Written by Craig Mitchell of the Funk City Band
Drinks Reception Music That Sets the Tone
The drinks reception is one of those quietly important moments.
Guests have arrived. The pressure’s off. Glasses are clinking. Conversations start flowing properly. It’s the first chance for the day to breathe.
Get it right, and everything that follows feels easier.
At Funk City Band, we provide stylish, relaxed live music for your drinks reception — background entertainment that lifts the atmosphere without ever demanding attention.
Why Music Matters at a Drinks Reception
A great drinks reception doesn’t need fireworks. It needs feel. And preferably songs that your guests will love played in a fun and stylish way.
Live music fills the space in a way playlists can’t. It softens awkward silences, gives energy to quiet corners, and brings the whole room together — without overpowering conversation.
Our drinks reception sets are designed to sit perfectly in the background. Guests notice the atmosphere before they notice the band. That’s exactly how it should be and we have tried and tested this formula for over 20 years.
Relaxed, Stylish Live Music
For a drinks reception, subtlety matters.
We typically perform laid-back sets featuring jazzy takes on modern songs, soul classics, acoustic pop and smooth grooves. Music that feels familiar, warm and easy to enjoy.
Nothing too loud. Nothing too showy. Just the right level of polish.
If you’re planning live music later in the day, these pages may also be useful:
Perfect for Weddings and Events
Most commonly, our drinks reception music is booked for weddings — that window after the ceremony, before the wedding breakfast.
It’s a time when guests are mingling, venues are being turned around, and couples are grabbing a moment to breathe (or take photos). We slot neatly into that space.
Our setup is compact, quick to install, and designed to work both indoors and outdoors. Garden receptions, terraces, barns, hotel lounges — we’ve played them all.
You may also want to explore:
Flexible Line-Ups for Drinks Receptions
Not every drinks reception needs a full function band — and we’re very aware of that.
Our most popular options for this part of the day include smaller, stylish line-ups that keep things elegant and unobtrusive.
- 3-piece band – ideal for relaxed background music
- 4-piece band – a little fuller, still refined
If you’re planning a bigger evening party, we can scale up seamlessly later on — including our 7-piece band with live horns.
A Smooth Flow Into the Evening
One of the biggest benefits of booking us for your drinks reception is continuity. We’re already set up. We already know the room. We already understand the vibe. That makes the transition into evening entertainment smoother, calmer and more cohesive — especially if you’re also booking us for the main party.
Many couples choose to combine:
- Live drinks reception music
- Evening live band
- Professional DJ sets between and after performances
No awkward handovers. No momentum lost. This bit is really important!
Experienced, Professional and Easy to Work With
We’ve been performing together since 2004 and have played over 640 weddings and events.
That experience matters — especially during relaxed parts of the day where timing, volume and presentation are everything.
We arrive early, set up discreetly, dress appropriately and work closely with venues and planners to make sure everything runs smoothly. We have been doing exactly this for a very long time we and really enjoy doing it too.
See Our Drinks Reception Music in Action
If you’d like to see how we approach a drinks reception, you can view real footage here:
Is Live Music Right for Your Drinks Reception?
If you want:
- A relaxed, welcoming atmosphere
- Music that complements conversation
- A polished, professional setup
- A smooth build into the evening
Then live music at your drinks reception could be the perfect choice.
Sometimes the most memorable moments are the calm ones.
To check availability or chat through your plans:
Email: info@funkcitypartyband.co.uk
Website: www.funkcitypartyband.co.uk
Ready to Chat?
If you’re having a party you probably want a brilliant band that actually gets the vibe and gets people dancing. This is really important to us. If that sounds good— get in touch. We’d love to be the FUN part of your night. If you have a wedding or event we are local to Bath, Wiltshire, Bristol, Somerset and Reading too although we travel absolutely everywhere. *Except the moon*. When people dance too much in zero gravity they have a tendency to float off which can cause problems with our insurance.
Written by Craig Mitchell Funk City band. 9000+ event rocked since 2004 inc. over 600+ weddings. You’re in very safe hands.
If you want to see more videos of our band there are loads of the different band options on our YouTube page. Enjoy!
Or Simply call Craig on 07754265836 or email info@funkcitypartyband.co.uk
All bookings include:
First Dance
We’ll learn it for you
BESPOKE PLAYLISTS
You can choose the songs
2 HOURS OF LIVE MUSIC
Let’s do this!
DAYTIME PERFORMANCES
Perfect for reception parties
FREE PLAYLIST DJ SERVICE
Keep the party going!
OPTIONAL EXTRAS
Longer sets, more or less band member etc. Let us know.
Some Of Our Packages
Click to find out more about the available options.
3 Piece Band
3 Piece Band
Power pop/rock trio. This is a great option for smaller parties that still want the feel of a big band. This ROCKS! Best small band in Bristol.
4 Piece Band
4 Piece Band
Our most popular wedding party band for hire. If you want an ultimate party band this is a great choice. Classic, upbeat songs that will get everyone dancing!
6/7 Piece Band
7 Piece Band
If you want to have 'oomph' at your event then our 7 piece band is a perfect solution. We add a sexy brass section that gives the band a full explosive sound and adds a funky edge to your event.
Like what you hear?
Drop us a line, we’d love to chat about playing at your event. If you’re looking for a brilliant wedding band for hire then choose us.
- Massive set list
- Full time professional musicians
- Your songs learnt for free
- 600+ weddings and parties and 9.5k other shows rocked since 2004
- If you want a wedding band Bristol. We can help! Also, if you need a wedding band in Bath we are very close by.
Trust us. We ‘got this…
Get a quote now or email: info@funkcitypartyband.co.uk
Or call 07754 265836
Or go to www.instagram.com/funkcityband www.facebook.com/funkcityband and www.youtube.com/@funkcityband
Funk City are a brilliant Wiltshire PARTY and function / wedding band. We have played SO MANY weddings and live events. Also, because we are based just outside of Bath we are also considered one of the best Somerset wedding bands too. Lucky us 🙂 We cover the whole of the UK and love playing everywhere. If you are based anywhere in the Southwest of England and need a southwest wedding band then call us today. Let’s have a chat and create something memorable. Team FCB x