Book a Band for Your Party.
Without the Agency.
Booking a band for a birthday, anniversary or private party? Browse 656 UK artists, hear them before you book, and get a signed contract with your payment protected by Stripe — no agency, no ~20% markup. Most private parties need no music licence at all.
Last updated: 4 September 2026
Why Organisers Choose GIGXCHANGE
Book like a pro without being one — direct, protected, and licence-anxiety free
Find the Right Act
Browse 656 UK artists by genre, location and fee — play their tracks, watch their videos and read two-way verified reviews before you shortlist anyone. No agency in the middle deciding who you see.
Book with Protection
Every booking gets an auto-generated digital contract signed by both sides, and your payment is held securely by Stripe until the gig is done. A handshake with paperwork.
No Licence Headache
A genuinely private party — invited guests, no ticket sales — usually needs no music licence at all. Our free Licensing Checker gives you a personal verdict in two minutes.
See it in action
A look inside GigXchange Mainstage — the members app where artists, venues, agents and promoters manage bookings, messaging, events and payments. Scroll: the phone follows you through the app.
- 01 / 06
Your dashboard
The moment you log in, everything that matters is in front of you — what's booked, what you've earned, and what needs you next. No digging through tabs.
- Bookings at a glanceConfirmed, pending and upcoming gigs in one view — so nothing slips through the cracks.
- Earnings, trackedSee deposits held securely and payouts released, with a running total you can trust.
- Live activity feedNew messages, offers and event updates surface the second they happen — you're never the last to know.
- 02 / 06
Explore the scene
Find the right artists, venues and open gigs across the UK from one place — filtered by what actually matters to you: location, genre, date and budget.
- Search that fits youFilter by role, city, genre and availability to surface only the people and gigs worth your time.
- Smart Match suggestionsThe strongest matches rise to the top, so the right connection finds you — not just the loudest.
- Open gigs, liveBrowse gigs that need filling and apply in a tap — no cold outreach, no gatekeepers.
- 03 / 06
Bookings, end to end
Offer, negotiate and confirm a gig in a single thread — every date, fee and deposit agreed in one place and held to.
- One thread, start to finishThe whole deal lives in one conversation — no lost emails, no he-said-she-said.
- Negotiate with clarityCounter-offers, dates and fees are structured and tracked, so both sides always know where they stand.
- Held securelyThe deposit is held safely until the gig is done — performers get paid, bookers get peace of mind.
- 04 / 06
Messaging
Agree the details before you commit. Direct, real-time conversations with venues, artists, agents and promoters — with bookings built right in.
- Talk first, book secondSort the awkward questions — sound, timings, fee — before anything's signed.
- Bookings inside the chatTurn a conversation into a confirmed offer without ever leaving the thread.
- Share availability & filesSend your calendar, riders and posters in-line, so everyone's working from the same page.
- 05 / 06
Your profile & EPK
Your shop window to the whole UK scene — a profile and electronic press kit that does the selling for you, on the public web and inside the app.
- Built to be foundYour profile is a public page engineered for search and AI discovery — so people find you without you chasing them.
- A press kit that travelsMusic, photos, stats and past gigs in one shareable EPK that makes booking you an easy yes.
- Always currentUpdate once and it's live everywhere — no stale links, no outdated one-sheets.
- 06 / 06
Setlists
Build a polished setlist in minutes and share it with the room — songs, keys and running order, ready for the night.
- Drag-and-drop running orderReorder songs in a tap and see the whole set take shape, page by page.
- Share it anywhereSend a clean, branded setlist to the band, the venue or the sound engineer in one tap.
- Reuse and adaptSave sets per act or venue and tweak the running order for the next gig without starting over.
- 01 / 06
Your dashboard
The moment you log in, everything that matters is in front of you — what's booked, what you've earned, and what needs you next. No digging through tabs.
- Bookings at a glanceConfirmed, pending and upcoming gigs in one view — so nothing slips through the cracks.
- Earnings, trackedSee deposits held securely and payouts released, with a running total you can trust.
- Live activity feedNew messages, offers and event updates surface the second they happen — you're never the last to know.
- 02 / 06
Explore the scene
Find the right artists, venues and open gigs across the UK from one place — filtered by what actually matters to you: location, genre, date and budget.
- Search that fits youFilter by role, city, genre and availability to surface only the people and gigs worth your time.
- Smart Match suggestionsThe strongest matches rise to the top, so the right connection finds you — not just the loudest.
- Open gigs, liveBrowse gigs that need filling and apply in a tap — no cold outreach, no gatekeepers.
- 03 / 06
Bookings, end to end
Offer, negotiate and confirm a gig in a single thread — every date, fee and deposit agreed in one place and held to.
- One thread, start to finishThe whole deal lives in one conversation — no lost emails, no he-said-she-said.
- Negotiate with clarityCounter-offers, dates and fees are structured and tracked, so both sides always know where they stand.
- Held securelyThe deposit is held safely until the gig is done — performers get paid, bookers get peace of mind.
- 04 / 06
Messaging
Agree the details before you commit. Direct, real-time conversations with venues, artists, agents and promoters — with bookings built right in.
- Talk first, book secondSort the awkward questions — sound, timings, fee — before anything's signed.
