Nate Hance
Event Music
Tell Me About Your Event
Live Entertainment for Venues & Event Planners · Twin Cities, MN
The right music for any event.
Fully customized. One contact.
From elegant background piano to a packed dance floor, every act is built around what your event actually needs, booked through one trusted source.
Tell Me About Your Event → Schedule a Consultation →
Nate Hance smiling at the piano
One trusted entertainment partner for your entire season.
Whether you need a solo pianist for a hotel lounge, a jazz trio for dinner, or a full dance band for a gala, you'll work with one point of contact from first inquiry to final encore.
Nate Hance Event Music is a curated collection of live entertainment options — solo piano, jazz trio, Gatsby jazz, a full dance band, and more. Tell Nate about the event and the role you want music to play. He'll recommend the right act, build the right lineup, and handle everything so you don't have to.
Every booking draws from Nate's network of the Twin Cities' most professional working musicians, matched to the genre, the room, and the occasion. No surprises. No second-rate substitutes.
Contracts and payments are handled online. No paperwork, no chasing invoices.
How It Works
1
Tell Nate about your event and the role you want the music to play.
2
He recommends the right act, builds the right lineup, and keeps you in the loop every step of the way.
3
You show up to the event and the music handles itself.
Find the Right Experience
What kind of experience are you creating?
Planners don't start with a band name. They start with a feeling. Start here.
🕯️
Elegant & Refined
Recommended
✓ Nate Hance Trio → ✓ Giggle Water → ✓ Nate Hance Solo →
🎤
Interactive & Memorable
Recommended
✓ Cocktail Combo → ✓ Nate Hance Solo → ✓ Not Your Average Piano Show →
🪩
Dancing & High Energy
Recommended
✓ Champagne Mixtape → ✓ Cocktail Combo →
🎭
Themed & Customized
Recommended
✓ Giggle Water → ✓ Champagne Mixtape → ✓ Custom Theme Nights →
Find the Right Act by Event Type
Event TypeBest FitWhy It Works
🍸 Corporate cocktail hourGiggle Water or Cocktail ComboGiggle Water for ambiance. Cocktail Combo when you want guest interaction.
🎗️ Gala or fundraiserGiggle Water or Champagne MixtapeJazz for cocktails and dinner. Full band if you want dancing afterward.
🎄 Holiday partyChampagne Mixtape or TrioDance band for high energy. Trio's Charlie Brown Christmas for something seasonal and elegant.
🤝 Member or community eventCocktail Combo or Nate Hance SoloRequest-driven. Draws guests in and keeps them engaged.
🍽️ Classy dinnerNate Hance Trio or Giggle WaterWarm, polished, conversational music that elevates the room without taking it over.
🎩 Themed event (Gatsby, 1920s)Giggle WaterBuilt for this. Prohibition jazz, vintage energy, authentic atmosphere.
🎪 Headline showNot Your Average Piano ShowAudience requests, musical games, piano tricks, and a full show arc built for the spotlight.
❓ Not sure yetTell Nate about itHe'll ask the right questions and come back with a recommendation that fits.
Tell Me About Your Event →
Explore the Acts
🎹Nate Hance Solo 🕺Champagne Mixtape 🍸Giggle Water 🎤Cocktail Combo 🎷Nate Hance Trio
Giggle Water
Prohibition jazz for cocktail hours, dinners, and themed events.
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Giggle Water · live performance
From Ella Fitzgerald and Sinatra to surprise jazz arrangements of songs guests didn't expect, Giggle Water brings speakeasy energy without the gimmick. Sophisticated enough for a gala dinner, energetic enough to get people dancing at the end of the night. Scalable from three to five pieces.
Themed Events
Natural fit for Gatsby nights, 1920s galas, and anything where the dress code includes feathers.
Cocktail & Dinner
Sophisticated and conversational. Fills a room without dominating it.
Venue Residencies
Works as recurring programming. A monthly jazz night that builds a regular audience.
Starting at $2,900 for a 3-hour event block
Book Giggle Water
Cocktail Combo
Interactive requests, genre twists, and audience participation.
