The Family Band
Barn Dance & Ceilidh
Band
Barn dance, ceilidh and country dance
band in the Chester , North
Wales , Wirral and Merseyside area.
The
Family Band Barn Dance & Ceilidh Band
Contents
Where did the Family Band come from?
Family band members short biography
Contact information for The Family
Band
We
are a barn dance and ceilidh band who play in the
The Family Band members
Katriona – Keyboards,
Accordion, Violin and occasionally a little clog dance (Daughter in Law)
Bill – Sound and lighting
(Dad)
David (M) - Bass, Accordion,
Guitar, Mandolin and keyboards (Eldest son)
David (F) - Guitar and bass
(David M's friend)
Moira – Keyboards (neighbour)
Daniel – Sound Design &
Video (David F’s son) – currently studying media at
Paul – Drums (David M’s son)
– currently studying management, transport & logistics at JMU
Maureen (Mo) - Caller
(mustn't forget her!) sometimes plays recorder as well.
History - the origins of
"The Family Band"
The
Family Band started back in 1992 as a "scratch band" quickly put
together as a stop-gap for a wedding reception. The band who were booked to
play rang up just before the wedding and cancelled! Raymond, the youngest son,
was the best man and knowing his father and brother played accordion, and his
wife played the violin "volunteered" our services. We managed to find
a caller for the evening and off we went. We didn’t take it too seriously and
just enjoyed ourselves. At the end of the evening someone asked if they could
book the band for their wedding. We must have looked a little surprised, but we
said yes and it went on from there. We realised the band needed a name and
since the three musicians were all related the Family Band seemed like a good
idea.
The
band remained in this format for a couple of years using two or three different
callers. Katriona began to play the accordion and went with Bill to a small
local folk club to practice. She soon became proficient. Bill and Katriona met
Maureen who basically decided she was going to play with us so David decided to
play the Bass (which he had done in bands since he was 16). Occasionally either
Bill or Katriona were not able to play, so a friend of David's, David (F) came
to fill the gap. The two Davids did play together from time to time for small
church barn dances (harvest festivals etc) and had jokingly called themselves
"RagTag & Bobtail". David (F) soon became a permanent member of
the band. The band had changed and developed and had a distinctive sound and
style of it's own. The Family Band became well established.
What
about
Paul
and Daniel, sons of the two David’s started coming out with the band to help
with the equipment and run the sound system. Daniel now takes charge of this
(when he is not at University studying). Paul in 2004 decided he wanted to play
drums at our local village dance. This was some months ahead, so he was
provided with a set of professional electric drums (so he could rehears in
silence!). He did indeed play at the event and was very good. However the true
reason and motivation was revealed, all the girls of his age were very
impressed and gathered around him all night!!!!
e-mail familyband@ceilidhchester.co.uk
and book the band
Main web address http://www.familyband.co.uk/
Telephone numbers 01244 348473 or
07803741391 mobile
The
members of The Family Band
They
all seem to have a strange pedigree for a Barn Dance and Ceilidh band; they are
all church musicians.
Katriona has a B.A. (hon) degree in music, gaining her
degree from the
Bill
is also a church organist. He studied the piano as a lad (it was a long time
ago), and taught himself the accordion. Bill was for many years a member of the
Manley Morris Clog Dance team. He was with them 22 years!! It's all right; he
has grown up now.
Moira play the piano and also the trombone, we will get
her to play “76 Trombones” at a gig yet!! She has a good sense of humour and
spends her time at gigs making fun of the guitarists, don’t know why! Just
watch at the next gig.
David (M) studied piano and organ before going to
university, and studied music as part of his teaching degree. He plays the
organ, and is organist at a local church. He also plays electronic keyboards,
accordion and guitars. He has toured round a number of European countries over
a ten years period playing accordion for visiting English folk dance groups.
Mo is also a musician, and when the opportunity arises she
quickly gets out her recorder to join in with the band. Mo has a first class
honours degree in maths, that's probably why she is the caller - the only
member of the band who can count beyond four!!
David (F) was originally a solicitor, big on company law!
He played in a barn dance band on the Wirral for a number years until if ceased
to exist (the band, not the Wirral). He has always been a great fan of Fairport
Convention, you can tell by the way he plays the guitar! I said he used to be a
solicitor, he is a vicar now.
Daniel – Very experienced with sound desks and loves to
have control of the band (if we don’t behave he cuts us off!!), also good with
the video camera and digital camera.
Paul – Studied piano for a couple of years, but prefers
the guitar, and is now trying to get up to band standard. He has learnt to play
drums and now adds to the sound of the band in an enthusiastic and energetic
way. He is also the sound engineer for our studio recordings.
All
the musicians have a love of folk music, and hopefully bring to it their
different experiences and musical backgrounds, to add an interesting and
enjoyable flavour.
We
play for a wide variety of engagements; these are mainly evening wedding
receptions, birthday parties, works/social events, parties and charity fund
raising events. These have been in many different locations, in hotels, halls,
marquees, barns and outside. So we are quite flexible. We have even lead the
procession for local village fetes. We are a barn dance ceilidh band who play
for your entertainment and enjoyment. The music used is mainly traditional but
played with a little more of an up-tempo rhythm to help your function go with a
swing (yes I know if it’s a barn dance…..no pun intended!). We are quite happy
to work with a disco if you are having one (some bands won't), we sort it out
between ourselves. We provide the "caller" for the dances and only
require space for the band and a power socket or two.
The Family Band Barn Dance and Ceilidh Band familyband@ceilidhchester.co.uk