Burns Suppers
Round off the toasts and the haggis with dancing. We bring the music and the calling for Burns Supper nights in Glasgow and across Scotland, so your guests finish the evening on their feet.
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Glasgow & across Scotland
A full dancefloor, and a night nobody forgets.
Dave Mackay Band is a professional ceilidh band in Glasgow, with an experienced caller who gets every guest up and dancing. We run the night, so you don't have to.
From the bandleader
Dave's latest album, The Road To The Hall
Weddings
A ceilidh band for your wedding in Scotland
The dancing is the part your guests will still be talking about months later. A wedding ceilidh in Scotland brings everyone together, young and old, friends and family who have only just met, all on the floor at once.
Our experienced caller makes it effortless. Every dance is explained before it begins, so nobody needs to know the steps, and nobody gets left sitting down. You get a packed floor, professional sound, and an evening that runs itself.
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An experienced caller
Gets nervous and first-time dancers up and laughing. The difference between a full floor and an empty one.
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Professional sound
We bring and run the sound for the room, and look after the whole evening.
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Everyone included
No experience needed. Out-of-town guests get a proper Scottish night.
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One simple booking
Check the date, agree the details, and the night is handled.
Occasions
More than weddings
Weddings are the heart of what we do, but a ceilidh lifts any occasion that brings people together.
St Andrews Nights
Mark St Andrews Night the proper way. A St Andrews Night ceilidh in Scotland with a caller who fills the floor turns a dinner into a celebration nobody forgets.
Check availabilityHogmanay
See in the bells the Scottish way. A Hogmanay ceilidh brings the whole room together to dance the old year out and the new one in, with a caller who makes sure nobody sits it out.
Check availabilityCorporate events
A corporate ceilidh band in Glasgow is the easiest way to get a roomful of colleagues and clients genuinely mixing. No experience needed, no awkwardness, just a brilliant shared night.
Check availabilityCharity fundraisers
Ceilidhs are made for fundraising nights. Whatever the age range or the cause, a good ceilidh is the one thing guaranteed to bring everyone together and get the whole room joining in.
Check availabilityBirthdays & private parties
Smaller and more intimate than a wedding, but the same rule holds: everyone included, everyone involved. A ceilidh turns a milestone birthday or family celebration into a proper night.
Check availabilityFor the non-dancers
What is a ceilidh?
A ceilidh (say it kay-lee) is a Scottish evening of social dancing to live music. The dances are done in groups, pairs, and circles, and a caller walks everyone through the steps before each one.
That is the bit that surprises people: you do not need to know how to dance, and you do not need to practise. If you can walk and laugh at the same time, you can ceilidh. The caller keeps it simple, the band keeps it driving, and within one dance the whole room is going.
It is the most reliable way there is to get every generation of a wedding, from the youngest cousins to the grandparents, on the floor together.
Why Dave Mackay Band
The caller is everything
Any band can play the tunes. What fills a dancefloor and keeps it full is the caller, and a weak caller is the single fastest way to empty a room. Couples are right to worry about it.
That is our strength. As a professional Scottish ceilidh band based in Glasgow, we pair driving live music with an experienced caller who reads the room, explains every dance, and carries the energy from the first number to the last.
The result is a night that feels effortless for you and unforgettable for your guests.
About Dave
Dave Mackay has played the fiddle since the age of eight and has led ceilidhs across Scotland for years, with a set now mostly made up of his own tunes, written, as he puts it, to make dancers bounce. He believes tunes should swing, hard.
Outside the ceilidh world his playing reaches further than you might expect. He recorded as part of the string section on Belle & Sebastian’s Mercury Prize-winning The Boy With The Arab Strap, played fiddle on The Gentle Waves’ The Green Fields of Foreverland, and released a 2007 album of fourteen original compositions with Angus Lyon on piano and Mark Ockendon on drums. He holds a degree in music and taught on the degree course for four years.
Reviews
What couples say
The same thing, again and again: a floor that never emptied.
“I thought I would just drop you an email to say what a fantastic job you did at our wedding. You guys were great and a lot of our guests have commented on how good you were. We wanted the dance floor to be big enough to get everyone up, and we certainly managed that. I don’t think the dance floor was empty all night.”
“Thank you very much for the excellent ceilidh music you and your band provided. We had been a little concerned beforehand that some of our guests might not participate, but we need not have worried. Your ability to call the dances meant there were times when there was hardly enough space on the floor for everyone.”
Ceilidh band hire FAQ
Questions, answered
How far in advance should we book?
As early as you can. Wedding dates, especially Saturdays in summer, are taken twelve to eighteen months ahead, so once you have your date and venue it is worth checking our availability straight away.
Do you provide a caller?
Yes. An experienced caller is at the heart of what we do. The caller walks everyone through each dance before the music starts, keeps it light, and gets even the most reluctant guests up and laughing. A good caller is the difference between a full floor and an empty one.
What areas do you cover?
We are based in Glasgow and play weddings and events right across Scotland. If your venue is further afield, ask us, travel can usually be arranged.
How much does it cost to hire the band?
Pricing is on application. It depends on your date, your location and country, the size of the line-up, and how long you would like us to play, so travel is the main variable. Send us your details and we will come straight back with a clear quote.
Do you bring your own sound equipment?
Yes. The full PA and sound is supplied. We bring it, set it up ourselves, and run the night so you do not have to think about a thing.
Can you play if some of our guests have never been to a ceilidh?
Absolutely, and most weddings are exactly that mix. The caller explains every dance step by step, so nobody needs any experience. First-timers are usually the ones who do not want to sit down by the end of the night.
Can we have a disco as well as the ceilidh?
Yes, and the balance is entirely up to you: all ceilidh, or a mix of ceilidh and disco. There is no difference in the fee either way. When we play disco it should be your favourite party tunes, so the floor stays full all night.
What size of line-up do you offer?
We play as a trio of fiddle, guitar and bass, and scale up to a quartet or quintet by adding drums and/or keys for a bigger sound. Tell us your venue and the size of your party and we will suggest the right line-up.
Check availability
Tell us about your date
Send us the date and a few details, and we'll come straight back to let you know we're free and what we'd recommend for your night.
Prefer email? enquiries@davemackayband.com