Upcoming Shows
The Red Hot Horn Dawgs routinely play at various public venues & festivals in the greater Madison area. We also keep busy playing for various private parties (weddings, corporate events, etc). Check us out at one of the below upcoming performances!
Note: Only confirmed performances are listed below. We may have some pending performances that aren’t listed below. If you are interested in our availability for your event, please contact us.
Weddings
Nothing makes a wedding reception more memorable than a live band! And for what you'd spend on today's "professional" DJ setups you could hire The Horn Dawgs!
Top 10 reasons to hire the Horn Dawgs over a DJ:
Real Music.
You'll feel the energy.
Your kids, parents and grandparents will love our mix.
For Wisconsin fans, you can have The Fifth Quarter.
Limbo Rock under a trombone.
Moments of happiness.
Emcee your grand march by the one and only Tom Halstead.
Did someone say conga line?
Your guests will be talking about your wedding for years.
Seriously. We know how to do weddings. Here's some proof.
If you'd like a certain song for one of your first dances, just let us know! We can either arrange the tune for our band OR we would be happy to plug a smartphone into our sound system to play your requested song.
If you have any other specific song requests, we may be able to arrange those and perform them at your wedding. If you haven't already, please take a look at our extensive song library. We are happy to let you select some of your favorite tunes and we will do our best to work those into the performance for your wedding.
We are happy to let you use our sound system for any speeches or announcements that you might need.
Please check out our FAQ or contact us below for any additional questions that you have!
Check availability and get a quote for your wedding...
Contact Us
If you're interested in booking us for your next event, if you have a media inquiry or if you'd like to tell us something that only you know...
Pricing
So how much do the Horn Dawgs cost???
Is a question that is so perplexing, not even the late Stephen Hawking could come up with a precise formula that can be used. Kidding…
The honest truth is that “it depends”. Not every show is under the same constraints and there are many factors that contribute to how much we charge.
Type of Event/Show
People are usually surprised to hear that we have different pricing for the same length of show, just based on the type of event or the client. I mean a 3 hour show is a 3 hour show, right? Wrong… Typically the type of event, the preparation, logistics, and other factors (below) all play into why one type of event will be priced at a higher amount than another.
Large Group
You can’t compare Chevy Suburban to a Geo Metro. It’s not apples to apples. Now I’m not saying that we are a Chevy Suburban (we certainly sound much better than one!)… But we are a larger group usually of usually 9-10 members, plus 1-2 sound and light engineers. This is a large factor into the price that we charge.
Performance Time
We typically will charge a little bit less for a 2 hour show than a 3 or 4 hour show. However, the amount is as drastic as you’d think, as the commute, setup, preparation doesn’t change much. So this is a factor, just not a huge one.
Travel
Kind of a no brainer, but yes, we do charge more if we have to travel. 10 band members means lots of vehicles and trailers. We typically charge separate travel rates for any performances inside Dane County vs outside Dane County. We are happy to travel pretty much anywhere to play, but expect to pay a bit more the further you get from Madison.
We certainly are a group that isn’t for every budget. However, we’ll do our best to work within your budget and provide an excellent performance that you’ll be talking about for a very long time (check out our testimonials!).
Please contact us for a detail quote for your event!
FAQ
Do you provide your own sound?
Sure. For most gigs, we will provide our own sound equipment and routinely work with sound engineers at our gigs. You are welcome to use the microphones for any announcements that you have, etc.
How loud are you?
We are a 10 piece horn band that is amplified. We can be pretty loud. We can certainly adjust to almost any situation, but we are not the quiet jazz band that plays at your local coffee shop. However, if you are a coffee shop owner, get in touch with us and we'll hook you up ;).
Do we need to provide a stage?
It depends. If this is a public festival/concert, yes. We request a 16 ft x 24 ft stage. We can fit on a 16 ft x 20 ft stage, and even smaller (if necessary). If this is for a private event (like a wedding), we typically will not need a stage. For larger private parties, we may request one. We'll work with you to make it work. We aren't Van Halen-Brown M&M-demanding.
Will you play my favorite songs at our wedding?
Maybe. In the rare case that your favorite songs aren't already in our giant song list, we would be happy to work up the tune. We leave the final call to Jamie, our musical director, as to whether he can arrange it, etc. We might charge a couple of extra dollars to work up any custom tunes.
