Hire Ska Train | Ska band in Coventry

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From£875

1 hour

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About Ska Train

Top quality experienced ska covers band hailing from Coventry, the birthplace of 2-Tone. Listen, smile, and start to move your feet!

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Ska band

Coventry

Public liability insurance of £10 million

Ska Train celebrate the UK ska revival of the late 1970’s and early 80’s, a movement pioneered by Jerry Dammers’ iconic 2-Tone record label which included bands like The Specials, Madness, Bad Manners and The Selecter. The band’s seven-piece line-up includes spine-tingling horns (trombone and sax) and a rock-solid rhythm section, with guitar, keys and vocals that will transport you back to an explosive musical era of punk, politics and messages of peace. Since 2023 Ska Train have established a record-breaking run of sold-out dates at Leamington’s award-winning Temperance Music Bar, have supported US ska-punk band Monkey on their UK tour, have played live on stage with former members of The Specials, and have headlined festivals including the Congleton Jazz and Blues festival, Astonbury, MurphFest and Art in the Park. So if you’ve ever set sail in a Night Boat To Cairo, gazed at your Mirror In The Bathroom, or simply done Too Much Too Young, get on board the Ska Train now for an unforgettable live musical journey that will truly take you One Step Beyond... “Fantastic, absolutely loved playing with these guys” (Jon Read ex-Specials, trumpet) “Simply the best ska band we’ve ever had here” (Adrain Gains, Temperance Music Bar)

Ska Train

5 out of 5

9 verified reviews

Satisfaction

5.0

Professionalism

5.0

Communication

5.0

Punctuality

5.0

Ska Train's Reviews

5 out of 5

Belting night, two tone and ska classics with a few surprises, highly recommended!

Reply from Ska Train

14 days ago

Thanks Alex, you bet it was a belting night! Gorgeous venue and a gorgeous wedding couple, thanks for booking Ska Train and for leading the line on the dance floor!

5 out of 5

Fantastic

Reply from Ska Train

8 months ago

Thanks Liz! It was a fantastic party for us too! Gorgeous venue, fabulous guests - and a skanking dancefloor all night! Thanks again for having us along :)

5 out of 5

Why only 5 stars? Mike and the entire Ska Train team were absolutely brilliant! 10 out of 5 is our verdict! We couldn't wish for a better band for our party. They gave us very personal experience, were super-friendly, selected all the best floor fillers and 'conspired' with my husband to learn a song close to my heart especially for our party. Fantastic musicians. Don't look any further, get on the Ska Train now! Thanks guys, you are smashing! Kasia&Mark

Reply from Ska Train

11 months ago

Kasia & Mark it was a truly fabulous evening spent with you and your wonderful friends and family. Thank you so much for selecting us, looking after us, and for leading the dancing! And thank you for the lovely words you have written here. We give you both ten out of five as well!

5 out of 5

Ska Train really made our party with a great selection of old and new favorites. Real musicians showcasing how enjoyable live music can be, 100% brilliant.

5 out of 5

Thank you, so so so much, for being the best band playing the best tunes on our special day. Everyone loved you and the venue said they would have you back in a heartbeat /would recommend to future brides and grooms wanting a ska band!

Read all 6 reviews

Encore badges

5 gigs

Experienced: 5 bookings through Encore

Saved the day!

