so you HAVE MADE A BOOKING?

here's some handy tips:

first of all - we see it as our job to make our audience happy! please help us to do this by following some basic tips. if your musicians are happy musicians, they are better musicians!

we will need a minimum of 2x4m stage area for us and our instruments +1-2 sq m if Grace is playing with us.

we need one power socket, close to the area we will play in

we also need 1 chair (2 if Grace is with us) and 1 barstool or high stool if possible - but not essential.

please think about how we will get our equipment in, and try and give us close access to the stage area. If you cannot do this, then we will be very grateful for a few strong bods to give a few minutes to help us in and out with the heaviest gear.

if there is a stage - brilliant, (a low stage even better) but we don't need one. It feels more comfortable - but again not essential - for us if there is some way of protecting us from the audience dancing on the band!

please think carefully about your lighting and the atmosphere it creates. You have spent all this money on a beautiful wedding, party, gig or musical evening and everyone's made an effort to look gorgeous. How gorgeous do people look in strip neon lighting? How keen will they be to dance? We can provide something very basic to light us, but you might like to provide candles for the tables or some other form of soft lighting to provide that intimacy or change from the everyday. If you can light the band that helps too - but is not essential.

also think about any other music you may want to lay on. Many people who book us are quite happy not to have any other music playing, and we are very happy with this too. However, if you would like some gentle background music playing, we can provide that through our i-pod and our PA system. We choose this music carefully to set the right mood for what we are going to play. if you would still rather provide your own, then please think about how we will sound after it. We are a duo/trio playing LIVE music - so there is no backing stuff, as you would know by now! Low volume roots - blues, irish, bluegrass, etc is fine. However, any pre-recorded music is highly produced. If you play that loudly before we play, people's ears will adjust to that and our system and instrumentation is not made to match this. You will also make us want to go home. Any loud poppy dance music is a definite no-no, and we will not play after, or between a disco or karaoke. Sorry to be prima donnas, but we are artists after all. (back of hand to forehead).

Finally, dear booker - we love to drink Guinness, or lager in its absence, and water. If you can provide us with these throughout the evening we will love you and be very happy bunnies.