Ceilidh band

Màrtainn Skene Cèilidh Band

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About Màrtainn Skene Cèilidh Band

The real sound of a traditional cèilidh band, perfect for dancing at your Scottish wedding, function or community event!
Ceilidh band
Glasgow
Public liability insurance of £10 million

Halò! Ciamar a tha thu? We've just joined Encore (exciting) but we already have loads of professional gigging experience through 10+ years together as a band - all over Scotland, England, Europe and America! We take pride in playing great traditional music for dancing to. We are regular contributors as guest band to BBC Radio Scotland's much-loved Take the Floor programme - showcasing the finest cèilidh bands Scotland has to offer - and have performed at festivals such as Celtic Connections. Glasgow-based, we're a 3 to 6-piece cèilidh band and Scottish dance band that thrives off a full floor of keen dancers. We have a great, traditional sound with a lineup of accordion, keys, drums and optional fiddle, Highland bagpipes and bass. Nothing gives us more of a thrill than the energy of a full dance floor. We can call the steps for all your favourite cèilidh dances so your guests can feel confident about taking part, no matter what level their experience. We know you are there to have fun, so if we're calling the dances, we don't take it too seriously - however we are keen to get people up and having a good time! We have all the sound equipment suited for most function venues, provided as part of the package. All equipment is PAT tested and we are covered by public liability insurance.

Màrtainn Skene Cèilidh Band
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5 out of 5
4 verified reviews

Màrtainn Skene Cèilidh Band's Reviews

From customers:

TD
Taigh D
4 months ago, for a Bar / Club / Venue event in Isle of Lewis HS2 0XG
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5 out of 5

It was such a pleasure to have Martainn and his band with us for a ceilidh in Ness. Their ceilidhs are always lively and tunes impeccable for dancing to. Aside from that, Martainn is excellent to deal with. We cannot wait for the next ceilidh with them!

MR
Matthias R
5 months ago, for a Private event in Munich
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5 out of 5

We were delighted to welcome Màrtainn and his band to the 2025 Scottish Country Dance weekend in Munich. This event has a proud tradition of featuring some of the best Scottish dance bands, and Màrtainn more than lived up to it. He and his four-piece band (accordion, fiddle, piano and drums) played with such energy and style that they exceeded all expectations. Even in the parts of the weekend where Màrtainn played solo, his music had everyone smiling and enjoying themselves. The feedback from our participants was full of praise, and I can't wait to dance to Màrtainn's music again. Matthias Rank Chairperson, Munich Scottish Association

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Màrtainn Skene Cèilidh Band's Song list

Boston Two-Step
Britannia Two-Step
Canadian Barn Dance (standard)
Canadian Barn Dance (progressive)
Circassian Circle
Cumberland Square Eight (The Basket Dance)
Dashing White Sergeant
Eightsome Reel
Eva Three-Step
The Flying Scotsman
Gay Gordons
Highland Schottische
Military Two-Step
Oxo Reel
Pride of Erin Waltz
The Riverside Jig
St Bernard's Waltz
Strip the Willow (four couple set)
Strip the Willow (Orcadian)
Virginia Reel
Our typical set list will be made up from the above cèilidh dances, but if you have any requests then please let us know before your event.
For weddings, is is quite popular to request a St Bernard's Waltz for the first dance as a married couple, as it is a beautiful, slow dance, easy for your guests to join in. However, we can also happily arrange to play any track you like over our sound system if you have something less traditional planned.
For expert dancers, we have the full catalogue of Royal Scottish Country Dance Society dances (available on request).

