Testimonials
Recent Testimonials
"Words can’t adequately address what a memorable night our daughter’s wedding reception was due to Carrie and Atomic Groove! The night was perfect, from the acoustic cocktail music, to the beautiful dinner background music and, of course, the "Dance til You Drop" reception set. I was hoping for the typical AG Happy Hour Good Vibez, and Carrie and the band delivered and then some! Carrie was very patient with my many special requests and my attempt to curate the set list😊. They truly excel at any type of musical genre, from the light jazz of the dinner music, to the romantic songs of the special dances and then the awesome, awesome dance sets that had everybody, young and old, on the dance floor the entire night. From Carpenters to George Benson to Taylor Swift to Earth Wind & Fire, Atomic Groove can play them all and play them well! Carrie is great at sensing the crowd and kept the dance tunes going when she saw nobody needed a break for a slower number. Everything was flawless and in the true sprit of an AG Happy Hour. I cannot recommend them enough for any special event you are planning – I only wish we had another wedding to plan! Carrie/Atomic Groove would be my first call! Thank you Carrie and the AG Band for making our daughter’s wedding reception so special!"
Bill and Monica Kostelnik – Parents of the Bride
San Juan Capistrano, 150 guests
Band Configuration : AG Core Band plus additional male vocalist +plus sax (7 piece band)
August 2023
"Thank you, Atomic Groove, for your wonderful performance at my husband's 70th birthday party. Our guests ranged in age from the 20s to the 90s and every single one of them enjoyed your music! You really know how to get everyone out on the dance floor! And the AG Fly Girlz were so much fun to watch, especially for our guests that couldn’t physically get on the dance floor…. but really wanted to. Thanks so much for helping to make the party such a fun memorable experience. You guys are the best!"
Sue H., wife of birthday boy
70th Birthday Party
Encinitas, CA
150 guests
Band Configuration: AG Core Band plus male vocalist plus two AG Fly Girlz dancers (8 piece)
July 2023
"We were so excited to have Atomic Groove entertain at our wedding and loved them so much we had them back for our 10 year anniversary party! They (STILL!) really know how to energize the crowd, are super versatile and incredibly engaging! It's amazing how they are keenly in sync with the mood of the group and keep the party flowing smoothly. Carrie did a great job communicating, asking all the right questions beforehand and came to the party ready to have fun, too! The whole band was phenomenal with a tremendous range of songs and an impressive showing on stage. Carrie's voice is all talent and she is all heart, too! Having enjoyed watching Atomic Groove at the Belly Up over the years, we also love the private parties we see them at around town, as their approach to each show is so personalized, customized....and FUN! If you want a memorable night with amazing entertainment and a pumped up audience, you've found the right band!"
Donna K., Bride
150 guests
Rancho Santa Fe, CA
Band Configuration: AG Core Band plus male lead vocal plus female conga (7 piece)
July 2023 & 2013
"I highly recommend Atomic Groove! They truly made our fundraiser event unforgettable. If you're looking for a band that will bring the house down and leave your guests talking about the event for years to come, look no further. Carrie was so great to work with throughout the booking and planning process and she and the whole team are so talented when it comes time to perform. Thanks Atomic Groove!"
Allison Banks, Event Chair Person
150 guests
Band Configuration: AG Core Band plus 2 AG Fly Girlz (7 piece)
April 2023
"Atomic Groove knows how to Bring The Fun! I chose the Atomic Groove Band to be the highlight of my 50th birthday party and they delivered! They had my friends out on the floor, dancing and having a blast, all evening. They worked with me to select a fun and festive playlist for everyone to enjoy and keep the party rocking! Carrie and Jeff and the entire ensemble brought Positive Energy and Good Vibes to my special event. We could tell that they were having as much fun performing as we were dancing and celebrating. Atomic Groove Band added the Pow! That's exactly I wanted for my Big Birthday Celebration. Thank you, Atomic Groove for making my Fiftieth Birthday a once-in-a-lifetime Fun and Fabulous event!"
