Category: Band News

Now that Covid has gone away completely hire a professional wedding band Punch The Air with over a decades experience together (Established 2013).

Punch The Air professional wedding band will follow all steps laid out by the government and wedding venues to make sure we are a Covid Secure Wedding Band for your wedding. The steps below will be taken to ensure your health is our number one priority above and beyond anything else. So why not book us in advance as your 2022 wedding band or even 2023 wedding band with our money back Covid-19 guarantee? If you need to cancel due to any reason relating to the Coronavirus then you won’t lose any money. We couldn’t be any fairer than that could we? Contact now to check on price and availability.

Steps we have and will take to become a Covid Secure Wedding Band.

From the moment we arrive, then setting up, while performing live, then as we pack away and leave your wedding venue we will adhere to all rules and regulations related to being Coronavirus secure. The steps to run a COVID-19 secure environment include but are not limited to:

• Keeping up to date with government guidelines for live music.
• Agreeing to wedding venues Covid-19 terms and conditions for wedding bands. 
• Carrying out risk assessments in line with HSE
• Performing behind a perspex screen if required.
• Social distancing to one plus metres away from other band members.
• Social distancing to one plus metres away from wedding guests.
• Marking safe zones on the stage area with tape on the floor.
• Cleaning of equipment on a regular basis.
• Regular use of hand sanitiser.
• Face coverings and face masks.
• Abiding to the NHS Test and Trace service.
• Modified PPE is required.
• Dep/Spare musicians on hand should band members need to self-quarantine. 
• (This list is updated on a regular basis – Last updated 17th July 2020)  

  

Why hire a Coronavirus Secure Wedding Band now?

Hire a Coronavirus secure wedding band now as dates are fast disappearing due to the knock on effect the pandemic is having. (2020 dates affected by the virus being pushed into 2021. So there are less dates left in our calendar). We honestly believe you’ll be better off booking a Covid-19 secure wedding band now than later. All safe in the knowledge that if anything changes we always have your best interests at heart with 100% refund security. Prebook a wedding band now.

Prebook a Covid Wedding Band.

The R rate is dropping every day. Very soon we we will have the go ahead from the UK Government that live music is once again allowed. So we will be able to perform as a Covid wedding band once more.  Up to and beyond this news our Coronavirus Safe Professional Musicians will also continue to update this article with the latest information regarding live music at weddings. You can always put your trust in Coronavirus wedding entertainment specialists Punch The Air.

Booking professional musicians for a wedding.

‘Punch The Air‘ were established as a wedding band back in 2013 and have received over 100 5 Star positive reviews. We perform huge indie rock songs as well as amazing chart hits from modern day back through the decades. We’ll mix up The Killers with The Beatles. Then Stereophonics alongside George Ezra. Also Blink 182 with Amy Winehouse.

Everyone will know and absolutely love every song our live band will perform for brides, grooms and guests. Each song will be performed with tonnes of high energy on stage by our professional musicians. You’ll be amazed as this vitality rubs off onto wedding guests on the dance-floor as they also party along with us. Contact to check on availability and also a price for a Covid safe wedding band for your Covid-19 wedding.

Moving forward and hopefully one day out of the Covid-19 pandemic the way live music is performed to an audience at a wedding will have to change….At least for an unknown amount of time. Unfortunately it’s not just as simple as putting on a face mask for wedding band ‘Punch The Air’. A wedding musician can’t sing properly through a face covering or mask. So what might the future of wedding entertainment look like and what is a possible solution? Read our other articles about Covid-19 bookings, what you can and can’t do at a wedding with 30 guests. Also solid advice on planning a wedding during Coronavirus, booking and rescheduling a wedding during the Coronavirus. Furthermore booking a Covid secure wedding band. Hire an indie rock wedding band for a reception party. 

Covid-19 Wedding Entertainment Solutions

Professional wedding band ‘Punch The Air’ believe it might be transparent barriers and screens placed on stage between musicians and their audiences. Surely this or something very similar will be the only way to once again have live music indoors at wedding venues in the foreseeable future. It will in theory enable wedding venues to once again re-open fully for live entertainment now the Covid-19 lockdown has been eased. Contact band leader Andy Starkey to hire a hire wedding band in the future. 

