Function bands
Background musicians
Function bands
Background musicians
Inject serious style into your wedding or party with our Motown, R&B and soul bands. Covering everyone from Marvin Gaye to Lizzo.
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Dynamic Motown, pop and soul band with stunning female and male lead vocals, impressive industry credentials and a playlist of soulful floor-fillers by artists such as Marvin Gaye, Justin Timberlake and Rihanna.
Party down with Party Up, the slickest soul, funk and R&B band in the South East! Featuring sax and up to three stunning vocalists, the band count Sky, Cadburys and Emma Thompson among their regular clients. Discounted rates available on remaining 2024 dates.
The ultimate feel-good band, blending soul, Motown, funk, and pop into high-energy sets that keep dancefloors packed and the party alive.
Infectiously energetic and spirited pop, soul and Motown band featuring sax and two extraordinary vocal talents – guaranteed to get your guests dancing. Chose between male or female vocals or both.
World-class pop, funk and soul function band, refreshing and recreating the classic soul sounds of the 60s, 70s and 80s, alongside soul-infused contemporary pop and R&B.
Max out on soul and sophistication with Soul Club, a high energy show band comprising musicians who have toured with Stormzy and Dua Lipa. Expect stunning vocals and unparalleled musicianship.
Expect outstanding musicianship from players at the very top of their game, performing the best of old skool and newest anthems from R&B, club classics, garage, pop, soul and motown. Highly recommended for all types of event!
Two exceptional vocalists bring their stunning soul and Motown tribute show to intimate weddings to international theatre tours and beyond.
Supereight combine outrageously talented vocalists, session-standard instrumentalists, a punchy brass section, and a dancefloor-friendly song list of soul, garage, funk and hip-hop.
Think style, glitz and confidence - and every special request met - Seren have the thing that makes dance floors jump and feet frantically tap (even the feet of the tough-to-impress guests)
Exciting female-fronted wedding band playing the biggest party hits, from modern pop, 80s and 90s, disco/funk to rock, Motown and soul. The band have performed at Glastonbury and Edinburgh festival.
With joint female and male lead vocals and a backing band of unrivalled funkmeisters, Century put on a fun, rip-roaring show that your guests will never forget.
Mojo Brass are a funky, punchy brass powerhouse made up of the UK's best up-and-coming sax players, trumpeters and drummer. Their track list blends rarer grooves with mainstream crowd-pleasers.
Knock-out party band featuring members who have recorded and performed at Abbey Road and Glastonbury and playing some of the biggest soul and pop floor-fillers of all time.
Danceable, piano-led pop and soul band from the West Midlands, with both female and male lead vocals and a song list of danceable rock, soul and pop anthems from Chuck Berry to Adele.
A sassy, classy, badass party band with 10 years experience playing the live music scene in the South West. The band features both male and female lead vocals, with DJ services and acoustic sets also available.
Stylish, globe-trotting function band featuring powerhouse vocalists and gigs for KPMG, Gucci and Jaguar alongside weddings in London and Dubai.
Youthful, charismatic new 4-piece, channelling rock, dance, hip-hop and soul influences. The band have caught the attention of a major label – catch them now while rates are low!
Dynamic soul, Motown and pop band covering all the soul greats from Al Green to Earth, Wind & Fire and Whitney Houston, as well as delivering fresh takes on contemporary hits by Bruno Mars and Amy Winehouse.
Live DJ band featuring soulful female vocals and soaring sax solos, and playing all your favourite tunes from 80s anthems through to this year's bangers.
Our soul, funk and Motown bands perform the best soul classics by legends such as Aretha Franklin, Marvin Gaye and James Brown as well as 70s and 80s funk by the likes of Kool & The Gang, Prince and Chaka Khan.
Most bands will also play soul-infused pop, R&B, hip hop by artists such as Whitney Houston, Lauryn Hill, John Legend, Bruno Mars and Lizzo.
Several bands can incorporate UK garage or dance sets on request.
All our soul, funk and Motown bands will bring their own PA sound system and backline amplifiers as well as microphones and instruments – so nothing to worry about there!
