Free Spirit Band
***To learn more about Free Spirit, please visit the band’s website.***
Free Spirit is regularly voted as one of the top dance bands in the Washington, DC and Baltimore metropolitan areas. Chosen the "Top band in Washington DC" every year since 2017 by Washingtonian Magazine and among “America’s Best Bands” two years in a row by Modern Bride Magazine, Free Spirit is a high-energy, visual, and interactive band that has set the bar for creating memorable dance parties. Whether it’s a wedding reception, corporate gala, fundraiser, or political function, Free Spirit continues to be the choice for discerning clients and industry professionals.
Washingtonian Magazine
"The top vote getter in our survey of event professionals"
What sets Free Spirit apart? Simply put, it’s exceptional musicians performing exceptional music exceptionally well. Free Spirit has played thousands of events over the years and the band has carefully honed its repertoire and has become known as the most current dance band in town — constantly updating its song selections to include today’s Top 40 hits (view the band’s song list and you’ll see what we mean). But they can also include the best time-tested dance hits from R&B, Motown, Disco, Latin, Big Band Swing and Standards. Free Spirit’s enormous song list allows for highly-personalized, dynamic performances during which your guests are engaged and encouraged to become part of the experience. Free Spirit is Current, Hip and Hot!
Town & Country Magazine
"Free Spirit is known for never letting parties die"
Free Spirit has received critical acclaim from notable publications including Washingtonian, Town & Country, Modern Bride, Washington Life and Baltimore Magazines and is one of the most-referred bands by the region’s leading event planners. To top it all off, the premier entertainers in the area including the National Symphony, National Opera, Washington Ballet, Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, Choral Arts Society and the Washington Performing Arts Society, to name a few, made Free Spirit their band of choice during this year’s gala season.
Baltimore Magazine
"Baltimore Magazine…commends the band Free Spirit."
The band consists of eleven pieces including four impressive and dynamic lead singers (one male and three female), three talented horn players (trumpet, trombone and saxophone) one of whom doubles on percussion, and a driving four-piece rhythm section consisting of drums, bass, guitar and keyboards. Free Spirit’s singers and musicians are well-known and respected boasting recording contracts with major record companies, prestigious positions in the armed forces bands and orchestras and endorsement deals with major musical equipment companies including Paul Reed Smith Guitars, Taye Drums and Soul Tone Cymbals.
Clients around the country have enjoyed Free Spirit. It’s time for you to find out why! But you don’t have to take our word alone. Click on any of the links below to hear unsolicited client and event planner testimonials phoned in to Free Spirit following their events.
Free Spirit is regularly voted as one of the top dance bands in the Washington, DC and Baltimore metropolitan areas. Chosen the "Top band in Washington DC" every year since 2017 by Washingtonian Magazine and among “America’s Best Bands” two years in a row by Modern Bride Magazine, Free Spirit is a high-energy, visual, and interactive band that has set the bar for creating memorable dance parties. Whether it’s a wedding reception, corporate gala, fundraiser, or political function, Free Spirit continues to be the choice for discerning clients and industry professionals.
Washingtonian Magazine
"The top vote getter in our survey of event professionals"
What sets Free Spirit apart? Simply put, it’s exceptional musicians performing exceptional music exceptionally well. Free Spirit has played thousands of events over the years and the band has carefully honed its repertoire and has become known as the most current dance band in town — constantly updating its song selections to include today’s Top 40 hits (view the band’s song list and you’ll see what we mean). But they can also include the best time-tested dance hits from R&B, Motown, Disco, Latin, Big Band Swing and Standards. Free Spirit’s enormous song list allows for highly-personalized, dynamic performances during which your guests are engaged and encouraged to become part of the experience. Free Spirit is Current, Hip and Hot!
Town & Country Magazine
"Free Spirit is known for never letting parties die"
Free Spirit has received critical acclaim from notable publications including Washingtonian, Town & Country, Modern Bride, Washington Life and Baltimore Magazines and is one of the most-referred bands by the region’s leading event planners. To top it all off, the premier entertainers in the area including the National Symphony, National Opera, Washington Ballet, Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, Choral Arts Society and the Washington Performing Arts Society, to name a few, made Free Spirit their band of choice during this year’s gala season.
Baltimore Magazine
"Baltimore Magazine…commends the band Free Spirit."
The band consists of eleven pieces including four impressive and dynamic lead singers (one male and three female), three talented horn players (trumpet, trombone and saxophone) one of whom doubles on percussion, and a driving four-piece rhythm section consisting of drums, bass, guitar and keyboards. Free Spirit’s singers and musicians are well-known and respected boasting recording contracts with major record companies, prestigious positions in the armed forces bands and orchestras and endorsement deals with major musical equipment companies including Paul Reed Smith Guitars, Taye Drums and Soul Tone Cymbals.
Clients around the country have enjoyed Free Spirit. It’s time for you to find out why! But you don’t have to take our word alone. Click on any of the links below to hear unsolicited client and event planner testimonials phoned in to Free Spirit following their events.
Free Spirit - Union Stage Promo Video
Whitten Wedding Testimonial
Borger Wedding Testimonial
Gerstenfeld Wedding Testimonial
Gildenhorn Mitzvah Testimonial
Klyn Wedding Testimonial
Abramson Wedding Testimonial
Cannon Mitzvah Testimonial
Sandi - Event Planner Testimonial
Jewish Music Medley
Borger Wedding Testimonial
Gerstenfeld Wedding Testimonial
Gildenhorn Mitzvah Testimonial
Klyn Wedding Testimonial
Abramson Wedding Testimonial
Cannon Mitzvah Testimonial
Sandi - Event Planner Testimonial
Jewish Music Medley
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Free Spirit was the best!
Thanks to Free Spirit for such an amazing evening on Saturday night! I wanted to pass along that I received numerous comments that Free Spirit was the best wedding band people have ever heard, and that the playlist they used was the best they had experienced. We could not have had more fun!!
