The Walk-ins

d, talented. All band members were great musicians. Joe coordinated well with the venue and the photographer. The dance floor was jumping all night. Very reasonable fees for a live band. And a great time was had by all. Highly recommend!

ments from our guests. Highly recommend!

e Walk Ins as our Wedding Band, band leader Joe Matise quickly became our officiant, MC, and pseudo wedding planner. Of the many vendors we worked with, Joe’s decades of experience provided much needed guidance that proved invaluable amongst the countless decisions a couple must make in planning their Wedding day. Joe went above and beyond to support us, offering to help with everything from transporting floral arrangements to our ceremony venue to double checking our venue’s wedding planner when details were missed. Service aside, the Walk Ins ROCKED. Their musical range spanned the distance from classic wedding ballads to 90s rap. When one of our nieces took our Best Man’s story to heart, she was even able to convince the Walk Ins to provide a live karaoke backing to a rendition of Weezer’s Buddy Holly that will be remembered for years to come. For any couples reading these reviews, they all tend to blend together and it’s tough to make a decision. Trust us when we say that you don’t need to go any further. Hire the Walk-Ins. You won’t regret it.

were amazing from another wedding I went to and seeing them out in the area a few times. What really makes this band unique is their personability and the way they interact with the crowd. They were there from the ceremony until after midnight and you can really see that they love what they do. We could not have imagined a better band for us on our big day. I literally had people raving to me for days after how much they loved the Walk-ins! We cannot thank you guys enough for making our wedding extra special!

25 wedding bands in the Chicago area (many do not publish pricing information publicly) and ultimately wound up having introductory phone calls with about 12. Of those, the Walk-Ins, which have comprised the same 4 core members for almost 20 years, were the clear best choice, with a repertoire comparable to much pricier ensembles. We also appreciated that their contract wasn’t laden with fees for things like load-in/out, emcee services, interstitial music during breaks, or ridiculous LED lighting arrangements, which seemed to be the norm among other groups I spoke with. Joe, the bandleader, was a great point of contact throughout the planning process. He was straightforward about pricing and gave us a great sense of the group and its configuration options. We wound up adding a brass section, and Joe was proactive and helpful in confirming that our reception space, which had a unique layout, could accommodate the full group. Around 5 months prior to the wedding, my then-fiancee and I met with Joe and had a great conversation about logistics and our preferences - and he even drove all the way into the Loop to a cafe 2 blocks from my apartment, which set us at ease. Of the vendors we worked with closely, Joe was consistently one of the most accommodating and attentive. One of the things Joe explained was his role as emcee during and after dinner. He did an outstanding job keeping the various toasts, speeches, and dances on schedule, with no lulls in energy throughout the 4-hour reception. Among the guests we’ve seen since the wedding, feedback on the band has been effusively positive. There were a couple minor miscommunications about, for example, whether the first dance songs would be performed live or played from a recording, but to be honest, the (small, in the scheme of things) error could well have been my fault. Regardless, my wife and I would enthusiastically recommend any newly-engaged couples planning a wedding reception reach out to the Walk-Ins - they’ll elevate your big day to an event your guests remember for years.

ests continue to complement how great the band was. Joe engaged with the crowd and brought the energy. The band played all songs that were assigned for certain moments (procession, recession, bridal party introductions, etc). We had a list of songs for when the dance floor opened up but it seems they have a standard wedding play list which was still great. We occasionally would remind them to play a song and they responded promptly. Very talented group and would hire again!

ensational musician but also an outstanding Master of Ceremonies, making our special day seamless and unforgettable. One of the standout features that sets The Walk-ins apart is Joe's incredible talent for event coordination. His meticulous planning and execution meant that we didn't even need a wedding coordinator. Joe took charge, putting together a comprehensive itinerary for the entire evening and ensuring that every moment flowed seamlessly. From the grand entrance to the final dance, Joe orchestrated the evening with precision and expertise. Speaking of music, The Walk-ins are absolute maestros. The dance floor was a perpetual whirlwind of joy throughout our wedding, thanks to their incredible musical talent. The band's versatility and ability to read the crowd kept everyone on their feet, creating an infectious energy that lasted all night. If you want a wedding where people remember the dance floor as much as the vows, you absolutely need to hire The Walk-ins. What truly amazed us was the band's longevity. Having played together for an impressive 20 plus years, The Walk-ins exhibited a level of cohesion and synergy that only comes with years of shared musical passion. This chemistry was evident in every note they played and added an extra layer of magic to our celebration. Surprisingly, The Walk-ins are also refreshingly affordable compared to other bands. Their pricing, however, belies the true value they bring to your special day. We feel like we received something priceless – an unforgettable soundtrack to our wedding that our guests can't stop raving about. In conclusion, if you're in search of a band that not only plays phenomenal music but also takes your wedding day to the next level, look no further than The Walk-ins. Joe and the band delivered an experience that exceeded our expectations in every way possible. Our heartfelt thanks go out to The Walk-ins for making our wedding a night to remember for a lifetime.

