Any Questions?

Q. What’s the difference between a Barn Dance and a Ceilidh?

A. Other than the spelling, not a lot! A barn dance is any kind of dance involving traditional or folk music with traditional dancing. Although holding the event in a barn is very atmospheric and fun, a village hall or any building that has room for people to dance in a circle is perfectly acceptable (and probably warmer!). A Ceilidh (pronounced “Kay-Lee”) has music that is traditionally Irish and Scottish in origin but, then again, so does a Barn Dance. Otter’s Pocket play a variety of Irish & Scottish jigs and reels, some of which you’ll probably recognise when you hear them.

Q. What age group is a Barn Dance for?

A. At just about every gig we’ve ever played since the mid-1970s, there’s always been a large age-range. That’s the beauty of a Barn Dance, kids love it as much as Parents and Grand Parents so it’s very important to choose a band that understands how to entertain such a variety of people and abilities, and it’s why a Barn Dance makes the perfect evening entertainment for a family wedding or community event.

Q. Do I need to know how to dance?

A. Absolutely not! Any good Barn Dance or Ceilidh band will have a member called the “Caller”, in addition to the members playing musical instruments. The Caller is the person who will introduce each dance by persuading people to come onto the dance floor and form either a large circle or smaller groups of dancers. Before any music is played, the Caller will teach the simple steps involved in the dance and make sure everyone knows what to do before the actual dance starts.

Q. What musical instruments are usually played in the band?

A. For Otter’s Pocket, we have an accordion, rhythm guitar, bass and a small drum kit -- please see the about the band section for more information about our band members.

Q. How does a Barn Dance evening usually progress?

A. We will usually arrive & set-up our equipment about 45 minutes before you want your event to start. We are flexible about timings but typically, we will play two one-hour “sets” with a break in-between that, sometimes, organisers like to use to provide food. During each one-hour set, our Caller will normally guide you through 2 dances at a time with a short 5-minute break in-between each pair, which works out at about 6 to 8 dances per hour. Depending on the audience, we play a selection of simple, difficult, fast and slow dances, to suit the audience’s abilities.

Q. Can we request a particular dance or tune?

A. That may be possible by prior arrangement, but we would discuss that with you before making a booking. We don’t take requests on the night.

Q. How much do you charge?

A. There are 5 people in our band, and we provide all the equipment and skill to make your evening a success, backed-up by PAT-tested equipment and Public Liability Insurance. We find that most Barn Dance bands don’t advertise their prices on their website, probably because the price varies according to how many musicians are in the band, where the dance is being held, how long the event lasts and how far the band have to travel. We’re different. Otter’s Pocket charge £600 for a 2-set event held within (approximately) one hour’s travelling time of Swindon. When travelling & set-up times, plus equipment & insurance costs are all taken into account, we think that we’re just about the most cost-effective LIVE barn dance bands you’ll be able to hire. We’ve also got almost 50 years of experience, so you can be sure we’ll make your evening a fun one. If you find a cheaper band elsewhere, please talk to us about it first.