Booked for an Encore gig with less than 24 hours’ notice

1st Anniversary

This act has been working with Encore for over a year

Ska Train's Song list

Night boat to Cairo - Madness

Special Brew - Bad Manners

A Message to you Rudy - The Specials

Time is Tight - Time Dimensions

Missing Words - The Selecter

You're Wondering Now - The Specials

007 (A Shanty Town) - Desmond Dekker

Walking in the Sunshine - Bad Manners

Gangsters - The Specials

Geno - Dexys Midnight Runners

Madness - Madness

10/10 - Paulo Nutini

Rat Race - The Specials

Train to Skaville - The Ethiopians

Can't Take My Eyes Off You - Frankie Valli

The Prince - Madness

Mirror in the Bathroom - The Beat

Poison Ivy - The Lambrettas

Inner London Violence - Bad Manners

54-46 was my Number - Toots and the Maytals

Monkey Man - The Specials

Baggy Trousers - Madness

Too Much Pressure - The Selecter

Do Nothing - The Specials

Let's Do Rocksteady - The Bodysnatchers

One Step Beyond - Madness

Long Shot Kick de Bucket - The Pioneers

Enjoy Yourself - The Specials

Happy - Pharell Williams

It Must Be Love - Madness

Guns of Navarone - The Specials

Listen Smile - Ska Train

Lip Up Fatty - Bad Manners

Too Much Too Young - The Specials

Sally Brown - Bad Manners

Back to Black - Amy Winehouse

Israelites - Desmond Dekker

Ghost Town - The Specials

My Girl Lollipop - Bad Manners

The Harder They Come - Jimmy Cliff

House of Fun - Madness

Bankrobber - The Clash

Hands Off She's Mine - The Beat

Tom Hark - The Piranhas

Three Little Birds - Bob Marley

Nite Klub - The Specials

Tears of a Clown - The Beat

My Girl - Madness

Concrete Jungle - The Specials

The Tide is High - The Paragons

Our Lips Are Sealed - Fun Boy Three

Kiss on the Lips - The Dualers

Skinhead Symphony - The Specials

Embarrassment - Madness

Ska Train's Prices

Last updated: 2025

Note: prices may vary based on travel distance. For an exact quote, click “Check availability”.

Performance duration	Price
Up to 1 hour	£875
Up to 2 hours	£1250
Up to 3 hours	£1750

Customer questions

What do your clients love most about your performances?

This is joyous music that we are sharing! Who can stand still with this kid of thing? We love to move and sing with our audiences, and they love what we are doing on stage too! Plus, we always have some exciting song choices alongside the ska classics you know and expect.

Which venues have you performed at in the past?

2-Tone Village - in Coventry. Literally the birthplace of 2-Tone music. Temperance - in Leamington Spa. Award-winning live music venue with an incredible intimate atmosphere.

Which artists have you been most influenced by?

As well as the UK ska classics like The Specials and Madness, we showcase our love for Jamaican originals like Desmond Dekker and Toots & the Maytals.

What is the most high profile gig you've performed?

Well we have plenty of things in the pipeline, but so far playing at the 2-Tone Village in Coventry has been pretty cool!

Do you have different line-up options?

We can perform as a 6-piece if this was crucial, but that would mean leaving out one of the horns, and who would want that?!

What if my timings change after I've booked you?

Absolutely no problem at all, we are flexible, just keep us in the loop as much as possible!

Can you provide an iPod/DJ service before and between your sets?

Yes we can provide our own Spotify playlist by arrangement or, if you prefer, you can Bluetooth onto our system and play whatever music you want from your own device.

How much time do you need to set up?

About an hour. And we can usually get out in about half that.

Can you roam around while you perform?

The singer can roam sometimes and maybe the sax, but not the rest of the band, sorry.

Can I pick the songs you play from the set list?

You can certainly request specific songs ahead of time whether they are on the set list or not, especially if it is a special song for you. Picking the right song choices for the whole event is quite a tricky business though, so we will always put the final set-list together ourselves, based on all sorts of factors.

Is all of the equipment (e.g. PA & lighting) included in your quote?

Yes, everything is included, all we need is a playing area, a power source and room full of people ready to enjoy themselves!

Can you learn song requests before the event?

Yes, just let us know what you are looking for and as long as we have enough advance warning this is usually no problem at all.

Musicianship

Genres:

Tribute, 1980s era music

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Types:

Ska band, Cover band, Festival band, Party band

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Event types:

Bar / Club / Venue event, Wedding, Hotel / Restaurant event, Private event, Corporate event, Charity event, Recording session, Birthday party, Christmas party, New Year's Eve

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