Boutique Entertainment

SteelRiver and Southbound Soul were such a joy to have at our wedding! Lauren Roy was extremely professional, organized and delightful to work with from start to finish. We had SteelRiver perform during cocktail hour and Southbound Soul bring out the party after dinner. Many of our guests complimented on the live band's performance and the energy they brought to the wedding. We only wished we could have been present to enjoy the cocktail hour music more ourselves! Lauren Roy has an infectious enthusiasm and warm personality that can clearly be heard in her singing. She even learned a new song for us upon request which was performed as the last song. What a way perfect way to finish the night!

We had both SteelRiver and Southbound Soul play our wedding. First, let me start by saying as far as the administrative side of things goes, Lauren is a true professional. She was communicative, prompt, organized, and just a joy to deal with. As for the SteelRiver duo, you really can’t do much better than Lauren and Will for your ceremony/cocktail—they are one of the most talented duos I’ve ever heard—I’m dead serious. They are cognizant not to take any of the attention away from the ceremony and add this simple, elegant magic on top of it in the form of background music. They were great at hitting all of their cues, especially when the bride began to walk down the aisle. They just get it!

Southbound Soul, the 4-piece party band played our reception. The four of them are extremely talented musicians, and you can feel their energy and passion for their craft as they play. We had many compliments on the band throughout the night. Their setlist is updated and upbeat and will keep your guests entertained throughout the night. During their breaks and dinner, the DJ played a great set of tunes.

All in all, if you hire this band—which you should—you will not be dissapointed. As far as I’m concerned, SteelRiver/Southbound Soul is the best wedding band you can get for the money, and they made our special day that much more special. Thanks again!

Amazing band! We highly recommend them. Lauren was extremely professional, responded quickly to emails, and the band was a lot of fun! Lauren was also generous enough to make a recording of herself singing our first dance song so we could practice. From what I've gathered, most bands won't do this which is an example of how they went above and beyond. Lauren and the band were extremely low maintenance, they figured out how to get their equipment in and set up, we really didn't get involved in any of that.

Overall, I don't think anyone will be disappointed with Lauren and her band. Do yourself a favor and just pick them. You'll be glad you did!

Lauren’s angelic voice was the perfect addition to our wedding day. Her incredibly sweet and warm personality made the planning process an absolute breeze. Lauren was so easy to work with: flexible, accommodating and extremely professional. We developed a friendship throughout our time working together and it made it that much more special to have SteelRiver Duo and Southbound Soul perform on our big day. Lauren shared a genuine excitement for our celebration and we were honoured that she was a part of it.

We had SteelRiver Duo perform for the ceremony and cocktail hour. Their heavenly tunes created a perfect atmosphere for a very sentimental time. I made a special request for an acoustic version of Beyoncé’s “Halo” to be played as I walked down the aisle and I still get chills hearing Lauren’s beautiful voice on our video. She is perfection.

When it came time for the reception, Southbound Soul did NOT disappoint. They kept the dance floor packed all night long! Such natural professionals, they could sense what the crowd was feeling and kept the vibe rolling for hours. It was everything we could’ve hoped for – pure charisma, energy and the ability to keep our guests entertained.

Without a doubt, Lauren and her bands were the perfect music selection. Our expectations were beyond exceeded with their attention to detail, superior entertainment and immaculate vocals. We still get rave reviews from our guests saying they were the best live band they've ever heard at a wedding! People were blown away by the music!

I still wonder how we got so lucky?! If you are fortunate enough to have the opportunity to book SteelRiver Duo and/or Southbound Soul you absolutely MUST!!

Lauren Roy is an absolute professional. As a corporate event planner, I have come to learn that working with an entertainer who specializes in creating a seamless end-to-end experience for their clients is essential. Lauren does exactly this! From the moment we connect and book a date, through to the end of the event, I know Lauren has every miniscule detail covered.

I have worked with Lauren for a variety of corporate events over the past few years, using both bands – SteelRiver Duo and Southbound Soul. As a group, they are able to flawlessly adapt depending on the atmosphere I am trying to create, ranging from an upscale cocktail reception to a full blown dance party. Lauren and her crew perfectly read the crowd and know how to transition the vibe of an evening as it progresses. On numerous occasions I have had both venue managers and guests asking me for her information, as they were absolutely blown away. Having venue managers (who see top talent come through their doors on a weekly basis) complimenting Lauren speaks volumes to the professionalism and skill that she and her band possess.

I would not hesitate to book Lauren time and time again. Her attention to detail combined with sheer talent is rare to find, and makes working with her an absolute dream!

