Function Bands For Hire Northern Ireland | Hire A Band In Northern Ireland

109 of the best live function bands for hire in Northern Ireland.

These are the perfect Acoustic Bands for weddings, corporate events & parties in the Northern Irish area, locally sourced by our entertainment experts. Find the best Northern Irish Acoustic Bands only at Alive Network, the UK's biggest entertainment agency.

Booking Guide

Everything you need to know to hire Acoustic Bands for your event

Acoustic bands and soloists play chilled-out music in an unplugged style. They can also perform lively high-tempo music, ideal for dancing. Usually consisting of vocals and acoustic guitar, they will often feature other acoustic instruments, such as saxophone, banjo, bass, digital piano and Cajon.

Acoustic artists can play a wide range of musical styles, from vintage music of the ‘20s and ‘30s to the 1950’s musical explosion, and right up to current pop and rock music. Acoustic bands create a uniquely informal ambiance, perfectly suited to a range of relaxed or low-key occasions, from intimate wedding ceremonies to laid back drinks receptions or private afternoon parties.

An acoustic band can cover a wide range of musical genres in an unplugged style – from indie, rock, and pop, to Motown, soul and jazz music, old and new. Playing acoustic versions of tunes that most of your guests will recognise, a typical repertoire might include the musical stylings of:

Amy Winehouse
Bill Withers
Bob Marley
Bruno Mars
David Bowie
Diana Ross
Doris Day
Drake
Ed Sheeran
Elvis
Ennio Morricone
Fleetwood Mac
Frank Sinatra
Gnarls Barkley
Green Day
Guns n’ Roses
Jessie J
Johnny Cash
Kylie Minogue
Lady Gaga
Nina Simone
Oasis
Pharrell
Pixies
Prince
Rihanna
Stevie Wonder
Whitney Houston
The Zutons

You can view the unique set list of each acoustic band on their profile page.

1. Acoustic Duos

Typically made up of vocals and an instrument, but sometimes simply instrumental, such as guitar or ukulele, our acoustic duos can provide stunning harmonies and warm acoustic music, for a soulful and laid-back ambiance. Covering a wide range of genres, and acoustic versions of songs by artists such as Jackie Wilson, Elvis, Stevie Wonder, and Jason Mraz.

2. Acoustic Trios, Quartets and Bands

All of our acoustic trios, quartets and bands feature a range of unplugged instruments, most frequently acoustic guitar, double bass and Cajon percussion box. Many also feature vocals and wind, brass and other string instruments, with some improvising to perfection with washboard and spoons! Bands either perform music in one genre, such as jazz, swing or Latin style, while many cover a range of styles within their repertoires, from The Rolling Stones to Bruno Mars.

Acoustic bands and soloists perform across the UK, most often in:

Often the headline afternoon entertainment, acoustic music is flexible, cool, soulful and can be great fun! It’s ideal for occasions like:

Wedding ceremonies
Corporate events
Private parties
Bar Mitzvas and Bat Mitzvas
Charity fundraiser events
Black Tie events
Gala Balls
Festivals
Fêtes and street parties
Pubs / clubs / venues
HM Armed Forces Events
University events

If your event calls for a really relaxed and intimate vibe, then a live acoustic band is perfect. Able to cover a wide remit of music, their stripped-back, acoustic arrangements can help to create the ideal mood for your special occasion, be it a birthday party, an anniversary, an informal wedding ceremony, or a chilled out daytime corporate event. Instrumental acoustic music can create a fantastic background atmosphere, if you prefer your event entertainment to be low key.

Due to its beautifully warm and informal nature, acoustic music is perfect for laid-back wedding ceremonies and receptions, especially where space is an issue or you just want something a bit different for your special day. Your acoustic band can play as your guests arrive, during the wedding ceremony and the signing of the registers, and they can entertain into the afternoon’s celebrations.

You can choose to have an unplugged band that covers all musical styles, from the old classics to contemporary music. Alternatively, you can opt for an acoustic band that performs a specific style of music to accent your party theme, such as roaring twenties Gatsby style, swing, lively Mariachi music, Spanish, Balkan music, skiffle rock and roll, or a range of music played in a Mumford and Sons style! Whatever you choose, all of our acoustic bands can create a unique intimate vibe for your special party.

