Craig Charles to bring his Funk 'n' Soul Club to Sunderland

An actor, host, broadcaster, and now one of the most-popular DJs in the country, Craig will open up his ‘trunk of funk’ on Friday, September 30, 2022, at The Point, in Holmeside, with special live guest Sir Funk.

From Robot Wars to Red Dwarf, Craig has now grounded himself as a Funk & Soul icon after nearly 20 years of broadcasting on BBC 6 Music with a prime time Saturday night show.

As of autumn 2021, Craig has also settled into a mid-afternoon slot on the station which has already proven a massive hit with listeners nationwide.

“When BBC6Music asked me to do a Saturday radio show I only had one condition, it has to be a funk & soul show," says Craig, when he was first approached by the station. And so, the Craig Charles Funk and Soul Show was born in 2002.

The show features an assortment of classic gems and emerging artists and has seen Craig garner global support as one of the UK’s foremost Funk and Soul commentators, DJ’s and promoters of new music. The show has also become a European benchmark for artists who want to connect directly with their fans.

He said: “Since its inception I have been interested in all varieties of soul and funk music, without imposing any barriers and I am just as enthusiastic about fresh new talent as I am about the classic artists from the golden age of the ‘60s and ‘70s.”

The list of guests that have been on The Funk and Soul Show includes: Gil-Scott Heron, James Brown, Roy Ayers, Cymande, Marlena Shaw, Paul Weller, Primal Scream, Terry Callier, Candi Staton, Marva Whitney.

Hip Hop legends, The Roots and the Jungle Brothers, as well as the leading players of the new school Kokolo, Cut Chemist, Sharon Jones, Osaka Monaurail, Amp Fiddler, Amy Winehouse, The New Mastersounds, Smoove and Turrell, Quantic, The Apples, The Grits, JTQ, and The Fusion Experience.

Mr Charles and his trunk of funk DJs every weekend throughout the UK – stopping regularly at Band on The Wall in Manchester for his monthly residency.

The monthly stop off is currently one of the most anticipated nights in Manchester’s scene, with an array of guests such as, Maceo Parker, The BlackByrds, Smoove & Turrell, New Mastersounds, The Perceptions, Speedometer, Lack of Afro and Funkshone.

Craig Charles has performed the show to crowds across the country and has played numerous festivals such as, Love Box, Park Life, Festival no 6, Wychwood Festival, Common People, Mostly Jazz funk and soul festival to name but a few.

Earlier in the year, the Glastonbury-staple confirmed that he will be playing an epic set at Glastonbury’s Shangri-La this summer.

Last year, The Point reopened its doors after a £150,000 refit which included improving the light and sound rig.

:: Craig Charles Funk & Soul Club Live is at The Point, Holmeside, Sunderland on September 30, 2022, from 9pm to 2am. Tickets are £20, plus booking fee, and are available now from seetickets.com