live function bands for hire Colchester

Bands For Hire Colchester

Showing 217-234 of 546 matching results
  • Walkabout Wandas

    5 stars - Walkabout Wandas are Highly Recommended 2 Reviews Number of members: 4 London

    Walkabout Wandas are a fun, interactive & unique acoustic band that can't seem to stay in one place! Roaming around your event, entertaining guests with po...

  • No Quarter

    5 stars - No Quarter are Highly Recommended 2 Reviews Number of members: 5 Surrey

    If you’re looking for a festival style wedding band then No Quarter are the band for you! Playing a floor filling mix of classic and contemporary songs wit...

  • The Footlights

    5 stars - The Footlights are Highly Recommended 5 Reviews Number of members: 5 London

    The Footlights are a premium, interactive & versatile London based party band - with a diverse repertoire of songs from Elvis and Prince to Maroon 5 and Ju...

  • Ultraviolet

    5 stars - Ultraviolet are Highly Recommended 36 Reviews Number of members: 4 London

    Ultraviolet are a fantastic, vibrant & professional 4-7 piece party band. World class musicians & vocalists with an extensive range of repertoire from Chuc...

  • Off The Record

    5 stars - Off The Record are Highly Recommended 35 Reviews Number of members: 5 East Sussex

    Off The Record are a cool & lively band ready to kick start your party! With an extensive repertoire covering artists such as Chuck Berry & The Beatles to ...

  • Rhythm Xpress

    5 stars - Rhythm Xpress are Highly Recommended 3 Reviews Number of members: 7 London

    Rhythm Xpress are a fantastic 7 piece band who perform a vast array of genres, from Caribbean reggae, calypso and soca to Motown, pop, R&B and soul all...

  • Need help to hire a function band in Colchester

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  • Mayfair

    5 stars - Mayfair are Highly Recommended 4 Reviews Number of members: 7 London

    If you are looking for something different at your event, look no further! Mayfair are a collective of top quality musicians who bring your favourite songs...

  • Ride On Time

    5 stars - Ride On Time are Highly Recommended 4 Reviews Number of members: 5 Surrey

    Covering your favourite dance anthems, club classics, RnB, old school tunes & the coolest mashups, Ride On Time deliver a fresh sound with hit after hit! F...

  • X-Press Yourself

    5 stars - X-Press Yourself are Highly Recommended 15 Reviews Number of members: 5 Wiltshire

    X-press Yourself bring the house down! Fronted by a powerful female vocalist, the enthusiasm and character of this band is off the chart. With modern bange...

  • Direct Beats

    5 stars - Direct Beats are Highly Recommended 11 Reviews Number of members: 5 Surrey

    Direct Beats are a high energy 5 piece function band that provide an electrifying atmosphere for all events! This professional, exciting band will suit any...

  • The Upstarts

    5 stars - The Upstarts are Highly Recommended 97 Reviews Number of members: 4 Lancashire

    The Upstarts are one of the freshest bands around! Performing music everyone will love, The Upstarts live sets include cool classics from the Beatles and S...

  • The Party Crashers

    5 stars - The Party Crashers are Highly Recommended 39 Reviews Number of members: 5 Staffordshire

    Combine the finest musicians from the Midlands, add an irresistibly varied repertoire of modern & classic party hits, then serve with a confident hard hitt...

  • The Little Big Tones

    5 stars - The Little Big Tones are Highly Recommended 30 Reviews Number of members: 4 London

    Specialising in Rock ‘n’ Roll & Rhythm & Blues, The Little Big Tones are guaranteed to make people dance and smile. The music performed is taken from a cla...

  • Indie Riot

    5 stars - Indie Riot are Highly Recommended 58 Reviews Number of members: 4 Hampshire

    Indie Riot are a high impact indie rock band who play classic hits with such an infectious energy they will fill your dance floor!...

  • Encore

    5 stars - Encore are Highly Recommended 13 Reviews Number of members: 4 Northamptonshire

    Bringing you everything from Jackson 5 to Lizzo, Encore deliver an exciting repertoire of non-stop party hits spanning the decades! A vibrant, happy band w...

  • BackBeat

    5 stars - BackBeat are Highly Recommended 73 Reviews Number of members: 5 West Yorkshire

    An electric group of 5 young, cool, professional musicians. Their ever expanding repertoire covers a huge range. From Soul, Funk, Motown & Disco to Rock & ...

  • Invidia

    5 stars - Invidia are Highly Recommended 17 Reviews Number of members: 7 Norfolk

    7 piece function band specialising in weddings and corporate events. Invidia know how many different age ranges and music tastes come together at such even...

  • Roadtrip

    5 stars - Roadtrip are Highly Recommended 10 Reviews Number of members: 5 London

    An entertaining, high energy party band that will be sure to get everyone up on their feet! With a huge repertoire spanning over 5 decades, including every...