Cynthia, Birthday Girl, Rancho Santa Fe
75 guests
Band Configuration: AG Core Band plus addt'l male lead vocalist (6 piece)
March 2023
"Thank you to Atomic Groove Charity Classic Chair for once again providing the great entertainment for the Morgan Run Country Club Annual Charity Classic!
This year broke all the records of attendance and money raised, and Atomic Groove helped to make the evening an even greater success because everyone had such a great time.
The attendees also particularly enjoyed the background music atmosphere you provided prior to the dance concert. That was such a great touch and made the evening flow that much more. We continue to hear nothing but great things about your performance, as always.
As someone who has been attending the Atomic Groove Happy Hours at the Belly Up for many years it was great to have AG be a part of an event that was so important to me personally, my country club and the charities we were raising the money for.
Thank you Atomic Groove!"
Jen Jacobs
Charity Classic Chair
Morgan Run Country Club
300+ guests
Event: October 2019, October 2018
Band Configuration: Core Band (5 piece band- female lead voc, guitar/voc, bass/voc, keyboard/voc, drums/voc) + 3 AG Fly Girlz (8 piece band)
"Wanted to extend my sincere thanks for an absolute fantastic performance by you and your band for my intimate house party for my 80s themed 50th celebration! It was beyond my wildest imagination how it all worked out so well!! I loved hearing my favorite song, too, thanks for making sure that you played that, along with all the other awesome song selection you chose for my party to get everyone on the dance floor. Everyone there loved you! Thank you for providing the BEST entertainment, ALWAYS, and for making my dream for my 50th b-day come true! I really appreciate the extra effort you went into making this come together, thanks so much for working with me and the special needs of my party, too, both with your flexibility and professionalism! Please tell everyone in the band how thankful I am for everything! See you at a Belly Up Happy Hour soon!"
Charolette R., B-Day Girl
50th Birthday Party
Backyard, Encinitas, CA
75 guests
Event: October 2019
Band Configuration: Core Band (5 piece band- female lead voc, guitar/voc, bass/voc, keyboard/voc, drums/voc)
"A very special thank you to you and your amazing team of musicians, vocalists and technical crew for your show-stopping talents and the professional care you put into our entire wedding experience for our daughter’s wedding. It was way beyond extraordinary!
First off, the ceremony & cocktail accompaniment was gorgeous. I loved having the guitar for the ceremony playing our special requests masterfully and then having the guitar and sax for the cocktail hour. The sound was so smooth and jazzy with a real touch of romantic soul.
The reception music was equally as perfect. The band were so professional and nimble, you managed the evening seamlessly with all the elements that you had to work around to navigate all aspects of the night. When it was time to pull out the stops for the dance portion...you did just that! The powerful energy and just over-the-top excitement was amazing! The bride & groom had picked out specific songs from your very diverse playlist and you customized it just perfectly. The dance floor responded all nite long and our guests are still talking about it! I know I speak for all of our family when I say you were the best band we could have ever found anywhere! We will always have such treasured memories of that night. Our wedding event absolutely was an "Atomic Groove" thanks to you and your crew ...you are such a Pro! Huge thanks!”
The Eddy Family
200 guests, Rancho Santa Fe, CA
Event: July 2019
Band Configuration: Core Band + addt’l male lead voc + 2 horns (8 piece band)
“On behalf of the Rady Children’s Hospital – North Coast Auxiliary Unit, I wanted to thank you and all of the members of Atomic Groove for an amazing night! The 80s theme was enjoyed by all of our guests and our auxiliary unit couldn’t stop talking about how much fun we had at this year’s Date Night for a Cause! What a great job you all did! We appreciate what you bring every year; a different play list, a different band configuration and yet you ALWAYS get everyone on the dance floor, each and every time. We’ve really enjoyed having you these past 8 years for this event that just keeps on growing. I wanted to let you and the band know that with your help we were able to raise one of our highest amounts ever for a Date Night for a Cause! Thank you for your continued support of Rady Children’s Hospital – San Diego!"
