Reviews

Kyle and Renee, Bride and Groom - 11/20/21 The Lakehouse

Shine performed at our wedding and we couldn't be happier with the music, the professionalism, and the great energy they brought to our reception venue and cocktail hour (the jazz trio was an excellent touch!) At the reception the dance floor was packed, and every single attendee commented the next day talking about how Shine was one of their favorite parts of the wedding.



James & Cait, Mother of Bride - 6/15/2019

All we have to say is WOW! You guys sincerely were a huge, huge part of the best day of our lives. We'll never forget it! Shine was everything we could have hoped for out of a wedding band and then some! When we first set out to look for a wedding band, we knew exactly what we were looking for: an energetic, passionate band that played “our” music (Michael Jackson, Stevie Wonder, Bruno Mars, Justin Timberlake, etc.) The type of music that gets everybody going, regardless of age.

Upon doing some googling to figure out which Rochester bands actually played this type music, we stumbled into a short list of bands that included Shine. We soon realized (based on some videos, etc.) that Shine was *the* band we had to book, went out to see them at a public show. Within about two songs we knew we HAD to get them locked up ASAP. We met Jonathan after the show, got the date locked up - and from that point on, everything was smooth sailing.

Jonathan was extremely easy to work with throughout the planning process – he has a foolproof process in place to make sure that he has everything he needs from you, and vice versa.

As for the actual wedding performance itself, the entire band was unbelievable. We had concerns going in that the acoustics at the Strathallan would be shaky (surrounded by glass), but the band sounded absolutely fantastic. We had at least a dozen people come up to us throughout the night and rave about how good Shine was, wondering how we found them, etc.

We told Jonathan this many times leading up to the big day, but (other than the ceremony itself), this was the single thing we were most looking forward to on our wedding night. They somehow managed to completely blow our expectations of the water.

We will almost certainly be seeing more of Shine in the future and are going to check their website regularly for public shows we can attend!

Thanks again to the band!



Jenn Masten, Mother of Bride - 9/1/2018

We had Shine as our band at our wedding reception on 9/1/2018. I highly recommend hiring Shine. We cannot say enough about how amazing they are. From the beginning, the band manager Jonathan was so great to work with. He was very attentive and helped every step of the way throughout the planning process. Our wedding was filled wit nonstop dancing. From the moment they started playing the guests filled the dance floor. We are extremely happy with how interactive the whole band was with the guests. There is not one negative thing to say about them. We hired the horns which added a nice touch. Our guests cannot stop raving about how it’s the best music they have ever had at a wedding. We love shine!



Dee and Bob Relph, Parents of Bride - 8/25/2018

We just celebrated my daughters wedding on 8/25/18 and we had Shine as our band . I have been fortunate to have heard Shine numerous times and actually have used them at a function we host every year so I was very familiar with them and they were our top choice for a band at the wedding. We were thrilled when we found out that they were available! Jonathan was wonderful as far as getting back to us whenever we had questions. The preparation before the actual wedding was so easy. Jonathan worked with my daughter and son -in-law and helped them select music and did everything possible to help create sets with what they wanted to hear . Although extremely comfortable with Shine we were amazed at how awesome they were that night. Jonathan worked closely with our wedding planner to lay out the evening and the sets they would play. They were so flexible and the dance floor was packed the entire evening. Our guests can not stop raving about how fun they were and the amount of energy they brought to the evening. As musicians they are the absolute best. My husband and I would give them the highest rating possible and they made the night so memorable. We were over the top thrilled with Shine as our band.



Samantha & Jared, Bride & Groom - 6/9/2018

I have had “write a review for Shine” on my to-do list since my wedding day (6/9/18….I guess I’m not TOO behind; after all, it’s only been 20 days…), and the reason I start with that is I really leave reviews sparingly but I had no doubt I would be writing one for this band. As both a PR professional and a small business owner (not to mention a VERY Type A personality), I understand and appreciate the value and merit of a review, and I take them quite seriously. That said, I cannot rave enough about Shine. My husband and I were at a wedding in Geneva, New York (close to the bride’s home town) a couple of years ago before we were even engaged, and Shine was their band. Since we are from NJ/NYC, we had never heard of them, but to say we were beyond impressed is an understatement. Although we weren’t even engaged at that point, we got their business card, saying that we would look them up when our time came. Sure enough, they were first on our list when we started to look for vendors for our wedding day. I must also add that my mom had a local band in mind for us, but my husband really pushed for Shine (I will give him major credit, especially as this was one of his only wedding-related tasks – ha!). He himself is a musician and he assured my mom that she would not regret it if we booked them. Needless to say, we all could not have been happier that we did! Jonathan is incredibly professional, easy to work with, accommodating and responsive. There were also no hesitations when it came to the fact that the band would have to travel a bit of a distance to perform for us and we worked around those logistics easily. I really cannot say enough positive things about Shine’s talent. Absolute rock stars! They are so kind, fun and beyond gifted. It was really a priority for us to have guests dancing from the start of the reception to the end, and Shine did not fail in meeting those expectations. They also worked seamlessly with us to arrange for one of our groomsmen to play the keyboard during the bridal recessional because it was a song my husband wrote and it was very meaningful to us. At the end of the evening, I started a chant “one last song” because I simply did not want it to end, and Shine delivered. We were all mesmerized by how incredible they were for the entire party, and I’m still getting compliments to this day. Pushing HARD for my sister and her fiancé to book them for their wedding next summer. Hope to see you guys again soon someday regardless!!



