We sat down with the best function band in Ireland — and you won’t believe what their name is

Whether you’re organising an event, planning a big birthday party or even gearing up to get married, a big bone of contention is always the music. Band or DJ? 80’s or 00’s? Will the lead singer be amazing or cringe? Well, we’ve finally found the perfect entertainment for any type of party you’re throwing — they’re so perfect that we’ve even used them ourselves.

They’re called The Function Band. No, that’s not me forgetting the name. That’s their title — The Function Band. And to be honest, we’re really into it. It’s to the point, doesn’t beat around the bush, and it has a quiet confidence — you don’t need to search around, because you’ve found the Function Band. And that’s before you’ve even heard the music. They brought the house down at our 2018 Businesswoman of the Year Awards, and although they’re based in the UK, they have a distinctly Irish energy that comes out every time they perform.

We sat down with the band themselves to chat about how they got started, where they got their unique stage presence and their favourite events that they’ve ever performed at. If you fancy booking them for yourselves, head to the link below — we’ll race you.

Tell us a little about the band and how it came about?

The company is owned by myself Dan, Bradley, and was officially setup over 10 years ago, but it has only been the last 4 or 5 years where everything has gone crazy! It all started with me performing solo in bars and restaurants, before people would say ‘can you add a saxophonist, and another singer etc’ and then all of a sudden there were 30 of us!

What makes you different from other hire-bands?

Other than how incredibly talented all of our singers and musicians are, one of the main differences with us and any other band, is just how much music you get out of us. On average, we perform for approximately 5 hours live during an event, including our amazing entrance and dinner sets, which are pretty epic! The personalisation of every event, and the fact you can literally call us 24/7 if you need anything at all, also helps us to stand out.

What is your favourite song to sing as a group or does everyone have different favourites?

We all have different favourites, that suit each of the singers differently or that we get to show-off on!

What’s the most requested song that you get at a function?

We don’t really have one in particular! One of the things that is so important to us is that every clients song choices are bespoke to them. Whether the client likes Disney songs or R&B, we will personalise the music to their needs. So every event is different for us!

Do you only perform at events in the UK and Ireland?

No, we perform all over Europe, regularly in Italy, France and Spain, and are starting in 2019 to travel even further!

What has been your most favourite gig/performance to date?

Honestly, there are no favourites, every event is special to us, but we did perform at an event where Roger Taylor (the drummer from Queen) played in the band with us, and that was pretty epic!

In your opinion what are the best ingredients or a fantastic event /party?

Obviously we are biased, but we feel that if you get the entertainment right, that is the most important ingredient, and the bit that will stick in everyone’s memory!

When are you back in Ireland?

We are so excited to be back in Ireland on the 9th  February for Pippa O’Connor’s Blossom Tree Ball at the Intercontinental, Dublin, this year in aid of the Variety Children’s Charity. We performed last year at the inaugural ball, and it was the most fantastic night, which raised a huge amount of money for Charity. It was a privilege to be a part of, and we cannot wait to be a part of it again this year.

See www.thefunction.band for further information and and how to book.