Your Guide To Live Band Hire Colchester

Everything You Need To Know About Bands To Hire In Colchester

Sometimes choosing the right band can feel overwhelming, especially if you've never booked one before. Our quick guide to booking live bands answers common questions — and if you have any other questions or require tailored advice, we’re always happy to help.

A function band (or cover band / wedding band / party band as they’re also known) is a live band that specialises in performing popular rock and pop music for function events such as weddings, corporate events and private parties. They usually consist of a drummer, bass player, guitarist and lead singer, with larger bands also including a keyboard player, brass section and backing singers.

All Alive Network bands are a self-contained entertainment package, providing all of the equipment required when you book a band, without clients having to hire additional sound and lighting equipment. They often travel over a large geographical area, and their performances are designed specifically for the demands of private events.

A band's setlist will contain a variety of rock and popular music from the 1950s right through to current chart acts, performing dancefloor-filling hits. A typical repertoire might feature artists such as:

  • The Beatles
  • The Rolling Stones
  • The Kinks
  • Elvis
  • Van Morrison
  • Stevie Wonder
  • Bruno Mars
  • The Killers
  • Daft Punk
  • Taylor Swift
  • Take That
  • Maroon 5
  • Ed Sheeran
  • James Bay
  • Oasis
  • Blur
  • Coldplay
  • Kings of Leon
  • Arctic Monkeys
  • Beyoncé
  • Justin Bieber
  • Katy Perry

You can read more about the songs they play in our article "Function Band Set List Ideas".

Guitar bands

Usually formed of 3–5 members with an indie/pop/rock guitar based sound, covering artists like The Rolling Stones and The Beatles through to The Killers and Arctic Monkeys.

Pop/Funk/Soul bands

Containing anything from 5–12 members, often with female lead vocals and more prominent use of keyboards or a brass section, playing classic pop and Motown through to contemporary pop/RnB artists like Taylor Swift, Pharrell, Rihanna, Maroon 5, Amy Winehouse, Beyoncé.

The search form at the top of the page includes all counties of the UK. Simply run a search selecting your event type, the location and the date and we will show you a list of artists who are available along with their price and distance from your event location. The list is sorted by popularity, but you can reorder based on distance if you're specifically looking for a local band for hire.

Rock and pop bands like the guys and girls in the list above specialise in lively and energetic performances so you and your guests can party! They are usually the headline evening entertainment, perfect for events including:

For weddings, a live band can perform the first dance, as well as provide background music between sets, delivering an all-in-one wedding entertainment solution. Many bands also offer jazz or acoustic sets for your drinks reception, and solo guitar / piano for your ceremony and wedding breakfast. These options can help to keep costs down, in comparison with hiring separate performers for your wedding day.

For corporate events, bands can provide walk-on music for awards ceremonies.

Volume considerations at your event

If you’ve ever been to a live gig, you’ll know there’s nothing quite like the exciting, big sound of a live band! Alive Network's bands can offer an electrifying live performance with a sound and volume to match. A volume level in the region of 95dB – 110dB is standard.

If your venue has a sound limiter or volume restrictions, many bands offer an electronic drum kit option which can significantly reduce the overall volume of the band. You can find our sound limiter friendly bands here.

If you prefer your entertainment to serve as background music, where guests can still easily hold a conversation in the same room, then you might like to consider a Jazz / Swing band, solo singer / guitarist or Rat Pack singer. All of these artists are able to perform popular music but in a more laid-back style.

For more information about volume, see below.

Space considerations at your event

A typical 4-piece band will need an area of around 4 metres wide by 3 metres deep. For approximate requirements, see ‘How much space will a live band need?’, below.

Prices vary depending on the number of members in the band and their travel distance to your event.

The average price of a 4-piece function band is around £1,800.

Larger bands who specialise in corporate events vary in price between £3,000 – £35,000 depending on their size and experience.

This table shows a breakdown of the range of costs for different types of function bands:

  • Duos - £600 - £3,800
  • 3-piece bands - £780 - £3,800
  • 4 piece bands - £800 - £4250
  • 5-piece bands - £1050 - £5500
  • 6 piece bands - £1350 - £6500
  • 7 piece bands and bigger - £2000 - £27,000

Below are the bands that we feel are currently flying the flag as the leading rock and pop bands in the UK right now, based on a combination of popularity, performance quality and innovation:

For a list of Alive's most booked bands right now, see our list of the 'Top 10 Function Bands UK Wide'

Most bands offer two 60-minute performances as standard, though many can perform for longer if required. You can spread out a two-hour performance by splitting it into three 40-minute sets.

For most weddings and private parties, the band would arrive at 6pm, get set up and sound checked by 7.30pm to 8pm, then start the first performance around 9pm, with the second performance starting around 10.30pm, through to a standard midnight curfew. Many bands will offer longer performances at an additional cost, including finishing times of 1am and 2am.

Bands will provide background music from an MP3 player or laptop between their performances.