Carol H., fundraiser chairperson
400 guests, The Belly Up
Event: March 2019 (since 2011)
Band Configuration: Core Band + addt’l male lead voc + 4 AG Fly Girlz (10 piece band)
“We are so happy we hired you for our birthday party! How amazing and how fabulous you all were! What a memorable night. All of my guests were blown away by Atomic Groove. Everyone raved about the talent and energy! Our friends and family have been, or now are, loyal Atomic Groove fans. Also, thank you for being so extremely professional leading up to the event. I really appreciate how involved you were with all of the pre-planning with all of the correspondences to get all the logistics and the details of the event just right, customized just for us! And thanks for going above and beyond by sharing your insights, on the event timeline and band flow, it made everything work out GREAT! I couldn't have been more pleased with the overall experience. We will highly recommend you, always! We’ll def hire you again for our next fun event! Maybe we’ll see you soon at one of your Friday nite Happy Hours at the Belly Up. Thank you, Atomic Groove!”
Jeanee L., party hostess
100 guests, downtown SD, CA
Event: January 2019
Band Configuration: Core Band + addt’l male lead voc (6 piece band)
“We hired Atomic Groove to play our Company Holiday Party and could not have made a better choice!!! First off Carrie was extremely professional and flexible with the format and schedule. They started out with some seasonal music while we were eating dinner and gradually moved us to the dance floor. By the time the Dance Contest time arrived the dance floor was packed. Carrie did an excellent job judging the contest!!! They jammed another hour or so and before we knew it they had played a solid 3 ½ hour set. These guys are PRO’s!! We will hire them again for sure!!!”
Jay M., Director of Ops, Company Holiday Party
200+ attendees, Solana Beach, CA
Events: December 2018
Band Configuration: Core Band + 2 Fly Girlz. + addt’l male lead voc + female percussionist (9 piece band)
“Please accept our most sincere appreciation for making our 50th Wedding Anniversary Celebration EXTRAVAGANZA such an overwhelming success. The crowd LOVED YOU! And praised the evening and your performance as the absolute ‘Best Ever!!’ You rocked the 50 years with the playlist, kept the crowd of 165 fired up and out on the dance floor the whole time, all ages! The fact that you made the playlist selection so customized and so very personal to us was truly special. You did such an excellent job taking our preferred songs, that have alot of sentimental value to two of us, and coming up with a perfect blend of our favorites mixed with diverse crowd pleaser songs that made EVERYBODY so happy! We had a BALL, and your play list way exceeded our best expectations! Everyone keeps sending us notes on how very much they enjoyed your performance. Thank you again, for making the evening so personal and so entertaining for everyone!”
Jay C., party host, 50th Wedding Anniversary
165 attendees, Solana Beach, CA
Events:J une 2018
Band Configuration: Core Band (5 piece band)
“We hired Atomic Groove to play my wife’s 50th birthday party. Simply put, they were absolutely AWESOME! So fun, so professional. We could not have been happier and our guests were absolutely blown away. From the first note to the final song they kept the crowd rockin’, dancing and smiling from ear to ear. Atomic Groove played a couple of special songs just for the b-day girl (wife is a big Pat Benatar fan!) and made sure their play time helped make the night flow tobest serve the vibe of the party. Their song selection kept everybody happy and dancing all night long. They gave us all memories that will last a lifetime. If you are looking to hire a band for a special event, HONESTLY look no further – ATOMIC GROOVE is the best party band in San Diego, bar none!”
Jeffrey H., party host, wife’s 50th
100 attendees, Rancho Santa Fe, CA
Events:March 2018
Band Configuration: Core Band + 2 AG Fly Girlz dancers + addt’l male lead voc + female percussionist (9 piece band)
"The party went very very well and everyone seemed to have had a great time. You guys are so good at entertaining the guests and getting them up on the dance floor. It was quite a memorable evening and one we will treasure. Many many thanks to all of you!”
