Review: Bonerama @ Funk Fest III
We’d like to welcome back Cock Jenkins to review Bonerama’s performance at Funk Fest III at The Parish in Austin, Texas…
In the self-proclaimed music capitol of the world there seems to be no shortage of musicians performing and interacting together in Austin, Texas. But when one music capitol of the world is invaded by musicians from another music capitol of the world (say, New Orleans for example), it’s safe to bet you’ll see some firepower. Or more aptly, funkpower as was displayed over the weekend at FunkFest III at the Parish on 6th Street in downtown Austin. Two nights of hard-hitting raw funk that leaned heavy on the grooves of today’s Austin and New Orleans best in funk brass and jam music including Stanton Moore Trio, The Greyhounds ftr Topaz, Flyjack and T-Bird & The Breaks. Headlining FunkFest III Saturday night was New Orleans’ new brand of horn heavy sounds, Bonerama who by all accounts either have a lot of trombones in the band or spend too much time online.
READ ON for more from Bonerama in Austin…
It was clear as the Bones wasted no time explaining themselves as they cut right into a fiery cover of Manic Depression bookended cleverly by an Allman Brothers inspired “Dreams”-like opening and closing. After weaving in and out of Bonerama originals Bap Bap and Christiania, the multi-bone front wall of metal smashed out an even heavier performance of When The Levee Breaks nailed with a dynamic and inspired vocal by trombonist Mark Mullins as well as his signature electric trombone wailing. When the dust settled Craig Klein was left holding the wheel and drove the band through the twists and turns of Lost My House (But I Got My Rugalator) a post-Katrina Bonerama original co-written with The Radiators’ Dave Malone.
Only friends could help out at this point and the Bones turned to fellow New Orleans resident Robert Walter to help with his huge yet complimentary sounds and textures of his B3 organ on Folly. Walter’s solos seem so effortless in delivery but contribute masterfully to a groups sound without ever taking over. Also in the wings on this night was Galactic’s Stanton Moore who had headlined FunkFest III the previous night with his trio. Moore joined Bonerama and Walter on one of Moore’s originals Sprung Monkey (recorded with Moore on Bonerama’s Bringing It Home CD). Moore continued pushing this brass machine on Led Zeppelin’s The Ocean and George Porter Jr.’s By Athenish. It all proved to be too much as the music bled beyond curfew in a city that probably shouldn’t have one.
After clearing the stage, Bonerama acknowledged the crowd and returned for one more song, I’m Walkin’, – a tip of the hat to their hometown New Orleans, joined again by Robert Walter (who apparently wanted to sit in on anything Fats Domino) and Austin’s own Ephraim Owens on trumpet bringing the night into a semblance of full circle. Austin and New Orleans together, not a bad thing at all, – if Austin could only let them go all night long…
, which saw Dr. Dog ditching its lo-fi roots for more ornate studio tricks and more cohesive songs.
