A selection of the comments we have received …
The Dark Horse Ceilidh band were absolutely brilliant. We booked them for our wedding over a year in advance, having been delighted with the cost they quoted. On the day, they arrived on time, set up discreetly in the background and didn't remotely complain that we were running late with our wedding speeches, which significantly delayed the start of the dancing. As soon as they started playing, all our guests got involved and had an absolute ball. It was so much fun, and the caller was so adept that she kept us all on track, even when we had no idea what we were doing. The quality of the music was excellent, and it was clear that all the band members really enjoy playing, and they loved how enthusiastic we all were for the dances. I wouldn't hesitate to book them again - and I'm already considering doing so for our anniversary party next year!
Ally (September 2024)
Just wanted to say another thanks for your contribution on Saturday night. We obviously made a great choice with you and the band. The ceilidh went down a storm as we knew it would - it was great to see so many dancing and having such a good time, we've had many comments from people saying how they enjoyed it and we have many photos showing just that. The playing and calling were excellent.
Chris & Angela (July 2024)
Thank you so much for your fantastic performance on Saturday - we all had a fabulous time ... We have certainly had many wonderful comments on the party with a lot of people specifically saying what a great band you were. One of the biggest things that I found a little surprising was how much the younger generations enjoyed it ... in fact [they] were so keen for you to restart after the supper break that they repeatedly asked me when the dancing would get going again!
Georgina (May 2024)
Thank you so much to you, Maggie and the band for helping us celebrate our mother's 80th birthday. It really added something special to the party ... The calling by Maggie was perfect, she judged our level of ability correctly and the instructions were clear and she was very patient with us! Everyone thoroughly enjoyed the music and dancing, there was a lot of laughter in the room.
Katherine (November 2023)
Thank you so much for making my 70th birthday celebration such a success. We enjoyed ourselves enormously and the band really managed to get all of us on to the dance floor, both oldies and children.
Lizzie (November 2023)
A very big THANK YOU to The Dark Horse Ceilidh Band for the wonderful music Saturday 8th July. It was really appreciated and hit all the right notes - all in the right order!
Andrew & Angela (July 2023)
The ceilidh was fantastic! We loved it ... you were perfectly punctual, and the communication and musicality worked together to somehow result in a pretty merry collection of novices dancing a ceilidh in a surprisingly coherent way.
Jonny (July 2023)
Thank you very much for playing at our Coronation party. We have had lots of positive comments from those who were there. You were so helpful when we were planning the day, your musicians were excellent and the caller really made the dancing fun and easy to follow. I would thoroughly recommend your group to anyone planning a party - especially where there is a mix of age groups.
Heather (May 2023)
We had a wonderful time at our wedding with the ceilidh. Everyone really enjoyed it - it was really fun, well 'called' - Maggie had a very clear voice ... Many thanks for a wonderful evening.
Anna and Jay (August 2022)
Everyone at the wedding loved your Celidh band SO much! Thanks for making our day so special ... We had the most fun! You were all lovely and it was great that you could set up on your own, you were punctual, email conversations were answered quickly and the instructions for the dances were really clear. Honestly you were all perfect.
Fran (July 2022)
It was absolutely fantastic, everyone has spent all week telling us how much fun they had ... General feedback is that we had a wonderful time, the music was very good, difficulty matched the audience well.
Jenny (July 2022)
Thank you so much to the Dark Horse Ceilidh Band for playing at the evening reception for our daughter's wedding.
We had a fantastic time, I would say both the band and the guests were most enthusiastic, a very enjoyable evening.
Rachel (June 2022)
We hired the Dark Horse Ceilidh Band for our daughter's wedding, in May 2022, and we couldn't have been more delighted. Everyone at the wedding had so much fun, whether dancing or watching the dancing. I have had so much feedback from family and friends to say that the Ceilidh in the evening rounded off a wonderful day to perfection.
The caller was amazing, teaching us all the steps and moves, and the music was fabulous. In between dances, the band played for us, and it was magical. You certainly don't need to be remotely experienced in Ceilidh dancing to enjoy the Dark Horse Ceilidh band. Almost everyone there had never done any Ceilidh dancing before.
And the band were just so nice, it was a pleasure to have them at our daughter's wedding, and the pleasure that they took in everyone having fun was so lovely.
I wouldn't hesitate to book the band again.
Richard (May 2022)
The caller was very good … Everyone thoroughly enjoyed the evening … The musicians were brilliant and their combined sound was very authentic.
Sally (March 2020)
Our thanks to the band, who were excellent and everyone had a lot of fun and laughter. Through out communication was very easy, and we were kept appraised of the details for the evening. It was effortless. Everyone was friendly professional and really made an event to remember.
Owen (November 2019)
Thank you all so much for playing at our wedding, our day was perfect but the part you played in it was definitely the most fun of the day. There was not a participant or audience member without a massive grin on their face during the dances … A lot of the people had never done a ceilidh before and I think we all successfully showed them how brilliant and fun they are … We wouldn’t hesitate to recommend or use you again, we are thinking we need more parties in our life with a ceilidh!
