This past Wednesday, a funky tradition continued as we teamed up with Dumpstaphunk for the third annual Phunksgiving concert. Ivan Neville and co. started the New York holiday tradition at B.B. King‘s two years ago, hitting the Capitol Theater last year before bringing the beloved show to the cozy confines of American Beauty. The show features two sets of Dumpstaphunk, with set one showcasing their originals, while set two centers around a theme with lots of fun covers and a ton of special guests. This year’s theme was “70s Funk Classics and Rock N Roll Stew”, and they certainly didn’t disappoint, as the band busted out several fan-favorites from across the musical spectrum, and plenty of excellent special guests along for the ride.
The first set saw Dumpstaphunk tear through their down-and-dirty originals, showcasing why they are one of the best funk bands in the biz. They invited out the incredible Brandon “Taz” Niederauer to add his patented guitar fireworks to their “Bluewsave”, amongst a set of awesomeness that got the crowd moving. When it came time for setbreak, Neville announced that the band wouldn’t be taking a break, and would instead go right into their themed set of 70s covers. The band wasted no time, launching into Parliament‘s “Dr. Funkenstein”. The band would invite former drummer Nikki Glaspie to the stage, alongside the young wizard Taz, and they both led the band through an electric version of Led Zeppelin‘s “Immigrant Song”. The Band‘s cover of Marvin Gaye‘s “Don’t Do It” followed, with Eric Krasno taking the stage for a true highlight.
The show was filled with huge and celebratory highs, and it was truly a funky night to remember. See below for a video of “Blueswave” featuring Brandon “Taz” Niederauer, and also check out a photo gallery from Capacity Images.
Dumpstaphunk with Brandon “Taz” Niederauer
Photos courtesy of Capacity Images; see the full gallery below.
