Please see Tiki 101, written by our President and Co-Founder, Randy Wong.

Yes. We can provide music for your ceremony, reception, cocktail hour, and/or a dinner show. Whether you want classic exotica as the backdrop for your vows or a full dinner show, we can do it.

With regards to wedding ceremonies: our musicians have played many weddings, both with WAITIKI and in other groups. We will time our music perfectly to match each part of your ceremony so that there are no awkward pauses or endings.

Yes, we can travel to play your event. If your event is on the Mainland, and is more than 100 miles from Boston, as a general rule, you will be responsible for: our round-trip airfare, hotel, per diem, ground transportation, and backline IN ADDITION to our performance fee. Sometimes there is flexibility with this if we are planning a tour in your area, or if you are a non-profit.

Special rates apply for local events (within Boston city limits or on the island of O’ahu). Please inquire.

We perform in the following instrumentations.

CLASSIC QUARTET • 4 musicians
flute/sax, vibraphone, upright bass, drum kit

VINTAGE QUARTET • 4 musicians
flute/sax, vibraphone, upright bass, percussion

QUINTET • 5 musicians
flute/sax, vibraphone, upright bass, drum kit, percussion

The WAITIKI 7 • 7 musicians
flute/sax, violin, vibraphone, piano, upright bass, drum kit, percussion

The WAITIKI 7 PLUS ELEVEN • 18 musicians
Our swanky, swingin’ exotica big band.

The WAITIKI EXOTICA POPS ORCHESTRA • 32 musicians
string quintet, flute, picc, clarinet, bass clarinet, oboe, english horn, bassoon, contra bassoon, trumpet, trombone, french horn, alto sax, tenor sax, bari sax, vocal quartet, conductor, plus The WAITIKI 7.

Absolutely. No event is too random. In our eight year history, we have performed exotica music at some of the most unique events and most interesting venues. Probably the ‘winner’ so far is a dinner show we performed in a Russian Orthodox cathedral in New Jersey for a clergy of South Asians, although the bar mitzvah (with break dancing bartenders) we played at the New England Aquarium is a close second.

Seriously though, we love the opportunity to bring exotica to a wide variety of audiences, and appreciate your support for our music.

Yes. We have a few requirements however, to ensure the safety of our instruments and the ability to provide quality music. We require full shade, no precipitation, and temperatures about 65- 85 degrees. We also need electricity and PA (see below).

Our standard “dressy” uniform consists of matching aloha shirts, white slacks, white dress shoes, and white sport coats. We can also dress in ‘aloha attire’: matching aloha shirts, black slacks and black dress shoes.

If you’re not big on aloha print, but still want the look of the Islands, please call us to discuss a custom look for your event.

Yes, we can arrange or transcribe any special requests, particularly if it is from the repertoire of Martin Denny, Arthur Lyman, Robert Drasnin, Don Tiki, or Esquivel. Fees for this service range depending on the instrumentation and complexity of the music. Please contact us for more details.

What we perform depends on the following: the venue, audience, type of performance (background or show), length of performance, and availability of personnel. Please let us know if you have any special requirements (e.g., no humor, classic exotica only, prefer jazz and ballads). We will tailor our music to meet your needs.

Yes. We will be happy to communicate directly with them ahead of time to work out musical details. In some cases we will require a short rehearsal at the venue before the event. A fee for the rehearsal time will apply.

Absolutely. Our shows are mainly instrumental music. All vocals are humorous in nature. Though we sometimes work with dancers, the focus of our show is almost entirely on the music, and our dancers do not dress provocatively. Exotica is not erotica.

No, our basic instrumentation does not include ukulele. We can recommend uke players for your event though, please email randy@waitiki.com for more information. Same goes for hula dancers.

The basic WAITIKI setup is as a 4 piece band: flute/sax, vibraphone, upright bass, drum kit/percussion. This known as the Classic Quartet. See below for more information about our groups.