5.0 on Google 9-Piece Live Band
Function Band in Cheshire
Planning a party, ball or celebration in Cheshire? Brass Monkees are a high-energy 9-piece live band performing across Chester, Knutsford, Wilmslow, Alderley Edge, Macclesfield, Northwich and the wider Cheshire region. From golf clubs and country house hotels to marquees and village halls, we bring the energy, the professionalism and a dancefloor that stays full all night.
019 Piece Band
Two lead singers, a full rhythm section and a three-piece horn section on stage at your Cheshire event. It’s a big, live sound, and it fills a ballroom or a marquee with ease.
022 Hours of Live Music
Two hours of live music, played either as two sets of an hour or three 45-minute sets, so it fits around your speeches, food and the rest of your night.
03No Agency Fees
You deal with us, not an agent, and get one price for the performance and travel to your Cheshire venue, with no commission on top.
04Wide Range of Music
Soul, Funk, R&B, Motown and Pop, from 1950s classics to recent chart hits, so whoever’s at the party there’s something to get them dancing.
Add roaming horns for the arrival drinks, an acoustic singer and guitarist earlier in the day or a manned DJ booth to carry on after the band.
“They got everyone up on the dance floor with absolutely no effort, because they are so good.”
Debbie Yardley, 60th birthday, KnutsfordCheshire's 9-piece party band
CHESHIRE FUNCTION BAND
Live music that gets a Cheshire party going and keeps it going, played by nine musicians with a proper horn section.
We play birthdays, anniversaries, charity balls, golf club dinners, summer parties and Christmas dos all over the county, from hotels and country clubs around Chester and Knutsford to marquees in the gardens of Wilmslow, Alderley Edge and Tarporley. The set list runs through Soul, Funk, R&B, Motown and Pop, old favourites and new hits alike, so every generation has something to dance to.
Early on we keep it relaxed so people can catch up, then we build towards a packed dancefloor once the party gets going. We’re winners at the Manchester and North West England Prestige Awards, rated 5.0 on Google, and every note is played live, with no backing tracks.
You book direct, with no agency in the middle. Want to greet guests with roaming brass in Cheshire, have an acoustic singer and guitarist over dinner or finish with our manned DJ booth? It’s all in our event packages. Organising a work do? Our corporate event band page has everything for company events.
Fully Insured
Most Cheshire hotels, golf clubs and country houses want to see a band's insurance and safety paperwork. We carry £10 million public liability cover, our kit is PAT tested, and we send the certificates over before the event.
Check your dateNo DJ Needed
When the band isn’t playing, our own playlist is, so there are no awkward silences between sets. If you’d like the party to run late, add a live DJ in our manned booth.
See the DJ booth optionPA and Lighting Included
Our PA and stage lights come with us and are set up to suit the room, whether it's a hotel function suite in Chester or a marquee in a Cheshire garden. There's nothing extra for you to hire.
View our tech riderSong list
A set list for your Cheshire party
Soul, Funk, R&B, Motown and Pop, from Motown classics for the older guests to recent chart hits for everyone else, all played live with horns. Find a song you love with the search, or have a browse by decade.
