Burns Night is always one of the busiest periods of the year for Reel Time Events, and 2016 was no different.  Here is a quick roundup of this year’s events and what we have been doing to help celebrate our great Bard’s birthday

Roddy and the Scraggly Cats had the pleasure of entertaining the Builders Merchants Federation at Dalmahoy Golf and Country Club.  Roddy was on hand to address the haggis and then join the Scraggly Cats for their funky and up beat fusion of ceilidh and pop, giving all of the guests a fantastic party for the evening.

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At Aberdeen’s AECC Roddy and the team were entertaining not one but two Burns Night events.  The first was a Burns supper for a corporate client, who were entertained by Roddy and the Reel Time Band and provided a bangingburnsnight for all the guests.

The second event at the AECC also included Highland Games Activities and a whisky tasting, giving guests a taste of all things Scottish, before being entertained by the Reel Time Band in the evening.

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Back in Edinburgh Roddy was busy at various venues across the city.  Mansfield Traquair’s Burn’s night celebration was an intimate party in a grand venue, with Heritage Portfolio key staff, board of directors and invited guests from their parent company entertained by Roddy and the Scraggly Cats, and treated to one of Roddy’s characterful and animated Haggis Addresses.

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At the EICC the Reel Time Ceilidh Band accompanied by our talented Highland Dancers entertained a group of hosted DMCs, to give them a taste of a Reel Time Burns night celebration and a night to remember.

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Roddy offered up a contemporary performance at the National Museum of Scotland for the Burns Unbound event, playing a contemporary bagpipe set with a dance backing track and accompanied by the fabulous Tartanium dancers.  We were lucky enough to be given a video of the event by one of the guests, Mr K Bryce Morrison, which you can see here

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And just when you though it was a hard life for a piper over Burns season, Roddy’s last job was to jet to Madrid for one final Burns night, playing at the Ambassadors residence for a secret client, where he treated guests to a rousing haggis address, and playing his pipes and encouraging some ceilidh dancing in the warmer climbs of a Madrid evening.

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Held in the stunning venue of the National Museum in Edinburgh BGL’s senior management were treated to a Scottish show with a contemporary twist from Reel Time Events, where delegates were truly immersed in Scottish culture for the evening.

Reel Time provided the ladies with tartan sashes to compliment the gentlemen in their kilt outfits to get everyone dressed for an evening of Scottish entertainment.  Delegates were welcomed in true Scottish style by a bagpiper as the arrived at the event.  Once inside there was a host of entertainment for everyone to enjoy.  Edinburghs Got Soul Choir wowed from the first level balcony with their powerful, passionate and professional performance to the party below with their rousing and high energy harmonies.

Then it was the Reel Time Bands turn to entertain with their own unique and rocking twist on a ceilidh.  Accompanied by both traditional and contemporary dancers the 7-piece ensemble, complete with singer, rocked the crowd with a Reel Time twist.

To close the night guests were treated to a spectacular “beat the retreat” by Peoples Ford Boghall & Bathgate Caledonia Pipe band, marching through the museum.  An amazing finale to a very exciting and eventful evening.

For a sneek peek video of the event, and what goes on in the museum after hours click here.

If you would like a bespoke quote for your Scottish evening, tailored to you exact requirements contact us to discuss your requirements

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Reel Time Events had the pleasure of being part of the M&I Forum held in Edinburgh, in conjunction with Visit Scotland, providing a rousing Scottish experience and entertainment for the hundreds of meeting and event planners visiting our city from across the globe.

The Meetings and Incentive (M&I) Forum is a speed dating-style networking event bringing together buyers and suppliers from the events industry across Europe and gives them a taste of what Scotland has to offer. Reel Time Events helped Visit Scotland showcase the best of Scottish entertainment as part of the social programme.

Across the week of the event, Reel Time Events provided stilted Scottish performers and fire performers, along with Roddy the Piper welcoming the delegates to The Assembly Rooms for their evening reception.  Rachel Hair was also there, providing beautiful background music on the clarsach during dinner.