Luke & Chelsey Auburn, Bride & Groom - 7/22/2017

We had Shine perform at our wedding reception at the Harro East Ballroom in downtown Rochester and our guests have been raving about it ever since. The group brought so much fun and energy to the celebration and truly helped make it an unforgettable night for us and our guests. Having good music at the reception was extremely important to us, and Shine brought a level of quality to the event that DJs or other bands in the area can't match. Shine's performances are authentic, soulful, funky and unique. They have an extensive repertoire, excellent taste, they're all impressive musicians and they play with passion. All three vocalists have powerful voices, the musicians are extremely talented, and they chose great songs that kept our guests on the dance floor all night long. Early on during the cocktail hour and dinner they had a light jazz trio play, which was great atmospheric music while we dined. As the night progressed they cranked up the energy and very quickly everyone in the room was on the dance floor moving, singing along and having a great time. Dancing our first dance while a live band played in the background was also an incredible, indescribable feeling. Even during that band's breaks, we saw the members of Shine out on the dance floor, dancing alongside our guests and teaching them new dance moves. Finally, from a planning perspective, the band manager was very responsive and easy to work with, and he did a great job coordinating logistics with the venue's manager.



Chris & Courtaney, Bride & Groom - 10/7/2017

Courtaney and I wanted to reach out and say thank you for everything over our wedding week/weekend! You were very helpful and patient with us during the weeks leading up to our big day and made the process very easy and enjoyable. From the church, to the trio and then the full Shine band you guys were the talk of the weekend! Outside of Courtaney's dress and the perfect sunset, Shine was the best and most talked about part of the day. You guys kept the energy up, sounded great and we loved when the singers came out onto the dance floor. If you ever need a reference for any upcoming weddings please don't hesitate to reach out as we would love to sing (pun intended!) your praises anytime you need. Thanks again, it was really a great day for us!



Steph & Kevin Gerken, Bride & Groom - 12/3/2016

We just wanted to send you a note to say THANK YOU SO MUCH for playing at our wedding! You and the rest of the band were AMAZING, and totally made the night! We've gotten so many compliments about how awesome Shine is! We could never thank you enough! Everything was absolutely perfect! We will definitely recommend you to anyone looking for a band, and we will definitely come see you guys soon at one of your events!



Sarah & Will Westgate, Bride & Groom - 7/9/2016

Jonathan, we wanted to thank you and the band again for making our wedding such a party! We were so pleased with everything from the ceremony music to the dance set. What made it special for us was seeing all of our friends and family dancing and having so much fun. You guys were incredible!



Emily Grutin, Bride - 5/7/2016

Jonathan..Just a quick note to let you know how much we loved the job you and your band did at our wedding. The energy was amazing and the band was awesome! You were so organized and made everything flow smoothly. Good luck in the future.



Kevin, Remedy @ Finger Lakes Casino

Hello, I tended bar at your show last night at Remedy. I just wanted to take the time to thank you for putting on such a amazing performance. It helps us out a lot when we have a excellent group like Shine playing. Not to mention I couldn't stop dancing while I was tending bar. I really hope your group will come back to see us again. If so, I will make a point to insist that everyone I know come check you out. Your song list is excellent and your Prince blew my mind! I will be spreading the word about your group and can't wait to get my dance on, on the other side of the bar. Thanks again, well done!



Tap & Mallet, Rochester, NY

It had been our experience that most guests leave early. You were the only band that we have we ever had that actually kept them all here for the entire evening.



Phobe Edwards, Bride - 4/16/2016

You HAVE to hire Shine for your wedding band! We searched for months for the right band and when we saw their video we knew right away they were it. We decided to take the trip upstate to see them play and meet with Jonathan. They were even better live and Jonathan was very helpful with our planning. They played at our wedding outside of NYC and blew everyone away. Many of our friends are professional musicians and they couldn’t stop talking about how good Shine was. I am so happy we hired Shine. Thank you!!