It was awesome working with Free Spirit
Just a quick note to say how awesome it was to work with Free Spirit for Madeline and Jacob’s wedding. I’m still trying to catch my breath from the whirlwind weekend.
They were very responsive from the start and I knew we were in good hands from other weddings where I saw the band perform. But I was absolutely blown away from the very first song! My husband David didn’t have much interest in the wedding details but when he found out we had Free Spirit, he was super excited. He kept telling everyone how they were the best years ago and are still the best band around today – no comparison! I completely agree with him! I loved that so many of our guests were on the dance floor during the hora having a blast (a highlight for me) and Madeline and Jacob had fun in the chairs! They were great at keeping the party going until the bitter end. Mike, the singers, musicians, and crew really made the evening a success.Thank you from the bottom of my heart for making the day so special for us!
We LOVED Free Spirit!
We absolutely loved having Free Spirit at our wedding and know that we made the right decision choosing them.
From the moment they came on stage to the last song of the night, the dance floor was rocking! Every aspect of the band was great, starting with their style and presence, their song selection, and most importantly their musical talent. So many guests at our wedding came up to say they were the best wedding band they had ever seen. Plenty of people came up to us and wanted to know how we found them because they were so great. We also had some interactions with various members of the band and crew and they were all so fun and kind to talk to off the stage. Even the sound guy was a crowd favorite, jamming out with all the guests while still keeping everything going well. We did appreciate how they learned the requested songs for our wedding as well and how great the performances were. And one of our favorite parts was when the band went into a slew of punk songs from our era and even brought us on stage. It truly was an amazing experience that we will surely never forget.
Free Spirit is AMAZING!
Thanks to Free Spirit for playing such an integral role in our wedding day. They are AMAZING and were exactly what we envisioned to make our day extra special and fun. Everyone had a blast, and that was in large part due to the band. They stuck with us through two postponements and they were so flexible through it all. We are so grateful that we finally got to work with them. Thanks again for making our day so special!
Thank you free spirit
Free Spirit absolutely blew it out of the water! Mike, you were a dream to work with, so flexible, patient, and kind. The band was truly incredible, your voices were amazing and you all kept the dance floor packed with hit after hit! We are still receiving texts from our guests that Free Spirit was the best wedding band they have ever experienced and we couldn’t agree more. It was an absolute party and guests loved how interactive Free Spirit was with the crowd. We truly cannot thank you all enough! We are trying to figure out another big event we can throw just to party with Free Spirit again. 😂
THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!
Free Spirit made our wedding the best night ever!!!
Cannot say enough wonderful things about our experience with Free Spirit! The band came highly recommended and I am thrilled to say they EXCEEDED expectations!
From the beginning their band leader, Mike, was incredibly helpful and knowledgeable, which made planning a breeze. On top of playing a banging party the musicians did double-duty to play guitar and violin for our ceremony. The beautiful music took the ceremony to a whole new level, and I have it on good authority that there were a lot of happy tears. The reception was the most fun party I’ve ever been to and it was all because of Free Spirit. The musicians are all SO talented and the energy they brought was infectious!! We had to force people off of the dance floor to eat dinner. I was amazed with the wide variety of music the band was able to play (and play exceptionally well!) including our very specific requests including Schitt’s Creek covers, Celine Dion, the Hora, along with tons of popular music. The only disappointment was when the night was over and we had to go home! Thanks to the band for making our day incredible!
Highly recommend Free Spirit!
Free Spirit absolutely rocked the house! They completely understood the vibe we wanted for our wedding and people are still talking about how great they were! They have an impressive range of songs and are extremely talented. They were also incredibly professional, communicative, and easy to work with. We had to postpone our wedding twice due to COVID and they were very understanding and flexible. We are SO glad we chose Free Spirit and would highly recommend them. Thank you so much, Mike and Free Spirit!
Free Spirit was simply AMAZING!
Our wedding was fantastic, no one left the dance floor all night!
Free Spirit is so talented and a must for your wedding band! Thank you so much!
Free Spirit was incredible!
We just got back from our honeymoon and have had enough time to properly reflect on the wedding and we just wanted to say thank you – Free Spirit was incredible, they were everything we could have ever hoped for from a band, and it was such a fun time to have them play our wedding. Any chance I get I’ll wholeheartedly recommend Free Spirit.
Free Spirit made our wedding
Working with the Entertainment Exchange was so easy. All the communications were prompt, helpful and friendly. The band, Free Spirit, was amazing. Everyone was blown away by their performance. A good band makes or breaks a party – and they definitely “made” ours!
By far the best wedding band!
Free Spirit is by far the best wedding band! All of its members were highly professional, talented, and very entertaining. From my first conversation with Mike Ostrow, I was convinced that they were the right band for our daughter’s wedding, and he and the band did not disappoint. Even when we had to change our venue and the size of the wedding due to the covid pandemic, Mike was a calming influence and assured us that with his and the band’s many years of experience, the music would be perfect for the venue. And he was right! They sounded great, and our guests enjoyed their talent and had a blast dancing! I am so glad we found Free Spirit, and I would definitely choose them again. I highly recommend them!
Wow! Hire Free Spirit - you won't regret it!
WOW! Free Spirit was amazing! They exceeded any expectations that I had! My biggest wish for this weekend was that everyone would dance and seats would be empty. Free Spirit made sure that wish came true! Our friends and family could not stop raving about the band! We’ve already had a few people ask for their name/info (we passed along this email) so I hope that a few gigs come from it! Again, they are amazing and I am over the moon happy that we chose Free Spirit! Please pass my thanks on to the band!
Amazing!!!
Free Spirit was amazing!! They had the crowd up and on the dance floor all night! I couldn’t ask for a better or more fun band! We received a million compliments on them!
We were blown away by Free Spirit!
We were absolutely blown away by Free Spirit. They worked with us to make sure we had the music we wanted for the ceremony, for our first dance, and the father-daughter dance (even though you don’t hear “Islands in the Stream” that often anymore!). They played all of the songs we wanted to hear most and avoided those we asked them to avoid, all while keeping 250 people on the dance floor for five hours! Their range was exceptional and they were an absolute highlight of our wedding day. I cannot count the number of people who came up and told me how much they loved the band! They brought energy and personality and a warmth to their performance that is impossible to overstate. Thank you to the most talented group of people we have ever met!
