If you only attend one concert this October, there could scarcely be a wiser choice than Michigan funk band Vulfpeck. Spending a night in the company of Jack Stratton, Theo Katzman, Woody Goss and Joey Dart is an experience that you will not regret. It is not the group’s style to provide the audience with a performance that is anything short of unforgettable.
The band takes inspiration from old-style television performances, something which is reflected in its live shows. The group’s concerts are a time-transcending experience. They use techniques, such as voiceovers, to encapsulate the vibe of a vintage television studio. This, combined with their songs, harps back to a glorious past of James Brown and gaudy shirts. Yet Vulfpeck certainly does not sound like a product of nostalgia, as the music is also fresh and forward-looking. They represent an innovative future of funk that also pays homage to the past.
Vulfpeck are well known for their eccentric antics. In 2014, they released a silent album on Spotify for which they used the royalties to fund an admission-free tour. Naturally, Spotify removed the album as a violation of their terms of contract, but the band still managed to generate $20,000 and complete the tour. This anecdote is reflective of Vulfpeck as a whole. The band constantly teeters on the divide between madness and genius, yet everything they do turns out incredibly in the end, seemingly by some mysterious force of nature.
If you do not know the music of Vulfpeck, expect unconventional song structures, complex grooves, strong syncopated rhythms and utterly sublime basslines. Their instrumental romps are the type that will make you get up and dance no matter where you are, absorbing the pulsing beats and releasing them through the only medium possible.
Judging from previous performances in their Wisdom of Crowds Tour, the career-spanning setlist will embrace the highlights of their previous three albums, from classic Vulfpeck tunes such as “Back Pocket” to fan favourites like “Running Away”. It will likely also be garnished with various cover versions, some of which have formerly included The Jackson 5’s I Want You Back and Earth, Wind & Fire’s September. With infectious enthusiasm, the band members always put on an exhilarating and exuberant performance.
Vulfpeck will play in The Olympia Theatre on the 1st and 2nd of October. Limited tickets are still available for the second date.
