Booking the Band

The Cleethorpes Band is available for hire and could make music at your next event. The Band can offer a wide variety of music to match most occasions.

If you are interested in booking the Band in the first instance contact [email protected]

The approximate cost of hiring the band is £325, however we will always try to meet your budget particularly for charity or community events.  Please ask for a quotation as we have helped many local organisations to raise many thousands of pounds. Sometimes we can use a small number of players, to play carols for instance, for a simple donation.  All fees charged go towards the running cost of the band, all  players give their time freely. It costs a lot of money to run a brass band, a cornet costs £3000 and a bass £10,000, music, uniforms and rehearsal facilities all have to be paid for. All our players pay a monthly subscription towards the running costs.

The band is open to new ideas but here are some ideas of events where the Band have already successfully performed:-

  • Weddings and Receptions
  • Private Events (such as garden parties, birthday and anniversary celebrations)
  • Village Fetes and Carnivals
  • Hotels, Clubs and Pubs
  • Concert Halls and Theatres
  • Churches
  • Festivals, Shows and Historic Events
  • Hotels
  • Parks, Bandstands and Golf Clubs
  • Nursing Homes and Hospitals
  • Schools
  • Shopping Centres and Markets

The full band is made up of around 25 performers, including one or two percussionists.

A suitable playing area is required to accommodate the band. An area about 5m x 4m is fine, though we are prepared to be flexible and rearrange to fit in with differing configurations where size is limited. Requirements can be discussed at the time of booking.

Please provide seating, chairs without arms are best. The Band usually sit in a 'horseshoe formation' (i.e. 3 sides of a square) two rows deep.

Car parking should be provided and we will need vehicle access to nearby the stage area to unload the larger instruments and percussion.

It's nice to have a room where we can change into our uniforms and store instrument cases and coats.

To allow for the setting up of the playing area, at least 30 minutes in advance of the concert is normally required, preferably without the audience in place.

Light refreshments half way through a performance are always very gratefully received.

The band's busiest times are during the summer season and in the run-up to Christmas, you can check our schedule on the engagements page. Please book early and try to give us a few week's notice. Most of our players hold full time jobs so it is often difficult to get a band together during the working day.

To get the most from the band, a performance of one to two hours is normal. Less time than this often makes it less desirable for the band because of all the time and work required to put on a concert. When performing for longer than an hour, it is normal to give the band a break or interval. Two sessions of 40 minutes with a 20 minute interval is typical.

The open-air is a good place for a brass band in the summer, but it needs special attention.

From a practical point of view the ground needs to be level and firm. We often play on grass but it helps if chair legs don't sink into soft ground!

Even on a lovely day some form of protection from the wind and sun is appreciated to prevent music stands blowing over and shade the band. In case of rain there should ideally be an alternative indoor venue or some form of shelter, the band is unable to play outside in the rain due to the vulnerability of drums, uniforms and sheet music.

Please locate the band for the enjoyment of the audience and try to avoid areas of heavy activity, people love to sit and listen so please try and provide a few extra seats for the audience.

The band music library is extensive and constantly being updated and added to. Music is selected by the Musical Director to match the occasion and audience; however we can tailor programmes to suit your 'theme'. The band has performed joint concerts with the Orpheus and other choirs and also with Leo Solomon and other guest soloists. Here are some ideas of the styles of music the Band have successfully performed: -

  • Big Band and Sinatra
  • Celebrations (Weddings, birthdays, anniversaries, Grimsby Town cup winners)
  • Christmas Music and Carols
  • Classical and opera
  • Film music
  • Hymns
  • Last Night of the Proms (very popular)
  • Marches
  • Music from around the world
  • Nautical theme (Cleethorpes lifeboat launch)
  • Popular Music from Abba to Z..? Yes we can even play Bohemian Rhapsody!
  • Selections from Musicals
  • Sing-a-longs
  • St Georges Day
  • The 1940's
  • Traditional brass band music