About The Bristol Ceilidh Band – professional ceilidh band based in Bristol
The Bristol Ceilidh Band are a well-established barn dance/ceilidh band based in the Bristol & Bath area but also covering Gloucestershire, Somerset and Wiltshire.
We come complete with caller and PA and specialise in providing dancing for weddings and other special occasions such as birthday parties and anniversaries.
Our lively music and seasoned caller guarantees an enjoyable evening...see our reviews if you don't want to just take our word for it!
So if you're looking to hire the finest ceilidh band Bristol has to offer for your wedding or event, get in touch with us!
We're regularly booked to perform for weddings and events at Wellington Barn in Wiltshire.
We have experience in providing dances for a wide range of audiences (both novice & experienced adult dancers, children and a few celebrities!) and in various different dance spaces, having played in village halls, mansions, marquees and boats, in addition to a few barns!
View our list of the UK's best ceilidh bands ➡️
The dances are fully explained with clear instructions by the caller – firstly a 'walk-through' without the music then calling continues whilst the band plays, until the dancers have no further need for guidance (usually after 3 or 4 times through).
We intersperse the dances with tune sets, so dancers can enjoy a drink and catch their breath! The caller chooses dances to suit the audience and occasion, as well as accommodating any special requests.
For a typical booking, we would do a selection of relatively simple, fun dances, which works well for both people who are unfamiliar with this form of dancing and those who have had a bit more experience. Alternatively, we can provide a whole evening of traditional Scottish ceilidh.
We play a range of traditional Irish, Scottish, English and American dance tunes (jigs, reels, polkas etc) with our standard line-up of caller/whistle, tenor banjo/mandolin, fiddle (violin) and guitar – hear our sound by clicking on the music clips below.
If there is another traditional instrument you would like in the band, such as bodhran, do ask – this is usually possible via our contacts with other local musicians.
We use modern, well-maintained PA equipment which is checked for electrical safety by visual inspection as detailed on page 18 of the Health & Safety Executive leaflet INDG247 Electrical Safety for Entertainers (HSE 1998) & in Maintaining Portable and transportable electrical equipment (HSE 2004), with additional electrical tests (PAT test) where applicable.
We also hold Public Liability Insurance with a £5 million limit. It is often a requirement when booking a venue to confirm that the band you engage has PAT tested equipment and insurance.
Here are just some of the locations where we have been booked by clients on FixTheMusic for weddings and events...
"Thanks so much for playing...everyone enjoyed themselves and appreciated the music. Will definitely recommend you."
"A huge thank you...the ceilidh was really great. So many of our guests said what fun it was and we loved how everyone got involved. We certainly had fun too!"
"The Bristol Celidh Band were absolutely brilliant for our wedding! The music was great and it got everyone up and dancing, even those who didn’t want to! Everyone loved it! Thank you so much! Ross and Polly."
"Thank you so much for providing such a fantastic dance for Ruth and Mark's wedding... We have had such a lot of comments from guests about the quality of the band and caller and we were delighted that the dance floor was so full for so much of the evening - a brilliant time was had by all."
"Thank you so much for playing at our wedding and for making the day so much fun!"
"Everyone absolutely loved the ceilidh and had a lot of fun - thank you for such good music and for your patience in teaching us the dances!!"
"Many thanks for providing the ceilidh at our wedding. It was great fun and everyone enjoyed themselves."
"Just to thank you all immensely for keeping us all entertained with your wonderful, lively music on New Year's Eve...Almost everyone got up to dance and the ladies were totally taken aback at the number of gents on the dance floor at any one time."