Five Alarm Funk make a along awaited return to Lethbridge,Tuesday, June 25 at the Slice.
They have been busy with touring and releasing two albums since they last played here. So drummer Tayo Branston of the Vancouver based Theatrical funk rock juggernaut
“ It‘s been too long. And Lethbridge has always been very supportive of us. But we haven’t been able to make it work,” enthused Branston.
“ But this is most excited and focussed we’ve ever been. I think people are going to freak when they see us. There will be pizzas flying off the roof of the Slice,” Branston chuckled, adding they just finished recording a new CD, the follow up to their Juno nominated “Sweat.”
They just returned from a whirlwind few days in Guadalajara , Mexica, where they were playing FIMPro for booking agents and some of the important moves and shakers in the Mexican music industry.
“ We only played one show but we also had a lot of press calls. Music B..C. brought us in to be part of the B.C. Music showcase. We arrived late on the first day, played on the second day, had a bunch of obligations on the third and left really early on the fourth day, so it really was a whirlwind,” Branston summarized.
“It was the best week of our lives. Everybody came to all the shows and listened to all the artists and we got to meet a lot of agents and venue owners. The music was great, the food was great and everyone was so friendly,” he said.
“It’s definitely not as aggressive as our other works, like ‘Abandon earth,” which was almost heavy metal with a concept. ‘ Sweat” was a little less aggressive. It was nominated for a Juno. we didn’t get a Juno, but that’s fine. We just want to make music. The creators and player know how to communicate exactly what we want to hear,” Branston said.
“This new CD is just very exciting, bumping dance music. there will be something for everyone to enjoy,” he said.
“ We’ll be playing the album front to back in Lethbridge and we’re digging up some classics we haven’t played in years. We’ll have the props and the costumes. If you can go to a show and laugh, not at people but laugh because you’re having a great time, then that’s what we want,” he continued, noting the band has been together for 16 years.
“We formed in 2003 in a garage. We’ve never sounded better. He have 16 years of experience and we‘re a honed force to be reckoned with after 16 years.
The Lethbridge show is one of only a few indoor shows they are playing this year.
“ We’re a festival band. It’s like 40 degrees inside a club on a hot day,” Branston noted, adding they have several big festivals booked this year including the Vancouver Jazz Festival, Saskatoon Jazz Festival, Laketown Shakedown on Vancouver Island, Sunfest in London, Ontario, Festival d’été in Quebec City and the Harvest Jazz and Blues Festival in Fredericton.
“But that’s not until September,” he enthused.
Tickets for the Lethbridge show are going fast. They are $20 in advance at the Slice and $25 at the door while they last. The show begins at 8:30 p.m.
