Function band

VIP: The Ultimate Function Band

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About VIP: The Ultimate Function Band

This international party band is made up of a collection of the highest quality professional session musicians and vocalists
Function band
Sheffield
Public liability insurance of £10 million
Verified profile

This international party band is made up of a collection of the highest quality professional session musicians and vocalists who specialise in performing choice party tracks from the wide ranging genres of Funk; Soul; Motown; Rock; Indie; Pop and Disco. VIP has a wealth of experience performing at the very highest profile events at venues in London such as The Grosvenor House Hotel in Mayfair, The four Seasons in Canary Wharf and The Savoy on the Strand for clients such as Louis Vuitton, Rolex and BMW to name just a few. The versatility of the band means that they are not only ideal for corporate events but also for weddings and civil partnerships, university balls, birthday parties and barmitzfers, awards ceremonies and festivals. They have also proved to be very popular with the British Military and are engaged by the SAS, RAF, Army and Navy on their major events throughout the year. VIP is led by Mathew Richardson Bmus (Hons) who is a former scholarship student of the Royal Academy of Music London. Away from VIP Mathew along with the other members of the band enjoy a varied freelance career working at home and abroad with artists such as Sir Paul McCartney, Corrine Bailey Rae, Professor Green, Sam Smith and The Human League, in some of the countries finest concert venues as well as on television including appearances on Later with Jools Holland, on the radio and on a number of commercially available recordings. If you need a band that will have you dancing all night & leave you shouting for more, there can be only one choice… VIP; The Ultimate Function Band. VIP Party The party band produces a truly fantastic sound and is perfect as the main evening’s entertainment for any event. The band will perform for up to a total of two hours of live music, and its at the clients discretion whether the format is 2 x 45 minute sets, 2 x 60 minute sets or 3 x 40 minute sets. Acoustic Sets (Guitar & Female Vocals) VIP offer an acoustic Duo option with guitar and female vocals which is perfect to create a laid back and contemporary feel to your drinks reception or dinner. The band will perform for up to 2x40 minute sets. VIP Jazz The versatility of the members of VIP means that they are just as experienced performing Jazz Standards, as they are party tracks, and are able to offer the VIP Jazz option. Dine in style whilst being entertained by the refined sounds of VIP Jazz. The Duo, Trio or Quartet is able to cover a full range of cool Jazz Standards which will add sophistication to any event. The band will perform for up to 2x40 minute sets. DJ Option As standard VIP provide a laptop DJ service so that your guests are kept fully entertained when the band is not performing live. They have a huge amount of popular songs and they mix them as they would be by a traditional DJ. They will make basic announcements, and take requests from guests on the night. You can even let us know in advance if you have any favourite songs and they will make up a playlist specially for your event. Dress Code The band will always dress very smartly as standard unless a more casual look is required by the client. Please just let us know what you require for your event and they will be as flexible as possible to try and meet your requirements. PA Options As standard VIP uses top of the range audio equipment which is installed and operated on each engagement by our very own team. Because the band is fully engineered this ensures the perfect sound mix for each and every event. The standard vocal rig is ideal for events up to 150 people or so in the average sized function rooms you find in hotels and venues up and down the country, allowing competitive prices and excellent value for money. For larger weddings and corporate / military events, they can provide a top of the range 4k watt PA system with engineer which is suitable to perform to a room of anything up to 500 guests. Larger systems are available on request to cater for any size of event. After gaining entry to the performance area, it takes a total of 90 minutes to be fully set and ready to perform. Working with Sound Limiters The band is regularly booked to play at events where the venue has some restrictions placed on the amount of volume which is allowed during the performance. Usually there is a decibel meter fitted in the room which is connected to the power supply that the band is asked to use. This is absolutely no problem for the band to work with. Lighting Options As standard VIP uses the Acme cabaret colour pro light system. This produces 4k watts of stage lighting via 8 x 500 watt bulbs. The system allows a flood of light of numerous colours or can be programmed to move with the rhythm of the band. The equipment is very compact and so can be used in almost any space. For larger events, the band can supply a popular range of intelligent and generic lighting from manufacturers such as Avolites, Martin Professional, Clay Paky, CCT, and Thomas and complementary special effects such as smoke and haze which can greatly improve the impact of the lighting. Set up time around 120 minutes. Previous Clients include: Amgen Bank of Ireland Beresford’s Solicitors BMW Bolsover District Council Bosch Café Royal London The Chambers of John Hand QC Dell Dior The Dorchester London Gonville & Gains College Cambridge Hermes Paris The Grosvenor House Hotel London Halifax I.B.M. IKEA Kings College Cambridge The Labour Party The Law Society Lincolnshire show ground Hunt Ball Lloyd's TSB Louis Vuitton Lowery Hotel Manchester Mint Morgan Stanley NAT WEST Orange Pernod Ricard France Price Waterhouse Coopers Charted Accountants Q Hotels Repton School Rolex The Royal Bank of Scotland RSPCC SIA (Spinal injuries association) Silverstone Race Track SONY South Leicestershire College Tesco Virgin Atlantic Wilberforce Chambers Song List