Emily Dolce, Bride - 8/6/2016

We had shine as our wedding band this past August. We were thrilled with their performance. Shine had everyone up and dancing all night. They were so good people were gathering outside our tent to dance (even Danny Wegman!)They have such a wide catalog of songs and every one manages to sound like the best version of the original. Before hiring we listened to their samples online and saw them once live but they some how managed to sound even better for our day. We still have people comment on how much fun they were. We have recommended them already many times to friends and family. Many of our guests asked us who they were so they could tell friends to check them out for their weddings. We heard the next day that guests of the hotel were asking at the front desk for their name. Another perk is they play fairly regularly so anytime we want to remember our wedding we can go see them live. We can't wait to see them again!



Amanda Toscano, Bride - 10/29/2016

After hearing that we wanted a live band, Shine was recommended to us from our wedding coordinator who had Shine play at many events at her venue in the past. She raved about them, so we went to see them perform at Lovin Cup. We had such a great time listening and dancing that we knew right away that was the band we wanted at our wedding. We wanted an upbeat feel and lots of dancing, and boy is that what we got. They customized a set list based on our preferences and we were dancing the whole night. Every guest made a point to mention how great the band was. Jonathan was very helpful right from the get go. He answered all of our questions and worked with us to make us feel confident that everything would run smoothly the day of. With all the planning involved in a wedding, it's nice to have a contact that gets right back to you and works easily with you. We really couldn't have asked for a better night of dancing and great music for our celebration. I would definitely recommend Shine to anyone who wants a reception where music is a main part. My only wish is that we could replay the night over again!



Rachael Lattanzio, Bride - 9/6/2014

I cannot say enough amazing things about Jonathan and the band! The singers were phenomenal! We had so much fun, everyone commented on how great the band was. Thank you!



Chris Rathbun, Groom - 8/22/2015

Shine played at my wedding and blew the roof off the place. The talent, professionalism and energy was nothing short of extraordinary. For months after the wedding, all my friends and family could talk about was how good the band sounded. They have my highest recommendation. Make sure to book this band for whatever event you are having! ​



Alexander Mendleson, Groom - 12/12/2015

We saw Shine play at the Jazz Festival in Rochester, NY and knew we had to have them play at our wedding reception. When we saw them they did not have their horn section and we love horns. We added their awesome horn section and had them play at our reception in Buffalo, NY. We have never had so much fun. They were and are one of the tightest and most polished bands we have ever seen. The dance floor was packed the entire night and they played a variety of songs for everyone. My father likes the oldies and he was hoping they would play some of his favorites which they did. He was pleased and so were we. Our guests are still talking about the band and how much of a great party it was.



Catherine Obzud, Mother of Bride - 5/30/2015

Thank you so much for doing such a fantastic job at my daughter's wedding last week!! You were the best band I have ever seen at a wedding-you made the reception so much fun! The dance floor was full the whole night and it got warm but the band played their hearts out! You would take a 5 minute break and continue right on with so much energy and soul! I will plan to attend an event this summer to see the band again and spread the word to anyone looking for a fantastic band! Very friendly too! THANK YOU!!



Bridget and Jared Messina, Bride & Groom - 5/30/2015

We truly cannot put into words how incredible you guys were and how thrilled we are to have had you as our wedding band! We heard at least 20 times "that's the best wedding band I've ever seen". You truly impressed everyone and I hope gained some business! Thank you again for making our wedding such a great party.



Sarah Pastecki, Bride - 9/27/2014

Just wanted to drop you a quick note and say thank you again! You guys were amazing and out of 130 people we got a 130+++ compliments on how awesome the band was! We had such a great time. The night was perfect thanks to you all!!! Please let the rest of the band know how happy we were with the night!



Kathleen Williams, Mother of Bride -  6/5/2021 Park Country Club

My daughters wedding was June 5, 2021 at the Park Country Club in Buffalo, New York. We are sooo thrilled we chose Shine for our music! Jonathan was wonderful to work with. He answered all of our questions in a timely fashion and was very professional. The band was so accommodating with our play list and they also provided a great emcee. We had a jazz trio during the cocktail hour which was wonderful. The wedding was beautiful, but Shine made it an exciting, super fun wedding. It was the best entertainment I could have ever hoped for!



Kristen Russo, Bride -  7/3/21 Forbes Theater

Shine played for our wedding day on 7/3/21 at 500 Pearl and they are hands down the best band around. The band manager, Jonathan, is extrememly helpful in the planning process and makes sure everything runs smoothly. The band is extremely professional and does an amazing job. We added the jazz trio for cocktail hour which everyone enjoyed. Our guests haven't stopped talking about how great the music was! I highly recommend Shine for any event.



