The Big Shoogle

Overview

• 3-4 piece Ceilidh and covers band
• All Ceilidh dances professionally called

Price Range

Prices range from £850 to £1800

About

The World’s Rockiest Ceilidh Band. The Big Shoogle ceilidh band have over 17 years’ experience playing for weddings and countless events in some of the most prestigious venues at home and overseas. If you want the very best ceilidh with top class professional musicians and a highly experienced dance caller then look no further. If you want a wild party with a Scottish flavour anywhere in the world, contact us. And if you can’t handle a full-on Big Shoogle ceilidh for a whole evening there are the covers of great pop & rock songs, all played live. No backing tracks. It's like two bands rolled into one. Audiences are amazed that the range of music and sounds all comes from the same three band members.

They have a unique approach to ceilidh music blending cajun and rock influences while still remaining solidly rooted in the Scottish tradition. It’s all about sense of humour and everyone having a fantastic time. Ceilidh Tent headliners at T in the Park in 2009, 2010 & 2011 for very good reason. They have played in top venues worldwide for every kind of audience imaginable in Paris, Brussels, London, Copenhagen, Moscow, Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Bahrain, Florence, Pisa for Supermodels and Hollywood A-listers. With a state-of-the-art sound system, adaptable to suit small, intimate weddings and functions to large events in the biggest ballrooms, along with the very latest LED and laser stage lighting puts the icing on the cake ensuring that your event is a memorable one.

All the favourite ceilidh dances are catered for as well as Scottish Country Dances if requested. Guests are talked through the steps of all ceilidh dances so that everyone can participate and nobody is left out.

They play for all the well-known favourite ceilidh dances as well as some new, more unusual ceilidh dances – some of which are not for the faint-hearted...

From haunting Scottish airs and waltzes to thundering jigs and reels, your granny will adore the slow ones and you will shoogle your socks off to the jigs, reels and fancy feels. For example, even during the Dashing White Sergeant, they segway straight into their own fast version of Pink Floyd's Another Brick in the Wall. So one minute they're keeping it traditional, and then, without warning.... they rock!!

Contact us via Freak Music for a full list of dances and the latest setlist of pop and rock songs.

The core is a 3-piece band with accordion (& vocals), guitar & drums (& vocals) but we can provide a 4-piece band with a fiddler. Perfect for weddings, parties, graduation balls, festivals and corporate events. Don’t fight it - You know you want it! You KNOW when you've been Shoogled!!

If Carlsberg made Ceilidh Bands, they probably wouldn't be half as exciting as The Big Shoogle!!!

Testimonials

Thanks you so much The Big Shoogle for playing at our wedding on 28th April 2012. I booked you after receiving a recommendation from the bass player of my own band. He was at a function you guys were playing at last year and he raved about you so much i was really glad you were able to play for us. There were guests from Canada, Dublin and New Zealand at our wedding and they were all joining in and everyone had a superb night. I especially enjoyed how you blended in rock and pop tunes with some of the Ceilidh dances. I will definitely recommend you guys to anyone I can and if I organize another bash in the future i'll be looking The Shoogle up!

Thanks so much on behalf of my new wife Wendy and myself.

Donald & Wendy Thomson, Apex Continental Hotel, Edinburgh, April 2012

The Big Shoogle were outstanding! Everyone was up dancing thanks to the energy and fun that the band created. They even played 3 encores for us at the end since nobody would leave the floor. Awesome!

Emma Carswell & Jonathan Hillier - Lodge on The Loch, April 2012

Thank You to David and The Big Shoogle guys for a highly entertaining set and night to remember,a great end to our Wedding Day at One Devonshire Gardens.

Michelle Brodie & Christopher Weir - One Devonshire Gardens - January 2012

The band (the Big Shoogle) were great and I for one was pleased to see that the dance floor filled up quickly - given it was very early on in the day !!! Feedback so far has been very positive.

C Muray Brand Technical Equity Co-Ordinator - DIAGEO - December 2012

Brilliant band and general all round service - many thanks!