We really wanted a live band at our wedding and as soon as we met Lauren Roy and her band, SteelRiver Duo, we immediately knew we found the perfect band for our wedding!

Upon our first meeting with Lauren, we had a vague idea of what we wanted for our music selection but we were still unsure about a lot of song choices for our ceremony and first dances. Lauren was so helpful and guided us along the way giving us a list of songs she commonly uses and helped pick perfect selection of music for our particular venue and even special moments. Lauren even had phone conferences with us and our officiant to make sure our music selections ran smoothly. Lauren learned what our personalities and visions were and knew how to guide us to match the music. She was by our side all the way.

The day of our wedding, we did not have a designated coordinator and Lauren gladly stepped in, and supported us throughout the entire event. She helped time the procession, supported and worked with the MC when to make announcements, including making them herself during our reception, and through her music, she was able to make smooth transitions throughout the night that made our event flow from beginning to end.

Lauren and Will have such a beautiful sound and know how to play music in such a way that makes it truly their own style. They play various styles that grabs the attention of everyone. All of our guests truly enjoyed hearing Lauren's music and many of them are still asking us about her to possibly use at their future events!

To sum up, you will not be disappointed with Lauren Roy Entertainment.

To launch our refreshed brand, we wanted to create an atmosphere that allowed our guests to mingle, meet staff and tour our expanded facilities – all the while enjoying some delicious food and refreshments. SteelRiver’s soft vocals and smooth guitar added the perfect blend of musical accompaniment to our event. Lauren and Will gave us a superb performance and memorable evening. The compliments just keep coming. ~ Grand Wellness, Brantford, Ontario.

We had the absolute privilege of having Lauren Roy and her band perform for our wedding. We were beyond happy with how perfect the music was. Our ceremony was so beautiful and unique as our songs were sung by Lauren herself. Our guests couldn't stop saying how amazing the band was. We couldn't have imagined a better band to make our day so very special and memorable. Thank you so much XX

Lauren and her team made our wedding an absolute party to remember!!! Our guests kept raving about how amazing they were, everyone was on the dance floor all night long. Lauren read the room perfectly and we were amazed with how perfect each set was without us providing any direction as to our and our guest music preferences were prior to the evening.

Lauren's talent and professional went beyond anything we could have ever imagined. She truly puts her clients first with open communication, extremely reasonable rates and an energy that will keep your dance floor going all night long!!!

We can't recommend hiring Lauren and her team enough!

Lauren Roy and SteelRiver played an acoustic set for my wife and I's pre-ceremony/processional and I still have chills when I think back to their rendition of Stevie Wonder's For Once in My Life! Then, the 4-piece band Southbound Soul was nothing short of amazing and our guests LOVED them and their music! They truly catered to our needs and tastes and were nothing short of professional throughout the entire process. I honestly can't think of a better band I've seen at a wedding in a long time (I ALWAYS suggest to go with a live band over a DJ), and they even provided DJ services during their breaks - playing a very curated song list that included some of our favourites! We honestly didn't have to worry about a thing. And, considering this was our first time planning a wedding, we had nothing to worry about as they took care of everything in a very timely fashion. They provided such positive energy throughout the evening and I would highly recommend them for weddings, but also any other event.

We were absolutely thrilled with the job they did for our backyard party. They surpassed expectations. Each and every guest were sure to let us know how amazing the band was. Made the party! For someone like me who hadn't planned an event like that before with live music Lauren was an absolute pleasure to work with from our first conversation right through to the end of the party. Extremely professional and superbly talented. They've left a lasting impression on us and all of our guests. So impressed and much appreciated.

I could not recommend Steel River Duo any more highly. Lauren was incredibly positive, accommodating and responsive throughout this entire process, delivered a very high quality product, and even learned a song that my dad composed for my mom, and sang it as my husband and I walked down the aisle! Working with such a wonderful person made my wedding planning and wedding day so stress-free. I would recommend Steel River Duo in an instant. You will not regret it if you use them for your wedding!!!

My wife & I hired Lauren for our wedding in Jordan, ON on June 3rd, 2017. Lauren was an absolute pleasure to work with from start to finish. Among many other highlights, she demonstrated her agility when we discovered an oversight on our end during the rehearsal day before which ended up saving our ceremony!

SteelRiver Duo's performed for both our ceremony and cocktail hour -- they proved to be the perfect fit for the tone we set out to create for our guests. Highly recommended.

