Question 1

How far in advance do we need to book your services?

Accepted Answer

Booking festival bands in Edinburgh, Midlothian as early as possible increases the chance of securing their availability on your event date, particularly during busy times of the year. However, many acts also accept last minute bookings, and we have successfully arranged performances for clients with just a few hours' notice.

Question 2

How much do festival bands cost in Edinburgh, Midlothian?

Accepted Answer

The cost of hiring musicians in Edinburgh, Midlothian can vary significantly depending on the type of act. Prices currently range from £350 to £10,266, with an average of £1,050.

Question 3

My venue has a sound limiter. Will this be a problem?

Accepted Answer

Sound limiters are now common at many UK wedding venues, particularly those in residential areas or with noise-sensitive neighbours. They work by cutting the power to amplified equipment if the volume exceeds a set threshold. Most professional bands can work within standard limiter settings without any real impact on the performance.

If your venue's limiter is set at 95dB or above, the majority of bands will have no difficulty. Below 95dB it is worth flagging to the band in advance, as they may need to adjust their setup, for example by using an electronic drum kit instead of an acoustic one, or opting for a smaller line-up. Ask your venue for the exact decibel level and pass it on when you make your enquiry, so the band can confirm they can accommodate it.

Question 4

How much space does a band need to set up and perform?

Accepted Answer

As a general guide, a 3-piece band needs a performance area of roughly 3m x 3m. Add approximately 1m of width for each additional musician. A 5-piece band would therefore need around 3m x 5m as a minimum. Most bands will also need a small amount of additional space at the sides or rear for equipment cases during the performance.

A raised stage is not essential but does help the band make a bigger visual impact, particularly in larger rooms. The performance area needs to be flat, dry and close to a power supply. If you are unsure whether your venue can accommodate a particular band, share the dimensions with them when enquiring and they will be able to advise. Venues with unusual layouts or low ceilings are worth flagging too.

Question 5

What happens to the music when the band is on a break?

Accepted Answer

Most professional bands provide a playlist through their PA system during intervals, so there is no gap in the music and no awkward silence while they take a break. This is usually included as standard and the band will typically put together a playlist that fits the mood of the evening.

Some acts offer an upgraded DJ service where a member of the band or a dedicated DJ manages the music between sets, takes requests and keeps the energy going. This is usually available as a paid add-on. Check the act's profile or ask when enquiring if this is something you would like.

Question 6

Do I need to book a separate DJ as well as a band?

Accepted Answer

In most cases, no. The majority of professional bands provide music through their PA system during intervals and after their final set, so your guests will have continuous music throughout the evening without needing a separate DJ. This is usually included in the booking.

If you want a more interactive DJ experience, with someone to take requests, mix tracks and keep the dancefloor going after the band finishes, many bands offer this as an optional upgrade, or you can book a DJ separately. It is worth deciding early how late you want music to continue, as a band's final set will typically finish by midnight or the venue curfew, and a DJ can be a cost-effective way of extending the night.

Question 7

What happens if the band cannot make it on the day?

Accepted Answer

Professional bands take their commitments seriously and cancellations are rare, but illness, accidents or unforeseen circumstances can occasionally affect a booking. It is worth checking what provisions are in place when you book. Many acts and agencies have contingency arrangements, such as calling on dep musicians or arranging a suitable replacement act at short notice.

When booking, make sure you receive a written contract that sets out the cancellation terms clearly, for both sides. If you are booking through an agency, ask specifically what happens in the event the act cannot perform. Keeping communication open with your band in the weeks before the event also helps flag any potential issues early.

Question 8

What is a festival style band?

Accepted Answer

A festival style band is a live band that brings the feel of a festival stage to a private event: a bigger, louder, more visual performance than a standard function band, usually with proper stage lighting and a set built around anthems people sing along to.

In practice most bookings in this category are not for festivals at all. They are weddings and parties where the couple or host wants that atmosphere, often outdoors or in a marquee, with the band as the centrepiece rather than background music. Around half the acts listed here mention weddings, which is more than mention festivals.

Question 9

Can I have a festival style band at my wedding?

Accepted Answer

Yes, and it is the most common booking here. Festival themed weddings have grown steadily, and the band is usually the part that makes the theme work: a proper stage setup, lighting, and a set of singalong anthems rather than standards.

The practical questions are the venue and the timing. A marquee, barn or outdoor stage suits it better than a hotel function room, and you will want the main set placed where a festival headline slot would go, late enough that everybody is together but early enough to run its full length. Talk to the band about lighting too, since that is much of what creates the look.

Question 10

What is the difference between a festival band and a wedding band?

Accepted Answer

Mostly presentation and repertoire rather than a different kind of act, and many bands do both. A wedding band typically plays a broad crowd pleasing set across the generations and fits itself to a function room. A festival style band leans louder and more contemporary, with a bigger visual setup, and plays as though to a crowd rather than to seated tables.

If you want a band to cover the whole day, including a relaxed daytime set and a traditional first dance, look at the Wedding Bands category, which is much larger. Book here when the festival atmosphere is the point and you want a headline style performance in the evening.

Question 11

What music does a festival style band play?

Accepted Answer

Mostly contemporary covers chosen for singalong value: indie, rock, pop and dance anthems from the last thirty years, the kind of material a festival crowd knows well enough to shout back. Around one in ten of the acts here specifically mention indie or festival repertoire.