About Screens

Clear perspex drum screens have been utilised for many years for live musicians. They are mainly used to reflect the sound/volume of loud drummers backwards onto stage so as not to be picked up by vocal microphones. These plastic screens can often be seen on stage with famous bands like Blondie and The Who (Both Clem Burke and Zak Starkey being heavy hitters). But these types of polycarbonate or acrylic sheets could be made larger to cover the entire front of the stage area. So no longer just being used to reflect noise but to possibly help suppress the spread of Coronavirus too. This would be a great alternative to unusable face masks and face coverings for a live band.

These types of barriers are already being used now throughout supermarkets across the UK to prevent the spread of Coronavirus. So why can’t they work in a similar manner for wedding music too? 

Are Perspex Screens The Future Of Wedding Entertainment At Wedding Venues?

The perspex screens would likely be semi-permanent fixtures in a venue. Only used while the Government, customers and staff feel there is still a risk of Covid-19 being transmitted. They would need to be affixed secure enough so as not to fall over if knocked into by guests. As to whether a full screen that is completely impassable by a wedding band is used (So in essence the band are playing in a separate room behind a large window). Where the plexiglass screen is secured floor, to ceiling, to walls. Or just partial (Up to eight foot in height) and removable, these are at least some possible options to be considered to help stay Covid secure.

How will the band set up their equipment in front and behind the screen?

Band members would perform behind the screen covering most or all of the stage area with the PA system placed in front of the screen to the sides. This isn’t actually all that much different to how a band would set up and perform pre Covid-19. 

Who will supply the screens?

The screens would be supplied by the venue and would have to be cleaned after and before each wedding by venue staff.

What scientific evidence is there that musician screens will work effectively to help stop the spread of the pandemic?

Currently this is merely an idea so of course testing would need to be done to make sure the screens function to help a venue stay Covid secure.

Summing up the Pros & Cons

Pros:

• Helping to stop the spread of Covid-19.
• Live entertainment able to take place indoors again at wedding venues.
• Keeping guests off the stage area.
• Possibly easier to mix the bands front of house sound (as no backline spill).

Cons:

• Disconnection of the band from their audience.
• Looks strange.
• May be an issue for photographers to shoot through.
• Cost to venue (No doubt one way or another passed onto clients).
• Timescale to erect either on a permanent or semi permanent basis. Plus may leave holes in walls/floors/ceilings once removed.
• Issues with the band loading in/out behind the screened area.
• Will not be possible to install at all wedding venues. (Especially listed buildings).

You can safely pre book professional wedding band ‘Punch The Air‘ for your wedding. With our 100% deposit refund Covid policy if you have to cancel your wedding due to the Coronavirus for any reason you will never lose any money with us.  As the days go by the future of wedding entertainment looks brighter and brighter and we’d love to play a part of your special day.

Give your wedding reception that much needed boost by booking our high energy wedding band established way back in 2013. We’ll perform massive well known indie rock hits by The Killers, Stereophonics, Oasis and more. Plus chart favourites by George Ezra, Queen, Amy Winehouse, The Beatles and so much more.   Contact ‘Punch The Air‘ for price and availability. 

All Covid restrictions have now been completely removed as of Thursday 24th February 2022 within the UK. And so weddings with a maximum of 30 guests no longer apply. That means it’s now time once more to hire a wedding band for your evening reception. Contact band leader Andy Starkey from Punch The Air to hire a professional wedding band of over 10 years. It’s time once again to rock all over again….Whether you have a small scale wedding reception or large we’re the band for you….So lets party.

Update 14th June 2021: Today Boris Johnson has announced that the limit on the number of guests allowed at a wedding will be lifted on 21st June 2021. But the number of guests will now be set by wedding venues themselves based on social distancing. Wedding guests will have to be seated at tables with no more than 6 people with table service only. So the rule of weddings with a maximum of 30 guests will be scrapped. 

