By Marc Fong //
DāM-FunK (Live) with Nite Jewel, Sweater Funk //
The Independent – San Francisco
September 6th, 2015 //
Dâm-Funk is out to change funk. Born Damon Riddick, his performance at The Independent on a Sunday night with openers Nite Jewel and Sweater Funk was more than just a show. It was a statement.
Dâm-Funk’s sound was reminiscent of your favorite 70’s tune but minus the kitch-ness. There was a meaningfulness to his show that made it not only great, but poignant. The vibe was not that of a cheesy wedding.
Rather, Dâm-Funk gave the packed house a dose of real funk enjoyed as it once was. There was soul to it — a genuine homage to something that now is generally a parody of itself. Well, maybe homage isn’t exactly the right word.
Anyway, Dâm-Funk’s version of funk is definitely more modern, as he combines synths and percussion with a unique sound while still retaining the spirit of funk. Consequently, his take on “modern funk” with real soul is fantastic to hear live.
At the same time, one can’t help but think about the traditional notion of funk as music that shakes the booty and bobs the head. All in all, it was another funky good time at The Indy.
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