Some bands perform an interactive set, roaming between you and your guests, injecting interactive fun, and drawing the crowd in.

Several of our acoustic bands also offer the option for spontaneous song requests on the day, so they can be flexible and reactive to your guests wishes, offering the ultimate in musical personalisation!

Space considerations at your event

As with all our artists, the performance space they need will be dependent on their line-up and the type of instruments they perform with – a double-bass taking up much more space than an acoustic guitar or a washboard! Much of this is down to your personal preference and what will sound great, but our artists usually have a minimum number of members and instruments that you can add to if you want a broader performance.

If space is limited at your party venue, you may wish to select a vocal and guitar duo, who can happily perform seated on a couple of armless chairs, taking up only around 2 x 1 metres. However, if you’re entertaining in a large venue and would like a performance to match, you could choose a fun 5-piece acoustic band with a variety of instruments. For approximate requirements, see ‘How much space will an acoustic band need?’, below.

Volume - How loud is an acoustic band?

The size of your band, their line-up and the venue’s acoustics will influence the volume of the acoustic band on the day of the event. Also, your choice as to whether you’d like your band to act as chilled background music or a lively feature to your event will determine how loud they play! Our artists will always attempt to perform in a volume according to your event needs. Ambient background music can range from 65 – 85 decibels (dB), but if you’re after something a little more energetic your band can pump this up to create a fun and dynamic atmosphere, a maximum of around 95 dB.

The volume of the band is always balanced against the level of the drum kit. If your venue has a sound limiter or strict volume limitations, most acoustic bands can cater for this. Many bands can reduce the volume of their drum kit by using hot rods or brushes, which can significantly reduce the overall volume of the band.

Acoustic bands and acoustic solo artists offer many different booking options for your event requirements. This table outlines the rough costs for acoustic soloists and bands:

Type of Artist	Cost Range
Acoustic Duos	£450 - £630
Acoustic 3- and 4-piece bands	£600 - £1,630
Larger acoustic bands	£1,220 - £1,870

One way to reduce costs is to select an artist who lives near your venue, since their travel time and cost will be minimal. You can find the location of all Alive Network acoustic artists on their profile pages, and your Entertainment Coordinator can recommend a range of amazing musicians near your venue.

Our list of UK-based acoustic bands features artists deemed the best in their field, based on popularity, innovation, and performance quality:

Our acoustic bands and soloists will perform two 40- or 60-minute sets as standard, with many offering three shorter 40-minute sets, or the option to perform for longer if required.

Acoustic artists can also vary their performance times to fit with your event schedule. They can offer intimate daytime wedding ceremony music or relaxed background music during an afternoon drinks reception, or for a wedding breakfast, for example.

This table gives an idea of roughly how much performance space needed by different formats of acoustic artists:

Type of Acoustic Artist	Performance Space Required
Duos	3 x 2 metres
Trios	3 x 3 metres
4-piece band	4 x 3 metres
5 and 6-piece band	5 x 3 metres

Smaller options are available. These approximate performance area measurements will vary, depending on the number of musicians and the type of instruments in the band you choose. Your Entertainment Coordinator can explore options and space requirements with you.

If they can park relatively close to your venue’s performance area, it can take around 60 – 90 minutes for an acoustic band to unload, set up and sound checked. Solo acoustic artists usually need less time, taking around 30 minutes to set-up.

Following their performance, it can take anything between 15 and 60 minutes to pack away and load out.

Acoustic bands usually need the following for their ‘unplugged’ sets:

parking provision, with easy venue access
sturdy, armless chairs
good lighting – particularly if they’re performing in a marquee
a dedicated, suitably-sized, safe, dry, flat performance area
if they’ve agreed to perform outside, your musicians will need suitable shelter from the elements
refreshments – soft drinks and hot food, depending how long you’ve booked them for
a secure, lockable changing room

Aside from finding some of the best Acoustic Bands in the UK and getting expert advice from our friendly staff, one of the main reasons to hire a Acoustic Band from Alive Network Entertainment Agency is security. We ensure your booking is covered 24/7 against any eventuality, so that no matter what, you can enjoy your event without worrying about whether your entertainment will turn up. If your Acoustic Band is ill or unable to perform, our team will be on hand to source a suitable replacement even out of office hours and at short notice. Imagine having to do that yourself!?

