Big band

The Not Quite Big Band

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About The Not Quite Big Band

15-piece big band composed of Manchester's best musicians performing a reinvented 'Rat Pack' show. Guaranteed to provide a unique experience
Big band
Manchester
Public liability insurance of £10 million

The Not Quite Big band, more fondly known as The NQBB, is a groundbreaking, 15-piece, Manchester-based big band composed of some of the UK’s most experienced, talented musicians. The NQBB have quickly risen in popularity across the entertainment industry, due to their unique experience provided by no one else on the market. The Not Quite Big Band’s youthful approach reinvents the classic ‘Rat Pack’ show by incorporating decade-spanning hits from the likes of Prince, Elvis and Queen. Whilst audiences can still expect to hear the crooning tune of ‘My Way’ and ‘Come Fly With Me’, they can also expect to be swept off their feet to ‘Crazy Little Thing Called Love’ and ‘Jailhouse Rock’. As crowds are taken on a progressive journey through the century, they are reminded that there is nothing quite as spectacular as a dazzling 10 piece horn section, harmoniously accompanying a world class vocalist and rhythm section. Whether performing ‘New York, New York’ or ‘Purple Rain’, The NQBB never fails to amaze crowds of any age with their incomparable show. With musicians that have performed at Glastonbury, The Royal Albert Hall, for TV & film and alongside some of the industry’s biggest names such as Elton John and Paul Heaton, the collective experience across the entire band has made The NQBB one of the most sought after big bands in the UK.

The Not Quite Big Band
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5 out of 5
1 verified review
Satisfaction
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5.0
Professionalism
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5.0
Communication
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5.0
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5.0

The Not Quite Big Band 's Reviews

From Encore customers:

PJ
Pip J
3 months ago
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5 out of 5

Wow wow wow! These guys were absolutely incredible! Words can’t describe! We hired the NQBB for our wedding back in October and we think it was the best wedding decision we made! Will was super through all stages of the process, from enquiries before booking, through to set list selections and sorting out logistics, he was so friendly, with excellent communication and always had time to answer our queries. On the day itself they arrived in plenty of time to set up and you could tell the guests were getting excited for what was to come. It was what we were most looking forward to about the day and it more than exceeded our expectations! What was wonderful was seeing everyone dancing - all the generations. They are such amazing performers and so engaging getting all on the dance floor involved! Our guests are still raving about ‘THE band’ and rightly so! Thank you so much NQBB, you most certainly made the day!

Reply from The Not Quite Big Band
3 months ago

Pip this is such a blessing to read. Thank you so much for taking the time to write this! We are so glad you had a smooth, memorable experience with us and it was our absolute pleasure to perform at your wedding. You made the band feel very welcome, and the whole wedding party really brought the energy to the dance floor. It will live long in our memory, and it is great to hear that it will do for yourself and your husband too. We wish you all the best in the future for you and Henry, and we hope that our paths cross again in the future. Thank you once again, Will

From other customers:

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Emma M
3 years ago

Had one of the best nights seeing NQBB at the Gotham hotel at Christmas - definitely about to become the next big thing!! Amazing talent and atmosphere that made a night to remember. Can’t wait to see where they go next as I will 100% be getting a ticket!

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Marieclaire M
3 years ago

Cannot wait to see the NQBB again, incredible night with talented musicians, the atmosphere and energy this band brings to any venue is top class. The whole audience was up on their feet singing and dancing- brilliant!!

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This act has been working with Encore for over 2 years