Free Spirit Band a must to get your party ROCKING!
I really can’t say enough good things about Free Spirit Band and bandleader, Mike Ostrow. They were one our standout vendors throughout the wedding planning process. Mike was always very professional, responsive, patient and instilled great confidence in me from the beginning that things would flow smoothly during our wedding.
The music was PHENOMENAL. Family and friends raved about how great our band was. The members of Free Spirited are endlessly talented, engaging, fun and kept our dance floor looking packed for the majority of the evening. They engaged our guests in various songs throughout the night. It was such a pleasure to see. I was apprehensive about what my dance floor might look with less than 100 guests at our event, but Mike assured me there was nothing to worry about. The night exceeded my expectations in almost every way and that was in large part due to Free Spirit Band. I strongly recommend hiring them for your event–large or small!
Amazing band!
Free Spirit was THE BEST! Mike Ostrow was so easy to work with. Professional and fun. He had our daughters wedding covered from ceremony music, cocktail hour and dinner and dancing. As soon as the dancing started NO ONE left the dance floor. All the guests commented that the band was soooo good that it was hard to tell it wasnt the original artist! The singers are beautiful and fun to watch while they danced and performed. I couldnt as for anything better. It was exactly as our daughter and son-in-law had asked for. ABSOLUTELY PERFECT!
Hire Free Spirit Right Now!
Free Spirit did a great job. The dance floor was abuzz the whole night. Their communications with us pre-ceremony were on target, responsive, and very helpful. When I sang my 2 songs during my speech, they were right there for me, and that gave me a comfort level. Everyone at the wedding commented on how much fun the band was. Their song selection was GREAT.
Nothing but Rave Reviews for Free Spirit
Nothing but positive comments to report! Free Spirit was great!! And one extremely positive comment I would make concerns the sound volume: too often at a simcha of this kind the music is so loud that you can’t have a conversation with other guests. But the sound volume at our event was perfect. Thank you!!!
Free Spirit never disappoints!
I was the event planner at Free Spirit’s performance on Saturday, 7/31/21 and I want to thank them for an amazing performance! The dance floor was packed the entire time. We use Free Spirit regularly in Pittsburgh, PA and we always know the bride, groom, and their guests will have a great night when they hire Free Spirit. My Bride & Groom were over the moon happy with how everything went. Looking forward to working with them again in the future.
Free Spirit is simply the best!
Free Spirit is simply the best. Free Spirit made our wedding day unforgettable for us and every guest. Every family member and guest was on the dance floor until the very end. We will be recommending Free Spirit to all of our friends and family for years to come. Good luck for the rest of the wedding season, I hope you all stay busy!
Free Spirit did an exceptional Job!
Good morning Mike,
Thank you for a great event. Free spirit did an exceptional job in creating a high energy music set that kept the whole wedding party and guests dancing and singing along literally from the first to the last set. I have never received so many compliments about how good the band was from any event I have ever thrown or attended. The band was spot on in understanding what songs to play to keep the energy alive. In fact there were so many moments that people were on the floor watching your band perform like watching a concert. It was that entertaining. I will highly recommend Free Spirit to anyone I know throwing an event
Thanks again,
Marc
Amazing!!! Free Spirit put on an amazing show with a concert feel!
Free Spirit performed at our recent wedding celebration in May 2021 and wow! were they amazing. After postponing our wedding multiple times due to covid, we decided to just hold our reception recently (we had already gotten married), so we wanted to really throw a fun party. Free Spirit was the perfect band for this!!! Throughout the whole night guests came up to us and told us that they felt like they were at a concert with the level of talent and performance put on by the band. The horn and drum solos were absolutely stunning and the singers were out of this world. They came into the crowd and kept everyone engaged and partying! Everyone was up on their feet dancing the whole night, even during the slow jams during dinner. Guests didn’t want their show to end. If you are planning a wedding or party and really want to put on a fun show, make sure to hire Free Spirit! Worth every penny!
Wow, just wow!
Wow, just wow! Thank you! You guys were really amazing! Very talented, and so much fun! Seemed that the venue set up worked out well, or at least that is how it appeared. You sounded wonderful. And yes…there was dancing:) I think maybe Barry and I danced more than we mingled with our guests…oops But, it was so much fun!
“That was the best wedding band I have ever heard!” was how one guest described you to me the next day:)
I hope that you and all the band members have remained healthy. So far, all guests that we have been in touch with report that they are healthy. In another week or so, we can sigh in relief.
Thank you, again, for working with us to make it a memorable wedding!
Best regards,
~ Lori
Highly recommend
It has been 1 year since my daughter’s wedding. We are still talking about how awesome Freespirit was and how Mike and the band let all of us partake on the stage.. They played every song we requested perfectly. The horn section led the bride and groom out playing All We Need Is Love.
Thank you Freespirit for being the best!
We loved Free Spirit & so did all of our guests!
Free Spirit was so talented & were top-notch professionals. Our guests can’t stop talking about how amazing the band was. I also appreciate that they worked with us closely on song choice for the first dance and father & bride & mother & groom dances. They were very patient and helpful as we selected the songs. I can’t say enough positive things about Free Spirit- they made our New Year’s Eve wedding truly memorable & one big, big party.
The BEST Wedding Band Ever
If you want the absolute best wedding of all time, stop what you’re doing right now and hire Free Spirit. Mike and his talented team have perfected the art of getting guests onto the dancefloor and keeping them there all night. From the second the band started playing to the last song of the night, the floor was packed with guests who cannot stop talking about how amazing our band was. And Mike and team had our guests singing along and cheering to our first dance songs in a way we could only have dreamed of. We had a million questions prior to our wedding and Mike answered each and every one, going above and beyond to make sure we felt like a priority. Trust me, this is the BEST wedding band of all time.
