Review Centre: Folk Bands

"Just a note from myself though, we knew the band was great and would go down amazingly with our guests - but we were not prepared for how well they were received!! So many compliments about you guys! Review for you to use: We had pure blarney play at our wedding and what an experience!! They were absolutely outstanding. The dance floor was full the entire time - you literally couldn’t stop for a break because every song they played was phenomenal. They were so interactive with the guests and created the most amazing atmosphere. They genuinely have such a talent for what then do - their instruments, their singing and their ability to sustain such high energy. Absolutely faultless!"

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"I booked Blag to play for my wedding and I was astonished by their ability to play almost any genre of music. They have a really lively act and are very down-to-earth, polite and professional to work with. It was clear that they really love playing music and their energy and enthusiasm infused the whole evening. The wedding reception was running late with the speeches and food, so Blag wandered around the tables playing violin and guitar acoustically before they played their evening set….It was magical. If I ever get married again, Blag will be my band of choice!!!"

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"Thanks again for making our wedding very special !"

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"We had a great time last night. We had Me & jiggs play at our going away party' and what a night to remember. We had a barbeque in the yard' .. the band came out to play an acoustic set of traditional tunes' ..all the young children gathered in a circle and danced to their hearts content. After about a half hour the band went inside where they had already set up for the performance .it was lively and there was something to suit everyone. The band had their own lights which brought the venue to life. It was unforgetable' we both really enjoyed it as did all of our friends. "

Rating: 9 / 10 Share this review:

"One of the hidden treasures of London is the range of talent that exists on the folk and acoustic scene that rarely get the acclaim they deserve. Three London based bands that excel at performing Eastern European/Balkan Music are Szapora, Mukka and Beskydy, each of whom are worth looking out for. Nine strong Beskydy perform songs and tunes from across Eastern Europe and beyond, in fact looking at the sources on their cd listing is almost like a tour around that part of Europe, from Macedonia to Hungary via Galicia and Bulgaria and taking a detour through Slovakia. The bands name itself comes from the range of mountains that run through the centre of former Czechoslovakia which according to the band has heavily influenced their musical choices whilst they turn their hand to music from a range of sources (excellantly). The first track is a Macedonian song, Jovano, Jovanke (click here to hear the song) and the range of Joanna Fosters vocal skills are further displayed in the three Slovakian songs that make up track 4, from the slow Janosik to the more up beat cheery Anicka Dusicka and A Ja Taka Dzivocka although Foster and the band manage to intertwine the tunes with sufficient skill so the songs merge as one. Again Track 9 is a duet with Accordian player, Peter Murphy, joining Foster on the Macedonian song Iz Dolu, along with some damned fine fiddling. The range of Beskydys musical skills are illustrated well by the instrumental tracks ranging from the delightful Slovakian Waltzes (Track 5) to the slightly more manic Tropanka from Bulgaria (track 10) and onto the ordered upbeat and furious synthesis between sax, fiddle and accordian that is Tantz, Tantz Yiddelekh (a wonderful Galician Jewish tune), yet again garunteed to result in limb movement, a delightful fusion of fiddles and saxaphone, furiously creating a wonderful atmosphere one that demands a physical response. One very minor complaint is the sleeve of the CD, it would be nice (or do I just lead a very shallow empty life) to have some information/lyrics or even translations of the songs, something about the origins of the tracks. That said its more than possible for bands with large bank accounts to produce nice extensive sleeves but not so easy for bands whose talents lie in their music rather than some slick marketing agencies. It would be impossible to identify one part of this cd that could be said to stand out more than the rest. The band have produced an album that is thoroughly enjoyable from start to finish - the question that comes to the fore when listening to this is when is the follow up going to be available? "

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"Kirsten Kirk and the Dirty work played my bachelor part and they were awesome"

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"A massive thank you to you and the guys for being a part of our day on Saturday! We had an absolute ball and I think our guests did too. The ceilidh was brilliant, you all did such an amazing job getting everyone involved. We had a lot of comments from friends and family about how much fun they had in the evening."

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"Blag played for our office Christmas party and were brilliant. Their music was great and the caller was very charismatic getting everyone involved in the dancing. They were really easy to book and very flexible and accommodating with our requirements. We had great feedback from everyone at the party and I'd really recommend this lovely, friendly band."

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"Oak & Brass gave the party a great atmosphere, with their great voices and fantastic guitar playing. Their song choice for the evening was spot on, with some real classics mixed with the modern, many of which became great sing alongs. I would highly recommend Oak & Brass and would have no hesitation in rebooking him in the future. Thanks again Oak & Brass! "

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"Thank you so so much for the amazing music. We had such a good time and all the guests thoroughly enjoyed it! Thank you again! Jenny "

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"We hired the band for our business birthday party which we turned into a mini festival. The band turned up early and were perfect gentlemen even though we were running behind schedule. When the band finally managed to do their thing we were blown away and everyone was up and boogying away! We will be definitely hiring them for next years party!"

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"Massive thanks to Trad Union for turning my 40th into the ultimate garden shindig! From soul-stirring ballads to full-blown céilí vibes, these two legends had everyone dancing like nobody’s knees would regret it the next day. Their music brought the magic, their banter brought the laughs, and their charm made the whole evening feel effortlessly special. Honestly, if you're planning a party and want things to escalate from “quiet drinks” to “Riverdance tryouts,” Trad Union are your lads. 🎻💚🕺"

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"The Musical Duo 'Good To Go' are truly good to go for all of your live music needs; be it a wedding, birthday, retirement party, or music for your winery or pub as well! The versatility of Mike and Susanne together is fit for any scenario.Between the accordion, the guitar, and the harmonies, they do jazz, classic rock, modern hits and more. Catch them soon at one of their many live performances near you!" • Ratin:   *****   • Reviewer: Alex C • Event Date: June 30th, 2023 • Services Provided: Cover Band "

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"Thank you so much for the fabulous ceilidh on Saturday night, we had a truly memorable celebration. All our guests commented on what a fun night it was with everyone up dancing by the end! Barry was brilliant and pitched his instructions at the right level for us amateurs - the perfect mix of assertive and entertaining! The music provided by Roisin Ban was superb - you are a very talented bunch and I won’t hesitate in recommending your services. It should also be noted that Chris was excellent from our first contact. He alleviated my worries, tried hard to accommodate my late requests and quickly replied to all my messages! If you want a ceilidh band, look no further!"

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"Amazing proposal with help of Ayden I proposed to my girlfriend, now fiancé while Ayden played for us at a park. He was great at coordinating the time and place to meet, and I was able to be discreet so my girlfriend was surprised. He did an amazing job playing the song, and had a great set up for recording the whole event on his phone so we could have a video. He was easy to talk to and very friendly. I highly recommend."

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review: