UK Live Music · Booking Guides
Performer Hire Guides
Real fees, lead times and contract tips.
Wedding bands, DJs, function bands, string quartets, tribute acts — pricing, format and what to ask. 16 free guides, including Blues Bands, Ceilidh Bands and Country & Americana Acts - each with live data from GigXchange. Book direct (0–5% booker fee), no agency markup.
Updated 31 October 2026
At a glance
guides
| Cities | 48 |
| Seasonal | 18 |
| Performer types | 16 |
| Booking an act103 guidesFind, price and book the right act. For venues and bookers: what acts cost in your city, how far ahead to book, what to ask before you commit and what goes in the contract. Find a band (48)·Performer hire guides (16)·How to book live music (25)·Live music by venue type (6)·Promoting gigs (8) |
| Looking for gigs33 guidesGet more gigs as an artist. For artists: who books live music in your city, what to charge, how to pitch venues and where the open opportunities are. How to get gigs (25)·Working as a booking agent (8) |
| Planning an occasion121 guidesBook for a date or an event. For one-off bookers: Christmas, New Year, weddings and Burns Night, plus birthdays, parties and corporate nights - when to book and what each needs. Seasonal booking guides (19)·Book live entertainment (48)·Corporate entertainment (48)·Organising an event (6) |
New to booking live music? Start with how to book live music in the UK - live fees from the GX Index, the licensing rules in every nation and the booking steps in one place, with a guide for each of the 24 cities below it.
01 — Why these guides
Booking, demystified
The UK music industry was worth £8bn to the economy in 2024 (UK Music, This Is Music 2025), yet most live bookings still run on handshakes and DMs. These guides cut through that: how much to pay a band in your city, how to vet an act, contract basics, what agency commission really costs, and how independent artists get on more stages without a middleman — grounded in the GigXchange Index, the UK gig calendar statistics, the Musicians' Union minimum of £167.16 per musician (April 2026), and the Music Venue Trust's 830+ grassroots venue register.
02 — The guides
16 guidesEvery guide
See every guide family.
Other guides: Find a band · How to get gigs · Seasonal booking guides · How to book live music · Book live entertainment · Corporate entertainment · Live music by venue type · Organising an event · Promoting gigs · Working as a booking agent.
04 · Performer hire guides16 guides
For Venues. Wedding bands, DJs, function bands, string quartets, tribute acts — pricing, format and what to ask.
03 — Reads & tools
Reads & tools
| Relevant readHow to book a musician in the UK | |
| Relevant readHow to get more gigs | |
| Relevant readBooking platforms compared | |
| All UK cities | |
| Gig directory | |
| Rate calculator | |
| Contract generator | |
| Setlist builder | |
| Help the GX IndexAdd your rateShare what you charged or paid — anonymous, under a minute. 3 rates unlocks 30 days of UK fee trends. |
04 — Find near you
Within 30 milesArtists & venues near you
Find suitable artists Find venues
05 — The guide families
5 panelsWhat every guide gives you
Free Guides257
Every guide free — real fees, no agency markup. What every guide gives you
Real 2026 fees from the GigXchange Index
Lead times — how far ahead to book
Setlist ideas and venue suggestions
Contract tips and what to ask before you commit
Written for a specific role — venue, artist or organiser
Updated nightly, free to read
| Find a Band | |
| How to Get Gigs | |
| Book Live Music | |
| Find out more | |
| Create free account |
By City48
Booking guides for every UK city we cover. City by city
Local band fees for your city
Which venues book which acts
City-specific lead times and demand
Grouped by region across the UK
New cities added as signup activity grows
| All UK Cities | |
| Gig Directory | |
| Find out more | |
| Create free account |
Seasonal18
Christmas, NYE, weddings, festivals. Peak-window timing and pricing
Christmas and New Year party bands
Wedding season lead times and tiers
Festival and summer-event booking
When to book to avoid the premium crush
Setlist suggestions for the occasion
| Seasonal Guides | |
| Find out more | |
| Create free account |