How much do you cost?
It depends. The type of event, travel distance, and length of performance are all factors that contribute to the cost. If you are interested in getting a quote for your event, please contact us.
Want to know even more answers to questions you didn't think you had?
Check out our Tech Specs page!
Did we miss anything?
Photo Credit: Marsha Mood
Testimonials
“Hire this band! Seriously, if you are looking to host the most memorable and entertaining wedding reception, hire this band. The Red Hot Horn Dawgs played our reception in May 2017, and our family and friends continue to talk about how truly amazing they were. Yes, they cost a bit more than a DJ, but consider what you are paying for: A large group of professional musicians who are engaging and know how to get a crowd moving! Not a college student looking to make a little extra money on the side by hitting shuffle on their iphone, but true professionals with experience. Included in the price is the custom arrangement of 3 songs. We chose Handclap by Fitz and the Tantrums, Move by Saint Motel, and Closer by Lemaitre. They knocked each out of the park! We could not have been happier with our decision. We had an amazing night of dancing and partying with our family and friends. You will not regret your decision to hire them!”
““They did amazing! Jaime and Mike were so awesome on the front end, reaching out to us, making recommendations. I saw ex-UW marching band folks and thought, how could we go wrong here? Rolled the dice (because we never saw them) and they put on a better show than we could ever have imagined! Interacted with the crowd...just fantastic musical EVERYTHING!! Everyone enjoyed them sooo much. I highly, HIGHLY recommend. They made the experience so easy and after meeting them knew whatever they did, they were going to do super well. Thank you guys so much!!””
““Booking The Red Hot Horn Dawgs was a great choice. They kept the excitement rolling on
our casino floor throughout their entire performance. A bunch of great guys to work with. They will definitely be back!””
““Their show sets (and keeps) the party atmosphere perfectly for any type of event. They know how to keep audiences of all ages thoroughly engaged and dancing all night long.””
““The Red Hot Horn Dawgs are a high-energy, fun group of talented musicians who have played at our church festival for a number of years. We have invited them back because the festival attendees really enjoy the variety of music played as well as the band’s unique ability to encourage audience participation.””
““The Red Hot Horn Dawgs have been the featured act for 10+ years for our annual National Mustard Day Festival.””
“Loved, Loved, Loved this BAND! It was a variation of music and that was great. Only thing I heard people wanted more of was some POLKA’S! This is Wisconsin after all! Have already booked them for our Christmas Party in 2019!”
““The Red Hot Horn Dawgs were very high-energy and engaging for our community event. If you want to have fun and dance and/or sing along, this is the band to hire! I highly recommend The Red Hot Horn Dawgs!””
““The Red Hot Horn Dawgs were fabulous. They played for the President’s Dinner and Dance for our association national conference. Our members loved them and danced from beginning to end. Their musical talent and showmanship made them the best band we have ever had for our association conferences. Highly recommend them.””
““We can’t put into words how much frigg’n fun these guys (& gal) are. The RHHD’s played our post wedding party. It was quite simply, magical. What brought it to life beyond expectations were these cats. Where their energy comes from I’ve not a clue. COMPLETELY connected with everyone, young & old. The music, personalities, enthusiasm, flexibility, graciousness & sound...folks are still raving. Hire them & you’ll be a party immortal with your pals. The RHHD’s rawk!” ( the video- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JRIshovDQZw )”
““The Red Hot Horn Dawgs played our wedding, and they were fantastic! While planning, they were very easy to work with and accommodated all our requests. They songs specifically for our wedding and were very receptive to our feedback on their set list. Working with them was a very low stress experience! Musically, they knocked it out of the park at our wedding. Very high energy, talented musicians, everyone had a blast. People kept coming up to us asking ‘Where did you find these guys?!’ I highly recommend them!””
“Thanks for everything! Such a wonderful group of talented performers. We love having you!”
“You were amazing all the way through! You went above and beyond by going to look at the venue ahead of time to make sure you could play in the space, to accommodating our special song. Your music was amazing and engaged the crowd. The bride and groom danced all night, as did many of our guests - the dance floor was packed all night long. We will definitely recommend you to all our friends!”