Let us know if you're expecting more than 250 guests and we’ll double check that the band’s sound system is large enough.
Most bands will also bring lighting for both the stage and dancefloor.
Yes (usually)! If you're booking a soul or Motown band for your wedding, you may want them to play your first dance, and most are more than happy to do this. Just let us know your song so that the band have time to prepare.
If the band don't feel they can easily replicate the song and do it justice, they will be more than happy to play your first dance via mp3 through their PA system.
Line-ups of the bands vary from solo soul singers performing to backing tracks all the way up to large soul extravaganzas complete with brass, backing vocals and percussion for that authentic Motown sound. Check out each band’s profile for specifics and options for expanding with add-ons and extras!
If you want a bit more from the era, it's worth checking out our 70s-themed bands. For a broader range of genres including guitar-based rock and indie, see our wedding bands or party bands.
Our soul, funk and Motown band performances are two hours and usually split over 2 x 1-hour or 3 x 40-minute sets with short intervals – but the band can play for less time, or longer (for an additional cost) if it suits your event better.
All our soul, funk and Motown bands provide mp3 music during the breaks in their live performances and many are able to offer virtual DJ software so that they can mix songs seamlessly and even take some of your guests’ requests.
All you need to provide is access to a power source (a couple of standard domestic sockets is fine) and a flat, sheltered performance space where the band can set up and play.
As a guide, it’s best to allow for 4m wide x 4m deep for a 4-piece band – then add an additional square metre for each extra band member.
A raised stage always helps give the band more presence but isn’t essential as long as the band’s area is flat and dry. If you’re unsure, check the ‘performance information’ on the band’s page.
Yes! Make the most of your soul or Motown wedding band by using the musicians to perform background music earlier in the day as well.
Whether it’s a jazz set during your drinks reception, cocktail piano during your wedding breakfast or a DJ set until last orders, see what else your chosen band can offer. This avoids the additional hassle and cost of booking separate musicians.
Performing can be tiring work! So please make sure that your band have the food and refreshments that they need during your event.
Most of our soul, funk and Motown bands will require a hot meal and depending on the venue, some bands will also need reserved parking or a secure changing room so do check their profile for details if you can’t see it detailed on your booking contract.
Bands can provide recorded music between sets via a device (yours or theirs), free of charge.
Many are also able to upgrade to a more advanced service using virtual DJ software. This means that they can mix songs and take guest requests. To find out if your chosen band can do this, check the band’s profile page.
We love nothing more than talking about our bands and would be more than happy to help you select the right soul, funk and Motown band. Call us on 0333 242 0560 or send us a message to tell us what part of your day you need music for, and your musical preferences, and we’ll suggest suitable acts.
In the meantime, you can read this handy guide on how to choose a wedding band.
Firstly, find out the limiter's threshold in decibels. If it's set to a threshold below 95 decibels, let us know immediately, as some bands will struggle to keep within this range. We can then find out if the band is able to substitute live drums for electronic drums, which will bring down the overall level of the band.
If the threshold is in the range of 80-85dB, this may limit your choice of bands to duos or acoustic set-ups.
If you’re planning a wedding on a Saturday between the months of April and September, you should think about booking around 12 months in advance. Some more popular bands may even need to be booked 18 months before the day.
If you’re planning a wedding during the low season of October to March, you may be able to book just six months in advance.
Hiring a soul, funk and Motown band locally will save you money on travel and accommodation costs. Use the filter menus at the top of this page to narrow down the acts to ones based in your region.
You’re more than welcome to choose your favourite songs from the band’s song list on their profile page. We cannot guarantee any other requests will be played as they may not work with the band’s arrangement. For example, the song may require a particular instrument that the band doesn’t offer.
The songs on the band’s profile list are tried and tested crowd pleasers and are thoroughly rehearsed, ensuring the best possible performance on your day.
In most cases, yes. You will need to ensure you have proper cover for your band and their equipment (a marquee or a tipi) and a power supply they can easily access. If you’re considering an outdoor reception, let us know and we can discuss any specific requirements your band may have.
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