Rocking a Dance Club: Bifunkal with Nonpronto and Sol Shine at Debonair Social Club (February 13, 2015)

Welcome to Debonair Social Club, the venue known mostly for their late night dance parties.  They now have a live music series on Friday and Saturday nights from 8 to 11pm, before the DJs start.  DSC has a small stage at the back of the first floor, with booths along the sides of the room and a large bar in the center.  The red lighting gives the room a crimson glow.  The crowd shuffles in out of the cold and the music begins.

First up is Sol Shine.  This blues/rock/reggae band enjoys their time on stage.  They laugh and goof around as they rock through their set.  Their lineup consists of drums, guitar, bass,  and the lead singer, who also plays the keys.  The singer says he hopes everyone recognizes the next song as he sings “She packed my bags last night, pre-flight.”  It’s “Rocket Man” by Elton John, and everyone perks up to hear their reggae rock interpretation, which is solid.

Next up is Nonpronto.  They transform the club into a jazz lounge.  They’re making new fans tonight as they play songs from their past albums such as “Sweet Times Run” and “Like Shit”.  They also play a whole bunch of new songs from their upcoming record, which will be released on May 8^th.  They will be playing the Tonic Room for their record release party, and then heading out on a tour of the South and the East.  Their combination of pop, rock, and jazz is fresh in today’s music scene and should lead to great things!

To close out the night, Bifunkal takes the stage.  The drummer sings the bass line into a microphone plugged into a bass amp.  He then loops the bass line while he sings.  At the same time, the guitarist plays the rhythm, loops it, plays lead guitar, and sings on top of it all.  It’s an impressive performance as these two skilled musicians sound like a five piece band.  Their intricate rock/funk jams are entrancing and are an excellent finale to this music filled night at Debonair.