoon (Davies); Telephone Call from Istanbul (Waits) and plenty more.
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Good to know
What to expect
Four musicians who'd just as soon play a metre from your guests as up on a stage. Between them: keyboard, guitars, mandolin, ukulele, banjo mandolin, piano accordion, suitcase percussion, kazoos and four part harmonies. Nothing is on tape and there's no drum machine, so what reaches you is what's being played in the room. Some songs carry a bit of politics, some are funny, some will move people and some will fill a dance floor. Expect to be invited into it, whether that's joining a simple chorus or picking up a shaker. For a three hour booking the mix runs wide. They can play acoustic, fully amplified, or somewhere between, with volume set to the room.
On the day
Somewhere dry and level to stand, and a power point if they're plugging in. That's the short version. If you're using a venue PA, they'll want two vocal microphones, between one and four DI boxes, and four to seven inputs on the desk. Pass that to whoever runs your sound and it'll be sorted well before anyone arrives.
Performance options
The band is four pieces, and it can also come as a trio or a duo if the room or the occasion suits something smaller. A standard booking is two hours of music, and they carry four to five hours of material, so a longer night is no trouble. Bringing the PA and handling the setup and pack down is an option too, or you can use what the venue already has.
