After a yearlong absence in Philadelphia, PA, the monster funk band from Chicago, The Main Squeeze was given a huge dose of “Brotherly Love” from the adoring packed house at the sold out Milkboy last Tuesday, November 24th. The five piece band has cultivated a hearty following in the Philly area, with several headline appearances at a local summer festival called Camp Jam over the last few years.
If you’re not familiar with The Main Squeeze and haven’t seen them live, well, where have you been and what are you waiting for? Led by the versatile and soulful golden vocals of Corey Frye, they are a top act in music today. With the support of four virtuosic musicians, Reuben Gingrich on drums, Jeremiah Hunt on bass, Ben ‘Smiley’ Silverstein on keyboards and guitarist Max Newman, they create an energy that blows the roof off any club or venue they play. Each member could easily be considered one of the tops in the music business; especially Max Newman, who’s many ambitious face-melting guitar solos had every jaw dropping to the floor.
Riding the wave of their most recent and successful release, Mind Your Head, their set list highlighted many songs from that album. The show opened with the song “All In,” and the more familiar tune “Message To The Lonely,” which featured Newman’s first mind blowing solo of the night. The band and crowd made it clear and evident that this was going to be a special night of music.
An early moment that would’ve made the “King of Pop” proud, Corey Frye delighted and impressed the tightly “squeezed” crowd with a stellar version of Michael Jackson’s classic “PYT (Pretty Young Thing).” Mr. Frye’s vocals fit MJ’s voice like a tightly fit sequined glove. After a brilliant version of their song “Ebaneezer,” the boys played one of my favorite songs on the playlist, the anthem-like tune called “I’ll Take Another” that spotlights several “wow” moments. One moment in particular was when Newman and Silverstein, donning a portable Lucina Synthesizer, dueled it out and traded riffs for several minutes at center stage, driving the capacity crowd into a frenzy.
I’ve seen many bands and have been to many shows that encourage crowd surfing, but The Main Squeeze has never been one of them. Tonight was a bit different, however, as one fan hopped on stage and launched himself into the crowd. Luckily he found the section strong enough to carry him from the front to the back. Oddly enough, it was by far the easiest way to get to the bar and bathroom located in the rear of the venue. I wish I would’ve thought of it earlier when I tried to maneuver my way through carrying three drinks, almost spilling them along the way.
A couple more songs from the new releasem “Space Age Celebration” and “Love Yourself Somebody,” book-ended the crowd favorite tune “In A Funk,” which featured a unique arrangement by starting at a slow tempo and then sped up from verse to verse. The song also highlighted a very ambitious solo from guest bass player Will Robinson. Filling in on short notice, Robinson did an extraordinary job commanding the bottom end for the absent Jeramiah Hunt all night long, and proved to be the right man for the job.
During each song and throughout the set, each member showcased their amazing talent and together proving why The Main Squeeze are considered a musical force and a unique hybrid of funk, soul, and high powered rock and roll. A prime example of that would be the signature song and autobiographical tribute, “Dr. Funk,” which featured several moments of explosive energy and phenomenal musicianship.
They concluded with few more songs from the Mind Your Head album, “Tank Xing” and “#WWC”, during which our crowd surfer from earlier in the night was invited back on stage for a second successful attempt. It also gave Ben Silverstein another opportunity to come out from behind the keys, where he’d been commanding the sound all night long, to play the Lucina portable keyboard one last time. Just like he had done several times during the show, Corey Frye addressed the enthusiastic crowd and expressed his appreciation for them coming out on a Tuesday night, selling out their first show as a headliner in the “City of Brotherly Love.” The final song, “Two Steps,” was the perfect encore and gave the crowd everything it could ask for, leaving us all wanting more.
If you love classic soulful vocals, masterfully tight musicianship, and a show that is guaranteed to provide an entire evening of fun, then I highly recommend you go see THE MAIN SQUEEZE next time they come to town. For information, tour dates, and how you can get their awesome new release Mind Your Head, visit their website here.