The Academy Reviews
Reviews
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5.0 out of 5 rating
![WeddingWire Couples' Choice Awards 2024 Winner]()
5.0 out of 5 rating
19 Reviews
100% recommend it
Awards
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![Sandy]()
Sandy K. Sent on 05/08/2024Best.Band.Ever!
I hired The Academy for my husband's 60th bday party and they had everyone on the dance floor from start to finish! Gus was so responsive, professional, and easy to work with and the band was fantastic. My guests (age range 20's to 70) could not stop raving about how great the band was and how much fun they had. I would recommend them to anyone and would use them again in a heartbeat! -
![Benjamin]()
Benjamin B. Sent on 10/16/2023The Academy is a Highly-Professional, Well-Polished Band for Any Event
The Academy played my wedding reception at the Santa Barbara Zoo. This band rocked so hard, the animals could be seen dancing in the distance. Seriously, this band is fantastic. The drummer is flipping his drumsticks in the air without missing a beat, the guitarist is reminiscent of Santana, bass player plays funky beats, and Whitney and Gus DeTar are a power couple - rocking vocals and keytar. They were easy to communicate with leading up to the event and worked with us to develop a setlist. They even let the Groom play guitar for one song! Would highly recommend this band if you want high-energy, fun vibes (though they did play 1-2 slow songs which were beautiful as well). -
![Whitney]()
Whitney R. Sent on 10/23/2023Absolutely magical wedding band! Cannot say enough great things!
Anyone can tell you this band is incredible. It's unanimous. Whether it's Gus's Keytar Riffs, Whitneys powerful vocals, or the abundant energy overflowing from them into any crowd, motivating even the most introverted distant relative to get up and move - The Academy is bound to please. What also struck me about them is their professionalism and flexibility. They are very user friendly in the sense that they understand what any event needs from start to finish and adapt well to all the moving parts. Whitney MC'd our wedding and knocked it out of the park. They all seamlessly adjusted when cocktail hour ran long (they provided our jazz trio during this time) and the main Academy act started late, taking one less break at this time, so guests could enjoy the 2 hr instead of originally planned 3 hr set as much as possible. On top of all of this, they are all just wonderful people. Friendly, lovely, fun humans that bring good vibes always. Worth every cent.
We got married 3 wks ago now, and I still have people reaching out to tell me how wonderful the band was. -
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![Alexis]()
Alexis D. Sent on 01/19/2023House wedding
We had the Academy play ant our wedding after party in Santa Barbara at my parents home near Hope Ranch. They were so playful and interactive with our guests. They really set the mood for our party after the ceremony. Would use them again in a heartbeat! -
![Tasha]()
Tasha Q. Sent on 01/19/2023Best day of my life, thanks to the Academy!
If you are looking for a fun, reliable, talented live band in Santa Barbara, look no further. The Academy was everything I needed in a live band for what ended up truly being the best day of my life. They are professional and reliable, very responsive and proactive in working with me on logistics. They’re also so much fun to work with! The whole experience was a blast. Highly recommend, would recommend to my nearest and dearest (and indeed, I already have). -
![Jen]()
Jen H. Sent on 01/19/2023The best live band!
We hired the Academy for my 50th birthday party. The well surpassed our expectations. It was truly an incredible experience. I requested a few songs and they took it from there. If we had any question or concerns they responded quickly and put our worries at ease. Our guests never stopped dancing and raved about the Academy. We are true fans and so impressed by their talent. I would highly recommend them! -
![Kris]()
Kris S. Sent on 01/24/2023Excellent musicians, Best dance band in Santa Barbara
The Academy are my favorite band to dance to and always put on an amazing show! They are all excellent musicians and have great stage presence. So fun to dance to and play so many of my fave songs of all time. -
![Ashley]()
Ashley M. Sent on 02/17/2023Look no further - the perfect band!
Seriously. This is your hire. The Academy kept my party dancing all night and singing along to popular favorites! They were worth every penny. They were engaging and very punctual and professional. Every single person commented on, "what a great band" and "killer music" which was (pun intended) music to my ears as the host!! You are in for a treat if you have The Academy play at your wedding or event! -
![Mary]()
Mary Sent on 01/19/2023Best investment for our wedding day!
This group exceeded every expectation. They played during our cocktail reception which set the tone for the entire party. The music was so beautiful and classy, it elevated our party. And then they played for the dancing time and wow did they bring the house down. They kept the energy high for the entire party and really brought all our wedding guests together on the dance floor… which can sometimes be difficult at weddings where many people might not know each other. They were the highlight of our party and the best investment we made. I still have people coming to me saying that we had one of the most fun wedding receptions they’ve ever been to, and it’s because of this music group. I can’t recommend them enough! -
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