I think we don’t give Canada enough credit … for anything.
Our neighbors to the north have graced our country with hockey, poutine, great comic actors like John Candy and Jim Carrey, famed wrestlers like Bret Hart and Kenny Omega — and they’ve given us After Funk.
This Toronto born band is able to blend funk, soul, and pop aesthetics and deliver to a wide audience, including that jam fanbase who wants to celebrate music through the power of dance. And After Funk makes that easy because they are a super fun band that delivers a tight, and instantly enjoyable sound.
We caught up with After Funk, who perform at Jams on the Sand tonight, to talk about their new record Santa Barbara, performing as both a headliner and opening act in the same night, and what they have on the horizon.
Earlier this year you guys dropped a new album — Santa Barbara. How do you feel it stands out from the rest of your catalog — both from a sonic and lyrical standpoint?
This album shows depicts our growth as a band. The lyrics deal with more serious issues than we typically have in the past. They touch on issues of social injustice, they talk about love and they deal with growing as human beings. We definitely still stay true to our roots and at times keep it light and fun, like the song “A-Town.”
Compositionally this record is more mature than our previous work as well. We focused on writing great songs which left a lot of room for arrangement changes and fun extended sections during live shows. Sonically, it is undeniably our best record.
Hats off to Jeff Hazin who produced the record and really knocked it out of the park. We are all very happy with how the album turned out and pleased with the positive response from listeners.
Think about your early days as a band — what is the greatest lesson you’ve learned as a band that has helped propel your career?
Keep working hard and make sure to be a good person.
You make your home in Canada. Can you talk about if it’s easy/difficult to gain a fanbase outside of your home country, or is the internet the great equalizer when it comes to gaining a fanbase?
I think the biggest obstacle to really gaining traction in a new city if you are trying to build through grassroots touring is not having strong roots. If you’re lacking a good network of fans, friends or family in any city — at your home country or abroad — you will struggle to build momentum.
Naturally we tend to know more people closer to home so I think it’s easier to build close to home this way. The internet is definitely a huge tool that we have at our disposal though. You can reach so many people on platforms like YouTube, Spotify, Apple Music, etc. and if you get a great playlist placement that can open a lot of doors.
At Jams on the Sand you’ll be performing literally in front of the Atlantic Ocean, a pretty unique setting. What’s the most unique venue you’ve played at?
A unique and funny venue was a boat that was literally docked in the marina. We were supposed to do a boat cruise but the weather was pretty bad so the party on the boat still happened but we just never left port.
At Jams on the Sand you’ll be performing as the opening act for Percy Hill then headlining the after-party at Wonder Bar across the street. Is there a different mentality or way you perform if you’re an opening act or a headliner — and how do you that in the same night?
We approach all of our shows with the same mentality. We always give it our all and try to give the crowd a true After Funk experience.
What do you love about being in this match?
I love getting to play music with your best friends. It’s also great that we get to travel to some cool places while doing it.
What is a definitive goal you have for the band in 2019?
We’d really like to go on the road opening for an act that we love.
What are you most excited about for the band this year?
Putting out more new music and seeing where it takes us.
