Sophistafunk has been pitching their sound as “Rage Against the Machine meets The Roots, dipped in P-Funk” long enough that it no longer sounds like a comparison — it sounds like a commitment.
About the Show
The band headlines the Funk ’n Waffles Fall Fest on Friday, October 30, with doors at 6:00 p.m. and the show at 6:30 p.m. Joining them are New Planets, The Basement Chronicles, Wavy Awakening, and Quince and The New Paris. The night carries particular meaning: keyboardist Adam Gold co-owns Funk ’n Waffles, which makes this less a tour stop than a homecoming. Gold and frontman Jack Brown first crossed paths at Gold’s restaurant in Syracuse, the very venue that eventually landed on “Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives” and drew the band into Guy Fieri’s orbit.
What the shorthand doesn’t capture is how much goes into the live show. Gold plays four vintage keyboards simultaneously, sometimes shifting to beatboxing mid-song. Drummer Emanuel Washington, gospel-trained, draws from neo-soul, deep house, and reggae in ways that make the genre-blending feel earned rather than calculated. Touring saxophonist Tommy Weeks, of the Funky Dawgz Brass Band, fills out the sound. Brown, whose approach draws comparisons to Mac Miller and Michael Franti, frames the band’s intent plainly: “Our music is fun and danceable; it makes you nod your head,” while remaining “cool and insightful, with lyrics that activate your mind, heart and soul.”
Sophistafunk has carried that show to festival stages at Electric Forest, Camp Bisco, and twice to BoomTown and Shambala in England, both drawing 50,000-plus. The band has appeared twice on “Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives,” served as house band for four episodes of “Guy’s Grocery Games,” and are regular cast members on “Guy’s Ultimate Game Night.” Fieri himself told Brown years ago: “If I ever get my own show, I want you to be my Roots.” Seven years later, it happened. The band has also performed at the Super Bowl in Tempe, Arizona. Beyond those stages, Sophistafunk has built a following across New York, California, Colorado, Michigan, New England, and the Pacific Northwest, and they tour year-round.
Venue & Logistics
Funk ’n Waffles is at 307 S. Clinton St. in central New York, a 200-capacity room for a band that fills festival grounds. The Fall Fest is 18 and older.
Tickets
Tickets start at $18.22. The show went on sale September 8. Buy tickets