Hear Us Play
Mac-Talla Live
Live at a wedding ceilidh
Session at the Finnieston pub
Wedding piping — ceremony
We’re putting our videos together — check back soon, or get in touch to find out more about us.
Scotland · Est. in Argyll
Mac-Talla
Ceilidh Collective
Scottish Ceilidh Band for Weddings, Events & Celebrations
Enquire About Your DateMusic for every moment of your day
Wedding Ceilidh
The heart of what we do. Up to three hours of dancing with callers guiding your guests through every dance — gently, warmly, and without taking themselves too seriously. Whether your crowd is mostly Scottish or has never heard of a Strip the Willow, everyone ends up on the floor.
Ceremony & Background Music
A duo or trio providing live folk music through your ceremony, drinks reception, and dinner. Atmosphere that sets the tone without competing with conversation — beautiful music for the quieter moments of your day.
Wedding Piping
Pipes greeting your guests, leading you down the aisle, and sending you off into your marriage — a piper is one of those touches that guests remember long after the day is done.
Community & Private Events
Burns Night, Hogmanay, birthdays, community gatherings — from village halls in Argyll to larger city venues. If you’re looking to bring people together around music and dancing, that’s exactly what we’re for.
We cover the whole of Scotland. For events further afield, please enquire.
Talk to Us About Your EventTransparent pricing, flexible by design
Our packages are starting points — every booking is different and we’re happy to build something bespoke. Get in touch and we’ll put together a quote that fits your day.
The Trio
An Triùir
from £800
per event · 3-piece lineup
3-piece band with caller
Up to 3 hours ceilidh
PA system included
Background playlist between sets
Ideal for micro-weddings & elopements
The Four
An Ceathrar
from £1,000
per event · 4-piece lineup
4-piece band with caller
Up to 3 hours ceilidh
PA system included
Background playlist between sets
The classic ceilidh experience
The Four & Pipes
Ceathrar is Pìob
from £1,250
per wedding · 4-piece + piper
Piper for ceremony
4-piece evening ceilidh with caller
Up to 3 hours ceilidh
PA system included
The full Scottish wedding moment
Ceilidh Band — all lineup sizes
3-piece
An Triùir
from £800
with caller
3 musicians + caller
Up to 3hrs ceilidh
PA included
4-piece
An Ceathrar
from £1,000
with caller
4 musicians + caller
Up to 3hrs ceilidh
PA included
5-piece
A’ Còignear
from £1,300
with caller
5 musicians + caller
Up to 3hrs ceilidh
PA + lighting included
6-piece+
An Còmhlan Mòr
from £1,600
with caller
6+ musicians + caller
Up to 3hrs ceilidh
PA + lighting included
Ceremony Piping — standalone
Ceremony Piper
Pìobaire na Bainnse
from £250
standalone piping
Guests arriving at the venue
Couple’s processional down the aisle
Signing of the register
Recessional
Combined Packages — ceilidh + piping
3-piece + Piper
Triùir is Pìob
from £1,050
ceremony piping + evening ceilidh
Piper: ceremony
3-piece evening ceilidh with caller
Up to 3hrs ceilidh · PA included
4-piece + Piper
Ceathrar is Pìob
from £1,250
ceremony piping + evening ceilidh
Piper: ceremony
4-piece evening ceilidh with caller
Up to 3hrs ceilidh · PA included
5-piece + Piper
Còignear is Pìob
from £1,550
ceremony piping + evening ceilidh
Piper: ceremony
5-piece evening ceilidh with caller
Up to 3hrs ceilidh · PA + lighting
The Full Echo — complete wedding music
The Full Echo
Mac-Talla Slàn
from £1,650
the complete Scottish wedding experience
Duo for drinks reception & background music
Piper for the ceremony
4-piece evening ceilidh with caller
Up to 3 hours ceilidh
Full PA system & lighting included
Single point of contact for the whole day
Eleven musicians, one sound
Each member of Mac-Talla is a musician in their own right, with their own story and their own voice. Whatever combination comes to your event, the balance is always considered — melody players, accompaniment, and at least one caller.
William Goan
Guitar · Flute & Whistle · Piano
CallerOne of the founding siblings. Will runs the Finnieston session that brought most of the collective together. A modern twist on traditional accompaniment — very rhythmic, with a natural ease in front of a crowd.
Emily Goan
Fiddle
CallerThe other founding sibling, and one of three people leading the collective today. Solid as a rock, rhythmic and dynamic — the kind of player a room anchors itself around without knowing quite why.
