Function bands
Background musicians
Function bands
Background musicians
Hire a ceilidh band or barn dance band to perform English, Irish and Scottish dancing music for all ages, with or without caller. We also have Americana, bluegrass and country bands.
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An energising and contemporary take on an increasingly poplar genre: country music! Expect country classics by Johnny Cash, Dolly Parton and Shania Twain alongside American rock anthems.
Duelling Banjos are a duo act playing a large mix of country and bluegrass. If you're looking for a more relaxed vibe and something a little different, these are the guys for you!
Ceilidh band playing Scottish and Irish Ceilidh dances and barn dances for all the family! The band comes with a caller to make sure your guests can get involved with the dancing!
Americana Bluegrass trio with stunning three and four part vocal harmonies! Also available as a 4 and 5-piece (banjo and fiddle).
Lively charismatic fiddle and guitar duo playing everything from Irish traditional music to pop songs and rock music!
Experienced Ceilidh band with caller playing traditional English, Scottish and Irish music for dancing.
Fun and lively ceilidh duo, whose unique line-up includes a mix of instruments, dances, and folk songs. A caller is included and a four piece line-up upgrade is also available.
Fresh new folk/Americana band playing well-known pop songs with a folkish twist. The band's line-up features vocals, double bass, guitar, mandolin and drums.
Compelling bluegrass, Irish and gypsy jazz band serving up a lively blend of toe-tapping tunes. Available to book with DJ service and afternoon jazz sets for non-stop music throughout the day.
Outstanding party/wedding ceilidh band made up of skillful, music-loving performers and performing songs suitable for ceilidh dancing or background music. Additional musicians available on request.
Fun and friendly Ceilidh band playing Scottish, Irish, British, French and American tunes, featuring an experienced caller to get everyone dancing all the right steps! Additional musicians also available.
Thrilling performances of rum-soaked traditional maritime folk music, classic Irish folk and the occasional cheeky contemporary cover plus fun pirate troubadour costumes!
Specialising in Ceilis for weddings, birthdays, anniversaries, folk festivals, PTAs, corporate events and for any other reason you wish, from very large events to small gatherings.
Fresh and dynamic Irish and Scottish ceilidh band with tons of experience playing at weddings, parties and celebrations. The band can call the dances if required and will have you whirling around the dancefloor all night!
Our ceilidh bands perform at a wide variety of events, including weddings, parties and family gatherings.
Ceilidh dancing is a great way of bringing people together and appeals to all age groups, so our ceilidh bands typically perform at cross-generational events.
We also book bands for dedicated ceilidh nights – traditional social dances originating in Scotland, and often held in community halls, barns, or other venues.
Our Scottish ceilidh bands play uptempo jigs and reels such as the Gay Gordons, Strip The Willow and The Eightsome Reel.
Our traditional English and Irish folk bands perform shanties, ballads and traditional songs such as Fields Of Anthenry and Whiskey In The Jar as well as more recent songs by The Pogues and The Dubliners.
There are many reasons why we'd recommend booking a wedding ceilidh band:
No. The beauty of a ceilidh is that beginners are expected, and they're always welcome. As long as a handful of guests have experience with ceilidh dancing, it's easy to imitate others, join in and have fun!
If you'll have a lot of beginners present, many bands can offer you a "caller" with your booking. A caller is basically an instructor who will explain and guide you through the steps before each dance begins, and often during each dance.
Check the act's profile on our website to see if you can add a caller to your booking.
If you're still nervous and would like to feel more confident on the dancefloor, it's worth looking up a few basic steps first on YouTube.
Ceilidh bands range in size from 3-piece to 10-piece bands.
A starting 3-piece line-up might consist of a fiddle, acoustic guitar and bodhran.
Larger line-ups might offer the option of adding a caller, as well as instruments like whistle, banjo, mandolin, accordion, flute piano, drums and bass.
For the liveliest accompaniment possible for dancing, we'd always recommend as large a line-up as you can afford.
Barn dances typically involve American-style folk dancing – think square dances, hoedowns and line dances!
The dances are often simpler than ceilidh dances, with less emphasis on footwork. This can make them a good choice for events where there are a lot of beginners or people who are new to traditional folk dancing.
Ceilidh dances on the other hand can be more complex and challenging, which can make them more exciting and satisfying to dance to, for those with experience.
Ultimately you should choose type of event that suits your interests and preferences. Both barn dance bands and ceilidh bands can be a lot of fun and offer a unique opportunity to experience traditional folk dancing.
Don't worry, you may not have to choose! Some wedding ceilidh bands can offer rock, pop and soul party sets after their sets of ceilidh music. That means you get all the fun of the ceilidh dancing, whilst not missing out on your favourite pop anthems.
Check out the band's song list on their profile page, to see whether they offer a repertoire of popular music.
Even if they don't offer sets of popular music, they may be able to offer a DJ service – just ask.
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