If you think the best thing to come out of Cambridge is 107 Nobel Prize winners, you've clearly never seen Colonel Spanky's Love Ensemble. Formed in 2009, the brainchild of the city's ten finest funk-mongers came to life within the hallowed halls of Clare College, Cambridge, when a group of undergrads spotted their mutual appreciation for bombastic Riot Jazz and the infectious rhythms of New Orleans Brass bands. Having spent their first years making a name for themselves at gigs in the private student bars and lavish society balls, they have come to form an integral part of the music scene that bridges the town/gown divide in the country's academic capital.
With memorably high energy cover performances that span genres as diverse as pop, rap, jazz, funk and ska, the Love Ensemble have appeared on stages alongside the likes of Tinie Tempah, Basshunter, Laura Mvula and Gentleman's Dub Club.
Specialising in knees-up dancing, sing-alongs, raucous rapping and sexy saxophone solos, the Love Ensemble will twist anything from 80s pop to smooth soul into the unique Colonel Spanky's sound.
Church weddings, marquee weddings, festival weddings, we love 'em all!
Cambridge colleges are renowned for their student socials, known as "bops".
A typical "May Week" (usually in June) will see us play up to 25 gigs in one week!
There's nothing like the sweaty thrill of live music to bring a night out to another level!
The roar of the crowd under the stars...need we say more?
The perfect way to let off some steam with your colleagues!
Nick Wise
Alice Durand and Fingal Plumpton
Tom Edinburgh
Milo Flynn
Zoe Starling
Noah Turner
Anna-Maria Woodrow
Jo Humphrey
Check your calendar and figure out how a band is going to fit in at your event.
We can play for up to 2 hours. This can split up however you like, e.g. 2 x 1 hour.
Email us at colonelspankys@gmail.com!
We operate best as a 10-piece, and as such we never deliberately "shrink" the band. However, there are occasions when we do not have full duplication of horn players due to absences, and in those circumstances we can perform with fewer people. We never perform with less than 7 players though!
St. John's College May Ball is allegedly the 7th best party in the world...and we've played at it every single year for the past 7 years!
We need at least 30 minutes to set up, but we usually try to leave at least an hour to allow for last minute changes.
Yes! We can provide everything we need for performing (amps, microphones, lighting, PA, drum kit), though we may need to charge extra for transportation of the gear and occasional hire fees.
Cambridge Corn Exchange, almost every single Cambridge college's May Ball, Relevant Records (Cambridge), The Blue Moon (Cambridge) Knebworth House (Stevenage), Cambridge Pride, Strawberry Fair, Strawberries & Creem Festival, Ace Hotel London, Cambridge Junction, Henley Rowing Museum, De Vere Grand Connaught Rooms (London), Anstey Hall Hotel (Trumpington), + hundreds of others!
Greg Butler - Pigs Big Ballroom, Camp Bestival
Mark Littlewood - CEO, Business Leaders Network
Rob Ferguson -Stage Manager, Cambridge Pride 2019
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