What a beautiful few weeks we've all had in this gorgeous early summer weather! The sun is shining and the reggae has been SWEET! I trust you're all feeling the pull of the live music, the crowd vibes and those hot summer days and cool summer nights around the corner!
We have been wedding-ing! And what a wonderful experience they have been!
We had the extreme pleasure of joining Ellie and Ben for their wedding in Pikehall at Aston Hill Barns. The venue is a working farm, and the event took place in converted barns and cow sheds.
When we arrived, Grandad and Breb had been hard at work getting things ready. The couple who own the farm introduced themselves and they were super cool. We set up and got ready to go, grabbed some food, wolfed it down and then it was time for the first dance.
Ellie and Ben had learnt a surprise choreographed salsa dance to Justin Timberlake's 'Senorita'. Great for the couple but unfortunately for us, there were so many guests crowded around for the first dance that we didn't actually get to see it, but from the hooting and hollering from the wedding crowd, I reckon it was really good!
It was then time to start the set - but the atmosphere was so excitable that Ellie asked if we could please play their custom song request first, instead of later, and so we broke into a very special Reggulites rendition of 'Gotta Go Thru This' by Daniel Bedingfield. We arranged it in a similar format to 'Who Knows' where we started the hook on the horns and then the band came in. In the middle section we busted out into a Dancehall/Reggaeton kinda vibe before bringing it back to the classic garage sound of the early 00's. It was very exciting. One thing you can say for The Reggulites - we're always ready to do something entirely different!
Again, the set had been selected by the couple, and the guests rotated between the bar, the room we played in and outside, which was still wall-to-wall sunshine, so we can't blame them. The couple had chosen the set really well, though, as the first half was very much tunes that you can appreciate from a distance, before the break where Marcus continued the accompaniment vibe, and then we brought the second set as it was just getting a little darker and everyone was really ready for a party.
The dancing was amazing! I was so amused by Ellie and Graham's (pictured below) dancing that I missed an entry - oops - because I was chuckling! What a fun atmosphere! We also had a random guest artist join us on stage. His name is Mike and he sang Mambo No.5. What a showman! It was so much fun!
The Dancehall Medley went down an absolute treat, and Hot Hot Hot fetched Sugar off the stage to join the line!
After we played, it was all Marcus, and he went above and beyond. He read the crowd perfectly and had most of the wedding guests on their feet for the rest of the evening. When it was time for us to go home, Ellie said 'Is it really over? I'm heartbroken' which is the loveliest send off I think we've ever had, and its all down to Marcus!
It was such a beautiful day and the wedding guests were so very welcoming at Ellie and Ben's wedding that we didn't want to leave. Some of us could have gone home a little after 8, but Anna and I didn't leave until the very end because we were just having so much fun! Some of us did go - Dawn hung around a little bit before hitting the road. Teebs had a very busy day the following day as he was transporting a horse to York, and Angus and Harry went off in the house-van to go and find Stone Circles and go on adventures.
As the sun was setting over Ellie and Ben's wedding, all you could see for miles was lush fields and skyline. It was absolutely breath-taking.
Again, we are so privileged to be able to have these connections to people and their love for each other. It really makes us so happy!
We'll be hitting the stage next at the inaugural Birmingham International Ska and Reggae Festival on Sunday 2nd June at 5pm, and we can't wait to see you, Birmingham! If you haven't gotten a ticket yet, you really should, as they're extremely limited now!
Onwards and upwards, peeps!
The venue we played at is Aston Hill Barns, part of Aston Hill Farm, Pikehall.
For the last few tickets remaining for Birmingham International Ska and Reggae Festival, click the link!
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