A smaller number are original bands who also take private bookings, which is worth knowing if you want something closer to a real festival act than a covers band. Say which you want when you enquire, because the two are quite different bookings. If you have particular anthems in mind for the end of the night, send them well ahead so they can be rehearsed.

Question 12

Can I book a band for an actual festival or outdoor event?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Around a third of the acts here mention festival work specifically, and many are used to festival stages, shared backline, tight changeovers and playing to a crowd who did not come specifically to see them.

If you are booking for a real festival rather than a private event, say so at the enquiry stage, because the requirements differ. Set times are usually fixed and shorter, there may be a house PA and engineer, and load in and changeover windows are strict. Tell the band the stage size, what backline is provided and how long they have to get on and off, since experienced acts will plan around all of it.

Question 13

Do festival bands provide their own PA and lighting?

Accepted Answer

Usually yes for the PA. Around three quarters of the acts listed here include a PA or sound system, and for a private event the quoted price normally includes it. Lighting is less universal, with around a quarter mentioning it specifically, and it matters more here than in most categories because the look is much of what you are booking.

Ask about both directly. For a festival style wedding, confirm what lighting is included and whether it suits the space, since a marquee at night looks very different with proper stage lighting than with a couple of LED bars. For a real festival there is often a house rig and engineer, in which case the band brings backline only.

Question 14

Do I need a stage, or can the band play on the ground?

Accepted Answer

Either works, but a stage changes the experience. Around a quarter of the acts here mention stage performance, and for a festival style event a raised platform helps considerably: people at the back can see, the band reads the crowd better, and it looks like the thing you are trying to recreate.

A stage is not essential and plenty of bands play from floor level in marquees and barns. If you do use one, agree the size early, since a five or six piece with a drum riser and backline needs more room than people allow for, and check the surface is solid and level. Weight limits matter too on a temporary platform.

Question 15

How big is a festival style band?

Accepted Answer

Four to seven is the usual range. A four piece of guitar, bass, drums and vocals is the core, and larger line ups add keyboards, a second guitar or brass, which fills out the sound for a big space.

Size matters more outdoors than indoors, because sound disperses and a small band can feel thin in a field or a large marquee. It also drives the space and power you need. Describe the venue, the space and the expected guest numbers when you enquire and let the band advise, rather than choosing on numbers alone, since a well amplified four piece often beats an underpowered seven.

Question 16

Can a festival style band play in a marquee or a barn?

Accepted Answer

Yes, and those are the two most common venues for this kind of booking. Both suit it better than a hotel function room, because you get the space and the height for a proper setup and there is usually more freedom on volume and finish time.

The things to check are power, flooring and noise. Marquees often run on a generator, so confirm it is rated for the band's requirements and is stable, since an underpowered generator is the most common cause of problems. A solid level floor matters for both the stage and the dancing. And ask about any noise restriction or curfew early, because it shapes the running order more than anything else.

Question 17

Will the band play covers or original music?

Accepted Answer

Mostly covers. Festival style bookings for private events are almost always covers based, since the point is a crowd who know the songs. Around one in seven of the acts here describe themselves as a covers band.

A smaller number are original acts who also take bookings, and for a genuine festival that may be exactly what you want. The two are not interchangeable, so be specific when you enquire. If you are booking a private event and want a mix, some bands will work their own material into a covers set, which is worth asking about rather than assuming.

Question 18

What happens if it rains?

Accepted Answer

This is the question to settle before anything else at an outdoor event. Electrical equipment and rain do not mix, and a band will stop rather than risk it, so cover over the stage and the equipment is not optional even in summer.

Agree the wet weather plan when you book, not in the week before. That usually means a marquee, a covered stage, or an indoor alternative with enough space and power. Make sure the band knows what the fallback is, since moving a full setup at short notice takes time and may cut the performance short. Wind matters too and is often forgotten, because it topples lighting stands and carries sound away.

Question 19

What does the band need from the venue or site?

Accepted Answer

The core requirements are power, access and space. Confirm how many sockets or what generator capacity is available and where, since a full band with lighting draws more than a domestic supply comfortably provides. Check the route from where a vehicle can park to where the band sets up, including gates, gravel, steps and distance.

Beyond that they will want somewhere secure to leave cases, somewhere to change, and a clear point of contact who knows the running order. For an outdoor site, mention the ground conditions and whether there is a curfew. Getting these settled early prevents nearly everything that goes wrong on the day.

Question 20

How long does a festival band play for?

Accepted Answer

Two sets of 45 minutes or three of 30 across an evening is standard for a private event, within a period of around three hours. For a real festival the slot is usually shorter and fixed, often 30 to 45 minutes with a strict changeover.

Quotes are based on how long the band is on site rather than only the time played, and an outdoor setup takes longer to build and break down than an indoor one, so allow more either side than you would for a function room. If there is a curfew, tell the band at the enquiry stage, because it decides the whole running order.

Question 21

Can a festival band perform outdoors?

Accepted Answer

Yes, and outdoors is what most of these bands are set up for. The requirements are a covered stage area, a flat solid surface, and a reliable power supply, and the first two matter more outdoors than anywhere else.

Confirm the power arrangement early, since an undersized or unstable generator causes more outdoor failures than the weather does. Consider your neighbours and any licensing or noise conditions on the site, because a festival style band with a full rig carries a long way in open air. Agree the wet weather alternative when you book rather than leaving it to the day.

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Festival Bands for hire in Edinburgh, Midlothian

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Alba Ceilidh Band

Mira K Luxury Duo

BH Brass

Abba Gold Scotland

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