14 MAY 2020 (Updated 5 FEBRUARY 2023)
Blog post by Adam Southall
Estimated read time: 4 minutes
Over recent years, many couples tying the knot have been looking for something a bit different for the musical entertainment on their special day, as opposed to the standard wedding music genres of pop, funk and soul.
Often this means songs that the couple and their friends grew up listening to, and as such, one of the most dominant genres of music in the first part of the 21st century...indie rock.
London witnessed a great flourishing of indie rock talent in the first decade of the 21st century, as bands like Snow Patrol, Keane and Coldplay experienced huge commercial success.
In more recent years, bands like The Vaccines, Foals and Florence + the Machine continued to attract large fanbases.
As such a dominant musical genre in recent years, it’s no surprise that couples want to hire an indie rock wedding band for their special day, or at least a cover band that can perform a substantial amount of indie rock classics.
Browse Indie Rock Wedding Bands
There are several bands on FixTheMusic that specialise in this style of music.
Wedding bands on FixTheMusic have public liability insurance and PAT tested equipment.
Here are the 6 most popular indie rock wedding bands in London based on confirmed bookings for 2023 and 2024...
1. Up The Ante
2. Rock Out
3. The Manhattans
4. The Caves
5. The Vitals
6. Turn Of The Century
So if you’re in the mood for hiring a band to perform more Arctic Monkeys and Kaiser Chiefs and less Stevie Wonder and ABBA, you’ve come to the right place!
So let's take a closer look at the most in-demand indie rock wedding bands in the UK this year...
1. Up The Ante
Average booking price: £1,868 (as of February 2023)
Location: London, UK
Up The Ante comprises three of the UK’s most talented, versatile and professional session musicians who combine a wealth of musical knowledge and experience to create a highly energetic, fun and dynamic stage performance.
Collectively, the band have clocked up a vast amount of live, recording and TV experience and have worked alongside some of the world’s renowned pop artists such as Jason Derulo, Just Jack, Beyonce, Groove Armada, James McCartney, Josh Groban, Rod Stewart, Julio Iglesias, Rumer, Cee Lo Green, Craig David and Jason Mraz (to name but a few).
Armed with an eclectic blend of music from the 60’s all the way through to modern chart hits, their versatility enables Up The Ante to cater for any occasion.
And, to cover an even greater depth of material, additional musicians such as a female singer, horn section (sax, trumpet etc.) or backing vocalists can also be added to the line-up to give your party that extra wow factor.
View more videos and read verified reviews of Up The Ante ➡️
2. Rock Out
Average booking price: £1,931 (as of February 2023)
Location: London, UK
Rock Out have made a name for themselves as one of the top UK and international cover bands, playing at some of the largest events around the world.
Their experience is second to none, performing at corporate events such as the Formula 1 in Bahrain, The Carlsberg Festival in Verbier, the TIGI Awards, ITV Awards and the Rugby League qualifiers at the Millennium stadium and many other notable venues such as the NEC, The Cardiff City Stadium and The Gherkin in London.
Rock Out are the perfect cover band for hire for weddings and events worldwide.
They are one of the leading UK and international pop, rock and indie bands for hire.
Consisting of a collection of top session musicians, they are one of the most talented and professional corporate/function bands to hire.
They have one of the most varied set lists in the business and between them, they have a wealth of experience in the music industry.
Performing many of the best hits from the last four decades, they pride themselves on accurate covers of the originals, and in a lot of cases have been said to be even better than the real thing.
They provide a friendly, professional service from the initial booking enquiry right through to the end of every event.
The band work to an exceptionally high standard as musicians and maintain a professional attitude at all times.
Performing at endless corporate events, charity events, weddings, private parties, graduation parties, Summer balls and even bar mitzvahs, Rock Out travel all over the world playing at many of the biggest events.
Previous clients include the Royal College of Music, Pinewood Studios, Barclays, Disney, BMW, the Royal Air Force, Sandown Racecourse, Chester Racecourse, The Royal Navy, Halifax, Cadburys, The British Motorcycle Federation, Ben Jones (Absolute Radio DJ), Sheraton Hotel chain in Poland, Live venues in Meribel, France during ski seasons and many, many more.
So if you're looking to hire the finest rock covers band London (UK) has to offer for your wedding or event, get in touch with them.
View more videos and read verified reviews of Rock Out ➡️
3. The Manhattans
Average booking price: £3,200 - £8,200 (as of February 2023)
Location: London, UK
The Manhattans are a high-energy pop & rock covers band based in Hertfordshire.
Having supported huge names including Bruce Springsteen at Hyde Park and headlined Trafalgar Square as part of the Closing Paralympic Celebrations, the band caught the attention of promoters in the United States.
Since then the band have been touring across the US supporting bands like Fuel and Alien Ant Farm.
Now back in the UK and based in Hertfordshire, the band have been inundated with requests to perform at corporate events, weddings and private parties.
Available as a high energy 4-piece band as standard, with the option of adding female vocals and Saxophone to the line-up, The Manhattans can tailor their band to suit each client’s individual requirements.