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Cocktail Combo · live performance
Piano, vocals, and beatboxing, request-driven and audience-driven. Cocktail Combo can settle into elegant background music for a dinner service, then shift into full interactive mode when the room is ready. The Wheel of Genres keeps guests engaged all night: any request, played in whatever style the wheel lands on.
Flexible Energy
Background for dinner, full interactive show for a reception. Reads the room and adjusts.
Wheel of Genres
Guests request songs, spin the wheel, and watch the transformation. Works every time.
Inclusive Format
Draws in people who would never go near a dance floor. The piano pulls them in first.
Starting at $2,900 for a 3-hour event block
Book Cocktail Combo
Nate Hance Trio
Warm jazz for upscale events, plus two headline shows.
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Piano, bass, and drums playing warm jazz standards, the kind of music that elevates a dinner service or member event without ever competing with conversation. For venues and country clubs looking for a reliable annual draw, the Trio also headlines two signature shows.
Headline Shows
Annual Favorite · Holiday
Charlie Brown Christmas
A full live performance of the Vince Guaraldi Trio's beloved Charlie Brown Christmas score. Warm, nostalgic, and easy to program. Audiences sing along without being asked.
Best for: Country clubs, hotel holiday events, PAC pre-shows, corporate holiday parties, community concerts
Concert Series · Year-Round
Classical Goes Jazz
Classical compositions reimagined as jazz. Beethoven swings, Bach gets a groove, Mozart goes after midnight. Accessible to audiences who think they don't like jazz.
Best for: Country clubs, performing arts centers, hotel events, corporate dinners
Additional theme shows also available. Contact Nate for the full program list.
Trio from $2,400 · Headline show pricing on request
Book the Trio
Featured Headline Show
Not Your Average Piano Show
A full headline concert built around audience requests, live musical challenges, and moments nobody sees coming.
All-request show · Mall of America
Not Your Average Piano Show is Nate's signature concert format, part performance, game show format, piano masterclass. Audiences submit requests, compete in musical challenges, and watch the backwards piano live. No two shows are the same.
What's in the show
Audience Requests
Any song, any genre, played live on the spot.
Wheel of Genres
Guests choose the song. The wheel chooses the style.
Backwards Piano
Hands reversed, keyboard flipped. Has to be seen live.
Musical Games
Competitive, funny, and genuinely surprising.
Family-Friendly
All ages. No awkward moments for event directors.
20-City PAC Tour
Proven format. Toured with Allied Concert Services.
Best for: PACs · Libraries · Festivals · Community Concert Series · Corporate Events
Full EPK ↗Book This Show
Custom Theme Nights
Have a theme? Build around it.
Most musicians play the same show every night. Nate builds the experience around your concept.
🥂
Roaring 20s Gala
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Yacht Rock Night
🎬
Movie Music Night
🎵
Motown Night
🤠
Country Western Event
🎹
Piano Men Night
✨
Taylor Swift Night
🎄
Holiday Programming
💬
Your Concept Here
Custom songs, branded musical moments, and company jingles also available for corporate clients who want something truly one-of-a-kind.
Tell Nate About Your Theme →
One contact. Five acts.
Book any combination through Nate directly. One contract, one email thread, no chasing multiple vendors for the same event.
Fully customized.
Sound, style, and setlist built around your event. Not a canned show. Every booking gets a lineup tailored to the room.
Built for venues.
Hotel lobbies, country clubs, arts centers, corporate events. Nate understands recurring programming and what makes each format work.
Proven social reach.
3.5M TikTok views. Fox9 feature. MSP Airport viral content. Booking Nate often means your event shows up on social feeds afterward.
What People Say
Venues, planners, and guests.
★★★★★
"Giggle Water lights up the room and dials back the clock, bringing the jazz stylings of the roaring 20s back around for another spin. Fun and classy, old school and modern, a sure-fire musical hit for any event."
Ryan Shaw
Mall of America Events
★★★★★
"We were thrilled with Giggle Water's performance at our 1920s themed gala. They set the perfect mood for each set and got folks dancing at the end. We can't wait to work with them again."