Photograph: MAVERICK PHOTO AGENCY

Photograph: MAVERICK PHOTO AGENCY

For the delegates gala dinner many of the guests wanted to fully immerse themselves in culture and traditions of a Scottish Ceilidh and wear kilt outfits to the event.  With the help of our new “how to measure” kilt video, delegates were able to provide their sizes in advance so that kilt outfits could be provided for all those that wanted one.  Distributed in the afternoon during the Forum at the EICC, guests were able to view our “how to wear” your kilt video for a bit of helpful guidance and gave them the afternoon to get in the mood, ready for the evening of fun and frolics.

The gala dinner itself was held in the National Museum, where the delegates were treated to a rousing and upbeat performance from the Reel Time Band, with their modern and contemporary twist on a traditional ceilidh.  Gemma Donald, Young Traditional Musician finalist, also performed a rousing solo during dinner.  Along with the band, our highland dancers were in attendance, showcasing their skills on the dancefloor for the guests and helping guide them through the various dances called by the band, including one of the largest “Orcadian Strip the Willow” the band has ever seen!

Photograph: MAVERICK PHOTO AGENCY

Photograph: MAVERICK PHOTO AGENCY

Photograph: MAVERICK PHOTO AGENCY

Photograph: MAVERICK PHOTO AGENCY

Photograph: MAVERICK PHOTO AGENCY

Photograph: MAVERICK PHOTO AGENCY

Photograph: MAVERICK PHOTO AGENCY

Photograph: MAVERICK PHOTO AGENCY

For the grand finale, the evening was brought to a close by a “beat the retreat” by a band of pipes and drums, a spectacular end to the evening in a spectacular venue.

Photograph: MAVERICK PHOTO AGENCY

Photograph: MAVERICK PHOTO AGENCY

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To watch a video of the ceilidh and pipe band click here

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After such an amazing week organised by Visit Scotland, we are looking forward to welcoming many of the delegates organising their own incentive trips and meetings in our beautiful city.  If this is the sort of experience you would like visitors and guests of your conference or incentive trip to experience then please contact us for a tailored quote.

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Reel Time Events has had a busy and varied year in 2014, and as it’s the end of the year, we would like to share some of our highlights from across the year.

Our corporate events and conferences have been as busy as ever, and in partnership with some of the best conference centers and 5 star venues in Scotland, we have had the pleasure of entertaining a great many delegates from a number of the world’s leading companies and organisations.  From Burns night with the Reel Time Band and highland dancers at Stirling Castle to highland games at Merchant Square for SUI, Reel Time Events has immersed delegates from far and wide in the spirit and traditions of Scotland while providing a contemporary and innovative twist.

Providing a full entertainment program to help Best Western Hotels “make the magic happen” at its conference at Glasgows Science Center, Reel Time Events arranged a variety of performers, including The Reel Time Band and The Red Hot Chilli Pipers, fire performers, magicians and stilt walkers across the 2 evenings.  The drinks reception, including whisky cocktails were provided by Reel Time Bars, and there was also a Scottish-made chocolate workshop, demonstrating the power of cocoa, giving delegates the chance to try chocolate sorbet and an indulgent hot chocolate shot.

Working alongside Visit Scotland, Reel Time Events also provided their own brand of contemporary Scottish entertainment for 1000 VIP guests at the Visit Scotland Expo networking event Scotland in the city, held at Merchants Square in Glasgow.  Performers included the Reel Time Band and Clanadonia.

We have also had the opportunity to help with team building and incentive events for various clients, including a highland games event for BMW/Mini at Dundas Castle, providing the opportunity for the company’s highest achievers to do some networking, while participating in highland games and other typically Scottish activities both inside and out.

Working with various conference partners we have helped deliver opening and closing ceremonies for conferences at the SECC, EICC and AECC, providing everything from whisky tastings, haggis shy and indoor curling as part of the newtorking entertainment to Scottish gala dinner spectaculars.