They also offer a DJ service and all Sound and Lighting equipment is included.
Sam, the band's lead vocalist, has recorded backing vocals for artists including Adele, Goldfrapp and Keith Urban, as well as singing on Movie Soundtracks such as "Pan", "The Great Gatsby" and "Pirates of the Caribbean: Salazar's Revenge"
In booking The Manhattans band for your event you are guaranteed a high-energy, professional performance of the highest standard.
View more videos and read verified reviews of The Manhattans ➡️
4. The Caves
Average booking price: £1,649 (as of February 2023)
Location: London, UK
The Caves are available for public and private hire including weddings, parties, corporate events and much more!
They bring with them tons of enthusiasm and professionalism that guarantee an evening to remember.
The Caves offer a classic covers setlist consisting of a varied array of genres dating back five decades to present day.
The Caves will tailor each set to suit specific requirements ensuring you will receive the music you need to get your party going...
View more videos and read verified reviews of The Caves ➡️
5. The Vitals
Average booking price: £1,438 (as of February 2023)
Location: London, UK
The Vitals are a high-energy indie rock trio who specialise in playing weddings and corporate events throughout the UK and Europe.
The band have vast experience within the industry with members having performed with artists such as Chaka Kahn, Josh Groban, James McCartney, Michael Buble and Gary Barlow to name but a few.
You can rest assured that their musical talents will be matched by their experience and professionalism at your event.
This talented group of musicians have a finely tuned back catalogue of songs in their repertoire, perfect for weddings, private parties and corporate events.
The band cover an eclectic range of artists and styles to include everything from The Beatles, Guns & Roses & The Foo Fighters to other famous artists such as The Killers, Kings Of Leon, Blur & The Strokes.
Based in the South of England, The Vitals are available to hire throughout the UK and Europe.
The band comes fully equipped with lighting and PA system so you won't need to provide a thing. For more information please get in touch.
View more videos and read verified reviews of The Vitals ➡️
6. Turn Of The Century
Average booking price: £1,692 (as of February 2023)
Location: London, UK
Turn Of The Century are an outstanding pop covers trio from Guildford, UK.
They specialise in 80s, 90s and 00s urban, pop, UK garage dance hits.
They also play a wide variety of pop, funk, garage, disco, rock, soul and reggae hits to get the dancefloor moving. They offer DJ services for before and/or after they play at your event.
Turn Of The Century can also provide beautiful acoustic sounds for tender moments, like walking down the aisle etc.
So if you're looking to hire the finest pop and indie wedding band UK has to offer, get in touch with them!
View more videos and read verified reviews of Turn Of The Century ➡️
What sort of music do the indie-rock bands perform?
Our indie-rock bands will cover songs by bands such as Mumford & Sons, Blink 182, The Strokes, The Killers, Kaiser Chiefs, Kings Of Leon, Franz Ferdinand, Oasis and Arctic Monkeys. Most of the songs feature electric guitar, bass, drums and male or female vocals (or sometimes both).
Most bands take one or two requests to learn before your event – usually for your first dance if you are booking the band for a wedding.
Indie-rock bands tend to be either a 3-piece band or 4-piece band. If you prefer a fuller sound from the band, you'd be better booking a 4-piece indie-rock band; but if your venue has limited space or if you're trying to keep costs down, go for a 3-piece indie-rock trio. The bands perform a mix of indie, rock, pop and folk covers.
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What does "indie" mean?
Indie music traditionally referred to music that was produced independently from commercial record labels – it was supposed to be free from the typical constraints that come with producing music for a commercial audience.
These days, indie music does include artists represented by big household labels and for most famous indie bands, they aren't strictly "independent" anymore. However, the style of music continues – with an emphasis on slightly heavier, guitar-based sounds.
What kind of events do the indie rock bands perform at?
The indie rock bands on FixTheMusic perform at hundreds of weddings each year, as well as charity and corporate events. The bands are particularly popular at events with a fairly young crowd – often in their late 20s or 30s, who grew up with some of the classic indie-rock tunes that the bands cover.
All professional bands on FixTheMusic have Public Liability Insurance and use PAT-certified electrical equipment – these are requirements of most wedding venues in London.
Most of our indie rock wedding bands are also capable of performing at venues with sound or noise limiters, often by using hot rods or brushes rather than conventional drumsticks, or using an electric drum kit.
How much will it cost to hire an indie-rock band?
Local indie-rock trios begin at £950, with four-piece bands starting at £1,200. Musicians always tailor their quote for your event and requirements.
If you wanted a larger band, the price would increase. Some bands can add a saxophone to the line-up or another vocalist, for example.
Final Thoughts
We have a number of rock, indie and alternative bands based across the UK. Each lineup specialises in guitar-based covers usually with male lead vocals. All the bands on FixTheMusic are hand-picked, local and guaranteed to get your guests dancing.
Our bands have vast experience performing at weddings, corporate functions and public events across the UK.
— Adam is a co-founder of FixTheMusic and works on everything from copywriting and marketing to design and user experience. He studied Music at Cambridge University. Adam is a keen pianist, and also learned cello and trumpet from an early age.