David & Helen Connell - Fingask Castle - August 2011

I cannot thank the guys enough.The Big Shoogle ceilidh band were FAN-TAST-IC!!! everyone had a wonderful night thanks to The Big Shoogle! Check them out. They're worth it!

Elizabeth HunterMains Castle - July 2011

The Big Shoogle were great fun and had everyone on the dancefloor. We had a lot of comments about how they were much better than a traditional ceilidh band. They also interacted with the audience and really got the party going.

Richard & Joanna Borthwick - Harburn House - July 2011

Dear Davie and the Band,

What with all the goings on since the wedding we have not had a chance to thank you so much for playing at our wedding on 4th June. You really brought the party together and everyone loved the music throughout, Poppy I know did not leave the dance floor for a second. The final Loch Lomond dance was the final dance of all dances and with all the guests joined arm in arm around Poppy and I it felt more like a rugby celebration - a great way for us to finish such a fantastic day and head off, slightly reluctantly, from our wedding.

We will certainly recommend you to others and we hope some booking come because of it, we wish you all the best with your band and the future.

Best Wishes.

Poppy & Henry Baggott - Auchencain House - June 2011

Hired the Big Shoogle for our wedding, a mixture of an idea and blind faith, as the big day approached our anxiety increased we needn't have worried, they were excellent the dance floor was filled all night everyone had a ball,(and the free dance lessons were excellent too guys), this morning we've had texts and phone calls from loads of people all commenting on what a great night it was; brilliant!!

Jim and Marlene Irvine The Popinjay Hotel, November 2010

The Big Shoogle were real stars at our wedding in Lochgoilhead in October.

They performed a perfect mix of ceilidh and rock covers, sometimes in the same dance! It really had everyone up on the dance floor for most of the evening. Afterwards everyone wanted to know where we'd got them from including the venue co-ordinator who sees bands every week. Most of all, they have a great sense of humour - they realise it's all about everyone having a great time. Thanks again guys, you were awesome.

Cheers,

Gregor, The Lodge on Loch Goil, October 2010

The guys did us proud on Friday. Friendly,Fantastic, First Class, couldn't have asked for better. Everyone has commented on how they would love to hire them again - I will certainly be booking them in the future.

Helen Fairgrieve - PA to Director - VWS Westgarth

For 13 years I have coordinated highly successful ceilidh dances in Bishopbriggs High School and now the new Bishopbriggs Academy. These Christmas dances are the culmination of 3 weeks of social dance with all year groups and it it a priority of mine that we have live music to create an upbeat atmosphere. I consider it part of my job to ensure these traditional dances are taught in school in a way pupils will enjoy and will perpetuate.

This year I secured the services of The Big Shoogle for our S5/6 dance.

The evening was a fantastic success and enjoyed immensely by pupils and staff alike. The band worked a perfect blend of traditional Scottish dance tunes with contemporary music the pupils are familiar with, which heightened their participation in – and positive attitude to – “social dancing”.

I have already asked the band to perform at next year’s S5/6 dance in the school. I know it will be a special occasion.

I recommend The Big Shoogle unreservedly to anyone hosting school dances, weddings or any kind of function.

R.D. Blackburn Bishopbriggs Academy

The Big Shoogle have played for us twice now and I can't wait to get them booked for next year! They have been a huge hit at both charity ceilidhs which we have organised, people attending telling us how great they thought they were.

The band are so easy to work with, they are a friendly bunch and are very talented.

Their music is fantastic, it's such a relief knowing that if anything else goes wrong on the night that the music will be first class. They have banter with the guests, and call dances brilliantly. They are definitely going to be the first people I get in touch with when I start organising next year's ceilidh. I'd recommend them to everyone, I've already passed on contact details to several people who loved their sound. Thanks again boys, can't wait to work with you again soon! :)

Thanks again for an awesome ceilidh!

Ailsa,x.

Where are they based?

The band are based in Glasgow but regularly play throughout Scotland and the rest of the UK.

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