We planned our Toronto wedding from Calgary, and Lauren was fantastic to work with and awesome with email and phone calls to help us pull all of the details together! During our planning, Lauren would help keep us on track to ensure he had what he needed for a wonderful performance. She is Brilliant! Not only was the musical performance during our ceremony beautiful, magical, heavenly, fairy like (Literally my jaws were gonna drop and I worked hard to keep my mascara on with such beautiful singing - it was just that breathtaking.) Violett and William were the most courteous, charming and easy to work with human beings. They were so amazing and so versatile! Can't believe how well prepared they were just so I could walk down the aisle to the song I wanted. They really did set the mood for the garden and reception, couldn't be happier! Having the SteelRiver Duo was one the best decision we made regarding music at our wedding. I highly recommend using Lauren Roy and her entourage of musicians. Thank you! Thank you! And please tell William and Violett Jean that we are forever grateful. Thank you, Lauren for such professionalism in helping us plan our sweet and magical day.

We knew we wanted a live band at our wedding and were very fortunate to get Southbound Soul! We had jaw dropping and soul moving acoustic music during our ceremony. We also heard their sound throughout cocktail hour. The dance floor was lively and the party started as soon as Lauren's voice was heard throughout the night. We had watched plenty of their youtube videos before hearing Lauren and Will perform at our local pub. We loved working with the band and enjoyed the sincerity in coordinating a night to remember. The band hit all the right notes for the crowd and tugged at all our heartstrings. They were easy to work with, professional and treated the wedding as if it were their own. All ages and our friends were impressed with how amazing the bands performance added to the wedding and event!

Lauren and Will performed for us at our international corporate event with Southbound Soul at Steam Whistle Toronto. Lauren was a pleasure to work with from the very first contact; great communications, super-friendly and professional every step of the way. The performance was exceptional; true pros with a great set list that just kept on going! With Lauren's amazing voice and Will's silky guitar skills wowing the guests, everybody had such a great time.

Some comments from our guests...
"What a fantastic night at Steam Whistle with Southbound Soul - awesome band, thanks for a great night!!
"An electrifying and entertaining band with a lovely heart. One of the few bands I have seen that surely know how to pleasantly work their crowd. Audience interaction at its finest!"
"The band was very engaging and the musicianship was great. They carried a lot of weight considering the small band size!"

Thanks for a special evening; awesome talent, energy and personality to grace any event!! See you again next time in Canada!!

We had a small Venezuelan / Irish wedding of just 20 people where everyone was staying in a big house up at Muskoka lake and we had the reception in the house too. The guys did a great job keeping us entertained for the evening. We all had a great time and I think they did too. Thanks again guys!

Lauren and her band were absolutely amazing. From the beginning to the end they did not miss a beat. I was so thankful for her organization and responsiveness through the whole process. I knew we were in good hands and that I had nothing to worry about the day of. Everyone had so much fun and she does such a great job of keeping a wonderful energy. Thank you Lauren for making our wedding so incredible.

Wow, this band literally rocked our wedding. Couldn't have had a more talented band to play for our special day. We are still getting positive feedback from our guests, who were all so impressed with the music and want a referral. Most of the night was on the dance floor. Amazing value and quality. Can't wait to throw another event, just to enjoy their music again. Lauren was also such a pleasure to coordinate with, sweet, professional, and accommodating. Thank you for making our wedding night that much more memorable!

For our wedding we had Lauren (vocals) and Will (guitar) from SteelRiver Duo perform during the cocktail hour and dance party portion of our night.

The moment they started playing for the cocktail hour they got the attention of our guests. Everyone was raving about how great they were. Numerous people told my wife and I how Lauren and Will created the perfect atmosphere for the occasion. We let the duo pick the song list for the cocktail hour and all our guests, young and old were very impressed by the variety of songs they were able to play.

For our first dance we had a special song request. We notified Lauren a few months in advance and her and Will were able to learn and make a special arrangement of the song, putting their own spin on it making it our special version.

The moment the first dance was through, they kicked off the party with some more up-beat tunes. My wife and I were able to choose our favourite songs from a very large set list that Lauren provided us.

Don't think for a second that just because they are a duo they can't get people moving. Who needs a DJ when you have Lauren and Will. With nothing but a mic and a guitar this duo had our guests dancing until 12:30 am! The dance floor was always packed and everyone was completely amazed how this initial cocktail band transformed into a dance groove producing machine.

SteelRiver Duo was a major part of the atmosphere at our wedding and the best part was that we were able to see them twice before at our other friend's weddings, We knew within a couple moments of seeing them that one day they would play on our big day. Even though we had our wedding in Kingston, Lauren and Will made the trip.

In the end, even when other parts of wedding planning got tough, we knew that with SteelRiver Duo it was going to be one heck of a party!

