Earphunk's battle for Wakarusa Fest gig also a Bogie's homecoming

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By Jason Andreasen

It's gotten harder and harder for festivals to set themselves apart from the dozens of weekend-long celebrations held throughout the year. Luckily, the Wakarusa Music and Camping Festival (held annually in Ozark, Arkansas) has found a great way to show people not only great marquee acts, but also the best in local music from 20 different cities. Enter the Waka Winter Classic.

The Baton Rouge edition of this battle-of-the-bands style competition will take place at Bogie's on Wednesday, February 3. Five bands will compete for a chance to join bands like STS9, The Disco Biscuits, Slightly Stoopid, The John Butler Trio and JJ Grey & MOFRO on the 2010 Wakarusa lineup.

While they face tough competition from Easy Company, Adam Smith, the Cliff Hines Quintet and Flow Tribe, the guys of Earphunk are arguably the favorites coming into the bout.

"Bogie's is actually where we played our first few shows," recalled guitarist Mark Hempe. "Myself and our drummer [Michael Matthews] both used to work there. We first started playing gigs there last spring ... and we started playing a few places here in town and then moved down to New Orleans and that's where we play the bulk of our shows now."

The quintet may be New Orleans-based now, but Earphunk began right here in the Red Stick. And while the band has come to be known for their funky, elongated jam band style, it's worth noting that their live shows have changed a great deal since their first set at Bogie's.

"Back then, our set list was a lot different than it is today," Hempe said with a chuckle that foretold of the admission to come. "We were playing T.I. covers; we did Ace of Base's 'All That She Wants.'"

"The first gig we got was a surprise to us," he recalled. "We didn't even know we were gonna be playing. One of the bartenders ... went - without our knowing - to the owner and said, 'These guys have a band.' So, they kinda decided for us that we were playing."

But since then, the band has progressed quickly, penning eight original numbers and working on rounding out their sets with a few covers a little more suitable to their brand of laid-back funk.

"We're playing mostly New Orleans funk and R&B and stuff like that," explained Hempe. "It's what we all grew up on."

As far as covers go, be on the lookout for tunes from The Meters, The Rolling Stones and Junior Walker & the All-Stars.

The Earphunk sound is one of remarkably well-honed instrumentals, especially given the relative youth of the band. With less than 24 months under their belt, the guys have formed the quintessential New Orleans jam band with expressive organ playing, frenetic guitar solos, all underlined by a tight rhythm section. And though the guys seem to have this formula down, don't pigeonhole them just yet. According to Hempe, the band will be exploring more originals with vocals in the near future.

In the meantime, the band has developed a very loose style that seems to jell nicely with the expansive and expressive music the band has recorded to date. For example, "Earuption," which you can hear on the band's myspace page, clocks in at nearly six and a half minutes and includes everything from simple grooves with intoxicating bass work to string-bending mastery.

And in the time-honored tradition of the unsigned band, Earphunk has taken a DIY approach to things which, according to Hempe, works just fine for them.

"We've been very self-sustaining. We recorded all our tracks ourselves and did self-promotion. We're not gonna bring anybody in as long as we can do everything the way we want to do it, which is what we like."

With Earphunk gearing up for both a homecoming of sorts and an intense competition for a spot at this June's Wakarusa Festival, Hempe has but one request of you: "Get loud and cheer for us."

To find out more about Earphunk or hear their two newest tracks, "Earuption" and "GroundScore," visit myspace.com/earphunk. If you want more details on the Waka Winter Classic at Bogie's on February 3, call (225) 766-4241.

Originally Published: Issue 863 - February 3, 2010

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