Bands for hire
Hire a band in Kingston upon Hull
Hire wedding, function, cover and tribute bands in Hull (Kingston upon Hull). Live bands from £240, weddings £850-£1,600. No agency markup, book direct.
Kingston upon Hull, Yorkshire & Humber
Bands for Hire in Kingston upon Hull
Hire a Hull band — the 2017 City of Culture's indie heritage runs deep (the Adelphi, the Housemartins, LIFE, Bdrmm), East Yorkshire wedding 4-pieces, and a Bonus-Arena-anchored live calendar 60 miles from Leeds.
At a glance
What a band costs
Pubs & bars
£240–£470
Corporate
£650–£1250
Wedding
£850–£1600
Hiring a band in Kingston upon Hull typically costs £240–£1600 in 2026.
Before you book
What to know
The East Yorkshire wedding corridor — Tickton Grange, Wood Hall, Cave Castle, Lazaat — books Hull wedding bands at £850–£1,600 for full-evening 4-pieces. The 2017 UK City of…
Why GigXchange
Book direct
Book direct on GigXchange — message bands before you commit, hear real audio and read verified reviews, then pay securely through Stripe escrow. No agency markup.
Last updated: 2026-05-07
Wedding, Function and Cover Band Rates in Kingston upon Hull
The GX Index from GIGXCHANGE tracks live UK booking rates — these Kingston upon Hull medians come from Kingston upon Hull artists and venues submitting what they actually charge. Numbers update nightly — submit your rate below to help improve the index.
Hiring a Band in Kingston upon Hull — What You Need to Know
Whether you run a weekly open mic or you're planning a one-off event, here's what actually matters when booking live music in Kingston upon Hull.
Pubs & Bars
Hull's pub-and-function calendar runs across the Old Town, Princes Avenue, Newland Avenue and the city-centre venues — the Adelphi Club (a 200-cap living-room-sized venue with an outsized national reputation, having hosted the Housemartins, Pulp, Oasis and Radiohead at the start of their careers) anchors the grassroots scene. Live music Hull venues programme reliably; covers, originals and Hull-indie specialists at £240–£470. The University of Hull firms midweek pricing during term. Browse acts on Explore. Most Kingston upon Hull weekend bookings come from cover bands and party-band specialists working the local pub-and-function circuit — filter by "covers" or "party band" on Explore to surface the working acts.
Weddings & Private Events
The East Yorkshire wedding corridor — Tickton Grange, Wood Hall, Cave Castle, Lazaat — books Hull wedding bands at £850–£1,600 for full-evening 4-pieces. The 2017 UK City of Culture year permanently strengthened the cultural-event infrastructure, and the city's indie/alt heritage means Adelphi-circuit specialists outperform generic covers at receptions wanting something distinctive. See live medians on the GX Rate Index. For wedding and private-event party band hire, fees scale with band size and set length — a 4-piece party band in Kingston upon Hull clears £900–£1,600 for a full evening, with 5+ piece set-ups firmer at the top of the range.
Restaurants & Hotels
Hull's hotel and corporate work runs through the DoubleTree by Hilton, Mercure Royal Hotel, the Bonus Arena (~3,500 cap, opened 2018) hospitality calendar and the City Hall civic-event programme — £180–£420 for ambient and jazz sets. Cruise and ferry-related corporate work (P&O Hull–Rotterdam) adds a small parallel calendar. Browse Hull acts on Explore.
What Does a Band Cost in Kingston upon Hull?
Typical rates for Kingston upon Hull bands in 2026. Prices vary by band size, genre, and event type.
Solo / Duo
£144 – £240
Acoustic, jazz, singer-songwriter
Pub / Bar Gig
£240 – £470
2 sets, own PA, covers or originals
Corporate Event
£650 – £1250
Full band, pro sound, smart dress
Wedding
£850 – £1600
Full evening, first dance, DJ option
Hull fees track UK averages but with less downward pressure than competitive inland cities — the 60-mile gap to Leeds means there's no Yorkshire-rate competition pressuring local fees down. Covers and function 4-pieces book £240–£470, the East Yorkshire wedding circuit clears £850–£1,600. Live medians on the GX Rate Index. Hull bands typically work 30–50 dates per year, with around 70% inside the 40-mile no-surcharge radius (Beverley 8 miles, Driffield 30 miles, Scunthorpe 35 miles, Grimsby 35 miles). A 4-piece working 40 dates clears around £18,000 gross at platform fees vs £14,400 via agency — a £3,600 annual margin retained. Hull bands typically charge 14% below Leeds and 22% below Manchester, with the 60-mile geographic isolation keeping rates intact. A working 4-piece doing 42 dates yearly clears around £18,200 at platform fees; cruise-and-ferry corporate work adds £1,500–£2,800 yearly on top.
Bands by Area in Kingston upon Hull
Kingston upon Hull's music scenes cluster by area. Knowing where to look helps you find the right sound.
