Brass bands for hire

There’s nothing quite like a brass band to create a real sense of occasion, and we’ve a brass band for almost every event – whether you’re hosting a German-themed night or want a brass fanfare as you walk down the aisle.

Brass bands don’t require amplification, so they’re also the ideal choice for venues with noise regulations or outdoor events where there’s no power.

Modern fusion brass bands
If you’re after an alternative to a standard function band, a modern brass fusion band is an increasingly popular evening entertainment choice.

These combine brass and drums (in the style of Hot Brass 8) to fill your dancefloor. Generally they play brass versions of pop covers by artists such as Michael Jackson, Beyoncé and Bruno Mars.

Brass oompah bands
If you’re planning to get a little raucous for Oktoberfest or Bierkeller nights, our lederhosen-clad Bavarian oompah bands are a fun and interactive entertainment option. These usually feature a trumpet, trombone, tuba and clarinets.

Classical brass ensembles
For wedding ceremonies, a brass band or classical brass quintet is a refreshing alternative to string quartets or harpists during the procession, exit or signing of the register.

It's possible - just ask! Check out the band’s profile to see if your wedding song is already already included in their repertoire. If it's not, let us know and we'll see what the band can do.

Bear in mind that as most pop songs aren't arranged for brass instruments, it will take time for them to transcribe the song and write an arrangement for their line-up. They'll also need to learn and rehearse this with the band.

If your brass wedding band don't feel that the song can be easily replicated on brass instruments, they'll be happy to play the recorded version instead through their sound system (if they're bringing on - check this), using Spotify or an mp3 player.

Power: You'll only need to provide access to a power supply, if you've booked a "stage" line-up for an evening event, and the booking includes extras such as a vocalist, DJ service or interval music. In most other cases (eg. roaming events), our brass bands will play completely acoustically. However, if you're expecting more than 150 guests, let us know, as the band may need to mic up their instruments.

Space: As a guide, it’s best to allow space of 4m wide x 3m deep for a 4-piece brass band. Add an additional square metre for each extra band member.

Food & drink: Please make sure your band have the food and refreshments that they need on the night. Bands performing in the evening will require a hot meal to keep their energy up. This will be detailed in your booking contract.

Brass bands ask for a 60-90 minute window from 5pm or 6pm at the earliest in order to set up and soundcheck their equipment.

It’s ideal if your venue is free of guests at this point, although some bands are happy to do a noiseless ‘line check’ to test instruments and equipment instead of a full, front-of-house soundcheck, if you need them to keep the volume down.

Hiring a local brass band will save you money on expensive transport and overnight costs. We have brass bands based in most major towns and cities across the UK – use the filter menus at the top of the page to find bands near you.

Other ways to save money on your brass band are:

• Before you book more musicians for afternoon background music, check whether members of your brass band can provide this – it'll save you additional costs, such as travel.
• If you haven't yet set your event date, consider booking a midweek or winter party to take advantage of the most competitive rates.

Typically, our modern brass fusion bands are booked for after-dinner dancing. They would usually perform 2 x 60 minute sets from 9.30pm through to midnight, with a half hour interval.

For performances later than midnight (whether band or DJ service), a late fee usually applies.