Encore badges
Saved the day!
Booked for an Encore gig with less than 24 hours’ notice
7th Anniversary
This act has been working with Encore for over 7 years
10 gigs
Experienced: 10 bookings through Encore
Musicianship
Genres:
Christmas, 1960s era music, 1970s era music, 1980s era music, 1990s era music, Jazz, Modern jazz, Latin jazz, Swing, Pop, Acoustic, Covers, Disco, Funk, Funk rock, R&B, Motown, Soul, Top 40, Rock
See all genres
Event types:
Wedding, Wedding proposal, Funeral / Memorial service, Church service, Hotel / Restaurant event, Bar / Club / Venue event, Private event, Corporate event, Charity event, Concert, Recording session, Theatre / Show, Cruise, Burns night, Birthday party, Christmas party, New Year's Eve
See all event types

VIP: The Ultimate Function Band's Song list

POP & Rock
All Night Long Lionel Richie
Alright Now Free
Amazed Lonestar
Beat It Michael Jackson
Billie Jean Michael Jackson
Brown Eyed Girl Van Morrison
Brown Sugar Rolling Stones
Don't Stop Believing Journey
Free Ultra Naté
Going Underground The Jam
Hey Jude Lennon & McCartney
Honky Tonk Woman Rolling Stones
I Could Not Ask For More Edwin McCain
I Loved Her First Heartland
I Wanna Dance With Somebody Whitney Houston
Jail House Rock Elvis
Long Train Running The Dooby Brothers
Love Shack B52's
Moondance Van Morrison
Nutbush City Limits Tina Turner
Oh What A Night Frankie Vallie
Perfect Ed Sheeran
Proud Mary Creedence Clearwater Revival
Relight My Fire Take That & LULU
Saw Her Standing There The Beatles
Stuck In The Middle With You Stealers Wheel
Sweet Home Alabama Lynard Skynard
Thinking Out Loud Ed Sheeran
Town Called Malice The Jam
Twist And Shout The Beatles
Waterfall Stone Roses
Disco & Funk
Ain’t No Stopping Us Now McFadden & Whitehead
Best Of My Love Emotions
Blame it on The Boogie Jackson Five
Car Wash Rose Royce
Celebration Kool In The Gang
Disco Inferno The Tramps
Everybody Dance Chic
Get Down On It Kool & The Gang
Get Down Tonight KC & The Sunshine Band
I will Survive Gloria Gaynor
Im Coming Out Diana Ross
Ladies Night Kool & The Gang
Le Freak Chic
Lost In Music Sister Sledge
Move on Up Curtis Mayfield
Play That Funky Music Wild Cherries
Sex Machine James Brown
Streetlife Crusaders
That’s The Way I Like It KC & The Sunshine Band
Upside Down Diana Ross
We Are Family Sister Sledge
Young Hearts Run Free Candi Station
Soul & Motown
Ain’t no Mountain High Enough Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrel
Chain of Fools Aretha Franklin
Baby Love Diana Ross
Dancing In The Street Martha Reeves & The Vandellas
Everybody Needs Somebody Blues Brothers
Gimmie Some Lovin Blues Brothers