Russel D., party host, 60th b-day
90 attendees, Rancho Santa Fe, CA
Events: November 2017
Band Configuration: Core Band + male lead voc (6 piece band)
"Atomic Groove played an important part in our party's success for our annual gala. They have an extensive music selection they were able to customize the playlist to our requests, and that helped keep the dance floor full the ENTIRE time, up until the very last song! We really appreciated the fun energy of the band, the sound, the music selections, everything was just REALLY, REALLY good… and the Atomic Groove Fly Girlz were really fun and cute, too. Thanks for the music and great energy! We look forward to working with Atomic Groove in the future.”
Michelle G., committee event member, annual gala
500 attendees, Coronado Ca
Events: October 2017
Band Configuration: Core Band + 2 AG Fly Girlz dancers (7 piece band)
"We hired Atomic Groove to play at our annual fundraising event. Our event theme was “Studio 200” (as in “Studio 54”) and we transformed our multi level facility into a series of clubs featuring music from various decades. We had Atomic Groove on the 70s stage and they did an amazing job of capturing the essence of the disco decade as “The Atomic 70s Band” – the execution of the band and the dancing of the AG Fly Disco Girlz were spot on! Plus the entire time they were playing the dance floor was packed with guests dancing and truly enjoying themselves. We received rave reviews after our event, and we know Atomic Groove was a huge part of the event’s success. They are incredibly versatile, highly energetic and a whole lot of fun.”
Tammy Gamboa, event coordinator, annual gala
500 attendees, Downtown SD, CA
Events: October 2017
Band Configuration: Core Band + 2 AG Fly Girlz dancers (7 piece band)
“I hired Atomic Groove to perform at my wife's 60th birthday bash, a "small" party for 90 of her closest friends. Carrie worked out all the details with me in advance, showed up hours early to get a good set up for the area allowed, and they proceeded to rock the house non stop for three hours. They arean incredible band and played over the allotted time because there were so many people on the dance floor at the end. Thank you Atomic Groove for really making my wife's party such a memorable occasion!"
Bob B., party host, wife’s 60th
90 attendees, Solana Beach, CA
Events: October 2017
Band Configuration: Core Band (5 piece band)
“Thank you Carrie and Atomic Groove for the quality of service provided by your band and company. We sincerely appreciate your efficient, gracious customer service, the level of detail and accountability, and the way you conduct business as a whole. We have, and will continue to, recommend Atomic Groove to other companies and contacts. Our team and Independence Day event attendees could not be more satisfied with your performance, and we look forward to continuing this relationship.
Alexa Steevens, Member Services and Event Manager
1000 attendees, La Costa, CA
Events: July 2017
Band Configuration: Core Band (5 piece band)
“Atomic Groove… not much more needs to be said than that. Their name says it all when it comes to professionalism, class, fun, and a worry-free event experience. We’ve been fortunate to have AG at our event for the last few years and we look forward to continuing this partnership. Band Leader Carrie goes out of her way to make AG’s presence at the event is as easy as possible, having very minimal behind-the-scenes band requirements and delivering our event with maximum impact with their top-notch performance. If you’re looking for a band in San Diego to cover all your musical and event needs, you’ve found it in Atomic Groove.”