- Get Ready60sThe Temptations
- Same Old Song60sFour Tops
- Knock On Wood60sEddie Floyd
- Needle In A Haystack60sThe Velvelettes
- Tears Of A Clown60sSmokey Robinson
- This Old Heart Of Mine60sThe Isley Brothers
- Reet Petite60sJackie Wilson
- Gimme Some Lovin'60sSpencer Davis Group
- Higher and Higher60sJackie Wilson
- Soul Man60sSam & Dave
- In the Midnight Hour60sWilson Pickett
- Jimmy Mack60sMartha Reeves
- Really Saying Something60sThe Velvelettes
- Rescue Me60sFontella Bass
- Heatwave60sMartha and the Vandellas
- Do You Love Me60sThe Contours
- Shout60sLulu
- Hold On, I'm Comin'60sSam & Dave
- Respect60sAretha Franklin
- Dancing in the Street60sMartha and the Vandellas
- I Can't Help Myself60sFour Tops
- Build Me Up Buttercup60sThe Foundations
- I Just Wanna Make Love To You60sEtta James
- Mustang Sally60sWilson Pickett
- Feeling Good60sNina Simone
- It's Not Unusual60sTom Jones
- Brown Eyed Girl60sVan Morrison
- Twist & Shout60sThe Beatles
- Jailhouse Rock60sElvis Presley
- I Got You (I Feel Good)60sJames Brown
- At Last60sEtta James
- My Girl60sThe Temptations
- Ain't No Mountain High Enough60sMarvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell
- There's A Ghost In My House60sR. Dean Taylor
- I Saw Her Standing There60sThe Beatles
- I Heard It Through the Grapevine60sMarvin Gaye
- Soul Finger60sThe Bar-Kays
- Tainted Love70sGloria Jones
- Best of My Love70sThe Emotions
- Move On Up70sCurtis Mayfield
- Band of Gold70sFreda Payne
- I Wish70sStevie Wonder
- Signed, Sealed, Delivered70sStevie Wonder
- Sir Duke70sStevie Wonder
- Superstition70sStevie Wonder
- Got to Be Real70sCheryl Lynn
- Use Me70sBill Withers
- Le Freak70sChic
- Boogie Oogie Oogie70sA Taste of Honey
- Shake Your Body70sThe Jacksons
- Let's Stick Together70sBryan Ferry
- September70sEarth, Wind & Fire
- One Step Beyond70sMadness
- Got to Get You Into My Life70sEarth, Wind & Fire
- Nutbush City Limits70sTina Turner
- Get Up Offa That Thing70sJames Brown
- Jackie Wilson Said70sVan Morrison
- Play That Funky Music70sWild Cherry
- Flip, Flop and Fly70sThe Blues Brothers
- Young Hearts Run Free70sCandi Staton
- Let's Stay Together70sAl Green
- Rock with You70sMichael Jackson
- Thinking of You70sSister Sledge
- Boogie Wonderland70sEarth, Wind & Fire
- Red Light Spells Danger70sBilly Ocean
- Son of a Preacher Man70sAretha Franklin
- Memphis Soul Stew70sKing Curtis
- Brown Sugar70sThe Rolling Stones
- I Wanna Be Your Lover70sPrince
- Rock Steady70sAretha Franklin
- Blame It on the Boogie70sThe Jacksons
- Pick Up The Pieces70sAverage White Band
- Let's Groove70sEarth, Wind & Fire
- Soul Power70sJames Brown
- Shake a Tail Feather / Sweet Soul Music80sThe Blues Brothers
- Somebody Else's Guy80sJocelyn Brown
- Never Too Much80sLuther Vandross
- Do I Do80sStevie Wonder
- I Feel for You80sChaka Khan
- Get Down Saturday Night80sOliver Cheatham
- Walking On Sunshine80sKatrina and the Waves
- Everybody Needs Somebody to Love80sThe Blues Brothers
- Geno80sDexys Midnight Runners
- Let's Dance80sDavid Bowie
- Back in Black80sAC/DC
- Proud Mary80sTina Turner
- Shake Everything You've Got80sMaceo Parker
- Pass the Peas80sMaceo Parker
- Sweet Home Chicago80sThe Blues Brothers
- All Night Long80sLionel Richie
- Ain't Nobody80sChaka Khan
- Sledgehammer80sPeter Gabriel
- Baggy Trousers80sMadness
- I'm Coming Out80sDiana Ross
- Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go80sWham!
- Forget Me Nots80sPatrice Rushen
- Dream Come True90sThe Brand New Heavies
- Midnight at the Oasis90sThe Brand New Heavies
- Always There90sIncognito
- Ride in the Sky90sThe Brand New Heavies
- Hard To Handle90sThe Commitments
- I Don't Want to Miss a Thing90sAerosmith
- Smooth90sSantana
- Talkin' Loud90sIncognito
- Groove Is in the Heart90sDeee-Lite
- Relight My Fire90sTake That
- So I Got To Groove90sTower Of Power
- Mr Pitiful90sThe Commitments
- Who Do You Think You Are90sSpice Girls
- No Scrubs90sTLC
- Parklife90sBlur
- Gypsy Woman90sCrystal Waters
- Canned Heat90sJamiroquai
- Finally90sCeCe Peniston
- Freed From Desire90sGala
- Don't Look Back in Anger90sOasis
- Red Alert90sBasement Jaxx
- Happy00s – TodayPharrell Williams
- Valerie00s – TodayAmy Winehouse
- Rock Your Body00s – TodayJustin Timberlake
- Crazy in Love00s – TodayBeyoncé
- Get Lucky00s – TodayDaft Punk ft. Pharrell Williams
- Uptown Funk00s – TodayMark Ronson ft. Bruno Mars
- Hold My Hand00s – TodayJess Glynne
- The Weekend00s – TodayMichael Gray
- Can't Stop the Feeling00s – TodayJustin Timberlake
- Juice00s – TodayLizzo
- You Got The Love00s – TodayFlorence and the Machine
- Treasure00s – TodayBruno Mars
- Good Luck00s – TodayBasement Jaxx
- Señorita00s – TodayJustin Timberlake
- Forget You00s – TodayCeeLo Green
- That's What I Like00s – TodayBruno Mars
- This Love00s – TodayMaroon 5
- About Damn Time00s – TodayLizzo
- One Kiss00s – TodayCalvin Harris & Dua Lipa
- Levitating00s – TodayDua Lipa
- Murder on the Dance Floor00s – TodaySophie Ellis-Bextor
- Espresso00s – TodaySabrina Carpenter
That song isn't on our list yet, but we're always learning new songs, and we can play any track through our PA. Ask us about it
Got a first dance in mind? Tell us when you enquire
As a guide, live function bands in Cheshire usually cost around:
Brass Monkees start at £2,000 plus travel. There’s no agency involved, so you won’t pay the 20% or so an agent would add.
