5.0 on Google 9-Piece Live Band
Wedding Band in Chester
Getting married in Chester and want a band that fills the dancefloor all night? Brass Monkees are a high-energy 9-piece live band performing across Chester city centre, Hoole, Upton, Christleton, Waverton, Eccleston, Tattenhall and the wider Chester area. From historic hotels inside the city walls to riverside venues on the Dee and country estates just outside the city, we bring the energy, the professionalism and a live horn section your guests won't forget.
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9 Piece Band
Two lead singers, live horns and a tight rhythm section: nine musicians with a sound made for a grand city-centre ballroom or a marquee by the Dee, and a setlist every generation can dance to.
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2 Hours of Live Music
Two hours of live music across two or three sets, timed around your first dance and evening guests, with our playlist covering the gaps so the party never stalls.
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No Agency Fees
Chester is close to home for us, and you book us directly, with no agency in between. One simple quote, and you speak to the band that will actually be playing.
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Wide Range of Music
Soul, Funk, R&B, Motown and Pop, from floor-filling classics to songs from this year, chosen on the night to suit the people on the dancefloor.
Ceremony at the Town Hall or a city church, drinks in a courtyard, party in the evening? Add an acoustic singer, roaming brass and our DJ, and we'll cover the whole day.
“Honestly wow. Super energy; everyone hasn't stopped speaking about how fantastic you all were.”
Harri GregoryChester's 9-piece party band
CHESTER WEDDING BAND
A wedding in Chester comes with a backdrop few cities can match: the Roman walls, the black-and-white Rows, the racecourse and the River Dee. Brass Monkees bring nine musicians, two lead singers and a live horn section to give the evening the soundtrack it deserves.
We play soul, funk, R&B, Motown and pop at weddings right across the city: grand hotels and historic buildings within the walls, riverside and racecourse venues, and country houses and estates on the edge of the city around Eccleston, Waverton and Tattenhall. Whatever the room, we'll set up to suit it.
Still choosing a venue? Our Chester wedding venues guide picks out six favourites for a live band, including Old Palace Chester, Chester Racecourse and Chester Zoo.
Plenty of Chester's listed buildings have sound limiters, and we're used to keeping a full-energy show within them. You get the whole package, with our own PA and lighting, a playlist between sets, and a set we shape around your guests as the night goes on. Marrying elsewhere in the county? Have a look at our Cheshire wedding band page, and we're just as at home over the border in North Wales or in Liverpool.
You book us directly, so you're dealing with the band from the first message. Want music earlier in the day? Add an acoustic singer and guitarist for your ceremony, roaming brass for the drinks reception, or our DJ to finish the night, with one of our wedding packages.
Fully Insured
Our public liability cover and PAT test certificates are always up to date. Chester's historic hotels and listed venues will ask for both, and we'll have them with your venue's events team well before the day.
Check your dateNo DJ Needed
Our playlist runs before, between and after our sets, so there's always music in the room. Want to dance until the very end? Add our manned DJ booth after the band.
See the DJ booth optionPA and Lighting Included
We bring our own sound and stage lighting, matched to your room, from an oak-panelled city ballroom to a riverside marquee. Sound limiters are no problem, and there's nothing extra to hire.
View our tech riderSong list
Chester wedding song list
From Motown and soul to funk, R&B and pop, every song here is played live by our 9-piece with trumpet, trombone and sax. There's no set running order: we choose as we go, reading the dancefloor so your guests stay on it. Search for a song, or 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
- Winter Wonderland60sDarlene Love
- 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
- I Wish It Could Be Christmas Everyday70sWizzard
- 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
- Merry Christmas Everyone80sShakin' Stevens
- 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
- All I Want for Christmas Is You90sMariah Carey
- 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
Live wedding bands in Chester typically cost around:
Our 9-piece starts from £2,000 plus travel. Booking direct means there’s no 20% agency fee on top.
The exact price depends on the line-up, the date and how long you'd like us to play.
- Arrival, set-up and soundcheck from 6pm
- Two 60-minute live sets, or a format that works for your evening
- Our playlist through the PA before, between and after the sets
- Full PA system
- Stage lighting
- Public liability insurance and PAT-tested equipment
Our manned DJ booth is available as an extra in our wedding packages.
Use our enquiry form to send your date and venue, and we'll get back to you with availability and a quote.
To confirm, sign our booking form online and pay a 15% deposit. Your date is then secured and your deposit invoice is emailed straight to you.
We send your final invoice by email around two weeks before the wedding, including anything added since you booked and minus what you've already paid.
