Reasons to Hire Our Live Band in Manchester in 2025

The New Retros is proud to be based locally in Manchester, one of the most exciting cities for music in the UK. Manchester has been the birthplace of some of the most iconic bands of the past 50 years, including Joy Division, The Smiths, The Stone Roses, and Oasis. Known for its ‘Madchester’ and alternative scene, it introduced us to the Happy Mondays, The Charlatans, and Inspiral Carpets. It also played a part in the indie revival in the 2000s, with such bands as Elbow, The Doves and The Courtneers hailing from Manchester. In short, there’s been no shortage of inspiration for musicians like us in this part of the world! The musicianship of these legendary bands has rubbed off on us and we capture their energy in our playing.

The New Retros is one of the most popular bands for private events throughout this city and the surrounding areas. Whether you’re organising a wedding, big birthday party, or corporate event, we would love to bring the atmosphere to life. We regularly travel to other locations, including Lancashire, Merseyside and Cheshire. So, why hire our live band for your event in Manchester?

An Adaptable and Versatile Live Band

Highly versatile, The New Retros can offer that perfect mix of old and newer hits, keeping everyone happy. This makes us particularly ideal for weddings, where you need to please a wide range of age groups. If you want a band who can both create your dream playlist and take requests, we could be your ideal choice! No matter if you’re planning an Easter celebration or summer ball, our hire packages can be tailored to suit your needs.

Experienced and Trained Musicians

With over a decade of experience, we’ve handpicked the best musicians—each a standout in their own right. Our members have played at Glastonbury 2024, performed for the BBC (Children in Need, CBeebies), and toured globally. Beyond talent, we bring expertise in live events, seamlessly adapting to any venue, crowd, or setlist change. Our band leaders, including Niran, have spent years perfecting the art of reading the room and handling any challenges—so you can relax, knowing your event is in expert hands. We handle everything, so bothering you is our last resort.

Choose From a Range of Packages

Whatever the budget for your event in Manchester, we provide a range of options. Based in Manchester, UK, we’re a handpicked group of top-tier musicians, forming a 9-piece band that performs in smaller lineups depending on your booking. Our most popular Gold Package is a 5-piece band featuring vocals, guitar, bass, drums, and either keys or sax (it’s up to you). We also offer everything from a 4-piece to a full 9-piece, as well as acoustic sets for live music during your ceremony or drink reception.

We carefully select each lineup based on availability, venue location (to minimise travel costs), and your preferred music style. Whether you love pop, rock, soul, or blues, we ensure the perfect combination of musicians for an unforgettable performance.

A Highly Rated Live Band

If it’s a wedding you’re planning, we’ve received many positive reviews on hitched.co.uk. In fact our positive reviews earned us a Hitched Wedding Award in 2024. One previous client said:

"From start to finish, they were absolutely amazing. The acoustic duo set during the day was simply beautiful, creating the perfect atmosphere for our guests to enjoy. Later on in the evening, the four piece band was nothing short of brilliant! They sounded incredible and truly brought the energy we were hoping for."

We Also Provide a Playlist DJ

Having a playlist DJ in-between and after live band sets at an event or venue can create a dynamic and engaging atmosphere by offering the best of both worlds. Our live band can bring an organic, energetic feel with real instruments, plenty of interacting with the crowd, and an immersive performance. Meanwhile, our DJs can seamlessly mix tracks and keep the energy flowing. A band typically plays in sets (e.g., 45 minutes on, 15-30 minutes off). A DJ can fill the gaps, ensuring continuous music and keeping the energy up. Our band is always happy to discuss the length of the performance beforehand. Breaks and all timings for the day are discussed with the client before each event. However we understand that most events don’t end up running to the exact minute. We’ll work around you and make your event perfect.

Music Tailored to Your Private Event

You’re in control of your event when you choose The New Retros. You can let us know how much freedom you want us to have. Although we can provide a setlist beforehand at your request, sometimes we find that it’s better to ignore parts of it on the actual day and play what we think will keep the dancefloor going strong instead. Therefore, the set list is sometimes not entirely as planned. We will be totally transparent with you, so if you need more insight into our planning process for their event, we’re always happy to help. Discover more reasons to hire our live band in Manchester. Or drop us a line for more information.