Midnight Cruise · Pubs & Bars

Pub and Bar Band
in Invercargill

A covers band that arrives with its own PA and lighting, sizes itself to the floor space you can spare, and plays to whoever is actually in the room. We play bars around Invercargill and throughout Southland, with dates booked in ahead of time.

Talk to Us About a Date Call 027 474 4994

For Venue Managers

A Night That Keeps
People in the Bar

Live music earns its keep when people stay longer and the room feels busy. That only happens if the band watches what's working and changes what isn't — a set list that suits a 25-year-old crowd will empty a bar full of regulars in their fifties, and the other way round.

We've been playing Southland since 1975, bars around Invercargill included. In practice that means we know how a bar night runs: we set up without taking over your floor, we play at a volume your staff can still take orders over, and we finish when you want the lights up.

What we bring

  • Our own PA and stage lighting — nothing for you to hire, and nothing of yours we need to plug into.
  • A full or compact setup — sized to the floor space you can give up without losing tables.
  • Four sets across the night — with a playlist covering the breaks so the bar never falls silent.
  • A song list spanning several decades — which matters when the room is 25 to 65 on the same night.
  • Invoice or cash on the night — whichever your venue prefers, with the cost agreed before we play.

What We Cover

Nights That Work
in a Bar

Friday and Saturday nights

The standard booking, and we'll start as early or as late as suits your crowd. If people are still eating we can open with quieter acoustic material and lift it once the room fills, or come on later and go straight into dance sets. Tell us how your night usually runs and we'll set the start time around it.

Sunday afternoons

A couple of acoustic sets in the afternoon rather than a full night. Lower volume, small footprint, and quiet enough that people can still talk over it — it suits a Sunday crowd that's in for a drink and a feed rather than a dance. Happy to do these if they'd work for your venue.

Special dates

New Year's Eve, long weekends, St Patrick's, anniversaries and reopenings. These book out furthest ahead, so they're the ones worth locking in early.

Sports clubs and RSAs

Prizegivings, end-of-season functions and club nights. Different crowd to a Friday bar, but the same job — read the room, keep the floor busy, stay out of the way when someone needs the microphone.

Two Options

Sized to Your
Floor Space

Midnight Cruise full band setup on stage at a Southland venue
Full Band

Midnight Cruise

Bars with a stage or a corner to spare

The full setup with drum kit, PA and stage lighting. The right pick when you've got a stage or a decent corner and you want the room loud and busy.

  • Bigger stage presence and a fuller sound
  • Full PA and stage lighting included
  • Four sets with playlist between
  • Best for a busy Friday or Saturday
Talk to Us
Night Cru compact acoustic setup for a smaller Invercargill bar
Acoustic Setup

Night Cru

Tighter rooms and noise limits

A compact version of the same band, built for bars where a full kit won't fit or the volume has to stay civil. Same players, smaller footprint. More about the acoustic setup.

  • Small stage footprint — no tables lost
  • Cajon or electronic drum setup
  • PA and sound system included
  • Comfortable within noise restrictions
Talk to Us

From Venues

What Venues Say

★★★★★

"As an events co-ordinator, Midnight Cruise is our go-to act. With a great catalogue of danceable favourites and realistic pricing, they've never failed us. Our Kelvin Hotel dine & dance always sells out — and the same groups keep coming back."

Brendan Mason

Kelvin Hotel · Events

★★★★★

"Had our dance floor packed all night. Their song choices meant the dance floor was always full — they adapt and play to the crowd, even when the crowd is varied. We received so many compliments from our guests."

Catherine

Waikaia · Mixed-Age Crowd

★★★★★

"Strong vocals, balanced with impressive guitar, drums and keyboard skills — the band kept the crowd involved and entertained. A totally professional band with top class equipment and talent to match."

Colin Anderson

South Alive · Community Event

Venue Questions

What Venues Ask Us

Do we need to provide any sound gear?

No. We bring the PA, the lighting and everything else we need. All we ask for is power and somewhere to put it.

How much space do you need?

The full band wants a stage or a decent corner for a drum kit and PA. The Night Cru acoustic setup fits into considerably less. Send us a photo of the space and we'll tell you which one suits.

Can you keep the volume down?

Yes. We're used to working within noise limits and around neighbours, and we'd rather you tell us up front than have someone complain at 10pm. The acoustic setup exists partly for this reason.

How does payment work?

Whichever way suits you. Some venues would rather have an invoice afterwards, others prefer to settle up in cash at the end of the night — we're happy with either. The cost is agreed before we play regardless.

How far ahead should we book?

As far as you can. We don't run a fixed schedule at any venue, so dates go one at a time and Fridays and Saturdays fill first. If you want a few dates through the year, we can pencil them all in at once.

Do you play other events?

We do. There are separate pages for weddings and corporate functions if a customer asks you who to call.

Talk to Us
About a Date

Send us the night you have in mind and roughly how much floor space you can spare. We'll confirm availability and a price within 24 hours.

Get in Touch Call Us: 027 474 4994