It needs to be paid at least 7 days before the wedding. Our terms and conditions and full FAQs have all the details.
Soul, funk, R&B, Motown and pop, from the 1950s to the latest releases, with a live horn section throughout. We adjust the set through the night to keep your guests dancing.
Browse our song list.
Nine musicians: two lead singers, drums, bass, guitar, keys, and a horn section of trumpet, trombone and sax.
Only space and power. We need a flat, covered area of around 6m × 3m and two separate 13 amp sockets on individual spurs. Some of Chester's older buildings have smaller rooms, and we've played in tight spaces before, so just tell us what's available.
A 3kW PA comes as standard, and we can bring a 5kW PA for bigger rooms at an extra cost.
Yes, the city centre and everywhere around it, including Hoole, Upton, Boughton, Handbridge, Curzon Park and Blacon, and nearby villages like Christleton, Waverton, Eccleston, Saighton, Guilden Sutton and Tattenhall.
Our Chester wedding venues guide covers six favourites, from Rowton Hall to Carden Park. For weddings further out, see our Cheshire wedding band page. We also play just over the border in North Wales and up the road in Liverpool.
Of course. If it's a song we'd like in our repertoire, we'll learn it for free. Otherwise there's an extra fee for arranging and rehearsing it.
We can also play the original recording through our PA if you'd like.
Around 6pm in most cases. If we're setting up in a separate room to your meal, we'll start straight away; if it's the same room, we'll wait until after the speeches.
We'll work to your timings, but 8:30–9pm is the earliest we'd suggest. It lets the night build and keeps the dancefloor full until the end.
At least 60 minutes to set up and soundcheck, plus a little time to get changed and have a drink.
Yes, in most cases. Plenty of Chester's historic and listed venues have one. A limit of about 100 decibels, with the limiter at least 7 metres from the stage, lets the full 9-piece play well.
For lower limits we can often use in-ear monitors and the venue's electronic drum kit. Check with us before you book and we'll advise.
Listen
Watch
Showreel
MORE MUSIC FOR YOUR CHESTER WEDDING
Whether you're saying your vows at the Town Hall, in a city church or at a venue by the river, we can soundtrack the whole day, not just the evening. Choose an acoustic singer and guitarist for the ceremony, a roaming brass band for drinks and photos, and our manned DJ booth to follow the 9-piece.
ACOUSTIC SINGER AND GUITARIST
An acoustic singer and guitarist to play you down the aisle, through the signing and out as a married couple.
4-PIECE ROAMING BRASS BAND
Four brass players moving around your guests at the drinks reception, whether that's a riverside terrace or a city-centre courtyard, while you're off having photos.
MANNED DJ BOOTH
Our DJ follows straight on from the band so the dancing doesn't stop, and you can add live sax and vocals over the DJ set.
Your day in Chester
From the aisle to the dancefloor
Chester weddings often move around: a ceremony in the city, photos on the walls or by the river, then on to the reception. We can follow you through every part of it. Pick what you'd like and we'll plan it around your timings. Here's how a full day could look.
Acoustic Singer and Guitarist
Acoustic songs for your entrance, the signing of the register and your walk back up the aisle.
More infoRoaming Brass
Roaming horns to keep your guests entertained while you're out taking photos around the city.
More infoBackground Music
Gentle acoustic music or a tailored playlist in the background while you eat.
See packagesThe 9-Piece Band
The full 9-piece with live horns, playing soul, funk, R&B, Motown and pop all night.
Hear the bandManned DJ Booth
Book our DJ with the band and the music keeps going right through to the end of the evening.
See packagesReviews
What our Chester couples say
Curious guests at the soundcheck, a packed dancefloor by the first song and a conga to finish: here's what Chester couples and their families say about their wedding with us.
What an amazing band that are full of life and vigour that added a vibrant atmosphere to our wedding. From the moment they started setting up you could see the curiosity in the faces of our guests, not knowing what to expect, so many faces and brass instruments. The sound check had people rubbernecked. Then it started and all of a sudden people rose to their feet and galloped to the dance floor. Those that remained seated were left bouncing in their chairs, unable to stop themselves joining in.
What more can I possibly say, that Brass Monkees took us through a journey in music from soul to funk and RnB and then finished the night with one of my favourite tracks, a conga that really was one step beyond. A perfect end to a perfect wedding day and night.
Thank you Brass Monkees, if I could I’d hire you again and again. Until then we will be looking out for other gigs of yours, that’s for sure.
