funk | Musicosity

funk

The Regnans

Hailing from the eastern suburbs of Melbourne, The Regnans are an explosive, captivating band that blends funk, blues and rock to deliver an electrifying experience - and are excited to bring a new headline show to The Workers Club in October.

Consisting of Hamish Warner (Vocals), Zac Annal (Guitar), Angus Williamson (Bass) and Josh Buchanan (Drums), The Regnans have the potential to carve an incredible future in the music industry.

Cookin' on 3 Burners

Cookin’ On 3 Burners are Australia’s hardest hitting Hammond Organ Trio – joining the dots between Deep Funk, Raw Soul, Organ Jazz & Boogaloo.

Listening to Cookin’ On 3 Burners is like poking your head through a time portal that stretches between the year you were born and the middle of next week. On one hand there are clues to a spiritual home that’s situated somewhere in the back streets of 1966, but on the other is a reinvented soul stew that’s very much a product of the 21st Century.

O-Zone

O-Zone first formed as a duo of Dan Bălan and Petru Jelihovschi in 1998.[2] They released their first album, Dar, Unde Ești..., in 1999. However, Jelihovschi had not intended to make music his career, so he split from Bălan. Undaunted, Bălan held open auditions for new band members. At one such audition, he met Arsenie "Arsenium" Todiraș, who eventually won over the initially skeptical Bălan with his version of Elvis Presley's "Love Me Tender". Bălan and Todiraș would have proceeded as a duo act until Bălan received a call from Radu Sîrbu, who wanted a chance to audition for the group. Despite Sîrbu having missed the initial auditions, Bălan agreed, and after a successful audition, Sîrbu joined O-Zone, officially making the group a trio.

Tims tout and The Hoodoo Men

The Hoodoo Men deliver powerhouse and soulful blues at its best.

Singer, songwriter & drummer, Tim Stout is backed by Leigh Vial on bass to complete a solid rhythm section, and Jim Laing on ripping blues guitar.

The Hoodoomen album – Found The Blues – reached top 10 on the 2020 Australian blues charts. Tim and the Hoodoomen have featured at many of Melbourne’s leading blues clubs and venues.

The Hoodoo Men have been reimagined by Tim Stout the singing drummer and songwriter driving the ship ,with an independent album Found the Blues and joined by Jim Laing on Guitar and Leigh Vial on bass , they have found a big powerful blues sound guaranteed to please , get feet and hips moving and they are not to be missed.

Joey Lightbulb

Joey Lightbulb is a fan of the people.
You might hear squelchy disco, jacking house, forgotten indie bangers, old/new school rock, edgy techno, low slung funk n soul, tidy soul, hip hop and, well, whatever the party needs.

Everything’s on the table.
When DJ Joey Lightbulb plays, everything's on the table. The youthful veteran made his debut at Club UK in Melbourne in 2001 and since then he's been on the up and up, acing a recent Interstitial set at Golden Plains Festival 2024 which has led to two headline Night Cat shows.
You might hear squelchy disco, jacking house, forgotten indie bangers, old/new school rock, edgy techno, low slung funk n soul, tidy soul, hip hop and, well, whatever the party needs.
The Naarm-based selector has DJed Golden Plains, Meredith Music Festival, Forum Theatre, Melbourne Museum, Revolver Upstairs, Howler, Gasometer Hotel, Hope St Radio and wild AIR Awards after parties in Radelaide and Sydney. Lightbulb currently holds residencies at Revolver Upstairs, Bodriggy Brewery, Hope St Radio, Riverland, Boatbuilders Yard and Littlefoot Bar.
He DJed Melbourne International Coffee Expo after party at St Ali to 984 people (a record for the venue! We made an empty chair crowd-surf), the APRA Awards parties in Sydney and has spun internationally in London, Canada, Thailand, Reunion Island and Vietnam.
He is currently the travelling DJ for A Day On The Green concerts.
He was trusted as MC and DJ at NYE in The Park in Footscray 2019 for 20,000 locals and brought in the New Year with aplomb/plums.

He's currently on his Fan of The People Tour which will last (checks notes) forever.