C. Michael-jon Pease, CFRE
President · St Paul Parks Conservancy
★★★★★
"Nate got one of the biggest rounds of applause of the evening and he deserved all of it. Flexible, deep repertoire, strong communicator. Guests enjoyed impromptu dancing, genre mashups, and lobbing 'stump the pianist' requests his way, and everyone failed."
Kristin McIntyre
GigSalad · Wedding Reception
★★★★★
"Nate performed a concert at the International Music Camp for campers ages 10 to 18 and the general public. Several campers said his concert was their favorite part of the week."
Christine Baumann
International Music Camp
Common Questions
What venue managers always ask.
How do you select your musicians?+
Every booking draws from Nate's network of the Twin Cities' most professional working musicians, matched to the genre, the room, and the occasion. These are players Nate has worked with for years, not a rotating cast of strangers.
Do your musicians arrive on time?+
Yes. The band arrives with margin to spare. Nate treats your event timeline as non-negotiable, because your reputation is on the line as much as his.
What happens if a musician gets sick?+
Nate keeps a roster of trusted go-to substitutes across every instrument and genre. If someone can't make it, a player of equal caliber steps in. The audience never knows the difference.
Can you adjust volume during the event?+
Always. The music scales to the moment, soft enough for dinner conversation, loud enough to pack a dance floor. Just signal and it adjusts on the fly.
Do you provide contracts and insurance documentation?+
Yes. Contracts and payments are handled online, no paperwork to chase. A Certificate of Insurance is available on request for any venue that requires one.
What does the booking process look like?+
Tell Nate about your event. He recommends the right act and lineup, sends a quote and online contract, and stays in contact through the date. One point of contact from first inquiry to final encore.
Can you handle multiple acts on the same event?+
That's the whole model. Solo piano for cocktails, then a full band for dancing, all booked through one contact on one contract. No coordinating between vendors who've never met.
What do you need from the venue?+
For solo and smaller acts, one standard power outlet. Larger bands need a bit more space and power, which Nate confirms ahead of time. All sound and gear is provided.
Do you travel outside the Twin Cities?+
Yes. The first 50 miles are included. Beyond that, travel is billed at $0.65 per mile. Nate has toured nationally, so distance is rarely an obstacle.
Do you offer recurring programming for venues?+
Absolutely. A monthly jazz night, a seasonal concert series, a standing cocktail-hour residency. Nate builds recurring programming that gives your venue a reliable draw and a regular audience.
Get in Touch
Tell Nate about your event.
He'll follow up within 1 business day with act recommendations and availability.
Option A
Fill out the form below
Nate replies within 1 business day
Option B
Prefer to talk it through?
Schedule a 15-minute consultation →
Got it. Talk soon.
Nate will be in touch within 1 business day.
Or reach out directly: nate@natehance.com · 701-240-2450
Live Wedding Music Collective · Twin Cities, MN
Your whole wedding day.
One music team. One contract.
Ceremony to last dance, every moment covered by the right musicians. Solo piano down the aisle, jazz at cocktail hour, a full band when it's time to dance. Booked through one person.
Start Planning → Schedule a Consultation →
How It Works
We're one team. We just shift shapes.
Most couples book three or four separate vendors for one wedding day. You book Nate once.
1
Tell us your vision.
The vibe you want for each part of the day.
2
We build your lineup.
The right musicians for ceremony, cocktails, dinner, and dancing.
3
One contract, done.
One invoice, one point of contact, no vendor juggling.
4
Show up and enjoy it.
You're a guest at your own wedding. The music handles itself.
The Music
Build your day, moment by moment.
Pick what you want for each part of the day. Mix and match, or bundle into a full-day package below.
Ceremony
The walk down the aisle.
Solo Piano
Includes prelude music and song requests. Keyboard provided if the venue doesn't have a piano.
$475 · PA system add-on $195
Piano + Vocalist
Add a male or female vocalist for a full, sweeping ceremony sound.
$875 total
Piano + Strings or Guitar
Violin, cello, or acoustic guitar. Warm, emotional, timeless.
$875 total
Custom Processional
Nate records a custom arrangement of your song, yours to keep forever.
$125 · Full custom songs ↗
Cocktail Hour
The best part nobody talks about enough.
Solo Piano
Takes requests. Interactive and warm, sets the tone for the evening.