Outstanding five-star customer service
Emergency cover 24/7, 365 days a year
Hand-picked Acoustic Bands for the ultimate in quality and reliability
Safe, secure booking contracts for your peace of mind
Easy enquiry and booking process
Hundreds of Acoustic Bands, Singers & Duos to choose from
Trusted brand with over 110,000 previous clients & high-profile industry partnerships
Instant online Acoustic Band 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 110,000 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 the following, see our Frequently Asked Questions:

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

Alternatively, our dedicated expert entertainment coordinators are on-hand to help. Simply call 0845 108 5500 or email enquiries@alivenetwork.com.

1,722 Northern Irish Acoustic Band Reviews

5 stars - Three Of A Kind are Highly Recommended

“We just want to say a massive thank you for playing our wedding on 31st July at The Old Vicarage. For anyone thinking of booking these guys, do it!! They are punctual and professional, they sound phenomenal, the recordings online don't really do them justice (and they are great too!). They were supe...”

Shaz A booked Three Of A Kind for their event

Vocal and Ukulele Workshop Acoustic Band Review Corporate Event Somerset

5 stars - Vocal and Ukulele Workshop are Highly Recommended

“Staff thoroughly enjoyed the vocal and ukulele workshops. The performers were brilliant, pitched well and feedback from staff has been thoroughly positive.”

Edward B booked Vocal and Ukulele Workshop for their event in Northern Ireland

The Futuristic Gramophones Acoustic Band Review Charity Event Hampshire

5 stars - The Futuristic Gramophones are Highly Recommended

“The music was just right" "Wow" "Great choice of music" "What a great atmosphere, would love to come again" these are just some of the comments we had about the band, who communicated well prior to the event, arrived in good time and were flexible during the event. They were a pleasure to work with...”

James D booked The Futuristic Gramophones for their event in Northern Ireland

The Male Patterns Acoustic Band Review Wedding Worcestershire

5 stars - The Male Patterns are Highly Recommended

“From the moment we booked Alex & Jon they were extremely professional & friendly. Nothing was too much trouble for them with our queries being answered very quickly each time I contacted them. On our wedding day we had loads of comments from our guests saying how good they were. I would 100...”

Kellie booked The Male Patterns for their Wedding

Amazing Venues

Just a few of the amazing venues we've worked with in Northern Ireland

Ballygally Castle Hotel BT40 2QZ
BELFAST CASTLE BT15 5GR
Castle Ward
Dunadry Hotel And Gardens BT41 2HA
Ulster Museum BT9 5AB
The Doyen BT9 7GY

Queen's University Belfast - School of Law BT7 1PA
Queen's University Belfast BT1 6BZ
Maddens Bar & Restaurant BT41 4AY
Hilton Belfast BT1 3LP
Dundarave Estate BT57 8ST
City Hotel Derry BT48 7AS

Castle Coole BT74 6JY
Cabaret Supper Club BT1 4GH
Beechlawn Hotel Dunmurry BT17 9RR
Balmoral View Care Home BT10 0NB
AMPM Restaurant BT1 4GH

183,871 Events Made Awesome So Far

Why book with us?

26 years providing you with the very best Acoustic Bands in Northern Ireland

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.

The Northern Irish's Leading Live Acoustic Band Agency

Looking for Acoustic Bands in Northern Ireland? Alive Network will help you hire the best local Northern Irish Acoustic Band, with acts available in Antrim, Armagh, Belfast, Down, Fermanagh, Londonderry, Tyrone.

Photos by: Carrie Lavers Photography, Andrew Billington Photography

Registered offices: Ground Floor Suite, Silk Mill Studios, Princess Street, Newcastle-under-Lyme, Staffordshire, ST5 1DD, United Kingdom

Some artists may appear with the kind co-operation and consent of their respective management companies.

This service is intended for personal use only and no part of the service may be displayed in public, broadcast or used for any business purpose without the consent of Alive Network. Whilst every effort is made to ensure the accuracy of our services and web content, we accept no responsibility for any use made of the information provided and we shall not be liable for any loss suffered thereby.

Acoustic Bands for hire Northern Ireland

109 of the best live function bands for hire in Northern Ireland