Indoors dance floors are forbidden and the rules of no singing and dancing remain. But outside dancing (although strongly advised against) will not be illegal.

All other restrictions have been delayed by four weeks and will now be lifted on Monday 19th July 2021. This is due to concerns over the rapidly spreading Delta variant first identified in India.

Boris Johnson stated that numbers will be reviewed daily and if the number of jabs increased and the number of positive tests come down there is a chance that we could be back to normal two weeks earlier on Monday 5th July 2021.

Previous information about Covid affected weddings. 

The Coronavirus pandemic had been a very trying time for brides and grooms still wanting to tie the knot and get married. The Covid-19 pandemic has meant that wedding dates have been pushed further and further back. The outbreak has had such an affect that some wedding plans have been put on hold permanently. All delays were serious disappointments for brides and grooms. But now, with the epidemic easing, the time has come to finally book a wedding once again. Although it’s not quite time to book a wedding band yet as live music is still not allowed at weddings with a maximum of 30 guests. (Read our constantly up to date article on What You Can & Can’t Do At A Wedding With Thirty Guests.

You can now finally book weddings with a maximum of 30 guests.

With the fantastic news that Covid-19 lockdown social distancing restrictions have been relaxed further. So you can now book a wedding venue with a maximum of 30 guests. But there are certain restrictions being applied to your Covid secure wedding. What you can and can’t do at a wedding with 30 guests is a very long list of mostly unanswered questions. Being a three piece wedding band makes ‘Punch The Air‘ the ideal choice for your special day when it’s finally possible to have live bands again. As we will only be taking up 10% of your allotted thirty guests. Or you can hire Andy Starkey solo acoustic wedding musician and still have 29 guests remaining.

In the weeks and days before your wedding we encourage you to still be alert and vigilant to avoid catching the respiratory illness. Avoid close contact with people from outside your family and always stick to the new 1 metre plus social distancing rules. Always still try to stay at home as much as possible. Check the latest UK updates from WHO World Health Organization. All of which will help lead to a safer wedding for you and your guests.

Should any of your guests fall ill and not be able to attend your wedding reception and need to self-quarantine then you could always utilise apps to host Zoom Weddings and Facetime weddings. This way then can still be a part of your very special day. You don’t need to cancel or postpone your wedding any more. It’s time to get back to normal. 

Our attitude towards your booking and you during Covid-19. Weddings With A Maximum Of 30 Guests

What makes ‘Punch The Air‘ completely different compared to any other wedding band out there is our fair attitude towards your Coronavirus affected wedding.

• We will 100% refund your deposit back if you have to cancel due to Covid-19 for ANY reason.
• We will NOT be increasing our prices during 2020 and 2021. 
• Always working to guidelines being a Covid Secure Wedding Band.

You can book a wedding band when you’re ready at todays prices. Read our article on how to plan or reschedule a Covid-19 wedding in 2020 & 2021 and you’ll be a lot more relaxed about everything when you book a wedding function band. 

Handling thirty guests at a wedding

While at your wedding your venue will no doubt be utilising contact tracing via mobile phone apps. Also by obtaining details of each guest so they can trace each person in the event of an outbreak. All of which are nothing to be worried about of course. As all of this will already be taking place in pubs and restaurants.

Three piece wedding band or solo wedding musician for your wedding.

Established in 2013 three piece wedding band ‘Punch The Air’ when allowed will give you the amazing wedding you’ve been waiting so long for. For weddings with a maximum of 30 guests when the government give the say to allow live music we’ll still give you two high energy live performances. Plus all sound and lighting equipment included in the price you pay. This way all you brides & grooms plus all your guests can finally have the wedding party you’ve been dreaming of. Big massive indie rock numbers from The Killers, Stereophonics, Oasis & Kings Of Leon. Then big pop chart hits from George Ezra, Queen, Amy Winehouse, The Beatles and so much more.

Everyone will know every song we’ll perform live and will spend the whole night dancing along to our big wedding tunes. We’ll even throw in iPad DJ services throughout your entire evening wedding reception too. From the moment we’re set up until midnight we’ll spin you all your favourite tracks at no extra cost. You can also extend the night out past 12am with our late night DJ services. This is all of course when social distancing rules are relaxed further. As currently wedding bands are not allowed to perform live music at weddings. 

