Countdown

Countdown

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Location London
Starting from £4999
2 Reviews

Countdown are a sensational swing and soul band performing a huge range of hits from the Big Band, Rat Pack, Soul and Motown eras

  • Highlights
  • With a distinctive sound and unrivalled performance, they are guaranteed to transform the atmosphere of your event
  • This band can provide classical or contemporary music for your wedding ceremony, and will learn your favourite song to make the first dance even more special
  • Countdown also have some great Christmas repertoire so are the perfect addition to any Christmas party

About


Countdown are a sensational swing and soul band performing a huge range of hits from the Big Band, Rat Pack, Soul & Motown eras. With a distinctive sound and unrivalled performance, they are guaranteed to transform the atmosphere of your event.

  • A sensational function band consisting of highly experienced professional swing and soul musicians
  • A huge repertoire featuring classic songs from the Swing, Rat Pack, Soul and Motown eras - designed to appeal to audiences of all ages.
  • Exceptional female vocals accompanied by an outstanding rhythm section and horn section
  • Additional male vocals, female vocals, percussion, strings and dancers can be added for an even more energetic show
  • Constantly in demand performing at corporate and private events in London and throughout the UK and internationally
  • Self-contained for all events with top-quality lights and sound equipment
  • Music provided between sets free of charge
  • Available in smaller line-ups with small jazz, soul or pop bands for earlier in the day - with great discounts if booked together with the main band
  • Also able to provide classical or contemporary music including string quartet for wedding ceremonies

Your event is special to the band and every gig is treated separately ensuring that your requirements are met. From choosing the perfect line-up to suit your event to smaller details such as the dress code special requests and performance times Countdown aim to be completely flexible to make sure that you get entertainment perfect for your event.

The band is perfect for any venue and any sized audience from 40 people to 400+. The band is self-contained with a compact yet powerful QSC PA system as standard and lighting rig with effects. Music between sets is provided free of charge along with a microphone for speeches.

Repertoire


Rat Pack & Swing

  • Come Fly With Me*
  • Fly Me to the Moon
  • For Once in My Life
  • Have you met Miss Jones
  • I Get a Kick Out of You*
  • I’ve Got You Under My Skin
  • The Lady is a Tramp*
  • Luck Be a Lady*
  • Mack the Knife
  • Me & My Shadow
  • New York New York*
  • That’s Life
  • The Way You Look Tonight*
  • They Can't Take That Away From Me
  • Witchcraft*
  • Ain’t That a Kick in the Head
  • Sway
  • Almost Like Being in Love*
  • Let There Be Love
  • Let’s Face the Music and Dance*
  • L-O-V-E
  • Straighten up and Fly Right
  • All of Me
  • Call Me Irresponsible*
  • Don’t Get Around Much Anymore
  • Everything
  • Moondance (Van Morrison)
  • At Last
  • That Ole Devil Called Love
  • Don’t Get Around Much Anymore
  • What a Wonderful World
  • Feeling Good
  • My Baby Just Cares For Me
  • Cheek to Cheek
  • Manhattan
  • Mas Que Nada*
  • It Had To Be You (from When Harry Met Sally)

Jump Jive and Big Swing

  • Jump, Jive An' Wail (Louis Prima)
  • Ain't Nobody Here But Us Chickens (Louis Jordan)
  • Choo Choo Ch'Boogie (Louis Prima)
  • Tu Vuo Fa' L'Americano (from The Talented Mr Ripley)
  • I Wanna Be Like You (Kenny Ball and his Jazzmen)
  • Reet Petite (Jackie Wilson)
  • American Patrol*
  • In The Mood*
  • Pennsylvania 6-5000*
  • Well Alright, Okay, You Win
  • All of Me
  • Sing Sing Sing*
  • Perhaps Perhaps Perhaps
  • Mambo Italiano
  • Why Don't You Do Right*

Soul and Motown

  • Isn’t She Lovely
  • Knocks Me Off My Feet
  • Signed Sealed, Delivered
  • Sir Duke
  • Superstition*
  • Blame it on the Boogie
  • Rock With You*
  • The Way You Make Me Feel*
  • Ain’t No Mountain High Enough*
  • I Say a Little Prayer For You
  • Respect
  • Think*
  • I'm Every Woman
  • Finally
  • Move On Up
  • Heard It Through the Grapevine*
  • I Just Wanna Make Love to You
  • I Feel Good*
  • How Sweet It Is To Be Loved By You
  • Can't Take My Eyes Off You
  • Just The Way You Are
  • Dancing in the Street
  • Heatwave
  • The Tracks of My Tears
  • It's Not Unusual
  • 9 to 5
  • My Girl
  • Best of My Love
  • I Will Survive
  • Lady Marmalade*
Line-Up

Standard line-up:

  • 7-piece band - female vocals, piano, bass, drums, guitar, tenor sax, trumpet

Larger line-ups!

  • 9-piece band - as above plus alto sax and second trumpet
  • 12-piece - plus male vocalist, percussion, baritone saxophone
  • 15-piece - plus two additional female vocalists, keyboards
  • 18-piece - plus three string players (2 violins, 1 cello)

Smaller line-ups:

  • 6-piece: female vocals, piano, bass, drums, tenor sax then guitar or trumpet

2 Reviews

Top reviews

Olivia Gregory and Tim Thornhill

Event: Wedding
Location: East Sussex
5/5

The band were sensational from start to finish. After arriving quietly and sorting themselves out, they really got the party started and were wonderfully flexible with slightly slow timings due to some rather long speeches! A few of our younger friends were dubious when we first said we'd booked a big band rather than the usual younger rock/pop style band, but absolutely everyone hit the dancefloor for the whole of the evening and cried out for more when time was up - young and old! Really can't recommend enough - they made our wedding totally raucous and quirky and we have received so many compliments on their behalf. Thanks Countdown!