A very happy
Big Thanks 'Brass Monkees' 'Kate and Sam' and all guests at the Ashley Family Wedding have had an amazing weekend of Wedding celebrations! 'The Brass Monkees' YOU were absolutely BRILLIANT!!
You certainly made our Night and Wedding Party very special ❤.... everyone absolutely loved your gig ... perfect sounds, perfect songs, very professional, you sounded amazing! We rocked and danced all night, and especially loved the part in the gig you played and danced around the Bride and Groom, it was a very special touch, such good fun!
I would most defiantly book this band again, if you want a lively wedding or party ... its the 'Brass Monkees' all the way for us! Looking forward to seeing you perform again soon, my dancing shoes are at the ready! BIG THANKS ... you absolutely smashed it!! 💃🕺
Enquiry form
Venue inspiration
Our favourite Chester wedding venues
From a historic house by the Dee and the oldest racecourse in the world to Chester Zoo and a country estate, Chester has wedding venues of every style. Here are six of our favourites for a big night of live music.
Old Palace Chester
A historic house near the walls and the Dee, with a Ballroom, the old Bishop's chapel and 22 bedrooms.
Chester Racecourse
The oldest racecourse in the world, with the Long Room and a rooftop lounge beside the city walls.
Chester Zoo
Two Grade II listed venues inside the zoo, from The Square for big parties to the Oakfield.
Rowton Hall
A country house hotel from 1779, with a ballroom for up to 250, a walled garden and a spa.
Grosvenor Pulford
A hotel and spa just south of the city, with lakeside vows and a suite for up to 200.
Carden Park
A 1,000-acre estate with a suite for up to 300, 197 bedrooms and music until 1am.
Getting married somewhere else?
We play weddings at venues right across Chester, from the hotels inside the walls to the villages around the city. Tell us where and when, and we will check the date for you.
Areas we cover
Wedding locations we cover
Chester is one of our home patches, and we play weddings right across the rest of Cheshire, the North West, North Wales, Shropshire and Staffordshire too. Pick an area for its own venues, FAQs and reviews.
LIVE MUSIC AT CHESTER WEDDING VENUES
Inside the walls, along the Dee and out in the villages
Chester gives you a lot of choice for one small city. There are historic hotels and function rooms inside the city walls, riverside venues along the Dee, and grand country houses, estates and converted barns in the villages around it, from Eccleston and Christleton to Tattenhall and Waverton. Our Chester wedding venues guide picks out six favourites, including Rowton Hall, Grosvenor Pulford and Carden Park.
City-centre venues often mean narrower streets, set loading times and parking to arrange, while the country venues tend to be about long drives and which room the party moves into. We sort that out with your venue beforehand and set up the PA and lighting to suit the space.
Not sure your room is big enough for nine of us? Tell us the venue and we'll let you know how we'd set up.
PLANNING LIVE MUSIC FOR YOUR CHESTER WEDDING
Arrival, access and sound limiters, sorted before the day
Our standard arrival time is from 6pm. We need at least an hour to set up and soundcheck and a little time to change, and if we're setting up in your dining room we'll wait until the speeches are done. Most couples start the band between 8.30 and 9pm, with two 60-minute sets and our playlist filling the gaps.
Plenty of Chester's older buildings have a sound limiter. At around 100 decibels the full band plays as normal, and if your venue's limit is lower, in-ear monitors and an electronic drum kit usually get us there. Just let us know what yours has. Our guide to sound limiters at Cheshire wedding venues explains what to ask.
The PA, stage lighting and playlist come as standard. If the bar runs late, add our manned DJ booth to carry on after the band.
WEDDING BAND LINE-UPS AND EXTRAS IN CHESTER
Band, roamers, acoustic and DJ
The main band is nine of us: two lead singers, drums, bass, guitar and keys, plus a horn section of trumpet, trombone and saxophone.
For the earlier part of the day, our acoustic singer and guitarist can play your ceremony and our 4-piece roaming brass band can move among your guests during drinks and photos, whether that's on a terrace, a lawn or a riverside path.
Our playlist runs between sets at every booking, and the manned DJ booth can finish the night. Have a look at our wedding packages to put it all together.
SONGS AND SETLISTS FOR YOUR CHESTER WEDDING
Your requests, played live
We play soul, funk, R&B, Motown and pop, live with a full horn section, from the classics your parents know to songs your friends will have on their phones.
"Brass Monkees took us through a journey in music from soul to funk and RnB." Mr & Mrs Molyneux
Your song requests go into the plan before the day, and once we're playing we follow what the room responds to. With enough notice we'll learn your first dance live, or we'll play the recorded version through our sound system.
See our full song list.
