|
DO you call the dances?
This is the question we get asked the most and can even be a cause of stress for clients who are organising an event or wedding. To put it simply, we call each and every dance, giving a simple-to-follow run through each dance, leaving no excuse for anyone not jumping on the floor! Our guitarist doubles as the band's dance caller and has 8 years of experience in doing so. The band have travelled to the likes of Italy, Belgium, Portugal and Poland - so we have called to many nationalities (even at times with translators on the stage) and there have never been any major ceilidh disasters. We find the best approach is to call each dance in a light hearted way - we always say half the fun of a ceilidh is learning the dances, getting a few steps wrong here and there, but catching the hang of it before each dance ends! do you provide all the required EQUIPMENT?
Yes we do - we provide everything but the dancers! Over the years the band have invested heavily in high-quality professional equipment so the stage looks great and no-one is left with sore lugs after a great night. Our system is best-suited for our live three piece and DJ setup, and is more than capable of providing music for events with up to 300 guests. For larger scaled events, the band can organise professional sound-hire. The band's PA + lighting is of course included in the main booking fee when hiring the band, and clients are more than welcome to pass an iPod on to be played during the night, and a microphone is available for speeches (just don't get carried away and start singing MJ). A photo of our standard stage setup can be found here. What happens during the booking process?
The easiest initial stage is to fire us an Enquiry or send us an Email. Upon receiving this, we will do our best to respond to your enquiry as soon as we can, providing you with a confirmation if the band is available on your selected date, able to travel to your venue, and will provide a full quotation. We always welcome anyone interested in the band to ask any questions they may have, big or small. We can also arrange a time for any client to come along for a listen to the band - either during a sound-check, or possibly dropping their heads' in for 10 minutes during an upcoming event. Once any client is happy to proceed, the band draw up an invoice/contract and we normally ask for a deposit of 50% of the total agreed booking fee (however this is negotiable). Following the receipt of the deposit, the date is then fully confirmed and the band are completely committed to the event. We are delighted to say that since our formation in 2007, Ghillie Dhu have never failed to turn up or cancelled any event - and we aim to keep it that way! After things are firmed up, the band are always at the other end of emails or phone - available to answer any questions in the run up to the event. We can always meet up for a coffee (Edinburgh City Centre) if anyone is keen to meet up and run through the details. WHat are the band's playing times?
We fully appreciate that every event is different and we try and be as flexible as possible when it comes to set lengths. Typically we like to divide our sets into two longer sets, with a nice long break in the middle (when we usually put an iPod on). Normally we suggest no set longer than 1 hour 30 minutes, just so there's no dancers keeling over near the end! Again we are completely flexible with start and finish times too - and we are well-used to times changing on the night! THE BAND
Playing together since 2007, we provide a fresh, modern approach to the classic ceilidh, combining traditional with the not-so-traditional. Based in Edinburgh and Aberdeen, we also travel throughout Scotland as well as overseas, mainly providing music for:
In ceilidh band mode, we offer everyone's favourite dances from the Gay Gordons to the Orcadian Strip the Willow. All dances are clearly explained with step-by-step instructions, so everyone can join in on the fun. As well as ceilidh dances, the band also offer folk-arrangements of popular covers, ranging from Kings of Leon and ACDC, to Mumford and Sons, Coldplay and Calvin Harris. A member is also an award-winning DJ, if you also require a DJ set as part of your evening. THE REST As standard, we provide a high-quality PA system and lighting rig (all PAT tested of course) and are more than happy to set this up before the event, resulting in your evening running that bit smoother. We aim to please with sound, ensuring quality rather than volume, so no one is left with sore lugs after a great night. Lastly, we all have degrees in music, so a certain level of professionalism can be guaranteed. |