Arts & Entertainment

Funktion 11 Band Gives Scotch Plains an 'Awesome' Good Time

The funk, rock pop combo—a favorite of the mayor—gave the 2013 Village Green Summer Concert series a rocking start.

Yes, the temperature was still hovering around the 90-degree mark at the start of the 2013 Village Green Summer Concert Series' first show held outside the Scotch Plains municipal building Thursday night—but the band brought the real heat.

Funktion 11, which has performed at the series for four straight years, offered a diverse playlist of well-known songs that they made their own, and the most enthusiastic fan among an appreciative crowd of Mayor Kevin Glover.

"People asked me why I brought them back," he told Patch. "Because they're awesome!"

Clearly, attendees agreed as they bobbed their heads and swayed to Funktion 11's muscular take on songs by artists including the Doobie Brothers, Madonna, Michael Jackson, Bobby Brown and Maroon 5. Most arresting to many, was the band's version of the Songwriters Hall of Fame-inducted Sam Cooke classic "A Change Is Gonna Come," which the musicians played as hardcore, roots-reggae that had several audience members skanking on the green.

Still, a heat wave not of the band's making was underway, and people kept cool with Japanese-style fans, cool drinks or by hanging near the green's fountain.

Event sponsors included Investors Bank, Comcast, Beckerman and Company, Mara's Cafe and Bakery of Fanwood, Oh Brian's Pour House, the Scotch Plains Rescue Squad, Town Council candidate Llewellyn Jones, Alfonso's Pizzeria, Darby Road Pub and Restaurant and Tony Flagg Builders.

The rest of the series will feature concerts every Thursday at 7:30 p.m. (unless otherwise noted) through Aug. 29.

The schedule is as follows:

A Mashwork Orange, July 25 (pop covers)

Southbound, Aug. 1 (country; the show starts at 6:30 p.m. with children's act Hot Peas and Butter)

National Night Out, Tuesday, Aug. 6 (law enforcement festival; begins at 7 p.m.)

Exodus Supreme, Aug. 15 (reggae)

Jersey Jukebox, Aug. 22

Carnaby Street, Aug. 29 (British invasion hits)


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