Free Spirit is the best, We will tell everyone we know 🙂
We LOVED having Free Spirit with us on our day. They kept the party moving and everything happened seamlessly. Our guests were overwhelmed by how awesome they were and would have continued dancing for hours if we let them! Everyone wanted to know who they were, how we found them, and tell us how much they loved them. Thank you again for having the band learn special songs for us, accompany our silliness, inviting guest singers up with them and just making us feel so supported. Our day wouldn’t have been complete without Free Spirit. AND the band put on an amazing show! Wow! We had the best time, they sounded amazing, looked amazing – It was really incredible.
Free Spirit was the best band we've ever heard
Wow! What an evening! I have gotten multiple texts from friends and family saying that Free Spirit was the best band that they have ever heard. Their energy, song choices, and overall performance was excellent! We can not thank you and Free Spirit enough for making our wedding the best night of our lives!
Free Spirit was GREAT! at my daughter's wedding
Free Spirit played at our daughter, Jessica’s, wedding this Saturday night. My husband and I just wanted to let you know how happy we were with them! They were amazing and kept the dance floor full the entire night. I can’t even begin to tell you how many people told us how great they thought the band was! One regret of the night, was that, in the excitement of the evening, neither of us introduced ourselves to the band and didn’t get the chance to thank them personally for making Jessica & Alex’s wedding as awesome as it was. As we all know, the band can make or break the party, and Free Spirit made it! So, please accept our apologies for our oversight and please accept our thanks for making our night magical! We hope to see Free Spirit again soon (and we will definitely introduce ourselves then)!
Deborah - married on 10/27/2018
I would recommend Free Spirit to everyone who wants to have their wedding reception be a huge dance party. Mike and his team were amazing. Mike was responsive to all of my emails and catered to my special requests. Our guests are still raving about them.
Our guests have not stopped raving about Free Spirit
I’m the Bride: Our guests have not stopped raving about Free Spirit since our wedding. Everyone says they felt like they were at a concert of their favorite band. Throughout the night, I’d look out at the dance floor and see everyone having a blast from ages 6-86! Free Spirit truly made the night extra special!
I’m the Mother of the Bride: I just want to echo Kate’s sentiments. Our night was magical but one of my very few regrets was not formally thanking Free Spirit when I gave a brief toast. The band absolutely rocked it. We had listened to the demos prior to selecting a band, and so we knew that Free Spirit would sound great and be very professional. What I didn’t fully understand was how much the band would engage the crowd and truly be the engine for the party. I can’t tell you how many people went out of their way to say how great the band was and how much fun they had as a result. In a year plus of making decisions for the wedding, picking Free Spirit as our band was one of the very best decisions that we made.
Kelly - WeddingWire Review 9/29/2018
Thank you so much for such an incredible evening! Free Spirit was absolutely fantastic and kept everyone dancing the whole night! There were definitely some dance moves from some family members we had never seen before :). So many of our guests were coming up to us throughout the night absolutely raving about what a great band they were, and those compliments are still flowing in over a week later! We are so grateful that they were willing to learn our first dance song and played it beautifully! We think their music, talent and all around vibe speaks for itself as the premier band to book in the DC area, and we will highly recommend Free Spirit to all our friends and family. Thank you again for an unforgettable night!
Natalia - WeddingWire Review 9/22/2018
I want to tell you how much we absolutely LOVED Free Spirit. They were unbelievable. From the very start, they brought the energy which is exactly what we wanted. They played amazing songs and made sure to get everyone moving at the right times. I really appreciated how Mike took over an hour to speak with me about the timeline and then executed it perfectly. Especially since we had a bi-cultural wedding – the transition to the hora loca was seamless and everyone was OBSESSED. It was the most epic night/dance party of our lives. I also loved that the band put on costumes – they really got into the party and it made the guests enjoy themselves even more!! And our first dance was executed to perfection – we received compliments throughout the night that it was the most beautiful and perfectly sung first song they had ever heard. Thank you so much again and if there’s anything else I can do to help review Free Spirit, please let me know. I’m happy to serve as a reference for anyone that needs it.
Jackie - 9/02/2018 WeddingWire Review
I can not say enough positive things about Free Spirit! So many people came up to me during the wedding raving about the band – “best wedding band ever” “the music is incredible” and “can you give me their information?” were common refrains throughout the night. Free Spirit kept everyone on the dance floor all night long and knew exactly what sort of music to play to make sure everyone was having fun. More importantly, though, they were an absolute pleasure to work with and complete professionals from start to finish. I felt like they took the time to listen to what we wanted and tailored their set to fit the exact atmosphere we were trying to create. I am so so happy that we chose to work with Free Spirit and I would without a doubt recommend them to anyone who wants to throw a fun and memorable party!
Malcolm - 08/25/2018 WeddingWire Review
Malcolm: Free Spirit was absolutely fantastic. Our wedding could not have gone any better and was so special to us. This was now the third time we’ve seen the band perform and both Alex and I said it was the best yet! We got so many compliments on them from our families and friends and it was very clear people were loving the performance so thank you!! Hope to see Free Spirit again soon!!
Alex: I second everything Malcolm said! We had multiple guests tell us it was the best wedding band they had ever heard and the most fun wedding they’d ever attended (which we also attribute to the band.) Malcolm’s brother said it best: “it felt more like we were at a rock concert than a wedding!” I cannot thank you and Free Spirit enough for making our wedding night so lively and fun. Their vibe lent so much happiness to our special night.
Lauren - married on 07/07/2018
There are no words to describe how amazing the Free Spirit was at our wedding! We didn’t even see them in person before booking them since we knew from the videos and praise that they would be amazing! They were high energy and they kept us and our guests on the dance floor and singing all night long. Mike also made the planning process so easy and seamless and made us feel like it was one less thing we had to worry about! We picked a first dance song that was not on the song list, and the band learned it so quickly and they sounded SO good! Thank you so much Free Spirit for sharing your amazing talent and energy with us on our wedding day! It sure made the night even more wonderful and one we’ll never forget!