Stylus

Stylus were an Australian blue-eyed soul group formed in 1975. They were the only Australian act to be released by Motown Records in the USA. Stylus toured supporting George Benson, Average White Band, Ike & Tina Turner, and Little River Band. According to rock music historian, Ian McFarlane, Stylus "scored a number of hit singles and became very popular on the Australian pub and concert circuit". The group disbanded in 1979 and subsequently had various reunions. In 1998-99 Japan's Toshiba-EMI re-issued three Stylus albums on CDs (For the Love of Music, Best Kept Secret and Part of It All). Their reunions have resulted in a live album, Still Alive (2003); and a new studio album, Across Time (2010).

Tax Evaders

Using a combination of danceable funk grooves and raw punk rock live energy, Tax Evaders are a band of four high school mates from the suburbs of Melbourne. Gaining comparisons to classic pop-rock bands such as INXS and The Killers, Tax Evaders' musicianship and eagerness to make every gig feel like a house party is not to be missed.

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DJ Mermaid

DJ Mermaid is an American rock and indie rock musician. In the music industry, DJ Mermaid has made a name for herself with her alluring and soulful sound. She seamlessly combines the sincerity of indie rock with the energy of rock, and is well-known for her unvarnished and impassioned performances.

A symphony of emotions, DJ Mermaid's music transports listeners through the highs and lows of life. Gritty guitar riffs contrast with her strong vocals to create an enthralling auditory experience. She takes cues from the rock legends and blends her own distinct sound into each song to create a sound that is both recognizable and inventive.

DJ Mermaid has captured the attention of audiences all throughout the country with her contagious energy and tremendous talent. Her songs have a profound emotional impact on listeners and leave a long-lasting imprint. DJ Mermaid's love for what she does shines through, whether she's rocking out on big stages or tiny, private settings.

In the rock and indie rock scenes, DJ Mermaid is a formidable presence. Her work is proof of the expressive potential of the individual and the universality of music. She extends an invitation to listeners to embark on an exciting and introspective musical journey with each song. DJ Mermaid is more than simply a musician; she is a storyteller who uses music to profoundly connect with her audience and express a range of emotions.

The Hornstars

There are many words that could be used to describe Melbourne band The Hornstars. Funky. Danceable. Loud. Quirky (have you seen that video?). But above all else, the Hornstars are all about fun, and their primary mission is to show their audience a funky good time.

The Hornstars sound is big, brassy and hard to pigeonhole. The lineup featuring Clancy Cullen (vocals), Daniel Bardan (trumpet), Bruce Cousins (trombone), Russell B Myers (tenor sax), Joey Mount (drums), Mike Holloway (bass), Peter Bonett (keys), Gareth Durant (guitar) and Eric Morand (alto sax and percussion) bring a wide range of influences to the mix. Jazz, soul reggae - it may not all be funk as we know it, but it is definitely funky.

The Hornstars formed in 2016, legend has it, after founding members were kicked out of their ska band for allegedly being “too funky”. What came next was inevitable. The band quickly recruited their 9-piece lineup and confected a set of catchy and danceable songs, which they took to the pubs and bars of Melbourne and beyond, and eventually released as their debut album in March 2020.

During the COVID-enforced hiatus, band members continued to write, getting together when restrictions allowed. The band’s song writing continued to evolve, sometimes reflecting what was going on in the world outside (witness the hard funk grooves of "No Gigs" and "Half Way There"), and at others expressing aspirations for brighter post-pandemic future ("Touch", "Say Goodbye"). Occasionally emerging between lockdowns in 2021, the Hornstars were greeted with an enthusiastic reception and sold out shows.

With their second album Half Way There released in August this year, the Hornstars are looking forward to playing more live shows in 2022 and beyond. And while we are still living in uncertain times, here is one thing to be sure of - The Hornstars are still having fun in 2022, and so should you.

Craig Laird

Session Guitar player from Sydney . Member of 1927 for 10years.
Other local artists: Richard Clapton, Glenn Shorrock , Ross Wilson, Marc Hunter, Human Nature , Steve Kilbey, Joe Camerleri, Wendy Mathews , Mark Williams The Chantoozies, Mark Gable,Real Life, Boom Crash Opera, OSHEA . Kate Ceberano
Internationals: Berlin (US) Martika (US) Men without Hats (CAN) Limahl(UK).