Courtesy of Maggie MacPhersonFive Alarm Funk
with Mild Barbarians, and Carter & the Capitals
Needle Vinyl Tavern
March 16th, 2017 (Doors at 7pm)
Tickets: $20 (available here)
Imagine you’re watching Shark Tank, when onto your screen walk eight wild men carrying all sorts of instruments, ready to sell themselves to the likes of Mark Cuban, and Mr. Wonderful himself, Kevin O’Leary. The clock starts and their elevator pitch begins.
“We’re the hottest, tightest, punchiest band you’ve ever seen. We’re doing national runs across Canada and into the U.S., and have made tons of headway over our 14 years playing together. Everything we’ve worked on has really all come to this one pinnacle moment, and we want you all to be a part of it!”
These are the words of drummer/vocalist Tayo Branston, as he describes how he’d get a distinguished panel of judges to invest in his eight-piece, instrumental, Gypsy-rock, afro-funk, ska-punk band otherwise known as Five Alarm Funk. The Vancouver-based group features a lineup of drums, trumpet, congas, and every noise machine in between. Since forming in the early 2000’s they’ve released seven studio albums and toured across the country and beyond. In support of their latest effort, Sweat, the group will pay a visit to Edmonton’s Needle Vinyl Tavern this Thursday night.
The Sweat Tour marks the sixth consecutive national tour for Five Alarm Funk, but the band couldn’t be happier. Because no matter where they are, they just love playing for crowds.
“Wherever your venue’s at, as long as the people are there and enjoying it, we love it,” Branston says. “You go rock one night in Thunder Bay, and then you’re in Toronto a few nights later, and they’re all awesome in between. Five Alarm Funk just loves playing and playing for people.”
The group’s passion for playing on stage is something that translated well into Sweat, says Branston. Coming right off the road and into the studio, the group could transfer the “power, energy, and mojo” of their live shows onto the record. That being said, Branston reinforces that Five Alarm Funk will always be a live band first.
“We love the stage, and every time we’re up there we give 120 per cent. That’s what we’re here to do, that’s our job,” he says. “(Playing shows) is all about meeting tons of new people, making friends, making fans, and seeing the country. It’s a beautiful way to exist.”
Branston himself is a unique part of each Five Alarm Funk show, wearing a minimal outfit of swim trunks and, well, not much else. While it’s possible the clothing-lite approach might have been something that helped with the ergonomics of his drumming, he assures that the decision was actually all about practicality.
“I just get too sweaty, and with the amount of shows we do back-to-back, I’d ruin all of my clothes,” Branston says. “I wore clothes for the first two years we were on the road and all my laundry would be gone within the first week. So, the swimsuit decision was really for a mindfulness of the tour. It’s an unfortunate thing though, cause you know, I love wearing clothes and stuff.”
While Five Alarm Funk’s energetic live shows have become a pillar of their brand, there still might be ways for them to kick things up a notch. Perhaps by organizing a battle of the bands? Branston initially chuckled at the thought, suggesting that he felt like he was “supposed to pick a crappy band” if they were trying to win. In actuality however, a battle of bands is something the group has considered, particularly after meeting Belgium-based La Chiva Gauntiva at a music festival in London, Ontario.
“Our battle of the bands would be our band facing La Chiva Gauntiva, and the idea was to call it SmashTurbo!” Branston says. “It would be the ultimate match-up, because (La Chiva Gauntiva) is very similar to us, super quirky with really high energy shows. So ya, prepare for Smash Turbo: Five Alarm Funk vs. La Chiva Gantiva.”
After many years on the road and numerous studio albums, Five Alarm Funk has continued to ramp up their signature energy and all out aesthetic. It seems that for the group, the only question that remains is one of whether or not there is still potential for the band to transcend five alarm and reach six alarm funk.
“That’s like asking if the Universe ends,” Branston says. “I don’t know if there’s anything hotter, more pungent, or intense than five alarms.”
