The premier organizer of independent music in the region, LAVA Presents, has already brought dozens of acts to the stage. That momentum is carrying them into NorFunk Fest this Saturday.
For fans of jam bands like Umphrey’s McGee, Pigeons Playing Ping Pong, Goose, Phish, and Disco Biscuits, this show is made just for you. The headliner TAUK is a four-person instrumental band. The absence of words lets the melodic grooves take center stage. Critics, like Keyboard Magazine, claim they go even further by rejecting an “adherence to a single genre.” They’ve gone on tour with some of the biggest jam bands on the circuit and played large festivals that include Bonaroo and Electric Forest. Fans, like John Smith, expect TAUK to “mesmerize me and melt off the worries of the world.”
Alongside TAUK, three highly-regarded local bands will share the stage at NorFunk Fest.
Paper Aliens has joined T in the land of genre-defiance. The five-person group pairs big, soulful vocals with psychedelic riffs for an irresistible mix. In recent years, they’ve commanded a loyal following of locals by bringing an energy that ensures every audience member will have a good time. Their latest release, “Unidentified Audio Phenomenon,” has been streamed thousands of times and is praised for its “pure funk-forward jazz.”
Delirious George has been circulating regional venues of all sizes for years. The five-person crew specializes in precision funk which they define as “the energy of Jam music with a soulful rhythm section from the funk days of old.”
Ben & Friends round out the lineup. The group’s core is Ben Egan, and the rest of the band is fluid. Like Ben’s movement between musical styles, the artists who accompany him on stage are constantly changing. There’s no set lineup, so each show is guaranteed to be unique to that space in time. Concerts resemble more of a jam sesh between friendly musicians than the typical performance of well-practiced tracks. When the group finds that groove and feels the crowd’s energy, they build on it and drive it to further heights.
Paul Stetson Rice
Chelsea, NFK
Paul is the creator of NFKVA.com. He was born and raised in Norfolk, graduated from Virginia Tech, and narrowly avoided law school. Chat with him about economics, entrepreneurship, hip-hop, and hiking. When he's not working on five different projects, you'll catch him sharing a beer with friends at a local brewery.