If you’d prefer to hire a solo wedding musician in the evening then Andy Starkey Solo can be booked for a wedding reception too. He’ll perform uptempo solo acoustic music but will still bring along a full PA system and lighting rig. As with the above he’ll also provide you with DJ services too at no extra cost. Even with only 30 guests at a wedding a fantastic time can still be had by all when allowed.

Hosting a wedding with thirty guests.

Read our new thirty guests weddings do’s and don’t page for more information. But at least you can once again have your wedding with 30 guests your way. And when social distancing rules are relaxed further you can hire a wedding band too. So contact wedding band ‘Punch The Air‘ for price and availability for your 30 guest wedding reception. With over 100 independent reviews you can put your trust in our professional musicians to give you the wedding of a lifetime. Read more about how we’re helping clients during the one time contagious and infectious Coronavirus. Then look over our website to check our credentials and provable claims for more regular updates to hire a wedding band.

Book a wedding band for a Staffordshire wedding or a Derbyshire wedding. Hire a wedding band in Shropshire, book a wedding band in Leicestershire. Furthermore you can hire a wedding band throughout the whole of the UK.

Search our indie rock cover band website and find the answers to many of your questions. Otherwise please contact the band if you can’t find what you are looking for. 

Hire a Telford Wedding Band for your Shropshire wedding venue and have Shropshire’s premier party & function band ‘Punch The Air‘ handle all your live entertainment and DJ sets. Book a night of high energy music and an exciting stage show in the Shrops area with us cuz we’re ready to rock your wedding. Epic party classics hits from Queen, Oasis, The Beatles, Bryan Adams, George Ezra, The Human League, Blink 182 and more. No nonsense fast set up and sound-checks (As fast as walking across Iron Bridge in Ironbridge…well almost) . All sound and lighting equipment included in the price. And a simple booking process (a simple as walking up The Wrekin) make us the obvious choice for your TF1, TF2, TF3, TF4, TF5, TF6, TF7, TF8 wedding. Contact band leader Andy Starkey for price and availability. 

A Telford Wedding Band with everything you’ll ever need included in the fee.

Punch The Air live band will rock & pop your wedding around Shropshire including Telford, Shrewsbury, Oswestry, Bridgnorth, Newport, Ludlow, Market Drayton, Whitchurch, Shifnal, Church Stretton and more. Above image is by a Telford, Shropshire based female photographer.

Female singer wedding band options.

You don’t need to hire a separate DJ when you book our wedding band. We’ll spin you up classics at no extra cost. You can also hire a band with a female singer and increase us to a four piece mixed vocal party band. We’ll take care of announcing the cutting of your cake and make sure you’re up on the dancefloor for your 1st dance as man and wife. We won’t play any long winded drum solos or extended guitar solos as we want you to spend your time together WITH the band. Becoming one with us. An extension of us and the music we play for you on your wedding day. Wonderful female vocals by Florence + The Machine, Alanis Morissette, Tiffany, Amy Winehouse and more.  

Some of our favourite Telford wedding venues include:

• Mercure Telford Centre Hotel.
• The Shropshire Golf Centre.
• Haughton Hall Hotel & Leisure Club
• and more.

Our Shrops wedding band are all about showing you what we can do live. NOT in a sterile studio set up. Thats why pretty much all of our videos are 100% live filmed at weddings and parties. Watch clients rock out to ‘Punch The Air‘ in the totally live YouTube sensation video below. If you ever thumb through Guitarist Magazine you might find some super peachy pix of us in there too. 

Shrops function band

Find out everything we get up to on a regular basis by visiting our website social media page. Interact and communicate with us over there if you wish. Maybe catch our public performances at Alberts Shed, Alberts Loft or Alberts Pour House. You’ll find it’s not hard to handle our style of indie rock covers and chart pop. If you know of a guitarist of the year more capable of handling crowds of all sizes then us do let us know.  Or contact for further info to book a Telford wedding band. 

