X
Back to the top

Home

Rollercoaster is a professional live band based in Surrey, UK, specializing primarily in weddings, corporate, and private functions.

We play all relevant genres of music and have the ability to infuse a Celtic twist (with our top fiddle players) wherever needed. Rollercoaster can entertain any crowd, connecting with all ages and generating the perfect party atmosphere.
RC-SQUAREBANDSHOT
testimonial-avatar

"Honestly I have never seen or heard such an incredible band! Every single person has commented on how amazing you all were and we both feel so lucky to have had you performing at our wedding! Honestly, you made our wedding! I don’t think I ever saw the dance floor empty and I know that none of us wanted you to stop playing!"Jade and Chris, Wedding, High Billinghurst

testimonial-avatar

"Having Rollercoaster at our party completely revolutionised the experience - even the most reluctant were up and dancing thanks to their tireless energy, evident musicality, and fantastic repertoire. We won’t hesitate to book them again and again!"Jon Ross, Deputy Head, Reeds School

testimonial-avatar

"A big thank you to you and the band for playing at our Christmas Party last week. The atmosphere was great and everyone loved the music! Literally everyone (Directors and Presidents included!) were up on the dance floor so thanks for helping make it such a good night!!"Katie Daniel, The Social Committee of the Rugby Football Union

testimonial-avatar

"Just a quick email to thank you all for an amazing performance on Saturday night, you guys are incredible, many people remarked on how brilliant you were...I hope you enjoyed the night nearly as much as everyone on the dance floor!"Gemma and Oscar, Marquee Wedding.

testimonial-avatar

"Alistair and the Rollercoaster band were fantastic to work with....Their performances were a hit, getting everyone up and dancing. With a playlist that appealed to all tastes, their upbeat vibe added a great energy to the evenings. We'd happily work with them again."RAOUL DE SOUZA General Manager, Hilton Bankside

testimonial-avatar

"I just wanted to say a HUGE THANK YOU to you all for Saturday night. Everyone was saying what a great band you were... It was great to have a chat earlier on too about the 90s and Redwood !!
We would for sure use you guys again."Laura and Steve, Birthday Party, Greyfriars House

testimonial-avatar

"Thankyou so much for playing at our wedding at South Farm.
The music was top notch! We danced our arses off. You also did the most incredible job or our first dance song, thank you."Charlie and Dom, Wedding, South Farm

RC-Kempton-00102
“I’m Alistair, the bass player and manager of Rollercoaster .  Yes, we are an ACTUAL band – the core members remain the same, and  we don’t send out clones to play multiple gigs. This commitment to authenticity ensures the ultimate quality, which is paramount to us. When you call, you will speak directly to me, and I will address all your enquiries.

We have years of experience, stemming from the 90s alt-rock band Redwood, performing at festivals, playing thousands of gigs, releasing albums worldwide, and appearing on national TV. We now apply this experience to Rollercoaster, blending the raw energy and enthusiasm of a festival band with the professionalism and experience that you, the client, deserve. We love what we do, and we know this passion shines through in our performances.

Thank you for taking the time to visit our site. Watch our videos, listen to our music, and don’t forget to check out Rollercoaster on Instagram and Facebook. When you’re ready, please get in touch.  Feel free to reach out via phone ( 07958226863 ), email or use the contact form.”

What’s included?

  • 5-7 piece live band – drums, bass, guitar, vocals (male and female), keyboards, fiddle, 2nd fiddle
  • Full PA
  • Lights
  • DJ service between sets included
  • Fully insured PATS and PLI

ADD-ONS:

  • Ceremony music
  • Dinner music
  • Cocktail / Drinks reception music
  • Ceilidh section
  • Country / Disco themes / Barn dance

Music

Pop out one of the music players ( click the  ) and browse the site to the sound of Rollercoaster!

Share

×

Share

×

Meet The Band

Alistair Cowan

Lead Singer/Bass guitar... band manager.

Alistair the bass player also sings and fronts the band. Having been the singer/song writer of Redwood, signed to Almo Sounds, who toured with Feeder and released two albums, he now pursues a solo career of writing and producing when he is not out playing with Rollercoaster (see www.alistaircowan.com . Radio 2 airplay, Guildford Festival etc). Check out the Redwood site at www.redwood.org.uk

Chris Hughes

Drums/Vocals

Chris Hughes plays drums, sings, and is the technical genius behind the pre-progreammed lighting shows, and slick delivery of sequenced sounds. Previously in Redwood with Alistair, before joining Mindwire, he completes the three part vocal harmonies that you will hear throughout the live set. He also DJs between, before and after the live band sets, playing disco tracks or any other recorded music that might be required.

Holly Cowan

Vocals

Sang with girl-band SASSKI (who have gigged with ATOMIC KITTEN, LOUISE, BLUE) plus countless radio shows, toured in Europe, videos on TV, playing at THE SPECIAL OLYMPICS, playing EARLS COURT, worked with the writers for HEARSAY’s PURE AND SIMPLE. Holly is also an aclaimed session singer in the studio (bv’s on THE HONEEZ single). Featured vocal on 2013 worlwide release on EMI / KPM – Big Screen Emotional Journeys. Model in a variety of MTV videos.

