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This is the website of the Well Dressed Band. We are a community band based in the Peak District and we play for ceilidhs and barn dances in the local area including South Yorkshire. The band also gives an opportunity for aspiring folk musicians to learn to play for dances in a friendly atmosphere.

Return to normal

With the easing of Covid restrictions we are returning to normal with indoor practices and taking bookings for ceilidhs. We are now holding regular practices again at the Bell Room, Hathersage. We have seven gigs of various types arranged up until July.

We have a weekend with a newly formed band in Hornsea planned for June and a three band weekend with the Hexham Village Band and Chorley Cakes Band planned for November. Our Home Grown Ceilidhs with local charities restarted on 24th April and we have another planned for 5th June. If you would like to enquire about booking the band please use the contact form.

The Band in Lockdown

During the restrictions for Covid19 the band had to find other ways to practise. On Tuesday evenings, when we would normally meet to practise, we had a virtual practice via Zoom. It is not possible to play along on Zoom, because of the inbuilt delay, but we muted our sound and played along at home, either to a lead player or a recording of the band.

Another way of hearing other band members has been to create virtual recordings. A master track is created and circulated. Band members then record themselves playing along to it. All the recordings are then collated to create the final full band recording. The response from band members was amazing. Not only did we created some great music but it was also a valuable learning opportunity for people to listen to themselves playing.

We created eleven sets, which were used for two virtual Home Grown Ceilidhs on 20th September and 22nd November 2020, and produced some more for a virtual three band weekend held in February 2021.

Some of our virtual sets can be heard below.

1 - Jigs: The Burdett, Lady Compton's Whim