Tomfoolery is a ceilidh and barn dance band based in Ledbury, Herefordshire. We have over 20 years’ experience of playing for a wide range of occasions including wedding receptions, parties, Burns and St Patrick’s Nights, and other events. We provide high quality music, a variety of engaging dances, and great entertainment for everyone.

Live music always generates a special kind of atmosphere, and we can pretty much guarantee that people will have fun – our ceilidhs are good for involving all sorts of people, of all ages, because our dances are all easy to do. We provide a caller along with the band, which means that everyone gets clear instructions and can join in. You don’t need any previous experience because we always start from the assumption that people may not have done ceilidh dancing before.

The composition of the band will depend on your requirements, your budget and the date and location – when we know these we’ll select the band from our pool of musicians. (Take a look at our videos and photos and you’ll see how the lineup varies.) David, who is the main point of contact for Tomfoolery, is often seen playing guitar or bass and is sometimes the band’s caller. Esther (who also plays flute) and Richard (a bass guitarist) also operate at different times as caller. Our fiddle players include Claire, Barbara and Helen, whilst Graham and Rob play guitar or bass, another Helen joins us on whistle and flute, and we bring in Chris when we need an accordion. All are very capable musicians with professional backgrounds, and the fact that we have so many people to draw on gives us a lot of flexibility and resilience.

Usually if you book Tomfoolery as a three-piece band you get a fiddle and a guitar plus a caller who will also play either flute/whistle or bass, whilst a four-piece would be fiddle, guitar, flute/whistle and bass, one of whom will also be the caller. We can also provide a five-piece configuration, which would include four instrumentalists and a separate caller. Whatever the lineup, the music and dances will be broadly the same and we can guarantee good value and a great lively night for everyone. Typically we do evening bookings which last up to three hours including a short break in the middle, but we’re very flexible and can usually fit around whatever works for you and your event. We bring our own PA equipment which is all PAT tested, and for your protection we’re fully covered by public liability insurance.

We’ve performed in a huge variety of venues large and small, ranging from traditional village halls and bespoke wedding venues to some surprising places like Coventry Cathedral and the SS Great Britain! We have a wide repertoire of English, Scottish, Irish, and American music to suit all tastes. In a typical ceilidh gig we’ll include lots of different dances, all of them easy to learn, usually interspersed with some music to listen to. We’re also happy to play, if you want, as a session band for events (or for part of the event) where there’s no dancing.

Do get in touch and we’ll be happy to talk with you about how we can help to make your event a success.