Guitars up - the room that wants a real band
Hire Rock Bands
Rock bands for pubs, parties, festivals and venue nights - hear them, agree the set and sign one contract.
Updated 21 October 2026
Where to Book Rock Bands
A rock band brings guitars, bass, drums and a singer to the room - classic rock and indie covers for a pub or a party, or its own songs for a venue night or a festival. Line-ups run from a 3-piece to a 5-piece with keys or a second guitar. For a mixed dancefloor set see party bands, and for bands playing their own music see originals bands.
Booking Playbook
Pubs · Bars · Parties · Festivals · Bike and car shows. Here’s the practical version, not the marketing one.
| When to BookWeekends and festival season go first - 1 to 3 months ahead for a pub night, longer for a festival or a summer party. See how far ahead to book. |
| What Format WorksTypical shape: two sets of 45 to 60 minutes, louder than most bookings. Agree the volume, the PA and lights, the stage space and the finish - and whether the set is covers, originals or a mix. |
| Mistakes to Avoid1. Too loud for the room. Agree a volume the venue can hold. 2. Covers or originals? Say which you want. 3. No backline plan. Agree who brings the amps and drums. 4. No finish time. Put it in the contract. 5. No contract. Every GigXchange booking has one. |
Pick Your Line-up
What each size of rock band is, and the room it suits.
| 3-pieceGuitar, bass and drums, with the guitarist or bassist singing - the classic power trio. Suits: Pubs, smaller rooms and tight stages. |
| 4-pieceThe power trio plus a front singer or a second guitar, for harmonies and twin-guitar parts. Suits: Most pub nights, parties and rock clubs. |
| 5-pieceTwo guitars, bass and drums with a front singer, or a 4-piece plus keys for the bigger songs. Suits: Big rooms, festivals and headline nights. |
| Acoustic rock duoTwo players on acoustic guitars, or guitar and cajon, with the rock set unplugged. Suits: Quieter rooms, early sets and venues with a noise limit. |
Rock Bands by Occasion
A set plan for each kind of booking, and what to agree.
| Pub and bar nightsTwo loud sets of classic rock and indie. Agree: Volume and finish - see live music for pubs. |
| Birthday partiesThe guests’ favourite decade, played loud. Agree: The must-play songs and the finish. |
| Festivals and fetesA 45-minute slot with a fast changeover. Agree: Stage times and power - see festival season bands. |
| Venue nightsSupport and headline sets, covers or originals. Agree: The bill and the promotion. |
What Does It Cost?
UK fees by occasion and line-up, all genres - the live GX Index (middle half of recorded fees).
| Pub / barFull band · Solo £162–£325 · Duo £250–£500 | £275–£1,125 |
| WeddingFull band · Solo £240–£450 · Duo £443–£792 | £729–£1,907 |
| CorporateFull band · Solo £278–£469 · Duo £446–£1,020 | £669–£1,708 |
| Private partyFull band · Solo £250–£542 · Duo £250–£500 | £500–£1,210 |
| Festival (30–45 min)Full band · Solo TBC · Duo TBC | £200–£1,783 |
Repertoire & Format
What this performer type actually delivers — by category, with real examples.
Classic rock anthems
| Sweet Child O’ Mine — Guns N’ Roses |
| Livin’ on a Prayer — Bon Jovi |
| Back in Black — AC/DC |
| Don’t Stop Me Now — Queen |
| Hotel California — Eagles |
| Smoke on the Water — Deep Purple |
Brit rock and indie
| Mr Brightside — The Killers |
| I Bet You Look Good on the Dancefloor — Arctic Monkeys |
| Wonderwall — Oasis |
| Common People — Pulp |
| Seven Nation Army — The White Stripes |
| Chelsea Dagger — The Fratellis |
Singalong closers
| Don’t Look Back in Anger — Oasis |
| Bohemian Rhapsody — Queen |
| Sweet Caroline — Neil Diamond |
| All the Small Things — Blink-182 |
Where Rock Bands Get Booked
UK venues, events, and occasions where this format consistently works.
Pubs and bars
| Pubs with a weekend music night — two loud sets, a 3 or 4-piece with its own PA |
| Rock and biker bars — classic rock all night |
Venues and festivals
| Music venues — support and headline sets, originals welcome |
| Summer festivals and fetes — a 45-minute slot with a fast changeover |
Private events
| Birthdays and anniversaries — the guests’ teenage favourites |
| Bike and car shows — outdoor sets with a generator plan |
Clubs and holiday parks
| Social clubs — a rock night on top of the usual turns |
| Holiday parks — a headline rock show night |
How to Book on GIGXCHANGE
Three steps. About five minutes from signup to first booking.
| 01 | FindFind acts or post your gigBrowse acts by sound, line-up and area, or post your date free - date, venue, genre, budget and set length - and acts apply. The listing is live immediately, visible to every artist in the GigXchange network. |
| 02 | ShortlistReview applicationsArtists apply with profile, tracks, reviews and availability all visible. Start a direct chat with shortlisted acts to confirm details before committing. |
| 03 | BookingBook and pay securelyOnce the fee's signed off, a digital contract is auto-generated for both parties. Funds are held securely via Stripe until the gig is complete. |
Booking for a private party rather than a venue? Start with GigXchange for organisers.