Our weddings business has been equally as exciting and varied, and we have been lucky enough to help many couples celebrate their special day, from providing pipers at premier locations across the country to evening entertainment for the reception to help celebrate the day in style.  The Reel Time Band, Scraggly Cats and Tartanium have all been part of creating a real impact for wedding guests with their fresh and funky twist on Scottish music, along with more traditional ceilidh, function and jazz bands.  With events at Dalmahoy Country and Golf Club, Mansfield Traquair, Fairmont St Andrews and The Hub, Reel Time Events has worked with some of the most prestigious venues in Scotland. The Teepee wedding in the grounds of the stunning Cluny Castle in Aberdeen was a particularly memorable event this year, for being that little bit more unusual, with the wedding taking place in a traditional teepee in the fairytail setting of the castle.   Roddy the Piper has also travelled to Germany and Egypt to provide a Reel Time taste of Scotland for weddings in foreign lands.

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Last week Reel Time Events were pleased to provide a comprehensive entertainment and events package for SIU (Société Internationale d’Urologie) In partnership with Meeting Makers, Reel Time Events helped immerse the delegation of over 1000 attendees from across the world in a truly Scottish experience, giving them a taste of our authentic and exciting culture as part of the conference’s social program.

As delegates arrived at Merchant Square they were welcomed by a lone piper, fire performers and 6-piece drummers, making a memorable start to the evening. With a spectacular start outside, there was plenty more to follow once inside Merchants Square.

The entertainment and activities inside were both spectacular and interactive, allowing everyone attending to really get involved and experience the true spirit of Scotland. With stilt walkers roaming the square clad in tartan, the guests were offered the chance to participate in some traditional and more innovative highland games events and Scottish activities, while being able to do some networking with the other delegates.
From tossing the caber (a foam one to toss, but a real one on display) with true highland games competitors, to indoor curling and Haggis Shy there were some physical events for everyone to try and prizes to be won.

For those less athletic, there was beer tasting, offering 3 different craft beers from the local Harviestoun Brewery, with the opportunity to experience the raw ingredients along with sampling the fantastic variety of tastes on offer. Various workshops were also on offer to get involved, with an opportunity to play the bagpipes, precussion instruments and ceilidh dance too. The Clann were also in attendance, getting everyone involved in dressing like a true Scot, and letting guests see and wear traditional kilts, armour and weapons from times gone by.

Once all the delegates had been fed by the various bars and restaurants around Merchants Square, organised by Meeting Makers, the Clann then went to battle – for 15 minutes sparks few and the guests’s breath was taken away as members of the Clann fought in the center of the Square, surrounded by a crowd of (often aghast) onlookers.

Once the battle had been fought (and everyone had a chance to regain their breath) the Reel Time Band, then took the stage, along with a team of Ceilidh dancers on the floor to lead all the guests in some traditional Scottish Ceilidh dances. Rocking the crowd with its own blend of traditional and contemporary ceilidh music, the evening continued with guests participating in all of the different and events, spread across the different areas of Merchants Square.

Guests had an incredible experience and huge amount of fun, trying new skills and learning about Scotland at the same time.  For a full gallery of all the images from the night click here

Along with providing the entertainment at Merchants Square, Reel Time Events also provided the entertainment for the opening ceremony at Glasgow’s world famous SECC, with bagpipers, pipeband and highland dancers to provide an authentic Scottish welcome. At Glasgow’s Kelvingrove, for the delegates gala dinner, Reel Time provided a Jazz band to give a different and more modern feel to the occasion.

“Now that we are home safe and sound I just wanted to send a very big thank you to you for providing all of the entertainment for the various SIU events last week. You really did capture what Scotland is all about and our attendees, as well as our staff, really got a great feel for it. So thank you once again for making our event an incredibly memorable one!

So, if you to would like to immerse your conference delegates and guests in a spectacular and entertaining event that they can be part of, and remember for many years to come, contact Reel Time Events to see how we can entertain you

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Wedding Evening Entertainment Explained. With so many wedding couples looking to book their perfect wedding, we thought it was time for a blog post to give them some advice on what they can hope for:

For most wedding couples, the choice comes down to whether you want a band or a DJ.  This is a personal preference, depending what sort of music you and your guests will enjoy, and the atmosphere you want to create on your special day.

