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Attributes highlighted by couples

DJ quality
Music selection
Unique party atmosphere

About

On Hitched.co.uk since 2022

Last update: February 2026

James Malcolm Music is a musician-led wedding entertainment service, personally run by professional drummer and band leader James Malcolm. Three-time back-to-back Hitched award winner.

James works directly with every couple from first enquiry through to the final song, providing a seamless combination of live band and DJ entertainment that feels relaxed, well-organised and completely tailored to the wedding. Rather than a one-size-fits-all approach, each celebration is planned around the couple, their guests and the atmosphere they want to create.

The live band offering is centred around The Crescendos — an high-energy function band known for packed dancefloors and a natural, feel-good performance style. This can be paired with a professional DJ service, allowing couples to enjoy live music and a full evening party without the stress of booking multiple suppliers.

What couples value most is the personal approach. James is present, involved and accountable, ensuring timings run smoothly, transitions feel natural and the evening builds perfectly from the first dance through to the final track. With years of experience performing at weddings across Yorkshire and the North, James Malcolm Music is trusted for creating evenings that feel effortless, enjoyable and genuinely memorable.

Frequently asked questions

What services do you offer?

Dance music
Entertainment
DJ
Other (Musician-led band & DJ service, personally run by James Malcolm. One supplier providing live band performance and a professionally managed DJ set for a seamless evening celebration)

What is included in the wedding package?

Personal planning with James Malcolm, a high-energy live band, professionally managed DJ music, full sound & lighting, setup and pack-down — all handled by one experienced supplier

How far in advance should I contact you?

Most couples get in touch 9–18 months before their wedding, especially for peak dates. That said, availability can sometimes change, so it’s always worth checking even if your date is sooner

What style of music do you offer?

Disco
Rock
Latest hits
Pop
Other (Pop-rock, indie and feel-good party anthems — from modern hits to soul, Motown and disco — tailored to the couple and mixed seamlessly between live band and DJ sets)

Type of musical group:

DJ
Band

Size of group:

Medium (4 - 6 musicians)

Repertoire:

A broad, party-focused repertoire covering pop, rock and indie anthems alongside soul, Motown and disco classics. Music is chosen to suit the couple and their guests, with the flexibility to adapt

Is it possible to request something that's not in the repertoire?

Couples can request songs in advance for DJ music and key moments. Live band sets are carefully curated for the best atmosphere, with all details planned together during the lead-up to the wedding

What's your experience?

Over 12 years’ experience performing at weddings across Yorkshire and the North. James Malcolm is a professional drummer, band leader and DJ, trusted to deliver well-run, memorable wedding evenings

Do you have your own equipment?

Yes

Do you need specific materials or conditions to offer your service?

Yes, just a suitable, dry performance space and access to standard power

Can you travel?

Yes, yes. James Malcolm Music regularly travels across Yorkshire and the North of England, with travel discussed clearly in advance so everything is agreed upfront

Is there a charge for travelling?

Yes, travel within the local area is usually included. For weddings further afield, any travel costs are discussed clearly in advance so there are no surprises

Do you cover more than one wedding a day?

Yes

Do you work alone or do you have a team of professionals?

With a team

What is the length of time of the act?

Performance lengths vary depending on the package, with live band sets and DJ music planned to cover the full evening celebration. Timings are agreed in advance and managed on the night

How much time do you need to prepare for an act?

Very little is required on the day. All planning is done in advance, with setup completed efficiently before guests arrive so everything runs smoothly

Do you do open-air acts?

Yes

Do you charge per hour or per event?

Per event

If needed, would you be able to work extra hours?

Yes

How do you charge extra time?

Any additional time is agreed in advance where possible and charged at a clear, fixed rate. This is discussed upfront so couples can plan the evening without any pressure or surprises

What are the forms of payment?

Bank transfer is the usual form of payment, with a booking deposit and the balance due closer to the wedding date. All details are confirmed clearly in advance

Served in

Greater Manchester, Lancashire, North Yorkshire and West Yorkshire

illustration notebook

Do you have any questions?

Reviews for James Malcolm Music

Eleanor
Eleanor Sent on 09/01/2026
5 out of 5 rating

Amazing people!

Our wedding evening was absolutely perfect thanks to these amazing people! They played our first dance live, and a week later, completely to our surprise, James sent us a video to keep. The biggest thank you ❤️ El & Tom
L
Lisa Sent on 06/01/2026
5 out of 5 rating

Brilliant Band!!

