Function bands
Background musicians
Function bands
Background musicians
Our exclusive Essex wedding bands will entertain guests of all ages with the best rock, pop, soul & Motown songs through the eras.
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Authentic guitar band, whose sensational live performances at corporate parties, birthdays and weddings have attracted the attention of EMI.
Dressed to the nines and touting a crowd-pleasing, quick-fire set of R&B, garage, pop, hip hop, classic soul and funk, Superstrut will have your guests moving and hollering from the first note. Also available with female vocalists and horns.
Amp up your party with Rockit: a sensational party band with a huge catalogue of rock, indie and pop floor-fillers from Chuck Berry and The Beatles to Billie Eilish and Ed Sheeran.
Fun and totally unique wedding and party band with male and female vocals, playing retro swing, vintage jive and rock'n'roll through to 80s funk, 90s R&B and quirky takes on modern chart.
Youthful, charismatic new 4-piece, channelling rock, dance, hip-hop and soul influences. This band get phenomenal reviews and are legends at filling dancefloors. Highly recommended!
Turbo-charged Locomove earn top reviews on Function Central, and excel at reading the dancefloor—like a live DJ, but with even more energy! Whether you're into modern or retro rock and pop, the band play all the bangers you and your guests actually want to hear.
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.
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.
Sensational all-male rock and pop trio who never fail to get their audiences jumping and singing along to the biggest tunes of the last 60 years. Elvis, The Stones, Bowie, Oasis: they’re all there!
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.
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.
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.
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.
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)
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.
High-energy corporate and wedding band, playing crowd-rousing pop, rock, dance, funk and soul music from the 1960s to the present day. Client list includes Audi and Nintendo.
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!
This smooth sax & DJ duo are masters at igniting dance floors, with a diverse music collection spanning funky '70s vibes, '80s chart-toppers, '90s hip-hop anthems, and the latest hits.
Incredible soul, R&B and pop function band featuring joint male and female lead vocals, sax and keyboards, and performing five decades of floor-fillers.
Since 2008 we've provided bands and musicians for thousands of wedding receptions throughout Essex, from Colchester to Chelmsford.
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Our Essex wedding bands typically perform upbeat, mainstream rock, pop and soul music, from 50s rock’n’roll through to the latest chart-toppers, via Merseybeat and 80s synth-pop.
Our bands range from compact 3-piece guitar bands to 10-piece show-bands with brass section and backing vocalists.
All bands are fronted by a male or female lead vocalist and are experts in bringing guests of all ages together on the dancefloor!
The quote we send you for your Essex wedding band doesn't just cover the performance. Typically included in the band's fee are:
Our wedding bands have been hired to perform in all corners of Essex, from Colchester to Canvey Island.
In addition to larger centres such as Chelmsford, Basildon and Harlow, we've sent our bands to quaint Walton-On-The-Naze, timber-framed Coggeshall, medieval Maldon and the beautiful market town of Saffron Walden.
Some of our bands' favourite wedding venues in Essex include: Crondon Park, Parklands, Gosfield Hall, Leez Priory, Prested Hall, Braxted Park, Fennes and Botleys Mansion.
Of course! If pop music isn’t your thing, we have Essex function bands playing soul, ceilidh music or jazz to get your party started.
We can also provide musicians for your ceremony, drinks reception and wedding feast.
Our wedding bands in Essex perform two 60 minute sets as standard, which can also be divided into three 40 minute sets.
A typical schedule would see the band kicking off their first set at 9pm, then playing through until 11pm or midnight with a break in between sets.
Please note that late fees might apply if the band is required later than midnight.
All of our Essex wedding bands will require a soundcheck ahead of the show. Between 5pm and 6pm is an advisable window for arrival and 60-90 minutes is usually sufficient for the soundcheck.
It's best if the venue is free of guests at this point, both for the band’s convenience and your guests’ comfort.