We hired SteelRiver Duo to perform during our cocktail hour and the performance was absolutely breathtaking. Our guests were wowed at the talent of both artists and loved the performance. SteelRiver Duo was a pleasure to work with and I highly recommend them for any event! They were even willing to take many requests in advance of the wedding and adapted to our style and preference in music with ease! Thank you SteelRiver Duo!

Lauren and William aka Steelriver Duo were simply amazing! From the initial meeting right until the big day, they were very responsive and accommodating, which helps when you are organizing a wedding. We couldn't be happier with the performance and our guests absolutely loved you guys! Just perfect! Thank you so much for being a part of our day. We highly recommend Steelriver Duo for any and all of your events!

This duo played at our wedding (during cocktails) and they were absolutely fantastic. They sounded incredible and their song selection was on point. Many of our guests commented on how great they sounded. We also decided to have them perform our first dance and we're SO glad we did - it, without question, added to the intimacy and personal vibe of our wedding day. They took our wedding up a notch and we're so, so glad we decided to book them. I cannot say enough good things.

Lauren and Southbound Soul played at our wedding in Cambridge, ON after the dinner service. They set such an amazing vibe for the dance party, playing a mix of music that everybody would love. Most of our crowd was 20-somethings but we had some older friends/relatives that were grooving on the dancefloor too! Many of our guests are still raving about the band, saying they've never been to a wedding with such awesome music! We had a few of our "music-connoisseur" friends ask for their contact info. Everything was seamless and Lauren was a joy to work with, she had tons of ideas and put my mind at ease with the planning. Southbound Soul is bound to make your event the most memorable!

Lauren and Will are absolutely amazing people and entertainers. From contract to performance, they were a pleasure to work with. From a classy VIP client evening to a rip-it up employee event, Lauren was able to translate my requirements exactly how I envisioned them. I highly recommend using Lauren Roy and her entourage of musicians. I can't wait to work with them again in the future.

When we were planning our wedding we were debating between a DJ or a live band. Me and my wife are both huge live music lovers so naturally we gravitated towards that option. I am SO glad we did and that we went with this band! They were fantastic!!

They had everyone up and dancing all night and the sound was flawless. They played a good mixture between oldies and newer songs. Lauren's voice is beautiful and she can sing a wide range of songs very well. The whole band was amazing, great guitar solos, awesome sounding bass and drums!

It doesn't even compare to a DJ. Imagine having your own little concert exclusive for your wedding. Nothing beats it! I highly recommend them for any event, you will not be disappointed.

SteelRiver was the perfect band for our wedding day! The lead singer, Lauren Roy, was very accommodating and a joy to work with! Prior to our wedding, my wife and I saw her perform at a pub in Ancaster, Ontario, and we immediately fell in love with her voice. Many of our guests complimented us on the band and said they really enjoyed the wide variety of music. Lauren arranged for us to have a classical guitarist for our ceremony, a guitarist and singer for cocktail hour, and a five member band for the reception. It was truly an unforgettable night and we would highly recommend SteelRiver for any type of event!

Lauren Roy and Will Makuna were fantastic! They were a dynamic musical duo who added a touch of class and fun to our wedding. There is nothing comparable to having live music at a wedding. Our guests had a great time, even the ones who don't normally dance! Lauren has such a versatile and lovely voice (her interpretation of At Last was musical and she really left her own mark on the song. Will Makuna is a polished guitatrist who effortlessly put the 'cool factor' in our wedding.

Book them immediately!

Lauren and Will performed at our wedding in April of this year and were the perfect touch to a perfect day! They kept our 350 guests entertained throughout dinner, and performed a beautiful version of our wedding song for our first dance. Their set up was quick and easy and their performance was flawless. I can't thank you guys enough. We received so many compliments and questions about where we found you guys and we are so happy that we did! Wish we could do it all over again!!

Thanks so much!!
Allie and Anthony xo

So wonderful to have you a part of our wedding. All our guests were entertained and were full of compliments! Thank you for learning out special songs, it made the day just perfect

SteelRiver Duo played at my outdoor tent wedding of 200 people and did an incredible job! They played music for all ages and kept everyone dancing all night. Will is insane on the guitar and Lauren's voice is like no other. They kept the energy up and really worked with the crowd! Everyone that spoke to me that night said how much they loved the band. They were a pleasure to work with from start to finish and were extremely reasonably priced. I would highly recommend these amazing artists to play at any function.

I cannot say enough incredible things about Lauren and her team. the music was epic. Everything from learning songs for the ceremony, to playing the cocktail hour and then adding a bassist and drummer to make the most rocking wedding band in history. I will forever remember her incredible voice as my bride walked down the isle to their interpretation of Edward Sharpes Home. They were perfect!!