Kim · WeddingWire Review 06/16/2018
Free Spirit was honestly INCREDIBLE! We had multiple people come up to us during the reception, raving to us about how amazing they are! And the day after the wedding every one that we saw made sure to mention how fun and awesome they were! One of my co-workers at the reception told me that we need to have our next company event include a band somehow so that they could hire the band! One of our guests said she saw the wedding cake but the band was so good that she didn’t want to leave the dance floor to taste it! Free Spirit had the BEST energy and we loved how they interacted with all of our guests and really kept everyone dancing all night. Lastly, working with Mike was a pleasure – it was very easy and seamless and I loved how quickly he was able to respond to our questions. We cannot thank you enough for helping to make our day better than we could have ever imagined!! We hope to have Free Spirit play at an event for us again sometime soon (or have one of our friends hire them for their wedding/event! 🙂 ) Thank you again!
Ginny · WeddingWire 06/09/2018
Free Spirit went beyond our expectations!! What a sensational and fun band! My guests still talk about the music. Everything from the synchronized dancing to the guest interactions made our reception energetic and fun! The band executed every song flawlessly and added our special numbers to their repertoire. I would highly recommend Free Spirit if you want a memorable and entertaining wedding! Thank you, Free Spirit!!
Anna WeddingWire 06/02/2018
We want to thank Free Spirit SO much for playing at our wedding. We had very high expectations for Free Spirit after reading many reviews and watching many videos, and you all greatly exceeded our expectations! We were blown away by the talent and energy. We loved how interactive you all were with us and with the guests, coming down on the dance floor, bringing us up on the stage, it really encouraged everyone to get up and dance. The dance floor was packed the entire night, and all of our guests commented on how amazing the band was! As for the two of us, I could barely walk the next day because my feet hurt from all of the dancing I did. What’s even better is that Jordan never dances in front of people and I’ve heard him sing a handful of times in the 7 years we’ve been together, but you guys were so good that you got him up dancing the whole night and even had him up on stage singing! We had an absolute blast at our wedding and there’s no way it would have been the same without Free Spirit! Thank you for helping us have the greatest night ever!
Cheryl · WeddingWire 05/19/2018
I have to say that Free Spirit blew it out of the park. I can’t say enough about the band. Free Spirit is absolutely amazing. They are a class act. Everyone was wonderful and I can’t thank you all for making Meagan and Max’s reception a night to remember. The crowd was on the dance floor all night long and everyone came up to me asking where we found this incredible band. I was told it was the best wedding they had been to and a big part was Free Spirit. I have given your name and information to several guests who are looking for bands to play at their wedding next year. I also want to thank Mike Ostrow personally for his quick responsiveness and how easy he was to work with. Everything ran so smoothly and with such ease and perfection.
Lindsay · 05/05/2018 WeddingWire Review
I don’t think we could have picked a more perfect band than Free Spirit to play our wedding. They were absolutely fantastic and everyone loved dancing all night. For many of Chris’ friends, this was their first wedding band experience, most of his friends weddings had DJs, they were blown away by how awesome a wedding band can be so I’m hoping that turns into more business for Free Spirit! Thank you again! I wish we could do it all over this weekend!
Samantha · 04/28/2018 from WeddingWire
We just returned home from our honeymoon and I wanted to immediately write in to show my support for Free Spirit. I have gotten SO MANY nice comments about the band! All of our guests enjoyed the song variety and energy. Free Spirit was both entertaining and engaging, and kept our guests dancing the whole night! We really appreciated them learning our first dance song, as well as the father/daughter and mother/son songs. I would definitely recommend Free Spirit to anyone looking for a band 🙂
Anne · 03/10/2018 from WeddingWire
We absolutely loved Free Spirit! They were incredible and EVERYONE was the on the dance floor from the first song until the last. They brought a level of energy and enthusiasm to our wedding that made the night special for everyone there. They were consummate professionals and even learned two special songs for us. The night was a dream come true and it couldn’t have happened without Free Spirit! Our guests have been gushing to us for weeks about how much they loved the band. Thanks, Free Spirit!! Thanks again!!
Erica · 01/27/2018 from WeddingWire
the band sounded, and they did a phenomenal job matching the mood of the audience, getting people pepped up, juggling requests, and mingling with the guests during the performance. Mike was phenomenal to coordinate with, and I appreciated that he handled last minute changes to the schedule so smoothly and made helpful suggestions for how to songs for particular parts of the reception that would best suit the mood. They were a huge part of making our day amazing!
Gennie · 12/09/2017 from WeddingWire
Free Spirit was AMAZING!! They made it a perfect wedding! Everyone was asking who was that band! The best band ever! All the band members were the best and soooo sweet to the little kids at the party, they will always remember their Britany Spears experience! Free Spirit made it a very special evening! Thank you so much!
Easha · 11/18/2017 from WeddingWire
Our wedding night just would not have been the same without Free Spirit. They somehow managed to both accommodate our (many, many) requests while also improvising to cater to the mood of the crowd. As to the first: We were a very demanding couple–we wanted particular music cued to precise points in our ceremony, a medley of Bollywood music played at specific intervals during the dancing, and for the band to learn several pieces not on their set list (from an instrumental version of Martha by Tom Waits to songs by Otis Redding, the Beatles, and Beyonce). Free Spirit nailed it–every single thing we requested happened precisely as we’d requested! They are true professionals. And as to the second: We don’t know how they did it, but they had every one of our guests on the dance floor at some point during the night, and they had our friends dancing until the very last song (and begging for more!). They read the mood of the crowd so effectively, playing old songs to get my parents’ friends up, slow songs when folks needed a breather, and crowd-pleasing 80s hits whenever energy seemed to be flagging. We got a million compliments from our guests, we danced all night, and my music snob cousins couldn’t get over how talented every single musician (from the incredible horn section that added so much pizzazz to the gifted singers) was.
