13 Maltese Bands Guaranteed To Liven Up Any Wedding Reception
Maltese weddings are a sight to behold. Bringing together large groups of loved ones, acquaintances, and the odd couple of strangers, the celebrations last for hours. And as with most Maltese festivities, music is at the heart of it all.
If you’re planning a wedding or know someone who needs a helping hand in choosing the entertainment for the night, here are 14 Maltese bands you definitely need to check out.
Of course, this list is by no means an exclusive one and is no particular order, but it’s as good a place to start as any.
1. Relikc
These guys have been around for over a decade now, and while they went from a Sixth Form band to a radio-chart-topping outfit, they’re now also open for funking up weddings around Malta.
Relikc also happen to be one of the few wedding bands who can also whip up an original or two amidst their covers, especially seeing as they released a full-length album last year.
2. Gianni & Band
When he’s not entertaining hundreds at the Beer Festival with his band Rug, lifetime Kiss fan Gianni Zammit can be spotted around the island’s weddings doing what he does best; rocking out.
3. Zone Five
A solid five-piece band which regularly welcomes some of Malta’s most popular singers in their midst, Zone Five specialise in wedding receptions, conferences and other corporate events. It’s literally what the band was set up to do, and in their own words, “no function is too large or too small.”
4. Mae
A Gozitan four-piece which is good for anything from a chill mellow atmosphere, to a funky upbeat. “We always try to give each song our little spice and flavour,” front-woman Erika said, and that quickly becomes quite evident.
5. Crosswalk
What started as a band between two friends all the way back in 1999 is now one of Malta’s most sought-after wedding bands.
Songwriter and producer Boris Cezek joined the band in 2012 on bass duties and Janice Debattista became the band’s new lead singer a couple of years later.
In 2017, they even tried their luck with the Malta Eurosong.
6. Speed of Sound
Promising “versatile music for all occasions”, Speed of Sound are a family band who play anything from 60s to modern music. They have over 300 songs to choose from, and can even prepare a first dance opening song just for you.
7. Virtuosi
They might only be four people, but the Virtuosi can play saxophone, electric violin, mandolin, bouzouki, duduk, keyboards, bass, drums, and the Irish whistle.
Now that’s versatile.
8. Spiteri Lucas Entertainment
An agency managed by experienced musicians, Spiteri Lucas has over 20 years of experience in the scene. Everything from musical theatre productions to live spectacular shows have been staged by the band, and some might recognise them from the many TV shows they’ve been involved in.
If you want reliability, look no further.
9. Jackson’s Pipe Band
If you’re looking for something truly different, then why not bagpipes?
Jackon’s Pipe Band featuring The Flammable Piper (perhaps the most metal name ever given to anything) are here to help.
They also offer bagpipe lessons all week, just in case you’re so impressed, you end up wanting to join the troupe.
If you want to shop around for the best bagpipe band in Malta, also check out The Red Hackled Pipe Band; they had performed a kickass cover version of the Game of Thrones soundtrack late last year.
10. La Barokka
Add a touch of baroque style (quite literally) to your wedding, or give old favourites an even more uplifting interpretation. Italian lyrics optional.
11. Olivia Lewis
If a seasoned Eurovision singer is what you’re looking for, then we’ve also got you covered.
For all those people who, even 11 years later, still can’t get enough of Vertigo.
12. Novel
A relatively new band on the block when compared to others on this list, Novel started in 2011 on Malta’s sister island of Gozo.
The band eventually evolved from a trio of friends to a five-piece band perfect for weddings and other functions.
13. Versatile Brass
It’s kind of impossible to have a list like this without mentioning Versatile Brass.
Encapsulating everything that makes Maltese weddings what they are, this 18-musician strong brass band have performed alongside Joseph Calleja, Ira Losco, and pretty much every single popular Maltese singer out there.
Turning popular commercial tracks into upbeat brass pieces, Versatile Brass have entertained thousands at various festivals and parties around the island… and yes, they also do weddings. Lots of them.
And in case you were wondering, they will play Xemx.