Soulive Brings Antwaun Stanley, Lawrence, Snarky Puppy Horns To Friday Bowlive [Videos]

Bowlive is officially back, and three shows into their nine show run at New York’s Brooklyn Bowl. After a year and a half off from the traditional Soulive residency, both the band and the fans are readier than ever for each coming night of madness to ensue. With a different slate of guests each night, every show presents a new atmosphere for the sensational trio that is Eric Krasno, Neal Evans, and Alan Evans to do what they do best. The first set starts with pure Soulive, delivering a healthy dose of originals with perhaps a few cover mixed in. Last night in particular featured a 3-or-so-minute segment of the Allman Brothers‘ “Mountain Jam” that had the crowed roaring.

Before Soulive started on Friday night, up-and-coming funk-poppers Lawrence opened the show. The brother-sister big band brought their devoted fanbase to the Brooklyn Bowl for an energetically-charged performance of epic proportions. Lawrence also invited guest vocalist Antwaun Stanley for a cover of Justin Bieber‘s “Sorry” and Chance The Rapper‘s “Blessings.” See below, as captured by Evan’s Funky Space:

Soulive’s first guests of the night were the Snarky Puppy Horns toward the end of the first set with raging versions of “Hat Trick” and “Cannonball.” Their musical contributions instantly added new elements that upped the energy to a fresh degree.

After a short break, the band returned to the stage again with the horn section, members of Lawrence, and Antwaun Stanley for a rocking second set. The cover-heavy set began with Stevie Wonder‘s “Signed, Sealed, Delivered” and Steely Dan‘s “Peg” that had the room dancing from the get-go. Then came a monstrous version of Vulfpeck‘s “Funky Duck,” unlike any previous version, differentiated by a ten-piece band and a blazing harmony section. When the song seemingly ended, the Funky Duck himself returned to the microphone asking for the crowd to engage in a cappella before the band kicked right back into a “Funky Duck” reprise. It was a truly marvelous spectacle, only one-upped by another Vulfpeck original, “Wait For The Moment,” that again brought new sounds with the full-band iteration.

The pair of Vulfpeck songs segued into a beautiful “Takin’ It To The Streets” by the Doobie Brothers. Antwaun Stanley once again showed off his incredible vocals with Al Green‘s “Love And Happiness,” before the full band closed with a huge “Shining Star.”

Soulive returned to the stage for a three-song encore that featured an original, Sly and The Family Stone‘s “If You Want Me To Stay” and “Sing A Simple Song.”

See below for video highlights from Evan Pragliola and Dhaval Shah:

Uncle Junior