Stephen 11/11/2017 from WeddingWire
Free Spirit was amazing! We really appreciated the range of songs and depth of performance the band was capable of. We had the best time! Our guests loved the performance and enjoyed dancing for hours. We will happily recommend Free Spirit to anyone we know getting married and realize that this band beats any DJ, any day!
Paula · Married on 09/16/2017
Free Spirit literally MADE our wedding. We expected them to be great but they truly blew us away. The dance floor was completely packed the entire night and they played great songs that kept the party going. Communication was easy and they were beyond accommodating. We even changed our first dance the week before and they not only learned the song, but completely nailed it. We had tons of people asking us who the band was and saying they wanted to book them for their weddings. My cousin even said she didn’t care if she could afford food at her wedding but she would make sure she had this band. But my favorite thing about Free Spirit was that the singers came on to the dance floor and even handed my the mic for part of a few songs!! They were seriously worth every penny.
WeddingWire Review - 7/1/17
Free spirit was amazing from start to finish. The planning process was organized, clearly communicated, professional and fun. Working with Mike felt like a true partnership, he even helped us find a good generator company. Now the fun stuff. Not only was the band talented, but they also know how to throw a party. They knew exactly when to play which song. The band members are very engaging and interactive with the crowd. We danced so hard that we literally broke the dance floor. Many people told us that this was the best wedding band that they have heard. We actually saw Free Spirit perform 3 years ago at a wedding and chose them ourselves for that exact reason. This is truly a well lead, super talented, and entertaining band.
WeddingWire Review - 11/4/17
Free Spirit truly knows how to rock a crowd! For the second time in a year, we had another amazing wedding with this band, this time for our oldest daughter! Their music and energy was awesome and the crowd wanted to keep going all night. Everything was perfect and we are so incredibly happy, especially the new Mr. & Mrs. Thank you, thank you, thank you!! I think our friend’s son and fiancé will be reaching out to hire them for their wedding too. We would highly, highly recommend Free Spirit and are forever grateful to them for helping to make the evening perfect!!
Online Wedding Review
Reviews of Free Spirit – Entertainment Exchange
Reviewed on 10/18/2017 Paula S
Free Spirit literally MADE our wedding. We expected them to be great but they truly blew us away. The dance floor was completely packed the entire night and they played great songs that kept the party going. Communication was easy and they were beyond accommodating. We even changed our first dance the week before and they not only learned the song, but completely nailed it. We had tons of people asking us who the band was and saying they wanted to book them for their weddings. My cousin even said she didn’t care if she could afford food at her wedding but she would make sure she had this band. But my favorite thing about Free Spirit was that the singers came on to the dance floor and even handed my the mic for part of a few songs!! They were seriously worth every penny.
Wedding Planner Review from 9/9/17
Hi Mike,
Thank you so much for everything that you and the rest of the Free Spirit band and Entertainment Exchange did to make Erin and Jeff’s wedding so wonderful! It was great working with you and everything went perfectly. Truly I can’t thank you enough!! Please pass along my thanks to Dan, the sound/tech crew, and the talented band members!!
All the best and I hope we can work together again soon! Have a great fall season!
Joyce
Joyce Knoer Ozturk
Bash
explore: http://www.bashdc.com
WeddingWire Review - 9/9/17
Thank you SO SO SO much for the best performance ever! Free spirit was everything we could have imagined and SO much more! We had the time of our lives and we were complemented by everyone on how amazing the band was. Mike was one of the best people to work with throughout this process – from the very beginning when he was so completely honest and gave me direct information. I so appreciated it! We were blown away by Free Spirit and will recommend them and you to all of our friends!! Thank you so very much for making our night!!!!
WeddingWire Review from 8/26/17
Thanks so much to Free Spirit for the best day of our lives! In the days following the wedding, we heard from the majority of the guests about how incredible the band was. They brought so much energy to the room and had the dance floor full all night. Even towards the end of the night that there wasn’t a single person sitting in their chair, which is saying something for a party of 170 people of all ages. When our 2 year old niece decided she wanted to be a part of the band, the whole band danced with her while they were performing. Amazing range of songs and Mike Ostrow is a pleasure to work with. I hope we have an opportunity to attend another wedding that Free Spirit plays! All the best, Max + Kate
WeddingWire Review - 8/5/17
As soon as Free Spirit started playing, dancers of all ages leapt to their feet and kept the dance floor rocking until the last note of the evening. Highly recommend!
WeddingWire Review - 6/24/17
I want to commend Free Spirit on an AMAZING job! The music was SUPERB in EVERY way! All of our guests have been commenting on how wonderful the music was. Thank you soooo much for making the night so much FUN!
WeddingWire Review - 6/10/17
To Free Spirit — On behalf of Arielle, Jerrold and myself and really all of our wedding guests, thank you so much for playing your hearts out and making the night so special and fun for all of us. So many of the post-wedding notes and calls started with ‘the wedding was amazing and where did you get that band’? One of many notes said “yours was the best wedding band we have ever heard”. I can’t thank you enough for being flexible and accommodating and making great music for our family again (Sorry I don’t have another daughter)!
WeddingWire Review - 5/6/17
Phew!!! We are still catching our collective breath so our apologies for the delay in posting this well-deserved review for FREE SPIRIT: They were fantastic! The rave reviews continue to pour in and we send our heartfelt thanks to each member of the band. Wow. Everyone was incredible: vocalists, horns, rhythm, and the song selection fabulous. The keyboard player was excellent for the ceremony music. Please tell him how happy we are and moved by how perfectly he did. They also learned the First Dance and Father of the Bride Dance on short notice and their renditions were beautiful. Lastly, we appreciate FREE SPIRIT’s flexibility in playing longer after we ended up off script and behind in our timeline. The toasts were important to us all, despite their length. Once that dance floor opened, no one wanted to leave it! Everyone I work with in New Orleans is still raving about the music at the reception!!! FREE SPIRIT was absolutely outstanding from start to finish!! Thank you for really making the wedding so perfect!
Free Spirit Had Guests Calling Our Wedding The Best Party Ever!
