I can’t quite remember how our first gig came about (care to shed some light on this guys?) but it was for a wedding at a very nice house near Lochgilphead, Mid Argyll. I think the house belonged to the parents of the bride and they had laid on quite an impressive spread. There was the main marquee for dining and dancing, a second marquee with a sumptuous buffet and they were both joined to the main house by wooden floored and covered walkways.

For a new band it was a dream gig. The dancers were very enthusiastic. They filled the floor at the start of every dance and required no encouragement… the perfect crowd for a ceilidh band. The family had invited us to help ourselves to the buffet and the free bar. I remember one large barrel full of ice and beer, and another full of ice and champagne. After the gig we made our way to the buffet marquee and were faced with the very best of Scotland’s cuisine… small mountains of local shellfish, cooked meats from a nearby farm, a fine selection of Scottish cheeses and numerous other tasty dishes.

I think it was while standing in that marquee with a glass of champagne in my hand and a plate of scallops, mussels and crab nearby that The Ceilidh Bandidos made the decision to keep going and play for as many ceilidhs as possible… a very hard decision! :)