A fast passed high energy 90 minutes of much loved anthemic indie classic sets including the indie beats bangers by Kaiser Chiefs, Coldplay, Blink 182, Oasis, Stereophonics, The Killers, Kings Of Leon and more. We are the entertainment experts for your wedding or party. No agency fees, no prima donna’s, no faking being professional musicians and lying about how long the band has been together. Just great music from professional musicians at a fantastic price with a decades worth of experience.

Formed in 2013 with many, many years of experience performing at large and small weddings. Also at all kinds of super fantastic functions. We really do know how to entertain all your guests. Friends, family, work colleagues will be on the dance-floor all night long no matter their age. If your passion is for indie music, indie-rock, indie-pop and rock then you must book ‘Punch The Air‘ the indie beats specialists.

Giving you the indie beats you’ve always wanted at your event.

Our local three piece guitar based indie band have a million pounds worth of public liability insurance. Also we have all PAT certificates and health & safety risk assessments that your party venues will ask for. We are a fully self contained band bringing along our own state of the art PA system, amps and state of the art lighting rig.

As a bonus before and after each set (also before and until midnight) we’ll give your event more of the indie beats with tablet DJ background music services playing through our PA system. All included in the price. Therefore we’ll keep your guests on the dance-floor all night long with music throughout your entire event.

In conclusion we’ve got the indie based music you’ve always wanted A professional guitar based indie rock cover party band for any event. In other words we’ll give you a night of the best classic indie-rock you’ll never forget for the rest of your life. 

Tunes by Blur, The Cure, Muse, The Fratellis, Foo Fighters, Beastie Boys and more. Book throughout the UK. Contact ‘Punch The Air‘ to hire a band near me with the indie beats for your wedding or party. 

What Does a “Live Band” Experience Actually Feel Like? When you book Punch The Air, you aren’t just hiring musicians; you’re securing a high-octane live production that transforms a standard room into a festival-level event. Unlike “backing track” performers, every note you hear from us is 100% live—raw, energetic, and tailored to the room’s atmosphere in real-time.

The “Live” Difference:

• Real Interaction: We don’t just stand behind microphones. We engage with your guests, reading the dance floor to decide exactly when to transition from a classic indie floor-filler to a modern chart-topper.

• Pro-Grade Live Audio: We use a high-end digital sound system and a state-of-the-art electronic drum kit. This allows us to deliver that “big venue” punchy sound even in smaller venues with strict sound limiters.

• Non-Stop Energy: Our live sets are designed to be “all killer, no filler.” We specialise in the indie-rock sound that gets people off their seats and keeps them there until the very last chord.

Book a live band for an event

Being a professional function band ‘Punch The Air‘ can adjust our set list repertoire on the spot to make sure guests stay on the dance-floor the whole night long. Giving dancers more of the type of music they clearly want to listen to. As opposed to changing genres just for themselves. We are always thinking about what you want. It’s never about what’s best for us, it’s always about what’s best for you. Shouldn’t all party bands be like this?

‘Punch The Air‘ live band perform a superb mix of indie rock covers and also massive chart hits from modern day, through the early 2000s, into the 90’s. Also from the 80’s, 70’s, 60s and 1950’s. All your guests will already know and love all of the live music in our repertoire. These are tried and tested songs we’ve been performing live for many years now (Having formed in 2013). And with over 100 positive reviews under our belts you can be assured we are the right choice for your special event. We know when to slow it down a little and when to ramp it back up again for maximum effect. Our live function band will give you the best high energy performance around. All the while smiling back at you and your guests putting in 100% effort throughout the event. Do you like Coldplay, The Killers, Amy Winehouse and The Beatles? Then we’re the live act for you. 

Hire musicians 

Book a live wedding band for your wedding reception. Or hire live musicians for your party, birthday party, corporate event or charity fundraiser.  Contact ‘Punch The Air’ indie rock cover band and have our professional live band take care of all your entertainment. 