Heard it Through the Grapevine Marvin Gaye
Hold On Im Coming Sam & Dave
How Sweet It Is To Be Loved By You Marvin Gaye
I Feel Good James Brown
I Want You Back Jackson 5
In The Midnight Hour Commitments
Lady Marmalade Pattie Belle
Lets Stay Together Al Green
Mustang Sally Commitments
My Girl The Temptations
No Where To Run Martha Reeves & The Vandellas
Reach Out ill Be There 4 Tops
Rescue Me Fontella Bass
Respect Aretha Franklin
Shake A Tail Feather Blues Brothers
Signed Sealed Delivered Stevie Wonder
Soul Man Blues Brothers
Superstition Stevie Wonder
Sweet Home Chicago Blues Brothers
Think Aretha Franklin
Uptight Stevie Wonder
You Cant Hurry Love Diana Ross
Your Love Keeps Lifting Me Higher Jackie Wilson
Indie & Modern
A Thousand Years Christina Perri
All About That Bass Meghan Trainor
All of Me John Legend
American Boy Estel
Angels Robbie Williams
Bet You Look Good On The Dancefloor Arctic Monkeys
Blurred Lines Robin Thicke
Can’t Stop The Feeling Justin Timberlake
Clocks Coldplay
Come As You Are Beverley Knight
Cosmic Girl Jamiroquai
Crazy Cee Lo Green
Crazy Chick Charlotte Church
Domino Jessie J
Feel The Love Rudimental Ft John Newman
Feel So Close Calvin Harris
Forget You Cee Lo Green
Get Lucky Daft Punk
Girls And Boys Blur
Golden Touch Razorlight
Happy Pharrell Williams
Heaven Emeli Sande
Hot Right Now DJ Fresh
Just The Way You Are Bruno Mars
La La La Naughty Boy
Locked Out Of Heaven Bruno Mars
Love Me Again John Newman
Make You Feel My Love Adele
Mercy Duffy
Moves Like Jagger Maroon 5
No Tomorrow Orson
Rock Your Body Justin Timberlake
Ruby Kaiser Chiefs
Rude Magic
Senorita Justin Timberlake
Shake It Off Taylor Swift
Shape of You Ed Sheeran
Shut Up And Dance Walk The Moon
Somebody Told Me The Killers
Somewhere Only We Know Keane
Spinning Around Kylie Minogue
Take Me Out Franz Ferdinand
This Love Maroon 5
Too Close Alex Clare
Treasure Bruno Mars
Uptown Funk Mark Ronson
Valerie Amy Winehouse
Waiting All Night Rudimental Ft Ella Eyre
You've Got The Love Florence and the Machine
You Had Me Joss Stone
Some popular first dance requests
A Thousand Years Christina Perri
All of Me John Legend
Amazed Lonestar
At Last Etta James
Cant take my eyes off of you Franki Valli
I Could not ask for more Edwin McCain
I loved her first Heartland
Lets Stay Together Al Green
Perfect Ed Sheeran
Thinking Out Loud Ed Sheeran
Something about the way you look Tonight Elton John
Xmas Tracks
All I Want For Christmas                              Mariah Carey
Fairy Tale of New York                                The Pogues
I wish it could be Christmas Everyday        Wizzard
Last Christmas                                             Wham
