Funk it Up! Build your soulful, funky or jazzy night with Funk it Up!

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Price Guide

The guide prices below are for events within 20 miles of Whitstable, Kent. Outside this area extra travel expenses will apply. Please get in touch for an accurate quote.
2 x 45 minute sets
Basic: 6 Piece Vocals, Guitar (BV), Bass (BV), Sax/Flute/Percussion (BVs) Drums: from £865
Background music inbetween sets provided at no extra cost.
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About / Biography

An upbeat fun band sure to keep everyone dancing. Funk It Up is booked regularly during/ for the Margate Soul Festival, and Faversham Folk Festival (Soul Stage). They are fun and funky with lots of favourites for your guests to sing along to. Expect a lot of great 70/80/90s funk and soul in the set for super sing and dance-alongs. Plus a bit of George Michael and Amy Winehouse and Prince to make your party Pop!

They have been performing weddings and parties for over ten years and our lead vocalist performs as part of Big Bands and is a regular performer at the Margate Jazz and Soul Festival as well as staging her own shows a the Canterbury Festival and Pizza Express, London. She is charismatic and always gets the audience interaction just right. Her mezzo-soprano voice rises to a low soprano. This cracking range means She can cover the full-voiced male vocals in the original keys Like September As well as soar to the diva vocal heights required for Got to be Real and Dua Lipa Levitating. Funk It Up! are fun and charismatic never cheesy.

The band is full of great instrumentalists who can solo at the drop of a hat to keep your favourite dance floor tune going. No two parties are ever the same. Let us play your choice of music through our PA before the set, during the break and as we break down.. Once booked our lead singer takes over the admin. She is a Virgo so don’t worry she will get all of the little nuances of your event right. We can even expand our band up to ten pieces..

Lineups:

Basic: 5 Piece Vocals, Guitar (BV), Bass (BV), Sax/Flute/Percussion (BVs) Drums

Full Band: 6 Piece - Add Keys (BV)

Show Band: 9 Piece - Add Keys (BV), Baritone Sax, Trumpet, Alto Sax

Show Band: 10 Piece - As above add percussion


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Reviews (14)

There are currently 14 user ratings for Funk it Up!

AVERAGE RATING

10 / 101

Location

Based in Whitstable, Kent

Will travel up to 500 miles
green circle = areas covered (up to 500 miles)
pink circle = free travel (up to 20 miles)
Please note that the circles shown on the map are calculated "as the crow flies". By road distances may vary, so please get in touch for an accurate quote.

Funk and Soul

Brick House - The Commodores

Move on Up - Curtis Mayfield

Get up Offa that Thing - James Brown

Sex Machine - James Brown

Turn me Loose - James Brown

Kiss - Prince

Expansions - Lonnie Liston Smith

Mr Magic - Grover Washington /A. Winehouse

Tears Dry on their Own - Amy Winehouse

Children of the Ghetto - Courtney Pine

Brazilian Love Affair - George Duke

Ain't No Mountain - Marvin Gaye & T Terrell

Chain of Fools - Aretha Franklin

Heatwave - Martha Reeves & the Vandellas

Hold on - Sam and Dave

Nowhere to Run - Martha Reeves & the Van..

Respect - Aretha Franklin

Rock Steady - Aretha Franklin

Til you come back to me - Aretha Franklin

Soul Man - Sam and Dave

Bad Girls - Donna Summer

Car Wash - Rose Royce

Good Times - Chic

Greatest Dancer - Sister Sledge

Le Freak - Chic

Valerie - Amy Winehouse

Forget me knots - Patrice Rushden

Ain't No Stopping Us Now - Luther

All Night Long - Mary Jane Girls

Apparently Nothing - Brand New Heavies

Can't Stand the Rain - 'Seal

I Heard it throu'. Grape Vine -Marvin Gaye

I Found Loving - Fatback band

I wish - Stevie Wonder

Living for the City - Stevie Wonder

Somebody Else's Guy - Jocelyn Brown

Southern Freeze - Freeez

Street Life - Randy Crawford

Got to be Real - Cheryl Lynn

Best of My Love - The Emotions

Don't you Worry 'bout a Thing - Stevie

Harvest for the world - Isley Bros

Never too Much - Luther Vandross

Another Star - Stevie Wonder

Shackles - Mary Mary

Stratus - Billy Cobham/Massive Attack

Stronger - Amy Winehouse

Everything She Wants - G

All this Love - Gwen McCrea

Janxta Funk - Pimps of Joytime

Sugar - Chakha Khan

Rising to the top- Blacknus

Use Me - Bill Withers

September - EWF

You've Got the Love - Rufus

Play that Funky Music - Wild Cherry

Walking in the Sunshine - Bad Manners

Levitating - Dua Lipa

Who Knows Who - Orgone

Play that funky Music (White Boy) -Black Cherry

Sir Duke (Stevie Wonder)

Technical Info

What are your basic technical requirements?

