FAQs

Firstly, choose a type of act or musical genre from the "browse acts" menu at the top of this page.

Next, use the search filters to restrict your search by event date, (to see only available acts) and budget. We also recommend filtering down to the event location/region – this will save you money on travel and accommodation costs.

Click through to an act's profile to view pictures, watch videos, listen to audio demos and read feedback from previous customers. Add acts you like to your enquiry list, then submit your enquiry and we’ll be in touch to confirm availability and prices as soon as possible. If you’d prefer to chat, give us a call on: 0333 242 0560.

When you’ve chosen an act, call or email us and we’ll draw up a secure booking contract between you and the act immediately.

You’ll need to pay a deposit by credit/debit card either online or over the phone, or by bank transfer to Function Central, within seven days. The balance is usually payable by bank transfer, at least 14 days in advance of your event.

Quality & professionalism: All our bands, musicians & DJs are either hand-picked from hundreds of applicants or recommended to us personally.

Each act is carefully vetted before being accepted onto our books and we continually monitor client feedback to ensure the highest standards are being met. Our acts perform for over 3000 private weddings, parties & other events for us every year.

Peace of mind: When you book through us, we'll draw up a secure, legally-binding contract between you and the act.

In the very unlikely event that an act is forced to cancel or is prevented from reaching your venue, our live music guarantee means we’ll find you a similar replacement act of equal quality, within hours.

Our emergency helpline is open 24/7, so you can get in touch at any time.

Read more reasons to book with us.

As most of our acts only play at private weddings and functions, which are closed to the general public, it isn’t usually possible to see them live before you book.

It may be possible to see them at a pub or club gig or a live band showcase but these are rare: our acts are full-time, professional musicians in high-demand throughout the year and there is little incentive for them to fill their diaries with less well-paid pub or club gigs.

Don't worry – we've done the hard part for you! We’ve spent years collecting the highest quality bands, musicians & DJs in the UK and continually monitor them to ensure they keep up their standards, so you can rely on us to provide you with an act you’ll love.

If you still need reassurance, many of our acts have live audio demos and video footage available, and you can also read feedback from previous customers.

Many of our acts work exclusively for us and do not market themselves elsewhere online or have their own websites.

We appreciate you'll want to find out as much as possible about an act before booking, so we're constantly updating our act pages with their latest mp3s, photos, videos and customer feedback.

If there’s anything else you’d like to ask about an act, give us a call on 0333 242 0560 or use the live chat feature in the bottom right hand side of this screen (available during office hours only).

The "from" prices displayed on the website are the lowest prices available for a weekend performance. Factors such as travel costs, accommodation, time of year, parking and congestion charges can all affect the final quote.

Once we receive your enquiry, we'll send you a final price for the act and this will include all extra costs such as travel and VAT, unless stated otherwise.

You can pay your deposit by credit/debit card online or over the phone, or by bank transfer.

The balance is usually payable by bank transfer, at least 14 days in advance of the event, either to Function Central or the act –check your booking contract for more details.

Most rock, pop, jazz or soul cover bands will play for up to two hours, and this is usually divided into either two 60-minute or three 40-minute sets. In our experience, this is usually enough time for evening receptions finishing at midnight. However, if you’d prefer a longer performance, some bands can perform for another half hour or hour, for an extra charge.

Tribute bands usually have shorter performances: either one 60-minute set or two 45-minute sets.

Classical acts can usually be booked for one hour (eg. a wedding ceremony), two hours (eg. a ceremony & drinks reception) or three hours (eg. a ceremony, reception and wedding breakfast).

It’s usually best if the band doesn’t play earlier than 8/8.30pm. If they play earlier than this, it might still be light outside. Live music has more impact after dark, and your guests might not be ready to dance before this!

Most bands will take one or two interval(s) lasting 10-30 minutes and will provide recorded music or their own DJ so that you don't have silence (see interval music & DJs for more info).

In our experience, intervals lasting longer than half an hour can interrupt the general ‘flow’ of the night, and some acts may not have enough recorded music to cover longer intervals.

Let us know if you’d like a longer interval, so we can arrange this with the act in advance.

If you're booking background music for a drinks reception, dinner or similar afternoon event, the act will set their levels such that your guests can easily talk over the music.

If you're booking a live band for dancing, your guests might still be able to hold a conversation, but probably not without straining. Bands are always be happy to turn down if you'd like them to, though a rock/pop band that is too quiet can lose its impact. If your venue has a sound limiter installed, read the relevant FAQ under act and venue requirements below.

None of our bands are likely to reach uncomfortable volumes, but if you've got any concerns about children or elderly guests, consider hiring a band that doesn't play modern rock music. A swing, jive, or rock'n'roll band can be great for dancing, without drowning out everything else!

This depends on the act’s style – have a look at their promotional photos to get an idea of what they look like. Acts usually stick to smart, dark clothing for private functions, but if you have a specific dress code (such as black tie) that you would like the act to follow, let us know and we’ll arrange this.

