DESCRIPTION:
Sirius Radio proudly presents Five Alarm Funk (BC)

Go big or go home! So says Five Alarm Funk, a fresh and inventive twelve-piece out of Vancouver that will have you on your feet, twelve bars in. Known for its playful, high-energy performances, Five Alarm Funk's sound is packed with intense horn lines, searing guitar leads, and an explosive four-man percussive maelstrom so hot that the band's feverishly frenetic, costumed stage shows erupt into what can only be described as irrepressible dance mania every time they play.

Starting out in 2003 as a mere six-piece, the group's contagious passion for funk rumbled through the Lower Mainland with seismic force, picking up another half dozen like-minded funk fanatics along the way, to become one of the most exciting and unique groups in Canada. Fueled by skin-tight arrangements and their collective sweat-drenched fervor, Five Alarm Funk is pushing the envelope in all directions, playing everything from full-on funk and fast Latin to epic reggae and rolling African rhythms. "There's a huge Afro-beat, Fela Kuti influence," explains vocalist and drummer, Tayo Branston. "We take that and combine it with some James Brown and Kool and the Gang, then throw in a lot of youthful energy and reckless enthusiasm."

The group's self-titled first release in March, 2006 charted well on college radio across the country and reached #2 on Toronto's CIUT station. "Voodoo Hairdoo", the band's second studio album, captures the boundless energy of Five Alarm Funk's live show. "We spent three weeks in the studio to record and mix ten brand new heavy hitting tracks," says Justin Kennedy, one of the band's percussionists. "We were able to isolate each part and make the grooves pop like Orville Redenbacher's freshest kernels. This album will make the land that rhythm forgot, remember."

Whether they're laying down funk, jazz or Afro-beat, Five Alarm Funk is guaranteed to pack the dance zone from the very first note, so don't even bother sitting down!              

The Salmon Arm Roots & Blues Festival event occurs every third weekend in August. To find out more about this year's event and to buy tickets go to www.RootandBlues.ca!