Paul and Steph (September 2019)
I just wanted to say a huge thanks for playing at our event last Saturday. You did a brilliant job of co-ordinating all of our guests and their varying levels of experience! The band and caller were fantastic, and we had loads of comments from people saying how great you were. Thank you so much!
Natalie (September 2019)
Thank you for making the event so special. Even the Scots loved it!
Tim (August 2019)
Rather belated thanks from me for the absolutely wonderful time that the Dark Horse band gave the wedding guests ... The music was played beautifully and the calling was clear and very tolerant of the high level of inexperience! The band was very generous with time and very much appreciated by all the guests.
Christine (August 2019)
Many thanks to the Dark Horse Ceilidh Band who played for our joint Birthday Party. We had a fantastic evening! They were very happy to fit in with our plans for the evening and asked if everything was going well on the night. Maggie, the caller, judged the experience and ability of our friends and family after the first dance, choosing the next dances based on her observations, so that everyone could cope, but be stretched too! She was patient and enthusiastic, giving us a good selection of dance elements to negotiate. The band were consistently good, playing lively and varied tunes for the dancing.
We have had the Dark Horse Ceilidh Band play at several occassions now, including our son's wedding, and have had great fun each time. Many people at the wedding had never been to a ceilidh before, but commented on how much fun it was. Saturday's guests were a bit more discerning, having experience of ceilidhs, but their enjoyment was obvious!! Looking forward to the next one - thank you.
Patrice (July 2019)
Everyone really enjoyed the dancing especially those who have never been to a country dance/ceilidh before ... The choice of music and dances were good - everyone enjoyed the progressive dances where you changed partner - it really got everyone mixed up.
Kate (June 2019)
Just a quick note to thank you and the band for playing at the wedding celebration on Sunday. Everyone had a great time dancing (with different levels of proficiency!) to the band. You really created a fantastic, fun atmosphere - and played some great music.
Simon (May 2019)
On behalf of myself and the 2018 [Institute of Medical Illustrators] conference team I wanted to thank the Dark Horse Ceilidh Band for providing music after our closing conference banquet. It was a hugely enjoyable evening and it was great to see delegates dancing and enjoying themselves after a fairly intense few days.
IMI Honorary Secretary (October 2018)
We really enjoyed the ceilidh. The band were punctual, friendly and very encouraging ... The calls were very helpful and even though the acoustics in the venue were not brilliant we managed to follow and throw ourselves into the dancing.
Catherine and Simon (August 2018)
Everyone who attended had a wonderful, fun evening. We still laugh about it now two weeks on from the event! The band were very accommodating and made sure the evening worked for the number of people attending. The musicians played to a very high standard and the caller had a great sense of humour. If you are thinking of booking a ceilidh band look no further, these people will ensure you have a fun-filled evening.
Rachel (July 2018)
The band members were friendly and the band stuck to what was asked which was perfect. The caller was great and patient - when us guests were struggling a little with the dance moves.
I had an amazing time - I don't think I stopped dancing all night - and the feedback from all the guests was they had great fun.
Sally (April 2018)
The Band were a fantastic addition to our wedding celebrations. From the start Ray was friendly, very helpful and willing to accommodate our wishes, especially as we asked them to work with/around another band for the evening. The ceilidh band really got everyone up and dancing - young and old alike. The caller judged our guests' ability perfectly and gave very clear instructions meaning everyone managed to enjoy the dancing whilst avoiding any major incidents! Lots of our guests commented on how much fun they had had and we would not hesitate in recommending your band to others. Thank you!
Rachel (March 2018)
I haven't seen so many people laughing and enjoying themselves in a long while. The Band delivered exactly what they promised and more.
Deborah (March 2018)
Fantastic feedback this morning from last night thank you.
Cairn Hotel, Harrogate (January 2018)
The band arrived at the time agreed, and were very helpful with adapting to our timing during the evening ... We were grateful for your flexibility which contributed to an evening that was thoroughly enjoyed by everyone there: even those who didn't dance! ... We had a lot of complete novices as well as a handful of seasoned ceilidh goers ... everyone was able to join in who wanted to: clear instructions given which were adapted to the ability of those dancing. And the caller came across as friendly and approachable, which is important: no sense of frustration or condescension at all when people got lost! ... We would certainly invite you back if we have another similar evening ... Many thanks for your part of an successful and enjoyable evening.
Susanna (December 2017)
Everyone had a ball and you were wonderful.
Annette (December 2017)
Just wanted to say thank you to you and the band for helping make last Sunday night such a memorable event.
Steve (July 2017)
Thanks to Dark Horse for helping to make it such a great evening on Saturday.
Pete (July 2017)
Thank you very much for the great music ... I had a lot of people saying how good you were as band ... We had a lovely night.
Katriona & Katy (July 2017)
Just a note to thank you and the band for our wedding ceilidh last Saturday. Everybody commented on how much fun it was (even the English half of the room!) ... We had a great day and night and loved every minute of it.
Mandy & Bryan (May 2017)
We booked this band for our wedding reception and the guests loved it. Great music and caller, band turned up and all set up on time. Would highly recommend and certainly book again.
