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MacEwan CFAC bands funk up the Needle

by | Nov 29, 2016 | Culture | 0 comments

What are Sunday mornings for? The obvious answer is trying to piece together what happened Saturday night over brunch and mimosas, duh. So why not do it accompanied by some local music?

On Nov. 20, two bands hailing from that far-away orange building, better known as CFAC, went to funk up The Needle Vinyl Tavern to help brunchers and dancers groove back into their (hungover) day as part of their “Soul Sunday.”

Hello, Me was one of the bands playing at the tavern. The seven members of the band were drawn together while attending the music program at MacEwan.

“The band was a great way for all of us to express ourselves musically, in a way we wanted to that we couldn’t necessarily do at music school,” saxophonist, talk-boxist and vocalist Jonathan Deppisch says. The band has a hard time describing their sound, because really, it’s a mix of everything.

“We’re really comfortable with each other and how we play. (Hello, Me) is a safe and welcoming environment to be ourselves and try new things,” bass player Mark Romero says.

Ranging from everything from loud jazz, to hip-hop, to punk, Hello, Me take their listeners on a musical journey where the destination is always a surprise, but busting out your best dance moves and  “Groovin’ High” is a guarantee.

“We don’t let genres define us. We don’t even really think about them,” says Romero. Their “I Do What I Want” attitude is reflected in their performances, which include a mixture of instrumental, rap, and soul tracks.

“Starting a band is like starting a romantic relationship; you have to make time for each other, or else everything will fall apart, Deppisch says. It sounds like the upcoming year will be full of quality band time.

As for what the band currently has in the works, Hello, Me is busy writing new music to incorporate their three new members, starting work on a full-length album, and applying to summer music festivals. If you simply can’t wait to “Jam” with Hello, Me, be sure to catch them on Dec. 10 at Brado’s Pizza.

When Sunday night rolled around, people slipped on their dancing shoes for part two of “Soul Sunday” with Carter & the Capitals, a five-piece funk/soul-pop band. The boys met during their first year in the music program at MacEwan, and they were impressed with each other’s musicianship.

The group combines sexy, soulful singing with a mixture of funky instrumental riffs to create danceable tracks that they guarantee will “Take You for a Ride” straight to the dance floor.

Carter & the Capitals spent the last summer touring and dancing their way through Alberta and British Columbia and they recently had the opportunity to open for Busty and the Bass at the Rec Room.

“It was incredible. The venue in the Rec Room is unreal, and the crowd was wild. Opening up for Busty and the Bass was an honour!” vocalist Lindon Carter says.

So what’s coming up for Carter & the Capitals? The group is busy filming a live performance video, working on a photo shoot for their new single “Get Down,” and writing new music for the upcoming year. But don’t feel “Guilty” about missing any of their previous shows. To those interested in seeing the band live, Carter & the Capitals have two upcoming performances to help you boogie your way into 2017.

You can catch them performing at “The Third Rockin’ Charity Yule Ball” on Jan.7 or at their single release show on Jan. 20 at The Needle. “People can expect to hear familiar songs that we’ve played as well as new material with new banging arrangements … (and) brand new dance moves!” Carter says.

At the end of the day, it’s safe to say that the musicians from that little orange building are producing some danceable beats that will be sure to get anyone grooving, any day of the week.

Jessica Robb

The Griff

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