We booked the band after seeing them online and reading their reviews and we are so glad we did!!
The band were absolutely FANTASTIC!!!!!

James kept in contact from the moment we booked right up to the wedding and response to emails/calls was really quick.
We were given a vast number of songs to choose from that it was difficult to choose just the number allowed 😂
The band were super accommodating and even included some Irish songs for our family who had travelled over to Leeds. All our guest commented on how brilliant they were and they had everyone was up dancing!!!

If you’re unsure and looking for a band then get these booked you will not be disappointed they are brilliant!!
Thanks James and the band for a fabulous evening!!!!
T
Tom Sent on 13/08/2025
5 out of 5 rating

Get them booked

Absolutely fantastic! Such a an amazing band, every single member were amazing.So so talented. The dance floor was rammed the entire time they were on. Really easy to talk to and communicate with prior to the wedding and they even let me play with them which I am so grateful for.
Rachel
Rachel Sent on 13/08/2025
5 out of 5 rating

UNREAL from start to finish.

The Crescendos were INCREDIBLE. The talent of ALL members of the band was insane. James, was brilliant to communicate with and so lovely on the day too. The two sets were unreal and our guests did not leave the dancefloor from 730pm-12am. They took requests which kept up the vibe and atmosphere of the day and night. SO many of our guests commented on how amazing they were and asked for their details. My husband surprising me playing Purple Rain with you was so incredibly special and we all will never forget that. You will absolutely not be disappointed. Highly recommend and could talk about how incredible they were all day. Thank you for adding so beautifully to our perfect day. R&T 09.08.25
Alex
Alex Sent on 06/08/2025
5 out of 5 rating

Our evening reception went down an absolute hit and it really is in large down to all of you. Forever grateful

Such an amazing band - I found these guys on Hitched after my husband said the 1 thing he wanted for our wedding was a band.

We went to see them play in Brighouse and were instantly sold. They are so upbeat, look like they're having a blast (which is contagious!), and not to mention they sound AMAZING!

The whole process was seamless - James remained available throughout the whole booking process for any queries, and put in a call 2 weeks before the wedding to make sure we got any requests in.

Not to mention - the band learnt an acoustic version our dream first dance song. The song meant so much to us as it was the song we first met to - it wasn't what we'd consider a traditional first dance song but the version you produced was amazing and turned out so much better than we could have hoped.

Our guests were absolutely blown away and were up dancing all night. In the week since our wedding I've had a continuous stream of people coming up to reminisce - telling me how much fun they had listening and dancing to the band (and later DJ).

Thank you SO much again - our evening reception went down an absolute hit and it really is in large to all of you. Forever grateful

Love, The Dixons x
F
Francesca Sent on 14/07/2025
5 out of 5 rating

Amazing band and people

The band and DJ were absolutely incredible! Communication prior was great and on the day went so smoothly, everyone was commenting how great they were. Really professional and such lovely people, would highly recommend for your wedding day
Sarah
Sarah Sent on 24/06/2025
5 out of 5 rating

The highlight of our wedding ❤️

What can we say - the crescendos were such a highlight of our wedding day! Our guests were in awe of their sheer talent. The band, sax and dj sets were so incredible, it felt like we were at a headline Glastonbury gig! Nobody wanted to leave the dance floor, every single song was amazing. We can’t recommend these guys enough - they will go above and beyond and their warmth and professionalism shines through. Thank you all from the bottom of our hearts ❤️
Ollie
Ollie Sent on 09/06/2025
5 out of 5 rating

The ultimate DJ and Sax choice!

We booked James and Ben for our small wedding about 9 months before. From the first contact we quickly established a quote, and in the time running up to the event we chatted several times, discussing our music preferences (nots just as well as musts!) and the order of the day.

On the day they arrived promptly and quickly set up, with the first sax session starting straight after our cake cutting and first dance.

We were honestly over the moon with the music. Even though we had under 30 people the dance floor never lost it's energy and every song was a banger. Ben on sax only amplified the experience creating a truly memorable night for us (even though we all had sore ankles and feet the next day!).
D
Deanne Sent on 31/05/2025
5 out of 5 rating

Our own wedding gig!