Lindsay and Chris, Bride and Groom -  8/22/21 Aurora Inn

Thank you, Thank you! We knew when we moved our wedding to the Finger Lakes, our first priority was to find an AMAZING band. When we discovered Shine, we just knew you would knock everyone's socks off! Also, thanks for making all the pre-work so easy on us!



Erik and Nancy, Bride and Groom -  9/4/21 Spring Lake Winery

Shine are an incredible band! If you're getting married, and are looking for entertainment, book them! Seriously. You, and your guests will have a great time dancing the night away! So many of our guests said it was the best wedding they have been to, and Shine was a large part of that. They bring a concert like atmosphere. They are a talented group of professionals, from the musicians, to the sound crew. They are amazing to work with, and you will have nothing to worry about for your big day. SO MUCH FUN!!



Annalise and Patrick, Bride and Groom -  9/3/21 Crispin Hill

If I could give more than 5 stars, I would! We originally hired Shine for our 9/4/20 wedding and when it got postponed due to Covid, they were flexible about rescheduling to our 9/3/21 date. We had heard amazing things about the band from our venue and listened to the music clips on their website, but were absolutely blown away by their performance at our wedding. Hiring a live band was one of the first decisions we made and I'm so glad we did. We had so many guests come up to us and ask us about the band - who are these guys? where did they come from? Can I get their card? The consensus was that this was the best wedding band folks had ever seen or heard - and they made our dance party absolutely unforgettable. We added on their horns section - which was incredible - it really added to the performance in a big way. The dance floor was high energy all night, just like we wanted! We hired their guitar player and sound crew for the ceremony as well, and they executed amazingly. I cried coming down the aisle and one of the main reasons why was the beautiful rendition of Here Comes the Sun they played. My husband and a large number of the crowd are Buffalo Bills fans and they led the "Let's Go Buffalo" cheers with Shout at the end of the evening. Jonathan was a dream to work with over two years - professional, responsive, and detail oriented. It made for a beautiful emotional day that we will never forget. Hands down, best wedding band ever - if you are debating if you should hire them, you SHOULD! You won't regret it.



Stephanie and JP, Bride and Groom -  7/31/21 Crispin Hill

There are not enough praises for Jonathan Stevens and SHINE BAND. Jonathan was extremely professional and a pleasure to work with from the moment we met him. He was super prompt in confirming our wedding day details and fielding our questions. We decided to book their most extensive package which provided the ceremony music, a jazz trio for cocktail hour, and the reception band performance with a horn section. 10/10 that arrangement helped make our wedding day so memorable and entertaining for us and our guests. We especially appreciated that Shine was able to sing our first dance song, “At Last” by Etta James, flawlessly. Seriously, it was the highlight of my life as a bride! We did a doubletake to make sure it was a live performance and I could hear some of our guests actually GASP in amazement. That is how epic and talented the band is!! Highest praise and gratitude to the lead singers for covering every genre under the sun and keeping the excitement going all night long. Our family and friends were on the dance floor ALL NIGHT LONG. Our other vendors told us that it was the most packed, high-energy dance floor they had ever seen! Guests excitedly kept gushing how they enjoyed the band and entertainment. It was some of the best investment we spent in planning our wedding knowing that if you are going to have a band, you MUST do it right and book Shine immediately!



Nick and Laura, Bride and Groom -  9/25/21 Oak Hill Country Club

If you are even thinking about a band for your wedding, you NEED to hire Shine!! They were amazing!! I can't even tell you how many people have asked me for the name of the band so far! Our first dance song was "At Last" and it took people halfway through the song to realize it wasn't a recording of Etta James singing! Best decision we made!



Abby and Sam, Bride and Groom -  9/18/21 The North Farm

Shine's stage presence, energy, and musicality was beyond compare! Live music has always played a huge role in our relationship so we invested a lot of energy into finding the perfect fit for our wedding. We knew we had to book Shine within the first minute of listening to one of their recordings and still they exceeded our high expectations. Their choice of music perfectly fit our personalities and the feeling we hoped to create for our big day. We have continued to have compliments pour in weeks later from our guests who were blown away by Shine's talents. We had an absolute blast celebrating with them and would book them again in a heartbeat!



Emma and Patrick, Bride and Groom -  10/22/21 Shadow Lake

Shine was by far the best decision we made for our wedding. They were incredibly easy to work with and were very responsive and accommodating. They absolutely ROCKED and our dance floor was packed the entire night. Our guests cannot stop raving about how it was the best live band they have ever seen! We could not recommend them enough. THANK YOU for making our night so special and fun! You guys are the best!!!



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