Your quote depends on the date, your venue and how long you’d like us to play.
- All nine musicians, arriving from 6pm to set up and soundcheck
- Two 60-minute live sets, or another format to suit your event
- Our playlist through the PA before, between and after the band
- Our own sound system and stage lighting
- Public liability insurance and PAT-tested kit
Need music until the very end? Add our manned DJ booth through our event packages.
Yes. We trade as Entertainment Monkey Ltd and can invoice your company, club or committee directly. To book, sign the form online and pay a 15% deposit. The final invoice comes about two weeks before the event, and the balance is due a week before.
We’ll also send our insurance, PAT certificates and tech rider to your venue. For work events, see our corporate event band page.
Soul, Funk, R&B, Motown and Pop, from 1950s classics to the latest hits, all with live horns. It’s a set that works for a room full of mixed ages. See our song list.
Nine of us: two lead vocalists, drums, bass, guitar, keys, trumpet, trombone and saxophone.
Happily. If it’s a song we’d like in our set anyway, we’ll learn it free of charge. If not, there’s a fee for arranging and rehearsing it. We can also play the original recording through our PA at the right moment.
Just a flat, covered space of about 6m × 3m and two 13 amp sockets on separate circuits. If your Cheshire venue has less room than that, tell us; we’ve squeezed into smaller spaces before.
Our 3kW PA comes as standard, with a 5kW PA available at extra cost for large rooms.
Usually around 6pm. If the band’s in a different room from the meal, we set up straight away. If it’s the same room, we wait until it’s free and set up quietly.
Whenever suits your running order, but we’d suggest 8:30–9pm at the earliest. That gives the evening time to build and keeps the dancefloor busy to the end.
At least an hour to set up and soundcheck, plus a few minutes to change before we play.
The whole county, including Chester, Knutsford, Wilmslow, Alderley Edge, Macclesfield, Northwich, Nantwich, Crewe, Tarporley and Congleton. Travel is included in your quote.
We also play functions in Liverpool, Manchester, North Wales, Shropshire and Staffordshire.
In most cases, yes. If the limit is around 100 decibels and the sensor is at least 7 metres from the stage, the full band plays as normal. For lower limits, in-ear monitors and an electronic drum kit usually do the trick.
Let us know before you book, and have a look at our guide to venue sound limiters.
Listen
Watch
Showreel CHESHIRE FUNCTION BAND ADDONS
The 9-piece band is the heart of the night, but your Cheshire party can have live music from the moment the doors open. Add roaming horns for the arrivals, an acoustic singer and guitarist for drinks and dinner, or a manned DJ booth to finish, all booked together with us.
4-PIECE ROAMING BRASS BAND
Four horns on foot to welcome everyone in, playing among your guests on the terrace, in the bar or out on the lawn.
ACOUSTIC SINGER AND GUITARIST
A singer and guitar for the drinks and the meal, relaxed enough to talk over and good enough to stop and listen to.
MANNED DJ BOOTH
Our DJ takes over when the band finishes and keeps the dancefloor going, with live sax and vocals on top if you like.
Arrivals to last song
Your Cheshire event, start to finish
Whether it’s a ball in a Chester hotel, a golf club dinner near Wilmslow or a birthday party in a Knutsford marquee, we can provide the music for the whole evening. Pick the parts you need; here’s how a full night with us might run.
