MARCHFOURTH & SOPHISTAFUNK w/ SONIC BENDERS @ MIDTOWN BALLROOM - 5/11/23

51 Northwest Greenwood Avenue,Bend OR 97701

11 May, 2023

Description

Parallel 44 Presents The 5/11 Funk Fiesta feat. MARCHFOURTH & SOPHISTAFUNK on Thursday, May 11, 2023 at Midtown Ballroom in Bend, OR. We are overjoyed to be bringing two of our favorite funk dance party powerhouses back to Bend for the first time in years. And to have them together on the same night is a true slice of kismet and synergy. Toss in an opening set from Bend's hottest new roots Funk group SONIC BENDERS and you have another amazing celebration of music, dance and community togetherness. Doors open at 7pm. Show starts at 8pm. All ages are welcome. No refunds. About MARCHFOURTH: MarchFourth is a joy-inducing force of entertainment, celebrating their 20th Anniversary this year. The colorful explosion of brassy funk, rock, and jazz is all about the groove. This larger-than-life group of 15 musicians, dancers and acrobats brings a spirit of celebration wherever they go. MarchFourth is, in a word, FUN! With exceptional musical quality and a visual kaleidoscope of performers, MarchFourth is a spectacle of high-energy compositions, colorful costumes, and irresistible charisma! M4 has been seen on stages from ESPN’s Espy Awards to festivals like Wakarusa, Bumbershoot, and High Sierra Music Fest, to world-class venues like The Kennedy Center, Hollywood Bowl, The Fillmore, and even a cultural exchange tour to China, sponsored by the US State Department. MarchFourth’s track “Gospel” (from their self-released album Rise Up, 2009) was featured as the closing credits theme song in the Disney/Pixar animated film, Monsters University. MarchFourth’s new album Many Hands is due out in 2023. “From the first note to the last, the sound was pumping and the fun never stopped.” ~USAToday “Just when you think you’ve heard it all, suddenly a band crosses paths with your ears and changes everything… Full of auditory goodness...” ~NYS Music “Mighty, Explosive, Carnivalesque Brass Band Funk” ~New York Music Daily About SOPHISTAFUNK: The unstoppable Funk Hip Hop dance party. Sophistafunk is for music lovers. Through the years, they’ve become one of the most exhilarating and fulfilling live music experiences around. They blend genres as a broader analogy for people coming together, leaving audiences with an undeniable afterglow of funky positivity. For years, Sophistafunk has been pioneers on the live music circuit, unafraid to push boundaries with their sounds and their messages. And now the whole world is finding out. Catch a show, and join the party! There’s a new band on television! Mashing up funk, rap, and their own distinct brand of positive vibes. You can catch them every Wednesday night on Food Network’s new show “Guy’s Ultimate Game Night,” where celebrities compete, laugh, dance, and congregate around culinary-themed party games. And it’s all for the charities of their choice!! But who’s this band that’s the life of the party? Who is Sophistafunk? “The unstoppable Funk Hip Hop dance party” From underground shows to international festivals, Sophistafunk has been described as “Rage Against the Machine meets The Roots, dipped in P-Funk.” They’ve also become widely known on the touring circuit as a rare Hip Hop meets live electronic jam band, performing multiple sets at Electric Forest and Camp Bisco (USA), as well as BoomTown and Shambala (UK), to name a few. They’re well known from New York to New Orleans, and have particularly strong followings in California, Colorado, Michigan, New England, and the Great Northwest, among others. After celebrity chef Guy Fieri became a fan of the band, he invited Sophistafunk to perform at many of his events and private parties around the country, including at the Super Bowl in Tempe, AZ. The band even appeared twice on his TV show “Diners, Drive-ins, & Dives.” They were also featured as the house band for four episodes of “Guy’s Grocery Games” and in 2020 premiered a music video on Food Network’s “Triple D: Takeout Edition.” Sophistafunk’s multi-year relationship with Fieri culminated in the invite of a lifetime: to be regular cast members on his brand new game show!! Add a little funk, and “Guy’s Ultimate Game Night” was born! The rest is history. The band is rooted in undeniable musicianship and authenticity, blending intoxicating beats with mind-expanding flows. Mad scientist Adam Gold is known for his heavy synth basslines and funky vocals. He plays four vintage keyboards at the same time, sometimes even while beatboxing! Gospel trained drummer and singer Emanuel Washington combines neo-soul with deep house, reggae, and more. Frontman / emcee Jack Brown evokes comparisons from Mac Miller to Michael Frantí, but his lyrical skill and conscious vibes are truly one of a kind. The band also features musical guests, ranging from brass instruments to guitars, turntablists, female singers, & other surprises. Lately, they’ve been touring with sax powerhouse Tommy Weeks of the Funky Dawgz Brass Band. About SONIC BENDERS SONIC BENDERS plays booty-shaking boogaloo soul/funk in the vein of The New Mastersounds or The Meters. The band features some of Bend's finest and most prolific live musicians; Brother Gabe Johnson (Watkins Glen, MFG, Elektrapod) on guitars, Patrick Ondrozeck (Company Grand, Mostest, StealHead) on keys, David Watts (The Cutmen) on bass, Jarrod Donatelli (Fractal, Elektrapod) on percussion and Jason Bradley (Moksha) on drums. SONIC BENDERS is all about soulful and ecstatic fun. Without fail, every show features the band and audience joyously grooving their asses off and embarking on adventurous “sonic benders” together. The end result...smiles for miles.