2nd December 2009 at The Forge saw the first performance of the combined FUNKification and Hackney Colliery Band monster line-up. The event was the launch of Caponata restaurant and was an invite only event.
HCB started the evening off with their own unique brand of hip-hop and ‘brass funk’ with the performance starting in the first floor gallery and the band wandering down the stairs, through the crowd and towards the stage. An excellent hour-long set really set the tone for the evening. The second set of live music saw FUNKification’s rhythm section and one of their female vocalists joining HCB on stage to create a monster 13-piece band featuring an awesome 7-piece brass section (2 trumpets, tenor sax, baritone sax, 2 trombones, bass trombone). Tower Of Power eat your heart out!! The set consisted of well known soul and funk covers and the band went down a storm. The site of the huge brass section had some people transfixed for the whole set!
Both HCB and FUNKification are well known to The Forge. This was HCB’s second performance there and are already booked to perform again in May 2010 (see website for details). FUNKification performed there for the wedding party of the owner’s sister in July 2009 and also brought in the new decade with them by headlining their New Year’s Eve party 2009/2010.
Photos from the event shown here were taken by Aidan Harris (www.aidanharris.co.uk)
The set list for FUNKification’s performance looked something like this:
- Signed Sealed Delivered
- Play That Funky Music
- Valerie
- Sir Duke
- Respect
- I Feel Good
- Son Of A Preacher Man
- Working Day & Night
- Ain’t Nobody
- I Wish
- Cosmic Girl
- Rock With You
- Superstition
- Blame It On The Boogie
- Car Wash
- Don’t Stop Me Now
- ENCORE – I Will Survive