Wedding DJ’s:  DJ’s can play anything.  If the music has been recorded, then they can play it at your wedding.  Experienced Wedding DJ’s know what sort of music works for different groups of people, to give a variety of music to suit all the ages.  We would suggest that you let the DJ know as much as possible about your guests, any ‘Big’ tunes you want played, First dance (my advice:  pick a first dance 1 month minimum before your big day, then you can practise what you are going to do.  This helps with your confidence once you have 200 eyes on you!).

If you have a large contingent of foreign guests, then let the DJ know.  They can have on hand a few of the top hits from their country to make them feel at home.

Make sure that the DJ and sound system are suited for your wedding venue and number of guests.  As a rough guide 1000W sound system will be great for 100-150 guests.  Also make sure that the DJ provides disco lighting effects.

For more info, please check our Wedding DJ page.

IPOD discos: IPOD discos allow couples to bring along their own IPOD (or laptop etc) and play the tunes that they want to hear during their disco segment.  This allows music  fans to have complete control over the music.  Usually run by bands, to compliment their music but sometimes as standalone systems.  It also saves some budget as a DJ is not required. Our IPOD discos come with disco lighting effects to transform your venue.

Do remember to make up a playlist for the timings that it will run on the night.  This is important to think of the flow of the evening.  First dance, What are your last 5 tracks of the night?  What will you play during the buffet?  Remember that these tunes are to appeal to everyone, so maybe YOUR top 30 tunes may not be the best 30 tunes for your wedding day!  (maybe 25 of them are!!)  why not test drive the playlist at a hen party?

Wedding Bands: There are so many wedding bands to choose from.  One word of advice, do your research, listen on line, once you hear a band that you both like then book them.  Good bands get booked early.  Friday and Saturday nights are the busiest days of the week for wedding bands!  (if you have a midweek wedding then you may be able to negotiate a bit of a discount.!)

Time wise, bands generally play 8-12 with breaks.  This is a big part, time wise, of your overall wedding experience, so bear this in mind.  You want to entertain your guests and give them a lasting memory of the fun they had at your wedding.  Don’t scrimp your budget on entertainment if you are having lavish flower displays and beautiful cuisine!

Do remember to offer the band some food, a bacon sandwich from the buffet, or a meal if they have been in early to set up or playing early in the day.  This is not required, but is a nice gesture, and generally means you get 120% from the band members.  Most bands are on site for 6 hours(4 hours playtimes and 2 hours set up/derig), which along with some travel time is pretty much a working day!

In Scotland, many weddings like to enjoy some ceilidh dancing as their evening entertainment. The ceilidh music generally acts as a great social lubricant, and will get your guests partying with each other.

Ceilidh bands: 

Traditional ceilidh bands;  exactly what it says on the tin.  Imagine Jimmy Shand and his band,  Great traditional Scottish music.  Usually ceilidh band instruments can include accordions, fiddle, keys and drums (snare high hat).  Make sure the band that you get has a dance caller to explain the steps of the dances.

We work with  a selection of traditional bands, young and old who can give guests a great night of ceilidh dance.

Funky ceilidh bands:  this is Scottish music to ceilidh dance to, with a modern funky twist.  If you want to dance, but you think the traditional music may turn some guests off, then check out this option.

I would say that the Reel Time Ceilidh band is the best funky ceilidh band around at the moment (ill hold my hands up, I may be a bit biased, as I also play with them!…. decide for yourself, check their video here) Bands have fiddlers, electric guitar, keys, bagpipes and a full kit of drums.

Have a listen to Funky Scottish Music or Contemporary Ceilidh Music.

Popular music: If you don’t want to ceilidh dance, but want Popular music for the evening entertainment of your wedding, then a function band is what you are looking for.  Ask to see their sample set list so you can get an idea of their style.

Make sure that the band has a good singer and are good all round musicians.  This is crucial when booking a band, also make sure that there are not several different bands under the same name.  The band you hear or see on the demo, should be who is at your wedding. please note that some function bands also play ceilidh music.

The band you book should be able to read the crowd and play music suitable for the age range and give a party atmosphere. By booking a professional band you will get exactly what you require for your perfect wedding.

Ceilidh and function bands: If you want a mixture of both styles of music for your evening entertainment, then this can work well.

Make sure you ask your band what they can do.  What kind of songs they can perform (Is it pop, or Scottish songs!)