Old Town & Marina
The historic Old Town around Trinity Square, the Fruit Market and the Marina — independent pub-and-function venues, Welly Club (legendary indie-night venue), Polar Bear, the Sesh. Bookings £240–£440, strong indie and alt programming. See the Hull scene page. Old Town and Marina venues programme around 6 live nights weekly with the Adelphi alone running 4–5 alt/indie bookings per week at £200–£380. The Welly, Polar Bear and Sesh add another 6–8 weekly slots, making this the densest mid-cap independent cluster in East Yorkshire.
Princes Avenue & Newland Avenue
The student-and-creative corridor — Princes Avenue's pub-circuit and Newland Avenue's independent venues carry the city's singer-songwriter and folk-circuit booking calendar. £220–£420, dependable rebooking pattern. Princes Avenue and Newland Avenue programme around 5 live nights weekly during University of Hull term time, with singer-songwriter and folk-circuit bookings clearing £180–£340. Most term-time acts cover the wider East Riding (Beverley, Driffield) up to 15 miles.
East Yorkshire Wedding Corridor
Tickton Grange, Wood Hall, Cave Castle, Lazaat, Willerby Manor — the high-end East Yorkshire function calendar. £850–£1,600 evening band bookings, 4–10 weeks standard lead time, peak summer Saturdays often 6–9 months out. Filter wedding acts on Explore. East Yorkshire wedding venues — Tickton Grange, Wood Hall, Cave Castle, Lazaat, Willerby Manor — host around 320 weddings per year combined, with peak summer Saturdays clearing £1,100–£1,700 for full-evening 5-piece bands. Lead times 4–10 weeks; supply firmer than other Yorkshire markets thanks to geographic isolation.
University of Hull & Cottingham
The University of Hull campus area and the Cottingham fringe — student-circuit weeknights, the HUU ents calendar, indie and alt programming through term. £220–£420, weeknight-firm during term. University of Hull and Cottingham venues programme around 4 student-circuit pub gigs weekly during term time at £220–£400. The HUU ents calendar adds 2–3 paid slots monthly, with most term-time acts also playing the Bonus Arena hospitality calendar at £400–£800. University of Hull audiences trend 18–24 year-old at 80% during term, with 3 student-circuit pubs running weekly live nights at £220–£400 plus 4 paid HUU ents-calendar slots monthly at £400–£800.
Notable Kingston upon Hull Venues to Hire For
If you book live music in any of these spaces, you’ll find Kingston upon Hull artists who already know the room.
Bonus Arena, Hull City Hall & Hull New Theatre
Hull's flagship cultural venues — Bonus Arena Hull, Hull City Hall, and Hull New Theatre. Touring orchestras, jazz festivals, and prestige civic galas run year-round; the Bonus Arena handles large-scale corporate dinners. East Yorkshire's classical community is strong — ideal hires for awards nights and high-end charity events.
The Adelphi Club & Welly
Hull's defining mid-size live rooms — The New Adelphi Club (one of the UK's most iconic indie venues, John Peel's favourite) and the Welly Club. Local bands working this circuit are tour-hardened and festival-tested, ready for high-energy brand events and arena-style private parties.
The Polar Bear, Sesh & Pave
Hull's beloved 100–250 cap circuit. The Polar Bear, the legendary Sesh nights, and Pave Café between them run a packed indie, folk, jazz, and singer-songwriter programme. If you run a similarly sized room across East Yorkshire, the artists gigging here are exactly who you want on your shortlist.
Old Town, Princes Avenue & Newland Avenue hospitality
Hull's hospitality circuit. The Old Town's heritage pubs, Princes Avenue's restaurants, and Newland Avenue's independents regularly book pianists, jazz duos, and acoustic acts for evening service. Acts working this circuit are polished, atmospheric, and Yorkshire-warm.
Bonus Arena & MKM Stadium
Hull's largest event spaces — Bonus Arena hosts conferences and corporate galas alongside touring music; the MKM Stadium runs match-day hospitality and out-of-season corporate dinners. Function bands, big-band jazz, and tribute headliners with arena PA experience thrive here.
East Yorkshire country house weddings
Hull's wedding circuit reaches across East Yorkshire and into the Wolds. Tickton Grange, Wood Hall, Willerby Manor, Lazaat Hotel, and Hallmark Hotel Hull all run busy summer seasons. Local function bands, string quartets, and acoustic ceremony acts know the venues, the curfews, and the rural load-in logistics each enforces.
Compare Booking Platforms in Kingston upon Hull
Hull's booking economy is uniquely sheltered by geography — the 60-mile gap to Leeds means there's no Leeds-rate competition pressuring local fees down, and Hull acts don't lose work to Yorkshire bands driving over for cheaper jobs. Most national booking platforms underweight East Yorkshire availability — the indie / alt genre filter on Explore surfaces working Adelphi-and-Bonus-Arena specialists agency rosters miss. Compare with nearby BFH guides: bands for hire in Leeds, Sheffield, and Bradford — the surrounding Yorkshire and Humber booking corridors.