The average volume level of most fully-amplified 4-piece guitar-based rock and pop bands, is between 95dB – 110 dB (decibels), with occasional volume peaks of around 120dB. This is a big, roof-raising sound with lots of energy, making them the perfect headliners to your party!

If your venue has noise restrictions or a sound limiter, it doesn’t mean you can’t have a band. Just speak to our Entertainment Coordinators before you book to find the right artists for you. Many of our bands have the option of an electric drum kit, which can significantly help to reduce overall volume. Check out our sound limiter friendly collection here.

Most bands can work within a space of 4 metres wide by 3 metres deep, but this increases as you add more members. The guide below shows how much space bands of different sizes require:

  • 3-piece band = 3 x 3 metres
  • 4-piece band = 4 x 3 metres
  • 5 and 6-piece band = 5 x 3 metres
  • 7-piece band and bigger = 5-6 x 4 metres or more

To unload, set up and sound check takes on average 60 – 90 minutes, depending on how close the band can park relative to the space they’re performing in. Some busy London hotels insist bands load in via a suppliers entrance, using an elevator shared with caterers and staff. This can greatly extend set up times.

After the performance, it takes around 45 – 60 minutes to pack down and load out.

To really rock at your event, most live bands need:

  • a suitably-sized, safe, dry performance area. If performing outside, they will require cover – either from the rain or from the scorching sun!
  • parking, preferably with easy access to the venue
  • refreshments such as soft drinks and sometimes food, depending on how long you have booked them for.

All Alive Network bands will provide their own PA system, microphones, stage lighting, backline amplifiers and instruments.

Our industry leading contracts ensure your booking is covered against any eventuality, so that no matter what, you can enjoy your event without worrying about whether your entertainment will turn up. If your band is ill or unable to perform, our team will be on hand 24/7 to source a suitable replacement, even out of office hours and at short notice.

Booking with Alive Network, the UK's most trusted music booking platform - you will get:

  • Fast, friendly five-star customer service
  • Emergency cover 24/7, 365 days a year
  • Hand-picked musicians for the ultimate in quality and reliability
  • Safe, secure booking contracts for your peace of mind
  • Easy enquiry and booking process
  • Hundreds of bands to choose from
  • Trusted brand with over 183,000 previous clients & high-profile industry partnerships
  • Instant online prices & availability

Established in 1999, Alive Network has grown to become the UK's largest live entertainment agency and one of the leading online entertainment booking services in the world. We specialise in wedding entertainment, party entertainment and corporate entertainment, trusted by companies like Apple, Mercedes-Benz, Microsoft, Coca-Cola & Nike, and we have helped over 183,000 customers to hire the perfect live entertainment for their events.

We are formally partnered with BIMM, the largest and leading provider of contemporary music education in the UK and Europe, ensuring that we are able to bring you the very best new talent exclusively at Alive Network.

Find more about Alive Network Entertainment Agency here

For information on joining Alive Network please visit our 'How to join' pages here.

What you will need in order to apply?

  • High quality promotional videos / audio tracks and photos
  • Reliable, good quality equipment & your own transport
  • A setlist of music suited to private events
  • Smart formal stage clothes, suited to private events
  • A PA system & stage lighting suited to audiences of up to 200 people
  • Reliable, professional band mates
  • References from previous customers

For a more comprehensive booking guide please read ‘Booking a function band – Everything you’ll ever need to know’.

If you have any other queries, please visit our FAQ page.

Discover more live bands for hire in Colchester

We also provide a wide variety of live bands, singers and musicians in Colchester

183,918 Events Made Awesome So Far

Why book with us?

26 years providing you with the best Colchester bands to hire

Experience.

26 years experience and over 183,000 events booked to date, you couldn’t be in safer hands.

Quality.

We are not a directory, we hand pick every artist to ensure quality, reliability and value.

Trust.

With over 60,000 five star reviews, we’re the UK’s most trusted entertainment booking platform.

Security.

Safe secure bookings, 24/7 emergency cover, and personal support when ever you need it.

We Care.

That you find the perfect entertainment for your event, and that everything goes to plan.

Supporting Artists.

We help local artists reach a national audience of customers like you, supporting careers.

Find A Local Band Near Colchester

Looking for Function Bands in Colchester? Alive Network will help you hire the best local Colchester Function Band, with acts available in Basildon, Billericay, Braintree, Brentwood, Brightlingsea, Burnham-On-Crouch, Canvey Island, Chelmsford, Chigwell, Chipping Ongar, Clacton-On-Sea, Colchester, Epping, Frinton-On-Sea, Grays, Great Dunmow, Halstead, Harlow, Harwich, Loughton, Maldon, Rayleigh, Saffron Walden, Southend-on-Sea, Stansted Mountfitchet, Tilbury, Waltham Abbey, Walton-On-The-Naze, West Mersea, Wickford, Witham, Wivenhoe