The Merchants

One of the most recognised wedding bands in the province – The Merchants are a high energy live Band who have dominated the wedding & corporate scene for almost ten years, fronted by the charismatic performer, Dave Martin. His velvety vocals, effortless performance ability, and natural warm charisma offers a captivating and incomparable tribute to the greatest music around. Dave has become well respected on the Northern Ireland music scene - Over the years, he has regularly performed for many public venues. He’s even managed to sing alongside Michael Buble in his hotel bar! The Merchants Band boast the finest musicians in the North - each with at least a decade of performance experience. Among them are members of the Ulster Orchestra & Queen’s University Big Band – they’ve probably performed at every venue, hotel and festival in the island! Over the years, they’ve recorded and performed with artists such as Van Morrison, Bob Dylan, Bryan Adams, Tom Jones, Snow Patrol, Duke Special, Phil Coulter, and The Dubliners – to name a few..

The Merchants are renowned for their high-energy mix of music across the genres – Classic rock, Rock n Roll, Swing, 60's pop, 70's funk, 80’s classics, & modern chart hits - all performed in their unique style! Guaranteed to keep you moving all night! Available from their popular 5-piece (vocals, piano, guitar, bass drums) up to the brassy 7 or 8-piece, with saxophone & trumpet!

We are all about making great music and filling dance floors. We've the finest musicians in town, use the best audio & lighting equipment, and above all - our song choice is massive! Over the years, we've learned what songs fill the dance floor! Our massive song list allows people to choose exactly the music they require. You can tailor your wedding playlist to include all your favorite songs and genres. We also strive to learn your First Dance Song, if it's not already on our playlist. We're renowned for our high-energy music and cover all genres, including 50's Rock n Roll, 60's pop, 70's disco, 80’s classics, to modern chart hits - basically anything to get people moving! We're proud to say that The Merchants never use 'Backing tracks' - just real music. All of our website songs were recorded live with no 'studio trickery' added! Have a listen to our demos and browse our playlist below. Chart All You Ever Wanted - Rag 'n' Bone Man Bad Habits - Ed Sheeran Blinding Lights - The Weeknd By Your Side - Tom Grennan/Calvin Harris Dance Monkey - Tones & I Happier - Marshmello Ft. Bastille Memories - Maroon 5 Moves - Olly Murs Outnumbered - Dermot Kennedy Promises - Sam Smith/Calvin Harris Save Your Tears - The Weeknd Senorita - Camilla Cabello Shallow - Lady Gaga & Bradley Cooper Say Something - Justin Timberlake Someone You Loved - Lewis Capaldi South of The Border - Ed Sheeran The Business - Tiesto Watermelon Sugar - Harry Styles Standards Brown Eyed Girl - Van Morrison Does Your Mother Know - Abba Don't Stop Believing - Journey Don't Stop Me Now - Queen First, Last, My Everything - Barry White Five Hundred Miles - The Proclaimers Galway Girl - Steve Earle Higher & Higher - Jackie Wilson I'm a Believer - The Monkees Mustang Sally - The Commitments Nine To Five - Dolly Parton Oh What A Night - Four Seasons Proud Mary - Ike & Tina Turner Shake Your Tail Feather - Ray Charles Superstition - Stevie Wonder Suspicious Minds - Elvis Sweet Caroline - Neil Diamond Valerie - Amy Winehouse 2010's Budapest - George Ezra Can't Stop The Feeling - Justin Timberlake Castle on The Hill - Ed Sheeran Get Lucky - Daft Punk Happy - Pharrell Williams Hold Back The River - James Bay Hold My Hand - Jess Glynne Marry You - Bruno Mars Moves Like Jagger - Maroon 5 Paradise - George Ezra Pretty Shining People - George Ezra Riptide - Vance Joy Shotgun - George Ezra Shut Up And Dance - Walk The Moon That's What Makes You Beautiful - One