Rockin Around The Christmas Tree           Brenda Lee
Merry Christmas Everyone Shakin Stevens
Merry Christmas Everybody                        Slade
Acoustic Tracks
A Thousand Years Christina Perri
Ain't no Sunshine when she's gone Bill Withers
All of Me John Legend
Better Together Jack Johnson
Chasing Cars Snow Patrol
Don't Know Why Norah Jones
Drops of Jupiter Train
Hallelujah Leonard Cohen
How do I live LeAnn Rimes
How Sweet It Is James Taylor
I Say A Little Prayer Aretha Franklin
Is This Love Bob Marley
Isn't She Lovely Stevie Wonder
Just The Way You Are Bruno Mars
Lets Stay Together Al Green
Like A Star Corinne Bailey Rae
Make You Feel My Love Adele
My Girl The Temptations
Ordinary People John Legend
Put Your Records On Corinne Bailey Rae
Roar Katy Perry
Sittin on the Dock or a Bay Otis Redding
Simply The Best Tina Turner
Skyfall Adele
Somewhere Only We Know Keane
Song Bird Eva Cassidy
Stand By Me Ben E King
Stay With Me Sam Smith
Street Life Randy Crawford
Sunny Bobby Hebb
Sweet Love Anita Baker
Thinking Out Loud Ed Sheeran
Time After Time Cyndi Lauper
Use Somebody Kings of Leon
Will you Still Love Me Tomorrow Amy Winehouse
You Do Something To Me Paul Weller
You've got a friend James Taylor
Dinner Jazz Option
The Ensembles jazz option repertoire consists of well known 'standards' taken mainly from 'The Great American Songbook’. Composers such as Cole Porter, George Gershwin, Rogers & Hart and Irving Berlin.
An example of song list is below. 
A nightingale sang in Berkeley Square
All blues
All of me
All the things you are
Angel eyes
Autumn leaves
Bewitched
Beautiful love
Black Orpheus
Blue bossa
Body and soul
Bye bye blackbird
Can’t get started
Cheek to cheek
Come fly with me
Desifanado
Don’t get around much anymore
Don’t worry about me
Drop me off in Harlem
Everything happens to me
Embraceable you
Exactly like you
Fly me to the moon
Foggy day
Gee baby ain’t I good to you
Georgia on my mind
Girl from impanima
Have you met Miss Jones
I got rhythm
I love you
I remember you
In a sentimental mood
It had to be you
I've never been in love before
Let there be love
Let’s fall in love
Like someone in love
Lover Man
Lullaby of Birdland
Misty
Moondance
My funny valentine
Night and day
On green dolphin street
One note samba
Our love is here to stay
So what
Softly as a morning sunrise
Someday my prince will come
Song for my farther
Stella by starlight
St. Thomas
Stormy Monday
Summertime
Takin' a chance on love
Take the A train
Take 5
Unforgettable
What is this thing called love
What’s new
You made me love you
You make me feel so young
And many more………….......
Customer questions

