Sundays for me have always been centered around music, food and spending time with those that matter most. This past Sunday I was able to have all three at once thanks to The Ardmore Hall’s first ever Soul & Waffles Sunday Brunch. The event featured the venue’s full service bar as well as food options ranging from simple yet delicious grilled cheese to mouth-watering breakfast tacos and of course, waffles accompanied by fried chicken thanks to the folks at Full & Happy. This was all tied together by a memorable afternoon of music offered up by both The Royal Noise and Zach Deputy.
The Royal Noise kicked off the music with a smooth flowing funk that meshed perfectly with the relaxed atmosphere permeating the room. Delivering a well packaged mix of jazz infused funk, resulting in a tight and welcoming sound. The interplay between each member was on point, creating tight and progressive jams throughout their set. This music was added to beautifully by the powerful saxophone of Mike LaBombard who also doubles as the keyboardist. The band seemed truly happy and at home on stage which translated effortlessly to their music, resulting in a feel good vibe that resonated throughout the crowd. This was my first chance to catch these guys live and I for one look forward to hearing much more from this band as they continue to progress and perfect their craft.
As the room steadily filled with eager fans Zach Deputy took to the stage. The delicious food that had kept everyone comfortably sitting and enjoying a nice Sunday brunch quickly became old news as the dance floor instantly began to fill up in front of the stage. Zach, a one man band and extremely talented musician has a presence that draws you in and keeps you there happily hanging on to each note. This was made apparently clear rather quickly as the afternoon rapidly turned into a full-fledged dance party. Playing off the funk that got the day started Zach added a heaping dose of pure soul to the venue, mixing up styles while looping his guitar work and beats into his soothing vocals taking the collective energy of the room to a whole new level.
Displaying his love for music as well as his uncanny ability to captivate an audience Zach kept the tunes flowing with everything from an impromptu version of the theme song to “The Fresh Prince of Bel Air” to “Beethoven.” Engaging a crowd is one thing, keeping them there for an entire show is a totally different task especially for a one man band, yet Zach does it effortlessly. Being able to take fans to their happy place is truly a gift and something that Zach was able to do for me several times throughout the afternoon, leaving me feeling as if I was on a beach surrounded by friends just smiling the afternoon away. I likely wasn’t the only one left feeling this way as I looked around to see a room full of matching smiles across the floor. Zach left the stage thanking those in attendance for a great day of music putting to rest yet another fantastic stop on his ongoing winter tour
When all was said and done this was a spectacular event put together by The Ardmore Music Hall. Great music paired with a top-notch selection of brews and mixed drinks as well as several delicious food options made available thanks to the good people over at Full & Happy. With ample dance room spread out over two floors and plenty of seating available this venue is set up perfectly for events such as this leaving me eagerly awaiting what they will put together next.
For information about the food and services provided by Full & Happy head on over to their website.
With Zach’s looping ability and outright soul paired with the funky fusion
