FUNK CANCER Was an Eight-Round Knock-Out
Saturday, October 15, was the day eight bands, a great venue and hundreds of supporters came out to FUNK CANCER. For those who need the Reader’s Digest version, here it is:
Eight bands performed at FUNK CANCER. Every band — all eight — played the best set ever or have never played better — from my personal perspective. You may go on about your business.
For those of you with a little more time:
This was a labor of love and survival for Kari Cat, organizing another FUNK CANCER event. Once again, she worked tirelessly with her crew to make sure this would top even last year’s deluxe day at the now shuttered Amsterdam (and we still miss John, Zoie, and The ‘Dam). This year, one of St. Petersburg’s best music friends, Mitch Gray, made sure that The Ringside Café would be the new home of this important event.
It was spectacular from start to finish.
Normally, the Ringside has no cover, but this was a benefit with a very minimal $10 cover. Larry the great security guy was there the whole time along with Gray and his wonderful staff. These people are great.
We arrived just as Porkupine was finishing its set, but we were delighted to hear they would get “one more song,” and what a song it was! Sean Hartley, Taylor Gilchrist (filling in last minute), Brad Elliott and the Rev. Funky D played a raucously superb version of “Ride Me High.” It was clear right then how this day would go.
One of the best aspects of the day was the impressive speed with which the bands and crew handled set changes. Bands started early or on time and usually got to squeeze in an extra song. Early on, the one item that needed tweaking was the volume. It was much too loud for the first two bands and music in between, but by the third set Andrew Kilmartin (Serotonic), working with the house engineer, had it managed just right.
Row Jomah started early and delivered big-time (hey, that would be another great Peter Gabriel cover!). They blasted off with “Outhouse” and “Cat People” before treating us to a new tune. It is always great when we can hear Joe Roma’s vocals distinctly. Then Mama Bone (Sara Phillips) joined the fun on “Funk” and “On a Starry Night.” Mel Walsh had a bunch of great guitar solos throughout the set.
Justino and the Difference are revered by many on the local scene as “the band.” What they do on a regular basis is incredible. What they did this set was seemingly impossible: play their extremely intricate fusion with a brand new drummer and a fill-in bass player! The new drummer is Billy Camillo; former drummer JT Thomas was in the house. Life happens, you know. And the bass player? Everyone’s go-to guy: Daniel Navarro (Us Four and Serotonic).
They kicked off with rocker “Signals” and slower vocal tune “Somewhere,” and then they really ripped our heads off with a really uptempo jazzy version of Alice in Chains’ “Would?” WOW! Camillo provided a great intro to “The Ever Receding Hairline of Dunjavich Adams” (the band’s first live video) before they blew up “Black Hole Sun” (which will be the band’s next, soon-to-be-released video).
If you have ever heard Justino’s tune “Pop Song,” you know it is almost impossible to count the number of changes in the song, and yet you would never have know this wasn’t the regular long-standing quartet. Bravo! Encore? Of course! A new tune: “Soul With A Capital S.”
Ajeva is directly at the heart of FUNK CANCER because of the band’s dedication to the cause and Taylor Gilchrist’s loving relationship with Kari Cat. The sextet played a stunning set, starting with “Family Feud,” “Sumthin’ Else” and “Funky Situation,” Reed Skahill so great on the vocals. Mark Mayea is one of the two best keyboard players in the area (the other one played later!), and he had a great night.
Gilchrist, Travis Young (drums) and Dean Arscott (percussion) were absolutely locked in as they unveiled part of their upcoming Hulaween set with a bunch of fun stuff thrown in, including “Mission: Impossible” and the Darth Vader theme. Skyler Golden ripped off a bunch of amazing guitar solos, and Skahill joined him.
“Floating Molecules” featured great keyboard work from Mayea underneath the drums. Golden again blew up “Space Ducks,” and they encored with a new tune, “Metaphysics.”
Serotonic had round five, this time as a quartet (Jon Tucker had a prior commitment). It worked to their advantage, as they came out flaming on “Something New” and then a Vulfpeck cover, “Beastly.” Jordan Garno has become a monster on guitar, and he rocked this entire set. Kilmartin was concerned about following a string of great drummers, but he acquitted himself very nicely.
Bryan Lewis was all over the next two on keyboards, originals “You Know What I’m Cookin’” and “Might as Well.” Garno again scorched “Leave It to Me,” and then he and Lewis had a great time covering TAUK’s “Mokuba.” Serotonic opens for TAUK November 17 at The Crowbar.
Next, they invited Kenny Walker up to sing a song the band does often, Stevie’s “Isn’t She Lovely?” Turns out it was a marriage proposal (she said yes!), and he had a really nice voice. With Tucker out, Lewis had more space on my favorite, “Rhinobelly.” Garno also had a great solo, but what holds this song together is the nasty bass line during the guitar solo, and Daniel Navarro OWNED it! They closed with “Cinotores” before choosing another new tune, “Off the Rails,” for their encore.
We were five for five on best-ever or as-good-as-ever performances. Could we go eight for eight?
The Juanjamon Band said YES immediately with “Hey Chester > Night of the Thumpasorus Peoples (May We Funk You?)” It was ON! They slowed the pace down (slightly) for “When You’re Going to New Orleans > Shake Your Tambourine.” Trevor McDannel and Michael “Thunderfoot” Garrie were killing it on bass and drums.
“Knockin’ Boots” jammed the already-filled dance floor, and then the P-Funk homage “If You Would” gave Dre Mack and Matt Giancola a great opportunity to stretch out on guitar and keyboards (especially clavinet), with Juanjamon wailing on tenor sax. Somehow, even more people were shakin’ it as they blasted into their last song, a brilliant cover of “Rosie.” Juanjamon had another superb tenor solo, followed by Giancola, Garrie and McDannel. Blessed with an encore, Juanjamon said the next song was necessary in this political climate, delivering a most heartfelt “Meesta Juanjamon” that featured the leader whipping his dreads and Mack beyond belief on guitar.
Holey Miss Moley faced the prospect of a set without the soul of the band: Christian Ryan. How would they respond? With an over-the-top wonderful set, of course! After “Bermuda Triangle” and “Naugatuck,” the band invited Juanjamon to join them along with Mama Bone and Cameron Willinger (trumpet — he also sat in last weekend).
A wicked version of “Devil Funk” emerged (Hallowe’en is coming, after all), with Jacob Cox taking an excellent extended guitar solo, then Mikey Guzman on clavinet, Juanjamon on tenor, Willinger, and another solo from Cox! Juanjamon stayed up for “Big Bad Wolf” and the band’s hottest setlist item, “Afroshaft.” For this tune, they invited Mark Mayea to play keyboards. Juanjamon and Cox tore this up.
This entire set belonged to Kenny Harvey on bass and Jamal “Music City” Wright on drums. They were simply tearing the roof off the sucker. And this highlights one of my main themes: how seamlessly all of these musicians cooperate and collaborate and work together. HMM’s drummer, Yral ‘datdudeondrums’ Morris was off in Missouri with Come Back Alice, but with Wright back there at kit you’d never know he was sitting in. Same happened last week when Garrie filled Morris’ chair.
Miss Robyn Alleman was slightly undermiked early, but it was perfect as she made “Don’t Stop” all her own, even better than last week’s incendiary version. And Danny Clemmons, the best front man for miles and miles, delivered a heart-wrenching “Heart of Steel” to close the set.
Seven for seven.
That left it to Future Vintage to close out the night. Boy, did they ever. Giancola and McDannel were already warmed up after their excellent set with Juanjamon, and now they and drummer Eric Layana were set to blast off into space with their funky/nasty jamtronic dance music. It began with one of the trio’s early originals, “Nighthawk,” then moving into that superb cover of the Back to the Future theme they unveiled a year ago today (10.21.15, anyone?) at the Crowbar. They smoke this one every time they play it. Layana was just so deep in the groove.
“Get Loose” was next, followed by the appropriately named “New Tune.” They closed the tremendous set with “Do It” and the title track from their excellent album Doin It Right. Discovering they had a few more minutes, Giancola said, “This will be the shortest version of ‘Feels So Good’ ever!” Short, maybe, but incredibly sweet.
Eight bands offered up eight incredible sets of music, for my money as good as they get (and all donated their time and talents to the cause).
Thanks again to Kari Cat and crew for all their hard work: Kari Hyde, founder; Taylor Gilchrist, bands/productions; Dean Arscott, graphic design; Hannah Hoyt, marketing; Janice Lautner, raffles; Andrew Kilmartin, sound and lighting; PK, MC; and Mitch Gray and the Ringside Café crew.
Proceeds went to Florida Cancer Specialist Foundation, a non-profit organization that helps patients undergoing treatment with everyday living costs.
Kari Cat is already at work on the 2017 edition. And you can take that to the bank.
