Hire Bev Whelan | Ceilidh Caller in Lancaster

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From£200

1 hour

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Bev Whelan: Ceilidh Dance Caller

Bev Whelan plays Irish jigs on the tin whistle.

About Bev

Ceilidh dance caller (I can arrange a band for you!) and traditional Irish tin whistle and flute player

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Ceilidh Caller

Lancaster

Public liability insurance of £10 million

I call ceilidhs and work with several well established ceilidh bands throughout North West England, so if you book me to call for you I can arrange for a band to work with me at your ceilidh. I am available to work with other bands too if you have already arranged this and just need a caller. Some of the bands I have worked with recently include Beer for Breakfast, The Old School Band, Hole in the Hedge, Mooncoyn, Out on a Limb, Price of My Pig, and The Earthquakers. Please note: I do not call dances to backing tracks. I always work with live bands, so if you book me as a caller, I will either arrange to work with a ceilidh band that I know (and get you a combined quote for caller with ceilidh band), or I can work with a band that you have booked yourself. I am also a traditional Irish musician, playing tin whistle and Irish flute. I am available to play solo, or with my high-energy Irish band '2nd Leg'. I can also play in different combinations of musicians as required if you are looking for some good quality Irish traditional music at your event - I work with lots of different people and can tailor the line-up to meet your needs! I am also available for recording work and radio and TV. Whatever you book me to do, I love to entertain and want everyone to have fun - my ceilidh dances are always called with a lot of humour as I like to make you laugh as you throw some shapes!

Bev

5 out of 5

4 verified reviews

Bev's Reviews

5 out of 5

Hi Bev! Just wanted to say a massive thank you to you and to the band! You were all utterly fantastic and we couldn't have asked for more! Please do pass on my thanks to Beer for Breakfast too! You made the night!

5 out of 5

I would like to thank you for your calling at the ceilidh we held in May. You made such a difference with your clear instructions delivered with such humour, you put all our guests at ease. I'll definitely use you again, and weren't we lucky with the weather.

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This act has been working with Encore for over 8 years

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Bev's Song list

HERE ARE SOME OF THE CEILIDH DANCES I CAN CALL FOR YOU!

Alderley Edge

Allemande

Blaydon Races

Bridge of Athlone

Broken Heart

Canadian Barndance

Celtic Knot

Circassian Circle

Circle Hornpipe

Circle Stamp

Cornish Six Hand Reel

Cumberland Square Eight

Dashing White Sergeant

Drops of Brandy

Flying Scotsman

Foula

Four around Four

Galopede

Galway Races

Gay Gordons

Harvest Time Jig

Haymakers Jig

High Gates Hornpipe

Holmfirth Square Dance

Hooligan's Jig

Horse's Bransle

Kesh Jig

Lucky 7

Military Two-Step

Muffin Man

Ninepins

Old English Barndance

Opening circle dance

Orcadian Strip the Willow

Oxo Reel

Patacake Polka

Pride of Erin

Rince Mor

Schottishe

Shoe the Donkey

Siege of Ennis

Silly Polka

Silly Square

St Bernard's Waltz

Stack of Barley

Strip the Willow

Swedish Masquerade

Three Hand Hornpipe

Two Hand Reel

Virginia Reel

Walls of Limerick

Waves of Tory

Willow Tree

Winster Gallop

HERE ARE SOME OF THE TRADITIONAL TUNES I CAN PLAY FOR YOU ON TIN WHISTLE AND FLUTE! This is a very tiny sample of what I know.

AIRS:

Lament for Limerick

Women of Ireland

Sliabh Geal gCua

Lark in the Clear Air

Port na BPucai

Boulavogue

Danny Boy

For Ireland I'll Not Tell Her Name

Inisheer

Sally Gardens

REELS:

The Copperplates

Trim the Velvet/Maid of Mount Cisco

Boys of the Lough/The Birmingham

Dunmore Lasses/Congress

Jackie Coleman's/Cooley's

Sailor on the Island/Lady on the Rock

JIGS:

Kesh Jig/Morrison's

Fairhaired Boy/Scatter the Mud

Monaghan Jig

Strayaway Child

MARCHES:

Napoleon Crossing the Rhine/Battle of Aughrim

O'Neill's March

SLIP JIGS:

Cock and the Hen/Farewell to Whalley Range

Fig for a Kiss/Elizabeth Kelly's Delight

The Butterfly

Kid on the Mountain

WALTZES:

Leaving Uist

South Wind

Dark Island

O'CAROLAN:

Si Beag Si Mor

Planxty Irwin

Carolan's Concerto

Bev's Prices

Note: prices may vary based on travel distance. For an exact quote, click “Check availability”.

