Review Centre: Festival Bands

"Kitty Galactic played for our first ever social event for postgraduate researchers (PhD students) at the University of Exeter. A group of people that barely knew each other, and by the end were standing in a circle holding hands and singing along with the band! Kitty Galactic were amazing, provided a great music and created an amazing atmosphere. They made the event! "

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"Super professional, talented musicians. A pleasure to work with! "

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"Fi has, rightly, a greatly praised voice, and this worked a treat in that environment. She possesses excellent technique & frequently went for complex lines and pulled them all off with aplomb. She has equally good dynamic sensibilities and used shifts of these with discretion for extra effect. Alex's playing mirrored this: skilled yet tasteful with generally chorded accompaniment when Fi was singing and when it came to his solos, the runs, though often improvised, served the song, not his ego. They have an empathetic understanding I think: not just in the interplay between voice & piano but also in their several duets & this was another element in the playfulness"

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"We had the absolute pleasure of having Overdrive perform at our wedding in August, and they were incredible! From the very beginning, they were so accommodating. We requested a shorter version of our first dance song, and they edited it perfectly to fit what we wanted. They also took the time to incorporate our song suggestions and even played some of our guests’ more obscure requests, everyone’s music tastes were accounted for. Nora’s vocals were incredible, the saxophonist made everything feel even more lively and unique and Josh’s DJing later into the evening was spot on. The energy they brought to the night was contagious. They had everyone of all ages on the dance floor. We couldn't recommend them enough for anyone looking to make their wedding (or any event) unforgettable!"

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"The band were excellent lots of my friends commented how much they enjoyed them. They were very flexible and played two additional sets that helped create an atmosphere that my friends did not want to leave. The band had everyone dancing from the first song to the last one four hours later."

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"Claudio is an outstanding accordionist and a wonderfully warm person. He was punctual and immediately fitted into our family. His set list was inspired by our atmosphere and his choice included the range that I had selected from our pre-event discussion. We were all absolutely thrilled and felt he helped make our 2021 family party simply perfect!"

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"Hi Martin, thanks for your wonderful music last week it really brightened things up on a windy rainy day! pass on our best regards to your bass player too. kind regards, Annie."

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"Widely regarded as one of Wales’ foremost traditional bands, since their formation in 1996, Allan Yn Y Fan have taken Welsh traditional music all over the world. Wednesday 28th March, however, saw the band performing closer to home with a gig at one of their favourite venues, Blackwood Miner’s Institute. The evening took the format of two halves with an interval and this six piece band entertained us with a selection of traditional Welsh songs and tunes interspersed with original compositions, mainly from the pen of founder member Kate Strudwick but also with contributions from Chris Jones and Alan Cooper. All the music was taken from across the band’s 22 year career and took us on a journey from the Festival Interceltique at L’Orient to sparsely attended performances in Ireland before returning to Wales across a stormy Irish Sea, stopping to remember Kate’s former landlady and her cat along, the way. The songs were mainly entrusted to Catrin O’Neill who, since joining the band in 2015, has taken on the role of lead vocalist and her vocal style adds a haunting quality to such songs as Dafydd Y Garreg Wen and Lisa Lân, both of which take the passing of a loved one as their subject matter, Catrin’s versatility means she is equally at home singing about hopeful love, as in Ym Mhontypridd Mae’n Nghariad, or the celebratory staples of the Mari Lwyd in Pwnco and Canu Cwnsela or rousing songs of workers' rights, as in Gorthrwm Y Gweithiwr with its dire warning to the Victorian Ironmasters of Beaufort. This evening had all the ingredients needed to make a memorable performance, six talented performers who obviously enjoy performing together and transmitted that joy through their music to an appreciative audience, a quality venue with friendly staff and a crystal clear sound system ensuring that none of the music’s nuances were lost. It was a pleasure to attend this concert and I look forward to seeing Allan Yn Y Fan perform again in the not too distant future. "

Rating: 9 / 10 Share this review:

"We both felt your band was a great addition to our party. Everyone thoroughly enjoyed the music you chose and we would recommend you anytime! Best regards to you and your band mates and hope to see you another time."

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"Made my mums 50th a night to remember with great songs sang brilliantly! Can’t wait to see you again at my sisters 21st!"

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"The Swing Stakes are a joy to watch. Their seamless swing arrangements of modern-day tunes, combined with fabulous renditions of swing classics, are impeccably executed. For expert musicianship and skill combined with the decadence of the swing era, these guys are the ones to watch."

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"Thank you so so so much for today! We thoroughly enjoyed it! "

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"An absolutely fantastic band! Easy to deal with when booking, an easy rider to provide for them as well. Simply great musicians and people all round. I have used them for my daughter's wedding and a charity ball too. They never fail to deliver a great night!"

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"They were just amazing! They were early for the event, I had arranged a time for them to begin playing but we ran over (cake cutting/ first dance etc) and they didn't mind at all even though it meant they would not be able to get home as soon as they would have! They took requests, got people dancing, even went up to guests and sung directly to them which was brilliant! We've had such good feedback from our guests and would definitely recommend them! Lovely guys and I can't thank them enough! Kate Blackmore. "

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"These guys played at my friend's wedding yesterday. They were absolutely amazing. They did a great mix of songs and had everyone dancing, clapping and stomping their feet. Don't hesitate to book them If you have a chance"

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review: