Revealed: Harrogate's The Ivory Bar to host Utah Saints for Funk My Life event’s third anniversary
Legends of the Rave era are to play a Harrogate bar this week for one of the town’s greatest dance nights.
After beginning in Harrogate clubs in the 1980s such as The Mix and Carringtons, it’s appropriate that Utah Saints are returning to their hometown on Friday, July 25 to play at Funk My Life’s third birthday at The Ivory Bar.
World renowned, Tim Garbutt and Jez Willis, who originally met each other while as music promoters and DJs in Harrogate at the birth of House Music, have been making music, DJ'ing and playing gigs around the globe for almost four decades.
Electronic dance pioneers, Utah Saints have enjoyed nine top 40 UK hits, four of which hit the Top 10 and have sold more than two million records worldwide.
They remain famous to this day for hits like What Can You Do For Me, number ten in the UK charts in 1991, and the Kate Bush-sampling Something Good, number four in 1992.
The talented duo have done it all, from sampling to the production and writing tracks with artists, including Michael Stipe from REM, Kate Bush, Annie Lennox, Edwin Starr, Chuck D of Public Enemy, Terrorvision, Arthur Baker, Annabella Lewin of Bow Wow Wow, Drumsound and Bassline Smith.
As well as hugely popular events at The Ivory Bar on The Ginnel in Harrogate, Funk My Life have also enjoyed success with The Courtyard Sessions at West Park.
By the end of 2025, the dance promoters, whose mission is to “unleash your inner funk,” will have hosted 19 free-entry events in 2025 in Harrogate alone.
Tickets for the Utah Saints night, which begins at 8.30pm, are available at: https://www.skiddle.com/whats-on/Harrogate/The-Ivory-Harrogate/FML---Funk-My-Life-3rd-Birthday-with-Utah-Saint/39307379/
The Ivory Bar also has free live music tonight, Thursday, July 24 in the shape of barnstorming blues, soul and rock band Xander & The Peace Pirates who will be performing from 8.30pm.
This brilliant band’s main figures, Keith and Stu Xander were discovered on YouTube by former Gibson Brands CEO Henry Juszkiewicz.
Their famous fans include industry legends such as Eddie Kramer (Jimi Hendrix/Led Zeppelin) and Rick Allen (Def Leppard).