Sarah McKenna

Fiddle

Sarah toured with Queen and Abba with London Symphonic Rock Orchestra.. and now can be found adding the most beautiful fiddle lines to the mighty Rollercoaster. With her classical hat on, Sarah's solo performances include Beethoven’s Missa Solemnis at Exeter and Truro Cathedrals and Mozart’s Sinfonia Concertante. Although often performing as part of a string quartet her chamber music experience also includes performances as a string trio and a series of violin and piano recitals in and around London. Sarah has guest lead several orchestras including Dorking Philharmonia and is currently guest leader of Surrey Mozart Players."

…. and the fiddlers, callers, dep musicians (the fiddler will be dependant on the style of show and availability)

Will Street

Fiddle

Will has worked with include Usher, Shirley Horn, Steven Tyler, and Michael Brecker at Carnegie Hall. A versatile jazz and folk fiddler, Will currently enjoys session work in styles from funk to classical, playing a broad range of ceilidhs and folk dances. Other recent projects include a run of TV adverts for Asda, solo violin in Ahoy! with Henley Choral Society, playing Kirtan at Colet House, and weekly sessions at Moving Connections in Hackney Wick, improvising to DJ sets. Will holds degrees from Cambridge University, and Berklee College of Music in Boston, where he was a scholarship student!

Tim Pearne

Keyboards

Tim is a multi-instrumented, multi talented musician... having graduated from the Royal School of Music, majoring in piano, he was also playing drums for top rock band the Le Brocs, who were gracing the second stage at Guildford Festival. He's played with a few bands, and came to the attention of Rollercoaster... and they asked him to join them... and here we are!

Chris Haigh

Fiddle

Chris plays in any style, and has written five books on different aspects of fiddle playing. He has played on over 70 albums, including with artists such as Alison Moyet, Michael Ball, Morcheeba, Bob Geldof and James Galway, and featured on the Steps debut single 5,6,7,8 He has performed with Riverdance, All About Eve and David Soul, among countless others. When playing with Rollercoaster, Chris will also apply his skills to mandolin. In 2016, Chris performed at Rupert Murdoch and Jerry Hall's wedding. A few months later, he was playing on tour with Bob Geldof's band!

Mike Ruff

Caller / Accordion

Mike comes in as an occasional caller for Rollercoaster... but that's not all he does... From Mike's homepage "Western European music from a virtuoso accordionist Mike Ruff is a professional musician who specialises in French, Italian, Scandinavian, German, English, Irish and Scottish music played on the accordion. He also sings, and performs Medieval and Renaissance music on mandolin and recorders. He even has his own maypole! With a personality that reaches out to his audience whatever the occasion, working with you to fit the theme and style of your event, Mike has costumes to match many themes and others can be hired. Requests are taken from a repertoire approaching 1000 tunes, covering more than a dozen nationalities (at the last count!) Mike is happy working on his own as a solo accordionist or dancer, or with other musicians and dancers, for example in Quicksilver who offer a wide range of instrumental music for dancing or listening. He also performs in Allcock and Brown, a specialist authentic early 20th Century music hall act."

Claire Lindley

Fiddle / Caller

Clare Lindley grew up in the 1970s in rural Aberdeenshire in Scotland, where a rich traditional music culture still sits happily amongst popular music. She learned classical viola at school and played in string quartets and orchestras. Her tenuous claim to fame is that she was in a string quartet at school with J.K. Rowling’s husband! Clare played in the duo Green for nine years and they released an album on Lochshore Records called Found On The Wave. They played folk clubs and Scottish folk festivals in the highlands and islands as well as gigging extensively all over Europe. Around this time Clare learned how to dance-call for ceilidhs, which were a popular feature of the Aberdeen music scene. Clare was approached by Greg Spawton of Big Big Train in the middle of the first winter lockdown in 2020, who asked if she would be interested in playing some songs with tricky time signatures, resulting in her joining the band. Her first recorded work with Big Big Train is on the Welcome To The Planet album and Clare made her live debut on the band’s September 2022 tour. When playing with Rollercoaster, Clare handles calling duties, and adds the Celtic twist to the band with her superb fiddling.

Jason Dickenson

Fiddle / Caller

A full time member of Scottish reels band The Infamous Grouse and the London based Licence to Ceilidh, Jason has found himself representing traditional music and dance in many far flung places. He has also been courted to perform for the rich and famous including being asked to perform for Sting at his Birthday party in 2008 at his home in Wiltshire. Other persons of note or infamy depending on your view, to whom he has performed include, Steven Fry, Robert Downey Jnr, Jake Gyllenhaal, Kevin Spacey, Guy Ritchie, Thandie Newton, Saffron Burroughs, Jodie Kidd, Jemima Goldsmith

Repertoire

As a professional live band, we have years of experience, and know how to play to all ages crowds… and the set lists reflect this.
Please follow these links to some examples of current song lists.  We will typically work from sets 1 and 2 of the main set lists.

You guys were just AWESOME, thankyou so much , you need a health warning – Rollercoaster may seriously damage your feet!!!

Rollercoaster-Instagram on the road…

Any questions...?

Call Alistair now and chat about your event - 07958 226863