11 — Questions7 answersFrequently asked questions
Browse ActsUK-wide
Find and hire rock bands direct. Browse, compare and hire rock bands direct.
Filter by genre, budget, location and availability
Compare styles, set lengths and fees
Message and book direct — no middlemen
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| Browse acts | |
| Find performers | |
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Costs & RatesLive
What rock bands cost in 2026. Realistic 2026 fees before you book.
Entry, mid and premium tier pricing
Live medians on the GigXchange Index
What drives peak-date premiums
Free to cite, updated nightly
| What it costs | |
| GX Rate Index | |
| Submit your rate | |
| Find out more | |
| Post a gig |
The Booking PlaybookFree
When to book, what works, what to avoid. The practical version — timing, formats and mistakes to avoid.
When to book (and when prices spike)
What lineup and format works
Repertoire and format guidance
Mistakes that cost real money
| Overview | |
| Costs & timing | |
| Compare options | |
| FAQs | |
| Find out more | |
| Post a gig |
All Booking GuidesFree
Performer, seasonal and city guides — all free. Every GigXchange booking guide in one place.
Performer-hire guides like this one
Bands for hire, city by city
How to book live music guides
Artist-side guides — see both sides
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Live Music by CityUK
Find acts and venues near your event. Every UK scene, city by city.
City-by-city booking guides
Local venues and open mics
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Find performers near your event
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| Every Performer TypeEvery kind of act, what each suits and how many are on GigXchange. | |
| All Booking GuidesBrowse Bands for Hire, How to Get Gigs, and Seasonal Booking Guides. | |
| UK Rate BenchmarkSee what UK bands actually charge by city, gig type, and band size. | |
| Browse the DirectoryFilter by genre, budget, location and availability. |
| NYE Bands & DJs | |
| Awards Night & Black-Tie Bands | |
| Festival Season Bands | |
| Summer Wedding Bands | |
| Valentine's Day Bands |
| Hiring a wedding band in London | |
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| How much do UK gigs pay? |
Share what you charged or paid — anonymous, under a minute. 3 rates unlocks 30 days of UK fee trends.
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Ready to Book a rock band?
Post a gig for free, no card on file. Membership is free, and we are keeping it free permanently for the first 250 sign-ups.
Hire Rock Bands
Rock bands for pubs, parties, festivals and venue nights - hear them, agree the set and sign one contract.
Last updated: 21 October 2026
Where to Book Rock Bands
GIGXCHANGE is where you book rock bands direct in the UK. 178 rock bands are on the platform - 161 of them trios and bands, the rest solo and duo acts, booked for pubs, bars, parties, festivals and bike and car shows. Listen to each act on their profile, message them before you commit, and every booking comes with a contract you both sign. GigXchange takes 0% of the artist's booking fee, and the booking fee is 5% on top only when you pay through GigXchange – 0% when you settle privately.
A rock band brings guitars, bass, drums and a singer to the room - classic rock and indie covers for a pub or a party, or its own songs for a venue night or a festival. Line-ups run from a 3-piece to a 5-piece with keys or a second guitar. For a mixed dancefloor set see party bands, and for bands playing their own music see originals bands.
Meet the Acts
Real member profiles you can listen to, message and book direct - 161 trios and bands, the rest solo and duo acts.
Browse Rock Bands
All 178 rock bands on GigXchange. Filter by line-up and region, then open a profile to listen and message.
Pick Your Line-up
What each size of rock band is, and the room it suits. Fees for each line-up are in the live table below.
- 3-pieceGuitar, bass and drums, with the guitarist or bassist singing - the classic power trio.Suits: Pubs, smaller rooms and tight stages.
- 4-pieceThe power trio plus a front singer or a second guitar, for harmonies and twin-guitar parts.Suits: Most pub nights, parties and rock clubs.
- 5-pieceTwo guitars, bass and drums with a front singer, or a 4-piece plus keys for the bigger songs.Suits: Big rooms, festivals and headline nights.
- Acoustic rock duoTwo players on acoustic guitars, or guitar and cajon, with the rock set unplugged.Suits: Quieter rooms, early sets and venues with a noise limit.
Not sure which to pick?
