Greensboro Funk Rock Mob The Mantras Play Flipside This SaturdayStory by David Brewer Delivering high-energy psychedelic rock with plenty of guitar-rocking improv, Greensboro funk band The Mantras will play Flipside this Saturday, November 8.Since 2005, Greensboro's The Mantras have been gathering a full head of steam, delivering blistering live shows from the Triad to Philadelphia, sharing the stage with some of the region's biggest names and developing a hardcore fan base that feeds on the band's jam-informed world funk rock. This Saturday, The Mantras will return to the High Country for a show at Flipside. The show will start at 10:30 p.m. Comprised of guitarist Keith Allen, guitarist Marcus Horth, drummer Justin Loew, bassist Brian Tyndall and percussionist Brent Vaughn, The Mantras began as a project to showcase Horth's original songs. Allen joined after only a few shows and each of the members began contributing to the band's sprawling, mostly instrumental compositions. "We just all got a lot more collaborative with it," said Allen. A North Carolina native and graduate of UNCG's jazz program,
Allen characterizes the band's music as "humorous funk and
dramatic rock." While the term jamband has waned in popularity
and acts like The Mantras deftly avoid being associated with a
dying scene, Allen is honest about the band's jam-heavy roots,
but contends that The Mantras' flights of improvisation are less
about aimless soloing and more about the group's ability to interact
in a more traditional jazz sense. The eclectic grooves and stylistic versatility of The Mantras are most easily comparable to quirky jam veterans moe. and metal-influenced improv shredders Umphrey's McGee. The band's virtuosity is also reminiscent of early 1970s live efforts from Frank Zappa. During the last couple of years, The Mantras have mined Greensboro's flat lining music scene, eventually selling out longtime area nightspot The Blind Tiger. The band has also been fortunate enough to share the stage with Rusted Root, Barefoot Manner, Dubconscious, The Bridge, Perpetual Groove, Yo Mama's Big Fat Booty Band, Johnny Sketch and the Dirty Notes, Hobex, Hope Massive and many more. "We've had to work here for years to be able to have a steady
crowd," said Allen. To hear music by The Mantras, click to www.myspace.com/themantras
Winners of the 336events.com Battle of the Bands!
The eclectic rock fusion band, the Mantras, has announce the
release of their debut self titled It is not uncommon for the band to not only
traverse these genres in a single performance, but to
do so in a single song. Reminiscent of the blistering energy found in early seventies recordings of Frank Zappa's touring band, the Mantras excel with their virtuosic playing and superior musicianship, all the while not losing sight of the overall arrangements and songs. The band shifts seamlessly from one type of music to the next, a truly well –oiled machine, honed tight from years of live shows. On their debut self-titled release, the band
continues in the tradition of being a musical melting
pot, without feeling forced or unnatural. From the opening funk freak out of "Metronome," to the tongue in cheek hipness of "Jean Claude Band Van," never a moment passes with the Mantras that can't be described as pure fun. Able to send any listener in any direction in the musical universe at any moment, it is this unpredictability and spontaneity that will take any audience on a sonic joyride, and part of the reason why the Mantras are becoming known as one of the premier rock/fusion acts in the Southeastern U.S. Recent winners of the 336events.com Battle of
the Bands, The Mantras will be touring
relentlessly in the coming year in support of their new album. Current tour dates include a marquis festival performance at this year's Harmony Ball in Lake Toxaway, NC, as well as shows at hi-profile venues such as Ziggy's (Winston-Salem) and the Lincoln Theatre in Raleigh. -Will Bradford, Macromanagement
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The Mantras have
been fortunate enough to share the stage with bands such as:
The Bridge, Addison Groove Project, Perpetual Groove, Brock Butler(of P-Groove), Moonshine Still, The Burnin' Smyrnans, Barefoot Manner, Mark Schimick, Jaafar, Jeff Sype, Johnny Sketch and the Dirty Notes, Randal Bramblett, Loop, Mother’s Finest, Mood Cultivation Project, Nyos, The Murray Street Band, Lefty, Incognito Mosquito, The Humans, Bellyfull, Heywire, Marsupial, Hobex, Hope Massive, NYOS, and many more! |
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| The Mantras have been fortunate enough to play these fine venues: Althea’s Attic- Wilmington, NC
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Covers List: 5 B4 Funk- Steve Kimmock
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Original Song List: Beneficial Tangent |