Funcktion Leeds!

The Trash Bar in Leeds hosted the first Funktion event in Leeds last Tuesday (the 18th), an event the organizer hopes will bring Funk based bands to venues around Leeds on a regular basis from February onwards.
The nigh opened with a four peace band consisting of three female singers, and a male acoustic guitarist. The level of singing was exceptional and probably the best on show all night. The sparse guitar playing was the perfect accompaniment to the vocal talents on show.
Second on the agenda were a four piece instrumental act who played mainly instrumental jams, with the exception of a randomly placed cover of Rage Against the Machines, ‘Bulls on Parade’ played when the keyboard player left the stage briefly mid set. Good musicianship was however obscured by the repetitive nature of the set which left me at least feeling a little board and disappointed by a band that seemed to have so much potential.
Third up were, a band readers will be more familiar with, Captain Backfire! This is where thing got interesting… The band took to the stage and played despite a crackly sound coming from the PA system during the first two songs, ‘Blue Room’ and ‘Good Love’ before having technical difficulties with an amp cutting out leaving the guitarist changing mid set. The band played their third song ‘Turn On the Light’ before the owner of a lead they had borrowed de-sided that they wanted it back, leaving the band again changing equipment again! This is getting stupid! Anyway back on with the set and a song that hasn’t been aired in a while the mighty ‘No Businessman’ where halfway through trumpet player Greg (who had been playing a previously committed to gig) arrived and snuck onto the stage with the rest of the band smiling. The introductions also took place moments later and the band each played a solo giving them time to reorganize. From this point on the band were lifted and the last three songs, ‘Good Friday’, ‘Loose Change’ and ‘I’ll Be Waiting’, were stormed through by the band who were lifted by the arrival of Greg and the complete line up being on the stage. The last three songs were the best received by the audience who seemed at this point to get into the music and enjoy the band.Finely White Men Can’t Funk took to the stage and played a stunning mixture of both originals and covers. The crowd were kept entertained for their hour plus set and the level skill possessed by all eight musicians was unbelievable, by far the best playing of the night. Classics such as ‘Funky Town’, and ‘Aint No Sunshine (when she’s gone)’ were the crowd pleasing covers best known to the audience. There isn’t much to say about this set apart from how good it was and that’s been said above.