Màrtainn Skene Cèilidh Band's Prices

Last updated: 2025

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

Standard Prices
DurationPrice
Up to 1 hour£750
Up to 2 hours£937.50
Up to 3 hours£1125
Packages
Cèilidh Dance - Burns/ St Andrews/ Corporate3 musicians2 hours
A three-piece traditional cèilidh band, with accordion, piano and drums, including dance caller, to help your guests have an unforgettable time doing something truly Scottish! We're experienced working with clients who have little cèilidh experience, so it's not a problem for folk to join in and have a great time!
£825
Wedding Cèilidh - Budget Package3 musicians2 hours
A lively, traditional cèilidh band, with caller, for up to 2 hours of unforgettable cèilidh fun! We can include a first dance as part of this package. A couple of popular options include: - a traditional waltz - great for everyone to join in! - a track of your choice which we can download and play via our sound system - great if you have been working on a choreographed routine! Please also let us know if there are any dances you are particular fans of and we can work to include these in our set!
£937.50
Wedding Cèilidh - Silver Package4 musicians2 hours
A four-piece traditional cèilidh band, with caller - can include fiddle or bagpipes for up to 2 hours of cèilidh dancing fun! We can include a first dance as part of this package. A couple of popular options include: - a traditional waltz - great for everyone to join in! - a track of your choice which we can download and play via our sound system - great if you have been working on a choreographed routine! Please also let us know if there are any dances you are particular fans of and we can work to include these in our set!
£1250
Wedding Cèilidh - Gold Package5 musicians2 hours
A luxurious 5-piece lineup for a real traditional cèilidh dance band, giving you the nostalgic hit with double bass and fiddle, including a dance caller, for up to 2 hours of cèilidh dancing fun! We can include a first dance as part of this package. A couple of popular options include: - a traditional waltz - great for everyone to join in! - a track of your choice which we can download and play via our sound system - great if you have been working on a choreographed routine! Please also let us know if there are any dances you are particular fans of and we can work to include these in our set!
£1562.50

Add-ons

DJ set
+£312.50
Customer questions

What do your clients love most about your performances?

A punchy, driving sound, hewn from our Highland musical bedrock! We're known for our take on pipe music and traditional Gaelic music, and take pride in playing great music for dancing to. We're regular contributors to BBC Radio Scotland's much-loved Take the Floor - a showcase of the finest cèilidh bands Scotland has to offer.

Which venues have you performed at in the past?

Kelvinhall, Glasgow Nevis Centre, Fort William The Park Bar, Glasgow The Younger Hall, St Andrews The Salesianum, Munich, Germany The Cutty Sark, Vicenza, Italy Hopetoun House, Queensferry Milngavie Town Hall Bearsden Burgh Hall The Caves, Edinburgh Ness F.C. Social Club, Lewis Kilmuir Hall, Skye Maryhill Burgh Hall The Astley Hall, Arisaig Glasgow Uni Union

Which artists have you been most influenced by?

John Ellis and his Highland Country Band Alasdair MacCuish and the Black Rose Ceilidh Band Fergie MacDonald agus na Muideartaich Bobby MacLeod and his Scottish Dance Band Dennis Morrison and the Glenmore Scottish Dance Band The Cullivoe Band Robert Nairn and his Highland Dance Band

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

Celtic Connections to a sell-out crowd was great fun! However, sometimes the best and most memorable gigs are actually the intimate ones with a room full of enthusiastic dancers.

Can you perform covers?

Within the genre. If you request a singer as part of the lineup, we can include a few traditional songs.

Do you have different line-up options?

Our lineup is accordion, piano and drums. We also have the option of including fiddle, bagpipes and double bass. Please take a look at the packages we offer and drop us a message with any queries.

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

We always try our best to be flexible to help ensure your event runs as smoothly as possible. If timings change slightly in the run up to the event just let us know.

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

Absolutely. This is a really popular request and we actually offer this service for free. If you'd like a DJ service via our PA after the final set until the venue closes, we provide this for an additional £250. Please see our "add-ons" section for more details.

How much time do you need to set up?

We set up within 1 hour. We will be ready and waiting for the room turnaround to begin so no time is wasted.

Do you provide a caller?

Our service includes a caller as part of the band who will call as many of the dances as necessary for everyone in your group to join in the fun!

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

We have a list of dances which we think work well. However if there are any dances which you would particularly like to include then we would definitely be happy to chat it through.

Is all of the equipment (e.g. PA) included in your quote?

Yes
Musicianship
Genres:
Ceilidh, Folk, Scottish music
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Types:
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Event types:
Wedding, Hotel / Restaurant event, Bar / Club / Venue event, Private event, Corporate event, Recording session, Theatre / Show, Cruise, Burns night, Birthday party, Christmas party, New Year's Eve
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