n 3 months since our wedding, and we are STILL getting calls/texts about the band and how much fun they were. They accommodated every single one of our requests from start to finish. The lead singer Joe is professional, fun, organized, and outgoing. Joe also helped coordinate the wedding party, before/during the wedding. He had no problem jumping in and lending a hand. If we wanted them to play "dj" style songs they did, any song we requested, they sang. They really outdid themselves! They were engaged as much or as little as we wanted. I honestly cannot speak about them enough. I wish we could hire them for every occasion!

alented. Joe coordinates the wedding so well you don't even need a planner. Can't say enough positive things about them!!! Love them!!!!!!

aking sure he understood our vision and having everything under control. We had such a fun day and were completely worry-free. Not only was Joe amazing but the entire band was extremely professional and super entertaining. Having the band interact with our wedding party added such a personal touch. We highly recommend the Walk-ins for any event, small or big! Truly the best !!

highly recommend them to all!

om the moment we contacted them, they went above and beyond to ensure everything was perfect. took the time to understand our preferences and tailored their performance to match our vision perfectly. It felt like they were performing just for us, making the event incredibly special. Their attention to detail and dedication to making our celebration unforgettable was truly remarkable. They didn't just meet our expectations – they surpassed them in every way. Not only are they incredibly talented musicians, but they also know how to create an unforgettable atmosphere. The energy and joy they brought to our event were unparalleled. Countless guests raved about their performance, and I couldn't agree more – they are a must-have at any wedding or celebration. If you're looking for a band that not only delivers exceptional music but also ensures a fantastic time, "The Walk-in's" are the ones to book!

rocess. At the wedding, the played for the ceremony, cocktail hour, and reception, and were perfect at all three! The dance floor was packed all night due to the energy they brought! The charisma, service, music, and price can't be beat!

every time we see them play. Large venue or small, they kill it every time! The quality of their show and sound will NOT disappoint! I honestly lost track of the comments our wedding guests made about how “awesome they were”, how Joe’s interaction with the guests was “top notch”, “where did you find these guys?”, “how do we hire them”, etc. When it came to the “event planning” Joe took charge once I contacted him and ensured the entire day was on track and successful! He thought of all the things we didn’t!! I can’t stress to you enough how much Joe made the Bride and Groom NOT STRESS about the reception. This was hands down the BEST money spent on our wonderful day. I can not thank these guys enough for being a part of our wedding, providing such a memorable experience and absolutely crushing it with their playing!!! With out them it would have been a boring old wedding people barely remember! Trust me, you won’t be disappointed!!!!

Walk-ins because of how much Joe actually cares. Besides being an excellent performer, Joe was wonderful with helping create the timeline, answering all of my Bridezilla questions, and keeping the dance floor lively. He truly is an all-in-one guy and if you go with the Walk-ins, you will be getting much more than a band. You will be getting a group of wonderful performers who are there to truly making your event as special as they can. Thank you Joe and your band for all that you did to ensure we had a magical wedding.

asy to talk to, knew exactly how to help match our vision of what we wanted and were also a great price point! They were organized, fun, brought high energy and really made sure everything was low stress before the wedding! On to the day off— I have never seen a more packed dance floor through out the entire night. About 2/3 of our guest stayed until the end of the night and most were on the dance floor! Friends and family I had never seen dance were dancing. Joe even sang throughout dinner and sang a request that my husbands grandma made which got her up and smiling more than I’ve seen in a while. We have so many memories from our day that were special and so many revolve around things the Walk Ins did to make the reception so much fun! They came highly recommended by our friends and family and will be highly recommended to our friends and family after our experience! If you are debating on who to hire talk to them— they were one of our best decisions! 5/5 stars doesn’t do justice!

