Hire The Not Quite Big Band | Big band in Manchester

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From£5000

1 hour

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DJ, Sax + Percussion

About The Not Quite Big Band

Dynamic, bold and full of life. Expect big energy, dazzling showmanship, and a night you and your guests will never forget - The NQBB way.

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Big band

Manchester

Public liability insurance of £10 million

The Not Quite Big Band is more than just a band - it’s an experience. This showstopping ensemble turns every performance into a full-throttle, feel-every-note kind of night, where the music feels like it’s being played just for you. Born from uni jam sessions and forged in friendship, their high-energy shows blend swing, jazz, pop, and soul into one big brassy, joyful explosion. Expect reimagined classics from Sinatra to Queen, Bublé to Bruno Mars - fueled by razor-sharp rhythm, velvet-smooth harmonies and the kind of on-stage chemistry you can’t fake. It’s big, it’s bold, and it brings you center stage. Whether selling out 50 shows at a five-star hotel, performing overseas, creating unforgettable memories at weddings, or bringing energy to business awards up and down the country, NQBB delivers versatile, tailor-made entertainment for every client. With a repertoire of over 100 songs, they craft dynamic show perfectly suited to every occasion. All our musicians are top-tier professionals. Many are graduates of the Royal Northern College of Music, with individual highlights including the Pyramid Stage at Glastonbury and tours across Asia. The result? Talent, energy and showmanship you can trust. If you want an event that will be the talking point of your guests for years to come, you need The Not Quite Big Band.

The Not Quite Big Band

5 out of 5

2 verified reviews

Satisfaction

5.0

Professionalism

5.0

Communication

5.0

Punctuality

5.0

The Not Quite Big Band 's Reviews

5 out of 5

Wow wow wow! These guys were absolutely incredible! Words can’t describe! We hired the NQBB for our wedding back in October and we think it was the best wedding decision we made! Will was super through all stages of the process, from enquiries before booking, through to set list selections and sorting out logistics, he was so friendly, with excellent communication and always had time to answer our queries. On the day itself they arrived in plenty of time to set up and you could tell the guests were getting excited for what was to come. It was what we were most looking forward to about the day and it more than exceeded our expectations! What was wonderful was seeing everyone dancing - all the generations. They are such amazing performers and so engaging getting all on the dance floor involved! Our guests are still raving about ‘THE band’ and rightly so! Thank you so much NQBB, you most certainly made the day!

Reply from The Not Quite Big Band

10 months ago

Pip this is such a blessing to read. Thank you so much for taking the time to write this! We are so glad you had a smooth, memorable experience with us and it was our absolute pleasure to perform at your wedding. You made the band feel very welcome, and the whole wedding party really brought the energy to the dance floor. It will live long in our memory, and it is great to hear that it will do for yourself and your husband too. We wish you all the best in the future for you and Henry, and we hope that our paths cross again in the future. Thank you once again, Will

5 out of 5

Holy moly, how can you rate NQBB out of only 5*? Not enough stars available! We saw NQBB perform at 2 weddings before ours which gave us all the more time to get MEGA excited for our own. And even having seen them recently, we were still blown away by how much fun we had with them at our own party! We've had many, many guests comment on the music and dancing at our reception, saying it was amongst the best they've known and by heck, we agree. Super easy, helpful and fun to work with, tailoring the set to our preferences and on the day, extremely flexible and a dream to have there. Honestly can't praise them enough. Book them, it'll be a highlight that everyone remembers.

Had one of the best nights seeing NQBB at the Gotham hotel at Christmas - definitely about to become the next big thing!! Amazing talent and atmosphere that made a night to remember. Can’t wait to see where they go next as I will 100% be getting a ticket!

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The Not Quite Big Band 's Song list

Big band/swing:

Ain't That a Kick in the Head - Dean Martin

Almost Like Being In Love - Nat King Cole

Always on My Mind - Michael Bublé

Bad Bad Leroy Brown - Frank Sinatra

Beyond the Sea - Bobby Darin

Birth of the Blues - Sammy Davis Jr

Can't Buy Me Love - Michael Bublé

Come By Me - Harry Connick Jr

Come Fly with Me - Frank Sinatra

Cry Me a River - Michael Bublé

Everything - Michael Bublé

Feeling Good - Michael Bublé

Fly Me to the Moon - Frank Sinatra

Home - Michael Bublé

I Get A Kick Out Of You - Frank Sinatra

I've Got The World On A String - Frank Sinatra

I've Got You Under My Skin - Frank Sinatra

I've Gotta Be Me - Sammy Davis Jr

It Had Better Be Tonight - Michael Bublé

L-O-V-E - Nat King Cole

Luck Be a Lady - Frank Sinatra

Mack the Knife - Frank Sinatra

Me and Mrs. Jones - Michael Bublé

Minnie the Moocher - Cab Calloway

Moondance - Michael Bublé

More - Bobby Darin

Mr. Bojangles - Sammy Davis Jr

My Kind Of Town - Frank Sinatra

My Way - Frank Sinatra

New York, New York - Frank Sinatra

One for My Baby - Frank Sinatra

Pennies from Heaven - Louis Prima

Save the Last Dance for Me - Michael Bublé

Sway - Michael Bublé

That's Amore - Dean Martin

That's Life - Frank Sinatra

The Best Is Yet To Come - Frank Sinatra

The Lady Is a Tramp - Frank Sinatra

The Way You Look Tonight - Frank Sinatra

Witchcraft - Frank Sinatra

You Brought a New Kind of Love to Me - Frank Sinatra

You Make Me Feel So Young - Frank Sinatra

You're Nobody Till Somebody Loves You - Dean Martin

Modern:

24K Magic - Bruno Mars

After The Love Is Gone - Earth, Wind & Fire

Ain’t Nobody - Chaka Khan

Beggin’ - Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons

Blame It on the Boogie - Michael Jackson

Blinding Lights - The Weekend

Careless Whisper - George Michael

Can’t Help Falling in Love - Elvis

Can’t Take My Eyes Off You - Franki Valli

Crazy Little Thing Called Love - Queen

Crazy In Love - Beyoncé

Dancing Queen - ABBA

Die with a smile - Bruno Mars and Lady Gaga

Don’t Look Back in Anger - Oasis

Don’t Stop Me Now - Queen

Everybody Needs Somebody to Love - Blues Brothers

Great Balls of Fire - Jerry Lee Lewis

Hips Don’t Lie - Shakira

If I can Dream - Elvis Presley

In the stone - Earth Wind and Fire

I Wanna Dance with Somebody - Whitney Houston

I Wanna Be Like You - Big Bad Voodoo Daddy

I Want You Back - Jackson 5

I Will Survive - Gloria Gaynor

It's Not Unusual - Tom Jones

Jailhouse Rock - Elvis Presley

Let Me Entertain You - Robbie Williams

Livin La Vida Loca - Ricky Martin

Livin on a Prayer - Bon Jovi

Love Story - Taylor Swift

Murder on the Dance Floor - Sophie Bextor

Oh What a Night - Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons

Purple Rain - Prince

Shake a Tail Feather - Blues Brothers

Shake It Off - Taylor Swift

Shut Up and Dance - Walk the Moon

September - Earth, Wind & Fire

Superstition - Stevie Wonder

Suspicious Minds - Elvis Presley

Sweet Caroline - Frank Sinatra

Sweet Dreams - Eurythmics

Take on Me - Aha

Treasure - Bruno Mars

Try a little Tenderness - The Commitments

Toxic - Britney Spears

Uptown Funk - Bruno Mars

Valerie - Amy Winehouse

Viva La Vida - Coldplay

Waterloo - ABBA

Watermelon Sugar - Harry Styles

Wonderwall - Oasis

Worth It - RAYE

Young Hearts Run Free - Candi Statton

You’re The First, The Last, My Everything - Barry White

You to Me Are Everything - The Real Thing

The Not Quite Big Band 's Prices

Last updated: 2025

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

Duration	Price
Up to 1 hour	£5000
Up to 2 hours	£5000
Up to 3 hours	£6250

Customer questions

What do your clients love most about your performances?

We are very lucky to always have such wonderful engaging crowds, and our favourite compliment we always get is about the chemistry of the band on stage. Not just between the singers, but between all the horns and everyone else on stage. At heart, we are just a group of mates from Manchester who all have a shared love for performing.

Which venues have you performed at in the past?

We have been fortunate enough to perform at a number of great venues in the last few years. Some of our favourites include: 5 star Hotel Gotham, Kimpton Clocktower, Queen Elizabeth Hall, The Comis Golf and Hotel resort in the Isle Of Man, and many more.

Which artists have you been most influenced by?

I have always been influenced by the showmanship of artists such as Elvis, Freddie Mercury, James Brown and more. These are all examples to me of people who know how to turn a musical performance into a 'show'. This is at the forefront of what we do. Musically, we have taken inspiration from these too, as well as Sinatra, Buble, Bruno Mars and beyond!

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

We are regular performers at the Oldham Business awards which we have done alongside fantastic hosts such as Jonny Vegas and Justin Moorhouse.

Do you have different line-up options?

We can tailor our line up to best suit the event. However, our standard line up is: 2x male vocals, 1x female vocals, drums, keys, bass, 2x trumpets, 3x trombones and 3x saxophones.

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

We are appreciative that timings change and we will always be as flexible as possible. Please let us know any changes and we will accommodate as best as we can.

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

We can provide background music in between sets and we also have a DJ option available to book alongside the full band. Our DJ is flexible with timings to work around the band, so let us know what you are looking for and we will work it out with you.

How much time do you need to set up?

We recommend giving our band an hour to fully set up and test equipment. This gives us enough time to confidently and efficiently set up with some room to deal with any situations that may arise on the day.

Can you roam around while you perform?

Our main band cannot roam, but our singers are known to get into the crowd and get the crowd going from there. We do also offer a 4 piece roaming brass set. This group performs energetic pop covers ensuring the vibe is set just right.

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

We work very closely with you to ensure every set feels personalised and tailored to your needs. We will ask you to take some time to go over the set list and let us know what songs you would like to hear (as well as the songs you don't want to hear!) From there, we will use our experience to craft the perfect soundtrack to your day.

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

Yes, everything is included. All of our equipment is also PAT tested.

Can you learn song requests before the event?

We love taking requests from clients as we find it expands our repertoire and often pushes our limits which we love! Our price includes one request (as well as a first dance request if applicable). After that, each request will cost £70 to have it arranged and rehearsed by the band. There's a lot of instruments to write for!

Musicianship

Genres:

Swing, Jazz, Covers, Film / TV music, Christmas, Blues, Vintage, Motown, Disco, Pop

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Types:

Big band, Rat Pack jazz band, Wedding band, Vintage band, Festival band, Party band, Jazz band, Swing & Jive band, Vintage jazz band, Cover band

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Event types:

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

See all event types