Roaming Brass
Our four roaming horns welcome everyone in and set the tone before they’ve found their seats.
More infoAcoustic Singer and Guitarist
Easy-going live songs while guests get a drink and say their hellos.
More infoBackground Music
Quiet acoustic music or a playlist we choose for you, kept low through the meal and the speeches.
See packagesThe 9-Piece Band
Two hours of Soul, Funk, R&B, Motown and Pop with the horns, two singers and a full rhythm section.
Hear the bandManned DJ Booth
Booked with the band, so the music runs straight on from our last set until the lights come up.
See packagesReviews
Function band reviews
A surprise 70th in Warrington, a 60th in Knutsford and two anniversary parties: here’s what people say after booking us for their celebration.
I had Brass Monkees for my 60th Birthday in Knutsford at the courthouse. They were absolutely amazing. They got everyone up on the dance floor with absolutely no effort, because they are so good. They play all kinds of music.
I was inundated with messages after my party saying it was one of the best parties they have been to. That was nothing to do with me. All down to the Brass Monkees.
I saw the Brass Monkees about 4/5 years ago and they were good then, and my wife booked them for a surprise birthday party for my 70th last week and they were great. She booked the full 9 piece band and the sax, trombone and trumpet made it very professional.
Everyone commented on how good the band were, and the music they played kept lots of people on the dance floor. It made it a night to remember 👍
Brass Monkee's recently performed at our 25th anniversary party. They were absolutely sensational! I cannot recommend them enough. In the run up to the event they were super helpful, organised and made the whole process incredibly easy.
The quality of the music was amazing, I've never seen so many people on their feet so quickly and people were up dancing all night. Every one of our guests commented on how good they were and many said it's the best band they've seen at an event.
Thanks for making a special event even more special.
Seriously, if you are thinking of booking these guys for your event - stop thinking about it and just do it!
We just wanted to say a huge thank you for making our silver wedding anniversary party so special last Saturday.
Everyone remarked on how good a party it was and I think that was a large part down to you. The atmosphere was really good and people were enjoying themselves. I couldn't have asked for anything more!!
Areas we cover
Function band locations we cover
Cheshire is home ground for us, from Chester and Warrington to Knutsford, Wilmslow and Macclesfield. We also play parties and functions across the rest of the North West, North Wales and the Midlands. Choose your area below.
A FUNCTION BAND FOR CHESHIRE PARTIES
Birthdays, anniversaries, balls and club dinners
Most of what we play in Cheshire is a celebration of some kind: a big birthday, a silver or ruby anniversary, a charity ball, a golf or sports club dinner, a summer party in a marquee or a Christmas do. What they have in common is a room full of people who want to dance, and that’s exactly what a 9-piece band with horns is for.
We’ve played surprise 70ths in Warrington and 60ths in Knutsford, and we’re happy anywhere from a hotel ballroom in Chester to a village hall near Tarporley.
HIRING A FUNCTION BAND IN CHESHIRE
From enquiry to encore
Send us the date and venue and we’ll tell you straight away if we’re free, with a quote that includes travel. To book, sign online and pay a 15% deposit. The final invoice arrives about two weeks before, with the balance due a week before the party.
Closer to the day we agree timings with you and the venue, and send our insurance and PAT certificates if they need them. Booking for a company or club? We can invoice the business directly, and our corporate event band page covers work events.
FUNCTION BAND LINE-UPS FOR CHESHIRE VENUES
Hotels, clubs and marquees
The full band is nine musicians: two lead singers, drums, bass, guitar, keys, trumpet, trombone and sax. We bring our own PA and lighting, with a 3kW system for most rooms and a 5kW system for big ballrooms and marquees. We need a space of about 6m by 3m, but we’ve fitted into far tighter function rooms than that.
Add our roaming brass band for arrivals, an acoustic singer and guitarist for dinner, or the manned DJ booth to finish. Our packages show the options. If your venue has a sound limiter, read our sound limiter guide.
PARTY SONGS FOR A MIXED CROWD
A set for every age in the room
Cheshire parties often bring three generations together, so our set covers Soul, Funk, R&B, Motown and Pop from the 1950s to now. We watch the dancefloor and change direction when the room asks for it.
"The quality of the music was amazing, I've never seen so many people on their feet so quickly." Sean
Got a song that means something to the guest of honour? Tell us, and see our full song list.