By Rachel Emily Auton
Jan. 28, 2014. Don’t let the name fool you, “Bubonik Funk” is anything but just a funk band. This eclectic quartet’s anticipated Jan. 31 return to Boone will not be one to miss. The band, hailing from Charlotte, is slated to play Murphy’s Restaurant & Pub in Boone this Friday.
The band effortlessly synthesizes the funk/rock of bands like the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Parliament Funkadelic, and Led Zepellin with the soul of D’Angelo, and even a dash of classic hip hop a la the Roots.
“The word ‘funk’ in the name refers more to a feeling than a style,” said Nick McOwen, bassist for the band.
“We took ‘Bubonik’ from the bubonic plague, a contagious plague, so we try to make it a contagious feeling.”
Contagious is right. Their unique and cohesive sound features repetitive, anthemic lyrics over heavy riffs and bass lines set to a irresistible rhythmic groove as heard best in “TV On My Head” off of the band’s most recent EP, “Live @ Amos’ Southend.”
The band of four childhood friends, Stefan Kallander (guitar, vocals), Dylan Ellett (vocals, keys), Nick McOwen (bass, synth) and Daniel Allison (drums, vocals,) originated as a glorified garage band in 2006.
“We got together as a band our Junior year of high school.” said McOwnen.
“We did the typical high school band thing, we practiced once a week with a gig like once every month.”
McOwen names the band’s greatest success thus far as staying together through college, where they wrote their first two albums via email in the vein of one of the band’s self-proclaimed inspirations, Phish.
The band has only evolved since, releasing three self-produced albums and garnering an avid audience through successful East Coast tours due in no small part to their captivating personality and characteristic stage antics.
“Dylan’s gonna jump around and sing and throw a TV up and down, I’m gonna sway and try to look good, Stefan is gonna rock and make crazy guitar music and Daniel will play the drums,” said McOwen. “He might even whip out the Germanian Bag Synth.”
Needless to say, “Bubonik Funk” at Murphy’s this Friday will likely be one of the best in entertainment that Boone has to offer. Music will begin around 11 p.m. with a $5 cover charge. After 10 p.m., patrons must be 21 years of age or older to enter the venue.
Check out a video here:
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t1U76MorMIk[/youtube]
For more information on the band, visit their website here.
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