There’s two different sides to After Funk. Off stage they’re loose, relaxed, projecting a classic don’t-give-a-shit type attitude. Before their set at a March 1 show at House of Targ, the Toronto-based band reminisced about the University of Western Ontario’s orientation week, dreamed about touring with Dave Chappelle, and shared stories about gas station tacos. On stage, they were energetic, tight, virtuosic, and commanded the crowd’s attention with their fun performance style and robust soloing. But most of all, throughout the evening, they never lost their fun-loving edge, and their infectious energy could be felt the entire set.
Drawing from influences such as Lettuce, Five Alarm Funk, and D’Angelo, After Funk combines jazz musicianship with the energy of funk and R&B. Calling themselves a “Toronto-based funk, rock, and soul party,” the band plays with the effortless spontaneity of a seasoned jazz combo while getting audiences dancing. Guitarist Phil Tessis and singer/keyboardist Yanick Allwood were both tremendous soloists, commanding total attention with their virtuosic chops. Drummer Jaime Rosenberg and bassist Justin Bontje were no slouches either, and took full advantage when they were in the spotlight.
Their eclectic influences showed with their setlist choices, with a large amount of covers popping up throughout the show. D’Angelo’s “Brown Sugar” made an appearance, as so did The Beatles’ “I Want You (She’s So Heavy).” They paid tribute to James Brown with a selection of tracks like “Sex Machine” and “Get Up Offa That Thing,” and turned Pigbag’s 1981 classic “Papa’s Got a Brand New Pigbag” into a lengthy jam session. Their encore? Led Zeppelin’s “Kashmir.” They made their original material count, with a revved-up version of “Freak,” their latest single, and a strutting version of “Elephant Walk,” off 2015’s ‘Til the Sun Comes Up.
The band was loose the entire evening, with effortless banter between the group and the audience, and guest musicians popping up throughout the set. Off the stage, they didn’t lose their joking side either. When asked who would they want to tour with someday, they talked about opening for Tony Robbins, fire spinners, Cardi B, and Shaggy. They spent time wondering out loud if was possible to eat 1,000 mozzarella sticks, and shared stories of playing alongside teenagers in a Yarmouth, N.S., convention centre.
The band is gearing up for lots of shows coming up, a new record in the fall, and they’re excited to travel out west for the first time, Rosenberg said. Their new material will be more mature and feature better recording, but it won’t lose the core aspects of their sound.
“It’s still us,” Bontje said.
Leaving House of Targ, it was hard not to be struck with how capably After Funk balanced these two sides of themselves. They looked like four dudes just having fun more than anything, who found enjoyment in their soul-jazz-rock hybrid, while at the same time stunning everyone with their musical virtuosity. After all, you can’t spell After Funk without ‘fun.’
Photo by Meagan Casalino
