Ceilidh Bands
From Arcadia Music Agency
Arcadia Music Agency specialises in Scottish ceilidh bands and Scottish dance bands. Arcadia is run by a Scottish ceilidh musician, so we have personal experience of ceilidh music and regular contact with Scottish ceilidh and dance band musicians. We supply bands throughout U.K. and worldwide.
To enquire about a ceilidh band, please access our no-obligation enquiry form
Follow these links for more information on:
What is a Scottish Ceilidh band?
Do we need a dance caller?
How long does a Scottish ceilidh last?
How many people do I need for a ceilidh?
Where can I have a ceilidh?
What do I wear?
How much does a Scottish ceilidh band cost?
Is there a Scottish ceilidh band in my area?
Finally, you need an authentic Scottish ceilidh band
for Scottish dancing - Accept no Substitutes!
For information on English ceilidhs and Barn Dances link here
For all other kinds of music link to Arcadia Music Agency
More information on Scottish ceilidh bands:
What is a Scottish
Ceilidh band? Ceilidh bands and Scottish dance bands vary in composition, but
have a common purpose. Traditionally, a 'ceilidh' (pronounced kaylee) consisted
of music, singing, piping, dancing, and whatever else was available on the occasion,
but nowadays the term is often taken to mean an evening of Scottish music and
dancing. The terms 'ceilidh band' and 'Scottish dance band' are often used
interchangeably.
These bands commonly consist of three to five musicians, playing instruments such
as accordion, fiddle, piano, double bass, and drums. Some modern ceilidh bands
include guitars, flute, whistle, and other instruments. For smaller events a
duo of fiddle and accordion, piano and accordion, or two accordions may be
sufficient where available.
The suitability of these bands for any particular function varies widely - a
few of the modern ceilidh bands are almost rock bands and could be out of place
at a formal Scottish ball, while some of the more traditional dance bands would
be perfect for such an event but a little restrained for students looking for a
wild night. We can advise on the most suitable band for your event.
Do we need a
dance caller? If you are not sure whether you need a
dance caller, you almost certainly do! Unless many of the guests at your
ceilidh are experienced Scottish dancers, they will at least need reminding of
the steps of each dance before attempting it. A dance caller is simply someone
who can briefly instruct the guests in each dance. Sometimes the caller is a
band musician, sometimes a separate dance caller/Master of Ceremonies is used,
depending on the band and the occasion.
How
long does a Scottish ceilidh last? A ceilidh can last from two hours or so as
part of a wedding reception to four hours or more (including breaks), at a
Scottish ball, and the bands are accustomed to this length of engagement. Your
guests, however, may not be, and this is often the limiting factor! If you have
in mind a ceilidh of longer than four hours or shorter than two hours, we will
be glad to advise you on it.
How many people do I
need for a ceilidh? This
depends on how enthusiastic your guests are likely to be. We have witnessed
excellent ceilidhs with thirty people or less, but for mixed groups a starting
figure of around fifty is more realistic.
Where can I have a ceilidh? We have played at ceilidhs in hotels, marquees, town halls,
conference centres, private houses, village halls, on boats, and in the street
in front of the Ardvasar Hotel in Skye. All you need is a flat hard surface big
enough - a wooden dance floor is ideal, carpet, tarmac, tiles, and concrete are
OK, cobbles or soft muddy grass are to be avoided
What do I wear? Anything you like (except for shoes, see
later). For informal events, anything will do. Kilts are not as difficult to wear
as they look provided you get it the right way round (!), they can be hired in
most towns and the kilt and teeshirt look is quite popular in some
quarters..... For formal events, Highland dress with kilt looks best, but
anything will do.
Shoes: comfortable flattish varieties are the thing here - platforms and high
heels are definitely out, especially for the men.
How much does a Scottish ceilidh band cost?
Ceilidh band prices can vary with any number of the following factors; size of
band, how well known they are, travelling distance, playing times, set-up
times, day of the week, and what kind of event is planned. Generally speaking,
a good ceilidh band will be somewhere in the same price range as a professional
level pop function band of the same size: most 3-5 piece bands are in the
£300-£700 region for the average weekend booking (except for Christmas, New
Year, and the Burns Night period)
Is there a Scottish ceilidh band in my area? Ceilidh bands are used to travelling to bookings, - the home
radius of operation for these bands is usually at least a 50 mile radius, many
cover around 100 mile radius, and some will go anywhere.
If your event is in Scotland, you probably have several ceilidh bands within
easy reach of your venue, providing they are available...
In England, bands are concentrated in the Border area and in The Home Counties,
within easy reach of the North of England and the Southern Midlands
respectively. There are few Scottish ceilidh bands in Central England, and even
fewer in Wales and Ireland.
For the rest of the world, there are some Scottish ceilidh bands in Canada and
U.S.A., and one or two in mainland Europe.
If you really want a ceilidh, however, location is rarely a problem. Providing
conditions are right, a number of Scottish ceilidh bands will travel almost
anywhere - some Scottish based bands have regular yearly bookings in Hong Kong,
U.S.A., South America, the Middle and Far East, and various cities in mainland
Europe.
Finally, you need
an authentic Scottish Ceilidh band for dancing, accept no substitutes! If you are booking a ceilidh band in
Scotland, this section probably isn't relevant. However, for numbers of our
readers in England, Wales, and elsewhere, it is very important.
Scottish ceilidh and dance bands play specialist dance music with rhythms
which, as you would expect, suit Scottish dancing perfectly. The playing of a
good Scottish band has what is known as 'lift' which gets dancers going like
nothing else. If you're going to have Scottish dancing, you need lift, and
nothing but a specialist Scottish band will give that.
There are relatively few authentic Scottish ceilidh and dance bands in England
compared to the large numbers of English barn dance bands, and to confuse
matters, some English bands call themselves 'English ceilidh bands'. These
bands can be excellent for English dancing and folk music, but their rhythmic
sense is totally different to a Scottish band - either they have no 'lift', or
it's in the wrong place for Scottish ceilidh dancing. However, some of these
bands offer 'Scottish theme nights' - they play a certain number of Scottish
dance tunes, and to do the bands justice, they don't claim to be 'the real
thing'.
The problem is that most entertainment agencies outside Scotland know little
about Scottish music and may recommend these bands as the authentic article.
Now, you wouldn't book a pipe band to play Chopin, so why book an English barn
dance band for Scottish dancing?
The only way to avoid this is to be sure that you source your band from someone
who does know the difference. We have hands-on personal knowledge of playing
for Scottish dancing, a offer wider personal experience of more authentic
Scottish ceilidh and dance bands than anyone outside Scotland, at competitive
prices.
Have a great ceilidh!
This will take you to the homepage of our parent agency: Arcadia Music Agency
(ignore)
www.musi.co.uk/bnindex.htm www.musi.co.uk/brnindex.htm www.musi.co.uk/c2index.htm www.musi.co.uk/ceilidh_htm www.musi.co.uk/fsindex.htm www.musi.co.uk/index.htm www.musi.co.uk/irish/htm www.musi.co.uk/oldbnind.htm www.musi.co.uk/scthome.htm www.musi.co.uk/sctindex.htm www.musi.co.uk/thmindex.htm www.musi.co.uk/webwed.htm www.musi.co.uk/wedding.htm www.musi.co.uk/wedindex.htm