The idea behind Funk The Format is a good one – a festival made by a local for the locals, with no big corporate companies from out of town leaching in on the weekend utopia. The festival, which is in its fourth year, is the idea of Lucy ‘Elle J’ Small – a once globetrotting music journalist and musical tastemaker from London, turned mother of two and now a funk festival curator. Using her experience from her time working the music biz, she has brought together other mums and friends to create a crack team who are in touch with the local community. Starting out as a one-day event, the festival turned into a two-day extravaganza – Funk The Format which focuses on music, as well as Funk The Family which focuses on the family side of things by having free activities, workshops and performances designed for kids.
With no kids of note, I enjoyed Funk The Format Festival on one of the most ideal sunny summer Saturdays. Walking from the middle of Brighton town, fully lathered in sun cream, I reached Hove Park where the festival site took residence. People were smiling, relaxed and dancing – the vibe was good. All the usual stalls are there – your fancy fast food trucks which range from Caribbean curries to vegan falafel wraps, plus rather acceptably priced beers (considering I had recently been to a festival in Italy with half pints at €6). But unquestionably, the main thing on everyone’s mind was the music. Whether it was finding your space in the sun and dancing it out or taking camp in the shade by one of the stages, you were spoilt for choice with music from Brighton and further afield. 
With Neon Saints Brass Band providing the perfect start on the main stage with their typically emphatic party music and J-Felix playing out some suitably summery tacks in the Big Beach Cafe tent, the festival was off to a good start.
One of the big highlights from the day, as it was last year, was the supreme song-selector and straight-up legend Norman Jay MBE DJ’ing on the main stage, rammed full of all the summer hits. Bodies bobbing, arms flailing, and shoulders burning – the tunes Norman brought to Hove Park was spot-on and had the whole crowed grooving to his sunshine tunes. 
Then it was time for the original ‘Riddim Killa’, London Posse rapper Rodney P playing with DJ Skitz. The two pioneers of the UK’s hip-hop scene rammed the Club Tropicana tent for a hyped near two-hour set that had the crowd shouting out their lyrics with their shooters in the air. Alice Russell perfectly soundtracked the festival vibe with a gorgeous set from her fantastic back catalogue. 
Her powerful soul-drenched vocals filled the park, with her joyous and welcoming onstage presence captivating the crowd. Playing songs of old and even a track from her collaboration with Quantic, the Brightonian soulstress more that lived up to the legendary reputation she has built for herself.
Briefly splitting my time between the bouncing beats of The Nextmen and cool house rhythms of Black Fan, Kudu Blue then took to the main stage as the final act before the headliner Goldie. A mighty big slot for the up-and-coming band from Brighton but they unquestionably owned it. This was the first time I had seen them as a four-piece and they made easy work of taking control of the big stage. 
Clementine filled the stage with her strong soulful tones and the band produced layers of rich electronic r’n’b which made for one of the standout performances. With anticipation at its peak, Goldie entered the stage with The Heritage Ensemble and played a live drum’n’bass set that felt a bit backwards. Gearing towards more mellow jazz tinted orchestration than the thumping basslines-driven bangers that some would have hoped for, the set at times did feel a tad underwhelming. 
There were without-a-doubt some truly beautiful moments, much thanks to the three fantastic vocalists, but for most of it the crowd were longing for more danceable beats to get down to on the warm Saturday evening. Goldie’s set came to a close just as songs had become heavier and the crowd got looser, but it was all just too-little-too-late. Thankfully there was still time to boogie down to the Jalapeno Sound System before the festival’s curfew ended an enjoyable festival experience.
Iain Lauder
Website: funktheformat.co.uk
Facebook: facebook.com/FunkTheFormat
Twitter: twitter.com/funktheformat
Read our Making Waves interview with Funk The Format Festival curator Lucy ‘Elle J’ Small’s HERE.