Will the singer be the same as who I see in the videos?

Yes.

Do you have different line-up options?

6 piece band: Drums, Bass, Guitar, Kayboard, Lead Male Vocalist & Lead Female Vocalist 7 piece band: Add the Sax 8 piece band: Add the horn section – Tenor Sax & Trumpet 9 piece band: Add an additional female Vocalist. 4 piece band: Drums, Bass, Guitar, Lead Female Vocalist 5 piece band: Add the Lead Male Vocalist. Bespoke line ups on request.

What if my timings change after I've booked you?

Just let us know. We will always look to e as flexible as possible to ensure your event runs as smoothly as possible.

Can you provide an iPod/DJ service before and between your sets?

Yes and we offer that for free as standard. If you would like a DJ service after the final set and until the venue closes, we provide this for an additional £100.00.

How much time do you need to set up?

Depending on the size of the band usually between 60 / 90 minutes.

Can I pick the songs you play from the set list?

Over years of performing at countless events, we have a good idea of what works well and what doesn't but we are always happy to chat through and make sure that we play the songs to suit your event.

Is all of the equipment (e.g. PA & lighting) included in your quote?

Yes.

Can you learn song requests before the event?

Yes we will learn your first dance for free and if there are one or two other requests we will be happy to learn them specially for your event.

What do your clients love most about your performances?

The fact that we appeal to young and old in equal measure is something which comes up in testimonials again and again.

Which venues have you performed at in the past?

VIP has a wealth of experience performing at the very highest profile events at venues in London such as The Grosvenor House Hotel in Mayfair, The four Seasons in Canary Wharf and The Savoy on the Strand for clients such as Louis Vuitton, Rolex and BMW to name just a few.

Which artists have you been most influenced by?

Just too many from the genres of Pop, Soul, Motown, Disco, Indie and Rock to name.

What is the most high profile gig you've performed?

Its hard to say which of the many celebrity events would be the most high profile, but we have worked for and along side celebrities from the world of TV, Radio and Sport at some of the Countries fines hotels along with some of the biggest luxury brands including BMW, Rolex and Louis Vuitton.

VIP: The Ultimate Function Band's Prices

Note: prices may vary based on travel distance. For an exact quote, click “Check availability”.

Standard Prices
Performance durationPrice
Up to 1 hour£2250
Up to 2 hours£2250
Up to 3 hours£2250

Add-ons

Solo Pianist
+£300
Jazz Duo
+£300
Acoustic Duo
+£375
Jazz Trio
+£400
Jazz Quartet
+£500
VIP: The Ultimate Function Band
Full starFull starFull starFull starFull star
5 out of 5
11 verified reviews
Satisfaction
Full starFull starFull starFull starFull star
5.0
Professionalism
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5.0
Communication
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4.8
Punctuality
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5.0

VIP: The Ultimate Function Band's Reviews

From Encore customers:

AR
Andy R
2 years ago
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5 out of 5

Really helpful and accomodating in terms of what we needed. The music catered for all age groups that were at the event and was very well received. Would highly recommend.

KR
Karen R
2 years ago
Full starFull starFull starFull starFull star
5 out of 5

Wow , what a night! From the minute of booking through to the event everything was perfect. Matt was fabulous and his communications throughout the year of planning was superb. No hitches, just plain sailing. The crown was a tough one , all being female ex- Army veterans but the ladies loved every minute of it. Age group from 47 to 92! The music was pitch perfect and the DJ music spot on. We had eight band members who loved the evening as much as we did. Thank you to you all and hopefully we will see you again very soon. Karen

AO
Annabel O
2 years ago
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5 out of 5

Mat and his band were absolutely amazing! They played at our wedding celebration and what a party - we danced all night and didn’t want the night to end. Thank you so so much and we will be booking you for our next party I am sure!

KW
Kurt W
2 years ago
Full starFull starFull starFull starFull star
5 out of 5

We had the band for our wedding and they where fantastic everybody really enjoyed them and the female vocalist was amazing 100% Recommend them

Read all 6 reviews

From other customers:

CC
Carina C
4 years ago, for a Wedding in Wakefield
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5 out of 5

Absolutely amazing. VIP played at our summer wedding and they were amazing. All our guest commented on how brilliant they were. Everyone was dancing all night. FANTASTIC. would definitely recommend for any event 😊

GC
Grace C
4 years ago, for a Wedding in Sawbridgeworth CM21
Full starFull starFull starFull starFull star
5 out of 5

VIP played at our wedding this summer and were brilliant. The jazz quartet played during our drinks reception and were really generous with their time, even giving us a few minutes extra and playing while we were eating which we really enjoyed. We loved the band’s rendition of Drops of Jupiter for our first dance. It got everyone on the dance floor where they stayed all night. The only problem was that it had to finish, one guest wanted to offer the band cash to stay all night! Your team was really easy to work with and so laid back it made our day really relaxed and enjoyable!

Read all 7 reviews