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Never organised a Ceilidh before? Have a look here
for some advice from Teannaich.
FAQ
About the Band
How many of you are there?
There are 5 musicians in the band: fiddle, mandolin, guitar, bass
and drums.
Do you have a caller?
Yes we have a caller, with many years of experience teaching dances
for complete beginners to advanced ceilidhers.
Do you play other music?
Teannaich play ceilidh music incorporating a lot of Rock/ funk style
into the music but we don't play covers etc. although we do play
some music for listening or just dancing to if people need a break
from ceilidh.
Can you provide disco?
Teannaich have a CD player as part of our PA system and we can put
on disco type CDs or you can make up your own compilation CDs. We
can also arrange a disco DJ for your event at an extra charge.
What do you sound like?
Listen to our online sound files or
buy a copy of our album.
Booking
How to book?
If you would like to book the band please fill out the booking
form. You can either send this to Mark and he will get back
to you or you can print it off and use it as a guide for what information
is needed. You can then phone Mark at the number above or ask him
to contact you by filling out a call
back form.
How to confirm booking?
Teannaich take a £50 deposit to confirm bookings (cheques
payable to "Teannaich"). Please
send this to Mark at the address above. Please include a covering
letter explaining what the cheque is for. You can fill out and print
a covering
letter (if you have Microsoft Office on your computer or
you can download a viewer for this letter here).
What if I don’t have all the details?
We need to know the date and venue for a booking. Other details
need to be given to us at least 2 weeks before the event.
Do you travel?
Yes Teannaich will travel anywhere to play (we do charge travel
expenses).
Setting up
When do you set up?
We usually set up in the 45 minutes before the start of the ceilidh.
How much space do you need?
We are a five piece band with drums and PA so we need space for
that (roughly 8meters wide and 2meters front to back).
Have a look at the stage plan.
Do you need a stage?
It is preferable to have some staging but we can do without.
What power do you need?
We need two 13amp (normal mains) power points, we bring everything
else we need.
If you want to discuss any of this further, give Mark a call, on
+44(0)131 621 4709, or e-mail
him.
Teannaich's advice on
organising a Ceilidh.
Most people organising a wedding have never had to book a band
before so here is some advice from our experiences.
Do you want a Ceilidh?
Think about if there's going to be enough people who want to dance.
Choosing the band
It might seem an odd bit of advice to be giving but you have to
decide if Teannaich is the right band for you. Remember we are quite
loud and although we do all the traditional dances we are not a
traditional sounding ceilidh band. Listen to our online
sound files or buy a copy of our album.
Choosing the venue
Teannaich have played in many different venues over the years.
From hotels to castles to marquees to ships we've seen pretty much
most sorts of venues. When choosing a venue there are a few points
that are worth considering that will effect how the ceilidh goes.
1. How big is the dance floor?
You may be told how many people the dance floor will take but check
it for yourself. If you have asked for tables and chairs for everyone
at the ceilidh ensure there is space for them off the dance floor.
Also remember the band needs somewhere to play so ensure that this
is taken into account and the area given for the band will not encroach
on the dance floor. We need roughly 2 metres front to back and 8
metres wide, or 5 metres front to back and 6 metres wide.
2. Does the venue have a noise limit?
Quite a few venues do have noise limiters. It means if we play too
loud the power gets cut off to the band. When enquiring about a
venue ask if they have a noise limit. If they do, ask what level
it is. You should get a number in "decibels" (db), normally
somewhere in the 90s. Talk to Mark about the suitability of the
venue for Teannaich if a noise limiter is fitted.
3. Does the venue have a curfew?
Some venues have a strict time when the band must stop playing.
It is possible that this time is earlier than you can book the venue
till. Check, just in case. Make sure the finish time is the time
when guests are to leave not the band. We take about 30 minutes
to pack up at the end of the night.
4. Access to the venue?
We like ground floor venues or venues with lifts. Saves us carrying
all those heavy boxes of equipment up the stairs. It is also a good
idea for you to consider this, depending on who will be coming along
to your ceilidh.
Timing?
Most ceilidhs last for about 4 hours with a 30-45 break. Shorter
ceilidhs are of course an option but we would not advice anything
longer. People get tired and the ceilidh can end up dying off rather
than finishing on a high.
We take about 45 minutes to set up before we can start playing.
If the venue has been set up for something else beforehand, e.g.
a meal, then we quite often have to wait for the room to be cleared
before we can start to set up. If the room has to be emptied of
people before any of this happens, then this can take some time
too.
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