$275/hr ($225/hr bundled)
Solo Guitar
Warm, acoustic, laid-back. Also takes requests.
$275/hr ($225/hr bundled)
Duo
Piano + guitar, piano + bass, or any combination. Fuller sound, same interactive feel.
$225/hr per musician
Dinner
Elegant background. Not background noise.
Quiet Piano
Solo pianist plays softly through dinner. Classy, warm, unobtrusive.
$275/hr ($225/hr bundled)
Soft DJ Music
Curated background playlist. Included with all reception band packages during breaks.
Included with reception packages
Full-Day Packages
Bundle and save.
Book the whole day together and the per-piece rate drops. Every package is customizable.
"Chill Vibes"
$1,200 ($1,475 value)
Solo piano ceremony
Solo piano or guitar cocktail hour
Quiet piano dinner music
Soft DJ playlist throughout
Intimate weddings. Ceremony through dinner, all acoustic and warm.
Book This Package
Most Popular
"Let's Party!"
$3,295 ($3,795 value)
Piano ceremony (with vocalist or strings option)
Cocktail hour music
Dinner music
Reception band: Giggle Water or Cocktail Combo
DJ music during breaks
The full experience. Ceremony to dancing, with a live band for the reception.
Book This Package
"The Main Event"
$5,995 ($6,270 value)
Full ceremony package
Cocktail hour music
Dinner music
Champagne Mixtape full dance band
Sound, lighting, DJ breaks, and emcee included
The all-out celebration. Full dance band, packed floor, the works.
Book This Package
What Couples Are Saying
Real weddings. Real reactions.
★★★★★
"His music supported the fun, lighthearted vibe we wanted for our special day. Our guests enjoyed impromptu dancing, figuring out the unexpected genre mashups, and lobbing a few 'stump the pianist' requests his way. Everyone failed."
The Knot · Wedding Reception
★★★★★
"I reached out weeks before my wedding and asked if he could create a mashup for our processional. He wrote out a score for piano and violin, and did a professional recording of it. So quick, exactly what I wanted."
Kelsey Maloy · Custom Processional
★★★★★
"He learned the Mario 64 ending theme, but made it wedding style. It was PERFECT. He definitely made cocktail hour fun for the guests. Nate truly demonstrates what happens when extraordinary talent meets a love for what you do."
The Knot · Cocktail Hour
★★★★★
"As a pianist myself, I had specific and difficult requests. Nate did a fantastic job, sent short recordings to share his progress, and during cocktail hour showed off his versatility by switching between genres effortlessly."
Megan M · The Bash & The Knot
Common Questions
Good questions. Here are the answers.
Do you provide all the music for the whole day?+
Yes. That's the whole idea. One team covers ceremony, cocktail hour, dinner, and reception, so you're not coordinating separate vendors who've never worked together. One contract, one point of contact, one invoice.
What if our venue doesn't have a piano?+
Nate brings a professional keyboard. It's included with solo piano ceremony bookings. For outdoor ceremonies with no power nearby, a PA system add-on is available.
Can you learn a specific song for our ceremony?+
Absolutely. The Custom Processional option means Nate records a custom arrangement of your song that's yours to keep forever. Couples walk down the aisle to a version of their song that exists nowhere else. See custom wedding songs ↗
How far in advance should we book?+
The sooner the better, especially for popular dates in summer and fall. That said, Nate has pulled together custom arrangements on a few weeks' notice. Reach out and he'll tell you honestly what's possible for your date.
Do you take song requests during the reception?+
Always. Every act takes requests. The Champagne Mixtape band reads the room and keeps the floor full, and the interactive acts make requests part of the entertainment itself.
Can we mix and match instead of booking a package?+
Yes. The packages are bundles that save money, but you can build your day piece by piece. Tell Nate what you want for each moment and he'll put together a quote.
Start Planning
Tell Nate about your wedding.
He'll follow up within 1 business day with ideas and availability for your date.
Option A
Fill out the form below
Nate replies within 1 business day
Option B
Prefer to talk it through?
Schedule a consultation →
Got it. Talk soon.
Nate will be in touch within 1 business day.
Or reach out directly: nate@natehance.com · 701-240-2450