Amazing!! Would recommend to anyone, the crescendos sound fantastic with a wide variety of songs dependent on your wedding vibe and James was really helpful and responsive leading up to our big day and it was exactly as we had imagined and more. Thanks again!
Rebecca
Rebecca Sent on 19/05/2025
5 out of 5 rating

Evening singer/sax and drums

Absolutely amazing/high energy performances. Emerced themselves in the crowd and sang / played to eithin an inch of their lives. Absoutley everyone commented on how amazing they were and they really set the bar for entertainment! All the guests were on their feet and nothing could have topped it!
L
Lizzy Sent on 27/03/2025
5 out of 5 rating

The best around!

I cannot recommend James and the guys enough. From initial conversations we were sure we’d made the right choice and they didn’t disappoint! Our guests were up dancing from the sound check and didn’t stop till the end of the night. James listened to the type of music we wanted and was so helpful in choosing songs, making a playlist etc that it meant we had exactly what we were looking for and the dance floor was never empty. Every part of what we booked was amazing. The band, the sax and the dj set were all incredible and created such a good atmosphere. Our guests are still talking about it and we’re regularly asked who we booked. If you’re thinking of booking then don’t hesitate, they made our day so special and we’re eternally grateful
Emily Watson
Emily W. Sent on 25/02/2025
5 out of 5 rating

AMAZING! 22.02.25

Wow, where do we begin! We had the 6 piece band and DJ and a cheeky little Sax and DJ set too. Our speeches ran over meaning the band were sat outside waiting to set up for an hour but they didn’t complain and just got on with the set up, it pushed everything back slightly but they just worked to the new timings and wow did they deliver!! They all sounded so good! We were so impressed and so were our guests some of who have requested their details for future events. Definitely recommend.
Shannon
Shannon Sent on 19/02/2025
5 out of 5 rating

Simply amazing!

What can we say, the dance floor at our wedding was full! If that doesn’t give you a hint of how amazing James was I don’t know what will. There was something for absolutely everyone and all of our guests keep saying how amazing the Sax was too!

Can’t thank James enough for playing all the floor filling bangers and giving us the best wedding evening do.
Toni
Toni Sent on 22/01/2025
5 out of 5 rating

Amazing!!!

We hired Ben, the sax player via James at Wedding bands for hire.
All we can say is wow! We tasked James and Ben with a mission to keep a secret to our guests and to come in during our first dance. Both James and Ben listened and took on board our wishes and did not disappoint in the slightest.
James was so easy to plan with, he called me months before my wedding to discuss what we would like and kept in touch on the run up to our big day.
Ben knew everything when he arrived and met our expectations perfectly.
Ben worked great with our DJ who came as a package with our venue and James had also contacted them before hand to make sure there was an agreed set list for us.
Absolutely recommend wedding bands for hire, you won't be disappointed!
Jordan
Jordan Sent on 05/01/2025
5 out of 5 rating

Five star service!

We hired James for our wedding party on November 30th, and he was absolutely brilliant! From start to finish, he kept the energy high. What impressed us most was how accommodating he was, every request, from special songs to last minute changes, was handled with ease. He perfectly balanced crowd favorites and personal touches, creating an unforgettable atmosphere. Our guests had a great time. If you’re looking for a talented, professional, and friendly DJ, we can’t recommend enough!
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Badges

Hitched Wedding Awards 2026 Winner
Hitched Wedding Awards 2025 Winner
Hitched Wedding Awards 2024 Winner
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Meet the team

James Malcolm
James Malcolm
Booking manager, DJ, drummer

I’m incredibly passionate about delivering unforgettable wedding entertainment and specialise exclusively in weddings. With over 12 years’ experience and hundreds of weddings personally performed, I know how to read a room, build the perfect atmosphere and guide the evening with calm confidence.

As a professional DJ and live drummer, I bring a musician-led approach to every celebration. This allows me to shape the energy of the night naturally — from the first dance through to a packed dancefloor — blending live performance and DJ music into one seamless experience.

What truly sets my service apart is the care and planning that happens long before the wedding day. I work closely with every couple to understand their vision, plan key moments and make sure everything runs smoothly on the night. If you read through my reviews, you’ll see the same themes come up again and again: personal service, attention to detail and a genuine commitment to getting it right.

For larger setups or specific requirements, I work with a small group of trusted musicians and DJs who share the same standards of professionalism and reliability. Whether performing myself or overseeing the evening, couples always deal directly with me and can be confident their wedding is in safe hands.

If you’re looking for wedding entertainment that feels personal, well organised and genuinely invested in your day, I’d love to be part of your celebration.

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Map

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