Funk-soul band RSO (Rock & Soul Order) hit the stage first, and turned out a blistering and soulful cover of the Prince classic “Purple Rain”. Lead singer Michael Turner made his strong voice heard in his 30 minute set, as the band mixed covers with originals (both great). As with most bands on the bill, they seemed thrilled with the crowd reaction and it showed in the performance.

Last minute addition Broken Sunday delivered a strong set that showed the better side of modern rock today. Coming from Grand Rapids, Broken Sunday proved to be a welcome replacement for the previous billed Critical Bill (who was rumored to be in the midst of a family emergency). With new drummer Brad Vander Lugt in tow, the band performed and showed very solid stage presence. The band proved the west coast (of Michigan) had something to say at the show.

Fresh off a second place finish in the Emergenza Finals, local band Natives of the New Dawn put forth a funkified set that should fit right in at college venues everywhere, with a fun party type sound. Complete with an upright bass, the six members got people’s attention. The band seemed to be very relaxed up on stage, and was probably happy to be playing on home soil once again.

Co-headliners My Machine even brought out the stage props in their 55 minute set. Packed with a large block “M”, the four piece band delivered dependable rock which swayed between funk and solid rock riffs. Perhaps the boldest cover of the night was their version of Shai’s massive hit “If I Ever Fall In Love”. The band proved that the song could hold up surprisingly well, taken out of the song’s original R&B element. The group tore through their “Overlooked” EP with vigor, and proved to be a solid co-headliner, with songs like their title track and “Melt”. I think they would do a great show with Broken Sunday, and I’d definitely
pay to see the two of them together again.

Co-headliners, Hotsauce, brought what was unquestionably the most energetic performance of the night. Complete with their very own key-tar (remember those Casio looking pianos, shaped like a guitar?) player, the 8 member group rocked the essence of what the festival was trying to bring. The band successfully fused their standard elements of jazz, funk and rock into the set. They started off the set with a high-energy version of the Phil Collins’ hit “In the Air Tonight”. Lead singer Dyrel Johnson commanded the crowd very well, had the existing fans into the music, and was undoubtedly making some new fans along the way. Songs like “Last Chance” and the title track from their “Just a Taste” EP helped show why the band is getting a reputation for being a stellar live act.

The FunkcanRock fest brought us a plethora of different sounds, a strong last minute replacement, and even a wedding proposal. Do people have any shame these days? But, for those in attendance, a fun time was had by all. This is reported to become an annual occurrence. Stay tuned here for details.

Check out these bands on the web:

RSO: www.rsoband.com
Broken Sunday: www.brokensunday.com
Natives of the New Dawn: www.nativesmusic.com
My Machine: www.mymachinemusic.com
Hotsauce: www.hotsaucemusic.com