“Really appreciate your comprehensive play list and ability to identify preferred music ahead of time. Rob was great on communications and information before and after booking, prior to event. We had a lot of great comments from guests. Wish we had more dancing but that’s on us not RHHD. Happy to be a reference for private party prospects. Play on!”
“How can I say anything else than “strongly agree” You guys “rock”!”
“We’re so glad the Red Hot Horn Dawgs were part of our wedding! We knew we would get a great show, but you went above and beyond. You could have called it quits when we fled the tent [due to a flash flood]. Instead, you got imaginative and stuck with us despite the rain, the limited space, the longer hours, and all the chaos. We had so much fun at our make-shift reception, and you were a huge part of that. The party might have withered without the energy you brought to our wet huddled masses. You had even learned our first dance and parent dance songs without us asking. You totally rocked the Draft House. We received tons of compliments about the band from our guests and even the other bar patrons from downstairs. Thank you! ”
Meet The Dawgs
Farmboy
Dennis
Halstead
Jamie
Steve-O
Shortline
Steen
Laura
Joe
Scott
Full Band Timeline
Library
We have a pretty large song list of our "active" songs that we are currently rotating through various gigs. We play everything from Bruno Mars to Johnny Cash...
We store all of our music in the BandHelper app and use iPads/Tablets on stage. It's the only way to manage 400+ songs across 11 different musicians. If you are a musician, check this app out.
Looking for a marketing bio? Here you go:
The Red Hot Horn Dawgs are a dynamic horn-driven band hailing from Madison, Wisconsin. With a mix of rock, pop, R&B, and other genres, they bring an energetic and powerful sound to every performance. Formed in 1999, many members of the band got their start in the University of Wisconsin Marching Band. Over the past 20+ years, the band has evolved, and they continue to impress audiences with their unique style and fun, recognizable music. The Red Hot Horn Dawgs have played countless venues throughout Wisconsin and the Midwest, delivering a high-energy show that keeps fans dancing and coming back for more.
Keep scrolling for the full history lesson on the Red Hot Horn Dawgs….
Dawgwarts:
A History
A 10 piece horn band with a rhythm section was formed in late 1999 by Bill Walker and his wife Tracy.
Both these alumni of the University of Wisconsin Marching Band wanted to broaden their musical outlets beyond the Beer Barrel Polka and Dance Little Bird (the Chicken Dance.) Between their ties to UW Band alums and Tracy's access to Edgewood College jazz musicians they were able to form The Average Blues Band, which first performed at the Stadium Bar in February of 2000.
This unique group (composed of two trumpets, a fluegelhorn, two saxophones, trombone, tuba and full rhythm section,) adapted their name from the famous Average White Band. We even played the AWB's signature tune Pick Up The Pieces.
Not enough band-hiring people made the connection. We found it increasingly tough to get hired with "Average" in our band name, so we came up with five alternatives and a majority vote turned us into The Red Hot Horn Dawgs.
While the Horn Dawgs were developing their "sound" and jelling as a group, the UW Band alums present interjected humor, stage play and showmanship into the act to offset some of the shaky playing of our early shows. As the playing improved, the fun and games simply stayed in the act and became one of our trademarks.
Over time a large band like this will experience turnover of members. Losing a key player in a small band can kill it. But a larger group offers some stability in this regard. A few members rotated in and out during the first few years. We were able to find good replacements and continued playing around Madison; in bars, clubs, weddings and private parties.
Then we faced the biggest challenge to our continued existence. Or, as long-time drummer Todd Thompson might have quoted from Animal House, "Wormer dropped the big one."
Founders Bill and Tracy Walker were moving to Tennessee to follow Bill's career path. The others who had left the band prior to this were simply players. Bill and Tracy were the movers and shakers of the group. They handled the business issues. Our practice space and several of our early gigs came through Tracy's Edgewood College connections. Bill was our lead trumpet, musical director and arranged the majority of the music we played. (Just try finding 70s rock tunes arranged for horn bands on the shelves of your local music store. We were worried.)
The rest of the band stepped up and found a way to move on after the Walkers left. When the dust had settled we had a new permanent rehearsal space and Jamie Sercombe had joined the group. He was a great addition as lead trumpet and took over the arranging/directing duties.
Names and faces have changed over the years (trumpet Tom Halstead's face changes during every show!), but the spirit of playing fun and recognizable music while putting on an entertaining show never dies.