Shining in the Rain

King Sunshine
CD Release Party: "Second Movement"
Reverb – 10.21.06
8/10

I was lucky to check out a 9-piece Toronto funk / soul / groove band called King Sunshine. With near freezing cold rain, I was great to see a great turnout at the Reverb. The venue was decorated quite nicely; coloured IKEA pendant lamp shades, video screens perpendicular to the stage and guest DJs were a welcome addition to the grungy punk space (although echoes of hardcore bands across at @cathedral still served as waiting line music at the door).

King Sunshine's got all the ingredients for a great retro dance party: disco roots, inflections of funk and pulsating dance grooves. With horns, sax, drums, percussion guitar, keys and bass driving the music, you just can't help but get moving – and then the female vox comes on stage and you're partyling like it's 1979.

This band (unlike the Killers on I&I) were dynamic and energetic technical performers. It's often tough to find technical performers who have some soul in them. Promoting their new album, Second Movement, highlights included At The Party, Monkey and It's the Joint. During the middle of the set, Sunshine busted out with an incredible 5-min 2-man percussion solo. Adding in a few standout sax solos the night proved to be a 90-min festival express – the grooves kept coming for the entire set with few breaks.

Although the band's seemingly unlimited energy powered through the night, the crowd's partying appeared to fade near the end of the train ride. Perhaps it was the late 12:10AM start; but nonehtless the groove turned back up to 11 for the encore.

Make sure you check them out next time they're in the city – be sure to put on your dancing shoes for a funky night!

-RE

3 comments October 23rd, 2006