What they're saying about The BPM...

“ We were thrilled. I saw the pictures and figured, oh my gosh, there's not a person sitting down! The only thing we want to change is that we want to contract you for longer this year.' ”

—Daryl Rubin, 11/16/2010, Rainbows, Itasca, Illinois
Rainbows

“ The music was wonderful and absolutely perfect. We thank you for everything and that article you wrote was wonderful. Thanks Backthird Events for the wonderful afternoon and evening. Also this article is beautiful and for your information this last dance was our favorite part of the day as well. Thank you for providing such a magical day. ”

—Genis and Daniel, 6/26/2010, Morton Arboretum, Lisle, Illinois
Bride and Groom

“ We wanted to thank you for all of the help that you provided throughout this process. It has been great working with you! We felt so comfortable knowing that things were in your hands as we headed into our wedding day. It is so nice to have musicians that bring enthusiasm and truly care about their clients! ”

—Jessica and Mike, 6/12/2010, Knickerbocker, Chicago, Illinois
Bride and Groom

“ You did an awesome job on our first dance and the ceremony was perfect! ”

—Laura and Dan, 11/24/2009, Architectural Artifacts, Chicago, Illinois
Bride and Groom

“ After my first phone conversation with Benjie, I was in love with the idea of hiring the Total Package to provide the music for our wedding. Benjie's organization and professionalism put my 'bride jitters' to rest, and his passion for the music and performance resonated through the phone. After a lot of comparison shopping, we felt that Backthird's prices were very reasonable compared to other groups in the Chicago area, especially given the talent and quality of performance we heard on the demo CD. During the planning process, Benjie was very receptive to our request to have a violin play pop music for our cocktail hour, and even added a cello and piano for a fantastic end result! Backthird's online planning tools were also incredibly helpful for me. As a 'DIY Bride' with no official wedding coordinator, I was responsible for setting the schedule of events for the day, and Backthird's planning tools really brought some of these small details to light. As the MC, Chris' personality was a perfect mix of enthusiasm and professionalism. After hearing the final product of The Total Package at our wedding, I can attest that the group is well worth the investment! Our guests loved the mix of classic band and modern DJ, and we feel The Total Package truly offered a song and style for everyone. Benjie and his musicians and staff really do have it all'professionalism, personality, and extraordinary talent! ”

—Abby and Kent, 9/1/2009, Medinah Country Club, Chicago, Illinois
Bride and Groom

“ I gave you three artists, and then during the music I heard everything I loved. I wanted to dance the whole night! All of our guests couldn't stop telling us what a great time they had, and more than a few people commented, "Now THAT was a wedding." The flow of the Total Package (DJ/band) was seamless, and people were dancing from start to finish (especially me!). It was AWESOME to see everyone on the dance floor - even those we didn't expect! Benjie was GREAT to work with, and everyone was fantastic throughout my experience - it was literally effortless because I was NOT an articulate bride, though I knew where to spend my focus. If dancing, entertainment and a fantastically enjoyable evening are your top priority, BOOK THEM. I know that you won't be disappointed. :) I've never heard of so many people calling us just to tell us what a great time they had! The flow of your Total Package was flawless and people mentioned they couldn't tell the difference between the band and CD because you guys were so awesome. Thanks for taking hold of our wedding reception and rockin' it all night long! ”

—Melody and Jeff, 11/8/2008, Cog Hill, Lemont, Illinois
Bride and Groom

“ Ryan and I met with Benjie and instantly felt at ease and confident in his services. We also liked that it was a younger group as we are a young couple with most guests in their 20's. Our favorite memory: our first dance! The band learned "Everything" by Alanis Morrissette per our request. It was amazing how much the singer sounded like Alanis! Her voice was beautiful and a very special dance for Ryan and I. Very reasonable pricing for band and DJ. The combo was excellent and was able to provide a wide range of music. The guests loved the band and enjoyed the flexibility of the DJ. ”

—Leslie and Ryan, 10/4/2008, Fulton's on the River, Chicago, Illinois
Bride and Groom

“ It was completely awesome and my family had a fabulous time. Start to finish, everybody loved it. Our videographer said you were the best band he's ever seen! ”

—Jennifer and Curtis, 6/17/2008, Venuti's, Addison, Illinois
Bride and Groom

“ The music was outstanding. That's one thing. But you also made everything go so smoothly ' even though our wedding planner bailed at the last minute! Without you our wedding would have been great ' but it was awesome thanks to you. ”

—Mary and Parag, 5/3/2008, InterContinental, Chicago, Illinois
Bride and Groom

“ Bottom line: you guys sound great and were a pleasure to work with. You were a huge help at every step of the planning process. You were even able to advise us on the best way to set up the hall for our reception. And the music was great! The combination of the band and DJ really made our reception special and enabled us to include lots of touches that reflected our own tastes and traditions. You put the focus on us, not on the performers. ”

—Michelle and Brad, 10/1/2007, Morton Arboretum, Lisle, Illinois
Bride and Groom

“ Take it from someone who plans events for a living, it is so great to have confidence in your vendors. You left them hungry for more and everyone walked out smiling. We all had so much fun, especially the BRIDE! ”

—Jen and Mark, 9/16/2007, River East Arts Center, Chicago, Illinois
Bride and Groom

“ Benjie was a phenomenal MC and the musical talent was excellent ' they provided such a high-energy atmosphere that the dance floor was packed and people were calling for more by the end of the night. Still to this day we are receiving compliments! ”

—Lauren and Sean,9/9/2007, Morton Arboretum, Lisle, Illinois
Bride and Groom

“ Thank you guys for all you did at our wedding ' the music you created was stellar, and everyone appeared to have a blast.  We are both glad we were able to have you perform for us.  Thanks also for allowing Liz to get up and sing.  She had wanted to contact you to work something out in advance, but was a bit too timid to ask. ”

—Liz and Keith, 9/2/2007, Jason's Steakhouse, Montgomery, Illinois
Bride and Groom

“ Hire The Total Package Band!! They were easy and helpful to work with. You could tell that they've been doing this for a long time. Everything ran smoothly and our reception was perfect. The band catered to all ages and there were more people dancing than at any other wedding we've been at. The band sounded great and everyone had so much fun! ”

—Rachel and Nick, 7/3/2007, White Eagle C.C., Naperville, Illinois
Bride and Groom

“ It meant so much to us that the band not only learned and rehearsed two special requests for us, but that you allowed my brother and sister to sing our first-dance song. As you know, we interviewed three separate DJ companies before deciding to go with live music. Thank you for helping us create moments like that on our special day! ”

—Christina and Mike, 6/23/2007, Morton Arboretum, Lisle, Illinois
Bride and Groom

“ You came through with the requests, you kept the dance floor loaded and your flexibility allowed us to relax and enjoy our own wedding at our own pace. And thanks for letting Kathi sing with the band on the mother/son dance ' we'll remember that as one of the highlights of our wedding day. We're both passionate about music, so having great entertainment was a priority for us at our reception. Thanks for exceeding our expectations! ”

—Kathi and Jim, 9/3/2006, School of the Art Institute of Chicago Ballroom, Chicago, Illinois
Bride and Groom

Audio and Video demos