Function bands
Background musicians
Function bands
Background musicians
Hire the very best live wedding bands in Kent. The county that gave us The Stones, Bowie and Kate Bush is a wellspring of musical talent.
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With instruments and lighting covered in crystals, The Rough Diamonds are innovating live entertainment and raising the bar for luxury events! This is a showband with stage presence and wow factor like its never been seen before!
Exciting party band playing upbeat, danceable rock & pop hits by artists ranging from Prince and Elvis to Coldplay and The Weekend.
Exhilarating 6-14 piece party band featuring stunning male and female vocals and offering optional horns, playing accurate renditions of modern and classic hits.
Mixing oompah versions of your pop favourites with traditional Bavarian music, this German-themed band promise heaps of fun and a lot of Lederhosen!
Impressive and electrifying, this band features one of the largest function band line-ups in the business, ranging from 11 to an epic 18-piece ensemble, and guarantees a high-energy show packed with soul, funk, and pop classics.
Energetic ceilidh, folk and barn dance band, playing everything from Irish, English and Scottish classics through to old-time American and classical piano. The band also come with the option of adding a caller to your booking. Only available within 100 miles of Cambridge.
Dance your way through a decade of 80s pop with this high-end 80s tribute band! Incredible visuals and a huge sound. Additional musicians available.
A premium function band that boasts an extensive collection of popular chart hits and offer additional vocalists, a dynamic horn section and soothing jazz background music for a complete musical experience.
The finest party and wedding band performing rock, indie, R&B and chart music with charisma and energy! Hire the band’s DJ service for a seamless night of music.
Exceptional all-male London 3-piece band, who've supported The Kooks, delivering hits from the 80s, 90s, 00s and beyond! DJ service and afternoon acoustic sets available.
From pop favourites and feel-good funk to afrobeats and updated jazz classics, The DBs turn the traditional brass band format on its head and drag it kicking and screaming into the 21st century!
Explosive and energetic Cuban band fronted by a fantastic female vocalist. One of the finest bands representatives of Cuban son, Latin and salsa music in the UK today!
High-energy five-piece pop-rock band bringing epic live music, dance-floor fillers, and unforgettable vibes to any event!
An unstoppable group of soulful musicians bringing you the finest pop, R&B, soul and dance tunes from across the decades with their show-stopping vocals and energetic, engaging performances.
With vibrant stage shows and a skillful mix of classic cover band tracks and more far-out versions of numbers not often attempted by other bands in the industry, Paradise offer DJ-style mixes to their live performances to keep your guests partying.
Looking for the party of a lifetime? With over a thousand live performances at corporate events, parties and weddings worldwide, The Starlighters guarantee a night to remember! Additional musicians, live DJ and afternoon background sets also available.
Hugely experienced musicians from successful, original artist bands, Night Owls can perform a range of Pop, Rock, Indie, Britpop, Soul, Motown and Disco for your event.
Your go-to acoustic roaming band for a dose of blues and charisma. These guys take your all-time faves and sprinkle 'em with some bluesy magic, making them sound like nothing you've ever heard before.
Transport your event back to the golden-era of music with the must-have 50s and 60s band, The Honeydrops.
Bust a move to the coolest classics and the freshest new sounds – The Recollections comprise accomplished West End singers are backed up by a ridiculously talented collection of session musicians, who have performed hundreds of events together.
Since weddings are cross-generational events, our Kent wedding bands usually perform a wide range of music through the decades.
A typical wedding set-list will likely include a mixture of mainstream, uptempo rock, pop,
soul, Motown and R&B – music to appeal to all tastes and ages.
If pop music isn't your thing, fear not. Brass and drums bands for a popular alternative to the classic function band format. We also have festival folk bands in Kent, ideal for barn-based knees-ups and postmodern Jukebox style bands for a jazzy twist on pop covers.
For retro weddings, our decade-themed bands pay tribute to the 50s, 60s or 80s.
After we receive your enquiry, we'll send you a quote, inclusive of VAT and covering the following services:
Yes – all our function bands in Kent are fully self-contained with their own PA sound system, microphones, backline amplifiers and instruments. Most bands will also bring lighting for both the stage and dancefloor.
The band's PA system should be loud enough for most marquee or indoor weddings, but let us know if you're expecting more than 250 guests, so we can check this.
Check the act's individual profile for more details and optional add-ons to enhance the show!
Most of our Kent wedding bands are happy to learn and perform your first dance request free of charge – provided they think they can arrange it for their line-up and do it justice.
Check the act’s profile to see what they can offer and if they can’t do it live, they could just play it through their PA system using Spotify or an mp3 player.
Our Kent wedding bands will aim to arrive between 5pm and 6pm, and will need a setup and sound-check window of 60 to 90 minutes.
Since the band will need to make a bit of noise to test their sound levels, it's advisable to close off the room to guests during this time.
