This Is Guernsey

By Emily Burden

Lead singer Jack Crisp has lost none of his showmanship during the band’s hiatus. (0555770)

FUNK DA ROCK organisers stepped up to the plate once again last Friday and offered a night full of entertaining grooves for a good cause.

DJs Four Q and Oneofakind took to the stage alongside local band The Bake, who played their first gig since the summer.

And what a riotously enjoyable blend of genres it was.

Kicking off was DJ Four Q, who wowed the crowd with his impressive scratching skills. His set consisted of old-school hip-hop and fresh funky tunes and it was a pity the limb-loosening effects of beer hadn’t kicked in among the crowd because the beats were perfect for dancing and there was hardly anyone on the floor. Still, there was no denying Four Q knows how to open a night and get it going in the right direction.

The Bake, a local five-piece who won Battle of the Bands 2006, took to the stage and seemed uncomfortable at first – perhaps due to the fact they haven’t played in a while. They opened with reggae classic 10CC’s Dreadlock Holiday, which grabbed the attention of the audience. The set was packed with reggae and funk flavours, and covers included Primus, Beastie Boys and Cypress Hill. Only one original tune was played on the night, the instrumental Pornstorm, but it hit the spot, opening, as it does, with bassist Louis Barnes demonstrating his remarkable talent and dexterity.

The Bake made a welcome return to the stage at last Friday’s Funk Da Rock fund-raiser. (Pictures by Will Shearer, 0555771)

Singer Jack Crisp’s break from the stage hasn’t dulled his showmanship and he danced his merry way around, talking to the crowd and sharing the vocals with guitarist John McCarthy. John’s voice is loaded with feeling and is extremely versatile, which goes some way to explaining why there are so many different sounds in one Bake set.

It is always refreshing to watch them, as there is something to suit everybody’s taste. They certainly catered to the mixed audience on Friday.

The funky vibe continued when DJ Oneofakind got behind the decks, keeping the beats soulful and the audience dancing. He always seems to know what the people want to hear.

So, from an audience point of view, it was another roaring success for Funk Da Rock. That it raised £500 for the Mines Awareness Trust as well, just makes that success all the sweeter.