Tell the act the room, the guest numbers and what the music is for - drinks, dinner or dancing - and they will suggest a line-up. Post your date free on GIGXCHANGE and rock bands of every size can apply.
Rock Bands by Occasion
A set plan for each kind of booking, and what to agree with the act before the day.
- Pub and bar nightsTwo loud sets of classic rock and indie.Agree: Volume and finish - see live music for pubs.
- Birthday partiesThe guests’ favourite decade, played loud.Agree: The must-play songs and the finish.
- Festivals and fetesA 45-minute slot with a fast changeover.Agree: Stage times and power - see festival season bands.
- Venue nightsSupport and headline sets, covers or originals.Agree: The bill and the promotion.
Put it in writing
Whatever the occasion, agree the times, the sets and the fee in the chat - every booking on GIGXCHANGE comes with a contract you both sign.
Booking Playbook
Pubs · Bars · Parties · Festivals · Bike and car shows. Here’s the practical version, not the marketing one.
When to Book
Weekends and festival season go first - 1 to 3 months ahead for a pub night, longer for a festival or a summer party. See how far ahead to book.
What Format Works
Typical shape: two sets of 45 to 60 minutes, louder than most bookings. Agree the volume, the PA and lights, the stage space and the finish - and whether the set is covers, originals or a mix.
Mistakes to Avoid
1. Too loud for the room. Agree a volume the venue can hold. 2. Covers or originals? Say which you want. 3. No backline plan. Agree who brings the amps and drums. 4. No finish time. Put it in the contract. 5. No contract. Every GigXchange booking has one.
What Do UK Gigs Actually Pay?
Real UK fee ranges from 4,234 recorded fees in the GX Index
| Solo | Duo | Full Band | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pub / bar | £162–£325 | £250–£500 | £275–£1,125 |
| Wedding | £240–£450 | £443–£792 | £729–£1,907 |
| Corporate | £278–£469 | £446–£1,020 | £669–£1,708 |
| Private party | £250–£542 | £250–£500 | £500–£1,210 |
| Festival (30–45 min) | TBC | TBC | £200–£1,783 |
Repertoire & Format
What this performer type actually delivers — by category, with real examples.
Classic rock anthems
- Sweet Child O’ MineGuns N’ Roses
- Livin’ on a PrayerBon Jovi
- Back in BlackAC/DC
- Don’t Stop Me NowQueen
- Hotel CaliforniaEagles
- Smoke on the WaterDeep Purple
Brit rock and indie
- Mr BrightsideThe Killers
- I Bet You Look Good on the DancefloorArctic Monkeys
- WonderwallOasis
- Common PeoplePulp
- Seven Nation ArmyThe White Stripes
- Chelsea DaggerThe Fratellis
Singalong closers
- Don’t Look Back in AngerOasis
- Bohemian RhapsodyQueen
- Sweet CarolineNeil Diamond
- All the Small ThingsBlink-182
Requests, first dances and setlists
Most acts will learn a request or two if you ask early - a first dance, a family favourite or a walk-on song. Ask in the chat on GIGXCHANGE before you book, so the act confirms it in writing, and listen to the tracks and setlists many acts publish on their profile first.
Where Rock Bands Get Booked
UK venues, events, and occasions where this format consistently works.
Pubs and bars
- Pubs with a weekend music nighttwo loud sets, a 3 or 4-piece with its own PA
- Rock and biker barsclassic rock all night
Venues and festivals
- Music venuessupport and headline sets, originals welcome
- Summer festivals and fetesa 45-minute slot with a fast changeover
Private events
- Birthdays and anniversariesthe guests’ teenage favourites
- Bike and car showsoutdoor sets with a generator plan
Clubs and holiday parks
- Social clubsa rock night on top of the usual turns
- Holiday parksa headline rock show night
Booking for one of these rooms?
Every room is different. Tell the act the venue, the room size, the power and the load-in time, and agree the finish - then put it all in the contract you both sign on GIGXCHANGE.
How to Book on GIGXCHANGE
Three steps. About five minutes from signup to first booking.
Find acts or post your gig
Browse acts by sound, line-up and area, or post your date free - date, venue, genre, budget and set length - and acts apply. The listing is live immediately, visible to every artist in the GigXchange network.
Review applications
Artists apply with profile, tracks, reviews and availability all visible. Start a direct chat with shortlisted acts to confirm details before committing.
Book and pay securely
Once the fee's signed off, a digital contract is auto-generated for both parties. Funds are held securely via Stripe until the gig is complete.
Booking for a private party rather than a venue? Start with GigXchange for organisers.
Frequently Asked Questions
Ready to Book a rock band?
Post a gig for free, no card on file. Membership is free, and we are keeping it free permanently for the first 250 sign-ups.