When was the last time you got your funk on? Well, if it’s been that long, you missed a good one at the Capitol as two funky local bands, Felonious Funk and Fat Box, teamed up with Nashville funksters Deep Fried 5 for a night of popping bass lines, cool trumpets and saxophones, and those short and sweet rhythm guitar strums reminiscent of, oh, Sly & the Family Stone. Now we’re talking funky! Actually, the spirit of James Brown was flying around the theatre most of the night. This is music that makes you want to get up and move your feet, and just about anything else you like to work.

Felonious Funk kicked off the night, and with a name like that, how could it be anything else but funky? These guys play around Bowling Green a lot, most notably at 440 Main, and always get the crowd moving. Tonight was no exception. There was a nice-sized contingent of dancers that filled up the floor in front of the Capitol stage while Felonious rocked the house. Lead guitarist/vocalist Jordan Weiss provides the funky guitar and also arranges most of the tunes the band performs. They actually take some songs from out of the funk genre and make them funky. So don’t be surprised to hear some tunes you know and love played with a new twist. Key to any funk band is a heavy bass line, and bassist Ken Embry lays down the groove to perfection. Justin Mutter solidly completes the other half of the rhythm section on drums. Felonious Funk features one of the larger horn sections you will see in Bowling Green, with Clay Terry on sax and the duel trumpeting of Kevin Goodnight and Murf Adams. If you like horns check these guys out because they do it with style. For info check them out on FaceBook.

No one left the floor for long, because when Fat Box started playing their own brand of funk/jam/rock the dancing quickly picked up. Now Fat Box is a little more varied in style than just funk, but there are a few things that make them funky. Number one might be the percussion stylings of Troy Mimms. He plays bongos and many other “nice-touch” percussive instruments that add a special flavor to the band. Drummer Jonas Butler also comes out from behind the set occasionally to play trumpet, and lead guitarist Murf Adams, who’s a really smoking lead guitarist, sometimes will pick up the horn too. Mimms falls back onto the drum set when Butler plays trumpet. So with so many multi-talented players they always keep things interesting. Kevin Woolen plays a really strong bass and can sing a mean tune, and rhythm guitarist/vocalist Clay Powell offsets Woolen’s vocals dramatically with his own distinctive style. Since they were a little more varied than the funk genre I thought perhaps Fat Box should have opened this show, allowing Felonious Funk to bridge to the night’s headliners, Deep Fried 5, in a more traditional funk-style way. But the audience was up dancing to both bands, so it worked for them. Fat Box can also be found on FaceBook.

Deep Fried 5 hails from Nashville, and they are an extremely tight band. Performing mostly, if not all, original tunes, they kept the funk coming one tune after another. I really liked the groove guitarist Andrew Mueller was laying down all night. He is very precise in his strumming and you just hear it song after song. Guitarist/lead vocalist Eric Koslosky is a good front man with a voice that suits the music. Alex Dilley on bass and David Whitlow on drums provide the rhythm that’s so essential to great funk music. And like the two other bands that preceded them, they had their own touch of distinctiveness in the keyboard playing of Justin Martin. That’s a nice touch. I was impressed enough to pick up their latest CD. If you want to hear for yourself what I’m talking about check them out on myspace.com/thedeepfriedfive. You might want to check their calendar next time you go down to Nashville.

This entire evening of great music was presented by the Capitol, and there may be more of the same. Director Karen Hume is trying some new things to draw old and new audience members alike. So be on the lookout for shows that feature a regional headliner paired with a top-notch local act. If the Deep Fried 5 is any indication, you’ll be able to see some high-quality, out of town talent without having to leave Bowling Green. You’ll also see high quality local talent in the fantastic setting known as the Capitol Arts Center. It’s Bowling Green’s own showcase folks. Let’s use it. You won’t be disappointed. 

Funk Explosion performed at the Capitol Arts Center in Bowling Green, KYon 4/15/2011. 

About the author: Pennman bought his first 45 at age nine and has been hooked on rock ever since. He has spent much of his disposable income on music, especially live performances. He writes reviews of the shows he sees and keeps a keen lookout for upcoming shows in or near Bowling Green. He has a BA in Communications, specializing in journalism, and has dabbled in music himself, both as a player and instructor. Find more of Pennman’s work at www.associatedcontent.com/user/165511/pennman.html or visit him at www.myspace.com/pennman_bg or www.facebook.com/pennman