Fran Barrett
Guitar
One of three people leading the collective alongside Emily and Will. A subtle player — harmonically diverse and interesting in a way that rewards anyone listening closely.
Joseph Peach
Accordion · Piano · Highland Pipes
Joseph comes from a dance band background that gives his playing a particular drive and precision. The accordion is the engine of any ceilidh, and he brings both power and finesse to that role.
Kai Dudley
Fiddle
An Irish fiddle style — flowing, easy, with a quality that makes dancing feel effortless. Kai brings a different regional flavour that sits beautifully within the Scottish tradition.
Sally Simpson
Fiddle
CallerA bold, commanding player who also carries a delicate touch — the combination that makes a truly memorable fiddle player. Sally’s calling is clear and warm in equal measure.
Bethany Walsh
Fiddle
CallerA player with real warmth in her tone and a sensitivity that draws people in. Bethany has a way of making the music feel personal, whatever the size of the room.
Alistair Davidson
Mandolin · Guitar · Piano
CallerComes from a traditional dance band background that gives him particular authority on the floor as a caller. Experienced, instinctive, and able to read a room with real ease.
James Coogan
Bodhrán
CallerBouncy, driving beats that sit underneath everything like a heartbeat. The bodhrán is what makes people’s feet move before they’ve even decided to dance. James keeps the energy exactly where it needs to be.
Iain Scott
Flute & Whistles
An improvisation genius with stunning flute playing. Iain brings something unpredictable and genuinely thrilling to a lineup — the kind of musician who makes an audience catch their breath mid-dance.
Cameron Sharp
Whistle · Small Pipes · Highland Pipes
Cameron’s playing is fluid and sensitive — a piper whose musicality goes well beyond the expected. He brings a lyrical quality to everything he plays, whether leading a procession or weaving through a session tune.
Photos for some members coming soon.
Born in Argyll, lives on in Glasgow
The name Mac-Talla — Gaelic for echo — speaks to how this music has always been passed on. Not from a page, but by ear. From one player to another, across generations. Most of us learned that way, and it runs through everything we do.
It began with two siblings playing pub sessions and small community ceilidhs across Argyll. As word spread and the music grew, more players joined — and those regular Argyll ceilidhs became something people returned to year after year.
The next chapter unfolded in Finnieston, Glasgow, around a weekly session that Will runs at a local pub. One by one, musicians with their own stories and their own sounds found their way to the same room. Some knew each other through boats and the sea — a thread that runs quietly through the collective, as real as the music itself.
Today Mac-Talla is a collective of eleven musicians, led by Emily, Will, and Fran. Each person brings their own voice, and each combination of players brings something different to a room. Whatever the occasion, we’re there to make it one people talk about long after the dancing stops.
11
Musicians in the collective
5+
Callers in the band
∞
Lineup combinations possible
2–95
Age range on the dance floor
The best part of a ceilidh? Watching everyone swapping partners, laughing, figuring out the dances — and hopefully loving the music. — The Collective
From couples we’ve celebrated with
My partner and I booked Mac-Talla to host a ceilidh for our wedding. It was an unforgettable evening that brought all our family and friends together. Everyone enjoyed it — both Scottish and English — and still speak about it weeks later. Booking and planning with the team was easy and stress-free, and on the night they played beautifully. Couldn’t have asked for more.
Ed Rivers
Mac-Talla played at our wedding a couple of weeks ago. They were perfect. Such beautiful music, such a good vibe to have around — we loved having them. Book them, you won’t regret it.
Emma Laycock
Communication in the build-up was simple and stress-free. On the day they were brilliant — really got the energy in the room going, made it friendly and enjoyable for everyone from age 2 to 95. Great spirit and humour, even when being eaten alive by the midges.
Dom Reeve
We hired this lovely duo for our micro-wedding. Very adaptable to whatever we wanted — just a small group with limited dancing space, but they taught us a few Scottish dances in the space we had. The music was beautiful. Highly recommend.
Alana Constantine
We were super impressed. Very approachable, skilled, and an amazing band. We had a lot of non-Scottish folk there and they were all able to get involved and dance — Mac-Talla explained everything so naturally. Highly recommend.
Scott Campbell
Tell us about your day
Every enquiry gets a personal response from Emily, Will, or Fran. We’ll talk through what you’re planning, make sure we have the right lineup for your day, and check whether your date is available.
We aim to respond within 2 working days.
Prefer to email directly?
hello@mactallamusic.com