WELCOME TO
BRACKEN RIGG BARN DANCE BAND

Question. What is Bracken Rigg?

Answer. A Roman fort at the Western end of Hadrian's Wall?

WRONG, It is South Yorkshire's most popular traditional accordion
band, playing for Barn Dances and Ceilidhs for over 40 years.

Brackenrigg is the Roman Fort, but we are nearly as ancient.

• The Barn Dance Band

• SOUND CLIP (.wav 1.3Meg 1 minute) of 'The Muckin' o' Geordie's Byre
• for a 'Strip the Willow' at a live gig featuring caller, accordion, string bass and snare drum
• Youtube Video of Scottish ceilidh in Doncaster Wool Market in August 2019
• for a 'Strip the Willow' at a live gig featuring caller, accordion, string bass and snare drum
• Gig List - Where To See The Bracken Rigg Barn Dance Band

• Band Photo Page

• Sample Dance List from Burns' Night

• We Offer
• Costs
• For Information
• How To Organise A Barn Dance without booking a disco
• What The Critics Said
• Folk Music Links
• Concertina Page
• View/Sign the Bracken Rigg Guest Book
• Village Dance - A Monthly Lincolnshire/Nottinghamshire DIY Barn Dances
• Contact SHELAGH WING for PAPER SCULPTURE WORKSHOPS
  - Make Angels, Choirboys, Period Figures in a half/full day workshop

THE BARN DANCE BAND

Based:	South Yorkshire
Playing:	Sheffield, Leeds, Lincs, Notts
Dance Style:	Scottish/ Irish/ English Barn Dance / Ceilidh (Specialising in Northumbrian tunes),
	Old Tyme & Modern, Singsong
Choice of Lineup:	Piano Accordion, Fiddle (optional), String or Electric Bass (optional), Mandola (optional)
	Snare drum or Bodhoran, Second Accordion (optional), Concertina (optional)
Callers:	Choice of witty callers, some of whom are instrumentalists
Public Liability Insurance 2022-23 - click to enlarge

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WE OFFER

Our aim is to offer ...

• Top class traditional music and dance.
• A versatile package to suit your event.
• Very competitive pricing (pay for how many musicians you require).
• All in all, a very professional customer sevice.

Our entertainment ...

• A unique and exciting blend of instrumental music performed by a group of highly experienced musicians.

No matter what the occasion ~ Barn Dances ~ Ceilidh Dances ~ Weddings ~ Scottish Country Dances ~
Club or corporate functions ~ Birthdays ~ Anniversaries Bracken Rigg Barn Dance Band will make your event special

Extensive experience of organising weddings, ceilidhs, parties, Burns' night/ St Andrew's night/ Hogmanay
and St. Patrick's night events

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COSTS

• We charge per musician and on distance so costs range between
  • minimum around £100 per musician for an average local (central Doncaster) 3 hour gig including breaks.
  • to nearer £140 per musician for gigs further away.
• We do try to keep within a 60 mile radius of Doncaster, unless it is a gig which particularly suits our speciality.
• If you do want a Scottish band we may travel - if you don't want a Scottish band and there are nearer bands, we may decide it is too far..
• If a gig is too far away, we will always try to fit you up with a nearer band with our recomendation.
• All things are negotiable, but if you think we are expensive, try some other bands (charging £200 more than us), then come back..
• If you still think we are expensive, get in touch and tell us what you want.
• If you want an amateur band on the cheap, fair enough -you get what you pay for. They will probably have more musicians as none of them are soloists in their own right, they will not be as organised (to us, it is second nature), they will probably play the same tune many times as their repertoire will be smaller, they will not be as slick starting and finishing together and may be unrehearsed.
• If you want a band who can offer advise, turn up and help organise so things just happen, thats what we do.
• Why do you think some people have been booking us back for 25 years plus?
• We encourage people to perform live at gigs and are quite happy to share the stage with other musicians. We do need to know beforehand though, so we can discuss the practicalities and advise how it will work well. We do not expect to arrive and find a stage full of unexpected rock band equipment.
• DISCOS. If you want to hire a disco, please discuss with us first - mainly for dancing space as the disco takes up more room than the band. Our only rule is that the band play BEFORE the disco, an hour of disco then an hour of band never works.
• Many people take the cheap option and put their own music on for the last session.
• If you require our pa for speeches etc or to play your own tunelist through, please discuss with us. We may be able to oblige.
• Please read our very comprehensive ticklist (see above) for our reasons, and if you really feel the need for loud music, we will be happy to discuss.

CANCELLATIONS

• We normally charge a non-returnable deposit so only accept bookings confirmed in writing.
• Despite a comprehensive ticklist (see above) on how to organise a barn dance, we still encounter people wanting to cancel at short notice (generally because the ticklist suggestions have not all been exhausted) and although we would much rather play than get a cancellation fee, we have to charge a cancellation fee as we will have turned down other work.
• In the event of written cancellation, we try to get another gig otherwise we would charge 50% of the fee if cancelled at two weeks notice and the full fee if cancelled at one weeks notice.

FOR INFORMATION

For information call 01302 784561 (speak to Herbert 2 the Band Cat - 24 hrs.)
If leaving a band enquiry with Herbert's answering service, could you leave the date and place then I can reply with a free/not free call straight away
or mobile 07713 155416

or email:brackenrigg@gmail.com if you wish to contact Bracken Rigg Barn Dance Band

Page Last Updated: 25th February, 2024

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SIGN / VIEW THE BRACKEN RIGG BAND GUESTBOOK