Sara (November 2016)
Can you thank all of your band … for a fantastic evening. You got the pace just right… the caller was SO patient … you are all obviously very experienced to know what to do but also the music was lovely to listen to.
Sue (October 2016)
Thank you so much for your band's performance on Saturday night, everyone had a wonderful time. Several people specifically commented on how good the band was both on the night and the next morning. I'm sure you noticed how enthusiastic a group we were about the ceilidh and this was certainly in part down to the band's wonderful playing and Maggie's very clear calling. You were right on time and gave me no cause for worry on the night which is invaluable when holding an event. All members of the band were polite and friendly and happy to answer any questions I had. Maggie did an excellent job of pitching her calling just right and everyone had a good idea of what they were doing without feeling patronised or like the explanations were too long! The music itself was expertly played and the variety in the tunes was lovely.
Hambleton Foodshare (September 2016)
Just to say a HUGE, ENORMOUS thank you to you and the other Dark Horses for the most wonderful evening of music and dancing … I have had no end of really, really positive comments about the band, your music, the calling … and general ambience that you all helped to create. Wish I was doing it all again next Saturday!!
Hattie (August 2016)
Thank you for making our special night a great success.
Lynne (June 2016)
Thank you for doing such a great ceilidh at our wedding. The music was wonderful, the calling was spot on … Many people have told us how much they enjoyed the ceilidh and it was obvious on the day that everyone was joining in and having a great time.
Claire & Phil (April 2016)
Loads of great feedback and people wanting ceilidhs … we all had the best night and thank you for being so patient.
Debra (September 2015)
You were brilliant and we had a great time!
Alice (September 2015)
Thanks so much for making our wedding day such a memorable one! Thanks for your enthusiasm & we are happy to recommend!
Mr & Mrs Ellory-Hoare (July 2015)
We want to pass on a HUGE THANK YOU to you and your Band for bringing Burns Night to life for us on Saturday! … The comments from guests on the night were all fantastic: "all so professionally done", "great music all night!", "who knew a Ceilidh could be so much fun!?", "seamless event", "hysterical! Can we do it again?"; I could go on … Your Band played in such an animated way, clearly enjoying themselves as much as we were. Big thank you to Don [guest caller] for being so patient with our hapless efforts! He has a very calm demeanour and his experience helped enormously.
Eileen (January 2015)
The band were very friendly, polite and capable. We especially appreciated how discrete you were when setting up … The variety and level of dances were good, the calling and the music excellent, and the tunes between dances were enjoyable too … I think the evening was paced very well overall, with a good balance of dancing and drinks/recovery breaks for people's energy levels. The music was fantastic - we found the band via their website, as we were looking for a band with a fiddle, and it really was worth it.
Anne-Marie and Joe (December 2014)
Our thanks for the role played by the Dark Horse Ceilidh Band in our social event last night. The feedback from everyone who attended was very positive, and they all seemed to have enjoyed the relaxed fun of the occasion. Please thank the other members of the band for making the dancing such an enjoyable part of the evening.
Tony (October 2014)
An excellent evening thoroughly enjoyed by everyone. Many thanks.
Terriann (August 2014)
Many thanks … It was a good night enjoyed by all from the feedback I've heard already and everyone thoroughly enjoyed the band, so I wish to pass on our thanks to you and your band for such a good dancing opportunity.
Ali (January 2014)
Thank you for a fabulous evening.
Liz (January 2014)
I just wanted to say thank you for Saturday night, it was exactly what we were looking for … I think it worked really well. It was nice to see everyone across the age range up on the dance floor. Thanks again.
Ruth (May 2013)
Thank you ever so much for coming and playing at the Burns Night party on Friday night. It was a great night and everyone we have spoken to has said the same – that the dancing was the icing on the cake – great fun after the excellent traditional meal. Please thank all the band and caller for making it so special for us.
Nick & Anne (January 2013)
Many thanks for making our Ruby Wedding anniversary so enjoyable … everyone seemed to have a good time. So, maybe we'll see you all again!
Lydia (September 2012)
I would just like to thank the Dark Horse Band very much indeed for the wonderful evening you gave us last Saturday. The music was excellent … I really enjoyed the mandolin playing! … and Maggie was a first-class caller. We would certainly recommend you!
Hilary (June 2012)
The dancing was was great – better than the fish and chips!
Christina, aged 12 (June 2012)
Just a quick email to thank you all very much for Saturday night. Everyone had a great deal of fun and the facebook chatter about it was fantastic. Thank you again and I hope you all enjoyed it too.
Anne (June 2012)
On behalf of Harrogate Choral Society Publicity and Fundraising Committee I should like to thank the Dark Horse Ceilidh Band for a most enjoyable and entertaining evening … Feedback from choir members indicates that a good time was had by all – with demands that the event should be repeated! The lively music and the clarity of the caller made for a great performance by the ceilidh band, all of which contributed to a wonderful atmosphere and fun evening. The funds raised exceeded our expectations and it is especially rewarding for the Society to be able to present a generous cheque to Yorkshire Cancer Research as well as supporting HCS. So, a big thank you once again to everyone in the Dark Horse Ceilidh Band – we had a great time and we hope you did too.
Tessa (April 2011)