Performance duration	Price
Short performance (up to 15 min)	£200
Up to 1 hour	£200
Up to 2 hours	£300
Up to 3 hours	£400

Solo performance

This quote is an estimate for a solo performance of Irish traditional music played on tin whistle/Irish flute. The quote will vary depending on the details of/distance to your event Typical events would be weddings and funerals, where I can provide traditional Irish music at the ceremony or afterwards at the reception/wake.

£200

Ceilidh calling

Ceilidh dance calling only. This quote applies if you have already booked a ceilidh band and just need a caller, or if you are a ceilidh band looking for a caller. The exact quote will vary depending on the detail of your event/distance travelled.

£200

Ceilidh with band

This is a combined price for a ceilidh with caller and band. This quote applies if you need me to call AND provide the band for your ceilidh. A typical ceilidh will consist of two 60 minute dance slots. The exact quote will vary depending on which ceilidh band I can book and the distance travelled.

£1500

Customer questions

What do your clients love most about your performances?

They often tell me that it's nice to have a caller who doesn't treat ceilidh dancing in a deathly serious way, and encourages people to have fun and a bit of a laugh!

Which venues have you performed at in the past?

In the past few years I have called with bands at ceilidhs throughout North West England and the Midlands. These have been at wedding venues, hotels, clubs, pubs and even gardens!

Which artists have you been most influenced by?

As a musician I have very many musical influences, including Mary Bergin on whistle, and Roger Sherlock on Irish flute. As a caller, I have learned dances from many fantastic fellow callers, but my main influences are comedians with funny banter, like Victoria Wood and French and Saunders!

What is the most high profile gig you've performed?

As an Irish traditional musician, I have played at some amazing places overseas, including an ampitheatre in the South of France in front of 6000 people, and on live television in the UAE.

What if my timings change after I've booked you?

I try to be flexible, so if this happens just let me know as soon as possible so I can work with you to fit around your new arrangements.

Can you provide an iPod/DJ service before and between your sets?

This will depend on the ceilidh band that I am working with. Some bands can play music through their PA during the interval, but if you want a DJ set after the ceilidh has finished only some bands can do this and it would probably involve extra cost to them.

How much time do you need to set up?

Most ceilidh bands need a minimum of one hour before the start to set up the PA and get ready to play. It's always helpful if you can reserve a couple of parking spots for the band close to the venue, to make setting up the equipment go seamlessly.

Can I pick the pieces you play from the set list?

I have a long list of ceilidh dances I can call for you, including Irish, Scottish and English dances. I am happy for you to make special requests from my list. If there is a specific dance you would like me to do which is not on the list, let me know in advance and I'll learn it (if I don't know it already)!

Do you bring all the equipment you need to perform?

All of the bands I work with have their own PA systems that are PAT tested. If the band is one you have booked (rather than one I have arranged), they will need their own PA and provide an input for me to use. I will bring my own microphone and stand. Please note I only work with live ceilidh bands - I will not be able to call dances to pre-recorded tracks.

Can you learn specific pieces before the event?

Yes! if you would like a particular ceilidh dance, I will be happy to call it for you, whether it is on my set list or not. If you have a special dance request please give me plenty of notice in case it's one I need to learn or brush up on.

Musicianship

Genres:

Ceillidh, Traditional Irish folk, Folk, Traditional Scottish folk, Scottish music, Ceilidh, Traditional English folk

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Instruments:

Ceilidh Caller, Tin Whistle, Irish Flute

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Event types:

Private event, Wedding, Wedding proposal, Funeral / Memorial service, Church service, Hotel / Restaurant event, Bar / Club / Venue event, Corporate event, Charity event, Concert, Recording session, Theatre / Show, Cruise, Burns night, Birthday party, Christmas party, New Year's Eve, Virtual event

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Other skills:

Instrumental teaching, Community music worker

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