The first time I saw Vancouver based jazz and funk inspired orchestra Five Alarm Funk, I knew they had something special. It must have been Tom Towers’ many costumes.
So it is good to know they have inspired other bands like Edmonton’s 
Klusterfunk, who got a little crazy at the the Slice, Sept. 30 by sounding like a more punk and a lot more drunk Five Alarm Funk, but with a touch more hip hop and a smattering of jazz music with an exotic touch of Cuban jazz.
They drew a lot form Five Alarm Funk, right down a a singing drummer and teasing the audience by opening their set with a few bars of Five Alarm Funk’s “Ice Cream Man,” which they later played in its entirety.
They all had a variety of crazy animal and African inspired costumes, which you could hardly see because there were no lights on the stage.
Their trombonist was dressed in an African inspired poncho while their keyboardist sported a purple matador jacket. Another drummer/ percussionist dressed as some kind of mammal looked like he just stepped out of the Bloodhound Gang’s “Bad Touch” video.
And their trumpet player looked like a Cobra villain from the GI Joe cartoons of the ’80s.The guitarist looked like a hep cat pimp in a Tarzan style leopard print jacket which he later shed as their set progressed.
The played an expected horn heavy set of toe tapping funk and R and B music, full of whoops, hollers and plenty of alcohol as one of the 11 piece band was celebrating a birthday.
They were tight and were a heap of fun. “ Ay Caramba” was a highlight of the set.
