Hire Ska Train | Ska band in Coventry

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From£875

1 hour

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Ska Train at Knights 2023

About Ska Train

Top quality ska covers band hailing from Coventry, the birthplace of 2-Tone. Tune-in, smile, and start to move your feet!

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Ska band

Coventry

Public liability insurance of £5 million

Ska Train delivers an absolute feast of ska and 2-Tone classics! We cover The Specials, Madness, The Selecter, Bad Manners, The Bodysnatchers, The Beat, and many more, along with classic ska originals and some contemporary surprises! Ska Train was formed in early 2023 by drummer and Midlands rudeboy Lee Bayliss, who was quickly joined by the talented Matt Thompson (bass) and seasoned frontman Mike Took (vocals). The band struck gold when they recruited the highly experienced Parkin brothers, Steve and Rich, on guitar and keys, and the line-up was completed in style with the fabulous horns of Bill Gibbon on sax and Nik McKiernan on trombone. Demonstrating their authenticity, Ska Train made their live debut playing a full set at Coventry’s 2-Tone Village, thereby making a bold statement of their desire to celebrate the joy of ska music with live audiences everywhere.

Ska Train

5 out of 5

4 verified reviews

Ska Train's Reviews

5 out of 5

Ska Train were absolutely brilliant, they totally smashed it. All the hits from the ska genre and more. I immediately re-booked them for April and can't wait for their return. Highly recommended!

5 out of 5

A brilliant gig from Ska Train, everyone had a great time and it sounded lush in the room! Tickets for this gig sold out in 24 hours so I'm absolutely delighted to be booking you again for next year, thanks guys.

Read all 4 reviews

Ska Train's Song list

Night boat to Cairo - Madness

Special Brew - Bad Manners

A Message to you Rudy - The Specials

Time is Tight - Time Dimensions

Missing Words - The Selecter

You're Wondering Now - The Specials

007 (A Shanty Town) - Desmond Dekker

Gangsters - The Specials

Geno - Dexys Midnight Runners

Madness - Madness

10/10 - Paulo Nutini

Rat Race - The Specials

Train to Skaville - The Ethiopians

The Prince - Madness

Mirror in the Bathroom - The Beat

54-46 was my Number - Toots and the Maytals

Monkey Man - The Specials

Baggy Trousers - Madness

Too Much Pressure - The Selecter

Do Nothing - The Specials

Let's Do Rocksteady - The Bodysnatchers

One Step Beyond - Madness

Long Shot Kick de Bucket - The Pioneers

Enjoy Yourself - The Specials

LDN - Lily Allen

Lip Up Fatty - Bad Manners

Too Much Too Young - The Specials

Sally Brown - Bad Manners

Back to Black - Amy Winehouse

Israelites - Desmond Dekker

Ghost Town - The Specials

The Harder They Come - Jimmy Cliff

Bankrobber - The Clash

Hands Off She's Mine - The Beat

Tom Hark - The Piranhas

Ska Train's Prices

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

Performance duration	Price
Up to 1 hour	£875
Up to 2 hours	£1050
Up to 3 hours	£1750

Customer questions

What do your clients love most about your performances?

This is joyous music that we are sharing! Who can stand still with this kid of thing? We love to move and sing with our audiences, and they love what we are doing on stage too! Plus, we always have some exciting song choices alongside the ska classics you know and expect.

Which venues have you performed at in the past?

2-Tone Village - in Coventry. Literally the birthplace of 2-Tone music. Temperance - in Leamington Spa. Award-winning live music venue with an incredible intimate atmosphere.

Which artists have you been most influenced by?

As well as the UK ska classics like The Specials and Madness, we showcase our love for Jamaican originals like Desmond Dekker and Toots & the Maytals.

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

Well we have plenty of things in the pipeline, but so far playing at the 2-Tone Village in Coventry has been pretty cool!

Do you have different line-up options?

We can perform as a 6-piece if this was crucial, but that would mean leaving out one of the horns, and who would want that?!

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

Absolutely no problem at all, we are flexible, just keep us in the loop as much as possible!

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

Yes we can provide our own Spotify playlist by arrangement or, if you prefer, you can Bluetooth onto our system and play whatever music you want from your own device.

How much time do you need to set up?

About an hour. And we can usually get out in about half that.

Can you roam around while you perform?

The singer can roam sometimes and maybe the sax, but not the rest of the band, sorry.

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

You can certainly request specific songs ahead of time whether they are on the set list or not, especially if it is a special song for you. Picking the right song choices for the whole event is quite a tricky business though, so we will always put the final set-list together ourselves, based on all sorts of factors.

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

Yes, everything is included, all we need is a playing area, a power source and room full of people ready to enjoy themselves!

Can you learn song requests before the event?

Yes, just let us know what you are looking for and as long as we have enough advance warning this is usually no problem at all.

Musicianship

Genres:

Tribute, 1980s era music

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Types:

Ska band, Cover band, Festival band, Party band

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Event types:

Bar / Club / Venue event, Wedding, Hotel / Restaurant event, Private event, Corporate event, Charity event, Recording session, Birthday party, Christmas party, New Year's Eve

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