es to discuss planning, he made the entire wedding. Our guests were RAVING about The Walk-Ins and 2 months after the wedding, one of my guests booked them for their wedding. Joe was interactive with the crowd, dancing like an animal through our guests, an absolute joy to witness - we had the best time ever. He was also our officiant and made our ceremony so personal and nice for us, even though we barely gave him any guidance at all. Everyone kept coming up to us telling us it was the best ceremony they've ever seen, and I am not kidding when I say we barely gave the guy any guidance!!! SO FREAKIN GOOD I WANNA DO IT ALL OVER AGAIN! Book them. Don't even think twice. Just book them and you will be SO HAPPY.

eeds leading up to our wedding and the day of as well . The value they offer for ceremony, cocktail hour, dinner service, and the rest of the night cannot be matched by any other group. The dance floor was packed from start to end. There was a time where we saw people look up to the stage not knowing they were on a break they did such a good job. We would not have had it any other way than with the Walk-Ins playing at our wedding.

reception was even better than we could have hoped for. He was interactive and really made our guests feel included. People were dancing the whole time, and we got so many compliments on how much fun they had. Thank you Joe!!

so impressed by their experience and affordability that I hired the horns section and female lead, and they were AMAZING! The Walk-Ins have a very large repertoire, from current pop songs, Motown, 80s and 90s, and classic rock. Joe sang Faithfully by Journey during dinner service and it was so good that I had tears in my eyes. All of the songs they did sounded great. I got so many complements from my guests. On top of that, Joe was fun, easy to work with, and helped MC the evening so I didn't have to hire an event planner. I highly recommend the Walk-Ins to anyone having a wedding in Chicago.

g awesome energy every minute. From playing cocktail hour, to MC’ing dinner, and rocking out all night after dinner, they were a 10/10. We met with Joe twice in person before the wedding and had lots of communication leading up to the wedding. The Walk Ins are seasoned veterans, make everything easy, and make sure your wedding will be a blast! They play all different types of music too. Not to mention they’re very reasonably priced compared to similar bands. Joe has become a friend even, great people. Couldn’t recommend more.

ond and we couldn't be happier with our choice! We've had so many compliments already! They made the night! Hands down make the wedding as seamless as possible and everything ran smoothly from the entrances to the last song. They are very versatile and even did a song on the fly they never played before at the grooms request. When your photographer contacts you a week before your wedding saying OH MY GOD - we're at an event with your band and THEY'RE AMAZING! We already knew that but it just added to our excitement for our perfect fairytale of a wedding day! Thank you again for everything!

& kept the events (and guests) moving on schedule. The music was absolutely great and they kept people on the dance floor all night. We received so many compliments on the band and we would recommend them to anyone

alism, organization, friendliness, and general competence with all things party! During our first meeting with him, he said "I don't want you thinking about anything on your big day, if anyone has problems or concerns they come to me and I will solve them." We were able to put our confidence in him and his crew that they would make the reception run as smoothly as possible. And they did - Joe provided constant gentle reminders of timing throughout the night so that I never felt rushed but also never felt behind schedule. He makes a great MC and his transitions were wonderful. And the music - he kept everyone on the dance floor even during the band's breaks when a playlist was on. Also, I wanted to surprise my husband with a song during dinner accompanied by the band, and texted Joe ahead of time about this. He immediately was encouraging and supportive of my plan and it went off without a hitch (apart from me almost breaking down in tears multiple times during the performance)! I highly recommend the Walk-Ins for your wedding, as they will provide not only great music but also wonderful organization, MC-ing, and a sense of peace that the night will go exactly how it is meant to because if anything happens Joe and his crew will fix it without you even knowing. Pure professionalism!

nd (plus horns & female singer) and they just killed it. We would recommend them any day. Joe was a pleasure and it was a wonderful experience.

inner! Joe, the lead singer, was engaging with our guest, they LOVED IT. The day after everyone could not stop talking about how amazing the band was. The dance floor was packed most of the night, people said the only reason they weren't dancing is because they need a break to catch the breath! I would hire them again in a heart beat!!

ng dinner and cocktails. Joe really knows his stuff and is a wedding coordinator at the same time keeping everything running smoothly. Not a dull moment with this band. He works the room and they are a huge hit! I will be using them again!

g with our unique requests. On the day of the event, everything went SO smoothly, and we had so many of our guests saying that the band was incredible! Not only was the music spectacular, but Joe really went above and beyond to help make sure we were taken care of on our special day. I cannot recommend this group highly enough!!!! Thank you Walk-ins for making our day amazing!!!