My wife and I had the pleasure of seeing The SteelRiver Duo perform at our friends wedding and even though we already had a DJ booked and paid for we knew having Lauren and Will perform at our wedding would make it so much more memorable – and we were absolutely correct! Lauren was very helpful in the planning phase with song recommendations for both the ceremony and the reception (welcome music, speeches, first dance, etc) as well as being able to perform songs that we recommended (a mix of old and new). They had our entire wedding on the dance floor the whole night and everybody was having a great time, which is really what you want for your wedding. I had so many comments both during and after the wedding about how amazing the band was. They honestly made our wedding feel like a party and we couldn’t be happier with them. If an opportunity comes up for me to use them again I would 100% and I can’t recommend them enough.

We had a fantastic wedding day and we were very grateful for all of the effort, energy and talent of SteelRiver Duo that made our wedding day so special and memorable! They were all a pleasure to work with and we were lucky to have found them and so happy to have them celebrate with us!

All our guests enjoyed their musical entertainment and made many comments throughout the evening about how great they all were. Live music was the right choice and was truly appreciated by our guests, and we were thankful for the awesome ambiance they created. We would highly recommend SteelRiver Duo for your wedding!

I am so glad we booked SteelRiver for our friends' wedding! It was a gift on behalf of the bridal party, and we couldn't be happier with the result. Lauren and Will are amazing and a breeze to work with. Their song selection is vast and their musical talent is unbelievable! Thank you Lauren and Will.

Nana

My husband and I hired Lauren & Will to play at a post wedding reception party and they were absolutely fantastic! From the correspondence and communication leading up to the party to the actual day we were extremely happy with their professionalism and performance. EVERYONE at our party loved the music and had nothing but positive comments for the band! Would absolutely recommend-

Hi Lauren, I just wanted to send a note to say thank you. My goodness, you guys were just perfect. You set the tone beautifully for our day. Everyone complimented us, we got lots of 'where did you find them???'. You were both so impressive, and really made a huge impact on us and our guests. Your music was so sophisticated and polished, so professional. We were just so impressed!!! I will definitely recommend you any chance I get. I am so happy we chose you for our special day!!! And I loved having you play live for our first dance. It brought a little something extra to the song that means so much to us. I just can't thank you enough. All the best, Christine & Rob

Steel River Duo performed at out staff Christmas party a few weeks ago and people are still talking about it! I love your voice and your chemistry when playing together with William . You guys had a beautiful mix of musical genres and surprise acoustic performances that I didn't expect to hear that to me was literally the highlight of the night. I remember looking around the room during dinner and everyone was grooving in their seat! Really looking forward to any other event where you two will be performing! Thanks for making our party a memorable one!!! :)

They play weekly at our restaurant and draw in a great crowd. Our customers as well as our staff look forward to the nights they are playing. We have a great time and they are extremly talented and versatile

Loren and the fabulous guitarist delighted the seniors during their summer bbq this year. 100 seniors were delighted with the way they connected with them, laughed and sang in a personal yet professional way. The guitarist was absolutely amazing and together with Loren's exceptional voice, provided the perfect music for a tremendous evening. Their rates were very reasonable and their soft yet helpful personalities ensured that the organization/booking and business interactions were done quickly, smoothly and efficiently. Book them while you can still afford them!!!

The Steel River Acoustic Duo performed during a special summer bbq. held at a seniors residence in Oakville. The calibre was excellent and the jazzy blues, popular songs and personal connection this group held with the audience resulted in a successful fun evening for all. Check out their audio samples......you won't be disappointed!

In a nutshell, you just want Lauren and Will to keep playing. Its even sad when they take a break during their gig! Great show, great musicians, great personality and great smile! I hesitate writing this, only because it may fill her schedule...reducing the amount of times we book her. Highly recommend.

Lauren and William are amazing artists. They are wonderfully talented and everyone at the party commented on their beautiful music. We had a surprise backyard party for my husbands 50th and Lauren and William got everyone in the groove right away. Even though I didn't give them much notice, they got back to me immediately with regards to booking the date and were very accommodating and courteous. We cant wait to have another party so that we can enjoy their music again. A definite 5 stars in all categories.

Lauren has performed at our restaurant for the past year...and always to rave reviews. This particular duo brings a new dimension to the her lineup. She has the softest, sexiest voice I've heard in years. You will not be dissapointed.

Lauren performed for our Store Anniversary Event & was very prompt & professional. Great interaction with customers, fabulous song choices, and of course a singing voice loved by all.