A safe clear area for the band.
Running power to the place we will be playing at least two double sockets.
A stage isn't essential but it will ensure your party will be able to see the band. We also ask that you ensure the band have access to drinks throughout your booking and if its a wedding or a big party - a meal for the band members.


Do you provide sound and lighting equipment?

Yes, we have our own PA system and will bring lighting for the band


What information do you require about a venue?

Please let us have any directions to ensure we can get straight to the venue and unload/ park as close to our performance area as possible. Do let us know if there is a sound limiter at the venue.


Can you provide a Spotify/DJ service before and between your sets?

Yes we have Spotify and Apple Music. You are welcome to let us play appropriate music as we set up /break down and between sets. Or you can plug your equipment into our PA as you prefer

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best gig you've ever done and the best venue you've ever played at?

We love to play at festivals.. Margate has been a great favourite for the past ten years but the Faversham Festival lets us take over a stage to close the festival with our funk and soul set EVERY YEAR...

Ginger's favourite gig for 2023 - was a house party (would you believe). We can go big or small..


Which artists have you been most influenced by, who is your favourite artist and what is the greatest song of all time?

September - Earth Wind and Fire.. the Ultimate Party Banger.. We have so many memories of countless brides and party goers dancing and singing along to this track!


What's your previous experience and how did you start gigging?

We have been Funking Up since 2012. We play wedding parties and festivals but above all we play for fun. This band is made up of musicians who like each out and love music and it shows. This band is our train set and believe me, It is a really funky train.


What's your favourite type of event to play at?

We don't really have a favourite... we have played them all Weddings, Parties and corporate events.. big and small. Its just great to see people dancing and having fun.

Performance Info

What are your typical setup and performance times?

Standard arrival time before charging for an early setup: 7.30pm
Set up: 1.5 hours
Pack down: 40 minutes


Are you happy to perform outside?

We are happy to play outside but do protect us from the elements and provide a flat level playing surface and run a stable power supply to the performance area.


Do the clients have a say in what you play or is it a set repertoire list only?

Usually clients trust us to pick a set list for them.. Our repetoire is quite wide so it is good for us to be able to read the party/ event and flex on the day as the event demands. Of course if you hate 'that song' we won't play it. and if you love 'that song' we will try to include it. We are happy to learn new songs but there may be an additional fee.


How do previous clients most commonly describe your performances?

We have been described as "full of funk" and "Such Excellent Fun" but don't take our word for it check out the reviews.


What do you play at parties?

We generally start with our Motown stuff and then up the energy as the night goes on. We read the room and will play the songs appropriate to the night.


Can I pick your set list?

Well you could but trust us. We're a great little band that's why you booked us. If you especially love some songs on our song list, let us know and we will make sure we include as many of them as possible on the night. Equally tell us what songs you really don't like and we will avoid them.

The only thing we try to politely discourage is when brides (and grooms) email through the exact set list. This makes it very difficult for the band who would usually choose their set based on a number of factors. When a band puts a set list together they’ll consider their audience, which songs go well together, which are nice to start with and which really end the night well. A set list is something that needs careful consideration which is why it’s nearly always best to leave it up to the band.


We are getting married! Will you play our first dance?

Yes happy to if it is in our set list. If your song isn't on the list contact us to work out all of the options.


How do I know you are not rubbish?

Listen to the recordings on this site - posted with no production from live gigs. Or recorded LIVE in the studio all present and correct.. NO TRICKS... that's how we sound. Come and see us live and check out our testimonials.

We don't play to a click track so we can extend your favourite dance track.. On the spot.. to keep you all dancing!


How many weddings and parties have you cancelled at late notice?

Err...None! - if we say we are going to be there. We will be there. We have never cancelled a wedding or party..

Recent Clients

Funk it Up! has performed for these clients:

The Space, Margate 2023

University of Kent Summer Party 2023

Margate Soul Festival 2012-2022

Thanet Earth Summer Party 2023

Thanet Earth Christmas Party 2023

Faversham Hop Festival 2019-2023

University of Kent Summer Ball 2019

Eurotunnel 2019

Canterbury Festival -2017 2018 2019

Margate Jazz Festival 2016 2017

Venues

Funk it Up! has performed at these venues:

Margate Soul Festival

Faversham Hop Festival

University of Kent

Gulbenkian Theatre

Astor Theatre

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