Lesley Prentice, Offshore Design Engineering

Event: Corporate
Location: Surrey
5/5

The band was fantastic, I really enjoyed them and the feed back I got from other people was the same. I will keep them in mind for next year depending on what we decide to do. Many thanks. Lesley


    Pricing

    We give you a bespoke price based on the exact location of your event. The pricing below is based on a central location for your area so you have an idea of what your price will be. The exact price will be given in the booking process after you’ve provided the location details.

    East
    • Cambridgeshire £5,704
    • Norfolk £5,890
    • Norwich £5,952
    • Suffolk £5,828
    Scotland
    • Edinburgh £8,060
    • Glasgow £8,060
    South East
    • Bedfordshire £5,332
    • Berkshire £5,332
    • Buckinghamshire £5,456
    • East Sussex £5,332
    • Essex £5,332
    • Hampshire £5,456
    • Hertfordshire £5,456
    • Kent £5,332
    • London £4,999
    • Middlesex £5,332
    • Oxfordshire £5,456
    • Surrey £5,332
    • Sussex £5,332
    • West Sussex £5,332
    South West
    • Bath £5,828
    • Bristol £5,890
    • Somerset £5,828
    • Wiltshire £5,704
    West Midlands
    • Birmingham £6,200
    • Gloucestershire £6,200
    • Herefordshire £6,200
    • Shropshire £6,200
    • Staffordshire £6,200
    • Warwickshire £6,200
    • Worcestershire £6,200

    Ready to book
    Countdown?

    Countdown
    Or call 01270 501 164

    FAQs

    Why should I book Countdown?
    Performing together on hundreds of occasions over the years has meant that we are extremely well rehearsed, and have developed a fantastic and unique sound that really sets us apart from other function bands. We are extremely flexible, and can transform from a piano/cello duo for your wedding ceremony to a background jazz band playing over dinner, right up to a fantastic 12-piece function band (or bigger!) for dancing all night long. We also use top quality PA and lighting equipment to make sure each performance looks and sounds slick and professional. We pride ourselves on our personal service. We treat every event separately, whether large and small, to make sure that you get the perfect music for YOUR special occasion.

    How far do you travel?
    We regularly travel up to 150 miles from London. We are also happy to travel further than this, though we may need to arrange overnight accommodation which would incur additional charges.

    Are you insured?
    Yes, the band holds a £5m Public Liability Insurance policy with Musicians Insurance Services, and all of our electrical equipment is regularly PAT tested. Please ask us if you need copies of these documents.

    How long do you need to set-up?
    We need around 90 minutes to set up for the Function Band (the Jazz Band will take about 30 minutes to set up). It usually takes about 45 minutes to pack up when we've finished playing.

    How much space do you need?
    The function band needs about 18' x 8' performance space. However, we are used to squeezing into small spaces so we'll do our best wherever we are!

    Can you play outside?
    Yes, but only if we have adequate cover over us. This is to protect us - and more importantly our equipment - against both sun and rain, as both can get in the way of a good performance! You must also check that there is an adequate power supply close to the performance space.

    How much electricity do you need?
    The band needs at least three separate 13 amp sockets. This does NOT mean a four-way extension lead taken out of a single socket, as it will not provide enough power for the lights and speakers. The Jazz Band only needs one socket close to the performance space.

    How much equipment do you bring with you?
    Not as much as many other bands, and it doesn't compromise the way the band looks. We have a compact yet powerful PA system, and use simple, compact lighting which makes the band look a lot nicer!

    Can you arrive to set up earlier in the day?
    Yes we can, but if you want us to arrive more than three hours before we are due to start playing there may be an additional charge. We always aim to finish setting up before your guests arrive, and will be as flexible as possible to try and accommodate your needs.

    Can I have the Jazz Band play during a drinks reception in the afternoon, and then have the Function Band in the evening?
    Yes, we regularly do this and find it works very well. It also works out much cheaper than booking two separate bands!

    Can you play after midnight?
    If you want us to play past midnight, there may be an additional charge. Please ask us for more information.

    What happens between sets?
    We bring along a laptop computer and use it to play recorded music along the same lines as the ones we perform. However, we are also happy to play your choice of music, if you make a compilation of songs/mp3 files on a CD and give it to us beforehand. We are also able to plug your laptop, mp3 player or iPod into our PA system so that you have complete control over the songs played between sets.

    Can we use your microphone for the speeches?
    Yes, this is no problem. However, please note that you will not be able to stand further forward than our speakers - otherwise you'll get lots of horrible feedback!

    I'm having a disco afterwards - can you help?
    Our top-quality PA system is fantastic for a disco set after we've finished playing. There are some limitations with this, but generally speaking it's MUCH cheaper to use our equipment for your disco than hiring your own DJ.

    Can you learn our first dance?
    Often we can, yes. It's best you talk to us as soon as possible to discuss this if it's something you would like us to do.

    What about other requests?
    When you book the band you are more than welcome to go through our repertoire and highlight songs you particularly do or do not want us to play. Sometimes it is possible to learn new songs, but it can be hard to fit this into the band's busy schedule and may incur additional charges. Let us know well in advance and we can discuss the options with you straight away!

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