The term festival band is quite the generic pairing of words that don’t actually mean one thing specifically. It could mean ANY band of ANY genre that performs live on a stage to ANY numbers of an audience. But to us it means something a lot different. By FESTIVAL BAND we mean a band that can whip a very large crowd up into a screaming frenzy. A band that play the right type of music for the masses attending. Huge singalong hits by classic chart pop music by artists who have stood the tests of time. Big chanty chorus’s and loud stomping tunes. Plus tonnes of audience participation. This is exactly what it’s like when you hire a festival band called ‘Punch The Air‘. So get in touch with band leader Andrew Starkey ASAP to check on price and delivery. 

Book a festival band

Our festival band started way back in 2013 and have continually upped the game of what you should expect from a professional band. We love performing at festivals and know how to handle audiences of any size small of large. We’ll play big singalong songs by artists like The Killers, The Beatles, Amy Winehouse, Blink 182, Coldplay, Oasis and more. We’ll perform something for absolutely everyone there including a great array of indie rock cover band music. All punters will know every single song we’ll play live. During our on stage performances we’ll sometimes stop playing completely and get the whole crowd to sing the song back to us. We really can engage with the audience this well. Also we’ll make sure we get lots of photos and video to share with you. When you hire a band for a festival make sure you hire Punch The Air. 

Punch The Air headlining The Big Gig at Paulton Rovers, Bristol.  Festival goers had sent Andy over their phone footage so he combined it into one video.

Outdoor or indoors.

It doesn’t matter whether you’re planning an indoor festival or an outdoor festival. We’re the ideal function band for your event.  Sound checking at festival performances is not a problem for us. All we need is to line check instruments just before our stage time. We just need to make sure we can hear our guitars, drums and vocals well enough. Then we’ll then be off playing live in a matter of minutes. This can help to keep the live music running nearly continuously without any breaks or down time. If you need us to fully sound check prior to guests arriving then thats not an issue either. Contact to hire a live band for a carnival, gala, fete or fair.

If you want to book an Indie Cover Band as your wedding band, birthday party band, party band, corporate event band or festival band then look no further. Professional party group ‘Punch The Air‘ will perform all your favourite indie hits. Songs by Arctic Monkeys, Kings Of Leon, Stereophonics, The Killers, Oasis, Blink 182. Also Coldplay, Wheatus, Muse, Kaiser Chiefs, Blur and more. Huge indie killers tunes like Sit Down, Chelsea Dagger, Friday I’m In Love, Disco 2000, There She Goes, Mr Brightside and more.  Contact lead singer Andrew Starkey professional musician as soon as possible to check on our fee and availability in your area. He’ll also give you a Indie Disco included in the price too playing other amazing guitar based bands songs at your party.

Book an Indie Cover Band with our experience and energy.

‘Punch The Air‘ formed in 2013 and we’ve always had that Indie Vibe to us. Our cover band grew up listening to guitar based indie pop tunes during the late 80s, through the 90’s and into present day. We love the exact kind of indie rock music that you adore too. ‘Punch The Air‘ know exactly which indie tunes work, and which don’t work for your party. All we want is for you and all your guests to enjoy themselves the entire night long. With over 100+ positive reviews you can be assured that we are a top rated party band. You’ll singalong and dancealong to Wonderwall, Dakota, All The Small Things, I Bet That You Look Good On The Dancefloor, I Predict A Riot, Don’t Look Back In Anger and more with us. 

Here’s what we’ll provide you with as your indie group.

We’ll bring along with us everything needed to make your live indie band night go ahead as smooth as possible. ‘Punch The Air‘ are fully self contained live entertainment indie rock cover band and included in the price you’ll pay is:

• All sound and lighting equipment.
• Two live indie cover band high energy performances plus encores. (Or one long performance if you choose)
• iPad DJ services when the band aren’t performing live .
• Savings of over £200 by not booking through an agency.
• Hard Copy Contract.
• Helping a small independent business not a million pound conglomerate agency.

There are also lots of extras to choose from to make your indie party even better such as late night DJ services and so much more. You can book an indie rock wedding band, book an indie rock birthday party band. Hire an indie rock band for your event now and have a professional group take care of everything.