About Ceilidh Trio – professional Ceilidh band based in London, UK
Ceilidh Trio is a musical ensemble known for their blend of Celtic and World music, incorporating Irish ballads, Scottish jigs, Flamenco and Gypsy jazz.
With a reputation as seasoned professionals, they have performed at festivals across Europe and are now a popular choice for weddings, corporate events and parties.
Composed of classically trained musicians, the ceilidh band has performed on platforms including BBC Radio 4’s Loose Ends.
Their music has been praised for its originality, with critics noting their “irresistibly danceable” style.
We're regularly booked to perform for weddings and events at Firmdale Hotel Number Sixteen in London.
The band has performed at hundreds of events over the years (as you can see from their reviews), so you can be sure they’ll have your guests dancing in no time.
They specialise in a variety of Celtic music and have showcased their talents at festivals throughout Europe. All of their members are seasoned professionals who have received training at music college, produced records and appeared on television and radio, including Loose Ends on Radio 4.
The band consists of three musicians: Michael (the fiddle player, backing vocalist and dance caller), Dave (the guitarist and lead vocalist) and Paul (drums and percussion). Michael is responsible for teaching the dances from scratch and is accustomed to instructing complete novices.
In the event that you choose to book their services, they will provide you with a video list featuring many of the dances they teach, allowing you to familiarise yourself with the routines before the event. The dances primarily hail from Scotland, with occasional representation from other countries.
Their musical style offers a modern interpretation of traditional Celtic music, blending jigs and reels with other genres like reggae and funk. They pride themselves on a dynamic playing style, often moving in and out of the audience to create a vibrant party atmosphere. Additionally, they bring their own high-quality Mackie sound system and lights to enhance the overall ambiance.
Their quotes generally include an hour for setup and sound check, a two-hour performance window and half an hour for teardown. If you wish, they can play songs during intervals if you provide a playlist. They could also play earlier and could price this if you can provide more details; however, they are not equipped to provide a DJ service.
7 Verified Reviews
"The Ceilidh Trio were awesome! Couldn’t recommend them highly enough. They came with such good energy and were perfect for our event of a joint 30th. We were after a traditional Scottish ceilidh and they were so accommodating of that. The tuition was perfect and made for a very smooth running dance. Coms were super easy and fast. We loved our night! Thank you guys!! "
Verified booking on FixTheMusic"We'd definitely recommend Ceilidh Trio, our friends and family really enjoyed themselves. Many times over I was asked how I discovered them and repeatedly told how great they were. Everything was 5*, good communication, prompt, professional, fun and so great at what they do. Our one regret is that the hours flew by and we could have happily indulged in another set."
Verified booking on FixTheMusic"We are very grateful to David, Michael and Mark for doing such a great job at a Barn Dance/Ceilidh we held a few days ago to raise funds to help a Catholic Secondary School in Sudan. It was a really joyful evening. Michael, the fiddle player, was very patient and good natured in explaining the dances. Between the dances, the band would play pop/jazz music - and people got up and danced to these as well. By the end virtually everybody was dancing. their versatility and range of repertoire are real advantages. David also provided useful information in the weeks before the barn dance Thoroughly recommend this sort of event. It can be a job persuading people who are unfamiliar with Ceilidhs to come, but once they are there, they really enjoy it. They are very inclusive and we had people of all ages (and dancing abilities) participating. They are ideal for such events."
Verified booking on FixTheMusic"David and his musicians were fabulous. Everything happened on time and they had barely started when everyone jumped up to dance. They read the crowd perfectly and no one wanted to tear themselves away!"
Verified booking on FixTheMusic"We had Ceilidh Trio at our son's wedding and they were great. They got everybody going and David's instructions were very good and very funny, too. Hardly anyone knew how to dance these dances, so chaos ensued in the most entertaining way. By the last song we finally got it and they kept playing for 15 minutes (!) because everyone was most enthusiastically participating. These guys are wonderful musicians and entertainers. Thank you so very much!"
Verified booking on FixTheMusic"Ceilidh Trio were excellent; everyone at the event enjoyed the music and partied all night. We would definitely book again!!"
Verified booking on FixTheMusic"Hired Ceilidh Trio for a ceilidh in South London a couple of weeks ago. They were fantastic. Being in a ceilidh band myself, the band were exactly what we were looking for and more than lived up to expectations! They played a good mix of well-known ceilidh dances and threw in a couple of songs as well to get the crowd going. Explained the dances well to a large group that had varying ceilidh experience and everyone had a great time. Would definitely hire again!"
Verified booking on FixTheMusicEvents & Locations
Set List
Irish and Scottish Classics:
Wild Rover
Danny Boy
Fields of Athol Rye
Star of the County Down
Rocky Road to Dublin
Whisky in the Jar
Dirty Old Town
Auld Lang Syne
Toss the Feathers - The Corrs
St Patricks
Reels and Jigs:
Dashing White Sergeant
Mason’s Apron
Drops of Brandy
Irish Merry Making
Athol Highlanders
Morrison’s Jig
De’il among the Tailors
Drowsy Maggie/Tam Lin
Scotland the Brave
Ten penny jig
Rocky Road to Dublin
Don't Pay the Poll Tax
Latin and Bluegrass:
Chan Chan - Buena Vista Social Club
Oye como va - Santana
Bolero - Gypsy King's
Hotel California - Gypsy Kings
Sweet Georgia Brown - Stéphane Grappelli
All Of Me - Stéphane Grappelli
Devil Went Down to Georgia - Charlie Daniels
Pop Hits:
Eagle Eye Cherry - Save Tonight
Ed Sheeran - Castle on the Hill
The Waterboys - Sunny Afternoon
Van Morrison - Moondance
People are Strange – The Doors
Fisherman’s Blues – The Waterboys
Manu Chao - Por el Suelo
Robbie Williams - Millennium
Oasis – Wonderwall
The Proclaimers – 500 miles
The Doors - People are Strange
Thin Lizzy - Whisky in the Jar
The Waterboys - Fisherman's Blues
The Kinks - Sunny Afternoon
The Beatles - Norwegian Wood
The Pogues - Dirty Old Town
Van Morrison - Sweet Thing