Generally there are two ways to do this: either a function band who can also play ceilidh music or a ceilidh band that can also play popular music

Which way to go?  Depends what you want more of… Ceilidh or pop? Ceilidh band with a singer can do a great 70% ceilidh 30% pop split, a function band would do a great 30% ceilidh 70% pop split.

At Reel Time Events, we offer four great bands for evening wedding entertainment in Scotland.

Traditional Ceilidh Band

The Reel Time Ceilidh Band:  Funky ceilidh band, established 5 years playing 200 events a year

The Scraggly Cats:  Funky Ceilidh band with pop singer  

The One Night Wonders:  Edinburgh’s finest function band (we heard the rest and booked the best)

We hope this article has been helpful, for more info check our wedding day time events.

Send us your wedding date and what you are looking for, and we will send you a tailored quote for your wedding entertainment.   No obligation of course!

We look forward to helping you plan your special wedding evening entertainment. 

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Reel Time Events is a whisky tasting company based in Edinburgh.  We were asked to put on a Whisky tasting for a health and safety conference dinner.
We arrived at the Hilton in Glasgow while the guests were enjoying their dinner.
Setting up the Whisky stations in a room adjacent to the dining guests.
The guests enjoyed a short presentation by Whisky writer and poet, Robin Laing, who explained the nosing technique and why Whisky was good for their health and safety!

We had 3 different tasting stations set up, with the three experts talking to the guests about the different drams available.
The clients enjoyed the event, and thought it added a great Scottish element to the first night of their conference.
If you would like to book a Whisky tasting in Edinburgh, Glasgow, or anywhere in the UK, then have a look at our Whisky tasting page  and get in touch for more information and a tailored quote.

Thanks to Stephen D Lawrence for the fantastic pictures of the event.

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With all the exciting events coming to Scotland in 2014, there is a real push to market Scotland to international buyers; with the Ryder Cup, commonwealth games and a year of Homecoming

The event was hosted at Wembley Stadium and was Visit Britains biggest annual event for business to business buyers.

Reel Time Events conducted the whisky tasting overlooking the famous Wembley pitch.  Guests enjoyed a selection of fine malt Whisky, hosted by Ambassador John McCheyne.

Roddythepiper stepped in with compare duties for the evening and piped the guests down to their dinner.

During dinner, the Reel Time Scraggly Cats were joined on stage by 8 Scottish dancers.  Putting on a Scottish show that showcased the best of traditional and contemporary culture.  With ballads from Robert burns, through to mini kilts dancer routines.

The band came back later in the evening to put the guests through their paces with their rocking brand of ceilidh music. Guests danced along with our 8 dancers and much fun was had!!.

To finish off the evening, the band played through a selection of Brit pop from the last 4 decades, keeping a thoroughly British feel to the event.

We look forward to helping our partner organisations in the lead up to a year of fantastic high profile Scottish Events in 2014.

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Burns night in Kiev is like no other you have seen. Organised by The Lions Club with a mix of Scottish music and Ukrainian pop stars, at a glitzy society event.

Raising money for charity is the main idea, with auctions and raffles raising more than $120000 for charity this year. To be shared around orphanages in Ukraine, as well as a range of different charities.

The Reel Time Band were brought in to provide a Scottish performance of their contemporary Scottish music. With good funky Scottish ceilidh tunes, popular traditional songs (Ae find kiss and Caledonia) and a range of pop classics for the dancing later on.

Previous acts at Kiev Burns night have included Boney M, Red Hot Chilli Pipers and Bags of Rock.

Thanks to our sponsors: KLM for the flights, Opera Hotel for our Accommodation and Shooters for looking after us.

Have a look at some pictures from the event

http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.358184624228196.83395.112664028780258&type=1

http://www.kyivpost.com/news/guide/general/detail/125569/

http://jetsetter.ua/ru/Stati/SVETSKIE-SOBYTIYa/Burns-Night-ot-kievskogo-Lions-Club.html

To keep up to date with all the adventures of the Reel Time Band, then LIKE our Facebook page

http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Reel-Time-Ceilidh-Band/289599262241

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