Direction Uptown Funk - Bruno Mars Wake Me Up - Avicii We Found Love – Rhianna 2000's Counting Stars - One Republic Crazy - Gnarles Buckley Crazy In Love - Beyonce Dancing In The Moonlight - Toploader Hey Ya! - Outkast I Gotta Feeling - Black Eyed Peas Ignition - R Kelly Lady - Modjo Mr Brightside - The Killers National Express - Divine Comedy One More Time - Daft Punk Rehab - Amy Winehouse Seven Nation Army - White Stripes Shine - Take That Sex On Fire - King of Leon Ten Out of Ten - Paolo Nutini This Love - Maroon 5 When You're Looking Like That – Westlife 1990's Babylon - David Gray Basketcase - Green Day Californication - Red Hot Chili Peppers Cosmic Girl - Jamiroquai Don't Look Back In Anger - Oasis Dream Catch Me - Newtown Faulkner Friday I'm In Love - The Cure Good Riddance - Green Day I Only Wanna Be With You - Hootie & The Blowfish I Want It That Way - Backstreet Boys Iris - Goo Goo Dolls Living La Vida Loca - Ricky Martin Mambo No 5 - Lou Bega One Week - Barenaked Ladies Over My Shoulder - Mike & The Mechanics Save Tonight - Eagle Eye Cherry Two Princes - Spin Doctors Wonderwall – Oasis 1980's A Little Respect - Erasure All Night Long - Lionel Richie Always On My Mind - Pet Shop Boys Call Me Al - Paul Simon Dancing In The Dark - Bruce Springsteen Don't You Want Me Baby - Human League Faith - George Michael Footloose - Kenny Loggins Happy Hour - The Housemartins It Must Be Love - Madness Just Can't Get Enough - Depeche Mode Let's Dance - David Bowie Never Gonna Give You Up - Rick Astley Sledgehammer - Peter Gabriel Take On Me - Aha Time of My Life - Billy Medley Town Called Malice - The Jam You Can't Hurry Love - Phil Collins Wake Me Up Before You Go Go – Wham 1970's Bennie & The Jets - Elton John Copacobana - Barry Manilow Crazy Little Thing Called Love - Queen Crocodile Rock - Elton John Escape (Pina Colada Song) - Rupert Holmes Grease Lightning - John Travolta Hotel California - The Eagles I Want You Back - Michael Jackson Let Your Love Flow - Bellamy Brothers Let's Stick Together - Bryan Ferry Lido Shuffle - Boz Scaggs Long Train Runnin' - Doobie Brothers Lovely Day - Bill Withers One Way Or Another - Blondie September - Earth, Wind & Fire Signed, Sealed, Delivered - Stevie Wonder Sir Duke - Stevie Wonder Stuck In The Middle - Steeler's Wheel Waterloo – Abba Rock 'n' Roll A Hard Day's Night - The Beatles Blue Suede Shoes - Elvis Burning Love - Elvis Do You Love Me - The Contours It's Not Unusual - Tom Jones Great Balls of Fire - Jerry Lee Lewis Hound Dog - Elvis Jailhouse Rock - Elvis Johnny B Goode - Chuck Berry La Bamba - Ritchie Valens Long Tall Sally - Little Richard Paint It Black - Rolling Stones Pretty Woman - Roy Orbison Reet Petite - Jackie Wilson Rock Around The Clock - Bill Haley Tutti Frutti - Little Richard Twist & Shout - The Beatles You Can Never Tell - Chuck Berry You Really Got Me - The Kinks Country & Irish Amazed - Lonestar Baton Rouge - Garth Brooks Country Roads - John Denver Dance The Night Away - The Mavericks Folsom Prison Blues - Johnny Cash Galway Girl - Steve Earle Hills of Donegal - Goats Don't Shave Hold On To Your Hat - Derek Ryan I Loved Her First - Heartland Jackson - Johnny Cash Lay Down Sally - Eric Clapton Nine To Five - Dolly Parton Ring of Fire - Johnny Cash The Gambler - Kenny Rogers Wagon Wheel - Nathan Carter Red Rose Café - The Fureys Wedding Day - Jimmy Buckley Walk of Life - Dire Straits Whiskey In The Jar - The Dubliners First Dances All I Want Is You - U2 All of Me - John Legend Into The Mystic - Van Morrison Green Eyes - Coldplay Ho Hey - The Lumineers Hold My Girl - George Ezra Just The Way You Are - Bill Joel My Girl - The Temptations Perfect - Ed Sheeran Someone Like You - Van Morrison Stand By Me - Ben E King Stolen - Dashboard Confessional Tenerife Sea - Ed Sheeran Tennessee Whiskey - Chris Stapleton The One - Kodaline You Are The Best Thing - Ray LaMontagne