If you’re having a buffet, make sure this doesn’t coincide with the act’s performance. If this is unavoidable, this should be provided in the same room as the act’s performance, to avoid splitting up the party and potentially resulting in an empty dancefloor. For the same reason, we strongly recommend that drinks are served in the same room as the band.

For the best results, the band should perform in the central venue space, bar or dining area, and not in a side-room or thoroughfare.

If booking an evening party band, we recommend starting their first set no earlier than 8.30pm if possible, especially in summer – live music has more impact after dark (and when guests have had a couple of drinks), so it’s easier to fill the dancefloor!

Lastly, ensure that there is adequate space for your guests to dance and that furniture and rugs are cleared from the area.

There are three ways of filling the time between bands sets: interval music from an mp3 player, a basic DJ service from the band and a professional DJ.

1) Recorded interval music via a device
When they’re not playing, all our bands can use a device to play recorded music through their PA system for no extra charge. The music they play will be upbeat music in a similar style to their own, so your guests can keep dancing.

The band can't take requests, but if you’d like to hear certain songs during the interval(s), you can give the act a device with a pre-prepared playlist at the start of the night to use during the intervals.

Bear in mind that, that songs won't be "mixed" or “beatmatched”.

2) DJ service provided by the band

Some bands offer their own DJ service. A band member is in charge of music from a laptop or device, mixing or crossfading songs similar to a DJ.

They will use a microphone for basic announcements and can take a limited number of requests for well-known songs. This is a great value alternative to a DJ, saving you space as well as money.

To find out if a band offers this service, see "booking options" on the band's profile page.

3) A professional DJ
For the most flexibility, as well as more lighting and effects such as smoke and haze machines, book a professional DJ.

They can tailor their song selection to your guests’ moods and create smooth and skilled changes between songs, as well as choose from a much bigger selection of songs than a band. You can submit your own playlist to them in advance to make sure they play all your favourite songs.

Classical acts, dixieland jazz bands and some acoustic steel pan acts do not carry sound equipment with them, so they can’t provide recorded music during intervals.

Most live acts prefer to compile their own set lists for the event, made up of songs that are well-rehearsed and work well together.

You are welcome to browse the act's song list on their profile page on our website and send us your favourites, and the act will do their best to include these in their performance.

However, bear in mind that they might not be able to play all your requests, even if they’re listed in their song list, because they will need to consider dynamics, pacing and transitions between songs on the day.

They may even need to make changes to the set during the performance itself, to adapt to the audience’s reaction.

Most acts would aim to perform between 20 and 30 songs in a two-hour performance.

First, check the act's profile page on our website, to see if your song is already included in their song list.

If not, some acts will be happy to learn and perform one new song free of charge, though others may charge a fee for the additional rehearsal time required – let us know your request as soon as possible, and we'll check this with the act.

If the act cannot perform your first dance request for any reason (for example, heavily produced pop songs featuring largely electronic instruments will be difficult for a live band to replicate), we recommend providing them with a device containing the recorded version of the song, so that they can play this through their sound system at the right moment.

Due to the time and expense involved, acts will usually not be able to provide a recording of your first dance request for you to listen to/audition beforehand, unless they already have a recording of the song. However, it’s possible the lead singer could make a rudimentary voice memo recording, to give you a rough idea of how it would sound.

No – all our bands, musicians and DJs provide all the equipment they need. Most bands' sound systems are suitable for up to 200 guests, and many bands provide stage lighting too. If you're expecting more than 200 guests, let us know so that we can check that the act’s PA is big enough.

As a guide, a 4-piece band will need a stage space measuring approximately 4 metres wide and 3 metres deep. For larger line-ups, as a guide, allow an extra metre of width per additional act member.

A raised stage can help an act make a bigger impact, but as long as you can provide a level performance area that meets their minimum space requirement, this is enough.

Most acts won’t need more than 5 kilowatts (5000 watts), and usually use a lot less than this. Most acts need at least two independent, domestic-style 13-amp plug sockets, and one socket is usually enough for soloists, duos and trios.

Ideally, the sockets should be either side of the performance area, but most acts will carry extension cables.

Look under "performance info" on the act's profile page to see what lighting the act provides, if any. Most bands booked for evening performances will provide lighting for the stage area, and some will bring enough to light the dancefloor as well.

If your event is in a very large room, or lighting is important to you, you might want to consider hiring extra lighting from another supplier. We usually find that, as long as the band and stage area is well-lit, extra dancefloor lighting doesn’t add much to the event – it's music that creates the atmosphere and makes your event memorable!

Yes - most of our acts will be happy to lend you a microphone for your speeches or announcements.

Please check with us if your venue has any noise restrictions in place, or sound limiters installed.

Sound limiters (or sound meters) are designed to restrict the amount of noise a band can create during their performance and many bands will be unable to perform if the venue sound limiter is set to approximately 95 decibels (dB) or lower.

