With two decades of wedding and party experience under the belt, Black Velvet Band guarantees you a superb Irish Night, a foot-stomping Barn Dance or Ceilidh, an American Hillbilly Hoedown or even a Gypsy Swing Klezmer party night! The band tailors the line-up and the style of music to the event you are holding - and can even provide a Christmas Ceilidh. Jase and Mike, from The Black Velvet Band Christmas Ceilidh Trio have set lots of traditional carols and popular songs as dance tunes, presenting an original take on traditional Christmas fun. Your guess can play “Spot the Christmas Tune” as they dance. The Christmas Ceilidh Trio (two musicians + dance caller) is available for Christmas parties in 2017 - and - of course - will dress in their best (or worst) Christmas jumpers and Santa hats!

Expect an accordion and fiddle for a Scottish Ceilidh along with a caller who will include favourite dances like "The Gay Gordons" and "Strip The Willow". At an Irish Ceili, a guitarist / singer will be ready to perform all the well-known Irish songs, along with toe-tapping jigs and reels from Mike. If organised dancing is required, add a dance caller who will be ready to take you through "The Siege of Ennis" and "The Bridge of Athlone". Nashville-style bluegrass fiddle-playing leads the Hillbilly Hoedown sound, along with a guitarist / singer. A caller can be included to organise American Square Dancing - with plenty of Yee-Hahs and Dos-y-Dos! The band will dress in costume, providing the perfect option for a Wild West Themed Event. No dancing experience is required. Whatever the style, the band's experienced dance callers make it easy for "newbies" and all your guests will soon be on the dance-floor ceilidh-ing and barn dancing with the best of them. An instrumental Accordion / Fiddle Gypsy Swing Duo is available, which can be augmented with clarinet for a true klezmer feel, with swing jazz guitar / vocals added for a more eclectic feel.

The band can provide a duo to perform Irish or American songs and tunes or gypsy swing at small events, but if organised dancing is wanted, at least a trio comprising two musicians and a caller is required. The more musicians on the stage, the more exciting the performance and for large events, the band can include the full line-up of fiddle, guitar/vocals, accordion, clarinet and double-bass. Whatever the style, the band performs 2 x 1 hour sets of live music in a three hour period and brings a PAT tested PA and provides recorded background music of a similar style to that being played in the break. If you want to continue the party afterwards, the band offers a simple DIY Disco option, whereby you create the party list of your choice on ipad or computer and play it through the band's PA system, hired on a hourly basis.

The band is led by virtuoso violinist Mike Evans, whose love of fiddle music in all its forms has taken him on a musical journey through the English, Scottish and Irish traditions, across to Europe to absorb Klezmer and then to America for the Nashville country-style "take" on the European tradition and then finally back to Paris for "Hot Club" gypsy jazz, where Swing jazz arrived in Europe via Hollywood films and met the Gypsy Klezmer tradition. Mike's musical career includes opening the very first Glastonbury Festival with the iconic Folk-Rock band "Stackridge" and eight years leading "The Pump Room Trio" in Bath's famous Pump Room. Whatever the musical style, Mike is at home with it, loves to play it and will be delighted to come and entertain you with the rest of the guys - who include Jase (on accordion) from "Spiro" and Paul (on Irish vocals / guitar) from "Three Cane Whale".

Please note that prices are higher than quoted for the week that includes St Patrick's Day. If you want to book the band during St Pat's, please ask for a bespoke quote.