Wonderful Tonight - Eric Clapton You Are The Reason - Calum Scott Your Song - Elton John Alternative Pop & Rock All The Small Things - Blink 182 Birdhouse In Your Soul - They Might Be Giants Boulevard Of Broken Dreams - Green Day Black Hole Sun - Soundgarden Californication - Red Hot Chili Peppers Creep - Radiohead Disco 2000 - Pulp Everlong - Foo Fighters How You Remind Me - Nickelback It's Been aWhile - Staind Learning To Fly - Foo Fighters Shiny Happy People - REM Stacy's Mom - Fountains of Wayne The Zephyr Song - Red Hot Chili Peppers Time of Your Life - Green Day Wherever You Will Go - The Calling You Do Something To Me - Paul Weller Funk & Soul Ain't No Mountain High Enough - Marvin Gaye Blame It On The Boogie - Michael Jackson Dock of The Bay - Otis Redding Get Down On It - Kool & The Gang Give Me The Night - George Benson Hallelujah, I Love Her So - Ray Charles Hard To Handle - Otis Redding How Sweet It Is - Marvin Gaye I Feel Good - James Brown I Heard It Through The Grapevine - Marvin Gaye Le Freak - Chic Let’s Stay Together - Al Green Never Too Much - Luther Vandross Play That Funky Music - Wild Cherry Rock The Boat - Hues Corporation Son of a Preacher Man - Aretha Franklin You To Me Are Everything - The Real Thing Easy Listening Ain't No Sunshine - Bill Withers Back For Good - Take That Day's Like This - Van Morrison Easy - Lionel Richie Fast Car - Tracy Chapman Free Fallin' - Tom Petty High and Dry - Radiohead I Can't Make You Love Me - George Michael Lean On Me – Bill Withers She's Always a Woman - Billy Joel Slow Dancing In a Burning Room - John Mayer Stuck On You - Lionel Richie Take Me To Church - Hozier Tender - Blur Walking In Memphis - Marc Cohn Wicked Game - Chris Isaac Your Song - Elton John Classic Rock Addicted To Love - Robert Palmer All Right Now - Free Bad Moon Rising – Creedance Clearwater Revival Boys Are Back In Town - Thin Lizzy Dancing In The Moonlight - Thin Lizzy Jump - Van Halen Mr Blue Sky – Electric Light Orchestra Power of Love - Huey Lewis Rockin' All Over The World - Status Quo Sharp Dressed Man - ZZ Top Summer of 69 - Bryan Adams Sunshine of Your Love - Cream Sweet Child of Mine - Guns 'n' Roses Sweet Home Alabama - Lynyrd Skynyrd Sweet Home Chicago - Blues Brothers Teenage Kicks - The Undertones Whiskey In The Jar - Thin Lizzy Swing Ain't That A Kick In The Head - Dean Martin Bad, Bad Leroy Brown - Frank Sinatra Can't Take My Eyes Off You - Andy Williams Haven't Met You Yet - Michael Buble King of The Swingers - Jungle Book Little Ole Wine Drinker - Dean Martin Mack The Knife - Bobby Darin Moondance - Van Morrison New York, New York - Frank Sinatra Pencil Full of Lead - Paolo Nutini Save The Last Dance - Michael Buble Sway - Michael Buble That's Amore - Dean Martin That's Life - Frank Sinatra Christmas All I Want For Christmas Is You - Mariah Carey Beginning to Look a Lot like Christmas - Sinatra Blue Christmas - Elvis Christmas Song - Nat King Cole Fairytale of New York - Pogues Frosty The Snowman - Michael Buble Holly Jolly Christmas – Michael Buble Jingle Bell Rock - Bobby Helms Last Christmas - Wham Let It Snow, Let It Snow - Dean Martin Merry Christmas Everybody - Slade Rockin Around The Christmas Tree - Brenda Lee Santa Clause Is Coming To Town - Jackson 5 White Christmas – Michael Buble/Bing Crosby

Q: How long does setup take?

A: Our standard setup takes usually around 25-30 minutes, with final sound checking within the last few minutes of setup. For larger functions, we would use extended PA and lighting, which would take 10-15 minutes extra to setup.

Q: What are your space and power requirements?

A: Usually around 6 feet x 10 feet of space for our 5/6 piece band

Q: Do you take requests?

A: Yes, absolutely! We try and accommodate requests on the evening - if we know it we'll play it! We always try and learn your first dance song, if It's not already in our repertoire.