Although sound-checks are recommended, it's not always practical for weddings which take place in the same room. Let us know if you'd prefer a silent set-up (line-check only) instead, and we can arrange this.
Our Kent function bands usually play either two sets of 60 minutes each or three sets of 40 minutes each, with a brief break in between.
Our standard booking contracts specify a finish time no later than midnight, though this can be extended for an extra charge, if preferred.
No – interval music is provided free of charge with every booking, to ensure there's never silence. The band will put on appropriate music through their PA using a laptop or device.
You're welcome to hand the band a device containing a pre-prepared playlist of your favourite songs, if you prefer.
Many of our bands also offer their own DJ service, for a nominal charge. Usually this will be a laptop equipped with DJ software and manned by a band member all night.
If you're after more sophisticated lighting, or want to continue the wedding party beyond midnight, we recommend booking a separate DJ.
The aptly named Garden of England is the perfect base to celebrate your wedding. From its undulating hills and watery edges, to its magical cities and seaside towns, Kent has an enviably diverse character.
Our bands have performed in all major centres of the county, including Maidstone, Gillingham, Dartford, Chatham, Ashford, Sevenoaks and Dover.
A few Kent venues our bands have played at and which we'd recommend are: Sprivers Mansion, Bradbourne House, Eastwell Manor and The Hop Farm to Leeds Castle, Winters Barns and Hever Castle.
They've performed at venues within a stones throw of Rochester and Canterbury cathedrals as well as shabby-chic seaside venues in Margate, Folkestone, Herne Bay, Whitstable and Deal.
Our Kent wedding bands start as low as £850 for a 3-piece band, running into several thousand pounds for a world-class, 10-piece show band.
In 2022, the median (typical) price paid for a 4-piece wedding band was £1350.
The bands featured here are best suited as the headline act for dancing, later on in the evening.
However, we can also offer soloists, duos, jazz and other background musicians in Kent, for your ceremony or drinks party.
Our selection of string quartets, harpists, pianists, and classical guitarists can serenade you whilst you walk down the aisle, entertain guests whilst you sign the register and pose for photographs.
They're also a great ice-breaker at your drinks reception or wedding meal. Just browse the menus at the top of this page to find what you're looking for.
Our experts take the stress out of hiring a Kent wedding band and will recommend a fantastic choice of wedding music in every genre.
If
you're looking for entertainment to satisfy even the most discerning of
guests, rest assured in the knowledge that we only use the most
professional, outstanding acts, all of whom have been fully vetted by
our team.
Cancellations are rare. This is because each musician in the band will have several well-trained, deputy musicians who can replace them in the event of accident or illness.
In the unlikely event that your Kent wedding band is forced to cancel the booking, Function Central will offer suitable replacement bands of similar standard and style, at no extra cost.
If you're not happy with any replacements offered, Function will refund you all payments made to date to Function Central or the band.
Yes! We get that choosing a band can be overwhelming and we’re more than happy to help you out. Drop us a line message or give us a call on 0333 242 0560 and we’ll go from there.
You can also read this handy guide on how to choose a wedding band
In most instances, a sound limiter won’t stand in the way of you booking the band you want. If the sound limiter is set to a threshold below 95 decibels, let us know, as some bands will struggle to keep within this range and may need to make adjustments. For example, some bands may be able to substitute live drums for electronic drums, which will bring down the overall level of the band.
If the threshold is 80-85dB, things can get trickier. In this case, you may need to choose a duo or acoustic band.
On each band’s profile you’ll find a song list, you’re welcome to flag up any preferred songs from the list and ask that any you don’t like are left out. While your Kent wedding band will do their best to play as many of your requests as possible, they may need to change things up according to audience response. The best bands work with their audience and gauge the mood on the night. Trust us (we’ve been doing this for a long time!), this is the best way to keep feet on the dance floor all night long.
Booking time depends on when your wedding is taking place. For a Saturday wedding in the summer, some of the most popular bands will need to be booked 18 months in advance. Other bands can be booked 12 months before the day.
For low-season or weekday weddings, you can probably get away with booking six months in advance.
Whenever your wedding, we always recommend booking as soon as you can if you have your heart set on a particular band.
In most cases, bands are happy to play in the great outdoors. You will need shelter to protect them and their equipment and access to a power supply to make it happen. Give us a call if you’re unsure if your venue will fit the bill and we’ll be more than happy to advise.
Since 2008 we've provided bands and musicians for thousands of wedding receptions throughout Kent, from Dartford to Deal.
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Our Kent brides and grooms tell us why they chose their wedding band and how live music made their evening party. Read more local wedding stories on our blog.
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Function Central provide the best DJs. entertainers and bands for weddings in Kent and throughout the UK. We're the nation's leading wedding music booking agency, with 5-star rated customer service, unbeatable prices, secure contracts and outstanding quality.
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