Below the Border - Ex Pro Recording Artists
Services From Below the Border - Ex Pro Recording Artists in London
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Description
Everyone’s Favourite Rock Hits performed by Ex-Professional Recording Artists from the 70s
~ Some of us appear on albums on original vinyl - we’re that old!
~ “Outstanding players with great harmony vocals” - playing 60s & 70s Rock Hits
~ Your guest will dance ‘till they drop … and cheer for more
We left the music business professionally decades ago, we don’t do this for the money now; but we’ve always gigged, playing every type of venue. From town halls to village halls; from local pubs to famous rock venues.
Your guests will have a night to remember!!
If you want to see who we used to be, we’ll come up 1st if you search for - below the border rock band
Our fees are low because, for us, the band is about getting back on the road for the joy of performing the soundtrack of our youth exactly like the original chart hits. The best pop music ever!
We’ve all had successful careers since leaving ‘the biz’. So now, in our autumn years with some of us retired, we don’t need to charge folk an arm and a leg to book an exceptional rock band to make your party a special night.
We fill the dance floor with old and young when they hear those iconic guitar intros from ‘our era’ - Born to Be Wild, You Ain’t Seen Nothin Yet, Alright Now, Honky Tonk Women, Sultans of Swing, Radar Love, Rebel Rebel, Get it On, Caroline, Mustang Sally, Twist & Shout, Get Back, etc.
We’ve just added a harmony singer. Gail is also from the 70s and from a musical family. Her cousin is Dave Stewart from the Eurythmics (but her biggest claim to fame is once making a cup of tea for Bob Dylan in Dave’s mum’s little house in Newcastle!)
Artists we cover:
Free, David Bowie, T-Rex, The Kinks, Jimi Hendrix, The Sweet, Thin Lizzy, Badfinger, Golden Earring, The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, Rod Stewart & Faces, Steppenwolf, Steve Miller, Wilson Picket, Eric Clapton, The Who, Creedence Clearwater, The Hollies and many more
Feel free to get in touch without obligation; we’re ever so friendly!
Noel
Arthur Finch
• March 25, 2023Below The Border are a fabulously talented band who played at our wedding anniversary party. Our guests were not exactly spring chickens but absolutely everyone was dancing to their favourite songs from the 70s until midnight. Friends kept asking us, “Who are they and where did you find them?” Some of the lads had record contracts back in the day and that was apparent as soon as they struck up. Brilliant guitarists and singers. Lovely harmony vocals from Gail. Everything sounded exactly like the original records. And they were such nice polite people.
They arrived bang on time, set up their equipment unobtrusively and played two sets of wonderful music. No fuss. Not a single ego in sight. Real Pro’s. Highly recommended!
Thanks so much boys. You made our party such a fantastic success and we’ve had so many messages from our friends telling us how much they enjoyed the music and how good you were. “Gobsmacked by your band” was one and loads saying “Fab band!”
Photos to follow
Hilary Oldfield
• Dec. 3, 2022Below the Border was the absolute perfect addition to our Christmas party. They were super easy to organise everything with and very understanding. On the night they were really slick setting up and didn’t disturb the pre party dinner at all. We are all big music fans and they were absolutely amazing. Fab song choices and as both a band and musicians were incredible. Below the Border were true professionals who I will be recommending to everyone. Thank you so much for a wonderful night, hope you have a wonderful Christmas and new year.
Tracy
• Oct. 26, 2019The band came to play for my dad's 70th birthday. Really friendly guys, who played all the classics, and even welcomed my dad up to play the drums. Everyone had a fab night and would definitely book them again. Thank you Below The Border
Alec Burghardt
• Oct. 6, 2018My God these guys can play! They were all professional musicians in the 70s, apart from their young singer Charlotte who’s wonderful, and some of them even had record contracts! They played all the hits from the psychedelic years, T Rex, The Small Faces, The Kinks, David Bowie, Mott the Hoople, Santana, The Beatles, . . . They had everybody dancing. One hit after another and they SOUND EXACTLY like the original 45 singles! The hits we all know just kept coming all night, stuff you just have to get up and dance to - even at our age! Keep on Running, Gimmie Some Loving, Twist and Shout (we did! Both!), Spirit in the Sky, Hang on Sloopy, Light my Fire, Stuck in the Middle With You, Alright Now, Can’t Get Enough, Come up and See Me . . . Wonderful stuff. We’ve decided to have a Christmas Party just to book this band! Can’t wait. They set up and sound checked without any fuss, sent us a contract before hand and played their sets exactly the times we asked. Lovely people. Thanks boys. Brilliant. See you all soon!
Gary Brown
• March 2, 2024Thank you for appearing at the Hogsback Harley Davidson start of season Dinner & Dance at The Holiday Inn last week. Review as requested (from a number of us):-
- Personally as an old fart I thought their set list was bang on the money!👍👍
David Hardcastle - Hogsback Chapter
- The band had excellent drums and bass:
Axel Thill - Hogsback Chapter
- Fantastic band certainly kicked our party off, getting everyone up on the dance floor. Highly recommend
Adrian Gowans - Hogsback Chapter Director
- Great brand to work with, from the time I first contacted Noel everything went smoothly, great songs, and very professional and have booked them already for another gig. Looking forward to working with them again at our Cirencester rally.