The Not Quite Big Band 's Song list

Ain't That a Kick in the Head - Dean Martin
Always on My Mind - Michael Bublé
Bad Bad Leroy Brown - Frank Sinatra
Beyond the Sea - Bobby Darin
Birth of the Blues - Sammy Davis Jr
Boulevard of Broken Dreams - Tony Bennett
Can't Buy Me Love - Michael Bublé
Come By Me - Harry Connick Jr
Come Fly with Me - Frank Sinatra
Crazy Little Thing Called Love - Michael Bublé
Cry Me a River - Michael Bublé
Everything - Michael Bublé
Feeling Good - Michael Bublé
Fly Me to the Moon - Frank Sinatra
Home - Michael Bublé
I've Got You Under My Skin - Frank Sinatra
I've Gotta Be Me - Sammy Davis Jr
It Had Better Be Tonight - Michael Bublé
Luck Be a Lady - Frank Sinatra
Mack the Knife - Frank Sinatra
Me and Mrs. Jones - Michael Bublé
Minnie the Moocher - Cab Calloway
Moondance - Michael Bublé
Mr. Bojangles - Sammy Davis Jr
My Way - Frank Sinatra
New York, New York - Frank Sinatra
Oh! Look at Me Now - Frank Sinatra
One for My Baby - Frank Sinatra
Pennies from Heaven - Frank Sinatra
Save the Last Dance for Me - Michael Bublé
Sway - Michael Bublé
That's Amore - Dean Martin
That's Life - Frank Sinatra
The Lady Is a Tramp - Frank Sinatra
Who Can I Turn To? - Sammy Davis Jr
Witchcraft - Frank Sinatra
You Brought a New Kind of Love to Me - Frank Sinatra
You Make Me Feel So Young - Frank Sinatra
You're Nobody Till Somebody Loves You - Dean Martin
Party:
24K Magic - Bruno Mars
Ain’t Nobody - Chaka Khan
Beggin’ - Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons
Blame It on the Boogie - Michael Jackson
Blinding Lights - The Weekend
Careless Whisper - George Michael
Can’t Help Falling in Love - Elvis
Crazy In Love - Beyoncé
Dancing Queen - ABBA
Don’t Look Back in Anger - Oasis
Don’t Stop Me Now - Queen
Everybody Needs Somebody to Love - Blues Brothers
Great Balls of Fire - Jerry Lee Lewis
Hips Don’t Lie - Shakira
I Wanna Dance with Somebody - Whitney Houston
I Wanna Be Like You - Big Bad Voodoo Daddy
I Want You Back - Jackson 5
I Will Survive - Gloria Gaynor
It's Not Unusual - Tom Jones
Jailhouse Rock - Elvis Presley
Let Me Entertain You - Robbie Williams
Livin La Vida Loca - Ricky Martin
Livin on a Prayer - Bon Jovi
Love Story - Taylor Swift
Murder on the Dance Floor - Sophie Bextor
Oh What a Night - Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons
Purple Rain - Prince
Shake a Tail Feather - Blues Brothers
Shake It Off - Taylor Swift
Shut Up and Dance - Walk the Moon
September - Earth, Wind & Fire
Superstition - Stevie Wonder
Sweet Caroline - Frank Sinatra
Sweet Dreams - Eurythmics
Take on Me - Aha
Treasure - Bruno Mars
Toxic - Britney Spears
Uptown Funk - Bruno Mars
Valerie - Amy Winehouse
Viva La Vida - Coldplay
Watermelon Sugar - Harry Styles
Wonderwall - Oasis
Worth It - RAYE
You’re The First, The Last, My Everything - Barry White
You to Me Are Everything - The Real Thing

The Not Quite Big Band 's Prices

Last updated: 2025

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

Standard Prices
Performance durationPrice
Up to 1 hour£4375
Up to 2 hours£5000
Up to 3 hours£6250
Customer questions

Do you have different line-up options?

Our line up is as follows: 2x Vocals, keys, bass, drums, 3x Trumpets, 3x Trombones and 4x Saxes

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

“We always try our best to be flexible to help ensure your event runs as smoothly as possible. If timings change slightly in the run up to the event just let us know.”

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

“Our set lists are crafted from countless performances and learning what works best to ensure guests dance and have an amazing time. However, we're definitely happy to chat through and make sure we find what works for your event. ”

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

Yes, everything is included

Can you learn song requests before the event?

We can definitely learn songs for your event. The fee will be based on arranging and rehearsing the tune but we are happy to discuss this with you.
Musicianship
Genres:
Swing, Jazz, Covers
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Event types:
Wedding, Corporate event, Hotel / Restaurant event, Bar / Club / Venue event, Private event, Charity event, Concert, Theatre / Show, Cruise, New Year's Eve, Christmas party, Birthday party, Wedding proposal, Church service, Recording session
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