Solid Steel

» Profile

Were Solid Steel and were a professional UK-based steel band (or steel drum band) available for hire with musicians based in London and Manchester.

The band was born into this less than tropical climate back in 1986, and promptly achieved nationwide popularity. We travel all over the country, and indeed abroad, playing to audiences at events with (or without!) a tropical theme like Caribbean nights, private parties, wedding receptions, corporate events, product and project launches etc. in venues as diverse as hotels, festivals, schools, tv and radio studios, village halls, pubs and restaurants.

In so doing, we make it our business to transport your imagination to the most idyllic sun and rum-soaked Caribbean vacation you have ever or never had!

And so to the music. The instruments we play are Caribbean steel pans or steel drums (the national modern folk instrument of Trinidad & Tobago) which we augment with other stuff as and when required.

So we can sing, we can perform in various sizes and guises, organise steelband workshops and generally on request mould performances that expand upon the traditional calypso and Latin styles of music that form the core of our repertoire. This flexibility and a great sense of fun, we could argue, give us the edge over the competition. But wed be lying. Its the music.

Performance
We're in high demand as an acoustic (unplugged!) trio. Why so popular? Well one reason is that the format itself is so very natural, organic and beautifully undated. It has a timeless quality only other acoustic groups like string quartets can aspire to.

The other reason is that Solid Steel, in particular, use the best musicians playing the highest quality of instruments to achieve the best sound. We then choose suitably melodic material such as traditional calypsos and Caribbean folk music with Latin and popular 'standards' fleshing out the repertoire.

But we don't always play as a trio. As much as we love that line-up, it's not always suitable. Sometimes we are booked to play sessions for dancing. There are times when we play as a trio, especially with vocals, that audiences will dance to us.

However, this is far from guaranteed and younger audiences especially find trios too 'light' rhythmically and often prefer us to work with a bass guitar and a drummer in a bigger band with a heavier rhythm. We're then sure to pack the dance floor!

We also play requests, especially those we have prior knowledge of, before your event. Unless we don't know your tune and don't consider it suitable to play on future engagements, we will freely add it to our already extensive repertoire.

» Song List

• Hot Hot Hot -arrow
• Miss Tourist -kitchener
• Who Let The Dogs Out? -anslem Douglas/baha Men
• Sugar Bum Bum -lord Kitchener
• Obeah Wedding -the Mighty Sparrow
• Soul Limbo (test Cricket Theme) -booker T & The Mgs
• Brown Skin Gal -traditional
• Mango Walk -traditional
• Bahia Girl -david Rudder
• Dollar Whine -colin Lucas
• St. Thomas -sonny Rollins
• Linstead Market -traditional
• Matilda -harry Belafonte
• Brown Girl In The Ring -traditional/boney M
• Latin Standards (boleros, Cha Chas, Merengues Etc):
• Brazil
• Peanut Vendor
• Guantanamera
• Perfidia
• South Of The Border
• Quando, Quando, Quando
• Samba De Orfeu
• Island Or tourist Music:
• Yellow Bird -harry Belafonte
• Island In The Sun -harry Belafonte
• Jamaica Farewell -harry Belafonte
• Reggae/ Reggae-pop/ska:
• Stir It Up -bob Marley
• Three Little Birds - Bob Marley
• One Love -bob Marley
• Baby I Love Your Way -big Mountain -
• Like Glue -sean Paul
• Red, Red, Wine -ub40
• Rivers Of Babylon -traditional/boney M
• Monkey Man -toots And The Maytals
• Israelites -desmond Dekker
• Soul/jazz:
• Summertime -gershwin
• Dont Know Why -norah Jones
• Breezin -george Benson
• And Many More!

» Testimonials

Big thanks to Solid Steel for performing at our UKTV company Christmas party. They were fab and great to find a steel band that plays Christmas Carols so well!
Rebecca.

Solid Steel just rocked our company Christmas party. Our tuneless group of carol singers would have been lost without their fantastic musical accompaniment.
Hire them! Tom

Solid Steel played at our Wedding earlier this month in suffolk, it was an usual choice for the location but it went down so well, all the guests and the staff at the venue loved them, I can't praise them enough. Hope they go on to have a wonderful and long career
Rachel And Aidan Norris.

Just wanted to say a BIG THANKS! to Solid Steel, the band played at my engagement party in July 09 and gave a great performance!,
Thanks again for helping make the day a special one!
Sandy Stewart.

Thank you to the trio which played at our wedding on 26 September. They were fantastic and everyone loved it. We would definitely recommend you and book you again.
Ian & Magda.

Thank you so much for your entertaining set in Guernsey. the audience loved the limbo and the crowd participation with the dancers. You were great made it more than just another corporate event.
Elaine Lawrie.

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