Ceilidh bands aren’t all just fingers in the ear type folkies, here’s some gloriously original takes on the genre.

Hee-Drum Ho
Hee-Drum Ho

Hee-Drum Ho (above) are a new, modern Scots Ceilidh band with personality and presence. Musically, they have been playing together for over 10 years and this can be heard in the dynamism and fluidity of their sound. The band subscribe to the belief that Ceilidh should be fun for all age groups. The instruction and ‘calling’ of each dance is a particular forté, with Kenny strutting through the dance-floor sporting his wireless handsfree microphone enabling him to offer, if required, one on one instruction on how best to avoid dance-floor ignominy! The band weave classic modern pop into their reels, freshening up old formats and making the music accessible and engaging for all. They offer flexibility in they repertoire, being able to play rock/pop & disco covers as part of their performance, to whatever degree might be required.

The Big Shoogle
The Big Shoogle

Glasgow based rocking Ceilidh band The Big Shoogle (right) are a three or four piece act with near twenty years of playing in front of small, large and mahoosive crowds al over the planet. They bill themselves as the World’s Rockiest Ceilidh Band and with good reason, they have a unique approach to ceilidh music blending cajun and rock influences while still remaining solidly rooted in the Scottish tradition. They have played in top venues worldwide for every kind of audience imaginable in Paris, Brussels, London, Copenhagen, Moscow (see pic), 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

The London Ceilidh Band
The London Ceilidh Band

your event is a memorable one.

The London Ceilidh Experience (left) are the top young and professional Scottish ceilidh band for the South East and beyond. With years of experience playing for high end clients and with numerous TV appearances under their belts (including E4’s Made in Chelsea, BBC1’s This Week, BBC2’s Great British Menu, ITV’s Loose Women, TOWIE and This Morning, C4’s Gok Wann’s Fashion Fix and BBC Scotland’s Regional News) this band will be sure to get your and your guests on their feet and on the dance floor! The band specialised in Scottish Ceilidh such as Gay Gordon’s, Dashing White Sergeant, Strip the Willow and more, but also regularly play for English and Irish events and tailor the music and dances for these to suit. They provid a highly experience and fun dance caller as standard so your guests will always now where to put their feet.

The Jacobites
The Jacobites

The Jacobites (right) are a experienced professional ceilidh band that play festivals, weddings, events and across the country and Europe. They are the founders of the Edinburgh Street Ceilidh, in which they’ve taught thousands of people to ceilidh dance from all over the World on the streets of Edinburgh. They bring that same energy and unique style to their ceilidhs, and with a talent at getting complete strangers to dance in front of crowds on the streets, they guarantee they’ll have no problem in getting your guests up to dance! They are a high energy fusion of traditional and contemporary Scottish music. They’re recently back from playing in Europe in Summer 2019, in France, Germany and in Spain. In Spain they were the first band outside of Spain to play at the festival ‘Mestralia’. In France 2017 they toured the North East playing at numerous events and festivals, including performing their Edinburgh Street Ceilidh on the streets of Paris!

The Baltik Ceilidh Band  (bottom) bring you a new generation of Celtic musicians bursting with energy. Their burning grooves and rich melodies hit you hard and keep you dancing all night. With high profile performances for the likes of Tower 42, Exxon Mobil, NHS and the Old Billingsgate Market, they are fast becoming the must have feature of any Celtic event. Renowned as a funky and exciting dance band with a wide range of influences, they have has taken the key elements of Scottish & Irish tradition and moulded a new fresh Celtic blend… one which is irresistible to dance to.

Baltik Ceilidh Band
Baltik Ceilidh Band
More from Chris Mackinnon