If your venue uses a sound limiter, please let us know the limit in decibels, before signing your contract, so we can check that the act is still happy to perform.

Ideally, limiters would be switched off during the performance, regardless of their threshold, to avoid any risk of the limiter cutting off power to the act during their set.

If your venue has a sound limiter installed, browse our range of sound-limiter friendly bands. These bands will be able to keep sound levels within your venue's limit, in most cases by using an electric drum kit.

You may also like to consider an acoustic band or acoustic duo.

All our acts have, or can obtain, PLI (Public Liability Insurance) and PAT (Portable Appliance Testing) certificates, but please make sure you ask for these at least three months before the event in case the act’s certificates need to be renewed.

Most bands booked for evening events will have a rider, which will be listed on your booking form. This will usually consist of food and drink and changing rooms, and is a standard requirement in the entertainment industry.

1) Food and drink
Bands booked for evening events are often away from home more than 14 hours, and up to seven of these might be spent at your venue. This is a long time, so we ask you to provide a hot meal for each band member, either immediately after the band have set up their equipment or during their interval.

You don’t need to give the act the same meal as your guests, but they'll need something more substantial than sandwiches and crisps. If you’re having a buffet, you could offer this to the act as well as your guests – just make sure there is enough time for the band to queue before eating.

If your venue can’t provide a meal for the band, you will need to make a small extra payment so that the band can buy food elsewhere. The band should also be provided with water or soft drinks while they are at your venue, within reason. (You don’t need to provide alcoholic drinks for our acts, but they appreciate it when you do!)

You don't need to provide a hot meal for acts booked for afternoon events unless they are at your venue for over three hours, but they would appreciate water or soft drinks.

2) Changing rooms
All bands and DJs booked for evening performances need a private room where they can eat, change and prepare for the performance. Ideally, this should contain a mirror and chairs.

Changing rooms are particularly important for tribute acts and any female-fronted acts (for hair and make-up), so please let us know in advance if no changing room is available.

Due to their busy schedules acts can rarely make time for venue visits in advance of an event unless they're compensated for their time. However, as long as there's a flat, level surface to play on, sufficient space as detailed in the contract and standard domestic plug sockets our acts can play almost anywhere and there shouldn't be a problem.

Most classical acts, including string quartets, classical guitarists and harpists will need armless chairs in a well-lit area (so they can read their music). Some DJs may need a small table.

Acts booked for evening performances would typically arrive from 5pm or 6pm to set up and sound-check their equipment. If you would like the act to arrive earlier than the time specified on their page, there may be an additional charge.

Acts performing in the afternoon (eg. for background music) would usually arrive about an hour to 90 minutes before the start of their performance.

Most bands need an hour to an hour and a half to unload their equipment, set it up and do a sound-check (which means playing through a couple of songs to check the volume is right for each instrument).

The act might need longer if there are lifts or stairs at your venue, or the performance area is more than 50 yards from the venue's unloading area.

We strongly recommend allowing as much time as possible for the band's soundcheck, so the band can work with the venue's acoustics to get the best levels.

Classical acts, steel pan bands and any other acts that don't use sound equipment usually take 15-20 minutes to set up and sound-check.

It is best if the band can set-up and sound-check in an empty room, before your guests have arrived. However, if your guests have already arrived when the band arrive, and you don’t want to pay an early set-up fee, don't panic: bands can set up in the same room as your guests and will always do their best to avoid disturbing your guests.

If the band has to set up during drinks or dinner, it is best if they can use a side or back entrance close to the stage, so that they don’t have to carry equipment through the reception or dining area.

Even if your guests arrive before the band, the band will still need 10-15 minutes to sound check. At a wedding, they can usually do this between the speeches and the first dance, when there are fewer guests in the room. They will never make any noise during speeches.

If you would like to avoid the noise of a sound check altogether, the act might be able to do a ‘line-check’, which is a simple test to make sure all their equipment is working. However, for the best possible sound, we always recommend a full sound-check.

We deal with all the arrangements on behalf of the act until three weeks before your event, when the act will call you to confirm the details for the day. Let us know if you'd like to speak to the act before this, and we’ll try to arrange it.

If you'd like to request any songs, change the timings of your event, add extra musicians or make any other changes, put these in an email to info@functioncentral.co.uk and we'll make all the arrangements.

Always contact us rather than the act to make changes, so that we can put these in writing and re-issue your contract if necessary. Certain changes, such as an earlier set-up or an additional act member, can mean an increase in fees.

In the unlikely event that an act member is ill or can’t attend on the day, the act will find another musician to take his or her place.

In the highly unlikely event that an entire act can’t attend, we’ll find a suitable replacement act in a similar style, within the same price range, from our extensive selection of high quality bands, musicians and DJs.

Still not sure who to book?

Email us for advice at info@functioncentral.co.uk, call on 0333 242 0560, or use our live chat at the bottom right hand corner of this screen.