Holy cow, we were absolutely BLOWN away by how amazing Free Spirit was at our wedding. Thanks to Free Spirit, we heard from multiple guests that our wedding was the best party they’d ever been to. I have never seen a wedding where the dance floor was packed from start to finish. They crushed every song and our guests were in awe of the talent displayed by all of their singers and musicians. We LOVED their rendition of our first dance song, it was absolutely perfection!
Our ceremony music took my breath away. Mike Ostrow was so sweet and accommodating from start to finish, he truly made me feel special. He answered all my questions thoroughly and honored my requests whenever possible. I am genuinely amazed by how sweet, talented, and professional Free Spirit is. I cannot recommend them enthusiastically enough – you absolutely CANNOT go wrong with Free Spirit, they are known as the best in Washington DC for good reason – they DO NOT disappoint!
WeddingWire Review - 4/22/17
I can’t even put into words how incredible Free Spirit was. Every song was amazing they absolutely killed it and everyone was raving about the band. We’re so thrilled with how everything went and wouldn’t change a single thing. They honestly blew us away and we are so grateful for all the hard work they all put into making this the best (and first) day of our life. Thank you again for everything we love you!!!
This is the father of the bride…
I wanted to echo Marisa’s comments and thank you and Free Spirit for adding a significant contribution to what was a memorable wedding experience. We had heard the band perform at a wedding last June and were impressed then and were impressed again Saturday night.
We especially appreciated the band indulging our 7 and 10-year-old great nieces by allowing them to perform on stage with them. I am sure they will never forget being part of the show!
Free Spirit got rave reviews from our guests, several of whom have children on the cusp of getting engaged. We will certainly recommend Free Spirit to them.
Gaylord National Harbor Corporate Event - March 2017
Free Spirit was by far the BEST band I’ve ever heard. We weren’t sure how a band was going to go over at a predominantly male event but there were more women and wives that attended the Gala so the band was a great hit. They were extremely pleasant to work with and the energy and vocal talent was out of this world. They played new hits and old hits and in the right combination to keep those last few dancers on the floor until our contracted end time came around. Great group with amazing talent. Working to book them was a smooth process, too!
WeddingWire Review - 4/8/17
Free Spirit was the most incredible wedding band anyone could ever ask for. They were THE highlight of the reception without question. They were great musicians, great crowd pleasers and great MCs. It honestly felt like a concert, which is exactly what we wanted. We all had so much fun dancing and drinking the night away to their music. They were incredibly easy to work with – always available to respond to our needs. They had a pre-wedding phone call with us to go over everything and they incorporated all of our suggestions. We take our music seriously, but so do they. In addition, they will learn your first dance songs (bride/groom, father/daughter & mother/son) and will sound as good as the original recordings.
Honestly, if you are even *thinking* of getting a band to play for your wedding (and you should, as it’s much more fun!), Free Spirit should be your first, second and third option. There’s nobody better in the DMV.
WeddingWire Review - 3/4/17
Wow! Free Spirit exceeded our expectations. We had everyone on the dance floor the entire wedding celebration. The energy and excitement that Free Spirit brought to the party was incredible. And they kept us on our timeline, so the party moved flawlessly. We loved all the instruments and the singers were fantastic. The songs were exactly what we were hoping for. We had so many complements on the music — everyone wanted to know the name of the band! I look forward to booking Free Spirit again for our next celebration! Thank you for making the wedding party a big success!
WeddingWire Review - 12/31/16
Happy New Year! Just wanted to let you know how awesome everyone thought Free Spirit was at the reception Saturday night! The music was incredible! I think you know from all the conversations with Kristen how important it was to her that the music set the tone for the night! Mike Ostrow and Free Spirit made her dream come true! It was the most magical night, never to be forgotten! Everyone had the best New Year’s Eve! I can’t thank you and Free Spirit enough! All the best in 2017!
WeddingWire Review - 12/3/16
Best wedding band ever! Free Spirit made our wedding a blast. Not only was the music and the show spectacular, but they worked with us in advance to make sure every detail was exactly what we had dreamed about. Our friends and family are still talking about how amazing the band was– the dance floor was packed the entire night. Thanks to Mike and his team for everything!
WeddingWire Review - 11/26/16
WOW!!! Thanks so much to FREE SPIRIT for an unforgettable and perfect night!!! Our guests are still raving about how great the band was and we really loved how packed the dance floor was from beginning to end! One message we received this morning just said “legendary!”
WeddingWire Review - 11/12/16
A lot of planning went into the wedding but we all know that Free Spirit made it happen. We have received so many compliments and thank yous from our friends and family calling it the best wedding they have ever been to. Free Spirit’s music, timing, enthusiasm were over the top! Please extend our thanks and gratitude to the entire band. They rocked the evening and we are so grateful. I have been asked by so many guests for your name and contact information. Hopefully we will see you soon at one of their upcoming events. Great job and thank you!
WeddingWire Review - 11/5/16
Thanks to Free Spirit for a truly perfect evening. As we were leaving the Park Hyatt this morning, our friends stopped us and asked “where did you find that band? They were awesome.” Please use our names associated with any testimonial you desire on your website or any other type of reference. We are so thrilled with what was truly a spectacular evening. The compliments keep pouring in. Thanks again.
WeddingWire Review - 10/29/16
Free Spirit blew it out of the park. I cant say enough about the band. Free Spirit is absolutely amazing. They are a class act. Everyone was wonderful and I can’t thank you all for making Heather and Bernie’s reception a night to remember. The crowd was on the dance floor all night long and everyone came up to me asking where we found this incredible band. I was told it was the best wedding they had been to and a big part was Free Spirit. I have given your name and information to several guests who are looking for bands to play at their wedding next year.
WeddingWire Review - 10/29/16
Free Spirit did a FANTASTIC job at a wedding I was a wedding coordinator for !! They have such positive and contagious energy that had all of the guests dancing the entire night! Mike was great to communicate with to build the perfect timeline. At the conclusion of the evening, the guests were begging for more songs- they were that good!! As another vendor for the wedding I was so lucky to have such a great band who was amazing to the couple and amazing to work with! I would recommend them to anyone looking for a band for their wedding!