- Bookings inside the chatTurn a conversation into a confirmed offer without ever leaving the thread.
- Share availability & filesSend your calendar, riders and posters in-line, so everyone's working from the same page.
- 05 / 06
Your profile & EPK
Your shop window to the whole UK scene — a profile and electronic press kit that does the selling for you, on the public web and inside the app.
- Built to be foundYour profile is a public page engineered for search and AI discovery — so people find you without you chasing them.
- A press kit that travelsMusic, photos, stats and past gigs in one shareable EPK that makes booking you an easy yes.
- Always currentUpdate once and it's live everywhere — no stale links, no outdated one-sheets.
- 06 / 06
Setlists
Build a polished setlist in minutes and share it with the room — songs, keys and running order, ready for the night.
- Drag-and-drop running orderReorder songs in a tap and see the whole set take shape, page by page.
- Share it anywhereSend a clean, branded setlist to the band, the venue or the sound engineer in one tap.
- Reuse and adaptSave sets per act or venue and tweak the running order for the next gig without starting over.
How It Works
From idea to party — four simple steps
Click or tap the deck to advance. The corner button opens it full screen.
Got a date in mind?
Free to join — 5 minutes to set up.
Built for One-Off Bookings
The same protection professionals get — for people who book a band once a year, not once a week
Direct Messaging
Message any act before you book — no gatekeeper, no quote forms, no waiting for an agency to relay your questions.
Transparent Fees
See what acts actually charge — the live GX Index tracks real UK booking rates, so you know the going rate before you open a conversation.
Digital Contracts
Auto-generated for every booking and signed by both sides — date, times, fee, cancellation terms. No solicitor required.
Two-Way Reviews
Every act's reviews come from real bookings — and they review you back, so good organisers get acts saying yes faster.
Stripe Protection
Your payment is held securely and released 5 days after the gig. If the act cancels, it comes straight back — automatically.
Gig Rescue
Band pulled out the week before? Broadcast an urgent invite to up to 25 available acts near you — first to accept is booked.
What Do UK Gigs Actually Pay?
Real 2026 fee ranges from 4,000+ observations in the GX Index
| Solo | Duo | Full Band | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pub / bar | £100–£250 | £200–£400 | £300–£700 |
| Wedding | £300–£700 | £500–£900 | £1,200–£2,500 |
| Corporate | £400–£800 | £600–£1,200 | £1,500–£4,000+ |
| Private party | £250–£500 | £350–£600 | £600–£1,500 |
| Festival (30–45 min) | £150–£400 | £200–£600 | £200–£800 |
The Organiser Licence Question
The question every private booker asks first — here's the honest answer, in plain English
No Licence Needed
Invited guests, no tickets sold to the public? A genuinely private event is not licensable — your birthday, anniversary or garden party needs no music licence at all.
Temporary Event Notice
Open to the public or selling tickets? A one-off needs a TEN: up to 499 people, £21, at least 10 working days' notice to your council.
The Venue Has It Covered
Hired a pub function room, hotel or hall that's already licensed? Their premises licence normally covers the music — ask the venue, not the council.
Or go straight to your city — bands, singers and DJs with local rates. Booking for the company instead? Every city has a corporate entertainment page too.
Direct Beats the Agency Route
What changes when nobody sits between you and the band.
Booking a band privately usually means an agency quote with a ~20% markup baked in, or a leap of faith on social media. You never talk to the band, you can’t hear them live, and the "contract" is whatever the agency says it is.
GigXchange is the direct route: browse 656 real profiles with audio and reviews, message the act, agree the fee you can see, and let the platform handle the contract and the money. One booking or ten — the protection is the same.
| GIGXCHANGE | Agency Booking | |
|---|---|---|
| The price you see | The act's actual fee, 0–5% transparent | ~20% agency markup baked into the quote |
| Talk to the band first | Direct chat before you book | Mediated through the agency |
| Hear them play | Audio + video on every profile | A promo clip if you're lucky |
| Reviews | Two-way, from real bookings | Testimonials the agency picked |
| Contract | Auto-generated, signed digitally | Agency terms, or nothing |
| If the band cancels | Gig Rescue + automatic refund | Phone the agency and hope |
| Cost to you | Free — optional 5% protected payment | The markup, always |
Free Tools for Organisers
Everything you need to plan the music — free, no card, no trial limits
Find an Artist
Tell us the date, place and vibe — get matched with available acts near your event in one search.
Gig Rate Calculator
Live UK percentiles by city, band size and event type — know the fair price for a London party band before you ask.
Licensing Checker
Answer a few questions about your event and get a personal verdict — most private parties need no licence at all.
Contract Generator
A UK-compliant booking agreement in under 2 minutes — 8 standard clauses, dual e-signatures, instant PDF.
UK Gig Directory
See who's playing near you — 8,300+ grassroots gigs across 71 UK cities. Catch an act live before you book them.
How to Hire a Band for a UK Event
Costs, timelines and contract terms for hiring a band for a private UK event — the full walkthrough.
Organiser FAQ
Your Party Deserves a Live Band
Post your event free, compare real acts, and book with a contract and Stripe protection — from a Clapham garden party to a village-hall anniversary. Free to use, five minutes to start.