Garry Brown Hogsback Chapter
Marcus
• Aug. 5, 2023Below the Border delivered a fabulous set of 60s and 70s classics that saved our event from being a total washout, literally. They ended up playing in the corner of our kitchen whilst the rain poured down on the carefully prepared outside stage. They had us all transfixed and dancing within seconds despite the cramped conditions. Their good humour, enthusiasm and pure musicianship, combined with the appalling weather, made everyone watching feel like Glastonbury veterans by the end of the performance. I cannot recommend them highly enough. Marcus
FAQs
Please, describe your act or business in on sentence:
A five piece band of ex-pro musicians and recording artists from the 70s playing vintage Rock & Blues - songs you will know and want to dance to.
What are the highlights of your career?
We are all mature ex-pro musicians who had promising careers 150 years ago. Individually we’ve toured, had record contracts, been on television, been played on radio (such as John Peel’s show on BBC Radio One - we’re very old!). We’ve appeared with all sorts of people during our musical careers in our younger days: Georgie Fame, Gary Brooker. The Pretenders, Cheap Trick, Frankie Miller, The Real Thing. We all did a lot of miles back then, appearing at town halls, concert halls, big festivals - even Wembley Arena! ~
What is your competitive advantage (special features)?
Playing ability, experience, passion for something we’ve always done Our product is our USP - ex-professionals playing the sound track to our youth of the late 60s and early 70s. The music that got us started. ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ We love seeing people dancing their socks off to the hits they also love, people swaying and singing . . . “There’s a star-man waiting in the sky, he’d like to come and meet us, but he’s scared he’ll blow our minds..” We love watching draws drop when Frank, our lead guitarist, plays solos exactly like Clapton on White Room or exactly like Jimi on Foxy Lady ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
What kind of events do you usually serve?
We do a lot of parties these days. We try to limit ourselves to one gig a month. But you’ll still find us at London’s better music venues and of course we like to do at least one big festival each summer. (But our dirty little secret is that we absolutely love taking the roof off little rock pubs playing to working people in the suburbs - it’s the audience reaction we get off on, truth be told. Still big kids at heart!) We will do some corporate events and black-tie dinners - but we’re the ones at the back of the ballroom in Levi’s and our favourite ancient but meaningful T-shirts; if you want one of those corporate function bands in matching cheap suits that’s not us. (Some of us have to wear expensive suits 9 to 5, some of us are lucky enough to be retired early!)
Who are your previous clients?
Individually we’ve played at town halls, concert halls and universities all over the U.K.. In the 70s and 80s we’ve all played London’s fashionable rock venues such as the 100 club, the Rock Garden, The Golden Lion, The Half Moon Putney; big stage Festivals around Britain and Europe; at Birmingham’s famous ‘Railway’ venue in Digbeth as well as Barbarela’s; in blues clubs in Chicago (Frank was there with an 82 year old Freddie King just this summer - see one of our pics) and in night clubs around Europe (such as Spain’s prestigious Tito’s). But only one of us ever appeared at Wembley!!!
How can event planners pay for your services?
Bank transfer, PayPal, cash . . . Whatever suits you.
How long do you play for?
Minimum 45 minutes maximum 3 hours
Do you have your own PA and lighting?
Yes we have our own PA and lights
Do you have Public Liability Insurance and PAT tested equipment?
Yes
How much space do you require?
Not a lot - we’ve done over 2,000 gigs between us over the years - we’re not fussy . . . any old corner with a mains socket will do.
My favourite tune is not on your list. Will you be able to play it?
Of course - we are very easy going
How many breaks do you take? How long are they?
We are ex pro musicians, we’ve all toured at some point in our careers . . . you tell us when you want us to have a break, you’re the customer and we are not teen flakes.
Set List/Services
BELOW THE BORDER's SET LIST includes:-
All or Nothing – The Small Faces
Alright Now – Free
Badge - Cream
Back in the USSR - The Beatles
Black Magic Woman – Santana
Born to be Wild - Steppenwolf
Born Under a Bad Sign - Cream
Can’t Buy Me Love – The Beatles
Can't Get Enough – Bad Company
Crossroads - Cream
Do it Again – Steely Dan
Foxy Lady - Jimi Hendrix
Further on up,the Road - Eric Clapton
Get Back – The Beatles
Get it On – T Rex
Gloria - Them
Hey Joe - Jimi Hendrix
Itchycoo Park – The Small Faces
Jet Airliner - Steve Miller Band
Jumpin Jack Flash - The Rolling Stones
Keep on Running – The Spencer Davis Group
Light My Fire – The Doors
Lola - The Kinks
Midnight Hour – Wilson Picket
Mustang Sally – Wilson Picket
No Matter What - Badfinger
Stay With Me - The Faces
Stuck in the Middle With You – Stealers Wheel
Superstition – Stevie Wonder
Sweet Home Chicargo - Eric Clapton
The Letter - Joe Cocker
The Stealer - Free
Want Somebody to Love – Jefferson Airplane
Whole Lotta Love - Led Zepplin
Wishing Well - Free
Ziggy Stardust – David Bowie