WeddingWire Review - 10/15/16 Wedding
Free Spirit is absolutely incredible!! All of the guests at our wedding could not stop raving about how much they loved our wedding band. They took the time to learn a new song for our father/daughter dance, mother/son dance and they even learned a special request from the groom so he could jam out with all of his college buddies. They are truly spectacular and they definitely made our wedding night one we will never forget! Mike the band leader is so incredibly warm and attentive to anything you need. The band has a diverse group of singers who have so much energy and talent and can honestly make any song sound amazing. You will not go wrong with free spirit!! They are the best around!
I’m the Groom and I wanted to add Free Spirit was absolutely incredible. I was leaning heavily to the DJ side of the equation when we began planning our wedding. Free Spirit showed me how incredible it is to have the energy and talent of a high caliber live band play at an event like our wedding reception. Everything was picture perfect and above all else, the music was world class. Thank you for making our wedding incredibly special for me and my new wife. I’d make a joke about how you picked up a lot of business in that room last night but I’m sure that happens to you everywhere you go.
Lisa & Liam Wedding 9/18/16
Mike,
THANK YOU and the band so much for everything. You were outstanding, and I heard countless compliments about your performance, including, “This is the best wedding band I’ve ever heard.” I would be delighted to have the opportunity to work with you again — it was a joy, start to finish.
As an aside, Todd sounded spectacular throughout, but especially during “All I Want is You.” I’ve been a huge U2 fan since I was nine years old, edited a book on them, and knew for the past 2 decades that if I were ever to get married, I wanted this song for my first dance. It really meant a lot, and I will definitely save the sheet music for our scrap book!
You’re welcome to send people my way as you need references, but I’m delighted to provide a testimonial as well:
“Free Spirit played at my wedding and they were extraordinary. They are not only immensely talented, but incredibly responsive and professional. I would hire them again in a heartbeat.”
If there’s anything else you need, please let me know.
Thanks again,
Lisa
Audrey & Joe's Wedding
Free Sprit was incredible! Countless guests have expressed to us how amazing you were and many noted that they would like you to play at their future wedding 🙂 From start to finish, you successfully engaged 200+ people. The dance floor was crowded all night, a true testament to your talent and energy . Each of our requested songs were played beautifully. We were truly impressed by your rendition of the Irish Lullaby (despite learning it that night!). We feel so fortunate that you were available to play at our wedding. Thank you helping to make our reception one we will never forget.
Kevin & Lauren's Meridian House Wedding
The band was amazing! Free Spirit exceeded our expectations, which were a bit lofty given all of the great reviews on your website. We received so many compliments on your performance from those that attended. You were a great mix of energy, romance, and entertainment. The choreographed dance moves were awesome, the song selection was perfect, and I really liked how the singers interacted with the guests. I am particularly grateful for the Hang on Sloopy rendition, and for accommodating my niece’s impromptu Taylor Swift impersonation. Thanks again for an unforgettable night.
Marcy & Marin Wedding
Hi Mike,
We had the best night of our lives, and were so appreciative of all that you did to make the night one that we will never forget. Your rendition of Such Great Heights was beautiful, and the band was amazing all night long. People of all ages, from our grandparents to young cousins, were out on the dance floor. Everyone we know commented on how amazing you all were, definitely a major highlight of the night!! Thank you also for going the extra mile, and accommodating the unusual room layouts, as well as bringing the full ensemble. You rock!
Best,
Marin and Marcy
This band is out of control good.
My husband and I got married in June of 2014 and it was EPIC, all because of Free Spirit. The vocals, instruments, and atmosphere were amazing. The brass section even snuck up to the balconies in the Mayflower where the reception was to surprise us from up there. Truly exceptional. What a party!!!!!
Marina,
It’s so great to hear from you and I’m glad that you’re still thinking about Free Spirit and were happy with our performance at your wedding after all these years. My best to you and your family and I hope we see you again soon.
Mike
Desiree & Drew - Weddingwire Review
Free Spirit was absolutely amazing! You are one of the best bands I have ever heard!! Everything was so perfect and you all did a fantastic job. You kept all of our guests on the dance floor all night and all of our friends/family were in love with the band. Couldn’t be happier that I chose you for our wedding, you guys are the best in the biz and made our night so special!
Wedding Reception
Free Spirit truly made the night!! Everyone had a blast dancing (especially me!) and I had so many people commenting throughout the night how awesome our band was! I still have people texting me to ask the name of the band 🙂 Thank you for playing all of my requested songs! They were all perfect and I can’t wait to get back our video and pictures.
Thank you for making our wedding so memorable!
Whirl Magazine - Pittsburgh
Free Spirit set the mood for the fun night right away, playing three or four songs before guests took their seats. The band kept all 300 guests dancing throughout night…!
Jessica - Bride
We knew we were in good hands when we selected Free Spirit but the band still surpassed all of our expectations. As a bride, it can be easy to get swept up in the details and obsess over things you actually can’t our shouldn’t control but I knew with Free Spirit, I didn’t have to worry about a thing. It was such a gift. Of course, that is only possible with all the necessary ingredients — the band’s musical talent, experience, overall professionalism and this includes coordination and hard work. Every single thing about the band blew us away. Thanks you from the bottom of our hearts. We are still on Cloud 9…but now in Tulum, Mexico instead of the Ritz.
Rachel & David - Wedding
We would like to thank Free Spirit for an amazing performance on our wedding day! Kudos on your version of the Lion King’s “Circle of Live” — So beautiful! Thank you for learning our song, Billy Joel’s “The Longest Time” – a song that has been with us since we met 12 years ago! You also did an amazing job on “One More Time”, a special song with my Dad. The instrumentalists and vocalists were wonderful! We had so much fun! It was awesome to see the band get on the dance floor with us and Todd wowed us with is sing-off with the Rabbi! Thank you!