TopShelf

The band leader, John Hanson, has been managing various groups for over 25 years, and also has had an extensive career in corporate management, so his organizational skills and attention to detail will ensure that we've got everything worked out for your event - no nasty surprises.

Our band's focus is driven by what our target audiences want to hear, not only by what we as musicians like to play. With all the great music out there, we've devoted ourselves to finding music that we know our clients will like, and that we also love to play. When you have fun, we have fun - it's that simple!

Everybody in the group has been carefully selected based on musical ability, professional experience entertaining crowds, strength of character, and reliability. We pride ourselves in being a professional organization that is focused on clients' needs, both on and off the stage. When you hire us, you won't be surprised with any of the stories one hears about less professional groups. Our reputation matters.

For more details about us, our music, videos and where we've played recently, please check out our website

WHO WE ARE

We're a group of pros from the twin cities metro area who just love to entertain a crowd and get them up on the dance floor! We've performed for weddings, bars & nightclubs, casinos, street dances, rodeos, private parties, etc., and our members have performed in the U.S. and abroad.

And, our approach is professional both on and off the stage, with a fun performance that your audience will remember!

OUR MUSIC
TopShelf prides itself on entertaining your guests with a truly FUN variety of the top Modern Country, Pop & Rock hits from the 1990's to today, plus a good dose of timeless classics for all ages - we even throw in a little funk to spice things up! You know...the ones that make you want to dance! Want some modern country rock? Got it. How about some classic rock & funk? Check. Do you like the biggest pop hits and groovin' dance tunes? We've got that too!

Unlike most cover bands, we're able to customize our set list to fit your needs, whether it's mostly Modern Country, Pop/Rock, or both. Whether it's for a wedding, special event or to entertain your customers, TopShelf provides top notch entertainment from very experienced musicians, at a reasonable price.

OUR BACKGROUND
Our members have years of professional experience and come from diverse walks of life, including some who've performed and taught music for living, and others with careers outside of music, but who perform professionally in their free time.

OUR BAND MEMBERS
Tamara, Lead Vocalist
Tamara has been singing most of her life, and has a natural talent that makes people want to smile. She joined every choir or ensemble she could get her hands on in 5th grade and continued through college. In high school and college she performed in select, show, and jazz choirs, costume caroling and community choirs, and majored in Musical Theater at Concordia St. Paul. In addition to performing in a many groups, Tamara has the unique experience of running a high end music group for a large church in Chicago. As Creative Director for over 12 years, she directed the band, vocalists, and choir, as well as heading up the drama and production teams. Tamara then moved to the western Wisconsin area, just outside of the twin cities metro. Her performance style and interaction with the crowd will keep you engaged all night long!

John - Drummer, Band Leader
John has been hitting things (of the stick and drum variety) for over 35 years. He has been performing in and leading a variety of groups in the Minneapolis, Chicago and Denver areas since 1984, ranging from country and rock bands to musical theater and classical groups. He also a lot of experience on the business side of things, so you can be assured of a professional approach from the time you book us until we're done performing the last song for your event!

Marc - Lead Guitar and Vocals
Marc brings 35 years of gigging and recording experience as a lead guitarist and vocalist. A finalist in the original "Twin Cities Lead Guitarist" competition, Marc has toured the Midwest as part of Northern Lights, and later, Cain. He’s a session player on numerous local recordings, including the soundtrack for the award winning-musical “Philly”. Marc has also been occasionally spotted as George Harrison in the Beatles tribute A Hard Day’s Night.

Boyd - Bass Guitar
has extensive performance experience in the U.S. and Internationally, and has been playing bass since he was a teenager. By the time he was in high school, he was already touring throughout Asia, and has been rocking the stages ever since! Originally from the Phillippines, he moved to the U.S. and has been a popular bassist in the twin cities for many years. With an infectious smile and stage presence, you can both hear and feel his music!

Charles - Keyboard & Vocals
started playing piano at age 11, and picked up drums a few years later. Playing music has been a part his life ever since. Garage bands, church bands and even some songwriting were scattered throughout his early years. Following a stint with a christian country band (included two great studio albums), he join several Twin Cities cover bands later in life, hammering out key parts for classic rock, blues and country tunes for the last 15 years. Joining this outstanding group is a great next step in his musical evolution

For venues with approximately 250 people or less, we have our own sound system and lighting, which can be provided upon request. We have our own sound technician who will constantly monitor the sound quality during the show, and address any issues that may arise. Depending on the size of the room, we can also accommodate larger crowds with our existing system.

For larger venues, our system is configured so it can easily integrate with the existing house system, or for an additional fee, we can rent a sound & lighting system to fit any venue, including a professional sound tech to run it. We do this because when it comes to larger venues, they all have unique requirements, and rental companies are much better equipped to handle any situation.

We do not provide the stage or a drum riser, however, and ask that the client takes care of this part of the set-up. Though we can make most stages work to a degree, having a width of at least 20 feet, and depth of at least 12 feet is generally a safe minimum.

For electrical power, we ask that at least two separate circuits be provided, with outlets accessible within 10 feet of the stage. Its ok if the venue uses their own extension cords to make this possible, as long as the cord used is a high quality, heavy-gauge that can handle it. The reason we prefer two circuits is to avoid feedback problems, and to avoid blowing any circuit breakers by sharing the same circuit with both lights and sound.

A full stage plot and detailed channel list is available upon request for your in-house technician to review prior to the gig. Our band uses in-ear monitors to ensure a consistent mix for our band members, and also to make it easier for your venue's sound technician.