When the evening began, Jason Hann got behind the drum kit, Steve Molitz took his normal perch behind the keyboards, and Joe Marcinek struck up the first notes of the evening. Once they got going, the band started to take flight. With Pennal Johnson on bass, and Dee Mill, the guitarist and vocalist from the Peoria based band, Art of ILL Fusion, the performance last Friday, May 20th at the Country Club BBQ was smoking.

With about every space indoor and outdoor venue occupied, the vibe in the club was high from start to finish, and the capacity crowd was eating it up. The band played two electrifying sets, which included a range of funky covers from The Meters , Stevie Wonder, Michael Jackson, The Grateful Dead, Bob Dylan, and KC and The Sunshine Band, and Phish. They also took on high energy versions of Particle’s “Launchpad” and “Metropolis,” as well as two new Marcinek originals, “George” and “Slink,” which will be on Marcinek’s new album.

The improv sections of the evening went far into space, and were maxed to their potential by Marcinek and Mill’s soaring guitar work, Molitz’s mastery of his signature jam-tronic sound, and the ever present, funktifiying low end being held down by Pennal Johnson. This show really seemed to catch the vibe of the “sit in” or the super jam and the fans in attendance were all dancing and weaving their way through the musical madness.

Highlights of the night included Hann busting out the vocals on KC’s “Boogeyman” and Stevie Wonder’s “Masterblaster”, multiple bass solo break downs, and Marcinek and Mill playing guitar together as if they’d been doing so for years. The extra special guest of the evening was Peoria guitar virtuoso, Roy Ponce from the band Brainchild, who joined the band for a absolutely amazing cover of “Jan Jan” by Grant Green. 

After the show, the band members expressed their thorough enjoyment for the night of music, and are considering making it a pre-Summer Camp annual tradition. Let’s hope they do! This group needs to play more shows soon.

Check out videos, full audio, setlists and more below!

Setlist: Joe Marcinek Band at Country Club BBQ, Peoria, IL – 5/20/2016

Set I: George, Scarlet Begonias, Cissy Strut, I Wish, Metropolis > Space Funk Improv 1 > Billie Jean > Space Funk Improv 2 > Boogeyman

Set II: Quinn The Eskimo> Dark Improv > Quinn The Eskimo, Launchpad >Space Improv> Funk Dance Party Improv, Master Blaster, Shakedown Street > Wanna Be Startin Something > Bass Breakdown>Don’t Stop Til Ya Get Enough >Shakedown Street*, Jan Jan, Living For The City

E: Funky Bitch

* Featuring Roy Ponce

Video
JVC 1080i HD

Audio

Source 1 SBD Matrix Mix
Source 2 Crowd Mic Matrix

Sound and Lighting provided by

GW Sound and Lighting Group Pekin, IL

Johnny Gasparac   FOH
Brian Wallinger       Monitors
Cody Heffen            Lights