right away how down to Earth he was. He put our minds at ease as he explained he would take care of all music from start to finish—including the ceremony, cocktail hour and reception. We wanted a variety of music and Joe catered to all different ages and included various genres. Joe was completely accommodating and adapted to even the most last minute changes—switching the spot for set up, and even taking requests from me (the bride) as he was in the middle of singing a song. There was one point in which I requested a song and Joe pulled up the lyrics on his phone. He delivered an amazing performance without ever practicing the song! Joe completely worked the crowd and even took selfies with our guests. Everyone raved about the Walk-ins after the wedding. It also spoke volumes that our photographer, who has photographed hundreds of weddings in the U.S. and abroad, reached out for Joe’s contact because she was so impressed with their performance. Going into the wedding day, I can’t stress how much comfort we had knowing Joe was there to coordinate many of the most important components that make a wedding successful and memorable. In short, you cannot go wrong with Joe and the Walk-ins. They provide top notch entertainment at a surprisingly affordable price.

nd in the midwest that is this good of quality & reasonable when it comes to price. Joe, the head member, is super organized & made our day a breeze!! Their range of music is one that kept everyone on the dance floor, from young to old. I wish I could have them at every event of mine.

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ing to dance all night long to! Weeks later we are still receiving so many compliments from our guests on how great the Walk-Ins were!

ing to help our other vendors decorate should they need it, was cognizant to our "dos and don't plays" and more. I feel very lucky and fortunate to have had them play our special day and feel like we gained a new close friend that we'll continue to stay in touch with. Most importantly, after stressing with so many wedding costs and budgeting, the Walk-Ins understand that not every situation is the same and we're very accommodating. If I could recommend any band for a wedding, these are the guys and I can't say enough how awesome they were. Miss you all already! Cole + Jack Hickey

, and they sure delivered a fantastic outcome! Joe and the rest of the Walk-ins provided wonderful entertainment during the cocktail hour, dinner, and the rest of the reception. They are easy to work with, and we HIGHLY recommend the Walk-ins for weddings!

ging and kept our guest dancing the entire night. My husband and I worked with Joe to create a list of songs that we liked so he knew and understood our music style. Joe helped with the ceremony, introduced us at the reception and MCed the night. You can upgrade your package to include a female singer, a horn section and even a photo booth machine. We went with the horns and photo booth and they were both a hit with our guests. Going with The Walk-Ins for our wedding band made things really easy and super fun!

alking with Joe on the phone for the first time, I knew I wanted him and his band to be our music vendor. He was so easy going and friendly which made the vendor booking process relieving. Joe was willing to create a custom package to fit our budget which I really appreciated and I didn’t see many vendors offer that when researching wedding bands. Since our wedding in August, I have been to 3 others in the last month, and our wedding music was hands down the best, which is all due to the Walk-Ins. I received so many compliments of how fun our wedding was and how the music was excellent. Guests who I expected to leave early, ended up staying until the very end of the reception because they were having such a fun time dancing. Joe enjoys singing during dinner and that was a special touch to the reception that really enhanced the evening. I have never been to a wedding where the band performs during dinner, so I really appreciated how the Walk-Ins went above and beyond to create a fun and memorable atmosphere for our guests. Would highly recommended booking for a wedding!

lively, entertaining and kept the party going from start to finish! I got SO many compliments on them all night and long after the wedding!! They really know how to throw a party.. and for an amazing price too! I stopped Joe multiple times throughout the night to have him make announcements for me and he made it so seamless and natural. He was also a wonderful MC for the toasts and announcements. We truly couldn't have chosen a better band. Everyone loved them!

even sang our first dance live to make it extra special. Joe was really easy to work with and charged a VERY reasonable amount for our wedding. They are teachers by profession so only do weddings on the side, so they don't rely on weddings for their salary and therefore charge less. The band played acoustic during our cocktail hour. When the night got going, our guests were up dancing all night long! Definitely recommend The Walk-ins!

was amazing! The dance floor was full the entire night. Joe was so interactive with our guests and we couldn't hear enough compliments from everyone. I wish we could repeat this day all over again. I truly recommend this band to anyone! I will be still going to see them play at other venues, that's how amazing they were! Thank you, Joe and The Walk-ins. You all were amazing!

as all because of his organization. Everything ran on time and my husband and I and our families didn't have to worry about a thing. Not to the mention the music-oh my gosh! We had all 8 band members (with the horns) and I have never seen so many people on a dance floor. What an incredibly talented group of people. They made the reception so much fun for everyone. I could not have better things to say about The Walk-ins!

he took time to meet with us and get to know us. Everything was spectacular!