The act
Bodhran, fiddle, tin whistle, guitar, banjo, concertina, octave mandolin, and both Uilleann and Highland pipes. McCarthys Reel are a Brisbane Celtic group with members from Australia, Scotland and Ireland, playing as a duo, trio, quartet or quintet depending on what your night needs. They've got three fiddle players, two banjo players, three guitarists and three musicians who have done time in pipe bands. Vocalists handle lead and harmony. This is folk, not rock, and they're upfront about that. For Irish and Scottish ceilidhs they play the dance music properly, which means a raised stage so dancers can see what's happening. They bring their own sound system, so power and shade are the two things they'll ask you for.
See McCarthys Reel play
Watch McCarthys Reel perform and get a feel for their sound, style and fit for your wedding.
What it costs
Pricing
Quote on enquiry
For your exact date, venue and running time, we send an itemised quote.
Pricing is confirmed before anything is booked. GST and travel are shown clearly on the quote.
Good to know
What to expect
Celtic dance music played properly, plus Celtic songs sung between the sets. If you're running an Irish or Scottish ceilidh, this is a band that knows the tunes the dances actually need. They'll play the odd thing outside the genre, but they're straight with you about what they are: a folk group, not a rock band. The instrument list is long because most of them play several. Three fiddlers, two banjo players, three guitarists, and three who've done time in pipe bands, one of them on Uilleann pipes. Tin whistle, bodhran, concertina and octave mandolin all get added as needed.
On the day
A stage big enough for the number of musicians you've booked plus their instruments and sound gear, and if it's a Celtic dance, raised, so the dancers can see the band. Two power points. Outdoors they'll need shade, because sun and rain are both bad news for sound equipment. A working lift if you're upstairs. And for a longer gig, a table and chairs for the band to use between sets.
