Big Something has announced the lineup for their The Big What? festival in North Carolina, and it includes popular funk bands Vulfpeck, Kung Fu and the Mantras.
Other acts include Barefoot Manner, Big Daddy Love, Pigeons Playing Ping Pong, Cabinet, Dangermuffin, Spiritual Rez, The Fritz, Electric Soul Pandemic, Imperial Blend, The Family, Fat Cheek Kat and Broccoli Samurai.
Big Something is a six-piece alternative funk rock band based in Burlington, North Carolina.
This is the fourth year of The Big What? It was originally held at Possum Holler in Prospect Hill, North Carolina, but this year will take place at at 300-acre farm in Mebane, North Carolina. The festival, which runs June 25-27, is billed as “3 days and nights of music, art, camping, love and mystery.”
Early bird tickets are on sale now.
Immediately upon striking their first note, it became evident that Turkuaz had taken the stage donning their finest dancin’ shoes. It was electric from the start, the crowd was locked and the Brooklyn locals proceeded to blow the socks off the 700+ ringing in The New Year. My personal favorite, Bubba Slide, may have been the highlight of my evening, though the cover of the classic Beatles hit “With A Little Help From My Friends” was staggeringly perfect. I was frozen from beginning to end with rich harmonies and heartfelt melodies, guts & guitars – it was perfect.
At the very moment midnight struck and those balloons struggled to fall, one by one, I had to put my camera down for a moment and physically take it in. Everyone in that room was exactly where they wanted to be, including me – and for good reason.
Following the humongous sound of Turkuaz is a tough act, but Primate Fiasco brought their best hand to the table and showed Kerhonkson that they do, indeed, got the funk. Their live sousaphone & electric banjo give Primate Fiasco a unique tone to say the least, and they milked that cow like a seasoned farmer. The body heat was at a max, but it didn’t stop a soul from dancing as the room stayed full and folks filtered in and out – midway through the marathon and showing no signs of stopping.
The main stage was graced next with a unique situation. John, the bassist of Consider The Source had unfortunately fallen ill & unable to perform, however, Jeff Mann & Gabriel Marin stepped up and per usual performed their wizardry. Accompanied by members of the evening’s other acts, CTS didn’t disappoint – delivering an impromptu and hugely improvised set. For those of us that had seen them before, it only further cemented their technical skill and musical prowess, and for those who haven’t – it was an all-star jam of an inauguration.
Finishing the night for me was the exploding balancing act of the thick chunky jams and ethereal raining melodies of TAUK. Bringing what might be the fastest growing thumbprint in the live music scene, the young men from Montauk do what they do best – drop jaws to the floor. Roaring syncopation, cinematic climaxes, and mind-blowing sit-ins (including Consider The Source’s Gabriel Marin) were the perfect nightcap to what was truly a magical evening and a beautiful start to what will undoubtedly be a fantastic year of music.
Thank you Turkaz & Rock ‘N’ Roll Resort – I’ll see you next year!
St. Vincent is multi talented singer songwriter with an established reputation. Her distinctive electric sound intrigued David Byrne, of the 
cOpening up was the instrumental funk of TAUK, who only a year ago were playing Parish Public House to 100 or so fans. The growth of this band over the past year was remarkable and now a tour with Umphrey’s has only solidified their ascendance among the jam world. To cap the set, TAUKwas joined by Joel Cummins, Ryan Stasik and Andy Farag during “Mindshift”. TAUKis incredibly talented and worth seeing in any capacity.
JJ 