If the space cannot be free of guests, some of our wedding bands can arrange a ‘noiseless’ line-check in order to set up the equipment without disturbing proceedings.
All our Essex wedding bands are self-contained and will arrive fully equipped to perform at your event.
You'll only need to give them access to a power source, as well as a flat, sheltered space to perform in.
The performance area should be around 3 x 3 metres for a three-piece band, adding a metre in width per band member, as appropriate. A raised stage isn't required.
All our Essex wedding bands who are booked for an evening performance will request a basic meal at the event. This is a standard requirement in the events industry.
If you want your Essex wedding band to play your first dance, this can usually be arranged.
Check the band’s profile to see if they offer this option and try to give plenty of notice for them to learn your request.
Alternatively, all of our bands can play your first dance on an mp3 or iPod through their PA system.
Before you book more musicians for afternoon background music, check whether members of your wedding band can provide this – it'll save you additional costs, such as travel.
If you haven't yet set a date, consider booking a midweek or winter celebration to take advantage of the most competitive rates.
Consider hiring a local wedding band in Essex, to save on travel and accommodation costs.
Yes! You can find jazz bands in Essex and the wider area on our jazz and swing bands page.
Pianists and guitarists are useful for breaking the ice during your wedding banquet. We also have Rat Pack style wedding singers – ideal as a warm-up to the main act later on.
Whatever type of band or musical genre you’re after, we've probably got it!
Not necessarily. During any intervals, our bands will play recorded music via an mp3 player, so you're never in silence. You could also hand the band a pre-prepared playlist to put on, if you prefer.
Some bands are able to provide their own "in-house" DJ service for before and/or after the performance but check out their individual profiles for more details.
There are a couple of instances where it might be worth hiring an Essex DJ as well as the band:
Don't panic! First, 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, things become more difficult. We might need to recommend a duo, or acoustic band.
If by any chance any member of your Essex wedding band falls ill on the day, the band will be able to arrange a replacement for this band member.
In the unlikely event of all band members bring unable to attend (for example due to breaking down on the way to your event), we'll be able to offer replacement band options, often at very short notice, in a similar genre and for a similar price, from our collection of hundreds of exceptional bands in the area.
All our Essex wedding bands are fully equipped with everything they need to put on an amazing show, so you don’t have to worry about speakers or sound engineers.
Some bands will also bring lighting, just check out each band’s individual profile to find out more.
All Essex wedding bands can play pre-recorded music from a device (theirs or yours) during intervals. Many bands can also upgrade to a more advanced service using virtual DJ software so that they can mix songs and take requests – check each band’s profile page for details.
Most wedding bands booked for evening parties are reserved between 6 and 12 months in advance of an event, but the top bands can get snapped up a full 18 months in advance.
We recommend starting your search as soon as possible. This is especially crucial if you're planning a Saturday wedding during the peak wedding season of April to September.
If you're planning an off-season wedding between October and March, there will likely still be good options available at around the six-month mark.
If you’re having trouble deciding on a 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 be more than happy to suggest suitable acts.
You can also read this handy guide on how to choose a wedding band.
We totally get that you want your wedding entertainment to be as unique as your day and you’re than welcome to send any preferred song choices from the band’s song list over to us in advance. In most cases on-the-night requests won’t be accepted, this is so the band can ensure all songs have been properly arranged and rehearsed in advance, giving you the best experience possible.
In most cases, yes. You’ll need to give us a heads up when booking, so we can make sure the band can perform at their best at your outdoor wedding. The band will need cover – such as a marquee or tipi – to protect themselves and their equipment, and access to a power supply.
Our Essex brides and grooms tell us why they chose their wedding musicians and how live music made their day. Read more local wedding stories on our blog.
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Function Central offers the very best wedding bands, DJs and entertainers in Essex. We are the leading local wedding music booking agency and offer 5 star customer service, competitive rates and a 24/7 emergency support line.
Browse live bands in almost every town and county in the UK using the menu below.
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