Noah Jackson, Father Joe’s Villages Event Manager
500 attendees, Rancho Santa Fe & Downtown San Diego, CA
Events: 2017, 2016, 2015
Band Configuration: Core Band + 1 addt’l male lead voc + 2 AG Fly Girlz (8 piece band)
“My company hired Atomic Groove to perform for our National Sales Team Graduation event. I think it’s safe to say that hiring Atomic Groove was the best part of our two-week training! The dance floor filled up during the very first song and we didn’t get off the dance floor until the last one. AG made the audience feel like they were the most important guests they’ve ever played to with how interactive and personable they are on stage, which made it even more memorable. The crowd was filled with out-of-towners and AG connected with them all! There was even one rep who used to live in San Diego and he was SO excited to see AG again, as he was a former AG groupie! AG was super engaging and had high energy the entire evening, playing for two hours nonstop without a break, which was the perfect approach for this group and for the vibe of the event. The music variety was amazing, from classics to current pop trends, which made it so every age group could appreciate it. I’m confident my company will hire them again someday. I can’t say enough about Atomic Groove and how people still have smiles on their faces as they talk about that night. Thank you for everything you did, Atomic Groove! We loved every moment of it! “
Nikki Van Winkle, company event entertainment recruiter
300+ attendees, La Jolla, CA
Event(s): April 2017
Band configuration: Core Band + 1 addt’l male lead vocal + 2 AG Fly Girlz (8 piece band)
“Atomic Groove has been an integral part of our fundraiser event for 4 years and they always bring the house down!! Not only was this year the most well-attended event of our 6 year run, it was our best fundraising efforts, too, so it was a true success- and Atomic Groove def was a big part of making that happen. Working with Atomic Groove is always easy and professional and the band’s presentation is always first class and high energy!! Everyone is guaranteed to have a great time when Atomic Groove and the AG Fly Girlz are rockin’ the room!”
Julie Luther, fundraiser event chair
400+ attendees, Solana Beach, CA
Event(s): March 2017 (2016, 2015 & 2014)
Band configuration: Core Band + 1 female conga + 4 AG Fly Girlz (10 piece band)
“When our company planned our annual event, we selected The Belly Up and Atomic Groove. To say they did a great job is truly an understatement. Beth from Belly Up and Carrie from Atomic Groove went above and beyond to make sure all of our 300+ guests were having a fabulous time. Months have now passed since our event, however; going into any of our 14 offices, they are still talking about what a great event it was. Atomic Groove was so accommodating to our wacky requests and checked in with us throughout the night. If you are thinking of having an event that you want to be memorable, be sure to book Atomic Groove (and be sure to have their AG Fly Girlz), you will not be disappointed!”
Cheri Rice, company event coordinator
300+ attendees, Solana Beach, CA
Event(s): October 2016
Band configuration: Core Band + 1 addt’l male lead voc + 4 AG Fly Girlz (10 piece band)
"THANK YOU all so much for coming out and helping making our fundraiser concert a huge success! We were so excited to have Atomic Groove this year and our attendees agreed! We were all blown away by your amazing energy and incredible talent and received rave reviews from colleagues and guests. Having a bigger version of the band was awesome, especially the four AG Fly Girlz dancers, they really help inspire the dance floor. Thanks again and look forward to working with you again in the future!”
Lauren, event fundraiser chairperson
500 attendees, Del Mar, CA
Event(s): September 2016
Band configuration: Core Band + 2 addt’l male lead voc + 1 female percussionist + 4 AG Fly Girlz (12 piece band)
Thank you Atomic Groove for being a part of our very successful fundraiser event. You guys were awesome and our crazy and fun crowd LOVED you! Thanks for your patience and willingness to flow with our timeline, it all ended up working out and everyone sure was happy, as you could tell by the packed dance floor. We are so glad we went with the bigger band, having the two AG Fly Girlz and the extra male lead vocalist pushed the energy over the top, for sure! See you next year!”
Deborah Fiddes & Monica Mohr, event fundraiser chairpersons
400 attendees, La Jolla CA
Event(s): September 2016
Band configuration: Core Band + 1 addt’l male lead voc + 2 AG Fly Girlz (8 piece band)
“My company has used Atomic Groove on & off for almost 15 years for many of our special events and they ALWAYS, ALWAYS, ALWAYS did an outstanding job. This past August was an especially special event and having AG was an absolute MUST, as it was a retirement celebration for a well-loved executive of the company. Atomic Groove exceeded expectations- AGAIN. The honoree was thrilled with the AG vibe, from their musical selections to AG’s very accommodating and interactive presentation. The dance floor was packed all nite, the guests were happy and AG helped facilitate the love that was shared in the room for our beloved retiring VIP. ‘The nite was perfect and Atomic Groove was a very big part of it’ said the glowing honoree, the day after. Thank you, Atomic Groove, for yet ANOTHER outstanding job, well done!”