Performer Types16
Wedding bands, DJs, tribute acts and more. By the act you need
Wedding bands and function bands
DJs and mobile discos
String quartets and solo acoustic acts
Tribute acts and ceilidh bands
Pricing, format and what to ask each
| Performer Hire | |
| Find out more | |
| Create free account |
Get StartedFree
Join free and book direct. Book direct — 0–5% booker fee, no agency markup
Free to join, list and browse
Book direct with no middleman
Contracts, invoices and payments built in
Free on iPhone, Android or any browser
The full toolkit comes with membership
| How It Works | |
| Free Tools | |
| Find out more | |
| Create free account |
06 — Questions6 answersCommon questions
07 — Explore more
All ›
Bedford · Find a band
How to Contact Venues for Gigs · How to get gigs
UK Music Festivals · Seasonal guide
Blues Bands · Performer guide
How to book live music in the UK · Booking guideBedford · Find a bandHow to Contact Venues for Gigs · How to get gigsUK Music Festivals · Seasonal guideBlues Bands · Performer guideHow to book live music in the UK · Booking guide| BedfordLive entertainment | |
| BedfordCorporate entertainment | |
| Live music for boatsVenue type guide | |
| Live music for a birthday partyOrganiser guide | |
| How to become a music promoterPromoter guide | |
| Booking agent agreementAgent guide | |
| BelfastFind a band |
Can't see your city?
We're rolling out UK-wide. GIGXCHANGE publishes booking & career guides for every corner of the UK — Greater London, the North West, Yorkshire, the Midlands, Wales, Scotland and the South Coast. New cities drop weekly, driven by signup activity.
Performer Hire Guides
Wedding bands, DJs, function bands, string quartets, tribute acts — pricing, format and what to ask. 16 free guides, including Blues Bands, Ceilidh Bands and Country & Americana Acts - each with live data from GigXchange.
Find the Right Guide
255+ free UK booking guides, each written for the person doing the booking: what acts cost in your city (live from the GigXchange Index), how far ahead to book, what to ask and what goes in the contract. Pick who you are - the right guides are one tap away.
- 255+
- Guides
- 48
- Cities
- 18
- Seasonal
- 16
- Performer types
The UK music industry was worth £8bn to the economy in 2024 (UK Music, This Is Music 2025), yet most live bookings still run on handshakes and DMs. These guides cut through that: how much to pay a band in your city, how to vet an act, contract basics, what agency commission really costs, and how independent artists get on more stages without a middleman — grounded in the GigXchange Index, the UK gig calendar statistics, the Musicians' Union minimum of £167.16 per musician (April 2026), and the Music Venue Trust's 830+ grassroots venue register.
Find, price and book the right act
For venues and bookers: what acts cost in your city, how far ahead to book, what to ask before you commit and what goes in the contract.
Get more gigs as an artist
For artists: who books live music in your city, what to charge, how to pitch venues and where the open opportunities are.
Book for a date or an event
For one-off bookers: Christmas, New Year, weddings and Burns Night, plus birthdays, parties and corporate nights - when to book and what each needs.
New to booking live music? Start with how to book live music in the UK - live fees from the GX Index, the licensing rules in every nation and the booking steps in one place, with a guide for each of the 24 cities below it.
Browse the Guides
Every one of our 257 guides is here - search by city, act or occasion, then narrow by guide type, by who it is for, or by first letter. Each card opens a free guide with live fees and the acts and venues behind it.
Performer hire guides
For Venues 16 guidesWedding bands, DJs, function bands, string quartets, tribute acts — pricing, format and what to ask.
Performer hire guides: FAQ
The questions people ask most about performer hire guides, answered with live figures.
Can't see your city?
We're rolling out UK-wide. GIGXCHANGE publishes booking & career guides for every corner of the UK — Greater London, the North West, Yorkshire, the Midlands, Wales, Scotland and the South Coast. New cities drop weekly, driven by signup activity.