Denver party band returns to live shows, brings back the bliss

By Natasha Lovato

If the world could agree on one thing, it’s that a year without live music was a year too long. Concertgoers and musicians alike felt the heartache of an entire year of musicless solitude. For members of Mannequin The Band, they can safely say the live music experience is one they will never take for granted again.

Mannequin the Band has dominated the dance floor and the area wedding industry consistently for the past five years with killer choreography and a talent-stacked group of musicians who cover fan favorites from Michael Buble to Bruno Mars. Mannequin’s sequin-studded costumes and colorful lighting cues help fuel their high-energy performances throughout the region. So, when the pandemic hit and musicians were relegated to virtual shows, Mannequin’s musical essence was put on a major pause.

Dana Wield, co-owner, creative director and lead singer, confirmed that being a part of the wedding and music industry sent the band into a pandemic nosedive.

She explained how seeing both industries plummet was devastating. “We are a cover band, so this idea of doing virtual concerts really was not going to work because we weren’t bringing new songs to people and it felt really inauthentic,” Wield said. Although cover bands offer quality music, it’s not their own. “I want to treat our audience like they know good music. You don’t pull up a cover of Bruno Mars on Facebook Live, you pull up Bruno Mars,” she said.

Regardless, cover tunes are “a massive part of Mannequin’s show. And to not bring that to people for a year was really hard.”

Eventually, when events slowly started getting scheduled again, it took time to ramp up. Because the band had booked many dates throughout the period COVID-19 had everything shut down, refunding money, resetting dates and trying to accommodate everyone’s needs became a big job in itself.

Most of Mannequin’s clients remained understanding and compassionate, and both parties were able to meet in the middle given the pandemic circumstances.

Meanwhile, getting the band back together was long anticipated and exciting. “It’s great to go on tour again and to see people again,” said Mannequin’s saxophone player Daniel Gomby. “As a musician, if you aren’t performing you’re stuck in a studio or you’re stuck in a practice room. So it’s nice to have that opportunity back. It gives you a reason to practice.”

Gomby also acknowledged how tough it was during the pandemic for those who had to put their marriage plans on pause. “Being back gave everybody the finality they were looking for. We were all stuck in limbo.”

Every month or so, Mannequin has performed at public events, such as pop-ups and festivals. In September, the group played at RARE, The Denver Steak Championship, which was held at the Denver Performing Arts Complex and Sculpture Park.

Another addition to the 2020 craziness for Wield and co-owner Alan Currens was the introduction of their new band, Rockslide. Like Mannequin, Rockslide is a high-energy cover band playing anything from Motown to classic rock. It seemed like bad timing for a band to debut, but it ended up working out well for the 2021 season.

“Looking back, it was the perfect time to get a new band because Mannequin is so booked now because of postponed dates,” Wield said. “Rockslide has the same music experience and configuration so now when Mannequin is booked, we have another great experience for our guests.”

The past summer was rocking and rolling for both bands, between local music festivals and private events. However, getting back to the stage was an emotional experience all around.

“At our first event back, I had to keep my composure when I saw multiple people crying. We all missed this so much,” Wield said. “Right now, we don’t take the audience for granted anymore. There’s a reason musicians make this their life career.”

Natasha Lovato is a Colorado native with a love for her cats, writing and a cold Holidaily Blonde Ale.