Mary Dodd, company event organizer
150 attendees, Palo Alto, CA
Event(s): August 2016
Band configuration: Core Band + 1 addt’l male lead voc + 2 horns + 2 AG Fly Girlz (10 piece band)
“I cannot say enough WONDERFUL things about Atomic Groove's PHENOMENAL performance at our Nautical themed party. You were the PERFECT icing on our birthday cake (by the ocean)!!! The HIGH ENERGY, UPBEAT, NONSTOP FUN MUSIC had the dance floor full all night long. Our guests all raved about the band. I also really loved how you drew the guests in with your playfulness....Carrie, you really know how to work the crowd! We appreciate how you embraced our theme and our group and made everyone feel welcomed and connected. My favorite compliment of the night came from an enthusiastic dancing guest proclaimed "Dancing Will Save The World!" Thanks for working your magic and making our night so very special.”
Cathy Small, party hostess
150 attendees, San Diego, CA
Event(s): July 2016
Band configuration: Core Band + 1 addt’l lead voc + female percussionist (7 piece band)
“Having never worked with Carrie and Atomic Groove, I can now say Carrie and AG come highly recommended for any event type you’re looking to add a WOW factor! As a meeting planner the majority of our programs do not require or allow for entertainment, so booking a band was new territory. The planning process was a few months at best, but Carrie was always flexible and willing to adjust to last minute changes or address any concerns I may have had. They exceeded all my expectations!!
My client’s group had an amazing time, in fact they had such a great time we extended AG’s set by one hour and it was well worth it. The moment AG took the stage, that dance floor was never empty. You could feel the energy the entire night and that is exactly what the client was looking for! HUGE congratulations to a memorable evening thanks to Carrie, AG and of course the beautiful AG Fly Girlz.”
Ashley Chase, meeting planner
200+ attendees, San Diego, CA
Event(s): May 2016
Band configuration: Core Band + 2 AG Fly Girlz (7 piece band)
“As a corporate event planner I have booked many bands throughout the country and could not have been more pleased with Atomic Groove. They were extremely easy to work with, happily accommodated my last minute changes, and most importantly, they sounded amazing. The band performed for 4 hours with only one short break, even though they were contracted for more breaks… as requested, they kept it appropriate and spot-on, light in the beginning during dinner service and then gradually picking up the tempo. I never provided them with a playlist nor was there a need, they were able to gauge the audience throughout the entire event and always knew exactly what to play and when to play it. The dance floor immediately filled up following dinner and remained packed until the very end. The energy was absolutely electric and they really made the entire event. I would recommend them to anyone.”
James L. Marketing Manager, Event Company
250+ Guests, Carlsbad, Ca
Event: March 2016
band configuration: 5 piece AG Core Band + 1 addt’l male lead vocalist + percussionist + 2 Horns (9 piece band- no AG Fly Girlz)
“Atomic Groove has been the band of choice for our Rady Children’s Hospital fundraiser ‘Date Night for a Cause’ at The Belly Up for the past 3 years now. We couldn’t imagine putting on our event without them! Their performance is always top-notch and professional, from Carrie’s vocals and the band’s musical prowess to the AG Fly Girlz dancing! With AG in the house, we are guaranteed to have the best party in town! From the moment I contacted Carrie to set the date until the night of the event, everything was handled just like I asked! Carrie is great to work with, being open to the timing and pace that our event needed, and having helpful suggestions as to how to get the party going!! And afterwards, everyone always raves about what a great time they had dancing! I can’t say enough great things about AG and the over-the-top energy that they bring to any party!!"
Julie Luther, fundraiser event chairperson
250+ Guests, Solana Beach, Ca
Event: March 2016
band configuration: 5 piece AG Core Band + 1 addt’l male lead vocalist + percussionist + 5 AG Fly Girlz (13 piece band)