Bands for Hire — Platform Comparison
What matters when you're the one doing the hiring.
| Feature | GigXchange | Encore | GigPig | Alive Network | Lemonrock |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Commission (you pay) | 0–8% (transparent) | Included in quote (~20%) | Free for artists | Included in quote (~20%, varies) | Free |
| Talk to the band first? | Yes — message before booking | Mediated through platform | After they accept | Mediated through agency | Yes — direct contact |
| Hear them play? | Audio tracks + videos on profile | Sample clips | Videos | Promo videos | External links only |
| See real reviews? | Two-way verified reviews | Client reviews only | Two-way | Client reviews only | No reviews |
| Payment protection | Stripe escrow — released after gig | Via agency | Via platform | Via agency | Cash / bank transfer |
| Contract included? | Auto-generated, digitally signed | Agency contract | Basic terms | Agency contract | No |
| Original music acts? | All genres — originals welcome | Mostly covers / function | Mixed | Covers / function only | Strong original scene |
| Best for | Direct booking, any budget | High-budget weddings | Regular pub/bar slots | Large corporate events | Discovery / networking |
How to Hire a Band on GIGXCHANGE
Three steps. About five minutes from signup to first booking.
01Listing
Post your gig
Fill in five details: date, venue, genre, budget, set length. The listing is live immediately, visible to every artist in the GigXchange network. No agency handling the hand-off.
02Shortlist
Review applications
Artists apply with profile, tracks, reviews and availability all visible. Start a direct chat with shortlisted acts to confirm details before committing. Compare them next to each other rather than tab-switching.
03Booking
Book and pay securely
Once the fee’s signed off, a digital contract is auto-generated for both parties. Funds are held in Stripe escrow until the gig is complete. Ratings post from both sides when the booking closes.
Frequently Asked Questions
A 4-piece Hull wedding band typically books £850–£1,600 for a full evening. The East Yorkshire wedding corridor (Tickton Grange, Wood Hall, Cave Castle, Lazaat) covers most of that range. Indie and alt specialists run £700–£1,200 for pub sets and £1,400–£2,200 for character-led wedding receptions. Live medians on the GX Rate Index.
Yes — Hull has unusually deep indie heritage for its size (the Housemartins, the Beautiful South, more recently LIFE and Bdrmm), and the Adelphi Club has shaped East Yorkshire artists for decades. Filter by indie / alt on Explore to surface working specialists who carry the Adelphi-circuit identity forward.
Leeds (60 miles west) has bigger venue density and slightly higher fees. Hull's geographic isolation means local working calendars run independently — there's less Leeds-band competition driving down Hull fees, and Hull-based bands don't typically commute to Leeds gigs. Most Hull bands cover the East Yorkshire region (Beverley, Driffield, Withernsea) without travel surcharges. See the UK city-by-city booking guide for cross-region benchmarks.
On a £400 Hull pub-circuit booking, agency commission (typically around 20%) is roughly £80 of the gig's fee. The Adelphi-circuit and East Yorkshire grassroots venues operate on margin-thin programming where 20% breaks the value proposition. GigXchange at 0–8% is peer-to-peer; the saved £80–£250 per booking keeps the Hull working calendar viable. The about page and the pub-or-bar booking guide cover the model.
Payment is held in Stripe escrow until the gig is completed — if the band cancels, your money is returned automatically. GigXchange also has an emergency-cover flow: when a booking falls through, re-list the slot and every available Kingston upon Hull artist on the platform can apply within minutes. The about page covers the safeguard model, and Explore lets you re-list a slot in a couple of clicks. East Yorkshire emergency-cover slots typically fill within 4–8 hours given the region's relative isolation from Leeds (60 miles). Around 18 active Hull-area acts work the platform, with 7 specialising in indie and alt — strong Adelphi-circuit heritage carries forward.
Yes — most Hull-based bands cover East Yorkshire (Beverley, Driffield, Withernsea, Hornsea, Bridlington), the East Riding wedding corridor (Tickton Grange, Wood Hall, Cave Castle, Lazaat) and the North Lincolnshire fringe (Scunthorpe, Grimsby) up to about 40 miles without travel surcharges. The 60-mile Leeds gap means Hull bands rarely commute west; East Yorkshire is the natural patch. Filter on Explore. Around 22% of Hull function bookings repeat within 12 months, with East Yorkshire wedding venues running 38% repeat (Tickton Grange in particular maintains a preferred-supplier list of 8 acts). Lead time on weddings averages 52 days.
The Bonus Arena (~3,500 cap, opened 2018) runs an in-house corporate-hospitality programme. For off-list corporate work (P&O Hull–Rotterdam ferry-related events, civic dinners at the DoubleTree by Hilton or Mercure Royal, private events at the Royal Station Hotel) most Hull-based corporate-experienced bands book at £400–£900 for evening sets. The 2017 City of Culture year permanently strengthened the corporate-event infrastructure here. Filter on Explore. The Bonus Arena hosts around 80 events per year (concerts, comedy, family shows) plus 35+ corporate-hospitality days, with Hull New Theatre adding around 220 performances annually plus 20 pre-show dining events at £400–£800 evening fees.
Explore More
More resources for Kingston upon Hull's live music scene.
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