For the late risers of NYC, there was cause for celebration this past week, and what better way to celebrate the near end of winter than a night of soul, funk, and rock ‘n’ roll with the infectiously high energy band, The Main Squeeze. Originally from Bloomington, Indiana, the sextet formed in 2009 as a party band playing for Indiana University students around the area until moving to Chicago, and then to Los Angeles, and sharing the stage with heavy hitters like Umphrey's Mcgee, The Roots, String Cheese Incident, and more. After playing hundreds of shows, putting their own spin on countless covers, and creating multiple studio albums, their original sound showcases their ability to master multiple genres of music, making for a funktastic good time.

There was no shortage of talent at Irving Plaza – Antwuan Stanley, best known for his work with Vulfpeck, opened the show with soul, R&B, and funk hits, accompanied by pianist, Jon Notar. Antwaun is a groovement favorite, a vocalist with the voice of an angel and a talent for scatting. His set was filled with soul favorites like Marvin Gaye's "What's Going On" and Vulfpeck hits like "Wait for the Moment" and "1612."

After floating on a cloud to the sweet vocals of Antwuan, The Main Squeeze continued the uplifting vibe with “Forever Feel,” a track from their most recent album Panorama. Spicy elongated notes from guitar player, Maximillian Newman, and scratchy, unique vocals from Cory Frye made for an angsty yet contemplative tone. Their set evolved into an indie, bluesy, soul fan’s delight as they continued with more Panorama tracks including ”Endorphins” and “Laurelwood,” the latter of which incorporates dueling piano players with an insane moog solo from keyboardist, Ben “Smiley” Silverstein. As much as we love to hear original tracks, there’s nothing quite like recognizing a cover that sounds completely different, like the band's performance of “Take Me Out” by Franz Ferdinand, which was played at half speed with a soulful, slow dance feel.

The Main Squeeze raged on as drummer Reuben Gingrich showed he’s a force to be reckoned with in his drum solo during “Little Bit.” The vibe shifted to a funk jam frenzy with crowd favorite “Dr. Funk” band Antwaun Stanley bringing the pipes for “Return of The Mack” by Mark Morrison. One of our favorite super niche covers of the set was the theme song for Apple TV’s Severance.

The Main Squeeze came back out for an encore with Antwuan Stanley for a cover of Micheal Jackson’s “Man in the Mirror.” Corey and Antwuan were like two barrels of a smoking gun firing insanely soulful lyrics and hymns back and forth, which had us all in awe. But the band wasn’t done yet – the show ended with Reuben and Maximillian both going off with insane solos for Jimi Hendrix’s “Fire.” Check out The Main Squeeze’s new album, Panorama, on Spotify today!

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