Review Centre: Celtic Groups & Ceilidh Bands

"Hi just wanted to say a massive thank you for playing at our wedding last night. You were fantastic! Well, St Andrews was well and truly Shoogled ! You guys rocked!! Everyone loved the music and we all had a great time. Thanks again! "

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"Everyone enjoyed the lively tunes and the caller really made the dancing fun" We absolutely loved Wraggle Taggle (21st October 2023 Saturday Glebe Ln, Maidstone, Kent}, everyone enjoyed the lively tunes and the caller really made the dancing fun. I would definitely recommend. Thank you so much for a fabulous evening. Kerry Theophanides 27th October 2023"

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"Black Velvet Band Ceilidh Trio – Janet’s 69th Birthday Ceilidh – June 2025 Oh what a night it was! Black Velvet Band Ceilidh Trio was the perfect choice for a celebration. They chose dances that matched the skill and enthusiasm of my guests. Setting the right pace is good when lots of guests belong to a running club! Guests from Hong Kong, Greece, Vietnam China and USA had no idea what they were coming to … The band arrived on time, setting up easily and Phil’s friendly manner of instruction was just right. My 6 year old niece (who is VERY shy) shocked her mother by joining the dancing! Lovely comments from guests: “I haven’t danced like that in years” and ” The most fun and dis-organised chaos I’ve had in ages!"

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"Pipe Major Patrick was great. He arrived early, was perfectly happy to get ready and practice until the published start time. His playing ideally formed a musical backdrop to our beacon ceremony and was clearly much enjoyed by the village audience. Patrick followed the instructions around interludes and fireworks without any problem at all. We feel a Burn's Night coming on."

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"Terrific feedback from last night. (24th January 2026 Saturday Woolwich Works, Building 41, Woolwich Creative District Trust, The Fireworks Factory, 11 No. 1 Street, Royal Arsenal, London, SE18 6HD) Thanks for coming. Hope you’ll come back and play at our place again soon! Cheers, Mark Slaughter Artist Liaison & Programme Manager Woolwich Works 25th January 2026"

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"It’s been a while now but just a short note to thank you & the guys for playing a great set at our wedding.If there was one negative, it’s that I never asked you guys to play all night. Anyway, hope you are well & in the unlikely event that I ever get married again, I know which band to go for. "

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"My legs are still aching because I danced so much! The band arrived on time and were very friendly and helpful and the music was delightful. It was a mixed crowd, many of whom had never met each other before but with one thing in common – they had never done ceilidh dancing before! The caller was absolutely brilliant – it didn’t matter that most people had no idea how to dance the reels! Everyone joined in and thoroughly enjoyed themselves."

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"A big thank you to you and your fellow musicians in the It's No' Reel Scottish Ceilidh Band for making our retirement ceilidh a really memorable night. We were so pleased that we chose you, thanks really to your excellent website. You were thoroughly professional in your approach and from our first e-mail communications we got a sense of reassurance - even although we had never heard you play live. We were also pleased that we chose to have a second fiddle - that gave such a wonderful sound. A friend & I were putting finishing touches to things in the foyer while you were tuning up. You then started to play, we looked at each other, both gave a spontaneous 'thumbs up' and big smiles - we knew then that it was going to be a great night! We know from our friends and family that they all did have a great night and you were the most talked about part of the whole evening. I just wish we could do it all again so we could get more time to sit and listen to your music - it all went by in a bit of a blur for Greg & I. Apart from comments on your professionalism, the quality of your playing and the fact that you got the sound level just right - many people told us how much they enjoyed listening to what you played between the dance tunes. We did not need the disco playlist after all! I just hope that we are able to hear you play live again! Thanks once more to you all, you made our special night even more special. We would recommend you to anyone looking for a band for a special event - we could not have asked for more. Thank goodness you were free on the 27th!!"

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"Hi Aly, Just wanted to send a quick note to say thank you so much for Saturday, we had such an amazing time! We couldn't be happier with how it went and we wouldn't hesitate to recommend you to other friends and family. All the best, Laura & Joe."

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"Just really f*****good. You can quote me."

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"Professional adaptable unflappable and friendly nothing was to much trouble. Great musicians as well, got everyone on the floor...... "

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"Thank you so much for a great evening - have had some wonderful feedback from our guests on your band."

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"Having a Ceilidh band and a caller will absolutely make your event. There are two things my family and friends talk about when they talk about my wedding: the Ceilidh and our magician. So first off, going for a Ceilidh really is worthwhile. It's super inclusive, all your guests end up dancing together, it's so much fun, loads of laughter and it means EVERYONE is on the dancefloor. So now you're sold on a Ceilidh... you need to think no further than hiring Sound With Us. I have had 70 guests of varying physical abilities, varying ages (from 2 months to 75 years old) and of various languages spoken.... The caller was incredible: fun but also very patient and very visual, repeating instructions as many times as necessary. Also unexpected on the day, one of the member of the band knew a very famous French song which (me being Belgian) meant that my whole family got up and sang with him. He performed in between sets, totally unsolicited. Honestly, Ceilidh With Us helped make our day totally unforgettable."

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"You were highly recommended before the event so I had no worries anyway but we couldn't have asked for more understanding and helpful people, not to mention talented musicians of course! As so many of our guests were from England you performed the Scottish ambassadors role brilliantly."

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: