Friday night, local funk favorites kicked off the first of their two-night sold out Hometown Hustle run at Denver’s Ogden Theater.
Known by many as cover specialists–for a decade they have played tribute shows of funk legends across the Front Range on Halloween–Friday’s show instead focused on progressive original material.
The evening opened with a set from up-in-comers The Main Squeeze, a five-piece soul outfit from Chicago. The band is fronted by the silky vocals of Corey Frye, who paraded around the stage in a kimono for much of the set. Highlights included a rowdy interpretation of Black Sabbath’s “War Pigs” and a shredding keytar solo from Ben Silverstein to close out the set.
After a set break with Vulfpeck strategically playing in the background, The Motet took to the stage.
The brainchild of drummer and bandleader Dave Watts, the band included their usual seven-piece core with the addition of two guest vocalists Ladamion Massey and Tanya Shylock to complement frontman/percussionist Jans Ingber. As usual, the syncopated playing from bassist Garrett Sayers and tight-knit horn section of Gabe Mervine on trumpet and Matt Pitts on tenor saxophone created a sound almost impossible not to dance to. The Ogden was alive with movement from the first note.
The night focused heavily on newer material from the band’s self-titled 2014 release. This included a funked up “Like We Own It,” the deep pocket of “Rynodub,” and a take of “Keep On Don’t Stoppin'” that let keyboardist Joey Porter open up with vocals on his signature talk box.
The Motet also debuted a handful of new, never-before-heard tracks. “So High,” co-written with guitarist Eric Krasno (Soulive, Lettuce) stayed true to the straight-ahead funk the band has focused on in recent years. “Solarplexis,” a new instrumental, certainly did not. The track was the highlight of the night, diving into a dark jam that climaxed with an effect-ridden trumpet solo from Mervine.
The night was not without its covers though. Parliament’s “Handcuffs” made an appearance and The Main Squeeze’s Frye was invited back out for an encore of Micheal Jackson’s “Remember the Time.”
The crowd erupted at the band’s final announcement: The Motet will be headlining Red Rocks Amphitheater again in 2016 with support from Vulfpeck and Medeski, Martin and Wood. They continue their hometown hustle on Saturday night at the Ogden for a sold out Mixtape 1977 performance.
